World Migratory Bird Day 2011 Focuses on Land use changes from a bird's eye view!

This year’s campaign will focus on “Land use changes from a bird’s-eye view”. By highlighting this theme, we want to raise awareness on the dramatic effects human land use has on migratory birds and the ecosystems upon which they depend.

Every year, more and more of the sites migratory birds need during their journeys either diminish or disappear completely. The majority of damage is caused by human use of land and has a direct impact on migratory bird populations, which are particularly sensitive to any interference to the sites they use throughout their migratory cycle. For example, urbanization, intensive agriculture and deforestation can all damage the complex networks of habitats migratory birds use along their annual migration paths. While human survival depends on these transformations of natural areas, a sustainable use of land is vital to reduce the impacts on our natural resources, such as water, soil, nutrients, plants and animals – including migratory birds.

Please join us and others around the world and participate in World Migratory Bird Day on May 14-15, 2011 by organizing bird-watching events, educational programmes, lectures, art exhibitions and other public events. However you decide to participate, your contribution will help make this campaign a success!

We encourage all event organizers to register their events on the WMBD website: www.worldmigratorybirdday.org

To help support WMBD 2011 events, we have produced posters, stickers and postcards (English-language versions are available). Free copies can be ordered from the UNEP/AEWA Secretariat and we are also happy to provide the original design files on a CD-Rom for translation or adaptation, as necessary.

World Migratory Bird Day is a global initiative devoted to celebrating migratory birds and for promoting their conservation worldwide. It is organized by the Secretariats of the African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbird Agreement (AEWA) and the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) – two international wildlife treaties administered by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). This year’s campaign is being financially supported by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU), which we acknowledge with gratitude.

To order the WMBD poster, stickers and postcards, or for more information please contact:

Ms. Dunia Sforzin

Information Assistant

UNEP/AEWA Secretariat

Tel: +49 (0)228 815 2454

Fax: +49 (0)228 815 2450

E-mail: [email protected]

Further Information:

World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD)

World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD) is a global initiative devoted to celebrating migratory birds and for promoting their conservation worldwide. It is being organised by the Secretariats of the African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbird Agreement (AEWA) and the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) – two international wildlife treaties administered by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) – and a growing number of partners.

People and dedicated organisations around the world will be using the event to draw attention to migratory birds that are threatened by extinction. Activities to mark WMBD include bird festivals and bird watching trips, public discussions, exhibitions, presentations, bird rallies and other educational and public events.

Event organizers are encouraged to register their events on the WMBD website and can order the WMBD 2011 poster and other information materials to support their events by writing to: [email protected]

For more information please visit: www.worldmigratorybirdday.org