Uniting for ducks: BASC joins international waterfowl symposium

The symposium was a deeply insightful and informative event for BASC’s scientists. Sophie said: “The workshops and poster sessions offered incredibly valuable opportunities to exchange ideas. The ‘collaborations across the pond’ workshop sparked lively discussions on waterfowl management across Europe and the USA. It highlighted the differences, shared challenges and opportunities for joint research that we’d very much like to take forward.”

Heather added: “The symposium reinforced the importance of international collaboration to support migratory species. This is particularly important for species under pressure or subject to harvesting. Events like these allow conversations with global experts, opening doors for BASC to engage in future scientific partnerships. Such research underpins sustainable shooting and helps guard its future.”

For BASC, the symposium was a powerful reminder of the impact of collaboration. The insights gained will inform our conservation work at home, ensuring that members’ survey data continues to shape international research. The next step is to turn ideas into action – from strategic planning for future studies to increasing hunter engagement in citizen science for the benefit of wildfowl and sustainable shooting alike.