Waterfowlers support wetland restoration 8th May 2021
As the World Migratory Bird Day celebrates migratory birds and raises awareness of the constant travellers’ dependence on international cooperation, members of Waterfowlers’ Network raise support for restoration of Finnish wetlands.
By Iben Hove Sørensen, Waterfowlers' Network
Photo by Dennis Jacobsen/Colourbox
Many ducklings hatch in the boreal wetlands of Finland, where some of the best NW European breeding areas for migratory waterbirds are found. For several species, some of which are undergoing long-term declines, these areas constitute important strongholds in the Western part of their breeding range.
Large-scale habitat management and restoration are essential factors in the successful conservation of migratory species - and that is exactly what will be happening over the coming three years through the SOTKA-project.
Support for the SOTKA-project
The SOTKA-project aims to restore 400 hectares of prime brood habitat to help declining waterbird populations. The project is funded by the Finnish government, but funding provided by other sources is also welcomed and will serve to improve the impact and scope of the project.
Claus Lind Christensen, president of Waterfowlers’ Network, says:
Our network was established to encourage and facilitate cross-border cooperation between the waterfowlers of NW Europe, and ultimately to ensure sustainable waterfowling opportunities for future generations. So, when we heard about the SOTKA-project, we were all ears, and for a while we have been exploring ways of supporting the work in Finland.
Now, in symbolic celebration of World Migratory Bird Day, Waterfowlers’ Network has collected 4,500 EUR which will be donated to the SOTKA-project as soon as the right wetland site has been identified.
Our partner organizations in United Kingdom (The British Association for Shooting & Conservation), The Netherlands (The Royal Dutch Hunters' Association) and Denmark (The Danish Hunters' Association) have raised this donation.
Below you can watch a video from one of the recently restored wetlands. Major work was carried out here during the summer of 2020, and the site is already attracting many migratory waterbirds.
About World Migratory Bird Day
World Migratory Bird Day is an annual global campaign dedicated to raising awareness of migratory birds and the need for international cooperation to conserve them. “Sing, Fly, Soar – Like a Bird!” is the theme of this year’s campaign.
World Migratory Bird Day was initiated in 2006 by three founding partners: The Convention on Migratory Species (CMS), The Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) and Environment for the Americas. The event is now receiving annual support from organizations all over the world.
Read more about World Migratory Bird Day here: https://www.worldmigratorybirdday.org/.