CIC Magazine 2018/2 – English version by International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation (CIC)

CIC MAGAZINE 2018/2

Conseil International de la Chasse et de la Conservation du Gibier Internationaler Rat zur Erhaltung des Wildes und der Jagd International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

Second Wildlife Forum

Editorial Focus

Markhor Award 2018

1 Euro per Hunter

Divisions

CIC 90 Years

CIC Coordination Forum for Central and Eastern Europe

WaSH Conference

Bečej Conference for Huntresses

Project “Game Meat” CIC-YO Switzerland

CIC Young Opinion Research Award 2019

Trophy Evaluation Board Meeting

Swampy vs. Stony

Wildlife Watch

Wildlife Watch In the Spotlight

Charles G Fenn

Regional and Country News

Canton of Zurich Leads the Way in Support of Hunting!

Hunting â&#x20AC;&#x201C; The Branch of Economy?

African Swine Fever Update

Bowhunting the Big Game Species in Denmark

120th Anniversary of the Hunters Union in Bulgaria

Animal Art Paris

There are several links in the magazine to videos, audio files and photo albums. Look for the video or audio link sign once you move over a picture. The photo albums are highlighed too.

Video or audio link 3

Photo album

International Relations CITES Standing Committee Meeting Sochi, Russia

Ivonne Higuero – the New CITES Secretary General

WE Plenary Session in Bückeburg

Illegal Wildlife Trade – London Conference

Media and Publications

Announcement of new IT features

Hunting Auction 2019

New publication by ELO

Wild Food – Recepies of 3 Nations

Videos about Sustainable Use

International Journalism Symposium

Announcements

CIC 66th General Assembly

New Deputy Director General at the CIC

“One with Nature” Logo Revealed

In memoriam: Hon. Edna Molewa

New Head of the Irish Delegation

New Head of the Dutch Delegation

Dortmund Jagd & Hund 2019

CIC Prizes 2019

Click on any of the photos to jump to the article! Publisher: CIC Headquarters H-2092 Budakeszi, P.O. BOX 82, Hungary Phone: +36 23 453 830 • Fax: +36 23 453 832 E-mail: office@cic-wildlife.org • www.cic-wildlife.org Layout and typesetting: Alíz Ertler, a.ertler@cic-wildlife.org

EDITORIAL

George Aman President of the CIC

Dear CIC members, I’m again talking to you, and I hope you are having a very successful hunting season. I would like to tell you a little about the Markhor Award, surely you have heard about it. The Markhor Award ceremony took place just a few days ago in Sharm-el Sheik in Egypt. It was held under the umbrella of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) CoP 14. It was a big ceremony with a lot of attendees, and it was well covered in the press, something which is very positive for the CIC. This year’s winner was the Finnish Wildlife Agency, with the theme of “Return of Rural Wetlands” Life +Project, something which is absolutely great for the CIC. Within the CBD CoP, we also had the one day Collaborative Partnership on Sustainable Wildlife Management Wildlife Forum, which was a great success. The CIC, just as a reminder, was a founding partner of CPW, which now consists of 14 international organizations.

Coming to another subject: Namibia. Things in Namibia is really going well, the preparations for the General Assembly are in full swing. I think we will have a very successful General Assembly in Namibia. We do have the possibility (until the end of this year) for early bird registration, so we have reduced rates if you register between now and the end of December. At the same time, we have introduced a cheaper rate for people who want to come with an accompanying non-CIC member, and this is also valid until the end of the year. Don’t miss this opportunity- Register Now! I think, we will have a unique event in Namibia, and I’m really looking forward to see you all there. Please, enjoy the Magazine, which comes in a half yearly basis, you will find some very interesting articles, and some provoking and challenging content.

All photos about the 2nd Wildlife Forum: Copyright by IISD/ENB | Kiara Worth

FOCUS

Second Wildlife Forum

Conference of the Parties (COP14) to the Convention on Biological Diversity The Second Wildlife Forum took place on 21 November 2018, in the framework of the fourteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP14) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt. Approximately 160 participants attended the Forum, which addressed the overarching theme ‘Sustainable Use for Conservation and Livelihoods.’ The event was organized by the Collaborative Partnership on Sustainable Wildlife Management, a voluntary partnership of 14 international organizations working to promote the sustainable use and conservation of wildlife. The International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation is a founding member of the initiative.

The Forum brought together stakeholders from across the globe to discuss their shared experiences and seek creative solutions on issues related to the health and security of people and wildlife, the wild meat crisis, and the unsustainable use of wildlife. Discussions from the Forum will feed into the priorities on sustainable wildlife management for the Post-2020 Biodiversity Framework, and the key messages were forwarded to the Nature and Culture Summit held at the CBD COP 14 on 22–24 November 2018. In the opening segment, David Cooper, CBD Deputy Executive Secretary and CPW Chair, welcomed participants to the Forum, stressing that wildlife is threatened through biodiversity loss and remains crucial to the livelihoods of people around the world. Sheila Wertz-Kanounnikoff, of the Food and 8

â&#x20AC;&#x153;We need biodiversity, but biodiversity does not need usâ&#x20AC;? Hamdallah Zedan Representative of the Egypt CBD COP14 Presidency

Agricultural Organization of the UN (FAO) and CPW Secretariat, underscored that the Forum comes at a critical juncture in the achievement of the Aichi Biodiversity Targets and preparations for the Post-2020 Biodiversity Framework. Daniel Kobei, from the International Indigenous Forum on Biodiversity, highlighted the importance of engaging with indigenous populations, particularly in determining ways they can benefit from wildlife use and ensuring that their concerns are considered. Leah Wanambwa-Naess, from the African Union Commission, underscored the need for coordinated action for the African continent in combating illegal wildlife trade, and also in promoting a participatory approach with communities on the sustainable use of wild flora and fauna.

David Cooper, CBD Deputy Executive Secretary and CPW Chair

Leah Wanambwa-Naess, African Union Commission

Sheila Wertz-Kanounnikoff, FAO and CPW Secretariat

Daniel Kobei, International Indigenous Forum on Biodiversity

Session I - People and Wildlife: Health and Security (L-R): Marthin Kasaona, Ministry of Environment and Tourism, Namibia; Moderator Cristina Romanelli, CBD Secretariat; Suneetha Subramanian, United Nations University; Raja Sharma Rymbai, Indigenous Terra Madre Network Advisory Board Member (Southeast Asia), Slow Food; Catherine Machalaba, EcoHealth Alliance; and Jim Desmond, EcoHealth Alliance presented case studies from Malaysia and Bangladesh illustrating the use of biodiversity and behavioral data for disease prevention and control, and described a ‘One Health’ approach that creates value from sharing monitoring strategies to find mutual solutions which support human and environmental health. Jim Desmond, also from the EcoHealth Alliance, presented on the interface between wildlife protection, wild meat trading, and health security in Liberia. He mentioned that through the pandemic prevention program “PREDICT,” an analysis of human behavior, land-use change, and factors that might contribute to spillover events in circulating diseases among wildlife populations, is used to better inform public policy to prepare for a response.

In the first session, titled People and Wildlife: Health and Security, Marthin Kasaona, from the Ministry of Environment and Tourism of Namibia, provided examples of Namibia on the adverse consequences of human-wildlife conflicts, noting that it is challenging for local communities to provide evidence for livestock and crop losses from wildlife, and the lack of full compensation for these losses. Raja Sharma Rymbai, of the Indigenous Terra Madre Network, discussed human-wildlife relationships, emphasizing that indigenous populations serve as custodians of biodiversity, in the face of changing land-use patterns and emerging threats to ecosystems. Suneetha Subramanian, from the United Nations University (UNU), underlined that there is an increasing demand for traditional, complementary, and alternative medicines, yet underscored the opacity of supply chains related to the herbal trade, especially in the authentication of specimens. Catherine Machalaba, from the EcoHealth Alliance, 10

The sessions continued with Sharing Wild Meat: Resolving Conflicts between Subsistence and Commercial Uses, moderated by John Emmanuel Fa, Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR). Philippe Mayaux, from the European Commission, reported on the Sustainable Wildlife Management Programme, which is supporting African, Caribbean, and Pacific (ACP) countries to protect endangered wildlife species by reducing hunting to sustainable levels, and improving food security through identifying alternative protein sources. Shane Mahoney, CEO of Conservation Visions, said North American early settlers, unlike the First Nations people, undertook massive unsustainable wildlife harvests, driven mostly by the fashion industry and recreational hunting. He showed examples of sustainable wildlife management through eliminating game markets, ensuring legitimate purposes of wildlife harvest, and the use of science to enact wildlife policy. Sarah Ferguson, Director of TRAFFIC Vietnam, said pangolins are one of the most commonly encountered mammals in Asiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s illegal wildlife trade. She reported on common

motivations for wildlife harvest including traditional medicine, tribal rituals and ceremonies, and demand in urban centers and international markets for prized wildlife parts. After a lunch break, Sheila WertzKanounnikoff, from the FAO and CPW Secretariat, launched an animation video illustrating what the CPW is and how its work addresses key issues on sustainable wildlife management for achieving food security, improving livelihoods, combating illegal wildlife trade, and conserving biodiversity.

