The China Migratory Bird Migration Passage Protection Network was established
China Flyway Conservation Network (CFCN)
was launched
On the afternoon of November 9,
Host event for COP14 - Global Forum on the Protection of Waterbird Habitat in Flyby Areas
Held online. Experts and scholars attending the meeting discussed the current status of global flyby areas, typical waterbird protection cases, habitat protection and restoration, and shared and exchanged international migratory bird conservation experience. The forum launched an initiative to establish a network for the protection of migratory bird flight routes in China.
Global Waterbird Flyways and Habitats Conservation Forum, the sub-forum of the Ramsar COP14
, was held online on Nov. 9. Experts shared topics of current status of global waterbird flyways, typical waterbird conservation cases and habitat conservation and restoration, to have a learning exchange in international migratory bird protection.
The forum proposed to establish the China Flyway Conservation Network (CFCN).
There are 9 migratory bird migration routes in the world, 4 passing through China, of which the East Asia-Australasian Migratory Bird Migration Route (EAAF) passes through the central and eastern provinces of the mainland and is the busiest migration route in the world, reaching the Arctic Circle in the north, Australia and New Zealand in the south, and Bangladesh in the west, involving 22 countries in a biological sense, connecting the Arctic Ocean, the Western Pacific Ocean and the Eastern Indian Ocean in a biological sense. The East Asian-Australasian Migratory Bird Route transports about 50 million waterbirds of 210 species to and from their breeding and wintering grounds each year.
Four of nine major migratory bird flyways in the world pass through China. The East Asian - Australasian Flyway (EAAF) passes through central and eastern provinces and is the busiest flyway recognized globally.
It stretches from the Arctic Circle in the north, southwards through East Asia and South-East Asia, to Australia and New Zealand, and reaches Bangladesh to the west, biologically linking the Arctic Ocean, the Western Pacific Ocean and the Eastern Indian Ocean.The EAAF is home to over 50 million migratory waterbirds from over 210 different populations.
On May 11, 2021, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the State Forestry and Grassland Administration jointly launched the UNDP-GEF East Asia-Australasia Migration Route China Migratory Bird Conservation Network Construction Project. Through the implementation of the project, the introduction of international advanced wetland conservation concepts and technologies, and the strengthening of international and domestic experience exchange and sharing will effectively improve the management and protection capacity of mainland wetlands, protect the habitat of waterbirds of global significance, ensure the safety of migratory birds on the East Asia-Australasia migration route, and provide better ecosystem services for the people in the central and eastern regions of the mainland.
UNDP-GEF Strengthening the protected area network for migratory bird conservation along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway in China (UNDP-GEF Flyway Conservation Network Project in short) has been established by UNDP China and the National Forestry and Grassland Administration on May 11, 2021.
The project will introduce the international experiences and innovative technologies of wetland conservation, strengthen international and national experiences exchange, effectively enhance China's wetland management and maintenance capacity, protect waterbird habitats of global significance, ensure the safety of migratory birds along the EAAF, and consequently provide better ecosystem services for people in the central and eastern regions of China.
Since many waterbirds are long-distance migratory birds whose habitats span multiple countries and regions, a lack of protection in one of their wintering grounds, resting grounds or breeding grounds can undo efforts elsewhere on the migration route. The participants agreed that the protection of the global migratory bird migration corridor requires global coordination and the joint efforts of countries and regions along the route. In the future, UNDP will further strengthen its close cooperation with partners and work with all parties to protect migratory bird migration routes, demonstrating UNDP's determination to promote global action on wetland conservation.
Since many waterbirds are long-distance migrants and their habitats span multiple countries and regions, once there is a lack of protection in one of their wintering, stopover or breeding sites, the efforts made in other areas along the migratory flyway may be wasted. The participants agreed that the protection of the global migratory birds requires global coordination and the joint efforts of countries and regions along the flyway.
In the future, UNDP will promote international exchanges and cooperation to protect the flyways, which demonstrates the determination of UNDP to promote global action for wetland conservation.
Case sharing
In the case sharing session, a number of guests from UNDP-GEF Migration and Conservation Network Project, National Bird Environmental History Center, BirdLife International, Paulson Institute, World Wide Fund for Nature, Beijing Entrepreneurs Environmental Protection Foundation, Mangrove Foundation and other scientific research institutes, domestic and foreign non-governmental organizations, public welfare environmental protection foundations and international cooperation projects shared specific cases to share the habitat protection of birds in the Yellow Bohai Sea in China, the protection of plovers in coastal wetlands in Southeast Asia, the protection of migratory birds in the Great Rift Valley and the Red Sea in East Africa. Crane and blue-headed duck conservation, Global Environment Facility (GEF) to protect migratory bird flight corridors in China, and domestic NGOs to participate in waterbird habitat conservation practices.
In the experience exchange session, a number of guests from the UNDP-GEF Flyway Conservation Network, National Bird Banding Center, BirdLife International, Paulson Institute, World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), Society of Entrepreneurs and Ecology (SEE Foundation), Mangrove Conservation Foundation (MCF), and other research institutes, domestic and foreign NGOs, public interest environmental foundations and international cooperation projects shared their experiences with specific cases.
They shared topics on saving a flyway in the Yellow and Bohai Seas in China, conserving EAAF shorebirds – experiences and lessons from Southeast Asia, conservation of migratory soaring birds along the Rift Valley/Red Sea flyway, conservation of cranes and Baer's Pochard, and GEF's contribution to the flyways conservation in China, and the participation of domestic NGOs in the conservation of waterbird habitats.
Sharon interview
In the interview session of the salon, the forum invited guests from universities, international and domestic NGOs and protected areas to participate in the discussion, express their views on the conservation of the Oriental White Stork, White Crane, Black-necked Crane and other conservation work, and share their practical experience.
In the panel discussion, the forum invited guests from university, international and domestic NGOs and the Protect Area (PA) to share their perspectives and practical experiences on the conservation of Oriental Stork, Siberian Crane and Black-necked Crane.
At the forum, the UNDP-GEF Migration Conservation Network Project and six strategic partners jointly initiated the establishment of the "China Migratory Bird Migration Corridor Protection Network", aiming to promote the mainstreaming of wetland and waterbird conservation, standardize investigation and monitoring, carry out capacity building of habitat practitioners, promote experience exchange, sharing and awareness improvement, and create human-bird-friendly communities and industries.
At the forum, the UNDP-GEF Flyway Conservation Network Project and six strategic partners jointly launched the "China Flyway Conservation Network (CFCN)", which aims to promote the mainstreaming of wetland and waterbird conservation, standardize survey and monitoring, build the capacity of habitat practitioners, promote experience exchange, information sharing, awareness raising, and create human-bird friendly communities and industries.
The forum was co-organized by the Academy of Forestry and Grassland Investigation and Planning of the State Forestry and Grassland Administration, UNDP China, Beijing Forestry University, China Wildlife Conservation Association, World Wide Fund for Nature and International Crane Foundation.
The forum was co-hosted by the Academy of Forestry Inventory and Planning/National Forestry and Grassland Administration, UNDP China, Beijing Forestry University, China Wildlife Conservation Association (CWCA), World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and International Crane Foundation (ICF).
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