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Wetland Managers


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U.S. National Ramsar Committee

From the Barbados
Michael Shemilt directs readers to an article he wrote entitled "The Killing Fields of Barbados."
Click here to read it. Michael can be emailed for further information at: shemilts@centurygalleries.co.uk

Partners in Flight (PIF)
The PIF Landbird Population Estimates Database is now on both the PIF and Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory web sites. For further information click here.

News from The BirdLife Caribbean Program
Another 6 Important Bird Areas have been added to their website: Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, St Lucia, Montserrat, Barbados, and Anguilla. Click here to access this new information.

Ramsar News
- From the Ramsar Forum:
Imminent Danger for the Only European Population of the Robust Orchid (Orchis robusta)
This threatened species has its only European colony in s'Albufera de Mallorca (Spain), a wetland protected as a Natural Park and Ramsar Site. A project is being launched to build a golf course in this zone and a licence was just applied for. To learn more about this and/or take action click here.
- The Ramsar Wetland Conservation Award Announced [see below under Awards]

New Ramsar Sites
- A Complex of Northern Ireland lakes was added
- Germany added its 33rd site "Bayerische Wildalm"
- The government of Guinea added two more wetland sites
- The government of Togo designated two new sites
- The government of Tunisia added 19 sites

News from USFWS
The Chiloe Bird Observatory - Chile's First Organization Devoted to Bird-focused Conservation, Education and Outreach Opens
The Observatory will be housed within the newly built Chiloe Museum in Castro and is directed by Jorge Valenzuela. Financial support for educational activities and/or donations of optical equipment (binocs, scopes, and tripods) and/or banding equipment (pliers, calipers, wing rules, scales)is being sought and would be gratefully appreciated. For further details contact Jim Johnson at: jim_a_johnson@fws.gov.

Wetlands International
African Lesser Flamingo Population Gravely Threatened by Industrial Development
TATA Chemicals, a division of the biggest multinational industrial conglomerate in India, is planning to build a huge soda ash plant at Lake Natron, one of the most important lakes for waterbirds in Africa. The scale of the planned development is very likely to destroy the ecosystem of the lake and drive away the breeding flamingos.

Wildlife Management Institute [USA]
Habitat Goals for Migratory Birds in the Prairie Pothole Region Reportedly will Fail at Current Rate of Protection
A Government Accounting Office (GAO) report released in late September informed Congress that, at its current level of funding and pace of acquisitions, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will not achieve its migratory bird habitat-protection goals in the Prairie Pothole Region, according to the Wildlife Management Institute.

WWF News from China
New Wetland Conservation Network Along Central and Lower Yangtze River
9 November 2007 - Chongming, Shanghai - This network includes a memorandum of cooperation endorsed by 20 wetland reserves to tackle the issue of climate change across the region.

South Korea Land Grab Hurting Shore Birds
21 November 2007, Reuters, by Jon Herskovitz - Land reclamation in South Korea is taking a heavy toll on shore birds by destroying the habitat that once served as a main source of food to sustain their global migration, a study released on Tuesday said.

Migratory Birds Arrive Before Time [Kendrapara, India]
20 November 2007, Statesman News Service - A chirpy cacophony has begun to pervade the wetland areas along the Bhitarkanika wildlife sanctuary, with avian guests from cold northern hemispheres arriving early for their winter rendezvous.

The Birds are Back: Good News Along the Pacific Coast Flyway [USA]
18 November 2007, San Francisco Chronicle, by Glen Martin - "that we still have multitudes of birds that can darken the skies, the fact that we have rebuilt their numbers against all odds, the fact that they remain with us - well, some celebration is in order."

Wetlands Worth Billions [Australia]
12 November 2007, AdelaideNow, by Clare Peddie - University of Adelaide research shows every hectare of permanent natural wetland in the Murray-Darling Basin generates more than $7000 worth of water purification services. [See related story below, "Study Highlights Huge Economic Value of Wetlands.]

