Mourning the loss of a champion of the world’s waterbirds – Gerard Boere
Gerard C. Boere passed away on 6 January 2026, aged 84, leaving behind a remarkable legacy in national and international nature conservation, particularly in the field of flyway-scale conservation of migratory waterbirds, such as the establishment of the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) for which he was the Honorary Patron until his death.
As a dedicated policy officer at the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Fisheries (LNV), Gerard played a pivotal role in bringing Wetlands International and other major conservation organisations to the Netherlands in the late 1990’s, strengthening the country’s position in flyway conservation. He has also supported the production of the Atlas of Anatidae, the first flyway atlas produced by Wetlands International, published in 1996.
Before his retirement, between 2000 and 2004, Gerard was seconded to Wetlands International from LNV where he devoted his efforts to advancing wetland and waterbird conservation. He mentored and built capacity of Wetlands International staff and his leadership shone through his organisation of the Waterbirds Around the World Conference in Edinburgh in 2004, a landmark event that brought together experts and advocates from across the globe. He also played a pivotal role in developing the UNEP GEF-funded African-Eurasian Flyway (or Wings Over Wetlands, WOW) project. During the implementation phase, he chaired its steering committee from 2008 to 2011 and was one of the main authors of the WOW Training Kit. He also contributed to the development of the Waterbird Population Estimates series.
Gerard has also developed the Wadden Sea Flyway Initiative (WSFI) and chaired its advisory and steering committees. The WSFI plays a crucial role in supporting waterbird monitoring through the International Waterbird Census and in capacity-building for the management of key wintering sites for waterbirds across Africa, from Morocco to South Africa.
Gerard not only strategised about birds. He was an avid field birder and bird ringer and led numerous expeditions, including searches for the enigmatic breeding grounds of the Slender-billed Curlew in Russia. After his retirement, he has religiously implemented a rigorous ringing programme, the Constant Effort Scheme, on his property in France and has remained a leading figure in the bird-ringing scene in the Netherlands
Gerard’s vision, dedication, and collaborative spirit have left an indelible mark on the conservation community, including our staff who were fortunate enough to work with him. He will be remembered fondly by colleagues, friends, and all who were inspired by his life’s work.