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Heidi

Heidi Luquer, Editor  
Migratory Bird & Wetlands NewsLink

The Ramsar sites in the Johor state of Malaysia report “excellent consistent sightings lead by the Parks staff and various nature interest groups of the migratory raptors, notably of Black Bazas -Aciceda Leuphotes and Oriental Honey–Buzzards Pernis Ptilorhynchus. These raptors from Siberia, Russia and the like, head towards the direction of Indonesia namely Sumatra and the Riau Archipelago. Little research has done here previously due to infrastructural inaccessibility. Hence this discovery is vital…” News from Harban Singh, Ramsar Manager, Johor National Park Corporation, Malaysia.

Ramsar News:
New Countries to Join Ramsar:
- Myanmar will join Ramsar on March 17, 2005. Its first site: "Moyingyi Wetland Wildlife Sanctuary."
- Samoa will join as Ramsar’s 142nd Contracting Party, on 6 February 2005. Its first site: "Lake Lanoto'o", the largest freshwater lake in the country.
- Seychelles' first Ramsar site is the "Port Launay Coastal Wetlands."

New Ramsar Sites:
In celebrating World Wetland Day, 2 February 2005, Switzerland will designate three valuable and scenic Wetlands of International Importance as part of its celebration of World Wetlands Day, 2 February.

And in other countries:
Austria - Moore am Nassköhr
Chile - Bahía Lomas
People's Republic of China has designated 9 new sites
Czech Republic - Punkva subterranean stream
United Republic of Tanzania - Rufiji-Mafia-Kilwa Marine Ramsar site
The Tunisian Government has officially announced its commitment to designate at least 15 new Ramsar Sites.
U ruguay - Esteros de Farrapos e Islas del Río Uruguay

For more Ramsar news: http://ramsar.org/

News from the Royal Society of Preservation of Birds (RSBP)

The Eagle Odyssey is considered the most successful and acclaimed RSPB film ever made. According to BirdLife International, this film has become the greatest success in RSBP's long history of wildlife film-making. The Eagle Odyssey charts the struggles of the UK's largest breeding bird of prey, the White-tailed Eagle Haliaeetus albicilla. Against worldwide competition the film won the award for Best Script at the largest and most prestigious natural history film festival in the world, Wildscreen, held in Bristol in October 2004. Go to: http://www.birdlife.net/news/news/2005/01/eagle_odyssey.html

U.S. National Ramsar Committee (USNRC) News

- The USNRC is pleased to announce that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has formally requested Ramsar designation of three new sites (two in California, one in Hawaii) to the Ramsar Secretariat, and once the Secretariat ensures that the applications are complete, these three sites will be added to the current list of nineteen.

- The USNRC, along with The Nature Conservancy, the Caddo Lake Institute and the Caddo Lake Ramsar Wetland Clearinghouse, was a cosponsor of "Flows Prescription Orientation Conference and Natural Science Ecotourism Flotilla" held in Jefferson, Texas, on December 2-3. For details see www.caddodefense.org.

- Stetson University College of Law, a member of the USNRC, recently hosted an International Environmental Moot Court Competition that focused on issues related to invasive species in a wetland of international importance. Ramsar Secretary General Peter Bridgewater delivered the opening lecture and served as a final round judge. For details see http://www.law.stetson.edu/environmental/, http://www.ramsar.org/w.n.usa_stetson.htm, and http://www.ramsar.org/w.n.usa_stetson2.htm

News from the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network (WHSRN)

- Two sites of Hemispheric Importance (more than 500,000 shorebirds/ yr or more than 30% of a flyway population Join WHSRN: The Fraser River Delta, British Columbia, Canada and The Upper Bay of Panama.

- Guillermo Fernández Joins as WHSRN’s New Research Associate. Guillermo, from Guadalajara, Mexico joins WHSRN after completing his Ph.D. at Simon Fraser University (British Columbia, Canada) on differential habitat use in Western Sandpipers. Starting February 1, Guillermo will work out of the Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences (WHSRN’s coordinating office ) on the WHSRN project “designing site-based conservation for the most vulnerable shorebird species.”

