The Overwintering Project: Mapping Sanctuary is a project about home, our unique environment and the migratory shorebirds that spend the greatest part of their year here, on the shores of Australia and New Zealand. Migratory shorebirds are the fastest declining group of birds in Australia, and this project is designed to make them and their habitat visible, which I hope will in turn help to save them from extinction.
Migratory shorebirds suffer from an image problem - brown birds that inhabit the intertidal zone, often mudflats - they are cryptic birds in an often overlooked landscape. What is more, much of their habitat has been reclaimed, used for marinas, docklands, ports, cities etc. For example, records tell that Melbourne was once the 'Kakadu of the south' - an area unrivalled in rich wetland habitat. I am inviting artists to seek out their local habitat and document their personal response to it, whether it is an industrial waterway awash with the wakes of passing container ships or a pristine tidal zone shared with sharks and turtles. As artists, we can make it visible, and in this way we will create an intricate and personal map of our precious shorebird habitat.
Migratory shorebirds suffer from an image problem - brown birds that inhabit the intertidal zone, often mudflats - they are cryptic birds in an often overlooked landscape. What is more, much of their habitat has been reclaimed, used for marinas, docklands, ports, cities etc. For example, records tell that Melbourne was once the 'Kakadu of the south' - an area unrivalled in rich wetland habitat. I am inviting artists to seek out their local habitat and document their personal response to it, whether it is an industrial waterway awash with the wakes of passing container ships or a pristine tidal zone shared with sharks and turtles. As artists, we can make it visible, and in this way we will create an intricate and personal map of our precious shorebird habitat.
From Spike Millington Chief Executive of the East Asian-Australasian Flyway Partnership
The coastlines, marshes and lakes of Australia and New Zealand are home to many species of migratory shorebirds that use the East Asian – Australasian Flyway. They spend more time here than on the breeding grounds during the brief northern summer and on their critical stopover sites in east Asia. The birds undertaking these perilous journeys face many pressures as they travel along the Flyway in both developed and developing countries. It is very important that they find refuge in Australia and New Zealand, to recuperate and build up strength for next season’s migration. Yet habitats here, such as coastal marshes, are also under pressure, for development and infrastructure projects, despite the ecological services they provide and their value as a part of each country’s natural heritage. As everywhere, the key is to help people understand, appreciate and value these birds and their habitats in Australia and New Zealand and engage them in their conservation. If the birds are not safe here, how can they undertake their amazing migrations?
The Overwintering Project is a timely and important initiative to involve people in saving migratory shorebirds and the places they need in Australia and New Zealand. Art, in all its forms, is a powerful way to engage and inspire people, and I am very happy to support the project and strongly encourage everyone to participate in any way they can. I greatly look forward to seeing the project take off and follow its progress in the years to come.
Spike Millington
Chief Executive, East Asian – Australasian Flyway Partnership
The Overwintering Project is a timely and important initiative to involve people in saving migratory shorebirds and the places they need in Australia and New Zealand. Art, in all its forms, is a powerful way to engage and inspire people, and I am very happy to support the project and strongly encourage everyone to participate in any way they can. I greatly look forward to seeing the project take off and follow its progress in the years to come.
Spike Millington
Chief Executive, East Asian – Australasian Flyway Partnership
From Dr Golo Maurer, Key Biodiversity Project Manager, BirdLife Australia
BirdLife Australia is the nation’s oldest conservation organisation with over 110,000 members and supporters. Since 1901, we use the best available science to protect Australia’s native birds and their habitat, inform our on-ground actions and promote conservation. Our research and conservation work has a focus on Key Biodiversity Areas, globally recognised nature hotspots. In these areas we work with the community to achieve sustainable conservation for Australia’s unique and threatened wildlife. Shorebirds are on of our core competencies. Through our Australasian Wader Study Group we are a leader in Shorebird Conservation and Research for over 30 years.
It is my great pleasure to express my full support for the new initiative by Kate Gorringe-Smith, The Overwintering Project, to tie arts, community and conservation together. Her previous project with us, The Flyway Print Exchange, has generated unexpected and happy results for everyone involved both in the many exhibitions it had in Australia and overseas. Importantly, it was instrumental in changing perceptions and inspiring action that led to a better conservation status for some of our most threatened birds.
Seeing the launch of this new ground breaking project is truly wonderful, and BirdLife Australia is very happy to support this endeavour as best we can.
Dr Golo Maurer
Key Biodiversity Area Program Manager, BirdLife Australia
It is my great pleasure to express my full support for the new initiative by Kate Gorringe-Smith, The Overwintering Project, to tie arts, community and conservation together. Her previous project with us, The Flyway Print Exchange, has generated unexpected and happy results for everyone involved both in the many exhibitions it had in Australia and overseas. Importantly, it was instrumental in changing perceptions and inspiring action that led to a better conservation status for some of our most threatened birds.
Seeing the launch of this new ground breaking project is truly wonderful, and BirdLife Australia is very happy to support this endeavour as best we can.
Dr Golo Maurer
Key Biodiversity Area Program Manager, BirdLife Australia