Session II - Sharing Wild Meat: Resolving Conflicts between Subsistence and Commercial Uses (L-R): Moderator John Fa, Center for International Forestry Research; Sarah Baker Ferguson, TRAFFIC Viet Nam; Philippe Mayaux, European Commission; and Shane Mahoney, Conservation Visions

From Sites in Africa to Shelves in Asia: Solutions to Unsustainable Wildlife Use and Illegal Trade was the topic of the third Session, moderated by Roland Melisch, TRAFFIC and CPW Vice-Chair, and Klemens Riha, of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH (GIZ). Bennett Mbapeua Kahuure, of the Ministry of Environment and Tourism, Namibia, highlighted Namibia’s success in wildlife recoveries and progress in sustainable wildlife management by promoting a conservation strategy outside national parks and in ensuring a legal basis for local

communities to benefit from conservation. Tjavarekua Elmarie Tjijahura, from Women for Conservation, Namibia, spoke about efforts of women in community conservancies to curb poaching, stressing that efforts have to “start from the home.” Phil Franks, from the International Institute for Environment and Development, outlined the social impacts of protected areas governance and noted that communities often bear the costs of conservation through historical dispossession and exclusion. He

described a new platform called ‘People Not Poaching: the Communities and Illegal Wildlife Trade (IWT) Learning Platform,’ offering examples local communities effectiveness in curbing illegal wildlife trade. David H.W. Morgan, of CITES, highlighted the role of CITES in promoting legality, sustainability, and traceability in wildlife trade. He illustrated positive examples of recoveries in CITES-listed species, including the vicuna, markhor, and African cherry. Taye Teferi, from TRAFFIC, emphasized increased efforts to combat illegal wildlife trade,

Session III - From Sites in Africa to Shelves in Asia: Solutions to Unsustainable Wildlife Use and Illegal Trade (L-R): Klemens Riha, Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ); Bennett Mbapeua Kahuure, Ministry of Environment and Tourism, Namibia; Tjavarekua Elmarie Tjijahura, Women for Conservation, Namibia; Leah Wanambwa-Naess, African Union Commission; David Morgan, Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES); Phil Franks, International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED); Taye Teferi, TRAFFIC; and Roland Melisch, TRAFFIC

while establishing a business case for naturebased enterprises. He introduced the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, which provides an opportunity and resources to strengthen legal and sustainable wildlife trade through certified product markets. Leah Wanambwa-Naess, from the African Union Commission, described the Commissionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s policies to conserve wild flora and fauna. She highlighted an African strategy to secure political support of its member states against illegal trade in wild fauna and flora.

Delegates during the event

Participants break out into world-cafĂŠ groups to discuss the vision for sustainable wildlife management

Session IV - Wildlife and People in 2050: A Vision for Sustainable Wildlife Management (L-R): Fabiana Spinelli, CBD and Carlos Manuel Rodríguez, Minister for Environment and Energy, Costa Rica During the fourth Session, titled Wildlife and People in 2050: A Vision for Sustainable Wildlife Management, Carlos Manuel Rodriguez, Minister for Environment and Energy, Costa Rica, the moderator of the session, and Fabiana Spinelli, of CBD, introduced two world café sessions. In the first world café, centered around the theme of ‘The Future We Want,’ the Forum participants provided feedback on the future vision and focus for sustainable wildlife management. Telling stories of possible futures, Shonisani Munzhedzi, from the Department of Environmental Affairs, South Africa said the current detachment from nature has led to mass killings of wildlife, loss of livelihoods, loss of identity and connection to nature, and socio-cultural conflicts. Oliver Hillel, from the CBD Secretariat, presented the process and timelines for the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework to be adopted at COP 15. This process, he said, would include global 14

and regional thematic workshops and consultations to ensure a participatory, transparent, result-oriented, transformative, and catalytic process. On the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) assessment on the sustainable use of wild species, John Donaldson, from the South African National Biodiversity Institute, noted that the scope of the assessment included an assessment of consumptive and non-consumptive use; enhancement of sustainable use of wildlife species; effectiveness of approaches and practices; and evaluation of conservation benefits.

Hamdallah Zedan, Former CBD Executive Secretary, Representative of the Egypt COP presidency

In a second world café discussion titled ‘Framing a Future for People and Wildlife post 2020,’ participants addressed issues that the IPBES assessment should address; how the Post-2020 Biodiversity Framework should respond to wildlife- related issues; and the future role of the CPW.

MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY

At the occasion of the 2nd Wildlife Forum, the recipient of the sixth CIC Markhor Award was announced. And the winner is: the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Return of Rural Wetlands LIFE+ Projectâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;! This successful initiative has been running since 2010 in Finland.

The project, led by the Finnish Wildlife Agency focuses on restoring rural wetlands through cooperation between landowners, hunters, local associations and regional authorities working with environmental issues. The outcomes include an increase in the quality, variety, and number of wetlands in rural areas under the project. Importantly, the project also led to the creation of a new working framework for the conservation, restoration, and recreation of wetlands, which is heavily reliant on local community cooperation.

The motivation, skills, and co-operation of local people, especially hunters, and regional authorities for the wetland conservation, restoration, and re-creation at local and regional levels increased substantially during the project. CBD Executive Secretary, Dr. Cristiana Paşca Palmer, who is also a member of the CIC Markhor Award Jury congratulated all those involved in the project. In her speech, Dr. Paşca Palmer recognized the crucial role of communities in nature conservation: “This project shows how 18

local communities from different backgrounds can successfully work together towards a common goal. It is good to see that the sustainable use of biological diversity, one of the three objectives set out in the CBD’s first article, is seen as a crucial tool for achieving this common goal.” This is the first CIC Markhor Award winner from the European continent. It shows that, despite an increasingly urban society in Europe, there is still a way for local communities, hunters, and regular landowners to shape the natural environment and to restore and manage

Watch a short interview with the winners of the CIC Markhor Award wetland habitats on a voluntary basis, even in areas dominated by agriculture and forestry. During the closing ceremony Dr. Cristiana PaĹ&#x;ca Palmer thanked the members of the CPW and urged that more

emphasis be placed on supporting communitiesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; rights to manage resources. Participants then attended an evening reception, where an announcement was made of Hungaryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s offer to host a CPW Wildlife Forum in Budapest, in 2021.

Dear Readers, Dear Hunters, George Aman, CIC President

I have been an active hunter now for over 45 years and have the pleasure of pursuing this wonderful passion all over the world; however, I am increasingly concerned about the reluctance of some hunters to make a modest contribution to preserve hunting.

The temptation to glorify the current state of affairs and to take oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own still beautiful front garden as a guarantee for the future is a grave mistake. A typical example of where carelessness in dealing with emerging problems can lead is the Swiss banking secrecy. Although it had long been apparent that this Swiss privilege would soon come to an end, many traditional and highly professional bankers in Switzerland had buried their heads in the sand and enjoyed the bounty of the rolling rouble, years before the final abolition of banking secrecy for foreign investors. What a fatal mistake. It seems necessary and advisable for me to warn hunters at an early stage of the lurking dangers, the gloomy clouds in the sky, in order to be able to ward off the worst of what could come.

Over the years, our opponents (often being animal rights NGOs) have developed a sophisticated, yet deceitful, business model. Many of these organisations claim to be conservationoriented, but stir up emotions and focus only on the act of killing by hunters to garner support. Every year, they collect hundreds of millions of dollars from naive people who are certainly willing to do good, enviably so, but are misinformed about what their money is being used for. For example, these enormous financial gains for the NGOs finally land – to a large extent – in the pockets of their own leadership, and then with the rest, they promote exactly the opposite of conservation. In Africa, for example, opponents of hunting have advocated for hunting bans. Banning hunting, however, leads to increased

The CIC (International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation), in collaboration with FACE (European Federation for Hunting and Conservation), has committed itself to fight for the preservation of hunting and recently launched a worldwide campaign “1 Euro per hunter” where each hunter contributes one euro to the campaign, which, while a negligible cost to the individual, is an indispensable contribution to the preservation of hunting. 21

human-wildlife conflict, which promotes poaching; and leads to locals favoring land development over habitat creation. The WWF and the IUCN (International Union for the Conservation of Nature) are examples of organizations who, while they are not hunting organizations, have members among their ranks who recognize the benefits of hunting. Such members stand behind a legal hunt, carried out in accordance with the principles of sustainability. Decisions with far-reaching implications are made on the international stage, not at the local, regional, or national levels. Opinion-shaping conferences all over the world form the core of those decisions that are so dangerous for the sustainable use of nature. Their impacts will only reach us at a much later stage when it may be too late. Remember the European weapons regulation, the Zurich hunting abolition initiative, the wolf problem, the ban on the transport of hunting trophies and much more. Preventing the impacts is easier than reversing them. FACE and the CIC are striving to participate in as many conferences as possible to influence and defend the sustainable use of nature.

Villagers carry meat from a community hunt back home Photo by Rolf D. Baldus 22

What is the sustainable use of nature? The foundations involve a deep sense of respect between humans and nature, where humans feel it is right and logical for them to use forests and fields for forestry and hunting, to use lakes and oceans for fishing, to make use of the soil for agriculture, and to care for the horses and dogs that we keep as pets. The sustainability element comes from knowing what we can and cannot take, how much is enough, and what will allow future generations to experience the same wealth of natural resources as we do today. We clearly distance ourselves from sectarian and almost extreme views on life, such as veganism and extreme animal protection. If we do not stand together as a community, if we fail to see the increasingly clear signs of the “urbanization” of our political decision-makers, we will meet a terrible end within a few years’ time. I never want to look my grandchildren in the eye and have to explain to them that we hunters could have fended off the imminent disaster with one euro, but that the comfortable “current state” prevented us from doing so.

social media. This, dear readers, requires an early recognition of the alarming international situation of hunting and also an extremely modest participation on behalf of each individual hunter.