Bird Invasion Causes Havoc to Rice Farmers [Kenya]
12 November 2007, Business Daily Africa, by Solomon Mburu - Despite being a pest to farmers, Queleas have continually thrilled bird watchers due to the sheer numbers they fly in. An invasion by Quelea birds has cost rice farmers in Mwea District sleepless nights as they keep vigil on the paddies. Being voracious eaters, each bird can eat 10 grammes of grain in a day and a colony of a million birds can devour a massive 10 tonnes.

‘Worst Breeding Season’ for Britain’s Migratory Birds
9 November 2007, Farmer's Guardian - The unusual weather conditions across Britain have taken their toll on the country’s resident and migratory bird populations – of 25 bird species monitored, seven had their worst breeding season ever. The British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) carried out the survey.

Study Highlights Huge Economic Value of Wetlands [Australia]
8 November 2007, ABC News, by Nance Haxton - A University of Adelaide study has put an economic value on the wetlands of the River Murray, highlighting the ramifications of cutting off water flows in times of drought. The study has concluded that every hectare of permanent wetland provides more than $7,000 worth of water purification each year.

Water Reuse: A Solution to Drought in the Florida Wetlands [USA]
7 November 2007, Christian Science Monitor, by Bill Frogameni - West Palm Beach is sprinkling up to 10 million gallons of reclaimed water onto the marshy expanse each day. South Florida is one of the wettest regions in the country, but this year it's caught in a drought. A leading indicator of the dryness – Lake Okeechobee – dropped to a record low of 8.8 feet in July. Now just below 10-1/2 feet, it is still five feet shallower than average.

China Plans Hefty Investment to Protect Wetlands Near Everest
5 November 2007, Xinhua, China plans to invest 14 million yuan(1.86 million U.S. dollars) to protect the wetlands near Mount Qomolangma (Mount Everest), the world's highest peak, according to an official with Tibet Autonomous Region.

Migrating Songbirds Shipped Across US Find Right Flight Path
5 November 2007, Agence France-Presse — Tiny songbirds caught midway through the annual migration and shipped three thousand kilometers away could figure out which way to fly to reach their winter nesting grounds, a study found. The fact that the adults were able to correct their route after a 3,700-kilometer diversion suggests the birds may also build a navigational map as they migrate the thousands of kilometers to and from their winter nesting grounds, the authors concluded in the study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

International Agreement on Migratory Bird Protection Amid Climate Change
2 November 2007, A framework has been created for an international agreement to tackle the threats faced by migratory birds of prey across Europe, Africa and Asia. Ospreys, golden eagles, saker falcons and snowy owls are among over 70 species that will benefit from the conservation actions set out in the new agreement.

Birds Leave Sanctuary, Move into Human Habitat
29 October 2007, The Statesman - A large number of birds from Kulick Bird Sanctuary have flocked into different wards of Raiganj municipality, thereby polluting the region. Local residents are in constant fear of contracting diseases. The reason why the birds have left the sanctuary is, however, unknown to the officials of Raiganj Social forest division.

"Ming the Clam is Oldest Animal
28 October 2007, BBC News - A clam dredged up off the coast of Iceland is thought to have been the longest-lived animal discovered. Scientists said the mollusc, an ocean quahog clam, was aged between 405 and 410 years and could offer insights into the secrets of longevity.

The Rwandan Office of Tourism and National Parks (ORTPN)
Launches Bird Safety Campaign [Rwanda]
24 October 2007, The New Times, by Innocent Gahigana, Kigali - ORTPN launched a national campaign to safeguard rare bird species.The drive was launched over the weekend in Akagera National Park at Nyirabiyora Island in Lake Ihema, home to thousands of migratory birds.

Conference Aims to Preserve Birds of Prey [Scotland]
22 October 2007, Telegraph.co.uk, by Paul Eccleston - A conference aimed at saving some of the world's most majestic birds of prey begins in Scotland today. Experts from more than 60 countries will try to hammer out an agreement aimed at preserving endangered birds in Europe, Africa and Asia.

