The training workshops and meeting with local government officers in Yangkou have now been completed. Fifty six teachers, university students and birdwatching society volunteers were trained on education, communication and interpretation techniques relevant to work on Spoon-billed sandpiper and coastal wetlands. The response was positive and now planning will progress leading to celebrations of the Yangkou wetlands in the summer of 2012. The Spoon-billed sandpiper pin badges, kindly donated by Wildsounds, were greatly appreciated by participants when they also received their attendance certificates.
The meeting with county government officers and the local mayor was encouraging. There was acceptance that the spread of spartina needed to be controlled and there was an interesting discussion about the possibility of developing a nature reserve similar to Chongming. The point was made that time is now critical. Without action on the spartina and restrictions on further development, the mudflats that now have viewable Spoon-billed sandpiper and other waders will probably be lost within five years. Yangkou now has a limited time window to take action that could lead to it being an established internationally famous site for Spoon-billed sandpiper and migration hotspot for other birds. Will Yangkou become synonymous with Spoon-billed sandpiper in China or will it sink into anonymity like most other parts of this coastline?
As an update to last week’s blog post about Chongming, I received an email from one of the reserve’s staff for permission to translate it for inclusion on their website and in their newsletter.
Teachers learn about the adaptations of wader beaks.
Participants from local birdwatching societies and universities at the interpretation workshop.