International Conference on Wetlands and Development and the 36th IWRB Executive Board Meeting

Last October, along with the 36th IWRB (Inter national Waterfowl and Wetlands Research Bureau) Executive Board Meeting, the International Conference on Wetlands and Development hosted by the Ministry of Science, Technology and the Environment, the Selangor State Government and the Institute of Advanced Studies, University of Malaya, was held in Malaysia to contribute to the planning, development and implementation of strategy and policies on wetlands and their sustainable use.

　Mr. Kobayashi, Director of the Environment Agency of Japan, one of the Japanese delegates to the IWRB Executive Board Meeting, and others from Japan attended the Conference and the Board Meeting.

　At the Executive Board Meeting, the creation of Wetlands International was approved and the alliance among the IWRB, the Asian Wetland Bureau (AWB) and Wetlands for the Americas (WA) has been further developed.

　Another main topic, as far as the Asia/Pacific Region is concerned, was the development of the "Asia-Pacific Migratory Waterbird Conservation Strategy."

　The "Conservation Strategy," which was endorsed in the "Kushiro Initiative" and prepared by the AWB and the IWRB-J, is a framework for waterbird conservation initiatives to be undertaken by agencies/organizations in the region over the next five years and identifies those that should be developed.

　During these meetings, a "Workshop on the Conservation of Migratory Waterbirds and their Habitats in the Asia-Pacific Region" was held to discuss and exchange information on the issues and priority actions for conservation. This workshop strongly supported the "Conservation Strategy" and endorsed its implementation through the development and conduct of species-group Action Plans, site networks and other actions.

　Further presentation on the "Conservation Strategy," Action Plans (AP for Anatidae, AP for Cranes) and the "Shorebird Reserve Network" were also made at the workshop of the Conference. (It was somewhat confusing because several workshops were organized at the same time.) (The "Kushiro Initiative," the "Conservation Strategy" and the "Shorebird Reserve Network" were also presented by the Japanese and Australian delegates at the informal Asian Regional Ramsar Meeting.)

　Through these workshops and meetings, participants have become familiar with the "Conservation Strategy."

　The implementation of the "Conservation Strategy" has been further endorsed in the triennial plan (1996 - 98) of the Wetlands International: Cooperation with the Environment Agency of Japan and the Australian Nature Conservation Agency and Assistance to the Environment Agency of Japan and other concerned agencies in the development of a network of sites for migratory Cranes and Anatidae have been adopted as items of a conservation program.

　The Conference statement (the "Kuala Lumpur Statement on Wetlands and Development") also mentioned "Conservation Strategy" as an example of international cooperation.

　The "Conservation Strategy" will be launched by the next Ramsar Meeting in Brisbane and it is expected that conservation activities by various entities will be promoted in accordance with the "Conservation Strategy."

Wildlife Division,
Nature Conservation Bureau,
Environment Agency

A Report on the Northeast Asia & North Pacific Environmental Forum


The fourth meeting of the Northeast Asia & North Pacific Environmental Forum was held in Kushiro from September 25 to 29, 1995. About 300 delegates, from the People's Republic of China, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the Republic of Korea, Mongolia, Russia, the U.S.A. and japan participated in the meeting.

　Although wildlife in these regions share many common characteristics, measures for wildlife management based on common understanding have not been taken. Therefore, cooperation for collaborative management, particularly for the protection and management of wild animals which migrate across national borders, is being sought. Given this, the Kushiro Forum was organized to consider an international co-operative system for the protection of migratory birds. Such co-operative activity is just what bilateral Migratory Bird Treaties and the Ramsar Convention are advocating.

　In the plenary meeting, the delegates reported the present status in his/her country. The strategy for the protection of migratory birds in the Asia-Pacific region and the network for the protection of snipes and plovers were also reported. Sub-committee meetings discussed the protection of ducks & geese and cranes and the cooperation among NGOs.

　On the final day of the meeting, the Kushiro Statement which called for the following was adopted: "to continue the formulation of the action plan for the protection of ducks and geese to have it ready prior to the 1996 Conference of Parties to the Ramsar Convention; to establish a network of both sites and people for crane conservation; to address environmental prob lems which are of common interest and shared across borders; to enhance the communication and cooperation not only among NGOs, but also among governments, local authorities, private enterprises, universi ties and research institutes; to pursue the formulation of strategies to establish biodiversity reserve systems across national boundaries; to establish a network among those who are involved in environmental problems in these regions; and to utilize the 'regional environmental bulletin board' on the Internet as an efficient and inexpensive means of communication."
　The next meeting will be held on the Amur River in Russia in October 1996, in which the roles of local municipalities and NGOs in coping with trans-boundary environmental problems will be discussed.

Dr. Hiroji Isozaki
Chairman
Organizing Committee for
the Northeast Asia &
North Pacific Environmental Forum
 

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