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FASS - For a Sustainable Saemangeum

 

In recent decades, South Korea has undergone deep-seated and fast-paced change, turning the "Land of the Morning Calm" into an Asiatic economic hotspot.

 

In recent decades, South Korea has undergone deep-seated and fast-paced change, turning the "Land of the Morning Calm" into an Asiatic economic hotspot. Only 40 years ago, South Korea was one of the poorest countries in the world, and though the north had industrialised to some extent following the end of Japanese colonial rule, the south remained predominantly agricultural. But ever since its admission to the OECD in 1996, South Korea has officially counted as one of the developed industrialised nations, and the Korean economy ranks 13th in the world in terms of gross national product.

 

Today a quarter of South Korea's 44 million inhabitants live in the country's capital, Seoul, which presents itself as the multi-faceted metropolitan centre of a globalised business nation. Industrial growth has not just left its mark on the metropolis of Seoul; it has also exposed coastal regions to strong pressure to develop, initially along the east and south coasts but then also extending to the country's western Yellow Sea coast. The main types of industry in this region are aquaculture and sea fisheries, shipping and port construction, military activities, power generation, and land reclamation, predominantly for agricultural use and to attract further industrial development.

 

Saemangeum tidal flat and surrounding area

Most parts of the open tidal flats appear free of any vegetation to the naked eye. Only under the microscope is it possible to make out the dense layers of silica algae (diatoms) on the usually brown-coloured soil surface.

There are about 12,000 fishermen and their families living in this area. Typically, village fishery is organised in cooperative associations. Due to the fishery compensation payments distributed from the end of 1994, the fishery associations lost their exclusive right of use. Nevertheless, the local fishers carry on with small scale fisheries in the tidal flat, and fishery is the major means of livelihood in the area.

 

Saemangeum is a tidal flat in the estuaries of the Mangyung and Dongjin rivers with an absolutely unique significance among South Korea’s many coastal ecosystems. The Saemangeum tidal flat, which is referred to as one of the two largest tidal flats in the world, is known as a habitat for rare species and an area of high biodiversity. According to the Saemangeum field study by the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries in 2002, as many as 435 benthic faunal species have been recorded in subtidal areas and 204 in intertidal areas. Considering that more than 50% of the hard clam Meretrix sp. is caught in this area, one can easily appreciate the importance of the ecosystem in the Saemangeum tidal flat.

 

More than 30 species of plover with a total population of 20,000 stop over on the Saemangeum tidal flat during their flight to their overwintering sites. These birds stop here twice a year, in spring and autumn, to feed and rest. The wetland’s importance is highlighted internationally as a staging site for East-Asian migratory birds that breed in Siberia and overwinter in Australia.

 

The Project - For a Sustainable Saemangeum

The participants of the first korean-german symposium held in Buan in March 2003.
On the tidal flat women collect mussels (mainly species of the genus Mactra, Ruditapes and Sinonovacula) by hand or rake.

The FASS project was started in 2003. Its purpose is to suggest a new direction for local people's lives. What is a sustainable life? How can it be achieved? The FASS project was open to all the surrounding needs, summoning the specialists on Saemangeum issues, providing the local people with information and helping them to act for themselves, and encouraging and supporting anti-project activity.

 

For several years, close contact has existed between the Citizens’ Institute for Environmental Studies (CIES) and the administration of Germany’s ‘Schleswig-Holsteinisches Wattenmeer’ National Park. On the basis of relevant experience with reclamation projects in tidal flats in the German coastal area, an exchange of information and intensive consultancy was agreed.

 

The FASS secretariat has conducted several activities, such as a Korea-Germany Co-Symposium, a workshop for alternative ideas, and a survey of public opinion. Also, the local communication forum and the construction of an educational centre were made possible through active communication with local people during the last few years.

 

 

Programm

 

A main purpose of the Korean-German joint project FASS is to put forward comprehensive and specific alternatives for the future, and for the development of the Saemangeum area by means of close interaction between residents, researchers, and environmental groups. The alternative concepts presented by FASS will guide the development of Saemangeum in a sustainable way. In the process of implementation, FASS uses an ‘open discourse’ setting and discussion with all stakeholders in the project. In this sense, FASS is a joint project between multiple institutes, focusing on dialogue, discussion and the sharing of accumulated knowledge and experiences.

 

 

Establishing alternative concepts for sustainable development of Saemangeum area

 

After the first Korean-German Co-Symposium in March 2003, the necessity of continuous research on the Saemangeum area was suggested. FASS invited members to research specialist subject areas, and eight subject areas were established. Members have carried out research and discussion over the last year-and-a-half, to

  • analyse the current status of nature, the local ecosystem, society, economy, and culture,
  • understand where weak points exist in terms of knowledge and information,
  • analyse the limiting factors preventing sustainable development, and
  • suggest strategies for sustainable development.

 

 

An alternative development plan for the Saemangeum area. The dotted line around Gogunsan archipelago in front of dike shows the water depth (unit: m). The sixth complex means a complex zone of the first, secondary, and third industry which are needed for Saemangeum international tourism and information center. In the future, wind power production complex can be made.

The procedure used for preparing alternative concepts for sustainable development of the Saemangeum area involves several analyses of current results, coupled with additional field studies and reference to foreign cases. All these activities are organised by the Korean Society for the Life of Saemangeum.

 

The extensive range of subjects from the natural and social sciences necessitate intensive discussion among members to prevent misunderstandings. To foster their communication, the FASS secretariat has organised three interdisciplinary field studies.

 

 

Program for local people

 

Saemangeum ‘communication forum’ is the instrument supplying the information on the natural value of tidal flats and the negative impacts of the reclamation project. Every document relating to Saemangeum can also be published and managed by this forum. Alternative concepts for sustainable development of the Saemangeum area are brought to the public and especially to the local people by means of this forum.

 

With the collaboration of ‘Si-Sun’ Eco-School, FASS is setting up the 'Saemangeum Eco-School' for the future of Saemangeum. 'Si-Sun' Eco-School, which is located in Donji village in Buan, Jeonbuk, was established with the participation of priest Moon Gyu Hyun of the Buan Cathedral for the purpose of helping people see the world from the perspective of life and peace. 'Si-Sun' Eco-School started its summer school program on 28 July this year after remodelling an abandoned elementary school building.

 

 

In November 2004 the "Tidal Flat Education Center" was inaugurated.

Collecting data and building a data bank

 

The FASS secretariat supports public access to information about the Saemangeum Reclamation Project, and promotes this by collecting information regarding the project and compiling it on one Internet site regarding Saemangeum. This includes:

 

 

  • List of records on the Saemangeum area, including books, photos and videos, and its owners (institutional and individual);
  • Chronological table of events and movements on the Saemangeum Reclamation Project;
  • Making a data bank and information public through the Internet.

 

Data and information on the Saemangeum area are currently scattered and will be provided through the web catalogue after collection and organisation. In addition, local news and timetables of events are regularly updated in the web catalogue.

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