Study: Buy More Land for Everglades Restoration (Florida, USA)
25 January CNN.com - Associated Press - Miami, Florida — The state and federal governments should buy more land, and do so quickly, in order to restore the Everglades before the property becomes developed or too expensive in coming years, according to a new report. Go to: http://www.cnn.com/2005/TECH/science/01/25/everglades.restoration.ap/index.html

Species Disappearing 100 Times Faster Than Ever Before
24 January 2005, Enviroment News Service, Paris, France — Species are being lost globally at a rate 100 times faster than the average rate during the Earth's history, a panel of prestigious scientists today warned an international convention gathered at
UNESCO headquarters in Paris. They said tens of thousands of other species are already committed to future extinction because of the recent worldwide loss of their habitats. Go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/envecolnews/message/1685

Oil Drilling Planned for Alaska Preserve
21 January 2005, CNN.com, Washington, USA — The government plans to open for exploratory drilling thousands of acres on Alaska's North Slope that have been protected for decades because they are home to migratory birds and caribou. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) concludes exploration will have 'minimal impact' on wildlife. For the full story go to: http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/01/21/alaska.oil.ap/

Wildlife Benefits from £2.3m Fund
21 January, BBC News, England — More than £2m is to be spent improving reserved habitats for wading birds which have declined in numbers over the past 25 years. The money will help managers of key wetlands in East Anglia Environment Minister Elliot Morley has announced. These Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) are home to lapwing, snipe and redshank. Drainage boards can claim a share of a £2.3m fund. For the full story go to:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/4194831.stm

Chevron to Restore Coastal Wetlands at Port Arthur (TX, USA)
17 January, 2005, Environment News Service, Port Arthur, Texas — Three Chevron companies have agreed to clean up and restore lands and waters around the company's former refinery at Port Arthur, Texas contaminated with petroleum products and heavy metals from more than a century of refinery operations. For the full story go to: http://earthhopenetwork.net/Chevron_to_Restore_Coastal_Wetlands_Port_Arthur.htm

Scientists Work to Save the Endangered Albatross
14 January 2005, National Public Radio — Long-line fishing boats kill about 100,000 albatrosses a year. Some British scientists say far fewer drownings would occur if the lines could be weighted to make them sink more quickly. According to the World Conservation Union, 19 of the world's 21 kinds of albatross are near extinction. NPR's John Nielsen reports. To listen to the full report go to: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4284297

Coastal Greenbelts As Tsunami Lifesavers
January 11, 2005, By Roddy Scheer — According to Friends of the Earth, the amount of devastation from late December's Indian Ocean tsunami was significantly lower in those coastal areas protected by natural barriers such as mangrove forests and coral reefs. So-called "coastal greenbelts" in India, Malaysia and Sri Lanka helped mitigate damage and saved thousands of human lives. Go to: http://www.envirolink.org/external.html?www=http%3A//www.emagazine.com/
view/%3F2213&itemid=200501140925000.658612

Early warning? Ask Nicobar's Stone-agers
7 January 2005, Asia Times, By Ranjit Devraj, New Delhi — Stone-age tribes living on India's remote Andaman and Nicobar Islands not only survived the devastating December 26 tsunami - but may actually have a few lessons in reading natural early-warning systems for their less perceptive Asian neighbors, say scientists. The Onges, Jarawas, Sentinalese and Great Andamanese who live in the archipelago escaped unscathed because they took to the forests and higher ground well in time. "These tribes live close to nature and are known to heed biological warning signs like changes in the cries of birds and the behavior patterns of land and marine animals... Go to: http://www.atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/GA07Df05.html

European Union Comes to Aid of Egyptian Vultures
5 January 2004, BirdLife International — A European Union (EU) Life-Nature project is supporting the recovery of Egyptian Vultures Neophron percnopterus in south-east France. Unlike the population in the French Pyrenees, which has remained stable at around 58 pairs, Egyptian Vultures in the south-east of France have declined by more than 59% in the last 50 years. For the full article go to: http://www.birdlife.net/news/news/2005/01/egyptian_vulture.html

€5 Million for Clean-up of the Danube
24 December 2004, RiverNet — In the fourth project under a joint facility with the Global Environment Facility (GEF), the EBRD is lending €5 million to Slovenia’s Probanka, Maribor, for projects aimed at reducing water pollution flowing into the Slovenian portion of the Danube River Basin. The EBRD/GEF environmental facility was set up last year. The Bank is committing up to €45 million to local banks for on-lending to local borrowers for environmental investment projects related to the Danube, while the GEF is providing $9.9 million in grant financing and for technical assistance. The aim is to promote environmental investments by private-sector companies and smaller municipalities. GEF provides financial incentives needed to overcome barriers to environmental investment.

