At the initiative of the European Commission, international experts met in Wilhelmshaven, Germany on Monday 20 November to discuss innovative methods for monitoring the flights of migratory birds in the Wadden Sea – a UNESCO World Heritage Site shared by Germany, Denmark and the Netherlands – in order to gain a better understanding of the threats facing these birds.
The three countries applied for assistance under the Commission’s Technical Support Instrument to identify digital methods and technologies to monitor the movements and numbers of waterbirds in this area, such as drones, acoustic surveillance and radar, as well as the analysis of bird DNA.
The Technical Support Instrument provides funding for an assessment of the state of play and new approaches to site management (mapping, development plans and monitoring), the preparation of an integrated action plan and a roadmap for implementation. Protecting the habitats of these migratory birds is in line with the EU Biodiversity Strategy 2030.
Multi-country action is needed to find solutions to the transboundary challenge of the East Atlantic Flyway for waterbirds, which encompasses coastal wetlands all along the Atlantic coast from northern Europe to southern Africa, including Arctic breeding grounds. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)