Dr. Hyun-Ah Choi (Hanns Seidel Basis Korea and Birds Korea)
The 2026 International Birdfair formally opened on 10 July 2026, bringing collectively birdwatchers, conservationists, researchers, photographers, artists, and trade leaders from all over the world. This yr’s conservation theme, “Stopping Island Extinctions,” highlights the pressing want to guard island biodiversity, with the Dwarf Ibis (Bostrychia bocagei) serving because the flagship species.
Among the many members was Dr. Hyun-Ah Choi, Hanns Seidel Basis Korea and a lifetime member of Birds Korea, who attended the occasion alongside Flyway colleagues. Particular thanks go to Ms. Hyeseon Do, Marketing consultant on the RSPB, for her beneficiant help and collaboration all through my go to to Cambridge, UK, this week.
With Flyway Colleagues from the EAAFP Spoon-billed Sandpiper Job Power and RSPB (© Hyun-Ah Choi)
One of many defining options of International Birdfair is its distinctive environment. The occasion brings collectively main chicken conservation organisations, together with BirdLife Worldwide, the Royal Society for the Safety of Birds (RSPB), and the Wild Chicken Society of Japan, in addition to world-renowned optics producers, wildlife artists, nature photographers, and birding journey firms. The result’s a singular mix of a high-end optics showroom, a nature pictures gallery, and a chicken conservation exhibition, completely reflecting the character of International Birdfair. Guests can discover the most recent binoculars and recognizing scopes whereas participating with organisations devoted to defending birds and their habitats worldwide.
Highlights from Day 1 of the International Birdfair (© Hyun-Ah Choi)
One of many highlights of the occasion was a presentation by Kelly Hunt on the Younger Conservationists Hub, the place she shared an inspiring perspective on panorama restoration and conservation. She emphasised that conservation shouldn’t be about leaving nature fully untouched, however about restoring pure processes and permitting ecosystems to perform as they had been meant to. Ms. Hunt defined that landscape-scale grazing advantages excess of biodiversity and wildlife. It additionally improves livestock welfare, reduces administration prices for farmers, and creates more healthy, extra resilient landscapes. By working with pure ecological processes as an alternative of attempting to regulate them, grazing can turn out to be a strong software for long-term environmental restoration. Her presentation provided a compelling reminder that working with nature, reasonably than towards it, is among the only methods for restoring ecosystems and conserving biodiversity. It was a message that resonated strongly with the spirit of International Birdfair and its mission to encourage sensible, collaborative conservation all over the world.
I used to be additionally lucky to attend a particular networking reception hosted by BirdLife Worldwide, the place I had the chance to satisfy and have interaction with conservation leaders and companions from all over the world.
Till now, my expertise in Korea had been restricted to visiting the small exhibition and promotional cubicles arrange in the course of the Gochang Large Chicken Race. International Birdfair, nonetheless, was on a wholly totally different scale when it comes to its organisation, the range of exhibitors, and the breadth of its worldwide participation. Seeing main chicken conservation organisations, optics producers, wildlife artists, nature photographers, and birding tour operators come collectively in a single place strengthened the concept that chicken conservation extends far past scientific analysis and species safety. It’s a subject that brings collectively training, tradition, trade, ecotourism, and public engagement in significant and galvanizing methods.
Taking part in International Birdfair gave me a firsthand appreciation of how a world chicken honest can function rather more than an exhibition. It’s a international platform for sharing information, constructing partnerships, and galvanizing collaborative motion for chicken conservation.
Highlights from Day 1 of the International Birdfair (© Hyun-Ah Choi)
With Flyway Colleagues from RSPB’s Saving Asia’s Vultures from Extinction Programme and the Wild Chicken Society of Japan (© Hyun-Ah Choi)
