Daejeon 'Gapcheon' Designated as National Wetland Protection Area

The natural river section of Gapcheon in Daejeon has been designated and announced as a national wetland protection area.

On the 5th, Daejeon City announced that the natural river section of Gapcheon, covering an area of 900,000㎡ in Wolpyeong, Doan, and Gasuwon-dong in Seo-gu, and Wonsinheung-dong in Yuseong-gu, has been designated and announced as a national wetland protection area.

A view of a section of Gapcheon natural stream. Provided by Daejeon City

The Gapcheon area maintains an urban river wetland environment. In particular, it is identified that about 490 species of wildlife inhabit the area, including endangered wild species level I such as otters, Miho stone loach, whooper swans, and Baikal teal, and level II such as leopard cats, swans, and the dragonfly Anax parthenope.

The designation of Gapcheon as a national wetland protection area is regarded as the result of efforts sustained over more than 10 years.

Previously, Daejeon City applied to the Ministry of Environment for the designation of Gapcheon as a wetland protection area in 2012 and 2013 respectively, but at that time, rivers were not included in the wetland scope under the Wetland Conservation Act, so the designation was not realized.

However, after the revision of the Wetland Conservation Act in January 2021, which included rivers in the scope of wetlands, Daejeon City made a renewed attempt to designate Gapcheon as a wetland protection area, resulting in its actual designation as a national wetland protection area.

With the amendment of related laws fulfilling the requirements for designating Gapcheon as a wetland protection area, the Ministry of Environment established a designation plan for Gapcheon in December last year, and after gathering local opinions in March this year, consulting with related central administrative agencies in May, and undergoing review by the National Wetland Deliberation Committee, Gapcheon was finally designated and announced as a national wetland protection area.

Daejeon City plans to establish a conservation plan for Gapcheon with the Geumgang River Basin Environmental Office and proceed with follow-up procedures for sustainable conservation and use, such as ecosystem surveys and restoration of damaged areas.

Additionally, Daejeon City intends to expand consensus on the project by providing residents around the Gapcheon national wetland protection area with opportunities to visit and experience advanced wetland conservation sites such as the Seocheon National Institute of Ecology.

Shin Yong-hyun, Director of the Environment and Greenery Bureau of Daejeon City, said, “Gapcheon, the lungs of Daejeon, has been designated as a national wetland protection area. Taking this opportunity, Daejeon City will cooperate with central administrative agencies so that citizens can enjoy the excellent ecological benefits of Gapcheon and protect it as a space where people and wildlife coexist.”