In order to be able to take up this fight on the international stage, we need spikes of the same length as those who wish for us all to go to hell. We need to attend conferences, penetrate non-hunting media, be present in schools at an early stage, explain to children the sustainable use of nature, and, above all, be present in modern

George Aman CIC President

1 EURO PER HUNTER

I would like to call upon your national hunting association to show their solidarity and ask them to collect the solidarity euro for this incredibly important struggle and to transfer it to the CIC and FACE for the sake of our future generations.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;We need to... above all, be present in modern social media...â&#x20AC;? 25

DIVISIONS 90th Anniversary of the CIC On 7 December 2018, the Slovak Hunters’ Chamber celebrated the 90th Anniversary of the foundations of the CIC. The ceremonial event took place in Slovakia between the towns of Nové Zámky and Palárikovo, two locations of historical significance for the CIC. The event was attended by hunting associations from Slovakia, Hungary, Czech Republic and Poland. The event was especially honored by the attendance of the Minister of Agriculture

and Rural Development of the Slovak Republic, Hon. Gabriela Matečná. In each of their addresses, speakers praised the successes of the CIC and specifically the foresight of the CIC’s founding fathers. The idea for the establishment of an international hunting organization was first brought up in 1910 at the occasion of a hunting exhibit in Vienna. Professor Antonin Dyk from the Prague University brought up the idea

Count Louis Károlyi

Maxime Ducrocq

again in 1926. However, thanks to the French lawyer Maxime Ducrocq and Count Louis Károlyi the idea was translated into concrete action. They organized an international conference in the small southern Slovak town of Nové Zamky in November

1928 to discuss the idea of establishing an international hunting organization. Many of the discussions took place in the manor of Count Károlyi in Palárikovo. The result of the conference was the “Declaration of Nové Zamky” calling for 27

the establishment of an international hunting council with the name of “Conseil International de la Chasse” and establishing a commission which was to work out the statutes of this organization. This was the basis for the first general assembly and the founding of the CIC in November 1930 in Paris.

colorful history to the deliberations. He described how even at the end of World War I, and the Trianon decision separating nations, it was the respect for nature and wildlife, and hunting in particular which helped re-establish close friendships between nations.

During the opening ceremony, CIC Director General, Tamás Marghescu recalled the facts surrounding the foundations of the organization but also brought some

This friendship between nations was at the forefront again during the event, with all four nations signing a joint memorandum of understanding on strengthening the

collaboration between hunting associations from the Visegrád Group. The CIC wishes to celebrate this milestone and congratulate the Slovak Hunters’ Chamber on a wonderful event!

Looking back and moving forward

20th meeting of the CIC Coordination Forum for Central and Eastern Europe UHAB President Vasil Vasilev stressed the political independence of hunting NGOs, but to keep good rela-tions with government institutions, and to be a partner of the state in the planning and implementation of wildlife management. Another side of the coin is the image of hunting in the media, especially in social media. Delegates agreed that content must be carefully selected, however, it is also essential to change the perception of critics. The positive message has to be the care for biodiversity and social activities.

On 10 December 2018, the CIC Coordination Forum held its 20th meeting in Sofia, Bulgaria. The agenda included the African Swine Fever outbreaks and the election. Delegates from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ro-mania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, and the host Bulgaria reported on the policy development in and the economy of hunting. With regard to African Swine Fever it was noted that all affected countries tackle the outbreaks with their own methodology. Participants agreed that a coordinated effort and exchange on the developments should be started within the CIC Coordination Forum.

CIC’s fundraising initiative, the “1 EUR per hunter” was introduced by Director General Tamás Marghescu. Delegates welcomed the idea that national or regional hunting associations would contribute this amount to the CIC and FACE for communication campaigns, but requested for more and clear information on the use of funds.

Following the large carnivore population trends and the increasing need for international cooperation in their management, the Coordination Forum will organise a conference in Romania in February 2019. Head of the Romanian CIC Delegation, Dr. Valeriu Bolgiu offered to look for dates and venue. Further details will be distributed when available.

The most important outcome was the election: Vasil Vasilev, the President of the Union of Hunters and Fishers of Bulgaria was elected as Coordination Forum President, and the President of the Russian Associa-tion of Hunters and Fishers, Tatiana Aramileva as its Vice-President. Congratulations to both! We especially welcome Mrs. Aramileva in her new position, as this visibly strengthens Russia’s role within the Coordination Forum. 29

International Conference on Women and Sustainable Hunting“Woman and bear – from past to present”

On August 17–20, more than 70 female hunters from all over the world gathered in Ilomantsi, Finland for the fourth Women and Sustainable Hunting (WaSH) conference, “Woman and bear – from past to present”. The event was organized within the activities of the International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation’s (CIC) Working Group Artemis, which acts as a forum and networking group for female hunters. The conference was opened by Tuomas Hallenberg, President of the Finnish Hunters Association, who explained the situation in his country: “Hunting is doing well in Finland. According to the latest survey 66% of citizens see hunting as positive or very positive and only 10% are critical or very critical. Though we are capable, isn’t there always something to improve? In Finland 0.3 million hunters pay hunting fees annually. That is quite a number in a country with 5.5 million inhabitants. Finland can be said to be a little giant of hunting. Yet, the average age of hunters is increasing which is in line

The conference took place in northern Europe, and it welcomed participants from ten countries including the Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, Hungary, the United States, Slovakia, the Netherlands, Russia, Croatia, and Poland. The main organizer of this international meeting was the Finnish Hunters’ Association and was hosted by the North Carelian Huntresses Association. The number of huntresses is on the rise in many countries, especially in Finland, where it counts more than 22,000 female hunters alone.

with Finland’s age pyramid. There are currently 22 thousand huntresses and 1/4 of the people taking the hunters exam are ladies. This phenomenon is important and the meaning of it can scarcely be overestimated. Once upon a time, there was dark haired lawyer who was a vegetarian. Now she trains

German wirehaired pointers and hunts with them. She is my wife. Having introduced my favorite hobby properly it was rather easy to accept my hunting trips – and come along. The final step towards hunting for her was the decision to get a hunting dog. Since then the footprints have crossed the hills of Lapland like fields and forests of southern Finland as well. In one lecture I used several times the term “female

hunter”, and when the speech was done a lady come to me and said “you used the word female hunter continuously. It is not needed anymore. We are hunters”. I learned! Finland’s Hunters Association is privileged to host this conference.” George Aman, President of the International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation underlined that “… it is really my sincere belief that huntresses are our hope for the survival of hunting, because, among many other things, they

are educating our future generations with the necessary respect of nature which includes sustainable hunting. And you, Ladies, are the best to take care for the education of the young generation, who are the future of our passion.”

Soňa Chovanová Supeková, the President of the Working Group Artemis added “The unique nature of North Carelia and the Finnish hunting culture provide a fantastic setting for the conference. The “Bear and Woman” play important role in the old Finnish mythology. The Working Group Artemis is a

unique platform for ladies from all over the world. I am happy to welcome 75 ladies from ten countries from three continents.” Heli Siitari, Executive Manager of the Finnish Hunters’ Association, underlined that “This conference provides an excellent opportunity for networking and sharing information about the best practices in different countries”.

Soňa Chovanová Supeková, President of CIC’s Working Group Artemis

Heli Siitari, Executive Manager of the Finnish Hunters’ Association

”Bear” in Mind – Situation in Finland The international workshop and conference was held in the most bear-rich municipality in Finland, and was centered on the current challenges regarding bear and other large carnivore conservation in Europe. (More information about large carnivores.) Last May, the Natural Resources Institute of Finland estimated that the bear population in Finland, including the number of cubs born in the spring, are more than 2,000 individuals, which is larger than ever before. The population has more than doubled over the past ten years. The Decree issued by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry on the maximum allowable number of bears to be hunted sets the quota for this year at 355 individuals. This is the highest quota ever, and 100 individuals

more than last year, and this is the largest in the whole European Union. Yet, the increased hunting opportunity is not expected to have any adverse impact on the viability of the bear population. 33

Jaana Husu-Kallio, Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of Finland

Jacqueline Frair, Professor of the University of New York Deputy President of CIC’s Applied Science Division

Jaana Husu-Kallio, Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of Finland remarked that “The main goal in increasing the hunting quota for bears is to keep the growing population at about the level it is now, target hunting to areas where the population is exceptionally dense, and prevent damages to reindeer, which have been growing for some time. Besides the trends in damages, what is also taken into account, when targeting the hunting permits to specific areas, is the status of the moose population relative to the numbers of bears. In certain areas no moose hunting has been organized in recent years because of the growth of large carnivore populations. Sustainable hunting targeting the moose population is impossible, unless the numbers of large carnivores are regulated. “

York, Jacqueline Frair, Deputy President of the Applied Science Division of the CIC, reminded the audience that young people have been alienated from nature. Everybody agreed that wildlife and nature conservation including bushcraft and other wilderness skills should be part of the official school curriculum from the first grade onwards. (More about the Alienation of Nature) “The participants also had the opportunity to take part in bear hunting that starts on August 20. This time we didn’t catch a bear, but the experience was unique since there are many European countries that don’t hunt bears at all”, Siitari concluded. Special thanks to the North Carelian Huntresses Association, especially to Jaana Elina Puhakka for her absolutely full engagement in organizining the WaSH in Ilomantsi, together with the members from the association: Tiina Eronen, Anna Maria Penttinen, Anneli Piiponnen, Aniina Poutiainen, Anna Puruskainen Saarelainen and Sanna Leppänen.

The conference featured speakers from Europe and the United States, and among the youngest lecturers, the 14-year old Adriana Sojáková, from Slovakia, received the loudest applause of the day, when she introduced her hunting-related nature project.

Based on the report of Soňa Chovanová Supeková.

All the participants shared the concern of the professor of the University of New 34

International Conference for Huntresses Bečej Serbia On 25–26 August 2018, the 6th International Ladies’ Hunting Conference and Ladies’ Ball, supported by the CIC, were held in Bečej, Serbia. The traditional three-day event attracted 50 ladies from seven countries – Slovakia, Hungary, Bulgaria, Croatia, Slovenia, Bosnia, and the host country, Serbia. The 6th International Ladies Hunting Conference was organized by the Damski lovački klub Bečej (Ladies Hunting Club of Bečej), and was

led by the well-known huntress Mrs. Sanja Momčilović-Bognič. The International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation (CIC) was represented by dr. Imrich Suba, the President of the CIC Coordination Forum for Central and Eastern Europe. The participants had the opportunity to discuss different hunting methods in different countries and to share best practices in the framework of

scientific lectures on various topics. The main theme of the discussions was wolves. Chairman of the Lovačko Udruženje (Hunting Association), Jovan Šerbanović from Žagubica, and doc. Dr. Branislav-Bane Živković talked about the population of wolves, wildlife, and hunting in Serbia, particularly in the Homolje region. Mrs. Sanja Momčilovič Bognič introduced the Encyclopedia for Young Hunters. In addition to its motivational role, the Encyclopedia has an educational and ethical role, in its sections devoted to hunting behavior, hunting codes, and hunting ethics.

