Korea Wetland Project
Self-Description : September 2008 http://www.koreawetland.org/en/main.html
THE word wetlands itself is not often used in everyday life. This could signify that wetlands might not have been a center of the public’s interest. The status of wetlands in the Republic of Korea reflects how Korea deals with environmental issues.
Korean wetlands suffer from a lack of regulatory frameworks and low public awareness, although environmental issues are attracting more attention and various efforts to improve and resolve issues of concern. In recent years local citizens and NGOs have mobilized nationwide to focus on the loss and irreversible deterioration of natural wetlands.
The awareness is increasing and more people (within academia and the general populace) are realizing that wetland conservation and economic development are not only compatible but also beneficial to all stakeholders for generations to come.
The UNDP/GEF Korea Wetland Project was established with the goal of conserving globally significant wetlands in the Republic of Korea and is nationally executed by the Ministry of Environment (MoE) and implemented with support from UNDP/GEF. Lessons learned from the Project will be replicated in other wetland areas of Korea.
Objectives
The Project has the following two major objectives:
- Promote a collaborative and cooperative approach to wetland conservation in Korea through the complementary integration of national and local policies and planning frameworks.
- Engage local communities to be actively involved in the wetland management planning process; influencing local development policies; and developing community-based conservation activities.
Actions
To achieve these objectives the UNDP/GEF Korea Wetland Project is planning to:
- Strengthen national and local institutional capacity and co-ordination for collaborative wetland management planning;
- Raise the awareness of the importance of wetlands among decision-makers, civil societies, and the general public; Improve the technical knowledge base for wetland management planning;
- Demonstrate these objectives at three important wetland complexes in Korea (i.e., Lower Nakdong River Basin, the Lower Geum River Basin, and the Han River - Imjin River)
Project Management Unit
The project is executed through a national project management unit (PMU) established in the Nature Conservation Bureau of the Ministry of Environment and operative for the 5 year lifetime of the project.
The PMU was primarily based at the National Institute of Environmental Research (NIER) near Incheon and is now moved to Annex to the Ministry of Environment in Gwacheon.
The PMU is headed by a National Project Director (NPD), Vice National Project Director, and an international Chief Technical Advisor (CTA), and is assisted by a full-time National Project Coordinator (NPC).
The PMU is supported by a team of staff (Programme Asst., Finance Officer, Data/Communications/GIS Officer, and Public Awareness and Training Officer) and several interns as needed.