Workshop to Develop a Joint CEPA Project for the East Asian – Australasian Flyway in 2019 and Share Information on Successful CEPA Interventions

The Workshop of the CEPA Working Group of the East Asian-Australasian Flyway Partnership (EAAFP) brought together a group of experienced CEPA (communication, education, participation and awareness) practitioners from across the Flyway .  Its overall aim was to inspire CEPA action across the flyway for the benefit of migratory birds and the flyway sites.

The participants – a group of experienced CEPA practitioners from across the Flyway

Key objectives:

  1. Developing one joint CEPA activity which EAAFP/Ramsar and other wetland sites can participate in during 2019 and beyond to raise awareness of the magic of waterbirds migration along the EAAF and the need for cooperation across the flyway to conserve their habitats.
  2. Exchanging good practices promoting CEPA for migratory waterbirds and their habitats along the EAAF.
  3. Sharing examples of effective communication materials with other participants.

The Workshop, which was organized by the EAAFP CEPA Working Group in collaboration with the EAAFP Secretariat, and with the Society for the Conservation of Philippine Wetlands, Inc. as host of the event, was held  in Marco Polo Hotel in Ortigas Center,  Pasig City, Metro Manila on 02 -04 October 2018.

To open the event, Dr. Lew Young, Chief Executive of  EAAFP delivered his  welcome remarks.   Introduction to the workshop was presented by Dr. Sandra Hails, Chair of the CEPA Working Group.  Successful CEPA actions were shared by:

  1. David Laurie of New Zealand – “The Flock – a nationwide activity in schools and community groups”
  2. Kim Wilson of Australia – “Wetlands and People Plan – A CEPA Action Plan for Ramsar Site 482”
  3. Oleg Goroshko of Russia – “Reducing depredation of crops by cranes and geese”
  4. Pyaephyo Aung of Myanmar- “CEPA activities for Ramsar Site designation of the Gulf of Mottama”
  5. Yang Shu-fen of  Singapore –  “Sister Wetlands Affiliation Program”
  6. Casey Burns of  Alaska, USA-  “Qupaluk FNS outreach to Alaska native people”
  7. Hiroko Okamato of  Japan –  “Green holiday: a weekend volunteer tour for wetland conservation”
  8. Vivian Fu of  HongKong, China –  “An animation of Spoon-billed sandpipers”
  9. Sergei Smirenskii of  Russia –  “International cooperation in bird studies”
  10. Amy Lecciones of the Philippines –  “Training farmers at Candaba Wetlands as bird-watching guides”

Also participating the Workshop were Mr. Suh Seung Oh, Executive Director of Ramsar Regional Center – East Asia; Mr. Jay Lee, Executive Director of National Geographic Society – Asia; and Dr. Bernhard Seliger of Hanns Seidel Stiftung – Seoul Office.

Some participants presented their successful CEPA materials , be it physical or electronic.  After the presentations, there was a plenary discussion on the target audiences, planning, development and use of the presented CEPA materials.

This was followed by the workshops on developing a joint CEPA activity by workshop participants for 2019, identifying a clear vision of the activity, and defining the joint activity for 2019 with all participants, and defining the next steps.

On Day 2, the participants took time to visit the Las Piñas-Parañaque Wetland Park.  They spent their morning on nature-hiking and bird watching at the only Wetland Park in Metro Manila which is just a few minutes away from the venue.

The Workshop –

 

Visit at the Las Piñas-Parañaque Wetland Park –