This is to instill these values in the development of children’s characters so that later, as adults and mature hunters, they can pass on these traits to future generations. In this sense, and in light of all of the above, the creation of the Encyclopedia for Young Hunters can be understood as a strategic undertaking which requires time and dedication to implement. Each year new generations of children can be reconnected with nature and learn respect for nature, social laws, rules of behavior, and care for wildlife. They can participate in the work of hunting organizations in the continued development of best practices of 36

hunting, inspired by their knowledge and understanding of hunting in Serbia. The content of the Encyclopedia for Hunting Youth is divided into several thematic units, which together form the complete basis for the education of the future hunter. It is written in accordance with the laws of nature and society, in the interest of conserving wildlife, hunting grounds, and the sustainable management of those resources.

Project “Game Meat” CIC-YO Switzerland The Swiss YO group wants to raise public awareness of hunting. This is why they started a cooperation with two restaurants in Zurich this year. After all, what better way to bring hunting closer to a broad, urban public than dinner conversations over delicate game meat? The Swiss YO has been doing valuable public

relations work for years already with its “Children’s Day,” in which schoolchildren are taken to the forest for a day and gently introduced to wildlife and hunting. At the last coordination meeting in February 2018, initiated by the “Children’s days” success, a further project was born to increase public awareness of hunting in

urban Zurich. It should be noted that a referendum to nationalize hunting in the canton of Zurich was upcoming in September 2018, which alerted all hunters and was widely discussed through several channels, though was vehemently opposed by the people.

It is interesting enough that game meat is often perceived more positively than hunting in general. As a consequence, locally sourced game meat is a wonderful “means of communication” for hunters to reach a broad public and generate awareness not only for a great source of food but also for hunting and its service to nature and wildlife.

Central to this new project was to bring more awareness to game meat as a sustainable and healthy source of meat that can be prepared and used in a variety of ways beyond the traditional and well-known recipes. Moreover game meat is the perfect source of meat for people who focus on a conscious consumption of meat. It must also be said that in Switzerland and Zurich game meat is mainly served in autumn and the broad public is not aware of the availability of local game meat throughout the year. Furthermore, especially around Zurich where many innovative gastronomic concepts arise and local as well as sustainable sourcing of food becomes more important, local game meat should be a no brainer!

The initial idea of a public cooking class dedicated to processing and preparing game meat failed relatively quickly due to lack of resources and suitable venues. As we know, “necessity is the mother of inventions” and quickly an even better solution emerged, which certainly had a wider effect than the original idea. The restaurateurs who were contacted for the cooking class showed big interest in the basic idea of the project, so a cooperation with two well-known and established restaurants in Zurich

emerged (Restaurant Blaue Ente and Brasserie Freilager). “Storytelling” is the key to everyone: the goal was to not only present an innovative menu with local game, but also tell an intriguing story with it. Where does the meat come from? How is it processed? How, and by whom, was it hunted? Why was it hunted? How is hunting regulated? These are only a few of the many questions non-hunters and even chefs involved in the project asked. In order to bring this rather complex message to the plate, the YO group responsible for the project was invited to go hunting in the nearby hunting ground of Marius Kipfer, who lead and delivered the game meat for the project. In doing so, the restaurateurs and staff were taken on a hunting trip in order to deliver a hands on hunting experience. At that very hot evening in August, however, there was “only” a fox on the track, which obviously was not processed in the restaurant, but still showed what hunting is about.

Marius Kipfer

The next step on our journey was to elaborate an attractive game menu. The goal was to create dishes where, for example beef, is substituted by local roe deer or wild boar. At the same time some game classics, with a modern twist for the traditionally minded visitors, were available as well. 39

This was an easy task for our meat lovers and amateur chefs of the YO (David Plaz and Georg Hammer). As a result, most of the dishes on the menu, have their origins in a kitchen of a YO member, for example the carpaccio of roe deer with porcino or roast of wild boar with pumpkin chutney. In order to create a certain “hunting hut” atmosphere, many trophies and accessories were delivered to decorate the restaurants.

reactions. As a result, their game menu has been extended into December. The successful start of this project shows that game meat is a wonderful media to reach urban people and link to conversations about hunting. Once people see the connection between the delicious foods on their plate and hunting, they are all of a sudden interested to hear more about it. With this project, the Swiss YO placed provided a foundation to continue and to expand on in the next years. Additionally, the cooperation with restaurants allowed to reach a wide range of people with limited resources. This movement has a lot of potential around the globe!

As the restaurateurs were equipped with all the necessary meat, decoration, and stories to tell, a large opening event at the restaurant Blaue Ente with free wild boar goulash for all guests, followed by a delicious game menu launched the very successful project. The restaurants were highly satisfied with the customer

Georg Hammer

Young Opinion GYSU Meeting 2018 This year’s Young Opinion GYSU Meeting will take place in Rome, Italy, from 14–16 December. On Friday, the first day of the meeting, there will be a conference day with the theme of “Hunting in the age of social media”.

during the second day: hunting wild boar in the province of Umbria. The GYSU will conclude with a festive gala dinner at the famous “Circolo della Caccia” club in Rome.”

After a hard day’s work another type of activity awaits the participants

The organizers expect more than 25 attendants from all over Europe.

The CIC Headquarters wish you a very pleasant festive season and a prosperous New Year! Photo: courtesy of 41

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS CIC Young Opinion Research Award 2019 Introduction: The CIC is a global nonprofit inter-governmental organization aiming to conserve wildlife through its sustainable use. The Young Opinion working group of the CIC focuses on creating a global network of young scientists under the age of 35, who believe in the values which the CIC is advocating. Objective: The CIC Young Opinion Research Award is aimed at supporting researchers whose projects contribute to the sustainable use of wildlife for the benefit of natural heritage conservation. Thereby, the goal of the Young Opinion Research Award is to promote scientific research in accordance with the spirit of CICâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s convictions. Such research may cover any or all of the three main pillars of sustainable wildlife management: economic, socio-cultural, ecological. Participants are required to send a summary of their research project, explaining the aim, methods and conclusions of the project. The jury, a committee of CIC experts, will determine the two winners, who will be rewarded with an invitation to participate at the 66th General Assembly 42

in Windhoek, Namibia (2 – 4 May 2019), to present their projects and get in contact with key representatives and experts in the field of sustainable hunting. The prize covers the registration fee, accommodation and reasonable preapproved travel expenses. The deadline for application is 13 January 2019. The results will be announced by midFebruary 2019. Requirements: Students of Masters or Doctoral programs under 35 years old are eligible to apply. The summary should meet the following criteria: - Cover the research topics dealing with sustainable hunting based on one or more of three approaches – economic, socio-cultural, ecological (topic examples: ethics, politics, or history of hunting; wildlife management measures from habitat improvements to harvest strategies) - Maximum length is 3600 characters/ two pages - Working language – English Please send your submissions to cic-yo@ cic-wildlife.org with the subject CIC Young Opinion Research Award 2019 43

WILDLIFE WATCH Trophy Evaluation System Update #11 Trophy Evaluation Board Meeting The Trophy Evaluation Board of the TES held their annual meeting from 27–28 August 2018, in Bassano del Grappa, Italy. On the gracious invitation of the ABIF (IT) and with generous support from the Luca Family, the TEB convened in the scenic and historic locale of Villa Ca’Erizzo; a former frontline American Red Cross station where Ernest Hemingway recovered from his injuries. The meeting was attended by over 30 participants including CIC President George Aman. The following decisions are of particular importance to note (paraphrased for brevity): • Each Certified CIC Measurer (CCM), upon renewal of

their certification, must now also fulfill a required minimum of 15 evaluations into the Trophy Evaluation Database, or participate in a National Evaluation event in order to keep their knowledge recent. • Trophies which are presented in a mounted fashion are 44

ineligible for evaluation; the trophy must be prepared, dried for 30 days, evaluated, and then mounted. • The CIC TES renewed its longstanding partnership with Rowland Ward. • The CIC Trophy Evaluation Board released a Policy Statement on the use of the Handbook related to its translation, use, and distribution. • Certified CIC Measurers must now sign and adhere to a CIC TES Code of Conduct, to ensure that only the highest standard of professionalism is practiced when representing the CIC and the CIC TES. A huge thanks to the hosts and organizers of the meeting—it would not have been possible without you!

The TES in numbers: CCMs/STJs: 627 Countries in the TES: 27 Measurements in the TED: 11200

“Like” us on Facebook for regular updates outside of the CIC Magazine! 46

NEW: Now you can follow us on Instagram for content not shown on Facebook! (@cicevaluation) Publication corner Dr. Wolfgang Schulte, published a German language book this year titled “Aussergewöhnliche Jagd Trophäen” (EN: Exceptional Hunting Trophies) which contains a detailed examination of old, abnormal, and outstanding red deer, mouflon, wild boar, and roe deer trophies from Germany. The short book is filled with interesting stories, full color photographs, and historic CIC evaluations. Publication information: Title: Außergewöhnliche Jagdtrophäen - Alte, abnorme und kapitale Hirsche, Muffelwidder, Keiler und Rehböcke Author: Dr. rer. nat. Wolfgang Schulte, Biologe, Angler & Jäger, Fotograf, Magazin- und Sachbuchautor 144 Pages , 110 Color photos 14.8 x 23.1 cm, Laminated Cardboard ISBN: 978-3-8354-1796-0 Price: 18 Euro

Did you know? The Trophy Evaluation Database contains all official evaluations done by our CCM/STJ network. With over 11,000 evaluations, and growing, the database serves as an excellent resource for species population management across the globe!

