Dr Nial Moores, Birds Korea. November twenty sixth 2023.
All throughout our more and more degraded planet, biodiversity conservation stays difficult work. Progress actually can take years. For any species, it’s good to conduct good analysis; it’s good to establish threats and options to these threats; it’s good to construct consensus; and also you then have to take probably the most acceptable actions. Right here within the ROK, regardless of the fast progress in financial would possibly and analysis potential, the Environmental Safety Index finds that protected areas nonetheless don’t include a lot of the nation’s ecological variety; and the nation at the moment (as of 2022) ranks a dismal 103rd out of 180 within the Biodiversity Habitat Index. Many nationally and globally threatened hen species, and the habitats that they rely on, stay poorly researched or protected – if in any respect. One such species is the globally Endangered Scaly-sided Merganser 호사비오리. Though assessed as Nationally Endangered, to one of the best of our information, there has nonetheless been no coordinated nationwide survey of the species led by educational or authorities analysis establishments; earlier than 2023 no scientific papers had been printed on the species within the ROK (a paper by Moores, Solovyeva, Baek, Lee and Vartanyan is due out this December); and maybe no protected space has but been established or managed primarily for this species. As a substitute, varied editions of the nationwide Purple Information E-book have each under-represented the variety of Scaly-sided Mergansers which might be identified to over-winter within the ROK; and in addition failed to contemplate the worldwide significance of Korean rivers for the species throughout migration.
Birds Korea is a small NGO with restricted sources. Nonetheless, we are going to proceed to do what we will to collect prime quality information, and to establish precedence websites and threats. We now have already made a number of design proposals for the Imjin River and are actually working with Yeoncheon County and a group on the College of California Berkeley to enhance upon them, and to combine these designs geared toward conservation of Scaly-sided Mergansers into wider sustainability planning. These are in lots of instances designs that may then be simply replicated at different vital websites elsewhere within the ROK. As well as, working carefully with the Yeoncheon Imjin River Biosphere Reserve and Yeoncheon County, we’re doing all that we will to boost native consciousness and to construct native consensus, in ways in which assist decision-makers. In any case, decision-makers are the one individuals who can really fund and enact the very issues that should be achieved: e.g, erecting screens and schooling signboards; altering entry to key river stretches seasonally; designating protected areas; and / or passing improved legal guidelines.
It feels that after nearly twenty years of labor for the species within the ROK, we’re collectively lastly making some progress. That is because of the assist of our members (a number of of whom are very actively concerned in work for the merganser) and the expansion of Birds Korea Yeoncheon. It’s also because of important venture funding offered through the years by the Hanns Seidel Basis, the East Asian-Australasian Flyway Partnership, and particularly since 2021, from Yeoncheon County. Virtually of all of our current progress for the Imjin River is because of their genuinely collaborative method to conservation: arduous work shared.
To get a way of this progress, and to grasp what now must begin to occur for the Bukhan, Namhan, Nam and Seomjin and different rivers, under are some examples of our work for the Scaly-sided Merganser, organized by date:
- Annual or near-annual opportunistic surveys beginning within the early 2000s, alongside a number of main rivers for the species (together with the Nam and Nakdong, and subsequently the Bukhan and Namhan), to develop an preliminary inhabitants estimate of over-wintering birds;
- To refine the inhabitants estimate of wintering birds and to encourage larger curiosity from nationwide authorities, we then performed the primary coordinated nationwide winter surveys of the species within the ROK, in 2012, 2014 and 2022 (with a abstract of outcomes posted on our web site and weblog, and detailed survey studies offered in each 2014 and 2022 to the EAAFP and in 2014 to some officers within the Ministry of Setting);
- To construct worldwide assist and to grasp conservation work being taken in different nations, attendance at Scaly-sided Merganser Job Drive conferences in Russia in 2015 and in China in 2018, and presentation at a global workshop on the species in China in 2018. In any respect three occasions, Birds Korea offered the one presentation of Korean information and points.
- Survey of three rivers within the DPRK in winter in 2019.
