News and Events
Climate change resilience of threatened shorebirds in Queensland’s Ramsar Wetlands
Grant awarded to Queensland Wader Study Group by the Queensland Government
Qld Govt Community Sustainability Action Grants (Round4) Threatened Species Recovery and Resilience
Aims: Queensland’s migratory shorebird
community is in decline (Clemens et al. 2016), with 7 species
listed as nationally threatened under the
EPBC Act 1999. Migratory shorebirds are climate sensitive
species (Iwamura et al. 2013), and Queensland’s Ramsar wetlands are probably
playing an important role in shielding them from the impacts of climate change,
coastal development, and a range of other threats. Yet regular surveying and
mapping of threatened migratory shorebirds is heavily biased towards the southernmost of the
four coastal Ramsar sites. Our project aims are to:
1.
Conduct
community-led surveys of threatened migratory shorebirds in Bowling Green Bay. This northernmost Ramsar site supports
internationally significant numbers of threatened migratory shorebirds, yet is
the poorest surveyed Ramsar wetland in Queensland (Driscoll et al. 2012).
Through surveys of populations and mapping of climate sensitive habitats, we
will provide critical data needed to fulfill international obligations under
the Ramsar Convention and three bilateral migratory species agreements.
2.
Measure
and map migratory shorebird habitat use within and among Queensland’s Ramsar
sites. We will deploy tracking
devices and engraved leg-flags on Endangered Far Eastern curlew and Vulnerable
Bar-tailed godwit in the Moreton Bay and Great Sandy Ramsar wetlands. This will
build on previous tracking efforts revealing critical roosting and foraging
habitat requirements and population connectivity in Moreton Bay, Great Sandy,
and along Queensland’s coastline.
3.
Use
tracking data to inspire Queensland school communities, students, and the
general public through targeted and sustained education and awareness-raising. Previous tracking work has shown the tremendous
power of shorebird migration for public education and outreach. For example, a
recent Far Eastern curlew tracking story on the QWSG Facebook page had a global
reach of >100,000 views and culminated in a feature story on ABC TV news.
Grant support will help to entrench these educational and outreach
opportunities in curricula.
Benefits: Our activities will benefit
threatened migratory shorebirds in two main ways. First, community-led surveys
and mapping will fill critical knowledge gaps about the abundance,
distribution, and habitat needs of threatened migratory shorebirds in
Queensland’s coastal Ramsar wetlands. Without such information, it is
impossible to assess climate vulnerability and impacts. Further, tracking data
will help to identify important non-breeding and breeding habitats for
Endangered Far Eastern curlew within and beyond Queensland (Actions 1.1.1,
1.2.1 in the International single species action plan for the
conservation of Far Eastern curlew, East Asian-Australasian Flyway Partnership). Second,
we will develop educational and outreach materials using findings from our
tracking activities to enhance public engagement, appreciation, and concern for
threatened migratory shorebirds. Developing and sustaining education and awareness programs is considered
a key element of minimizing anthropogenic threats to migratory shorebirds in
Australia (Action 3a in the Wildlife Conservation Plan for Migratory
Shorebirds, Australian Government).