Swampy vs. Stony

Morphological structure of antlers in Europe After the evaluation of a roe deer trophy which exhibited weight/volume characteristics that appeared to be slightly unusual, Prof. Dr. Roman Dziedzic, STJ of Poland, shared some interesting information on the morphological structure of antlers in Europe, in this case, of roe deer. While the majority of roe exhibit average morphology, determined by genetics, there can be extreme cases of “swampy” or “stony” antlers.

Photo credit: Prof. Dr. Roman Dziedzic

“Swampy” antlers are typically found in humid biotopes with poor soil quality and low amounts of macronutrients. They are often dark in color with poorly developed tine ends. The low density of the antler can be seen in the weight/volume measurements. 48

“Stony” antlers are typically found in fertile biotopes which have a high amount of macronutrients (particularly of calcium) including agricultural areas. Generally, these antlers exhibit a longer than average main beam length, well-developed tine ends, and light coloration over the whole antler. The volume of this type of antler is typically lower than what would be expected relative to its weight. Antlers are highly variable in their characteristics, and this is just yet another dimension they can vary in. Thank you, Prof. Dr. Dziedzic for contributing this interesting information!

Upcoming Events 2019 February 6 February 7 May 4 (66th GA) August 6–7

International Evaluation CIC TES Demo at FeHoVa TES Workshop TEB Meeting

*Events are subject to change without notice P Indicates that the event is open to the public 49

CIC Headquarters Budapest Windhoek, Namibia TBD

2018 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; YEAR

R IN REVIEW

In the Spotlight

Giovanni Persona, Italy, 2014-STJ-009 How did you become involved with trophy evaluation?

the CIC method and that they dreamed of publishing one in Italian.

I have always been convinced that hunting must be known and mainly promoted with regard to its sustainability and scientific approach. During a wild boar driven hunt in Tuscany in 2000, I met two great representatives of the trophy world and CIC evaluators, Annibale Drobnig and Giorgio Umari, who sadly are no longer with us. They enlightened me on the fundamentals of the trophy culture and told me what they were doing in Italy and abroad. I was deeply impressed by it all and wondered why in Italy that discipline was so little known and insufficiently promoted. Their answer was that at the time there wasn’t any reference handbook providing the formulas for trophy evaluation based on

I took their dream to heart and I presented this interesting project to the Regione Veneto. I started to take action in that direction and met Luigi Rivoira, President of the Exhibition and Trophy Commission of CIC Italy, who welcomed this initiative and encouraged me to become a member of CIC ITALY and to attend a training course for CIC Measurers held in Bologna in 2002 by Annibale Drobnig and Giorgio Umari with the participation of the famous CIC evaluator Veljko Varićak, Honorary President of the Exhibition and Trophy Commission, Vice-President of the CIC, as well as the author of handbooks on trophies published in three languages but not in Italian. After I got my license, I took part in various Evaluation Commissions getting more and more involved in this fascinating discipline. I was determined to carry on with the project of a trophy handbook in Italian and to this purpose I met Veljko Varićak many times in Lubiana and kept in touch with the various regional institutions. Finally, in August 2002, Regione Veneto decided to publish the first Italian edition of Veljko Varićak’s handbook: ‘The Evaluation of Hunting Trophies for the management of Italian and European Wildlife’ which went like hot cakes! 52

The TEB strongly encourages all hunters to have their trophies evaluated by a Certified CIC Measurer in order to enhance research possibilities and encourage a more wholesome approach to the evaluation, regardless of the trophy’s potential to reach a medal limit. I then prompted Regione Veneto to publish an updated second edition which came out in 2009.

with society and thus strengthening the relationship hunter/territory/population. You are President of ABIF, can you tell us about some of the work ABIF does?

It was such a success that it was called ‘The Italian trophy evaluation Bible’.

ABIF (Italian Wildlife Biometric Academy) was established after the introduction of new rules by the CIC not to squander 30 years of measuring carried out by roughly 200 voluntary CIC measurers. It was set up to inform, train, and plan communication strategies, in collaboration with Institutes of Zooprophylaxis, Scientific Institutes and Public Authorities, aiming at the conservation and improvement of hunting activities while respecting our culture and local and rural traditions, without neglecting the many social sensitivities often exploited and uninformed about the important social role played by hunters in maintaining and improving biodiversity.

Why do you think trophy evaluation is important? Trophy evaluation represents an essential element to acquire knowledge of hunted species. The average trophy development of Cervidae and Bovidae provides information on the health state of the population, its composition by age and sex and, mainly, on the trophic capacity of the area. Trophy evaluation must be considered as the ability to evaluate, through codified mathematical formulas, the state of health of the wildlife population present on the territory and is essential for the management of the species, being an irreplaceable instrument of scientific research.

ABIF in close collaboration with Commissione Grand Gibier – Esposizione & Trofei CIC Italia : – Organizes commissions for trophy evaluations according to CIC rules; – Updates its members in real time on amendments made to the Handbook ; – Trains experienced tutors to act as technical support in the CIC Commissions; – Organizes CIC courses for the training of CCMs; – Holds preparatory courses on the real usefulness of trophy evaluation in educational institutions, local authorities, hunting associations, etc.; – supports courses for young people

Trophy evaluation is an integral and irreplaceable part of every hunting activity for its increasing technical and scientific value in the management of huntable wildlife populations. It’s an important training/learning instrument for all hunters. It allows to compare and verify the state of health of specific wildlife populations within a specific area even with the help of dedicated databases. It publicizes the hunting plan that has been carried out through the various management exhibitions which represent the most important means of communication 53

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What is your favorite hunting memory?

(aged 8 to 17) of environmental and wildlife knowledge and enhancement of the various aspects of rural culture (Summer Camps); organizes round tables, seminars, workshops on issues and problems concerning wildlife and hunting; gathers data for the creation of a national database; design, manufacturing and type approval of measuring instruments specific for trophy evaluation (kit of instruments for trophy evaluators) Cooperates with Ce.R.M.A.S. (National Reference Centre for wild animals diseases) supplying information on health anomalies observed in wild animals useful for possible action or prevention; Carries out the ‘Biometric Project’, in collaboration with scientific bodies, in order to codify and harmonize the ‘biometric datasheets’ of hunted wild animals.

I have so many that I could write a book. Hunting, for me, is a way of life and therefore every time I go into the wild I have the same feelings and emotions that I experienced the first time I went hunting so many years ago. Special moments and emotions that never leave me and that I like to live over and over again in my memories. So they are all important and meaningful; the real point is to have lots of them to tell and pass on. What do you hope for the future generations of hunters? Hunting must be a way of life made up of Training, Tradition, Respect for the Environment and Wildlife but also Solidarity and Economy. In short, Culture and Communication! This is the essential background of young new hunters aware of the role entrusted to them by society.

Do you know a member of the STJ/CCM network who should be in the spotlight? Would you like your event highlighted in our events section?

If you have any questions about the above information, or the CIC TES in general, please contact Caroline Sorensen, CIC Conservation Officer, at c.sorensen@cic-wildlife.org.

Please send STJ/CCM nominations/event details to c.sorensen@cic-wildlife.org 54

Charles G Fenn 1 March 1944 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 23 October 2018

The sudden death on 23 October 2018 of Charles Fenn, a Senior CIC Judge and member of the UK delegation of the CIC, highly respected and renowned for his meticulous trophy measuring skills, will have come as a shock to all those who have known and worked with him over the years, whether at UK Game Fairs or in the field. A brilliant hunter with a wide and expansive knowledge of deer, particularly Roe and Sika, Charles frequently mentored and assisted newcomers to stalking and was always willing to offer advice and help. Always cheerful and ready to look on the positive side of life, he was not only an outstanding shot with a rifle, but his expertise in the field of trophy evaluation of African species led to his appointment as a Senior International Trophy Judge, where his extensive knowledge was well respected. 55

REGIONAL AND COUNTRY NEWS Canton of Zurich Leads the Way in Support of Hunting!

The CIC is pleased to report on the positive outcome of a referendum in the Swiss Canton of Zurich on September 23, 2018. The referendum, under the title “Gamekeepers Instead of Hunters” came about as a result of pushes by animal welfare and protection groups in Switzerland. The referendum sought to ban so-called “hobby hunting” in the Canton of Zurich and replace it with professional gamekeepers. Voters were overwhelmingly against such a ban, with some 84% opposing it! This is a crucial victory for recreational hunting in Zurich, in Switzerland and indeed across Europe. It is important to highlight that the result includes votes from inhabitants of the City of Zurich, a highly urbanised environment 56

and one which would not traditionally be associated with pro-hunting sentiments. The CIC is grateful to all those whose efforts led to this result and to all those voters who made the right, logical and rational decision. While it represents a win for hunting, it will not be the last battle. We must remain vigilant against the forces looking to ban hunting. 57

Hunting – The Branch of Economy? Conference in Moscow On September 19, in the framework of the 60 year anniversary of the Russian Association of Hunters and Fishermen, a conference, entitled “Hunting – A branch of the economy?” was organised in Moscow, Russia.

The aim of the conference was to discuss the role of hunting, and sustainable use of wildlife in the economies, in respect to the fact that not only does hunting traditionally play an important role in the economy, but an organised hunting economy is an effective instrument for the preservation of wildlife and its habitat.

Representatives of the CIC and delegations of hunting associations from 11 countries (Armenia, Belarus, Bulgaria, Estonia, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Russia, Slovakia and Switzerland) participated at the conference.

