Waterbird Flyway Initiatives: Outcomes of the 2011 Global Waterbird Flyways Workshop to promote exchange of good practice and lessons learnt Seosan City, Republic of Korea, 17-20 October 2011 Editors: Chang Yong Choi, Nicola Crockford, Nick Davidson, Vicky Jones, Taej Mundkur, Crawford Prentice & David Stroud Global Interflyway Network Logos Financed by Swiss Government Seosan City Government EAAFP Secretariat Published jointly by the African Eurasian Waterbird Agreement Secretariat, Convention on Migratory Species Secretariat, East Asian – Australasian Flyway Partnership Secretariat, and Secretariat of the Convention on Wetlands (Ramsar, Iran, 1971). © African Eurasian Waterbird Agreement Secretariat 2012, © Convention on Migratory Species Secretariat 2012, © East Asian – Australasian Flyway Partnership Secretariat 2012, © Ramsar Convention Secretariat 2012. This report should be cited as: Global Interflyway Network. 2012. Waterbird flyway initiatives: outcomes of the 2011 Global Waterbird Flyways Workshop to promote exchange of good practice and lessons learnt. Seosan City, Republic of Korea, 17-20 October 2011.Editors: Chang Yong Choi, Nicola Crockford, Nick Davidson, Vicky Jones, Taej Mundkur, Crawford Prentice & David Stroud. AEWA Technical Series No.40, Bonn, Germany; CMS Technical Series No.25, Bonn, Germany; EAAFP Technical Report No. 1, Incheon, Republic of Korea; Ramsar Technical Report No. 8, Gland, Switzerland. ISBN No. 2-940073-33-3 Design and Layout: Minseon Kim and Yuna Choi, EAAFP Secretariat The views and designations expressed in this publication are those of its authors and do not represent an officially-adopted view of the African Eurasian Waterbird Agreement or its Secretariat, the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals or its Secretariat, the East Asian – Australasian Flyway Partnership or its Secretariat, or of the Ramsar Convention or its Secretariat. This publication may be reproduced for educational or non-profit purposes without special permission from the copyright holders, provided acknowledgement of the source is made. The East Asian – Australasian Flyway Partnership Secretariat would appreciate receiving a copy of any publications that use this document as a source. For further information please contact: The East Asian – Australasian Flyway Partnership Secretariat, 19 Floor Get‐pearl Tower, 7-50 Songdo‐dong, Yeonsu‐gu, Incheon, 406‐840 Republic of Korea Office: +82 32 260 3002, Email: min‐[email protected] Website: www.eaaflyway.net Dedicated to Mark Barter A champion of migratory waterbird conservation Mark Barter in northern Bohai Wan (China) – waterbird surveys and training (14 May 2005) The world of waterbird and wetland conservation along the East Asian – Australasian Flyway lost a pioneering figure and a role model with the passing of Mark Barter on 21 November 2011. Mark held a passion for shorebirds throughout his life, helping to guide development of the National Plan for Shorebird Conservation in Australia (1987), before becoming Chairman of the Australasian Wader Studies Group from 1987 to 1997. At the regional level, Mark played an active role in the development of the Asia- Pacific Migratory Waterbird Conservation Strategy (1996) and Asia-Pacific Shorebird Action Plan 1996- 2001, and participated as Chair of the Shorebird Working Group and member of the Asia-Pacific Migratory Waterbird Conservation Committee. Among his greatest achievements were: promoting global recognition of the critical importance of the Yellow Sea for migratory shorebirds in the East Asian – Australasian Flyway; advancing our understanding of the importance of the Middle and Lower Yangtze wetlands in Central China for Anatidae, by establishing a waterbird monitoring program for the Yangtze wetlands, and encouraging waterbirds and wetland research at Chinese universities; and facilitating development of international collaborative waterbird research programs that linked scientists in Asia, Europe and North America. Mark was a leader, a scientist, a trainer and mentor. His work in the Flyway established a greatly expanded body of researchers, site managers and community members with a passion for waterbirds and their conservation who now motivate others and collectively ensure a lasting legacy built on Mark’s foundational work. Mark’s achievements would have been outstanding for any full time ecologist. However, he worked as a volunteer, initially in his spare time and then in his retirement, often at his own expense. Mark was a true quiet achiever and his selfless model can only inspire others to contribute in a similar way. To leave a lasting legacy in recognition of Mark’s contribution, an award program is being developed by the East Asian – Australasian Flyway Partnership for the conservation of migratory waterbirds and their habitats in the East Asian – Australasian Flyway. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The organising committee of the Global Flyways Workshop would like to thank Seosan City, the Government of Switzerland and the Secretariat of the EAAFP for their generous funding for this workshop. We would also like to thank Seosan City hosting the workshop at Hanseo University and for the very interesting and informative field trip to Cheonsu Bay, the EAAFP Secretariat for all their excellent logistical work and organisation before, during and after the workshop, and Roger Jaensch for his help and guidance in the earlier stages of planning for this workshop. Participants at Hanseo University, Seosan, South Korea i LIST OF ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS AEWA Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds AI Avian Influenza CEPA Communication, Education, Participation and Awareness (sometimes used as Communication, Education and Public Awareness) CBD Convention on Biological Diversity CMS Convention on Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals COP Conference of the Parties CSN Critical Site Network EAAFP East Asian – Australasian Flyway Partnership EIA Environmental Impact Assessment GFN Global Flyways Network (of shorebird flyways researchers) GIN Global Interflyway Network HPAI Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza IBA Important Bird Area IGO Inter-governmental Organization INGO International Non Governmental Organization IOP International Organization Partner (of the Ramsar Convention) MEA Multilateral Environmental Agreement MoP Meeting of the Parties MoU Memorandum of Understanding NBSAP National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan NGO Non Governmental Organization Ramsar Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance RoK Republic of Korea SEA Strategic Environmental Assessment SCWP UNEP/GEF Siberian Crane Wetland Project WHSRN Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network WHMSI Western Hemisphere Migratory Species Initiative WOW Wings Over Wetlands – the UNEP-GEF African-Eurasian Flyways Project ii TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgements ........................................................................................................................................ i List of Acronyms and Abbreviations .............................................................................................................. ii 1. Background and Introduction .................................................................................................................... 1 2. General Conclusions ................................................................................................................................. 4 2.1 Conclusions about the value of the workshop and future networking ................................................. 4 2.2 Conclusions about the ingredients of successful flyway conservation initiatives ................................ 5 3. Thematic Conclusions and Recommendations ........................................................................................ 6 3.1 Introduction to Different Flyway Initiatives ........................................................................................... 6 A. Overview of the status of migratory waterbirds: taking stock in the decade of biodiversity, Taej Mundkur, Wetlands International ........................................................................................................... 6 B. What flyways are, and the history of international co-operation for waterbird conservation, Nick Davidson, Ramsar Secretariat and David Stroud UK Joint Nature Conservation Committee ............ 11 C. Drivers of migratory waterbird status: Habitat loss, land-claim ... and hunting, Nick Davidson, Ramsar Convention Secretariat ........................................................................................................... 13 D. Flyway scale responses to the spread of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza H5N1, David Stroud, UK Joint Nature Conservation Committee and Boripat Siriaroonrat, UN Food and Agriculture Organisation ......................................................................................................................................... 15 E. Barriers to Migration, Sergey Dereliev, AEWA Secretariat ........................................................ 16 F. Developing birding tourism in South Africa, Daniel Marnewick (on behalf of Martin Taylor), BirdLife South Africa ............................................................................................................................ 17 3.2 National engagement and implementation ........................................................................................ 18 Conclusions ........................................................................................................................................