[ AEWA E-Newsletter: Issue #28 ]
[ français ]
Farewell to AEWA - a few words from Bert Lenten who is stepping down as Executive Secretary of AEWA to join the CMS Secretariat
After
having worked as Executive Secretary of AEWA for more than 15 years, it
is time for me to move on and take up a new challenge. As you might be
aware, in addition to my position at the UNEP/AEWA Secretariat, I have
held the post of Acting Deputy Executive Secretary of the Convention on
the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS) since July
2009. The Executive Director of UNEP, Mr. Achim Steiner, recently appointed
me as the new Deputy Executive Secretary of CMS as of 2 May 2011. [read
on]
New multimedia website showcases 15th Anniversary of AEWA
The
UNEP/AEWA Secretariat has published a special multimedia website devoted
exclusively to the AEWA 15th Anniversary Symposium. The website includes
all plenary presentations, key note speeches and interviews given during
the international event which took place in The Hague, the Netherlands on
14-15 June 2010. [read
on]
Join us in celebrating World Migratory Bird Day 2011 on 14-15 May
With
only a few days to go, the UNEP/AEWA Secretariat would like to once again
make a strong appeal to all stakeholders, national authorities, NGOs, clubs
and societies, universities, schools and individuals worldwide to participate
in World Migratory Bird Day 2011. This year’s campaign focuses on
“Land use changes from a bird’s-eye view”. By
highlighting this theme, we want to raise awareness on the dramatic effects
human land use has on migratory birds and the ecosystems upon which they
depend. [read
on]
AEWA Small Grants Fund – launch of the 2011 cycle!
The
AEWA Secretariat is calling for applications from African countries for
the 2011 cycle of the Small Grants Fund (SGF). The deadline for submission
of project proposals is 1 August 2011. [read
on]
Russia hosts the 13th Meeting of the IUCN/Wetlands International Goose Specialist Group
Goose
experts from some 20 countries as well as representatives from several
international organizations gathered at Elista in the Republic of Kalmykia
located in south-western Russia from 25 - 30 March 2011 for the 13th meeting
of the IUCN/ Wetlands International Goose Specialist Group. The meeting
was organized by the Goose, Swan and Duck Study Group of Northern Eurasia
(RGG) and was facilitated by RRG Chair Evgeny Syrechkovskiy. [read
on]
Wadden Sea Flyway Workshop - Strengthening Management and Research along the African-Eurasian Flyways
An
international workshop dedicated to strengthening management and research
on migratory birds along the African-Eurasian Flyways took place in Wilhelmshaven,
Germany from 22 - 23 March 2011. The two-day workshop was chaired by Dr.
Gerard C. Boere, one of AEWA’s
founding fathers, and brought together 35 experts from a number of African
and European countries as well as Russia and the United States to try to
identify ways of improving research and international cooperation between
the Wadden
Sea and other important sites for migratory birds along the African-Eurasian
Flyways.
[read
on]
First meeting of the AEWA Sociable Lapwing International Working Group in Syria
The
AEWA Sociable Lapwing International Working Group (SLIWG) is an inter-governmental
body which was convened by the AEWA Secretariat in 2010 in order to coordinate
and guide the implementation of the Single Species Action Plan (SSAP) for
the Sociable Lapwing (Vanellus gregarius). The Sociable Lapwing
SSAP was approved by the 2nd Meeting of the Parties (MOP2) in 2002, but
a revision
was initiated in 2009 and a significantly revised and updated SSAP will
be presented to MOP5 in 2012. SLIWG is the second AEWA Species Working
Group to actually convene a meeting after the Lesser White-fronted Goose
International Working Group.
[read
on]
Slaty Egret workshop in Maun, Botswana
An
important step towards better protection of the Slaty Egret (Egretta
vinaceigula) was taken in March in form of a three-day, multi-stakeholder,
action-planning workshop, which took place from 3 - 5 March 2011 at the
Thamalakane River Lodge in Maun, Botswana. The aim of the workshop was
to share information on the numbers, distribution, threats and conservation
status of the Slaty Egret in each Range State, with the aim of compiling
an International Single Species Action Plan (ISSAP) for the species, to
be presented to the 5th Meeting of the Parties to AEWA (MOP5, France, 14 - 18
May 2012). [read
on]
New Report Series for the Lesser White-fronted Goose
The
UNEP/AEWA Secretariat is pleased to announce the launch of a new report
series developed under the AEWA Lesser White-fronted Goose International
Working Group (LWfG IWG). The new LWfG Reports will, for example, feature
the results and outcomes from Lesser White-fronted Goose conservation projects
being carried out across the species’ range as part of the implementation
of the AEWA LWfG Single Species Action Plan. The overall goal is to make
new knowledge acquired in the Range States available to those interested
in the efforts being undertaken to save the Lesser White-fronted Goose
as well as in international waterbird conservation promoted under the AEWA
banner.
[read
on]
How you can support the implementation of AEWA!
The
UNEP/AEWA Secretariat is pleased to announce the recent publication of
a revised version of its fundraising kit “How you can support the
implementation of the African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbird Agreement”.
This bilingual publication (English and French) consists of a kit of 29
leaflets, each presenting a project which was given priority by the 4th
Meeting of the Parties to AEWA (MOP4/Antananarivo, Madagascar, 2008),
but for which funds are lacking. The Secretariat would like to urge all
Parties and partners of AEWA to carefully consider the projects described
and to support their realization. Every contribution helps! [read
on]
Nominations still open for the AEWA Waterbird Conservation Award 2012!
Institutions
and citizens from all nations are invited to nominate individuals or institutions – governmental
and non-governmental, including community groups or private sector enterprises – of
any country in the Agreement
area for the AEWA Waterbird Conservation Award.
[read
on]
In Focus: AEWA Conservation Guidelines No. 11– Guidelines on how to avoid minimise or mitigate the impact of infrastructure developments and related disturbance affecting waterbirds
Infrastructure
developments such as dams, railways, roads or mines can have a variety
of impacts on waterbirds and their habitats, including direct mortality,
habitat loss or degradation. Careful planning and implementation of infrastructure
developments is therefore vital in order to avoid biodiversity losses and
ensure that viable populations of waterbird species can be maintained across
their ranges. Appropriate planning may even result in infrastructure developments
that create or enhance habitat for waterbirds (for instance the creation
of wetlands after gravel extraction). [read
on]
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