Researchers Predict Massive Avian Decline
22 December 2004, emagazine.com, By Roddy Scheer — As part of the most comprehensive study on worldwide avian biodiversity to date, researchers from Stanford University predict that within a century, 10 percent of bird species in the world will be extinct, with an additional 15 percent endangered. The study pinpoints habitat loss, diseases, climate change and over-exploitation as key factors contributing to the expected precipitous avian decline. Go to: http://www.emagazine.com/view/?2200

Critical Habitat Proposed for Pacific Coast (USA) Population of Western Snowy Plover
A December 17, 2005 News Release from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service proposes 35 critical-habitat units along the coast of California, Oregon, and Washington for the Pacific coast population of the western snowy plover, a Federally protected species, opening a 60-day comment period on the proposal. The proposed critical habitat units total 17,299 acres, less than an earlier critical habitat plan the Service adopted in 1999. For the full article go to: http://news.fws.gov/NewsReleases/R1/E242D72A-057B-0956-149B6CA426FEB856.html

Landsat TM Inventory and Assessment of Waterbird Habitat in the Southern Altiplano of South America
By Terence P. Boyle, Sandra M. Caziani, Robert G. Waltermire
Wetlands Ecology and Management; 12 (6): 563-573, January 2005
This research developed maps from nine Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) images (254,300 km2) to provide an inventory of aquatic waterbird habitats in southern alitplano of South America. Image processing software was used to produce a map with a classification of wetlands according to the habitat requirements of different types of waterbirds. For the full paper go to: http://www.kluweronline.com/issn/0923-4861/contents

proposals, and select the winning projects. The deadline is: February 2, 2005. Questions should be directed to George E. Wallace at the American Bird Conservancy: gwallace@abcbirds.org

The 2005 Canon National Parks Science Scholars Program for the Americas
The program, a collaboration among Canon U.S.A., Inc., the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the US National Park Service, will award eight US$78,000 scholarships to Ph.D. students throughout the Americas to conduct research critical to conserving the national parks of the region. Research projects in the biological, physical, social and cultural sciences are eligible, as well as projects in a new category—technology innovation in support of conservation science. Applications must be received by 2 May 2005. For information about the Canon National Parks Science Scholars Program and a copy of the Application Guide, please visit the website at <www.nature.nps.gov/canonscholarships

North American Wetlands Conservation Act Standard Grant [for USA only]
Proposals are sought for a 4-year plan of action supported by partner funds to conserve wetlands and wetlands-dependent fish and wildlife through acquisition (including easements and land title donations), restoration and/or enhancement, with a grant request between $51,000 and $1,000,000. Deadlines: March 4 and July 29, 2005 Go to: http://birdhabitat.fws.gov/NAWCA/USstandgrants.html

The Mekong River Commission includes the member countries of Cambodia, Lao PDR, Thailand and Viet Nam and maintains regular dialogue with the two upper states of the Mekong River Basin, China and Myanmar. The Commission seeks to cooperate in all fields of sustainable development, utilisation, management and conservation of the water and related resources of the Mekong River Basin. These job listings, and others, can be found here: http://www.mrcmekong.org/vacancies/vacancies.htm

Kansas State University Seeks to Fill Graduate Research Position for Ecotoxicology of Migratory Shorebirds
A graduate assistantship will be available at Kansas State University to investigate the possible impacts of environmental contaminants upon Buff-breasted Sandpipers, Upland Sandpipers and other migratory shorebirds. Field research will involve sampling birds at stopover sites in Texas, Kansas and Nebraska. Information on graduate programs at K-State and current projects is available at: www.ksu.edu/bsanderc. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. For further details contact Dr. Brett Sandercock: bsanderc@ksu.edu

WWF Seeks to Fill Position for European Freshwater Coordinator
The main responsibilities of this position are to lead the freshwater conservation work of WWF in Europe and to develop and supervise the policy work on policies of the European Union and its member states to ensure conservation of freshwater biodiversity in Europe and globally. The deadline is Deadline: 8 February 2005. Go to: http://www.panda.org/about_wwf/jobs/publication.cfm?uNewsID=18090&uLangId=1

University of Montanta (USA): Nest-Searchers and Experienced Mist-Netters Needed
To help investigate evolution of life history traits of Neotropical passerines in Parque Nacional Yacambu, Venezuela. The project is part of a long-term project designed to examine variation in life history traits among latitudes. The field season starts March 22nd through July 1st, 2005. For more information email Alina Niklison, Montana Cooperative Wildlife, Research Unit, University of Montana, mailto:Alina.Niklison@mso.umt.edu

International Crane Foundation Seeks Technical Advisor - Russia/Kazakhstan
A part-time contract position on the UNEP/GEF Siberian Crane Wetlands Project, based either in Moscow or at a suitable location in Kazakhstan. Go to: http://www.sibeflyway.org/index.htm

1 – 4 February
12th Meeting of the Scientific and Technical Review Panel
Ramsar, Gland Switzerland. Go to: http://www.ramsar.org/w.n.strp-datechange.htm