Bush Ruffles Activists' Feathers [USA]
21 October 2007 by Evonne Coutros - President George Bush visited Maryland on Saturday to unveil a cooperative conservation plan designed to improve the habitats of migratory birds. "They just killed the Landowner Incentive Program in the 2008 budget, and they're talking about this new program," Ettel said. "It's like robbing Peter to pay Paul. They kill one program that was working to fund another."

Goverment Urged to Save Wetlands for Endangered Birds [Thailand]
14 October 2007, The Nation, The spoon-billed sandpiper is now on the brink of extinction due to the loss of breeding grounds across the planet. The Bird Conservation Society of Thailand is calling on the government to join an international programme to protect gulf wetlands that are the country's only breeding ground for a migratory bird species that could soon disappear from the face of the Earth....

For The Birds, It’s Easy
9 October 2007, The Statesman - If you’ve ever wondered how migrating birds know which way is north, research now says they actually “see” the earth’s magnetic fields, rather than feel or sense them in some other way.

Can This Muck Save the Planet? [Maryland, USA]
Power Company Money Could Help Build Shore Wetlands, Combat Global Warming
9 October 2007, Baltimore Sun, by Tom Pelton - Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge - Digging through the muck of a marshy island, Brian Needelman is hunting for an antidote to global warming. The University of Maryland scientist is measuring how much carbon dioxide has been trapped in the soil of wetlands planted four years ago. Needelman hopes to prove that creating salt marshes is better than planting trees for removing global warming gases from the atmosphere.

Pampanga Leaders Eye Plan to Save Wetlands [Philippines]
3 October 2007, the Manilla Standard, by Rendy Islip — A local civic group and the leaders of three coastal towns in the province of Pampanga are urging the government to step up reforestation measures at the remaining mangrove areas along the Pampanga Bay coast.

Why Do Migratory Birds Fly in a V-formation? [USA]
1 October 2007, Scientific American.com - Bruce Batt, chief biologist for the conservation group Ducks Unlimited, based in Memphis, Tenn., explains.

Wetland Drainage, Restoration, and Repair
This book seeks to help you build wetlands that look and function more like natural wetlands. Unfolding in detail exactly how many wetlands have been destroyed, this volume shows how drained wetlands appear years later, and then describes how they can be successfully restored in fields, forests, and even at schools. Gain knowledge of how to build naturally appearing wetlands from the author's own experiences restoring over 1,000 wetlands in 8-States and one Canadian Province. By Thomas. R. Biebinghauser. University Press of Kentucky. Click here for more information. [Leah Stetson]

2006 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting and Wildlife-Associated Recreation Released [USA]
This report is referred to as “the definitive source of information concerning participation and expenditures associated with hunting, fishing and other forms of wildlife-related recreation nationwide” and serves as the baseline for examining how Americans are spending their time and money outdoors. Click here for the survey.

Participatory Wetlands Management in the Caribbean
This policy brief of the Caribbean Natural Resources Institute summarises key findings of a project that looked at the policies and institutions for wetlands management in Jamaica, Saint Lucia, and Trinidad & Tobago. To learn more or download the PDF file, click here.

Bird Conservation Through Education [Americas]
The start of a National Bird Education Network is evolving. It seeks to deliver educational messages, suggested actions, and educational resources to target audiences based on regionally appropriate bird conservation priorities. You are welcome to join. Send an e-mail to <birdedlist-subscribe@flyingwild.org>. In the text of the message, include your name, organization, title, mailing address, phone number, fax number and website (if applicable). [Terry Rich]

Awards
Listed by deadline...

Asian Waterbird Conservation Fund
Deadline: 31 December 2007
This Fund supports projects at sites of importance for migratory waterbirds in the East Asia - Australasian Flyway.

2008 NABCI/AJVMB Conservation Awards - Request for Nominations
Deadline: 31 December 2007
The U.S. Committee of the North American Bird Conservation Initiative (NABCI) and the Association of Joint Venture Management Boards (AJVMB) seek to recognize accomplishments in bird conservation at the national/international and local/regional scales as contained in the principles of national/international bird initiatives. Eligible nominations must come from the U.S., Canada, and/or Mexico. Contact Deb Hahn for more information: dhahn@fishwildlife.org

The Ramsar Wetland Conservation Award
Deadline: 31 January 2008
This ward is given in the categories of management, science, and education. Nominations from individuals or government or non-government organizations are encouraged that have contributed to the long-term conservation and sustainable use of wetlands.

