CIC Magazine 1/2023 (English)

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

2023/1

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CIC Administrative Office:

It is with delight that I am introducing to you this special summer edition of the 2023 CIC Magazine.

Our aim with this magazine was to reflect on the 69th General Assembly in Paris, while considering its implications in relation to the future of our organisation.

Firstly, please allow me to extend my gratitude to everyone for their kind comments about the General Assembly this past April.

The feedback we received suggested that this was among our best General Assemblies in recent years. This was ultimately down to a wonderful location in Paris - which brought us back to the roots of the CIC - as well as the theme Biodiversity 2030 which sought to explore implementation of the recently adopted Global Biodiversity Framework.

With leading figures across the environmental sector in attendance and insightful discussions at the numerous Technical Sessions, we achieved our goal in exploring how best to align the CIC with the Global Biodiversity Framework and the sustainable development goals.

This edition of the Magazine also explores the next steps forward, looking at how the outcomes from the General Assembly will impact the road ahead for the CIC, namely through the 2030 CIC Programme. More details on this can be found throughout the course of this publication.

In addition to coverage of the General Assembly, you will also find the most important stories and developments for the CIC from the past six months.

From the announcement of the 70th General Assembly in Portugal, new partnerships and more, there is a lot to unpack for all of you in the coming pages.

I welcome you to take a look for yourself in this 1/2023 Edition of the CIC Magazine.

Dr. Philipp Harmer President of the CIC

Photos of the 69th General Assembly, Paris, France:

2030 CIC PROGRAMME AND MEMBERS’ SURVEY

With a laser-focused 2030 Programme, the CIC will build and adapt its existing Communication Strategy while also developing a Business Plan, which will include a Membership and Fundraising Strategy.

Dear Friends and Members of the CIC,

The General Assembly in Paris adopted a resolution calling on the CIC to develop its first ever Programme in support of the recently adopted 2030 Global Biodiversity Framework and the sustainable development goals.

Ensuring that the CIC is aligned with the Global Biodiversity Framework - which has been discussed extensively in this magazine - will help ensure that the organisation is contributing in the best way possible to the conservation agenda in the lead up to 2030.

2030 is also a significant year as it will mark the 100-year anniversary of the CIC. The work conducted on the Programme now will guide the organisation’s work at the forefront of prevailing conservation issues, much like the founders of the CIC’s envisaged back in 1930.

How will we achieve this? At a framework level, the 2030 CIC Programme will be based on three foundational principles; Knowledge/Science, Empowerment/Society and Governance/Policy.

We will be prioritising knowledge by supporting academic research and scientific endeavours related to sustainable use. This in turn will empower our network by giving a voice and platform to key stakeholders within our Membership and beyond such as Indigenous People and Local Communities (IPLCs).

At the same time, we will ensure proper governance over conservation and wildlife management matters at the local, national and international level.

By refreshing the CIC website, adapting our approach to core sustainable use issues and further focusing on the needs of people in addition to wildlife, the CIC will be placing the spotlight on the priority areas relevant to the upcoming conservation agenda.

However, the most important factor in the development of the 2030 CIC Programme will be to identify and explore the issues that truly matter to the CIC Network.

By taking into consideration the interests and insights of our members, we can build a Programme that is inclusive and broad in its application.

We have therefore developed a CIC Members’ Survey, which will give us insights on how the CIC could further develop its approach to policy, membership, communications and General Assemblies.

We welcome you to fill in the survey while thinking about the issues that truly matter to you and those you would like to see addressed by the CIC. All types of feedback - no matter how minor - will play an essential role in shaping the CIC’s work up until 2030.

Be a part of the conversation and the CIC’s future!

Sebastian Winkler Director General of the CIC

2030 CIC PROGRAMME AND MEMBERS’ SURVEY

THE CIC PROGRAMME FOR 2030 AND THE GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY FRAMEWORK

With close to 400 participants from more than 40 countries, the 69th CIC General Assembly in Paris was among the first international conferences designed to move into implementation of the recently adopted 2030 Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF).

The insights taken from a wide range of fields and disciplines will be used to create the first ever CIC Programme, which will outline the organisation’s priorities and activities up until 2030 which will mark the 100th anniversary of the CIC.

The programme, due to be adopted at the 70th CIC General Assembly next year, will not only look to provide support to the GBF – it will also address other global targets and frameworks that contribute to conservation and sustainable development, such as the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).

Leading figures in the conservation world convened in Paris for the two-day conference, with keynote speeches and interventions from the heads of numerous environmental conventions and agreements, such as the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS), the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) and the African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbird Agreement (AEWA).

Dr Philipp Harmer, President of the CIC, opened the conference with a Welcome Speech on the importance of the recently adopted GBF, noting how it is well in line with the CIC Statutes adopted at last year’s General Assembly and the way in which hunters are well positioned to implement them given their existing contributions to civil society.

Ivonne Higuero, Secretary General of CITES, highlighted how funding from non-state actors like the CIC can bring the voices of indigenous

peoples and local communities to the table in international policy making processes. This builds on the recent work of the CIC, which supported the attendance of community representatives at IUCN APAC 2022 and CITES CoP19.

Later on in the proceedings, a resolution on this issue was adopted at the General Assembly calling on the CIC to establish a Working Group on Indigenous People and Local Communities.

Expanding on how the CIC’s funding can be used to contribute to biodiversity was Dr Klaus Hackländer, President of the CIC Applied Science Division, who outlined how supporting young researchers and projects could lead to insights on global challenges – the impact of climate change on chamois and the need for research on their habitat use was given as one example of this.

Amy Fraenkel, Executive Secretary of CMS, listed four key ways the hunting and sustainable use community could contribute to migratory species within the context of the GBF.

This included: 1) Raising awareness on CMS policies on migratory species and engaging CIC state and national association members in their implementation, 2) Contributing to monitoring and research methods for migratory species, 3) Ensuring community benefits, 4) Building public support for sustainable legal hunting and its contribution to conservation outcomes.

Other speakers pointed to the successful efforts already being conducted by hunters to support biodiversity, which will need to be continued and further developed going forwards. Dr. Jean-Phillipe Dop, Deputy Director General of WOAH, and Dr Jacques Trouvilliez, Executive Secretary of AEWA, noted the work being done by hunters to prevent the spread of wildlife diseases, such as avian influenza, through monitoring and preventative methods, while also referring to CIC efforts with its Flying Vets project to support UN One Health pilot countries, notably Mongolia.

Again, the General Assembly acted on this discussion by adopting a resolution calling on the CIC to support the UN One Health efforts through “citizen science and contributing to the efforts of monitoring and preventing future zoonotic diseases.”

Commenting on the need to understand society on a deeper level in order to successfully communicate the successes of the sustainable use community was Shane Mahoney, President of the CIC Policy & Law Division. To achieve this, it was suggested that there will be a need to use concepts such as One Health and the Wild Harvest initiative to communicate our message to wider audiences.

It should be noted that the CIC will become the first international partner in the Wild Harvest initiative to scale up their experience in North America to a global level, with particular focus on wildlife economy.

Dr Musonda Mumba, Secretary General of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, talked about the importance of promoting the principles of “wise use,” which takes into consideration broader ecosystem approaches within the context of sustainable development when utilising wildlife resources. This was a term already used in 1971 by the CIC members who were a driving force in the establishment of the Ramsar Convention.

