A group photo of EAAFP Secretariat, corporates, citizens, and government officials in the first day’s morning session ©EAAFP
The EAAFP Ulsan Corporate Champion Programme 2025, jointly organised by the EAAFP Secretariat and Ulsan Metropolitan City, successfully completed another year of activities dedicated to raising public awareness and enhancing multi-stakeholder engagement for the conservation of migratory waterbirds and their habitats. This year’s programme was delivered in close cooperation with local conservation group Tweet Tweet, the Ulsan Wildlife Rescue and Management Centre, and three long-standing corporate partners: Kyungdong City Gas, S-OIL, Hyundai Motor Company.
The Ulsan Corporate Champion Programme (UCCP) was established after the Ulsan Taehwa River (EAAF 150) was designated as Flyway Network Site in 2021 and a MOU was signed among the EAAFP Secretariat, Ulsan Metropolitan City, and local corporations. The first EAAFP Corporate Champion Programme arose from this meaningful relationship. Over time, UCCP has become a leading model of cross-sector cooperation, engaging businesses, civil society, and citizens in biodiversity conservation, ESG practices, and habitat protection.
This year, the EAAFP Secretariat and the Ulsan Metropolitan City Government worked together to further develop the Programme in a more systematic and sustainable direction. The long-term programme includes “Linking monitoring of key stopover sites with birdwatching programmes”, “Survey of food resources for migratory birds” and “Collaboration to enhance awareness of the rescue centre”. To strengthen local engagement and ensure science-based conservation, we sought deeper collaboration with the local environmental organisation, Tweet–Tweet, to cooperate on migratory waterbird conservation.
In the 2025 edition of the Ulsan Corporate Champion, Tweet–Tweet led a series of projects from September 2025, including birdwatching habitat monitoring, field research and education, enabling the programme to deliver a wider range of meaningful activities throughout the year.
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EAAFP Ulsan Corporate Champion Activities in Ulsan ©Tweet Tweet
The external promotion activities on November 30th and December 1st happened in Ulsan Wildlife Rescue and Management Centre. On November 30th, participants, including families, teenagers, corporate staff and staff’s family, joined activities like birdwatching, the creation of bird perches, and facility maintenance within the Wildlife Rescue Centre. They were also given guided access to observe wildlife rescue procedures, rehabilitation practices, and the operational system behind Ulsan’s wildlife management efforts.
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Birdwatching and guided tour in Ulsan Wildlife Rescue and Management Centre ©EAAFP
On December 1st, corporate participants joined introduction sessions focusing on the ecology of migratory waterbirds visiting Ulsan, local habitat characteristics, and strategies for citizen-science-based monitoring. Staff from the Ulsan Wildlife Rescue and Management Centre provided practical guidance on how to respond appropriately to injured wildlife, reinforcing the role of citizens and corporates in safeguarding urban biodiversity.
Ulsan Wildlife Rescue and Management Centre introduced the Current Status of Wildlife Rescue in Ulsan Metropolitan City and How to Respond When Encountering Injured Wildlife ©EAAFP
Mr. Seungmin Hong from Tweet Tweet introduced the Habitat Protection and Conservation Strategies for Migratory Waterbirds Visiting Ulsan Metropolitan City ©EAAFP
EAAFP Foundation Officer Jisun and Director Shin had a meeting with Ulsan City and the three corporate champions to strengthen ongoing collaboration.
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Meeting with Ulsan City and Champion corporates ©EAAFP
The 2025 programme contributed to building environmental awareness among families and youth, and enhancing cooperation between public institutions, civil society, and the private sector.
Not only in Ulsan, the international significance of the UCCP was underscored during the 12th Meeting of Partners (MOP12) of the EAAFP. On the Flyway Network Site Manager Workshop and throughout the plenary, the UCCP 2024 highlight video was repeatedly screened, showcasing Ulsan’s model of government–corporate–community collaboration and presenting the conservation status of the Taehwa River.
Participants from governments, international organisations, and global conservation networks expressed strong interest in Ulsan’s achievements. We believe it definitely encouraged the site managers to consider the active engagements of the local government, local community and the corporates work together to conserve the flyway and its site.
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EAAFP MOP12 Flyway Site Managers’ Workshop and Plenary ©EAAFP
Following these activities, a short film will also be released this year to document the Programme’s work and share perspectives on biodiversity from people in different social roles. This film aims to further expand the Programme’s reach and inspire continued engagement in conservation.
The success of the 2025 Ulsan Corporate Champion Programme reaffirms the value of building long-term partnerships among the public sector, private sector, and local communities. Ulsan’s efforts will continue to inspire broader participation and strengthen conservation actions along the East Asian–Australasian Flyway, contributing to a future where people and migratory waterbirds coexist harmoniously.
Learn more about the EAAFP Corporate Champion Programme: EAAFP Corporate Champion Programme – Eaaflyway
