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Migratory shorebirds urgently require effective conservation actions to halt and reverse their ongoing declines. Across the East Asian-Australasian Flyway, numerous initiatives have been implemented to address these challenges. This side event will serve as a central platform for Partners, Flyway Site managers, non-government organisations and government agencies along the flyway to showcase the conservation strategies they have developed and tested. It will also provide an opportunity for Partners to exchange experiences, share lessons learned, and explore collaborative approaches.

By bringing together conservation practitioners, this forum aims to foster dialogue, highlight successful on-the-ground actions, and generate ideas for enhancing migratory shorebird conservation. Insights gained from these discussions will contribute to a flyway-wide effort to document conservation practices and inform the development of a practical, action-oriented handbook to guide shorebird conservation by late 2026. Once developed the handbook will be made available to all EAAFP Partners, Flyway Site managers, working groups and task forces to support their ongoing efforts to protect migratory shorebirds and their habitats.

Alignment with the EAAFP Strategic Plan (2019–2028)

This side event supports Objectives 3 and 4 of the EAAFP Strategic Plan (2019-2028) by bringing together focal points and practitioners from across the flyway to exchange knowledge and showcase their conservation actions. The handbook to guide shorebird conservation supports KRA 1.2 (national and site partnerships), KRA 1.3 and 1.4 (Flyway Network Sites), KRA 3.6 (best practice guidelines for waterbird and habitat conservation) and KRA 5.5 (mainstreaming migratory waterbird conservation into national policies).

It also aligns with the theme of MOP12, weaving connections between Partners, by fostering transboundary collaboration and sharing innovative approaches to shorebird conservation.