Discussing the effectiveness of certification schemes in supporting conservation and rural communities was Alec van Havre, Project Officer at the European Landowners’ Organization (ELO), who stated that combining the scientific method with the experience and know-how of countryside actors allowed ELO members to promote principles of best wildlife management practice through their own voluntary certification scheme, the Wildlife Estates Label.

What is the Global Biodiversity Framework?

Setting bold commitments for biodiversity conservation, restoration and sustainable use, the Global Biodiversity Framework sets guidelines of best practices on biodiversity conservation for government agencies, NGOs, academics, community leaders and other stakeholders leading up to 2030.

The Global Biodiversity Framework was among the key outcomes arising from the Fifteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP15), where the document was adopted in Montreal in December, 2022.

The CIC was among the many organisations that provided input to the drafting of the Framework.

Willy Schraen, President of the French National Hunters Federation (FNC), was another speaker that discussed the importance of the CIC for rural stakeholders. As part of his welcome speech in the Opening Ceremony, he noted that the CIC is well positioned to become a global entity that unites all forces from the countryside and works to preserve traditional ways of life.

In addition to implementing the outcomes from the Technical Sessions, the 2030 CIC Programme will also incorporate several new resolutions which were adopted as part of conference proceedings.

The newly elected CIC Executive Committee will be leading the CIC in developing and implementing the CIC Programme.

OPENING CEREMONY

The French Delegation of the CIC – as the hosts of the event – welcomed participants at the Opening Ceremony with CIC Vice President, Prince Alexandre Poniatowski, thanking people for attending while referencing the CIC’s roots in France, where the organisation was first founded in Paris back in 1930.

Head of the French CIC Delegation at the time, Emmanuel Michau, also highlighted the importance of the conference for our planet’s health, touching on the “Biodiversity 2030” theme attached to each of the Technical Sessions for the day’s proceedings.

The CIC’s work on biodiversity, particularly through support for the coming decade’s conservation agenda, was a common talking point at the Opening Ceremony that set the scene for the conference to come.

During his Welcome speech, President of the CIC, Dr. Philipp Hamer, emphasised the importance of the GBF for the organisation, noting that this builds directly on the new CIC Statutes that were approved at last year’s General Assembly in Riga, where the GBF was outlined as

a key component of the CIC’s work on wider sustainable development issues.

Providing a French perspective on the CIC’s activities was Willy Schraen, President of the French National Hunters Federation (FNC) and Pierre-Edouard Guillain, Deputy Director General of the Division of Water and Biodiversity from France’s Ministry of Ecological Transition. Willy Schraen noted how the CIC role has played a key role in supporting rural stakeholders in recent years, with suggestions that the CIC is well placed to become the organisation that will unite all the forces from the countryside going forwards.

Discussing the profound link between biodiversity and hunting was Pierre-Edouard Guillain, who highlighted the need for science and facts to serve as the backbone for all biodiversity and sustainable use activities.

Technical Session I of the 69th General Assembly was Biodiversity 2030: A Global Perspective. The aim of the session was to identify key issues facing the global conservation community, and the ways in which the CIC could help address them.

Introductory Report

Shane Mahoney, President of CIC Policy and Law Division

Speakers

Ivonne Higuero, Secretary General of CITES and Chair of CPW

Amy Fraenkel, Executive Secretary of CMS

Dr. Musonda Mumba, Secretary General of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands

Moderator

Sebastian Winkler, Director General of the CIC

Funding for conservation was a common vein of discussion seen throughout the proceedings. With the global needs of biodiversity amounting to $700 billion per annum, fully catering to its needs was stated as a problem that requires addressing going forwards.

In this regard, Ivonne Higuero touched on the importance of private funding for conservation, with governments currently unable to support biodiversity’s needs in full. In particular, such funding can help ensure that the interests of indigenous peoples and local communities are taken into consideration in international policy making processes.

This is an area that the CIC has been actively working on in recent years, having supported the participation of community representatives at the IUCN APAC 2022 and CITES COP19 conferences last year. A motion calling for the

creation of an Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities Working Group was later adopted as part of the General Assembly proceedings.

In response, Shane Mahoney noted that the seemingly insurmountable figure of $700 billion is an issue born out of a lack of interest in conservation. A deeper understanding of society itself – its needs and desires – was therefore stressed as a necessity if we are to build towards a more sustainable world.

To achieve this, it was suggested that there will be a need to use concepts such as One Health and the Wild Harvest initiative to communicate our message to wider audiences. It should be noted that the CIC will become the first international partner in the Wild Harvest initiative to scale up their experience in North America to a global level, with a particular focus on the wildlife economy.

When discussing the role that the sustainable use community could play in supporting the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) within the context of migratory birds, Amy Fraenkel listed four key priority areas: 1) Raising awareness on CMS policies on migratory species and engaging CIC state and national association members in their implementation, 2) Contributing to monitoring

and research methods for migratory species, 3) Ensuring community benefits, 4) Building public support for sustainable legal hunting and its contribution to conservation outcomes.

Touching on the very nature of “sustainable use” was Dr. Musonda Mumba, who noted how RAMSAR was created from the ground up with a “wise use” approach, which is defined as the maintenance of ecological character through the implementation of ecosystem approaches, within the context of sustainable development. Promoting the principles of “wise use” would also be a reflection on our past, with the term already used in 1971 by the CIC members who were a driving force in the establishment of the Ramsar Convention.

A FRENCH PERSPECTIVE

Biodiversity 2030: A French Perspective was the title for Technical Session II of the 69th General Assembly.

While exploring the 2030 biodiversity agenda, this session sought to investigate best practice conservation examples from France, and the ways in which they could be used in a broader international setting.

Introductory Report

Pierre-François Prioux, President of the Société de Vènerie

Speakers

Nicolas Rivet, Director General of the French National Hunters Federation (FNC)

Pascal Lapebie, Scientific Director of the French National Hunters Federation (FNC)

Moderator

Emmanuel Michau, Head of French CIC Delegation (at the time)

Culture and innovation were the two topics evident throughout this session.

In his presentation on Hunting with Hounds in France, Pierre-François Prioux showed the historical and cultural elements that make the practice an integral part of French hunting culture. Hunting with hounds is reported to be a popular activity, with over 10,000 hunters and 100,000 supporters in France alone. In addition, it is evident that a wide demographic of people are engaged in the practice, with 41% of hunters aged 40 or younger, and 28% of practitioners being women.

These discussions showed the national appetite for upholding traditional aspects of hunting culture in an age where enthusiasm for hunting is generally on the decline.

Contrasting this were the presentations from Nicolas Rivet and Pascal Lapebie, the Director General and Scientific Director respectively of the French National Hunters Federation (FNC). By utilising GPS migration tracking, centralised

data collection systems and AI to analyse information, the FNC have created a variety of systems that enable them to gain wildlife management insights that would otherwise not be available to them.

For example, the Aerorad system, designed to monitor bird flight direction and migration timings, revealed a high amount of movement and activity at night-time –an observation that would have been completely missed by traditional ornithologists.

Hunting in France, then, appears to be a marriage of the old and the new; celebrating traditions while moving the culture forward with innovative technologies.

The systems used by FNC in particular have great application to not only national hunting federations in other countries, but other entities working in parallel areas of conservation.

A STAKEHOLDER PERSPECTIVE

Meeting major conservation targets for the coming decade would not be possible without integrating the interests of a variety of stakeholders.

