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Evening of November 16, we took a boat trip to the Hunter Bird Observers Club's bird monitoring field.
The vast bay, 2.5 times the size of Sydney Harbor, is home to the second largest number of birds in New South Wells, and is also famous for its oyster farming.
We were able to reunite on board with members of the Hunter Bird Observers Club, who came to Kushiro in May 2023.
We learned that the club conducts bird surveys jointly by government and private volunteers, and that fixed-point surveys are conducted monthly, and were introduced to some of the activities of the volunteer members.

Once again, we would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to Mayor Kerridge, and Mayor Andersson, all city council members and citizens, as well as wetland-related people and researchers, for their hospitality in hosting the delegation from Kushiro City.
We look forward to deepening our cooperation for a new decade of sister wetland exchanges and further development of both communities in the future.

At the Community Art Centre in Port Stephens, an illustration exhibition of the migratory Latham's Snipe was held, with the Port Stephens Sister City Committee playing a leading role in its organization.

The children, guided by local artists, used various techniques to create their Latham's Snipe artworks.
We received explanations about the paintings from Mr. Dique, the chairman of the Sister Cities Committee and the director of the Art Centre.　

The Latham's Snipe, which breeds in Kushiro and winters in Australia, served as a symbol to help the children recognize the importance of preserving the wetlands in both regions.
Later, we attended the celebration of the Wetlands Art Exhibit, which the City of Port Stephens is implementing in partnership with local artists.
Together with Mayor Anderson and Washington State Governor, we toured the city's ongoing efforts to promote and educate the public about sister wetlands through art.

On November 16, we visited the Hunter Wetlands Centre. The centre is supported by around 160 volunteers who are involved in the maintenance and management of the site, as well as wetland education.

The volunteers provided us, with Mayor Kerridge, the facility tour to explain the flora and fauna on the site.

There is a educational building, where all the children in the city receive wetland education. Approximately 7,000 children participate in this program each year, and the program fees contribute significantly to the Centre's valuable operational funds.

In 1994, the Kushiro Wetland, Kiritappu Marsh, Lake Akkeshi, and Bekambeushi Marsh in Japan established a sister wetlands relationship with the Hunter Estuary Wetlands in Australia. Since then, the affiliation has been renewed every ten years.

On November 15, at the Newcastle City Office, Mayor Tsuruma of Kushiro City, who also serves as the president of our centre, signed a renewal affiliation for the sister wetlands Relationship. This was made between Newcastle City and Port Stephens City, home to the Hunter Estuary Wetlands, and the Kushiro Marsh, Kiritappu Marsh, and Lake Akkeshi & Bekambeushi Marsh.
We expressed our gratitude for 30 years of mutual efforts in wetland conservation and friendship, and we pledged to further strengthen our collaboration as sister wetlands in the years to come.

In the afternoon, an information-sharing meeting was held at the Hunter Wetlands Centre, located about a 20-minute drive from Newcastle City.
The meeting focused on research, wetland education, and outreach activities carried out by volunteers at both centres.
From our center, Mr. Terui Technical Fellow and Researcher of KIWC, presented on the challenges and current research regarding the habitat of the Siberian salamander, which inhabits the Kushiro Wetlands and surrounding areas.

“KUSHIRO Leading City in the Field of Environment Treatment”
We have just released our first leaflet of introducing “Environmental Treatment”. You will find how this treatment has started in Kushiro and its history of collaboration of many stake folders which have their wish to conservation of endangered species.

この度、「環境治療」を紹介するリーフレットを初めて作成しました。釧路で環境治療が始まった経緯や、絶滅危惧種の保護に思いを寄せる多くのステークフォルダーとの協働の歴史が紹介されています。