In May 1986, the first WHSRN site was designated, Delaware Bay in the USA, marking 40 years of history. This milestone provides us with an important opportunity to reflect on the success of WHSRN to date, to learn from the past, and to plan for the future. And we will be doing that throughout the year, sharing stories from the pioneers of WHSRN throughout the hemisphere; learning from the current generation of conservation practitioners; and engaging with youth to channel their vision for the future.
While for some reaching 40 is the start of a mid-life crisis, WHSRN at 40 is going from strength to strength. We now have 126 designated sites in 20 countries and look forward to welcoming many more that are “in the pipeline”. And each year, the local communities, authorities, NGOs and businesses responsible for WHSRN sites, take actions to help safeguard and manage habitats, benefiting shorebirds and all who depend on the natural resources and ecosystem services that the sites provide.
Throughout its 40 years, WHSRN has demonstrated that conservation is about much more than conserving sites: it is building community, strengthening local capacity, and building bridges between people, institutions, and geographies. Although shorebird conservation faces complex challenges, we also have a more diverse, stronger, and committed Network. We want the celebration of this anniversary to be as broad and participatory as the Network itself. We invite you to add your event, activity, or initiative to the celebration and to continue building together.