The meeting also centered around the subject of African Swine Fever, its prevention, and the actions, which should be taken. Furthermore, the participants

discussed how the traditional form of education of hunters could be improved in the future. The delegates stressed the need for effective information sharing, education for hunters, and crisis management (fight against African Swine Fever).

African Swine Fever Update On September 13, 2018 the first case of African swine fever (ASF) in wild boar in western Europe was reported. This means that the virus is now present in 10 European Union (EU) countries. The infected wild boar were discovered in Belgium, in the Walloon municipality of Ă&#x2030;talle in the province of Luxembourg.

Hunting and Conservation (FACE) immediately offered advice to the Walloon Minister for Agriculture, Nature and Forestry. The advice was based especially on the experiences from CIC members in the Czech

It is still unclear how the disease spread to Belgium, however all parties agreed that swift action was needed. In response to the outbreak, the CIC together with the European Federation for

Republic where the virus has been successfully contained in a small area of the country. The experiences from the Czech Republic demonstrated the crucial role that hunters can play in limiting the spread of

the virus. It also showed the importance of early implementation of wellcoordinated and planned actions to contain the virus. This included fencing of core affected areas and the set-up of buffer zones. The CIC was especially pleased to see the uptake of these measures by the Walloon Government.

The CIC, together with other concerned hunting associations in the EU is also part of the ASF Task Force, set up and managed by FACE. The task force regularly meets virtually to discuss updates on the spread of the virus and the measures needed to combat it, especially by hunters. The situation in Belgium appears, for

now to be under control. The virus is currently contained within an area of approximately 63,000 ha. CIC will continue to monitor the evolution of the situation and urges all hunters to cooperate with the relevant national authorities on measures to stem the spread of the virus.

Bowhunting the Big Game Species in Denmark Now is a Reality On Wednesday 29. August the Danish Minister of Environment, Jakob Ellemann-Jensen, signed the law that initiates a four year period on hunting the big game species of the country: sika, red and fallow deer, starting already on the 1st of September 2018. “Although it has required a lot of work from both the Danish Hunters Association (Standing member of FACE)) and FADB (The Bowhunter Association of Denmark (Member of EBF), it’s been worth it all”, a happy chairman of FADB, Brian

Lisborg, concludes on the process. Good team work The two political hunting organizations representatives in the Wildlife Council has performed years of prior work. At the end of September 2017, the subject was discussed in the Council, which ended out in the fact, that the Council recommended to the Minister to start

up a test period of bow hunting for the big deer species. The decision was off course met with great satisfaction by the FADB Board and the association’s members as well as the European community of bowhunters.

Qualifications The hunter who wishes to use bow and arrow in Denmark must pass the Danish hunter education as well as a two day bowhunter education followed by a theoretical as well as a proficiency test. Requirements for bow and arrow that may be used for test hunting on the big game species are: 1. Bow and arrow: In the case of hunting sika, fallow and red deer, the energy of impact (Eo) must be at least 80 joules and the arrow weight at least 33 grams. 2. Arrowhead: When hunting the three big game species the arrow must be with fixed blades and at least 3 cutting edges and with a cutting diameter of at least 25 mm. For additional information contact: anders.gejer@europeanbowhunting.org

XIII National Hunting Festival

in Honor of the 120th Anniversary of the Hunters and Fishermen Union in Bulgaria

The Festival was opened by Mr. Atanas Dobrev, Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Agriculture, Foods and Forests, and the official guests were George Aman, President of the CIC, Tamás Marghescu, Director General of the CIC, Imrich Šuba, Chairperson of the Coordination Forum of the CIC for Central and Eastern Europe, Tom van de Maile, FACE representative, Yuriy Shumskiy, Chairperson of the Hunting Union of Belarus, Dragan Šormaz, Chairperson of the Hunting Union of Serbia, Lado Bradacj, Chairperson of the Hunting Union of Slovenia, Andrey Sitsko, Deputy Chairperson of the Hunting Organization of Russia, Alois Rischko, Deputy Chairperson of the Hunting Union of Slovakia, Jorg Scheng, Assistant Ambassador of Germany, Georgi Parvanov, Ex-president of the Republic of Bulgaria, the former chairpersons of HFUB Nino Ninov, Hristo Mihaylov, Ivan Petkov, and Stefan Manolov, and the whole Management Board of the HFUB.

On 30 June 2018, in Bulgaria in the Municipality of Karlovo near Vedrare village, more than 8,000 hunters and fishermen gathered together to celebrate the 120th Anniversary of the Hunters and Fishermen Union in Bulgaria (HFUB) that went under the motto “Traditions, Unity, Succession”. The ceremonial part started with the Hunter’s Anthem and then the brass band of the Bulgarian Army gave its important contribution to the Festival by performing the national anthem that was sung by the 14-year old Victoria Maneva. There was also a public prayer for health and a ceremonial ritual on blessing the flags of the hunters’ societies. The Chairperson of the HFUB, Vasil Vasilev, delivered an address and the mayor of Karlovo Municipality and the Vice Chairperson of the National Ladies’ Hunting Club ‘Aurora’ also relayed their greetings and sentiments to the attendees. 64

On the occasion of its 120th anniversary, the National Association of Hunters and Fishermen was awarded with the Honorary Symbol of the President of the Republic of Bulgaria.

120

The spectacular event was preceded by ceremonial laying of wreaths and flowers at the Monument of Vassil Levski â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the Bulgarian national hero who devoted his life to the Liberation of Bulgaria from the Ottoman Rule.

Bulgarian Union of Hunters and Anglers

8th Edition of the Salon Animal Art Paris The 8th edition of the Salon des Artistes Animaliers, Hunting and Nature – ANIMAL ART PARIS 2018 was taking place from 16–18 November 2018 in Paris. Since 2011, this highly selective show has been attracting the best contemporary animal artists – painters, sculptors, and photographers alike - and a large audience (3,750 visitors in 2018) of French and foreign enthusiasts and passionate collectors. The Salon is undeniably the most beautiful and prestigious exhibition/sale of contemporary animal art in Europe. This year the Committee selected 55 exhibitors including 52 French and foreign artists who presented their works for sale live (without commission) at workshop prices. With 23 new exhibitors, compared to 2017, we continued to discover and promote excellent artists of our time, which would

Winner of gold medal in sculpture category: Fox by Julie Salmon

otherwise be neglected by museums, galleries, FRAC, and other public or private institutions and media. These artists and their works are obviously much appreciated and are expected to be in the hearts of thousands of amateurs and collectors. The Salon has the merit of highlighting animal art for everyone, while being located in an ideal setting in the countryside of Paris. 66

Jean-Christophe Barbou des Places, Founder and Curator of the exhibition, said “I am very proud to organize this event, thanks to you, your loyalty, and the quality of the work of the Artists we select, but I do not hide the financial difficulties that I would encounter to continue this exhibition if we did not have the support of our generous sponsors.”

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS CITES Standing Committee Meeting Sochi, Russia

In October, during the CITES Standing Committee Meeting in Sochi, Russia, in preparation of the CITES Conference of Parties in 2019 in Sri Lanka, dark clouds have come up surrounding the subject of bringing local communities into the decision processes of CITES. Animal welfare organizations are profoundly afraid that their strength in lobbying the CITES convention is going to diminish once local organizations from

all over the world living with wild animals are having their voices heard. Voices, which express that living with wildlife is not always easy, especially if e.g. numbers of elephants or lions around human settlements in Africa are growing to levels that lead to severe wildlife – human conflicts, which includes immediate life threatening situations. Local people are prepared to live with wild, sometimes even dangerous animals, if there is a benefit for them. Deriving substantial 68

income from trophy hunting is one example where communities can benefit. It may even be that governments who, as “parties” to the CITES convention are the decision makers, might not necessarily want to have their local communities watching over their shoulders and involved in the decisionmaking processes. Are local communities going to stand up

Former Secretary General of CITES, Willem Wijnstekers

Photos: Copyright by IISD/ENB | Kiara Worth69

against the push of animal welfare NGOs, mainly from developed nations? Are the same local communities going to allow their national governments to kill the push for them to have a voice in CITES? We will see, but it does not look good for allowing the voices of local communities to be heard. Former Secretary General of CITES, Willem Wijnstekers got straight to the point in Sochi when he said: “It is a shame how this issue of communities participating in CITES decision-making was handled so far. The working group entrusted to work out details must continue in finding agreeable solutions.” On this point, “the CIC fully supports the participation of local communities in CITES decision-making, as the communities have to live on a daily basis with the consequences of decisions

reached by the Convention” said Tamás Marghescu, Director General of the CIC. For work to continue on this issue, if at all, it now looks as though this will only be possible in May 2019, with any results to be discussed in 2022. A long way away, with a lot of water flowing down the Zambezi river in the meantime.

Ivonne Higuero â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the New CITES Secretary General implementation of programs of work and the provision of secretariat services to intergovernmental bodies. Read more about her experience. The aim of CITES is to conserve biodiversity and contribute to its sustainable use and it does this by ensuring that no species of wild fauna or flora is unsustainably exploited for international trade. CITES does not stop all trade, but dictates that the trade that does occur must be legal, sustainable, and traceable. The interests of the hunting community will often extend beyond the particular mandate of CITES, to matters such as the provision of protected areas, which is, historically, perhaps the best known inter-relationship between hunters and biodiversity.

The CIC welcomes the new Secretary General of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) Secretariat, Ms. Ivonne Higuero.

We look forward to collaborating with Ms. Higuero on these issues and congratulate her on her appointment to this important position.

