Yalu Jiang International Bird Festival, Dandong, China

The mouth of the Yalu River (Yalu Jiang) in Liaoning Province of NE China forms the border between China and DPRK and is probably the most important remaining inter-tidal mudflat in the Yellow Sea supporting tens of thousands of .staging shorebirds, particularly Bar-tailed Godwit and Great Knot. Part of the area is a National Nature Reserve, although some of this area has recently been de-gazetted for port development. It is an EAAFP Flyway Network Site, and has a sister site relationship with Pukorokoro Miranda Naturalist Trust (PMNT) in New Zealand (NZ) and a history of cooperation with the Trust in monitoring shorebird status and trends. The “Yalu Jiang International Bird Festival” took place on May 3-5th in Dandong. EAAFP took part in the festival to share ideas on how to conserve intertidal areas in Yalu Jiang and was represented by Chief Executive Spike Millington and a delegation from EAAFP Partners, the Government of NZ and and PMNT, and Wetlands International China.

Yalu Jiang International Bird Festival, Liaoning Province, China ©?????

The festival was supported by the Dandong government. Nearly 500 participants attended this festival including high level officials, Secretary General, Mayor and Vice-Mayor of Dandong, representatives of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and State Forestry Administration, Government of China, the NZ Ambassador to China, the Department of Conservation of NZ, PMNT, and staff from the Yalu Jiang National Nature Reserve. There was also a special event to celebrate 10 years’ cooperation between Yalu Jiang and PMNT in waterbird monitoring and publication of results. Joint surveys were also held during and after the Festival.

During this trip, EAAFP delegates had a discussion with Mayor and Vice-Mayor of Dandong and Secretary-General of CCCP in Dandong, as well as a discussion with NZ delegations.

 

New Zealand Delegation Visits Pyongyang, DPR Korea

A related post from Keith Woodley Manager, Pukorokoro Miranda Shorebird Centre.

A substantial gap in our knowledge of shorebirds around the Yellow Sea could be closed over the next few years following the visit of a New Zealand delegation to Pyongyang, DPR Korea, in May. The delegation from Pukorokoro Miranda Naturalists’ Trust (PMNT) and the Department of Conservation met with officials of the Nature Conservation Union of Korea (NCUK). A five-year agreement on exchange and cooperation between NCUK and PMNT was signed. A draft work programme identifies four sites to be progressively surveyed and documented over four years, commencing in April 2015, followed by publication of data. As part of the project it is hoped there will be an opportunity to conduct simultaneous surveys on either side of the DPRK-China border. Since 2004 PMNT has worked in partnership with Yalu Jiang National Nature Reserve in China to document the importance of that site for shorebirds in the Flyway. Observations during these surveys revealed substantial flocks of birds crossing over into the DPRK. Progressing with this project is however, contingent on securing funding, and PMNT is currently investigating possible sources of support.

 

Related websites on Yalu Jiang International Bird Festival:

http://www.v1.cn/2014-05-05/1110175.shtml

http://www.lntv.com.cn/lnnews/6406.htm

http://chsd.bjhd.gov.cn/sdxw/sddt/201405/t20140509_611124.htm

http://www.forestry.gov.cn/portal/main/s/72/content-355742.html

http://www.ln.xinhuanet.com/newscenter/wykln/2014-05/06/c_1110556665.htm

http://ddnews.nen.com.cn/system/2014/05/04/012207646.shtml

http://news.china.com.cn/live/2014-05/04/content_26445589.htm

Comments are closed.