Documenting shorebird conservation along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway
About this project
Our project is interested in finding out what conservation actions work—and equally important, what does not—when it comes to protecting migratory shorebirds along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway (EAAF, Figure 1). We are compiling and synthesizing evidence on conservation actions for shorebird species along the EAAF, to assess their effectiveness in improving breeding success and survival while identifying gaps in current practices. Conservation actions will be documented through two approaches: (1) a systematic literature review and (2) input from shorebird practitioners. The gathered evidence will inform the development of a concise, practical handbook outlining key characteristics of effective shorebird conservation strategies.
About the flyway
Figure 1. Map of the East Asian-Australasian Flyway
The EAAF is the largest of the world’s nine major flyways of migratory birds, supporting 67 migratory shorebird and waterbird species. Spanning 26 countries/territories extending from Arctic Russia and North America south to Australia and New Zealand, this flyway hosts a network of breeding, staging, and wintering sites that sustain millions of migratory shorebirds annually. Since the 1980s, populations within the flyway have undergone significant declines, driven primarily by wetland degradation, habitat loss, and anthropogenic pressures, particularly in the Yellow Sea region. After decades of decline, population trends for some species have stabilized, suggesting that conservation efforts across the flyway may be yielding positive outcomes.
Conservation challenges
Although recent population trends show promising signs, the specific management actions or their combinations driving these improvements remain uncertain. Identifying effective, as well as ineffective, conservation management strategies for migratory shorebirds will be critical to securing their long-term survival across the flyway. The EAAF’s transboundary nature, spanning culturally, politically, linguistically and economically diverse nations, presents unique challenges for conservation. Effective management requires harmonized policies, protection of critical stopover habitats, and mitigation of anthropogenic threats such as land reclamation or the construction of seawalls. However, much of the conservation work within the flyway is implemented domestically with relatively with limited cross-national coordination. Furthermore, cultural and linguistic diversity within the region may hinder the exchange of strategies and best practices, further complicating efforts to develop cohesive, region-wide conservation approaches.
How you can contribute
There are three ways to contribute to this project:
- Contribute your conservation efforts for EAAF shorebirds by completing the survey in your preferred language: English, Chinese, Japanese, Bahasa Indonesian (coming soon)
- Assist in translating the survey output from Bahasa Indonesia, Chinese, or Japanese to English
- Spread the word about this project and invite your friends/colleagues who have implemented conservation actions for shorebirds to contribute their efforts as well
For more information, please get in touch with Elize Ng at elize.ng (a) uq.edu.au
