Conservation without borders – solutions to declines of migratory shorebirds in the East Asian–Australasian Flyway
Judit K. Szabo A D , Chi-Yeung Choi B , Robert S. Clemens B and Birgita Hansen C
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A East Asian–Australasian Flyway Partnership Secretariat, 3F G-Tower, 175 Art center-daero (24-4 Songdo-dong), Yeonsu-gu, Incheon 406-840, Republic of Korea.
B School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Qld 4072, Australia.
C Centre for eResearch and Digital Innovation, Federation University Australia, PO Box 663, Ballarat, Vic. 3353, Australia.
D Corresponding author. Email: science@eaaflyway.net
Emu 116(2) 215-221 https://doi.org/10.1071/MU15133
Submitted: 30 December 2015 Accepted: 22 February 2016 Published: 5 April 2016
Abstract
Globally, populations of migratory shorebirds are threatened and declining rapidly. This is especially true for those using the East Asian–Australasian Flyway (EAAF), where loss of intertidal mudflats in crucial staging areas, especially around the Yellow Sea, is considered to be the primary driver of declines. The conservation of migratory shorebirds faces considerable challenges, including competing demands on wetland habitats, compounded by differing economic priorities, jurisdictions and attitudes towards wildlife among the countries along shorebird migratory routes. A key aspect of addressing these challenges is to protect more habitat and improve management of shorebird habitat, both in protected and unprotected areas. This ultimately requires stronger commitments from national governments, for instance by enforcing and strengthening multilateral and bilateral agreements. However, economic drivers for development erode the effectiveness of these policy tools. Here, we highlight the socio-political approaches needed to ensure implementation of conservation actions. The success of these actions will hinge on stronger engagement of citizens and governments in habitat protection and shorebird monitoring. One part of this strategy is to increase awareness in communities and governments of shorebird issues through international collaboration, knowledge sharing, capacity-building and support for local action (of both citizens and government officials). International actions mediated among flyway partners, for example bilateral agreements on the preservation of intertidal mudflats and co-funding to support this, are critical to halting shorebird population declines.
Additional keywords: habitat loss, migration, mitigation, threatened species.
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