Wadden Sea Flyway Initiative publishes key findings of latest assessment report

Wetlands along the East Atlantic Flyway (EAF) are critical sites for birds migrating between their wintering sites in the south and breeding areas in the north. The Wadden Sea is one of the most important site. Increasing pressures on this areas like urbanisation, agriculture, fishery and various other human impacts, and the climate change with global warming are reasons for decline of several migratory waterbird populations. The recently published brochure "Wadden Sea Flyway Initiative: Linking the Wadden Sea World Heritage Site with tropical wetlands and the Arctic tundra" gives an overview about results of the flyway monitoring within the Wadden Sea Flyway Initiative. Key findings of the EAF Assessment 2017 report are compared with trend data on breeding and migratory birds in the Wadden Sea to find out if the reasons for declining populations in the Wadden Sea can be located in the EAF or in the Wadden Sea. The brochure concludes with a short overview on how monitoring and capacity building is needed for conservation and management of wetlands.