Technical Session III at the 69th General Assembly, Biodiversity 2030: A Stakeholder Perspective, was organised to explore this exact topic, with a particular focus on how the CIC can support underrepresented voices.

Introductory Report

József-Tamás Fodor, Head of the Romanian National Wildlife Management Service

Speakers

Dr. Daniel Natusch, Founder of People for Wildlife

Alec van Havre, European Landowners Organisation (ELO)

Krzysztof Kowalewski, CIC Young Opinion Representative

Sona Chovanova Supekova, President CIC Working Group Artemis

Moderator

Tom Opre, Shepherds of Wildlife

The session was opened with a speech from József-Tamás Fodor, who spoke about Romania joining the CIC as a new State Member. The CIC has worked closely with Romania throughout its history, particularly on the topic of large carnivores in recent years.

We warmly welcome the Romanian National Wildlife Management Service into the CIC Network, and are looking forward to collaborating closely with them going forwards.

Moving into the panel discussion portion of the session, Tom Opre set the scene by highlighting his work as a filmmaker giving a voice to rural communities. It was suggested that incentivisation was a key component for getting stakeholders to want to take care of their natural resources.

The loss of the countryside as engaged actors would be a significant loss, given the role that they play in actively managing rural areas.

Building on this point was Alec van Havre, who spoke about the effectiveness of integrated ma-

nagement approaches in the countryside; one where liberty and responsibility are closely linked through stewardship. ELO’s Wildlife Estates label – a voluntary certification scheme – was created to highlight examples of best land management practice, which often embrace this integrated management approach.

Krzysztof Kowalewski then spoke about his first-hand experience as an engaged stakeholder in wildlife management processes. As an owner of a Ramsar area, he is the one of the first affected by environmental policymakers.

Echoing the words of Shane Mahoney from the Biodiversity 2030: A Global Perspective session, Krzysztof reiterated how utilisation is a necessity in wildlife management, rather than a choice. An adaptive sustainable use approach, therefore, was noted as something that should be widely adopted, rather than a niche practice.

This concept applies to utilisation beyond hunting, as evidenced during Dr. Daniel Natusch’s intervention. His non-proft, People for Wildlife, buys or co-manages land around the world with the intention of conducting conservation work in those areas.

People for Wildlife is entirely funded through sustainable use, with 0% of the proceeds coming

from hunting tourism; animal skins and non-timber forest products are among the wildlife resources extracted as part of their operations.

Dr. Natusch did, however, speak about encountering issues similar to those faced by the hunting community, namely criticism from those who believe animals should not be used for any purpose.

It was suggested that these criticisms could be seen as a failure in communications – succeeding in conservation terms, but failing to “remind” others in a succinct fashion.

Providing a possible solution to this issue was Soňa Chovanová Supeková, who highlighted her work as the President of CIC Working Group Artemis.

As the author of the CIC World Game Cookbook (2021), a collection of 207 game meat recipes from over 66 countries and regions, she has been introducing game to a broader audience through the medium of food.

The cookbook has led to Soňa being invited for television appearances and features in lifestyle magazines, attracting a different audience beyond those working in sustainable use and conservation circles.

A COMMUNICATION PERSPECTIVE

REPORT BACK FROM THE 7TH INTERNATIONAL JOURNALISM SYMPOSIUM

Rob Yorke Environmental Dialogue

Broker

The International Journalism Symposium (IJS) brings together journalists from various backgrounds to discuss best practices and issues the profession is facing.

In previous years, the IJS has been held in Namibia, Spain, Hungary, Estonia, Switzerland and the United States.

This year’s symposium, which took place in the framework of the 69th General Assembly in Paris, took a closer look at the issue of technical writing within the context of effective storytelling.

Communicating concepts related to conservation – as well as other complex topics – are inherently based on technical information. Conveying messages on these topics to non-experts can therefore be difficult, and can lead to key ideas not reaching the target audience. With ambitious targets like the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) and the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, there is certainly a need for alignment within thThe 7th IJS sought to explore some of these topics as part of a full day working session. From UN reporters and wildlife podcasters, to content creators and former Presidents of the Brussels Press Club, this year’s IJS brought in a truly diverse range of journalists with a wide spectrum of views.

Graziel d’Estalenx Conservation Atlantic Council

Exploring how to effectively coordinate with like-minded organisations was Graziel d’Estalenx, with his presentation, We Don’t Have the Luxury of Not Being Ambitious About Conservation. By showing successful examples of how some organisations are joining forces – by coordinating finances and messaging – a road map of potential action for conservation and sustainable use was also presented to participants.

A lack of synergy within conservation and sustainable use circles has been a common talking point in recent years, despite a shared common goal between relevant parties.

The conservation community going forwards to build towards a more sustainable and equitable world.

70% By 2027 Torbjörn Larsson President Of The European Federation For Hunting And Conservation (FACE)

President of FACE, Torbjörn Larsson, took the stage following Graziel’s presentation to discuss FACE’s own targets and how coordination can help bring them to fruition.

The FACE Strategy for 2027 – adopted last October at FACE’s General Assembly – was outlined for participants. The strategy, built after workshops with the Board, Members, and external interviews with key stakeholders, sets out an ambitious strategy to be delivered within three strategic pillars: FACE, Hunting & Conservation, and Society.

One of the key goals outlined in the strategy is generating a 70% social acceptance of hunting in Europe by 2027.

Looking to gain acceptance from those undecided on the practice of hunting, rather than simply increasing the number of hunters, was stated as a clear way to safeguard the future of sustainable use.

While it was noted that those involved in sustainable use have historically been successful at solving hunting and game management centric issues, there has been a distinct lack of effort to promote the act of hunting itself.

Going forwards, FACE will be focusing their efforts on bringing together their members, individuals and organisations to coordinate and generate financing for this exact purpose.

FACE’s Sign for Hunting campaign – a petition with over 360,000 signatures calling for better collaboration between FACE and EU decision making institutions – was stated as being the first step in this direction.

WE DON’T HAVE THE LUXURY OF NOT BEING AMBITIOUS ABOUT CONSERVATION

A “ONE HEALTH” PERSPECTIVE

In an increasingly interconnected world – where humans, animals and the environment all interact with one another – we need a multi-disciplinary approach to supporting planetary health.

Technical Session V of the 69th General Assembly was Biodiversity 2030: A “One Health” Perspective, which sought to explore what “One Health” truly means to a variety of practitioners.

Introductory Report

Dr. Jean-Phillipe Dop, Deputy Director General of WOAH

Speakers

Bernard Vallat, President FICT, Former Director General of WOAH

Dr. Jacques Trouvilliez, Executive Secretary of AEWA

Flurina Hammer, CIC member Switzerland

Antje Katrin Bednarek, German Veterinarian

Moderator

Torsten Mörner, Vice-President of the CIC

What was clear from this session is the role that hunting already plays in providing holistic support in a number of fields and disciplines.

Bernard Vallat suggested that hunters are the best “sentinels” in providing early warning and rapid control for biological events. Without this form of rapid control, biological events can become pandemics with an exponential associated cost.

A practical example of this in action is the work hunters are doing to limit the spread of African Swine Fever (ASF).

Antje Katrin Bednarek spoke about the ongoing threat of ASF, which continues to grow more severe with a now year-round cycle for the disease (as opposed to only in the winter), and a recorded case of transmission to a mammal (fox). Hunters are now playing a vital role in managing incidents of ASF, by not only shooting those infected with ASF, but also by training dogs to check and find carcasses infected with the disease.

