BirdLife Europe releases Annual Report 2012

Today [31st May 2013] BirdLife Europe released its Annual Report for 2012. It contains an overview of key achievements in the fields of EU policy work, nature conservation and corporate partnership during the year. As a special feature it includes a pull-out centrefold. Angelo Caserta, Regional Director at Stichting BirdLife Europe, notes in his introduction, "2012 was a year we won't soon forget. It brought with it great victories and also opportunities to reflect upon the progress that BirdLife, as a global conservation organisation, has made since it was founded over 90 years ago."

The report also emphasizes that the EU is racing towards its goal to halt the loss of biodiversity and the degradation of ecosystem services by 2020. BirdLife Europe, as the only NGO, has assessed the progress the EU is making and exposed the areas that need more effort. As a special feature in the Annual Report this year we have included a pull-out poster depicting the EU 2020 report 'On the road to recovery?'.

One of the big campaign wins of 2012 dealt with seabird bycatch. For 12 years, courageously and patiently, BirdLife Europe, together with its national partners, campaigned to halt the needless suffering and death of over 200,000 birds every year. At the end of 2012 we declared victory when the European Commission proposed an action plan to enforce mitigation measures.

In 2012 BirdLife Europe also consolidated the Partnership with HeidelbergCement. Together, they published a study that evaluates the biodiversity potential of the company's mining sites in Europe and Central Asia and the first on-the-ground projects to implement the findings have started.

Thanks to the great financial support of donors and corporate partners BirdLife Europe, together with its 46 national partners across Europe and Central Asia, have been able to secure wildlife and bird habitats and restore natural areas — both at land and sea — that were thought to be lost. The centrefold contains examples of partners' main achievements, reflecting the commitment, passion, dedication and courage BirdLife's two million members.

Though BirdLife is proud of these collective achievements, there is still a lot of work that remains to be done. The hope is that the publishing of this Annual Report will inspire you to continue supporting the work BirdLife Europe does to save the species of today and avoid them becoming the legendary species of tomorrow.

The Annual Report can be viewed online in PDF format. Alternatively, a hard copy can be obtained by contacting Caroline Jacobsson — contact details can be found on the BirdLife Europe website.