6 – 9 February
Asian Wetland Symposium, Innovative Approaches to Sustainable Livelihood
Bhubaneswar, Orissa, India. Organizers, Ramsar Center Japan, Chilika Development Authority, India, Department of Forest & Environment, Govt. of Orissa, India and Co-organizers: Ministry of Forest and Environment, India (MOEF). Go to: http://www.aws2005.com/index.htm

14 – 18 February
High Andean Wetland Symposium
Salta, Argentina. Topics include: Water in High Andean Wetlands; Flamingoes and other indicator, umbrella or emblematic species; Spatial and temporal scales for conservation of High Andean Wetlands; Conservation tools for High Andean Wetlands; Ecotourism as a sustainable activity in High Andean Wetlands; Strategic planning: public-private agreements, community participation, management plans, restoration. For details in Spanish go to: http://www.ramsar.org/w.n.andean_gcfa_symp1.htm

15 – 16 February
Coastal Ecosystems of West Africa
Brussels, Belgium. Go to: http://www.imcg.net

21 – 25 February
International Conservation and Wildlife Management Congress, Costa Rica
The congress is part of the XX Anniversary Celebration of the Regional Wildlife Management Program. For further information go to: http://jaco2.una.ac.cr/vida_silvestre/

21 – 26 February
Biodiversity Conservation as A Way of Life
Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia, hosted by the Borneo Biodiversity and Ecosystems Conservation Programme (BBEC). Go to: http://www.bbec.sabah.gov.my/ E-mail: bbec@sabah.gov.my or danielpamin@hotmail.com

21 – 24 February
Mangrove Forest Ecology, Management and Restoration Training Workshop
Anne Kolb Nature Center, Hollywood, Florida, USA. The workshop includes an introduction to mangrove forest ecology, management options and problems, and restoration and the course is taught in conjunction with the Mangrove Action Project (www.earthisland.org/map). For more information contact Sherry Capaz at: SherryCapaz@aol.com or http://www.mangroverestoration.com

22 - 25 February
"Shorebird Summit"
Galveston, Texas, USA, organized by The U.S. Shorebird Conservation Plan Council to review regional, national, and continental progress made on implementation of the U.S. Shorebird Conservation Plan. The format will consist of invited presentations followed by discussions that address various aspects of the conservation plan.

March

16 – 19 March
North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference
Arlington, Virginia, USA at the Crystal Gateway Marriott. Go to: http://www.wildlifemanagementinstitute.org/pages/main.html

20- 23 March
9th International Symposium on Biogeochemistry of Wetlands
Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA. This symposium seeks to provide a framework for scientists to share technical information on various topics related to biogeochemical cycling of nutrients and other contaminants, as related soil, water, and air quality in freshwater and estuarine wetlands. Go to: http://conference.ifas.ufl.edu/wetlands/index.html

April

7 – 8 April
New Currents in Conserving Freshwater Systems: A Biodiversity Science Symposium
New York City, NY, American Museum of Natural History will host a forum for scientists and conservation practitioners to highlight recent successful initiatives in freshwater conservation, to discuss cutting-edge ideas and tools, and to investigate how and where these innovations might be implemented on the ground. The symposium will showcase projects that are rooted in the best available science, integrate scientific fields, and link science with other disciplines. For more information contact Fiona Brady: brady@amnh.org For more information on the website go to: http://cbc.amnh.org/symposia/freshwater/

21 - 24 April
The Wilson Ornithological Society will hold its 86th Annual Meeting jointly with the Association of Field Ornithologists and the Eastern Bird Banding Association
Bowie, Maryland, USA. (No meeting web site yet.)

June

New
5 – 9 June
5th International Symposium on the Ecology and Management of Shallow Lakes
Dalfsen, the Netherlands. Registration until 1 March 2005. For details go to: http://www.shallowlakes.net/congres/

5 – 10 June
Society of Wetland Scientists 26th Annual International Wetlands Meeting, Coastal Plain Wetlands: Ecological, Landscape, and Regulatory Transformations
Charleston, South Carolina, USA. Go to: http://www.sws.org/regional/SouthAtlantic/charleston.html

July

Updated
3 - 9 July
7th Bi-annual Wetlands Institute One Week Course
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. Participants will learn wetland mapping, inventory, and restoration techniques, all placed in a community context. The Wetlands Institute focuses on project development and implementation. Participants interested in building and implementing a plan for a wetland education, conservation or restoration project in their own community are encouraged to apply. Go to: http://www.bcwf.bc.ca/programs/wetlands/wetlandsinstitute.html