Similarly, hunters are also able to slow the spread of avian influenza through their work conserving wetlands. Dr. Jacques Trouvilliez noted how human pressure and climate change can cause migratory bird species to be more densely populated in wetland areas, increasing the likelihood of transmission.

The work that hunters are doing to protect and restore wetlands – as one of the only stakeholders with a vested interest in wetland conservation – is therefore beneficial in this context. Speaking about the implementation of One Health was Flurina Hammer, who talked about her work with the CIC’s Flying Vets Mongolia project.

The project, which recently received funding from UNEP’s Nature for Health initiative, looks to strengthen Mongolia’s ability to implement a One Health approach in dealing with wildlife diseases, including zoonoses.

By hosting multi-stakeholder meetings – which brought together key experts in the environment, human health and veterinary sectors – a multi-disciplinary approach was the starting point for implementing One Health in Mongolia, taking on board the interests of a variety of stakeholders.

Dr. Jean-Phillipe Dop underlined the general importance of work to support animal health, stating that global health requires principles of One Health, which includes a strong animal health component.

A motion on One Health was later adopted as part of the General Assembly proceedings, which called on the CIC to support the UN One Health efforts through “citizen science and contributing to the efforts of monitoring and preventing future zoonotic diseases.”

AWARDS AND PRIZES

2023 HUNTING IN ART PRIZE WILDLIFE SCULPTURE ART EXHIBITION

In celebration of the CIC’s return to its founding roots of Paris - a global icon in art and culture - a special edition of the CIC Hunting in Art prize was hosted as part of the 69th General Assembly in Paris.

Artists from all over the world were invited to Paris to display their work as part of a Wildlife Sculpture Art Exhibition for attendees. Inviting artists whose work places a spotlight on all things hunting and wildlife - shown through the medium of sculptures - the exhibition sought to celebrate those working to highlight the beauty of nature.

Participants at the General Assembly then had an opportunity to evaluate the sculptures, and vote for their favourite artist in attendance. The Art Exhibition also hosted artists featuring non-sculpture and non-wildlife related pieces of work for attendees to enjoy - it should be noted that these artists were not eligible for the Hunting in Art prize.

After a thorough voting process, the votes were tallied up for a presentation that was hosted as part of the Award Ceremony on April 22nd. Luis de Sousa Cabral was the winner with the most votes, with participants noting the artist’s creative and vivid approach to his sculpture work.

The CIC extends its congratulations to Luis for this achievement, and thanks all artists that were in attendance for contributing towards the first ever Wildlife Sculpture Art Exhibition.

2023 EDMOND BLANC PRIZE

The Edmond Blanc Prize awards outstanding efforts in wildlife conservation and game management that are based on the principles of sustainable wildlife use.

The CIC has been awarding game reserves, conservation associations and organisations, honouring those that have had outstanding success in their work to conserve the natural environment, to protect free-roaming animals in the wild and to manage game according to principles of sustainability.

The Edmond Blanc Prize is awarded in two categories – the Edmond Blanc Prize and the Edmond Blanc Diploma.

Paris played host to the 2023 edition of the Prize, with numerous organisations and entities putting forward their nominations for those carrying out principles of best practice in sustainable use.

The 2023 Edmond Blanc Prize was given to the Deutsche Wildtier Stiftung (German Wildlife Foundation), for their project, Gut Klepelshagen, which demonstrated how agriculture and forestry can be harmonised with wildlife conservation in a 2,600-hectare model farm hosting over 2,900 animal and plant species, including free roaming big game.

The award was accepted by Dr Klaus Hackländer, Chairman of Deutsche Wildtier Stiftung and President of the CIC Applied Science Division.

The 2023 Edmond Blanc Diploma was awarded to Erongo Verzeichnis (EV) for their Age Related Trophy Measuring System; Kai Uwe Denker and Axel Cramer are two of the well-known representatives and founders of the EV.

The system aims to discourage the shooting of immature animals and to target animals past their prime to ensure genetic sustainability through hunting activities.

2023 YOUNG OPINION RESEARCH AWARD

The 2023 Young Opinion Research Award was presented as part of the Gala Dinner that took place during the 69th General Assembly.

The CIC Young Opinion Research Award is aimed at supporting researchers whose projects contribute to the sustainable use of wildlife for the benefit of nature conservation. Therefore, the goal of the Award is to promote scientific research in accordance with the spirit of the CIC’s convictions.

Such research may cover any or all of the three main pillars of sustainable wildlife management: economic, socio-cultural, ecological.

After a rigorous evaluation process, the 2023 Research Award was presented to Deogratias Gervas Katwana for his thesis:

“Patterns of large carnivore depredation on livestock and community tolerance behavior around Selous-Nyerere ecosystem; A case study of Liwale district in southern Tanzania.”

The thesis was selected for utilising a multi-sectoral approach to tackle ongoing local issues in Tanzania, with the work taking a One Health perspective in researching problems at the interface of human, wildlife and ecosystem health.

In particular, the thesis tackles issues that are prevalent across the world - not just Tanzaniasuch as human-wildlife conflict, large carnivore management and livestock management.

We extend our thanks to the many individuals that submitted their research for the award, and would encourage others to follow in the footsteps of this year’s winner in contributing to wildlife management research with broad application.

INTERNATIONAL JOURNALISM SYMPOSIUM CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABLE USE OF WILDLIFE RESOURCES

In an elegant garden room, a group of journalists from twelve countries, including Austria, Cameroon, Germany, Estonia, Uganda, Guatemala, France, Bulgaria, USA, Finland, United Kingdom and Ireland convened for a one-day symposium in Paris before the 69th General Assembly of the CIC. Rob Yorke, the moderator, set the challenge to journalists around conservation and sustainable use of wildlife resources.

As at previous symposiums, participants were asked at the start what they wanted from the day and at the end, what they learned from the day. Many of the issues raised formed part of the robust respectful discussions arising from the following presentations.

Presentation 1

Philippe Jaeger: a freelance journalist, told us about his personal journey from being against hunting to promoting hunting. He highlighted that talking to children at schools was becoming difficult and that negative stories appear in the media - often around accidents. This led to a dynamic discussion around what is a ‘good’ and a ‘bad’ hunter, on common ground on how society consumes nature (either via camera/gun) - which also included romantic views on poaching, responsibilities (attitude and honesty) either as an ‘actor’ hunting or as a non-hunting ‘observer.’

Presentation 2

Fredrick Mugira: environmental journalist working with local communities in biodiverse hotspots across Africa advised us to first understand communities (ask them to draw a map of their area), which then opens the door to sharing information with them (not telling them). WildEye Project focuses on local people telling their own stories - which include unknowingly undertaking wildlife crimes when poverty hardens the reality of everyday life. In Uganda, journalists are mistrusted and connecting scientists with the media is tricky (use local contacts). A dialogue took place on transparency on where hunting trips funds end up - especially in governance-light areas.

Presentation 3

Jonathan Kapstein: an international American journalist talked with us online on how journalism, data, speed, content reporting has shifted over 50 years. He highlighted that in 2010 ‘environment protection’ reports started to overtake ‘economic growth’ reports. Since then, citizen journalism (“everyone is a journalist” on social media) has further disrupted traditional reporting over a short timeframe. Will ChatGPT be moderated by knowledge or just a rush for ratings? Questions were raised about better collaboration between journalists and content providers, with concerns around ethics, trust, and integrity of journalists as influencers lacking objectivity.