Ms. Higuero is an environmental economist with a career spanning 26 years in international organizations in the area of sustainable development. She has experience working at the global, regional and national levels, and engaging with stakeholders across the public and private sectors. During her 24 years with the UN, she has held varied roles managing financial and human resources, overseeing the 71

WE Plenary Session in Bückeburg This year, the Wildlife Estate (WE) Label held its plenary session in WE Bückeburg – Schaumburger Wald (Germany) on 4–5 September. In the afternoon of the 4th Mr Schaumburg-Lippe welcomed the WE Steering Committee for the main annual meeting at the Bückeburg Palace. It was in this very building that he presided over the Gala Dinner, at the end of which the Wildlife Estate Label ceremony took place. During this event, Konstantin Kostopoulos and Thierry De L’escaille, awarded the Estate Label to Fürstlich Stolberg-Stolberg’sche Forstverwaltung. Christoph Zu Stolberg-Stolberg received the diploma and expressed his joy for this recognition of his family’s good management of the environment in this estate where forestry, hunting, tourism, education and science are excellently coordinated.

On the 5th of September the WE Conference gathered more than fifty foresters, technicians, farmers, hunters, landowners, scientists and politicians/ from more than 13 countries from Europe to America. They reviewed the challenges that landowners are facing to continue deploying their potential as the actors with the highest abilities for providing all environmental benefits to the whole society while matching natural resilience. The challenges that

were discussed were those relating to the European public protection, namely Natura 2000 network. Some of its natural elements, like the re-appearance of the wolf and its influence on many activities, do not have a sufficient compensation for the effect thay cause on private environmental activities. The session finished with a visit to the zone of the host estate concerned by Natura 2000 in which attendees learnt with its manager (Eng. C. WEBER)â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s interesting explanations. For more information: www.wildlife-estates.eu Gerardo Gil De La Calle, Wildlife Estates

Christoph zu Stolberg-Stolberg received the diploma and expressed his joy for this recognition of his familyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s good management of the environment in this estate where forestry, hunting, tourism, education and science are excellently coordinated.

Illegal Wildlife Trade – London Conference

The UK government hosted an international conference on Illegal wildlife trade (IWT) in London on 11 to 12 October 2018. The illegal wildlife trade (IWT) not only endangers some of our most iconic species of wildlife, but is a serious organised crime and damages the livelihoods of some of the world’s poorest communities.

The 2018 London conference is an opportunity to build on previous efforts, address the underlying issues that facilitate it, and make steps to tackle this criminal trade. The meeting “Community Voices” is about local His Royal Highness The Duke of Cambridge speaking at the Illegal Wildlife Trade Conference

Voices from the Frontline: Communities and Rangers session

Community Voices Meeting at London Zoo

Listen to Khalil Karimov’s contribution on the issue of incentives that local communities will require in order to participate in the battle for sustainable livelihoods and beyond – his experience in Tajikistan

Convention, but is attended by several CIC members and partners. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Considering the dark clouds of the CITES Standing Committee meeting in Sochi, Russia at the beginning of October in relation to discussions on community participation in decision-making in CITES matters, it will be interesting to see whether a modus operandi can be found in the process of meetings and action on illegal wildlife trade to have the voices of communities heardâ&#x20AC;?, said Khalil Karimov, Head of the CIC Delegation of Tajikistan, who attended the meeting on behalf of his local communities back home.

perspectives on international responses to illegal wildlife trade. The results were presented to the High level intergovernmental meeting on Illegal Wildlife Trade (IWT) attended by several heads of state. The CIC is represented formally by the CIC Director General Tamas Marghescu, CIC Adviser Willem Wijnstekers, former Secretary General of the CITES

His Royal Highness The Duke of Cambridge and Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt at the Illegal Wildlife Trade Conference

Visit the official photo album of the event

MEDIA AND PUBLICATIONS The CIC is happy to announce that new IT developments are on the way to make the Membership & Hunting Auction and Trophy Evaluation System more user friendly for our members. The CIC started this project with the aim to redesign and redevelop the current CIC Membership & Auction and Trophy Evaluation systems sites, to make it • easier and faster to use for our members • cost efficient to operate • easy to modify and scale in future In the process of selecting the perfect interface we always kept in mind our members, and that’s why we chose Material UI, designed and developed by Google. The user interface is meant to be Rapid, User Friendly and Easy to Use.

We are busy preparing for the 66th General Assembly, and thus also for the Hunting Auction. On the Hunting Auction website, you can download the latest donation forms, access a few reports of hunts purchased by our members during the last auction, and also a list of hunts donated so far for the next auction. Be sure to visit the page to stay up-to-date with the most current offers and information!

Our new Hunting Auction website is under construction and will be finished shortly. There will be some changes: • complete dedication of a new site solely for the Hunting Auction • responsive site compatible with all electronic devices (iPads, smart phones, laptops, personal computers, etc.)

• interactive interface (YouTube videos for promotional videos, photos, etc.) • highlight sponsorship, even to non-members • user-friendly (learning from previous iterations of the site, this version will be fool proof for access and bidding)

Be on the lookout for an announcement of the new Hunting Auction website, which will likely occur in mid-January.

Stories from Hunting Auction 2018 Winners For more info, please visit the HA website

So far received donations (as of 28 November 2018

Stories from Hunting Auction 2018 Winners

For more info, please visit the HA website

Wild Boar Population in Europe â&#x20AC;&#x201C; New publication by ELO

FOLLOW CICâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S ACTIVITIES ON SOCIAL MEDIA

Wild boar populations have undergone a systematic increase, in both size and distribution range, across most parts of Europe over the past 30 years. The growing number of wild boars has resulted in numerous economic, environmental, and social problems. Hunters, landowners and environmentalists have diverging opinions on the causes of the population growth in Europe, as well as different responses to managing it. Private landowners aim to combine biodiversity objectives with economic activities. However, the damage to agricultural land and forests in recent years due to increased wild boar populations is challenging their combined environmental, social and economic business models. To get a better view on the current situation, the causes and effects of these growing populations, and as well as assessing the effectiveness of certain measures which are taken to mitigate negative human-wild boar interactions, we have decided to try to find some answers within the vast amount of scientific papers written on the subject. This report is not a research paper. It 82

A scientific review of population trends and implications for management is a review of the vast amount of scientific research which exists on the species. Our study is based on peer-reviewed papers published over the past 30 years on the topic of wild boar in Europe and covers a large number of research disciplines. Basing our conclusions on existing knowledge, this study proposes a number of policy recommendations to decrease the number of negative human-wild boar interactions. The publication is available in English, French and Italian.

Recepies of 3 Different Nations Thanks to the Trans-national project “Woman the Hunter”, Artemis Working Group was able to publish an e-wild food book with 30 recipes of 3 nations: Slovakia, Estonia and Finland.

The book has been written under CIC professional patronage, and is a unique space for sharing the recipes from different cultures. The objectives of publication are: – to increase awareness of wild food, – to emphasize the full scale utilization of game, – to bring the forth sustainable hunting ideology. The book presents new methods and cultural aspects of cooking with wild food and nature related ingredients. The book also introduces huntresses´s activities with photo and short stories. Special thanks to local action groups (LAGs) in Estonia, Finland, and Slovakia, who in co-operation with European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) helped to publish this cookbook.

Videos Carrying the Message of Sustainable Use to the General Public As the debate continues between the antihunting community and those who believe in the “Conservation Through Hunting” model, the unheard voice is the rural African who must live among the wild animals. It is these people who are most affected when politics supercedes science in the management of wildlife.

The Unheard Voice

Marina Lamprecht, Outfitter

Learn about one Namibian woman’s story about sustainable use hunting, the influence it has within her community, and why it’s her country’s single greatest conservation success.

Source: Dallas Safari Club

Journalism

1–2 Ma

Wildlife Conservation at a Crossroads Challenges in Communication – Vision for the Future!

In the framework of an international conference, titled Crossroads – Leading the Way in Wildlife Conservation organized by the Ministry of Environment and Tourism of Namibia, the International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation is holding an International Journalism Symposium on 1–2 May 2019 in Windhoek, Namibia. Call for Submission:

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The program includes a half day field trip –specially organized for journalists – to a local community, which is practicing community based wildlife conservation successfully.

er (300 words) “Describing your vision about the futuree of onservation. How to communicate best practices?” kanyok@.cic-wildlife.org. s; become eligible for the reimbursement of travel expenses; articipation at the int’l conference and meals during

ANNOUNCEMENTS Dear CIC-Members, dear friends of the CIC, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2039;t is an honour and a pleasure for me to invite you to the 66th CIC General Assembly (GA) from 1â&#x20AC;&#x201C;4 May 2019 in Windhoek/Namibia. As mentioned at the flag parade in Madrid during our last GA, a lot of obstacles have been in our way. We were however confident to overcome them.And yes, we have overcome them, despite the fact that we are literally only a handful of CIC members in Namibia. Based on an outstanding co-operation with CIC Headquarters in Budakeszi, we can now offer a very promising agenda for the GA 2019. Our CIC State Member Namibia represented by the Ministry of

Environment and Tourism is hosting the international conference in the framework of which the CIC General Assembly takes place. We hope that we will be able to find the path for the future of wildlife conservation in controversial discussions in this broader approach. On top of this, we are in a position to offer attractive opportunities for leisure activities and hunts. Please explore the offers and attractions in Namibia

on this website. You may wish to bring your family and friends along and to combine the GA with great holidays in Africa.

Christian Nyhuis Head of Delegation CIC-Namibia

Visit the website of the event to see the preliminary program, pre- and post- conference hunt opportunities, and daily excursion offers. The website also contains detailed information about the venues and registration (open now!).

