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29 October - 1 November 2006 - The 7th session of the Technical Committee
to AEWA took place in Berne, Switzerland, at the kind invitation of the
Swiss government and the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA).
The meeting was the first held since the Third Meeting of the Parties to
AEWA (MOP3) in October 2005, Dakar, Senegal. The meeting gave members and
observers of the AEWA Technical Committee the opportunity to evaluate and
review the progress made on a number of activities the TC has been involved
in since MOP3, and to plan and decide on how to proceed in the two coming
years before MOP4. [read
on]
The Wings Over Wetlands (WOW) Project is the largest international wetland
and waterbird conservation initiative ever to take place in the African-Eurasian
region. This 12 million US dollar project aims to conserve the critical
areas needed by waterbirds migrating across these continents. Key international
organizations involved in the study and conservation of waterbirds are joining
forces to improve understanding and flyway-scale protection of migratory
waterbirds across Africa and Eurasia. Waterbirds migrate vast distances,
and the project is designed accordingly, covering the entire African-Eurasian
area, including Africa, Europe, the Middle East, Central Asia, Greenland
and the Canadian Archipelago. [read
on]
The Sociable Lapwing (Vanellus gregarius) and the Black-winged
Pratincole (Glareola nordmanni) have been listed on the IUCN Red
List of Threatened Animals for a long time. With a population estimate of
600-1,800 birds only the Sociable Lapwing is categorised as "Critically
Endangered" and is facing a very high risk of extinction. The Black-winged
Pratincole was recently uplisted from "Data Deficient" to "Near Threatened"
- once abundant wintering flocks in Africa are no longer reported and the
species' population is now estimated at 29,000-45,000 individuals. The Single
Species Action Plans for the Sociable Lapwing and for the Black-winged Pratincole
were the first ones adopted by AEWA in 2002. [read
on]
Following the adoption of the CMS Strategic Plan at COP8 in 2005, the AEWA
Standing Committee held a brainstorming session at their recent meeting
(20-21 November in Bonn) to kick off the development of a similar strategic
plan for AEWA. The results of the brainstoring session will be utilised
by the consultant who has been engaged to facilitate the process of drafting
the plan.[read
on]
The
AEWA Secretariat together with its mother Convention on Migratory Species
(CMS) has
recently unveiled AIWEb - The Avian Influenza, Wildlife and the Environment
Web (www.aiweb.info).
AIWEb is a web-based platform for information exchange and communication
on current and emerging topics relating to avian influenza, the environment
and migratory birds. [read
on]
The AEWA Secretariat has contributed to a publication produced by the CMS
Secretariat on "Migratory Species and Climate Change". Containing contributions
from experts around the world the brochure explores the current state of
knowledge and identifies ways forward that allow migratory species to continue
fulfilling their unique role in the global web of life. To download the
brochure please click here.
The AEWA Secretariat has recently published a kit containing a sample of
projects, which were given priority by the Third Meeting of the Parties
to AEWA, 23-27 October 2005, Dakar, Senegal, and for which funds are still
lacking. To download the kit please click here.
If you wish to contribute to the realization of one of these projects please
contact the Secretariat at aewa@unep.de
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