The AEWA Waterbird Conservation Award
Deadline: 14 March 2008
This triennial award will be presented in Antananarivo, Madagascar at the 4th Session of the Meeting of the Parties. The AEWA Award 2008 will go to either institutions and individuals who have made a significant contribution towards the long-term conservation and sustainability of waterbirds, especially pioneer initiatives. Each winner will receive a cash prize of US$5,000.

UNEP/CMS Thesis Award
Deadline: 30 April 2008
The Secretariat of the Bonn Convention on Migratory Species seeks to promote scientific research and conservation of migratory species through this award. The thesis should provide new data and insights into the biology and ecology of migratory species or external factors disrupting their migration patterns. Research results must be applicable to conservation measures to the benefit of migratory species. The award of 10,000 EURO is offered at the 9th Meeting of the Conference of Parties to CMS (COP9) in Rome in December 2008.

New
23 - 25 January
Bangkok International Conference on Avian Influenza 2008: Integration from Knowledge to Control.
Bankok, Thailand.

New
31 January & 1 February
Wisconsin Wetlands Association’s 13th Annual Conference: Wetlands in the 21st Century, Altered Landscapes & Changing Climates
Oconomowoc, Wisconsin.

February

13 - 16 February
4th International Partners in Flight Conference: Tundra to Tropics
McAllen, Texas. McAllen Convention Center. Contact Terry rich for more information: terry_rich@fws.gov.

13 February
Bird Conservation Alliance Regional Meeting
McAllen, Texas, USA.


March

3 - 6 March
6th Mangrove Forest Ecology, Management and Restoration Training Course
Hollywood, Florida. For further informatio contact Robin Lewis at: LESRRL3@AOL.COM

5-8 March
XII Argentinean Meeting on Ornithology
San Martin de los Andes, province of Neuquen,Argentina. Contact: info@rao.org.ar


April

7 - 11 April
4th Global Conference on Oceans, Coasts and Islands: Advancing ecosystem management by 2010 and integrated coastal and ocean management
Hanoi, Vietnam

Updated
17 - 20 April
The Wilson Ornithological Society and the Association of Field Ornithologists Annual Meetings
Hattiesburg, Mississippi, USA, at the University of Southern Mississippi.

May

12 - 16 May
10th International Conference on Salt Lake Research
Salt Lake City, Utah, USA. Hosted by The International Society of Salt Lake Research (ISSLR). Co-sponsors include FRIENDS of Great Salt Lake, Utah State University, The University of Utah, and U.S. Geological Survey.

June

9 – 15 June
13th International Peat Congress After Wise Use: The Future of Peatlands
Tullamore, Ireland.

14 June - 14 September 2008
Expo Zaragoza 2008: Water and Sustainable Development
Zaragoza, Spain. For more informat about this three-month public event, featuring a specially-constructed “Water Tower.”

New
16 - 19 June
61st Annual CWRA National Conference, Managing the Health of Canada's Lakes and Rivers
Gimli, Manitoba.

July

13 - 18 July
22nd Annual Meeting of the Society for Conservation Biology
Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA. Hosted by the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga’s Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences. To be held at the Chattanooga Convention Center. More information to come.

August 2008

4 - 9 August
The American Ornithologists' Union, Cooper Ornithological Society, and Society of Canadian Ornithologists
Portland, Oregon, USA.

October 28 - November 4
10th Conference of the Parties to the Ramsar Convention
Changwon, Republic of Korea. Click here



2009

March 2009

March (tentative)
The Wilson Ornithological Society and the Association of Field Ornithologists annual meetings.
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.


August 2010

22 - 28 August
The 25th International Ornithological Congress
Campos do Jordão, Brazil.

The End
1 December 2007