IELP Goes to The Hague to Protect Endangered Species

June 9, 2007

The Hague, Netherlands

After a long, but very educational week, two IELPers headed back this morning to Portland. Maura and Colin took an early train (4 am) to Amsterdam to fly back to work. Those of us still here will greatly miss our two friends, as will everyone at the CoP. IELP has been able to help multiple groups through lobbying efforts, drafting legal and advocacy documents, and forging new friendships.

The rest of us, Paula, Bethany, Natasha, and Jason caught up on sleep and then joined in with several different groups to explore the Netherlands. Paula joined delegates and other CITES folks to visit Rotterdam and tour the customs facilities there. She was able to view first hand how a government functions in implementing CITES by finding and seizing illegal animals and plants. From highly trained "sniffer" dogs to high tech scanning machines, customs agents must employ multiple and ingenious tools to stop illegal trafficking.

Natasha joined in on a trip to Amsterdam with Prof. Erica Thorson and some folks from Defenders of Wildlife and Greenpeace International and the Environmental Investigation Agency to enjoy a leisurely day strolling the streets and canals of Amsterdam. Holland is a beautiful country, replete with windmills, friendly people, and canal tours (on paddle boats). Bethany and Jason headed up to Amsterdam with folks from Born Free, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA of the UK) and Care for the Wild. They also enjoyed walking along the canals and a small, but fun little jazz club – the Alto Cafe.

In all, today was a fantastic re-energizing day for the group.

Links

CITES Secretariat
Species Survival Network