WOW Exchange Programme Workshop
Meeting of WOW Demonstration Projects and
Regional Centre Teams from Kenya, Tanzania,
South Africa and Nigeria
4-7 November, Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania
PROJECT OVERVIEW
Flyway-level
Conservation of
Migratory Waterbirds
in Africa and Eurasia
BIRDS MIGRATION
A MIRACLE OF
NATURE
African Eurasian
Flyways
Cover
118
Countries
over 3,000,000
migratory waterbirds
300 species
unique ecological
requirements
increasingly
scarce habitats
congregatory
behaviour
vulnerability
The African
Eurasian
Waterbirds
Agreement
UNEP-AEWA
(1995)
over 100,000
important wetlands
(and other habitats)
forming a
NETWORK of
critical sites
Ramsar
Convention
(1975)
essential for
migratory
waterbirds
Sites holding >1% of
the population of
individual wader sp.
flyway conservation
• shared resource = shared responsibility for their
conservation and sustainable use
improving cooperation among all countries along the
flyways
• developing a stronger science base
improving our understanding of waterbirds migration
providing better support to decision-making for their
conservation
• avoiding antagonistic interventions along the flyways
• harmonising policies and optimising actions on the
ground
• sharing resources for the benefit of all partners along
the african-eurasian flyways (and beyond):
– enhancing professional capacity
– mobilising financial resources
– training, education and awareness tools
Budget Breakdown
Global Environment
Facility Trust Fund
German Government
$3,715,364
$6,000,000
$1,365,460
$1,114,405
UNEP/AEWA
Secretariat
Other
JOINT EFFORT
WOW is the largest
waterbirds and wetlands
conservation initiative
ever to take place in the
African-Eurasian Region
THE
TEAM
More than 100
project staff
involved in over 20
countries (plus a
network of
hundreds of other
staff and
volunteers)
Project
Coordination Unit
Based in:
Wageningen,
The
Netherlands
what are we doing?
• regional-level activities
1. science base for decision-making
2. capacity building & training
3. communication and networking
• activities in the field
– demonstration projects in 12
countries
– four regional centres
The critical sites network tool
(component 1)
Improving our
understanding
of the Critical
Network of
Sites required
by Migratory
Waterbirds
A multi-national
technical team at work
integrating & linking several databases
Into one portal: THE CRITICAL SITE NETWORK TOOL
Capacity Development
(component 2)
developing
training programmes & materials
to support flyway-level
conservation
Capacity Development
Regional Training Boards
WOW Flyway Training Modules
1. Understanding the flyway
approach
2. Applying the flyway
approach
3. Communicating the flyway
approach
Each module contains:
• Illustrated Textbooks and Session
Plans
• Powerpoint Presentations
• Exercise manuals
• Case studies
textbooks and manuals
powerpoints
Demonstration Projects
(component 3)
Activities in the field
Projects in 12 coutries along the flyway
Demonstrating Best Practice in Wetlands Management
and Waterbirds Conservation
Regional Hubs
Demonstration Projects
Project Coordination Unit
Ecotourism
Control of
invasive species
Wetland
Restoration
Alternative
Livelihoods
Education and
Awareness
Trans-boundary
Management
Management
Planning
Community
Mobilization
WOW
Regional
Centres
www.wingsoverwetlands.org
Thank you
www.wingsoverwetlands.org
Organising our thinking about migration:
Waders as an example of waterbird flyways