15 – 19 July
19th Annual Meeting of the Society for Conservation Biology, Conservation Biology Capacity Building & Practice in a Globalized World
Universidade de Brasília, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, Brazil. Go to: http://www.scb2005.unb.br/

New
19 – 22 July 2005
Managing Watersheds for Human and Natural Impacts: Engineering, Ecological, and Economic Challenges
Williamsburg, Virginia, USA. Sponsored by the Environmental and Water Resources Institute of the American Society of Civil Engineers. Go to: http://www.asce.org/conferences/watershedmanagement2005/

August

[tentative]
Society for the Conservation and Study of Caribbean Birds
La Sociedad para la Conservación y Estudio de las Aves Caribeñas. Go to: http://www.nmnh.si.edu/BIRDNET/SCSCB/

7 – 12 August
90th Annual Meeting, Ecological Society of America, jointly with INTECOL, Montréal, Canada
Go to: http://www.esa.org/montreal/

13 – 19 August
The American Ornithologists' Union
Santa Barbara, California, USA. 123rd Stated Meeting. Hosted by the University of California at Santa Barbara. Go to: http://www.i-o-c.org/

September

Updated
6 September
River Basin Management 2005
Bologna, Italy. 3rd International Conference on River Basin Management including all aspects of Hydrology, Ecology, Environmental Management, Flood Plains and Wetlands. Go to: http://www.wessex.ac.uk/conferences/2005/rm05/index.html

New
22 – 25 September
W3M conferrence, for wetlands: monitoring, modeling, management
Wierzba, Poland. Go to: http://levis.sggw.waw.pl/wethydro/contents/w3m.htm

November

Updated
8 – 15 November
Ramsar Convention on Wetlands
Kampala, Uganda, 9th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention (COP9) Details to come.

New
8 – 26 November
Community-based Integrated Watershed Management
Silang, Cavite, Philippines. Organised by the International Institute of Rural Reconstruction (IIRR), this 3-week training course intends to offer a new approach in integrating technologies and participatory strategies within the natural landscape or "watershed" for sustainable resource use, conservation and protection. Go to: http://www.comminit.com/events_calendar/2005-events/events-3312.html

28 November – 2 December
3rd International Conference on Deep Sea Corals
University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science (RSMAS) on Virginia Key, an island off the coast of Miami, Florida, USA. For more information go to: http://conference.ifas.ufl.edu/coral/index.html

New
4 – 8 September
International Symposium on Wetland Pollutant Dynamics and Control
Ghent, Belgium. Go to: http://biomath.ugent.be/wetpol/index_high.html

December

New
11 – 13 December
Australasian Shorebird Conference 2005
Nelson, New Zealand. Hosted by the Ornithological Society of New Zealand, the Australasian Wader Study Group and the New Zealand Wader Study Group. [The Conference follows the Australasian Ornithological Conference which will be held in Blenheim, New Zealand 6-10 December 2005.] For more information and/or to register go to: http://osnz.org.nz/conference.htm Contact David Melville (david.melville@xtra.co.nz) for general conference issues, and Phil Battley (philbattley@quicksilver.net.nz) about the programme.

2006

June 2006

24 - 29 June 2006
20th annual meeting of the Society for Conservation Biology
Conservation Without Borders, San Jose McEnery Convention Center, San Jose, California, USA. More details to come.

August 2006

6 – 11 August
Ecological Society of America
91st annual meeting, Memphis, Tennessee, USA. For more information go to: http://www.esa.org/

13 – 19 August
24th International Ornithological Congress
The Deutsche Ornithologen-Gesellschaft (DO-G, German Ornithologist's Society) and Institute of Avian Reseach 'Vogelwarte Helgoland,' Wilhelmshaven
Hamburg, Germany.

September 2006

1 -3 September
Seabird Populations Under Pressure
Aberdeen, Scotland. To be hosted by the (UK) Seabird Group. For further information contact: Mark Tasker: mark.tasker@jncc.gov.uk

October 2006

Updated
2 – 7 October 2006
4th North American Ornithological Conference (NAOC)
Veracruz, Mexico. Other associated meetings: American Ornithologists' Union, Association of Field Ornithologists, CIPAMEX (Sección Mexicana de Consejo Internacional para la Preservación de las Aves, A. C.) , Cooper Ornithological Society, Raptor Research Foundation, Society of Canadian Ornithologists / Société des Ornithologistes du Canada, The Waterbird Society, Wilson Ornithological Society. Go to: http://www.naoc2006.org/

2007

June 2007

VIII Neotropical Ornithological Congress
Maturín (Monagas), Venezuela & Unión Venezolana de Ornitología.

The End
1 February 2005