Presentation 4

Aurora Weiss: was a UN reporter at the front line not afraid of framing tough issues using visuals and narratives - including questioning prejudice of those in authority. This involved finding ‘safe spaces’ to enable participants to speak. This led to robust discussions on interpretations of who is the ‘victim’ - for example the dentist who hunted Cecil the lion, the poor use of human-language (‘murdering’ wolf), hunters posing with dead

animals (but OK if an indigenous tribe in pickup trucks with bison), and journalists seeking objectively report as opposed to columnists imposing subjective views.

Presentation 5

Tommy Serafinski: is a podcaster interested in human-wildlife interactions who expounded on communicating with diverse audiences who trust the host, are willing to listen, and are open to hearing both sides of a story. In a world of soundbites, there is increasingly a place for longform spoken word conversations which include ‘asking hard questions in a friendly way’ – perhaps with warnings around what contents lie ahead to the listener. This must involve authentic curiosity, which helps engage audiences who may not always agree with standpoints on the subject but start to resonate with, and better understand the issues. Continue to build a home for authentic [trusted content] conversations and [some] listeners will follow.

With a focus on Biodiversity 2030, the CIC really needs to embrace communications. There is a strong perception that conservation is perceived as a byproduct of CIC interests. Additionalyly, it is important to observe and articulate what hunting means within different countries and

cultures. This is a fresh opportunity to tell stories around the environment, not in conventional ways focusing on tradition and the extractive wildlife use element, but on providing wildlife management skills to the environmental sector and wider society. Another important arena under public scrutiny is to enable authentic storytelling on how local communities benefit from hunting. In the above scenarios, providing good quality broad-church content to curious journalists can help the CIC assist towards COP15’s 23 biodiversity targets.

“It is better to debate a question without settling it, than to settle a question without debating it”

Joseph Joubert

DSC SOUTH TEXAS CHAPTER RAISES MORE

$500,000 FOR RHINO CONSERVATION

THAN

What began as a successful annual event turned into a record-breaking night for conservation at this year’s DSC South Texas Chapter Gala. While exact numbers are still being calculated, one live auction item had a bigger story to tell. Backed by donors with a heart of giving and led by their foundation’s focus on “preservation of tradition and history, animal conservation and education of youth for generations to come,” an iconic African species was about to get a major boost from the hunting community.

“As the euphoria rolled at the South Texas DSC Chapter Gala in San Antonio, I felt my hair stand up like only once ever before,” said Mr. Warne Rippon of Buffalo Kloof. “Almost 25 years after starting on the Buffalo Kloof rewilding mission, I begun to realize that my team’s work had finally started to get the recognition it so deserved. On Saturday night a female black

Rhino custodianship along with a relocation experience was auctioned at the South Texas DSC Chapter for $500,000 - half a million dollars! A new record and the highest amount ever paid and raised for conservation, and range expansion of the black rhino and for any other species for that matter.”

As the bidding opened, it was clear there were several groups in attendance on a mission to ensure they were that part of conservation history. Bidding quickly surpassed $100k, then $200k, before concluding at $500k to Ms. Shannon Ralston and the Ralston Family Charitable Foundation. Created in memory of Shannon’s mother, Laurie Ralston, the Foundation’s focus and mission closely parallels that of DSC, and many of Ms. Ralston’s family and friends were in attendance at the event when her bidding secured a part of conservation history.

“We are thrilled with the success of this year’s event, and especially the support raised for Buffalo Kloof’s black rhino conservation. Thank you to all that attended and financially supported, you have made a difference” said Jon Wilson, DSC South TX Chapter President.

If you are interested in learning more about DSC South Texas and its mission, vision and values, or would like to get involved as a Member of the Chapter, you can visit their website at www.dscouthtexas.org.

For further information on Buffalo Kloof, visit https://www.buffalokloof.co.za/conservation/.

COEXISTENCE OF LIVESTOCK FARMING AND LARGE CARNIVORES IN EUROPE: FINDING SOLUTIONS FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT: 5TH OF JULY 2023

A significant workshop focusing on the Coexistence of Livestock Farming and Large Carnivores in Europe was jointly organized by the NAT and ENVE Commissions together with the Intergroup on “Biodiversity, Hunting, Countryside of the European Parliament.” This event aimed to address the growing challenges faced by shepherds and rural communities due to the increasing number of carnivores in EU Regions. By exploring potential solutions and best practices, the event sought to strike a balance between the protection of EU animal species and the resolution of conflicts at various levels.

As mentioned by Isilda Maria Prazeres Dos Santos Varges Gomes, the Chair of the NAT commission, the problem of the coexistence of livestock farming and large carnivores in Europe is not new, but it is becoming increasingly difficult to manage as the number of carnivores increases. She recalls that the European Committee of the Regions had previously highlighted the challenges faced by shepherds in certain regions as early as 2019. The sustainability of pastoralism, crucial for rural areas, is under threat due to conflicts arising from the presence of large carnivores. Extensive grazing not only supports biodiversity but also helps combat erosion and forest fires. In response to the challenges raised by pastoralism, the Committee of the Regions proposed several measures. They called upon the European Commission to assess the need for revising the Habitat Directive, allowing for quicker reactions to population changes of protected species. This proposal received significant support from the Ministers of Agriculture during their recent meeting in Luxembourg. Environment Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevičius acknowledged that Member States have the option

to approve individual derogations under Article 16 of Habitat Directive, permitting the killing or capture of specific wolf or bear specimens under certain conditions.

As recalled by Simone Schmiedtbauer, MEP & Vice-President of the European Parliament Intergroup on „ Biodiversity, Hunting, Countryside”, the European Parliament’s resolution on the protection of livestock farming and large carnivores adopted in 2022 emphasized the importance of assisting regions facing conflicts in making responsible use of the flexibility provided by Article 16(1) of the Habitat Directive. But Mr Juan Carlos Suárez-Quiñones, regional minister of the environment, housing and land planning of Castilla y Leon as well as Paula Fernandez from Cantabria highlighted the incomplete application of the subsidiarity principle in some member states, where the regional level competences have been overruled at national level. Jurgen Tack, Co-chair of the EU Platform on Coexistence between People and Large Carnivores, insisted on the key role played by the EU Platform in facilitating collaboration and knowledge exchange between the stakeholders involved. The goal of the platform is therefore to minimise conflicts and find solutions between human interests and the presence of large carnivore species, while promoting mutual respect and constructive engagement.

The collaboration between the NAT Commission, ENVE Commission, and the Intergroup on Biodiversity, Hunting, Countryside of the European Parliament highlights the collective effort to address these challenges. During the event, participants discussed various coexistence measures that have proven effective in different

regions of the European Union. These measures include the use of electric fences, active shepherding, and livestock guarding dogs. Encouraging Member States to support farmers in preventing damage by large carnivores through their Common Agricultural Policy Strategic Plans was also emphasized. As the President of the NAT Commission, Isilda Maria Prazeres Dos Santos Varges Gomes expressed her commitment to taking the proposals discussed during the event to the European institutions. The objective is to strike a balance between protecting EU animal species and finding practical solutions to conflicts at national, regional, and local levels.

