Protecting birds in the Wadden Sea: Navigating opportunities and constraints of predation management
Online
Over the past years, significant efforts have been made to address the growing impact of predation on breeding waterbirds in the Wadden Sea. From habitat restoration to predator control programmes, these initiatives had the goal to improve breeding success of key Wadden Sea species, but challenges remain. The presence of both invasive and natural predators on the Wadden Sea islands continues to threaten the survival of ground breeding species, making effective management more crucial than ever. However, legal and logistical challenges as well public perception of predator control mechanisms often slow down conservation efforts.
The workshop "Protecting birds in the Wadden Sea: Navigating opportunities and constraints of predation management" aims to bring together experts, representing research, nature conservation or management, to exchange information on proven solutions for predator control in the Wadden Sea while also discussing possible innovations and the various constraints.
The workshop is expected to be subdivided into two parts:
Day 1 will provide a general overview on the situation in the three Wadden Sea countries as well as concrete examples of successful research, monitoring and management efforts. This part will be open to all interested participants. Click here to register for Day 1
| Preliminary outline of Day 1 | |
| 13:00-13:05 | Welcome |
| 13:05-13:20 |
Setting the scene Breeding Birds in Trouble: the latest information on breeding success and breeding bird trends in the Wadden Sea |
| 13:20-14:00 |
Overview The status of predation management in DK, SH, LS, & NL |
| 14:00-15:05 |
Monitoring & research Predator monitoring (title to be confirmed) - Hana Tebelmann (Uni Oldenburg) Timely detection of pioneer rats and routine monitoring of rat populations - Benjamin Gnep (Schutzstation Wattenmeer) Telemetry of foxes and stone martens in the coastal zone of the dutch Wadden Sea: what can we learn for the protection of breeding birds? - Bob Jongepoerink (Ecosensys) Monitoring of mammalian predators in the East frisian Wadden Sea islands – lessons learned after 20 years of predation management - Hartmut Andretzke (BIOS Norderney) Discussion |
| 15:05-15:20 | Coffee break |
| 15:20-16:55 |
Management The effectiveness and best practice design of predator-exclusion fences and floating ropes for protecting ground-nesting birds - Malcolm Ausden (The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds) Rat management on Halligen and outer sandbanks of Schleswig-Holstein - Benjamin Gnep (Schutzstation Wattenmeer) Professional predation management in Beltringerharder Koog - Marcel Holy (Natur- und Umweltschutzvereinigung Dümmer) Management of foxes on the island of Langli: Challenges and consequences of failure - Thomas Bregnballe (Aarhus University) Managing foxes on Eastfrisian island: from detection to eradication - Gundolf Reichert (Lower Saxon Wadden Sea National Park Authority) Managing hedgehogs and feral cats on East frisian Wadden Sea islands - Hartmut Andretzke (BIOS Norderney) Predation management in the Danish National Park - John Frikke (Vadehavet National Park Authority) Discussion |
| 16:55-17:00 | Wrap up & Outlook |
On Day 2, we will discuss specific monitoring and management issues in the Wadden Sea in smaller breakout groups. The participation will be upon invitation only. The outcomes of these discussions will be considered for the update of the Breeding Bird Action Plan, while they are also expected to be relevant for the development of the new Nature Recovery Plans.
Target audience: Site managers, conservationists, NGOs, researchers, bird & predator experts.
If you have any questions, please contact Kristine Meise (meise@waddensea-secretariat.org).