This time was the second CAFF board meeting with the United States as the chair. The meeting took place at Chena Hot Springs Resort where it took about one hour by bus from Fairbanks, Alaska. The meeting is usually carried out in an indigenous community, but this was the first time to be held at a resort place. We were very lucky because we saw five moose when traveling by bus to the meeting place.
In this meeting, we discussed much time about Circumpolar Biodiversity Monitoring Program (CBMP), Arctic Invasive Alien Species (ARIAS), Arctic Environment Ministers Meeting, and the Arctic Biodiversity Congress 2018 and so on. Arctic Migratory Bird Initiative (AMBI) plan to have a workshop in Shanghai, China late of this year. AMBI have also decided to make a 5 minutes introduction film for AMBI. The main shooting area will be the Yellow Sea. United States of America offered to share information a film on the Americas flyway being supported by the Commission on Environmental Cooperation. In addition, two educational programs have started. One is “CAFF-IASC Science Policy Fellowships” and the other is led by USA “Inspiring Arctic voices through youth”. Goal of both program seems to be similar. Students are to know “real” and/or “on going” Arctic issues to join meetings, exchange information with decision makers, indigenous people and/or scientists. As for the program“ Inspiring Arctic voices through youth”, Japanese students welcome to join the program. I think that this is a very good opportunity for Japanese students to know Arctic issues with a broad perspectives.
Masaki Uchida (NIPR, A member of Theme 6)
Venue
Group photo
Group photo during an excursion
