Women actively participate in migratory bird conservation

The spoon-billed sandpiper (Calidris pygmaea) is a rare migratory bird classified as Critically Endangered. During the migratory season, which usually starts from October to March of the following year, this bird often flies over and roosts in the coastal provinces of the Red River Delta Biosphere Reserve, including Ninh Binh, Thai Binh and Nam Dinh provinces.

However, in recent times, the population of migratory birds in general and spoonbills in particular has been declining significantly due to factors such as climate change, habitat loss and illegal hunting.

The spoonbill population is declining significantly due to many factors. (Photo: Vietnam - Russia Tropical Center)

With the desire to promote and enhance the participation of local communities, especially women, WildAct has implemented the project "Women-led conservation initiative to build a harmonious ecosystem for spoon-billed sandpipers and local communities in Ninh Binh province" to provide information, training skills and support the Women's Union to participate in conservation activities such as communication, research, sharing local initiatives to contribute to migratory bird conservation, raising awareness, attitudes and behaviors of local communities towards migratory birds.

Within the framework of the project, WildAct has coordinated with the Ninh Binh Provincial Women's Union to implement communication activities, train project management skills and develop conservation initiatives for women members in Kim Son and Yen Mo districts. The results showed that over 60% of Women's Union staff have a solid understanding of migratory bird protection and 91.4% of Women's Union staff clearly understand the steps to develop and implement an effective communication project.

In particular, two groups with members from the Kim Son District Women's Union proposed projects located in Kim Dong and Kim Trung communes, pioneering the development and implementation of community activities from awareness raising to specific actions to contribute to reducing pressure on the habitat of migratory birds.

Women's Union members actively participate in migratory bird conservation projects. Photo source WildAct

The project team based in Kim Dong commune has developed a communication initiative to change people’s awareness of spoon-billed sandpiper protection. The team’s initiative focuses on changing the awareness and behavior of groups that are at high risk of affecting migratory birds, such as hunters, restaurants, grassroots officials and local people.

Specifically, the group plans to organize a conference to educate the public about the importance of migratory birds, especially spoon-billed sandpipers, combining the screening of documentaries, the distribution of documents and media publications, and the signing of a commitment not to hunt and consume birds.

The project team based in Kim Trung commune has taken a unique approach by linking migratory bird protection to the issue of household waste. The team’s initiatives include organizing an Environmental Communication Day, training on household waste sorting and treatment with probiotics, distributing trash bins, and organizing a campaign to collect trash along the coast – where birds often forage and stop. The initiative not only contributes to improving the habitat of birds, but also raises public awareness of the connection between human health, the environment, and biodiversity.

Two initiatives were announced by WildAct funding at the conference to implement innovative, flexible and closely linked approaches to local women's practices, contributing to building a conservation model from the community, for the community.

With a clear direction, a direct approach and a community-based approach, the two initiatives not only contribute to creating positive changes in Ninh Binh but also open up an effective approach for migratory bird conservation based on local women.

Hong Minh

Source: https://baophapluat.vn/phu-nu-chu-dong-tham-gia-bao-ton-chim-di-cu-post545678.html