Global Flyways Workshop in Almaty Highlights Cooperation for Central Asian Bird Conservation

On October 14, the workshop “Global Flyways, the Emerging Central Asian Flyway Initiative and Conserving Habitat” took place in Almaty, Kazakhstan. Organized by the Hanns Seidel Foundation Korea under the Global Mitigation and Adaptation to Climate Change (GMACC) program, in collaboration with the Association for the Conservation of Biodiversity of Kazakhstan (ACBK), the workshop focused on the Central Asian Flyway (CAF) and its significance for Kazakhstan. The final part of the day emphasized opportunities for collaboration across the Central Asian region, underscoring the shared consensus that regional cooperation is essential for effective conservation.

The event opened with welcoming remarks from Marina Koshkina (Strategic Partnership Coordinator, ACBK), H.E. Matthias Kiesler (Consul General of the Federal Republic of Germany in Almaty), Sergey Sklyarenko (Science Director, ACBK, Kazakhstan), Lara Beer (Head of the GMACC Project, HSF), and Andrey Kim (Deputy Chairman, Committee for Forestry and Wildlife of the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources, Kazakhstan). All speakers emphasized the need for holistic, long-term, and regionally coordinated approaches to address climate challenges, with the CAF playing a crucial role in achieving sustainable conservation outcomes.

Session 1, focusing on Perspectives on the Global Flyway, featured Wael Ben Aba (Freshwater Project Officer, WWF North Africa), Feras Rahahleh (Aqaba Bird Observatory Manager, Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature, Jordan), and Vivian Fu (Senior Manager, WWF Hong Kong). The speakers shared insights from their respective regions, each highlighting key species that rest and breed along the CAF. The speakers shared insights from their respective regions, each highlighting key species that rest and breed along the CAF. While the focus in North Africa is on coastal ecosystems, Jordan’s concentrates on woodlands, lakes, and marine protected areas, as for Hong Kong, the critical importance of wetlands as bird habitats was emphasized.

Session 2, titled Kazakhstan’s Role in the Central Asian Flyway: Key Sites and Perspectives, featured Artuom Yanushevski (Science Fellow, Korgalzhyn State Nature Reserve), Syrymbet Zharylkasyn (Scientific Fellow, Syrdariya-Turkestan State Regional Nature Park), and Bekzhan Berdikulov (Head of Ornithological Laboratory, Institute of Zoology of the Republic of Kazakhstan). The session highlighted region-specific bird species and stressed the importance of continued scientific research to strengthen the protection of migratory birds.

Session 3, on Conservation Initiatives in Kazakhstan: Species and Habitats, included presentations by Ruslan Urazaliyev (Scientific Fellow, ACBK) and Michail Kalashnikov (Field Specialist and Career Guidance Teacher at Public Fund “Kyzylzhar Abay Meketbi”). The discussion focused on ongoing conservation efforts, particularly concerning the Steppe Eagle and Sociable Lapwing, as well as broader habitat preservation initiatives.

The final session, Opportunities for Regional Collaboration in the Central Asian Flyway, brought together Katherine Hall (Co-Chair, Central Asian Conservation Network), Anand Chaudhary (Central Asian Flyway Coordinator, BirdLife International), Mitropolskiy Max (CEPA Focal Point, Ramsar Convention in Uzbekistan), and Bernhard Seliger (Representative, Hanns Seidel Foundation Korea). The speakers underlined the importance of joint action and collaboration to advance the conservation of migratory species and their habitats across the CAF.

The workshop concluded with an engaging discussion and a shared commitment to deepen regional cooperation and strengthen conservation efforts throughout the Central Asian Flyway.