- Regularly repeated surveys alongside the Imjin River in 2021 and 2022, figuring out this as an important identified river for the Scaly-sided Merganser on the Korean Peninsula throughout southward migration (related survey efforts are actually required alongside different rivers);
- Organisation with the Hanns Seidel Basis of the primary small workshop on the Scaly-sided Merganser in November 2022 in Suncheon, at which calls have been made for individuals to share their information and to offer updates on “their” rivers as a part of a hoped-for progress of a Nationwide Community for the species. This Community has but to be established – a rising precedence for 2024.
And in 2023 alone:
- Surveying of a number of rivers, together with the Imjin in most months, together with counts each 3-days throughout the primary southward migration interval by Birds Korea Yeoncheon to attempt to assess migratory “turnover”, and of the Seomjin River in March, to assist share approaches on information assortment and presentation, and to attempt to perceive threats there to incorporate in a peer-reviewed paper.
- This summer time, to extend consciousness of the significance of the Imjin River (and of the ROK to the Scaly-sided Merganser), and to assist guarantee longer-term technical assist by means of the EAAFP, along with Dr Yoo Miyeon (Yeoncheon Imjin River Biosphere Reserve supervisor inside Yeoncheon County’s Tourism Division) collectively filling out the Info Sheet for the proposed Imjin River Flyway Community Web site;
- Along with main Russian researchers writing, “Conservation Standing of the Endangered Scaly-sided Merganser Mergus squamatus on the Korean Peninsula” with publication within the Journal Wildfowl anticipated in December. This will likely be, so far as we’re conscious, the primary peer-reviewed paper on the species that appears at migration by means of the Korean Peninsula and over-wintering of the species within the ROK. Following publication, a Korean model of this paper, translated by Ms Lee Su-Younger of Birds Korea Yeoncheon, will likely be shared with all individuals;
- In August, becoming a member of Pinwheel, who helped to advertise our conservation work for the Scaly-sided Merganser by means of their world platform (we’re most grateful to them that this has already generated 6 million received in further funding for our work);
- Collaborating deeply with Yeoncheon County and vastly skilled planners on the College of California Berkeley, so as to generate a imaginative and prescient doc which can be utilized by Yeoncheon County to assist restore riverine habitat and to cut back disturbance to delicate species – whereas offering a variety of advantages for native individuals. Discussions about this venture have been began in March, and have already included ten days of website visits in September and a splendidly useful presentation and public dialogue on the worldwide symposium in November.
- As a part of consciousness elevating and disturbance discount measures, working with Mr Kim Eojin (unbiased You Tuber “새덕후 Korean Birder”, and in addition Birds Korea member) on three associated tasks in Yeoncheon in November: filming a brief video to be used within the symposium; main a small workshop for native photographers and videographers (on 18th) to share recommendation on how you can cut back disturbance when taking photographs; and filming for his personal deservedly common and influential YouTube channel.
- Conducting an schooling program for native individuals, led by Yeoncheon Birds Korea (in spring and autumn), together with on November 19th a session on Scaly-sided Merganser identification, earlier than individuals might see the species for the very first time
- Once more funded by the Hanns Seidel Basis, publishing a leaflet introducing the species in each Korean and English language variations in November, for rapid use on the worldwide symposium (thanks Professor Robin Newlin for offering these beautiful photographs so a few years in the past!) and for sharing with members and potential Community companions.
And
- With Dr Yoo Miyeon, the Biosphere Reserve supervisor, serving to to information a “Fam Tour” to 3 key websites in Yeoncheon on November 22nd as a follow-up to the symposium. Contributors included e.g., Hantangang Geopark guides, officers from Gyeonggi Province and several other analysis institutes, in addition to members of Birds Korea / Birds Korea Yeoncheon and workers from the Hanns Seidel Basis.
A lot stays to be achieved for the Imjin River; and related actions (and extra) are urgently wanted for different vital rivers for the species all through the ROK. Conservation actions taken for the Scaly-sided Merganser now will in fact assist with conservation of different riverine biodiversity – for hen species like Mandarin Duck and Lengthy-billed Plover; for mammals like River Otter; for freshwater turtles and a few amphibians; for bugs and plant communities; and for progress on most of the Sustainable Growth Targets.
Are you already working to preserve the Scaly-sided Merganser right here within the ROK? Do you need to do extra for the species? Do you need to be a part of Birds Korea or assist to construct a Nationwide Community for the species in your space? If that’s the case, please tell us. Thanks!
