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Saemangeum project update (18 August 2003)
More on the 40,000 ha reclamation project underway
at Saemangeum, in the Republic of Korea, which will reclaim one of
the premier staging sites for waders migrating up the East Asian-Australasian
Flyway. Development was recently halted, but an appeal against the
halt will be heard on 26 August (postponed from 18 August). Perhaps
in anticipation of this, the Korean Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries
has set up a website explaining the ecologically friendly benefits
of this reclamation: http://www.maf.go.kr/maf_eng/issue/issue2.htm
The statements on the site include:
"Some argue the Saemangeum Project destroys the environment, but we should
consider the reclamation project as an environment conversion one to change
tidal flats to farmland. Just like tidal flats, farmland is a habitat for numerous
living things and possesses various public-good functions to foster water resources,
to prevent floods, to purify the air, and to provide pleasant scenery."
"The Saemangeum Project raises a question whether
to choose either tidal flats or rice fields in our times. Selecting
rice fields rather than tidal flats does not destroy the environment.
Since we have confirmed that a tidal flat is formulated over time,
we will have another tidal flat as time goes by, but we will not have
enough farmland in the future if we do not attain it now.
Ornithologists also expect many migratory birds
to inhabit the Saemangeum region thanks to the well-suited agricultural
freshwater lake and farmland created by the project, which should provide
good food and habitat."
This clearly give you an idea of the kind of
information that the Korean government will be providing the appeal
hearing to support their case for the reclamation. Firstly, the need
for further farmland is debatable when South Korea is supposed to be
producing a surplus of rice each year and secondly, farmland would
support a very different variety, and lower number of birdlife that
the original mudflat habitat would support and for which the Saemangeum
mudflat is internationally important.
For those who have not yet signed the on-line
petition against the reclamation, it's still active at http://www.wbkenglish.com/saemref.asp (over
5000 signatures from 66 countries so far). That site also provides
more information on the birds and responses from the international
community.
Or you can also join WWF International e-petition:
Panda Passport: http://passport.panda.org
Select a campaign titled "Stop destruction of vital bird habitat".
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