Dongying is located at the Yellow River Delta and has an increasing area of new-born wetlands. It is also an important ‘transit station’, breeding habitat, and wintering habitat for birds in inland northeast Asia and around the western Pacific Ocean. So far, about 384 species of birds have been observed in the Yellow River Delta National Nature Reserve, including the species of Siberian Cranes (Grus leucogeranus), a critically endangered migratory bird on the IUCN Red List. Observations have shown an increasing trend in the population of Siberian Cranes that winter or rest in the Yellow River Delta, an important habitat second only to the Poyang Lake in middle reach of Yangtze River.Dongying is located at the Yellow River Delta and has an increasing area of new-born wetlands. It is also an important ‘transit station’, breeding habitat, and wintering habitat for birds in inland northeast Asia and around the western Pacific Ocean. So far, about 384 species of birds have been observed in the Yellow River Delta National Nature Reserve, including the species of Siberian Cranes (Grus leucogeranus), a critically endangered migratory bird on the IUCN Red List. Observations have shown an increasing trend in the population of Siberian Cranes that winter or rest in the Yellow River Delta, an important habitat second only to the Poyang Lake in middle reach of Yangtze River.

The goal of this research is to assess the spatial distribution, natural conditions and anthropogenic influence, so as to propose protection and management countermeasures of the habitats for Siberian Cranes in the Yellow River Delta.

The UNEP-IEMP research team has collected the long-term record of Siberian Crane populations in the Shandong Yellow River Delta National Nature Reserve, investigated the situation of land use and vegetation cover in the Reserve, and conducted a questionnaire survey on livelihood activities and bird protection behaviors in villages nearby the Reserve. By combining field investigation information, remote sensing data and the spatial analysis function of GIS technology, the team obtained some preliminary research outputs as follows:

• Assessment of the history and status quo (e.g. location and type) of habitats for Siberian Crane in the Reserve;
• Assessment of the current situation of agricultural production and bird protection in the areas surrounding the Reserve; and
• Countermeasures and suggestions for restoring and maintaining the habitats for Siberian Cranes in the Yellow River Delta.

In June 2020, Dongying Municipal People’s Government and UNEP signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to facilitate collaboration in regard to ecological conservation and green and high-quality development in the Yellow River Delta. The Siberian Crane project implemented by UNEP-IEMP is deemed as the first major effort under this MoU.

For more information, please contact: Dr. Chao Fu, chao.fu@unep-iemp.org

Related News: http://www.sdfao.gov.cn/art/2020/8/20/art_90889_9659556.html