Wednesday, August 21, 2019

BirdsCaribbean Conference Highlights Lessons Learned from Recent Hurricanes

West Indian Whistling Ducks are listed as a Globally Threatened Species, but to reverse their decline and to prevent further loss and degradation of their wetland habitats, BirdsCaribbean has launched the West Indian Whistling Duck and Wetlands Conservation Program (photo by Claude Fletcher).

More than 250 delegates from 34 countries attended the BirdsCaribbean International Conference on the island of Guadeloupe, where much of the focus was on the major hurricanes of 2017 and their impacts on birds, landscapes, and people. Convened every two years in a different Caribbean location, the members of BirdsCaribbean include teachers, scientists, and conservationists. All three groups shared important lessons learned during the last two years during five days of keynotes, discussions, field trips, and workshops.

Considerable research was conducted after Hurricanes Irma and Maria, which influenced efforts to save and protect birds and wild spaces in the Caribbean. Although hurricanes are natural, their impact is more severe when natural areas are already under stress. Members started a new working group to learn to restore varied habitats with native plants, noting that in the long term, healthier wild spaces are more resilient and they help protect people from floods, storm surges, and landslides.

An especially interesting report was presented by researchers on Barbuda, who revealed how relieved they were to find that Barbuda Warblers are still present after the hurricanes – the rare species only lives on the isle of Barbuda. Other speakers shared their studies of the recovery of wild spaces for birds, ranging from mountain forests to saltwater lagoons.

Educators also shared their experiences: On many islands, bird education efforts were tricky after the storms, but many teachers made strong connections with people during this time, and many people felt closer to nature after the storms. The chance to help birds was often a bright spot during a tough time. BirdsCaribbean and partners on 18 islands presented recovering residents with more than 4,000 bird feeders and five tons of bird seeds after the storms.

With more than 100 paper sessions and talks during the conference, many other topics were explored during the week, such as the role of sustainable birding tourism in conservation and a special celebration of Guadeloupe’s birds. BirdsCaribbean also started a mentor program to help young people working with birds and conservation in the region - a new generation of members is one of the most important resources for the region.

BirdsCaribbean is a vibrant international network of members and partners committed to conserving Caribbean birds and their habitats. They raise awareness, promote sound science, and empower local partners to build a region where people appreciate, conserve, and benefit from thriving bird populations and ecosystems. More than 100,000 people participate in BirdsCaribbean programs each year, making them the most broad-based conservation organization in the region. You can learn more about BirdsCaribbean, their work, and how to join at http://www.birdscaribbean.org

The conference was made possible by many sponsors, including Parc National de la Guadeloupe, Karibea Beach Hotel, Environment Canada, U.S. Forest Service International Programs, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, Para la Naturaleza, Benjamin Olewine IV, The David Webster Charitable Trust, American Bird Conservancy, Caribbaea Initiative, Rare Species Conservatory Foundation, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Wildside Nature Tours, Carefree Birding, Holbrook Travel, Optics for the Tropics, NuStar, Vermont Center for Ecostudies, Vortex Optics, International Fund for Animal Welfare, Bermuda Audubon Society, Environment for the Americas, Levesque Birding Enterprise, AMAZONA, The Friendship Association, and Hideaways of Ti Bay Heights. More information about the conference is available at http://birdscaribbean.org/bc2019/