The video recording of the meeting is available on the Committee of the Regions Portal https://cor.europa.eu/en/events/Pages/ co-existence-livestock-farming-large-carnivores. aspx

WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT INSIGHTS THROUGH DATABASE ENHANCEMENT INTERNATIONAL TROPHY EVALUATION BOARD

MEETING 2023

The 2023 International Trophy Evaluation Board (ITEB) Meeting took place on July 13th in Budakeszi, Hungary, bringing together 23 CIC Senior Trophy Judges who engaged in discussions on how to generate innovations in the measurement, collection and analysis of species-specific data.

The ITEB oversees the CIC Trophy Evaluation System (TES) and the training of Certified CIC Measurers. Among the key themes at this year’s annual meeting was how to enhance the Trophy Evaluation Database in order to facilitate scientific wildlife research.

The Trophy Evaluation Database is a valuable resource in this context, currently hosting over 38,000 measurements from more than 30 countries.

Insights on the health of wildlife populations can be found by analysing changes in this data over time. This is only possible due to the unified training and homogenous data collection systems in place within the framework of the TES.

To build on these existing capabilities, the ITEB has agreed to further enhance the database with the intention of supporting academic research and allowing for deeper statistical analyses.

Work has already been underway with this in mind. As of July 14th, measurers were able to upload measurements to the CIC Trophy Evaluation Database through the use of spreadsheets, allowing a more efficient bulk import of data.

As a next step, the TES will be working with National Databases, investigating the possibility to import third party data directly into the CIC database. This would drastically increase data volume, thereby broadening the scope of potential studies.

Technical improvements to the database will also be implemented, such as the introduction of automated checks and a more user-friendly interface; measures to improve funding available for these improvements were discussed as well. Among the other decisions of note at the ITEB Meeting were handbook changes to species such as moose, Chinese water deer, maral, and wapiti. In addition, Tony Dalby-Welsh was re-elected as Co-Chairman, who will now go into his third term in the role.

INTERVIEW WITH ARNO WIMPFFEN DEPUTY DIRECTOR GENERAL OF THE CIC

The collection of trophy data has one purpose, namely to serve as a basis for research. Through insights developed through this research, we can help support the broader mission and vision of the organisation.

What is the current status of the Trophy Evaluation System of the CIC?

As I mentioned earlier, we have 670 dedicated trophy measurers in around 30 countries, measuring trophies according to a rigorous scheme which is constantly updated and improved by the Trophy Evaluation Board, comprising around 70 Senior Trophy Judges (STJs).

It has been almost one year since you assumed responsibility for the Trophy Evaluation System within the CIC. How do you view the collaboration with and among the CIC Trophy Experts?

We have around 670 active certified CIC measurers (CCM), and I am really enjoying working with them. Many of the CCMs are not direct members of the CIC, but they are members of a national trophy evaluation board or national hunting organisation. They have so much passion for trophies and dedication to their work. They sacrifice their spare time and their own money to render services to hunters and to fill the CIC Database.

How does the Trophy Evaluation System contribute towards the work of the CIC?

The CIC deals with many issues related to conservation, namely through the protection of biodiversity, ecosystem restoration, hunting culture and heritage, indigenous peoples and local communities, One Health and more. The first CIC trophy measuring system was developed in 1937 and has been kept up-to-date since then.

Today, we have 39,000 data entries divided between 17 European species in the CIC Trophy Evaluation Database.

The strength of this Database is based on a strong and harmonised training of measurers across all countries. Therefore, we can guarantee a high standard of data quality.

What will be the future development and the prospect of the Database?

Currently, the CIC Executive Committee has established a Working Group focusing on growing the database by including data from national sources that are also based on CIC measurement criteria, thus increasing scientific relevance. The scientific valorisation of the data is the key purpose of the Database, which should help garner findings on the development of game populations.

We are also currently investigating the possible addition of new parameters to data collection, which will provide more insight into habitat and game management practices.

SOTKA PROJECT: REVERSING DECLINING WATERFOWL POPULATIONS IN FINLAND

The SOTKA Project is an initiative led by the Finnish Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry which looks to tackle declining gamebird populations in the country and across Europe.

Launched in 2020, SOTKA has since spent some €5 million as part of their conservation activities, with a large focus on building and restoring wetlands. SOTKA is a part of the larger

HELMI-program - which aims to halt biodiversity loss on several habitats - a joint effort operated by the Finnish Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, and the Ministry of the Environment.

The idea for the SOTKA Project came as a response to the declining populations of numerous European waterfowl species, for whom Finland serves as a critical breeding territory.

Predation from invasive predators – namely the American mink and the Racoon dog – as well as habitat loss have put forward as the primary drivers of the declining populations.

With this in mind, the SOTKA project looks to improve populations by improving habitats; this applies not just to waterfowl but also to other threatened species, such as willow grouse. In addition, the project places a focus on supporting nesting sites, such as wetlands and archipelago areas, by capturing small predators.

Between 2020 and 2022, €5 million – supplemented by private funding – has been spent as part of the monumental conservation initiative. Notably, much of the work has been carried out through the voluntary efforts of landowners, hunters and local people.

Hunters are among the few stakeholders with a vested interest in the health of waterfowl and gamebirds, making them a key stakeholder in the work to restore their populations.

SOTKA is operated through five sub-projects, all aimed at tackling a different aspect of waterfowl health. Different organisations are responsible for overseeing each sub-project, working in cooperation with the various stakeholders involved.

The sub-projects - and the amount spent on their operation - have been detailed below.

1. Sotka-Wetlands (€1.9 million) Building and restoring wetlands, amounting to 635 hectares in total across 43 sites.

2. Sotka-Staging Areas (€225,000) 20 agreements have been made on the creation of a network of staging areas for autumn migration.

3. Control of Invasive Alien Predators (€2.1 million + €1.4 million other funding) Measures in 73 Natura Special Protected Areas (SPA) wetlands.

4. Control of invasive alien predators in the archipelago and on the inland lakes (€250,000)

5. Research on the restoration effects and cost efficiency (€700,000)

Currently running through until the end of 2024, the Finnish Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry is continuing to build on the existing success they have had in supporting waterfowl populations through SOTKA.

It is hoped that funding for a further four years will be approved as part of the new government’s budget; results are due to be announced later this year.

Targets for the larger HELMI-program, for which SOTKA is delivering the most important elements, are already set until 2030.

NEW FINNISH GOVERNMENT COMMITS TO ROLLING BACK HUNTING TROPHY IMPORT BAN

The Finnish Government will implement a new national hunting programme, with the administration stating they are in favour of hunting and its importance to the Finnish way of life.

Notably, the Finnish Government has committed to aligning its stance on hunting trophy imports with international agreements such as CITES, a multilateral treaty to protect endangered plants and animals from the threats of international trade. It is expected that this commitment will lead to a U-turn on the government’s ban on the import of hunting trophies.

According to the programme, the social importance of hunting will be recognised and its future secured as part of the administration’s activities and policies. The news comes following Finland’s appointment of a new government which recently took office; the hunting programme was developed in cooperation with the Finnish Hunters’ Association.

The trophy import ban – which was announced at the start of this year – would have applied to certain species in Appendix B of CITES – African elephant, argali, white rhinoceros, polar bear, lion and hippopotamus – as well as all animal species listed in Appendix A.

In addition to rolling back the ban on hunting trophy imports, the government is also calling for more hunting in protected areas, improved management of large carnivores, securing a higher number of shooting ranges in the country, influence on the EU’s process on lead ammunition, more hunting for abundant birds (ex. barnacle geese and cormorants), and work towards scrapping the EU seal trade ban.