Early bird prices are available until 1 January 2019!

www.events.cic-wildlife.org

New Deputy Director General at the CIC We are pleased to welcome the new Deputy Director General of the CIC, Mr. Mark Ryan. He re-joins the CIC in this new capacity, having previously worked at our Headquarters from 2012 to 2014. He has been hired to assist in managing the CICâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s growing portfolio of activities globally. He brings to the team an interesting global network,

having worked in international development consulting, especially in the development and management of projects in the Asia-Pacific region. These spanned multiple areas of agriculture and natural resources management, including biodiversity conservation. He is familiar with the processes, programs and projects of many multilateral and bilateral development agencies as well as national governments, and

international and regional organizations. Coupled with this international experience and network in natural resources management, he has a strong passion for nature, and for hunting in particular. He is an Irish citizen with family ties in Hungary and holds a Master of Environmental Science, Policy and Management from four leading European universities, as well as a Bachelor of Agri-Environmental Science (University College Dublin). He also has a keen interest in learning about new languages and cultures. Fluent in both English and French, he possesses a reasonable knowledge of five other European languages. As Deputy Director General, he is looking forward to expand his knowledge base and network, while putting it to the services of the CIC in promoting the role of sustainable use in conserving wildlife.

“One with Nature” Logo Revealed Hungary hosted the Hungarian National Hunting Day in Putnok in mid-September, where amongst other activities the official logo of the 2021 World Nature Expo, titled “One with Nature” was presented to the audience. In his speech, Deputy Prime Minister, Dr. Zsolt Semjén highlighted that the organization of the World Nature and Hunting Exhibition 2021 relies on 3 pillars: the construction of the venues in Hungary, the international events and conferences, and the national events.

those who live together with nature and understand its rhythm, understand that there is a need for human intervention in today’s overcivilized world. When these people carry out their work in a sustainable manner, they are one with nature.”

Count József Károlyi, the Government Commissioner responsible for the exhibition, underlined that “Foresters, farmers, rational thinkers, and hunters,

Therefore, hunters, fishermen, foresters, farmers, and nature conservationists are jointly organizing the 2021 event. “The World Expo in 2021 aims to show

Count József Károlyi and the new logo

the world that – unlike what many people believe – the sustainable use of nature by humans through various means, including hunting, is legitimate, useful, and necessary for our survival and for the sustenance of biodiversity.”

to protect the plants and animals of the forest, the fish of the water, and the birds of the air, but at the same time can utilize them with pure and sober responsibility.” The International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation (CIC) is the patron of the exhibition and advises the Commissioner’s office locally and internationally.

The hymn and logo of the 2021 event symbolize man’s responsibility for nature. Count Károlyi concluded “Man has the knowledge, the will, and the power

In memoriam: Hon. Edna Molewa It is with great sadness that the CIC learned of the passing of Hon. Edna Molewa, late Minister of Environmental Affairs of the Republic of South Africa on September 22, following complications of Legionnaires’ disease. We stand with the international community in expressing our sincerest condolences to the family of Hon. Molewa, to her friends and colleagues, members of her church and community, and to all those who knew her. In the words of her family “South Africa had lost a

Edna Molewa during the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in 2011, Davos, Switzerland. Copyright: Creative Commons, World Economic Forum, Moritz Hager

great leader: an activist, a patriot and a revolutionary who has been called to her Maker, leaving us bereft.” 92

We wish strength and courage to all those affected by this tragic loss. May she rest in peace.

New Head of the Irish Delegation Des Crofton held this position once before, between 2012 and May 2016 and he has been reelected at the beginning of November 2018. He started hunting at the age of 17 which was almost 50 years ago!

he worked in the telecommunications industry and finance sectors. He is well respected by the political establishment in Ireland across all political persuasions. He has been instrumental in lobbying for and guiding a number of important legislative initiatives. Des has written many papers and articles on legislation and conservation. He has delivered presentations at many conferences both in Ireland and other European countries. He is the author of “A Practical Guide to the Wildlife Acts 1976 – 2000.”

Des Crofton has over 30 years of experience in senior management, most of which has been spent working for a large national voluntary organisation. He has lead the organisation from being virtually unknown to becoming a household name in Ireland with a significant record of achievement at both national and European level. Prior to that

Pendant sa carrière, Des a travaillé pour de nombreux organismes importants, certains par nomination ministérielle. Parmi les postes occupés, on peut citer : En Irlande : • Directeur FACE Irlande • Directeur national de la National Association of Regional Game Councils [Association nationale des conseils régionaux du gibier] Nominations ministérielles : • Membre du Comité consultatif d’appel du Special Area of Conservation (SAC) [Zone spéciale de conservation] • Le Comité permanent de la faune du Conseil du patrimoine • Le Groupe d’examen de la législation sur les armes à feu • Membre du groupe consultatif sur les armes à feu au département de la Justice et de l’Égalité International : • Représentant irlandais à l’Assemblée générale de la Fédération des associations de chasse et conservation de la faune sauvage de l’UE (FACE) • Vice-président de la FACE • Membre du Groupe européen des spécialistes de l’utilisation durable (ESUSG)

New Head of the Dutch Delegation Seger Emmanuel baron van Voorst tot Voorst (Zwolle, 1961) is married to E.F.F. (Fleur) van Heek m.a. They have two daughters and a son and live at their family property Den Alerdinck II in Laag Zuthem. Following his military service in the Dutch army (Wapen der Cavalerie), Mr. Van Voorst tot Voorst worked in various positions including at a clearing member company on the European Options Exchange (EOE) in Amsterdam, at a market makers company on the London International Financial Futures Exchange (LIFFE). After that he was the Executive Director of the PAN (Protected Area Network) Parks Foundation, a position which allowed him to work in various large nature areas throughout Europe. In addition, he was a ‘Member of State’ (Statenlid) for the Christian Democratic Party (CDA) in the Dutch province of Overijssel.

He also has several additional jobs: • Honorary consul of Belgium in the Dutch provinces of Overijssel and Gelderland • Chairman of National Veterans Cemetery Foundation Loenen • Chairman of the Dutch delegation for the International Council on Hunting • Vice President of Friends of the Countryside • Supervisory Director of the Den Alerdinck Estate BV (BV Landgoed Den Alerdinck II • A member of the Wildlife Estates Steering Committe • Regent at the Hofje van Hoogelande Foundation (Stichting Hofje van Hoogelande • A member of the board at Association for The Equal Treatment Of Land Owners • A member of the board at the Foundation for the continuation of the Prattenburg Estate • A member of the board at Vicars Foundation De Vijf Capellarijen Ambachtsheerlijkheid Kloetinge • A member of the board Baron van Hugenpoth tot Aerdt Foundation 94

Since 2003, he has been the Managing Director of National Park De Hoge Veluwe Foundation (www.hogeveluwe.nl). Furthermore, he was the initiator and chairman of a Wildlife Management Unit (WBE) in Salland, Overijssel and the initiator of the Province of Overijssel’s Fauna Management Unit (FBE), a member of the board of Association of Dutch Estates, a member of the board at the Overijssel Private Land Ownership Organization, a member of the Advisory Council at the State Forestry Commission, a member of the Advisory Council at Koninklijke Burgers’ Zoo and Chairman of the Essent Sustainability Development Council.

Jagd & Hund 2019 Dortmund

The German delegation of the CIC is again official partner of the “Jagd & Hund”, Europe’s largest hunting exhibition, which will be taking place in Dortmund from 29 January 29 until 3 February 2019. On the occasion of the opening day of the fair we would like to draw your attention to a panel session held by the German Delegation on 29 January 2019 at 3 pm. with the topic “hunting in Europe – presence and future”.

We would be pleased if many of the CIC members would join this really interesting event. For more information on the panel discussion please contact the German administration office (verwaltung@ cic-wildlife.de), general information on the fair you can also learn from the website www.jagd-und-hund.de.

Edmond Blanc Awards 2019 – have your efforts recognized! The International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation (CIC) acknowledges outstanding efforts in wildlife conservation with different prizes. The Edmond Blanc Award was established to recognize and promote game management areas, projects or organisations which conserve both the natural environment and the freeroaming animals in the wild and manage game according to the principles of sustainability.

Previous winners of the Edmond Blanc Prize: 2008 Hunting association “La Perdrix” in Morocco Moscow Association of Hunters and Fishers, Russia 2009 Gredos Game Reserve, Spain 2010 Grafenwöhr Federal Forestry Enterprise in Bavaria, Germany Fritzöe Estate, Norway Palosaari Wildlife Management and Education Estate, Finland 2011 Cangandala National Park and Luando Reserve

In 2019, it is again time to celebrate the Edmond Blanc Award! Do not forget to apply, latest by 31 January 2019! The award ceremony always takes place at the Closing Session of the CIC General Assembly. In case of interest, please contact Dr. Kristóf Hecker, Head of Division Coordination Unit at k.hecker@cic-wildlife.org for more details.

2013 Pol’ana hunting area, Slovakia 2015 „Energy from Wild Plants” project of the Netzwerk Lebensraum Feldflur, Germany 2017 Gyulaj Forestry and Hunting Plc., Hungary 96

Previous Edmond Blanc Diploma recipients: 2008 National Game Management Database, Hungary Amministrazione Provinciale of Arezzo, Italy 2009 Slovenia Forest Service 2011 Kurgan Regional Union of Hunters and Fishermen, Russia 2013 HM Kaszó Erdőgazdaság Zrt., Hungary Gutsverwaltung Fischhorn GmbH & Co KG., Germany

CIC Wildlife Photo Prize 2019 –

ready, steady, shoot!

The CIC Wildlife Photo Prize aims to stimulate observations in the field and an awareness of the aesthetic value of wildlife and hunting. Another aim is to suggest that the passion for hunting can find an expression in different ways – photography being another facet of a passion for wildlife. The competition links hunters and non-hunting lovers of wildlife.

International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation

CIC Wildlife Photo Prize 2019

The theme of the 2019 photo prize is “Wildlife up close”.

The winning photographs will be rewarded at the 66th CIC General Assembly in Windhoek, Namibia.

The competition is open to all interested amateur and professional photographers.

Please send your applications to photo@cic-wildlife.org.

Deadline: 31 January 2019.

Rules for nominations can be found here.

Winner of the CIC Photo Contest 2016, Oswald Schmid, Austria, Friend of the CIC

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