The North East Asian Crane Site Network (NEACSN) was formed on 7 March 1997, as one of the three species-group networks under the Asia-Pacific Migratory Waterbird Conservation Strategy (1996–2006). When the three species-group networks merged under the East Asian-Australasian Flyway Partnership in 2006, the NEACSN continues functioning as a very active unit under a reformed North East-Asian Crane Working Group (NEACWG).

The history of the NEACSN can be traced back to the late 1980s when international crane conservation projects were started in North East Asia. For more than two decades, crane researchers, nature reserve managers and conservation organizations have been working on species and site conservation in the six North East Asian countries: Russia, Mongolia, China, North Korea, South Korea and Japan. And it is natural to have a network to link these sites and organizations together. As cranes share the same habitats with storks and their conservation needs are similar, since 2000, the NEACSN has also working on conservation issues related to storks in North East Asia.

As of the end of 2006, thirty sites important to crane conservation have joined the NEACSN. In the new system under the EAAFP, more sites will be engaged the conservation activities under the guidance of the Crane Working Group, which is represented by all range countries and important international organizations

For more information:

East Asian – Australasian Flyway Partnership:  http://www.eaaflyway.net/index.php

Nort East Asia Crane Working Group:   http://www.eaaflyway.net/groups-cranes.php

Some maior activities of NEACWG:

January 2013       Simultaneous census of Hooded and White-naped Cranes was held in Japan and the Republic of Korea
December 2012 International Crane Workshop “Crane Protection and Sustainable Agriculture”. The 11th Crane Working Group meeting, Beijing and Yueyang, China
October 2009 UNEP/GEF Siberian Crane Wetlands Project Completion Workshop. Harbin, China. The 10th Crane Working Group meeting, Harbin, China
Spring 2009 Site work started at Anbyon, DPRK, on establishing new wintering population of cranes
October 2008 Side-event “North East Asian Crane Site Network: Conserving Wetlands to Benefit Cranes and People” at Ramsar Convention COP 10, Changwon, Republic of Korea
October 2008 International Crane Workshop and Symposium. The 9th Crane Working Group meeting, Gumi, South Korea
Summer 2008 Project on wintering ground at Anbyon, DPRK, started
November 2007 Workshop on management of alternative winter ground and engaging local communities at crane sites. The 8th Crane Working Group meeting, Panjin, China
October 2007 Suncheon International Crane Symposium on the restoration of Suncheon Bay, an internationally important site for the Hooded Crane, Suncheon City, Republic of Korea
November 2006 Training workshop for younger researchers on conservation of threatened birds (cranes Grus spp. and Black-faced Spoonbill) in North East Asia, Izumi and Fukuoka, Japan
Summer 2006 Discussion on the feasibility of new crane site at Anbyon, DPRK, started
May 2006 Meeting of Chinese network sites managers, Chongming Island, China. Electronic newsletter of Chinese sites started
March 2006 International Forum ‘Cranes and Our Future’, Kushiro, Japan
November 2004 Open symposium and International children art exhibition. Izumi, Japan
November 2004 Workshop on Crane and Agriculture. The 7th Working Group meeting, Izumi, Japan
December 2003 Crane Network Newsletter #3 published on the Internet
November 2003 National Workshop and Symposium ‘The Future of Cranes’, Kushiro, Japan
August- September 2003 Training course on Education and Ecotourism Management, Daguur Strictly Protected Area, Mongolia
August 2003 Symposium on crane and wetland management. The 6th Crane Working Group meeting, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
March 2003 Meeting on the dispersal of wintering cranes, Gumi, Republic of Korea
August 2002-September 2003 Discussion on the Japanese National Implementation Plan of the Crane Network
August 2002 Discussion on the national activities of the Chinese Crane Network Sites at the International Crane Workshop,  Beijing, China
March 2002 Meeting on the dispersal of wintering cranes, Incheon, South Korea
February-   March 2002 Workshop on Public Education at Crane Network Sites. The 5th Crane Working Group meeting, Kushiro, Japan
November 2001 Report on the Meeting on Dispersal of Wintering Crane published
March 2001 Workshop on Public Education at Crane Network Sites. The 4th Crane Working Group meeting, Yellow River Delta National Nature Reserve, China
March 2001 Meeting on dispersal of wintering cranes, Beijing, China
December 2000 Crane Network Newsletter #2 published on the Internet
October 2000 The 3rd Crane Working Group meeting. ‘Action Plan for the Conservation of Migratory Cranes in Asia Pacific: 2001-2005’ adopted at the ‘Asia-Pacific Migratory Waterbird Conservation Strategy 2001-2005 International Workshop’, Naha, Japan
September 2000 Training course on crane breeding ground management, Khingansky Nature Reserve, Amur Region, Russia
February 2000 International Children Art Exhibition started in Suncheon, Republic of Korea
February 2000 International Crane Conservation Symposium and Forum. The 2nd Crane Working Group meeting, Suncheon, Republic of Korea
May 1999 Publication of the Atlas of Key Sites for Cranes in the North East Asian Flyway
January- February 1999 Joint census of wintering cranes in North East Asia initiated
September 1998 Research Workshop. The 1st Crane Working Group meeting, Muraviovka Park of Sustainable Land Using, Amur Region, Russia
July 1998 Opening of the Website of the Crane Site Network
March 1998 Crane Newsletter #1 published
September 1997 Formation of the Crane Working Group
March 1997 The North East Asia Crane Site Network was launched in Beidaihe, China