As a next step, it is vital that Finland ensures that it takes the necessary measures to follow through with their commitments.

Aligning policy with CITES and the introduction of the new measures will ensure that sustainable wildlife use is enacting the proper benefits to wild species, habitats and people, not just in Finland but also internationally.

The full government decree on this matter can be found published here; please see section 6.6 for more information on the section relevant to hunting.

70th CIC General Assembly

18-21 April, 2024 Portugal

70TH CIC GENERAL ASSEMBLY TO BE HOSTED IN PORTUGAL

Dear Members of the CIC,

After the successful 69th General Assembly in Paris, we are now focusing on developing a 2030 CIC Programme in support of the Global Biodiversity Framework.

The 2030 CIC Programme will be presented and adopted at the next General Assembly in 2024.

With this in mind, I am pleased to announce that we have decided, together with the Portuguese Delegation of the CIC, that the 70th General Assembly will take place in Portugal.

This marks a return to the country after a period of 60 years, with the CIC last holding its General Assembly in the iconic city of Lisbon back in 1963.

The General Assembly will be held from 18-21 April, 2024, either in the city of Lisbon or in a nearby seaside town.

I am extremely grateful to the Portuguese Delegation for their support during this process, especially their Head of Delegation, Álvaro Moreira, as well as CIC Member and President of the Clube Português de Monteiros, Dr. Artur Torres Pereira.

Together, we are currently identifying venues for the event and putting together an agenda filled with interesting speakers from across government, academia and the conservation world.

I am confident that we will have a successful and exciting event, accompanied by outstanding Portuguese hospitality and a comprehensive program that sets the course for the CIC’s future leading up to its 100th anniversary in 2030.

We are all eagerly looking forward to seeing you there.

Dr. Philipp Harmer President of the CIC

NEW PARTNERSHIP WITH THE SOUTHERN AFRICAN WILDLIFE COLLEGE: EMPOWERING INCLUSIVE AND LOCAL CONSERVATION ACROSS THE AFRICAN CONTINENT

The CIC has always aimed to support the conservation of natural habitats and species through the sustainable use of resources. The successful promotion of local and indigenous wildlife managers is necessary in building and maintaining robust ecosystems, as well as to implement the principles of “One Health.”

The partnership would empower the SAWC to act as an innovative, responsive and regional training provider, facilitating understanding of inclusive, diversified, and flourishing conservation across the African continent – brought about by generating knowledge, engaging stakeholders, and embedding sustainability.

The CIC signed a new Memorandum of Understanding with the Southern African Wildlife College in June, 2023.

This partnership opens up many collaborative opportunities, combining policy and theoretical standards with hands-on conservation training to secure Africa’s wildlife and ecosystems in partnership with local communities.

The Southern African Wildlife College (SAWC), located within the Greater Kruger National Park, equips people with the necessary knowledge and applied skills to conserve and protect Africa’s natural resources and biodiversity.

With over 20,000 alumni based in 56 countries, SAWC graduates are adding value and impacting the conservation sector across the globe. Working within a large range of conservation professions, they are helping to find solutions to protect our planet and achieve a nature-positive world.

Utilising the expertise available in the CIC Network, along with the practical guidance of the SAWC, can enable the cross collaboration of existing programs such as Herding 4 Health and Flying Vets, amplifying the benefits to conservation and sustainable use globally.

Further mutual endeavours include support for the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration and implementation of the 2030 Global Biodiversity Framework.

The potential for mutual growth is vast and would be achieved through on-site training and the development of restorative projects alongside the empowerment of youth, as well as local and indigenous community members.

HUNTING CONTRIBUTES €400 MILLION PER YEAR TO THE BELGIAN ECONOMY ACCORDING TO NEW PWC REPORT

Hunting activities in Belgium contribute €394 million per annum to the national economy, according to a new study conducted by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC).

The study is among the first of its kind, providing unique insights into the economic, social and conservation benefits brought by the hunting sector as a whole.

Commissioned at the initiative of the Belgian Delegation of CIC – joined by the Royal Saint-Hubert Club de Belgique (RSHCB), the Fédération des Chasseurs de Grand Gibier de Belgique (FCGGB) and Hubertus Vereniging Vlaanderen (HVV) – the study sought to explore and quantify the economic impact of hunting in Belgium, focusing specifically on spending by hunters and event organisers.

Among the other findings of note is that over €33 million per year would be required in public funding to replace the services provided by hunting, should a ban on the practice come into effect.

Traditionally, a lack of data has been the prohibitive factor in the publication of such studies in the past, both in Belgium and elsewhere. To resolve this issue, a comprehensive data collection effort was taken in Belgium in order to assess the impact of hunting across numerous sectors. This was conducted through the distribution of surveys with the assistance of the four

hunting associations: the CIC, RSHCB, FCGGB and HVV. The effort was largely coordinated through the use of Facebook groups, newsletters and via hunting councils.

Some 3,000 responses (out of a population of 25,000 hunters) were received, with surveys targeted towards three distinct groups: individuals, syndicates’ presidents and hunting councils. This high response ratio reached a very strong statistical reliability level, enabling PwC to use the survey’s figures and results.

While not the principal aim in carrying out this effort, PwC also found that hunting and sustainable use play an essential role in supporting ecosystems while underpinning significant social and cultural elements of society.

The findings from this study reaffirm suggestions that have been discussed for many years. That hunters provide valuable services to society, and that hunting as a whole provides numerous socio-economic benefits.

Looking ahead, the tools and methodologies used in this survey may serve as a useful guide when replicating similar efforts in other countries and regions.

The study is currently available in French and Dutch

UPDATES AND PROJECTS

Club 200 is an initiative that brings together sustainable use enthusiasts to provide the financial firepower needed to propel the CIC into the 21st century.

Launched in 2022, Club 200 was conceived as a way to find new and innovative approaches to communicate CIC and sustainable use issues to a global audience.

Why was Club 200 started?

For many years, observers have remarked on a lack of coordination within the responsible hunting and conservation community. Despite sharing similar goals, this misalignment has contributed to lack of impact and funding available for projects and initiatives.

Other industries have shown the successes that can be found by coordinating finances and creating synergies in messaging, often leading to campaigns with exponential global impact.

These are the issues Club 200 is looking to resolve.

By collecting funds from potential Club 200 Members – which are placed into an independent Global Sustainability Trust – Club 200 provides a financial mechanism which invests in flagship initiatives supporting the CIC’s vision.

Here are examples of ground breaking work in this regard, which were started with some separate seed funding and already showing initial results.

A GLOBAL SUPPORT TO INDIGENOUS PEOPLES AND LOCAL COMMUNITIES (IPLCS)

IPLCs perform a critical role in contemporary approaches to wildlife management. Not only are rural stakeholders reliant on wildlife to support their livelihoods, they also offer invaluable knowledge on how to sustainably use natural resources for the benefit of nature.

Unfortunately - despite their importance - IPLCs are often marginalised in international environmental policymaking processes.

The CIC works to remedy these issues by supporting IPLCs in various ways, whether it is bringing attention to critical issues, funding the participation of key stakeholders at environmental conferences, as well as hosting targeted events and campaigns.

Since the launch of Club 200, the CIC has funded the participation of community representatives at a number of international conferences, including IUCN APAC 2022 in Kigali, Rwanda), and Jagd und Hund 2023 in Dortmund, Germany.

