Debbie, the Australasian Wader Study Group and Ornithological Society of
New Zealand have been working for a number of years trying to influence
Chinese and Korean governments with field trips for data collection,
training and every other delegation strategy they could think of. When
you are dealing with poorer countries, you learn that their priorities
are different from those of rich countries like ours. Food and housing
are far more important than a few silly birds. AWSG has supported Birds
Korea as much as it could, but taking on goverments in those hugely
populated countries is not like taking on the Australian government.
I've been fretting over the problem for years (it was no secret), but in
the end I decided to take care of my own patch. And as long as the
Australian government ignores coastal habitat loss situations here,
those other governments can and do claim that we ought to set our own
example before criticising others.
If you can get a movement started, go ahead, but do so knowing about
what has gone before you. I wish you all the best.
One example:
Google "invisible connections" and you can download a wonderful book by
Phil Battley, Brian McCaffery and Danny Rogers, with photos by Jan van
der Kam, which was presented to every delegate at the Ramsar conference
in South Korea a couple of years ago. Since then the Korean government
has gone ahead with plans for further damming of key rivers which flow
into the Yellow Sea. They couldn't give a toss.
Cheers,
Jill
Jill Dening
Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia
26° 51' 41"S 152° 56' 00"E
On 19/09/2010 9:50 PM, Debbie Lustig wrote:
Thanks to recent posts, we now have a better idea of the dire threats to
shorebirds that use the local flyway. What needs to happen is not just Chris
and Adrian's science, but action of a political nature if we are to have any
hope of affecting this ongoing loss of habitat.
The time to wring our hands and say "heartbreaking" is over: there are things
we must do - if we have the will. We can get organised, sign petitions, lobby political
parties, inform the public, exert pressure via boycotts of products. Has anyone thought
of doing these things? Can we live with ourselves with the knowledge we just didn't try?
Laurie Levy's 20-year campaign to end shooting of native waterbirds in
Australia has borne fruit; already three states have banned it (though not yet
Victoria). His efforts should be an example to us all.
As with shorebirds, so with other threatened species. Unless we bring their
plight to the public's attention, predicted population crashes of many common
species are going to happen, hidden, unremarked on, silent - and ignored.
Can we afford not to take action?
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