DIGITAL LIBRARY ON SUSTAINABLE USE

Facts and data are the foundation of credible communication surrounding any topic. The Digital Library on Sustainable Use was developed to be the go-to source for information on sustainable use, consisting of facts, peer-reviewed literature and audio-visual content.

A workshop on the establishment of the database took place in Budakeszi, Hungary on 23-24 September, 2022. The workshop explored designing and establishing a database which can be used to respond to questions relating to sustainable use and hunting, particularly for use by academics, journalists and policymakers.

Development of the database is in full swing. Factsheets centred around key species are now being created, which will allow users to easily find and utilise information relevant to that species.

NEW HEADS OF DELEGATIONS

Catherine Chambaud France

Catherine Chambaud officially took on the role of Head of the French Delegation in June, succeeding Emmanuel Michau who held the position for a term of three years.

Mrs. Chambaud played an instrumental role within the Delegation during the organisation of the 69th General Assembly in Paris earlier this year in April.

Her vision for the French Delegation is to bring back members, ensure the timely collection of contributions, federate new council and offer activities for French members, while enhancing a closer collaboration with the CIC Administrative Office and with other French hunting partners.

Gerard Brodin Sweden

Gerard Brodin was elected as the Head of Delegation in June, after having held the position of Delegation Secretary since 2019. He succeeds Björn Widmark, who presided over the Swedish Delegation for the past three years.

Mr. Brodin’s background is in logistics - he is currently working for a company sourcing sustainable game meat from Swedish forests. He also has a keen understanding of forestry and agricultural management, through his previous work experience.

CIC ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE INTRODUCING OUR NEW TEAM MEMBERS!

Thomas Paulic Project Coordinator

Born and raised in New Jersey, Thomas conducted his studies in Hungary, Argentina, and the Netherlands leading to a career as a chef. Driven by an admiration for game meat, and the experiences and environments essential to its procurement. Thomas will be supporting the implementation of new and existing CIC projects as the Project Coordinator.

Bendeguz Padanyi Executive Secretary

Filling the new position of Executive Secretary is Bendeguz Padanyi, a Hungarian national with a background in office and event management. As part of his responsibilities, he will be overseeing the daily administrative needs of the CIC office, while providing key support to the leadership team and to the organisation of events. Bendeguz is a keen conservationist with an interest in the wider environmental agenda.

Polina Gromova Membership Assistant

Polina joins the CIC as a Membership Assistant, and will be providing support on membership related issues, the development of the CIC Trophy Evaluation System (TES), as well as office administrative tasks. Her background is in international law, with a Bachelor’s degree from her native country of Russia, and a Masters which was studied in Hungary.

WORLD MIGRATORY BIRD DAY 2023

The CIC joined in celebrating World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD) 2023 on May 13th - WMBD is a biannual campaign that looks to raise awareness of migratory birds and the need for international cooperation to conserve them. This year’s theme was Water: Sustaining Bird Life.

Water is fundamental to life on our planet. The vast majority of migratory birds rely on aquatic ecosystems during their life cycles. Inland and coastal wetlands, rivers, lakes, streams, marshes, and ponds are all vital for feeding, drinking, or nesting, and also as places to rest and refuel during their long journeys.

Unfortunately, aquatic ecosystems are becoming increasingly threatened around the world and so are the migratory birds that depend on them. President of the CIC, Dr. Philipp Harmer, spoke about the ways in which hunters are supporting migratory birds and their associated aquatic ecosystems:

„In an increasingly interconnected world, an ecosystem-level approach to conservation is the most effective way to provide holistic benefits to our wild plant and animal species.

Hunters are already playing an essential role in preserving aquatic migratory bird ecosystems, such as through predator control, managing nesting sites or preventing the spread of avian influenza.

As global pressures on migratory birds continue to grow, it is vital that we consistently provide and expand on these services going forwards.”

Executive Secretary of AEWA, Dr. Jacques Trouvilliez, recently discussed migratory birds within the context of hunters’ broader contributions to conservation at the Biodiversity 2030: A “One Health” Perspective Technical Session held within the framework of the 69th CIC General Assembly.

Part of the session explored the role of hunters in limiting the spread of wildlife diseases, with avian influenza given as one specific example.

A47 - THE NEWEST GEM OF BUDAPEST CITY CENTRE

The building at Andrássy 47 once again offers a pleasant blend of civil and modern architecture in its full splendour, a feeling of a liveable and lovable city centre, with an interior that evokes the arbour-like atmosphere of Liszt Ferenc Square. The A47 has 13 luxury residential units, two commercial units and one restaurant. The architectural and technical construction of the building is ultra-modern, in such a way that it matches the original solutions, which were also modern in their time.

CELEBRATING PARTNERSHIPS FOR WORLD WILDLIFE DAY – FOURTEEN INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS JOIN TOGETHER FOR WWD 2023

The theme for this year’s World Wildlife Daywhich took place on March 3rd - was ‘Partnerships for Wildlife Conservation’ and highlighted the many ways in which people can make a positive difference for wildlife.

Wildlife is a key part of natural ecosystems and broader landscapes. Wildlife is also a valuable natural asset which has economic, social, and cultural values from local to international levels. But it is disappearing at a rapid pace. Partnerships are essential to reverse the decline of wildlife and sustain all life on earth. Partnerships can also help reconcile differences between different stakeholders and produce much needed new ideas and solutions.

The Collaborative Partnership on Sustainable Wildlife Management (CPW) is a prominent example of productive collaboration among fourteen international organisations with substantive mandates and programmes to promote

the sustainable use and conservation of wildlife resources.

The CPW, established in March 2013 in Bangkok, Thailand, provides a platform for addressing wildlife management issues that require national and supra-national responses and also works to promote and increase cooperation and coordination on sustainable wildlife management issues among its members and partners.

More recently, at the 14th meeting of the CPW in July 2022, the partners recognized that this scope should be extended to address the broader issues of sustainable use of wild species, beyond terrestrial vertebrate wildlife.

CITES celebrated its 50th anniversary and the CPW celebrated its 10th anniversary in March. Reflecting on this was Chair of the CPW and Secretary-General of CITES, Ivonne Higuero, who said “When the CPW was established,

sustainable use and management of wildlife was difficult to find on the political agenda. It is good news that on its 10th anniversary, we can affirm that the importance of sustainable use and management of wildlife have been recognized in the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services Assessment (IPBES) Report on the Sustainable Use of Wild Species and in several targets of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.“

On the occasion of World Wildlife Day, the CPW announced that it has agreed to work together on the following new priorities:

• To support countries to ensure that the use and trade of wildlife is legal, sustainable and safe;

• To raise awareness of the links between sustainable use of wildlife, food security, livelihoods and well-being, culture and the integrity of landscapes;

• To promote the prevention, management and reduction of human-wildlife conflict and enhance coexistence;

• To embed the sustainable use and management of wildlife in the One Health agenda; and

• To advocate for sustainable and inclusive wildlife economies.

Vice Chair, Dilys Roe, Biodiversity Team Leader at IIED and Chair of the IUCN Sustainable Use and Livelihoods (SULi) Specialist Group said “With these new thematic objectives, we hope that we will be well-placed to support collective efforts to support countries to implement the newly adopted Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and meet their obligations under the biodiversity-related multilateral environmental agreements.”