Doline Wetland Mungyeong Confirmed as 'Ramsar Wetland City'... Gyeongbuk Province to Apply for Yeongyang Janggu Megi Wetland This Year

Gyeongbuk Province announced that Mungyeong City was officially certified as a ‘Ramsar Wetland City’ at the 64th Ramsar Convention Standing Committee meeting (host country China) held in Gland, Switzerland on the 24th of last month.

The Ramsar Convention Standing Committee announced the certification of 31 new Ramsar Wetland Cities from 16 countries, including Mungyeong City and Gimhae City in South Korea.

Mungyeong Dolline Wetland

Mungyeong City was selected as a domestic candidate for Ramsar Wetland City by the Ministry of Environment in September 2023, submitted its certification application to the Ramsar Secretariat in November 2023, passed the certification in January, and will receive the Ramsar Wetland City certificate at the ‘15th Ramsar Convention Conference of the Parties’ to be held in Zimbabwe, Africa in July this year.

A Ramsar Wetland City is a city or town located near a Ramsar wetland where the local community participates and acts as a model in the conservation and wise use of the wetland, certified under the Ramsar Convention.

Ramsar Wetland Cities can use the Ramsar Wetland City trademark for promoting local agricultural and fishery products or goods, and for programs to revitalize ecotourism. Additionally, they receive financial support from the Ministry of Environment for wetland conservation, management, awareness enhancement, and expansion of ecotourism infrastructure.

With this Ramsar Wetland City certification, Mungyeong’s Doline Wetland has achieved a grand slam of domestic and international wetland certification projects (June 2017 Ministry of Environment National Wetland, February 2024 Ramsar Wetland). A doline is a dish-shaped depression formed by the dissolution of calcium carbonate, the main component of limestone areas, by rainwater or groundwater, allowing water to drain underground and typically preventing water accumulation.

Currently, there are a total of seven Ramsar Wetland Cities in South Korea (Upo Wetland in Changnyeong-gun, Yong Wetland in Inje-gun, Dongbaekdongsan Wetland in Jeju City, Suncheon Bay in Suncheon City, Mureungari Oreum in Seogwipo City, Ungok Wetland and Gochang Tidal Flat in Gochang-gun, and Seocheon Tidal Flat in Seocheon-gun), and worldwide, 43 areas in 16 countries have been certified. With this additional certification, the number will expand to 74 sites in 26 countries worldwide.

Meanwhile, Gyeongbuk Province aims to apply for Ramsar Wetland registration for the Yeongyang Janggu Catfish Wetland, designated as a national wetland in September 2024.

Lee Kyung-gon, Director of the Climate and Environment Bureau of Gyeongbuk Province, said, “The confirmation of Mungyeong’s Ramsar Wetland City certification is the result of voluntary efforts by Mungyeong City and local residents in conserving and wisely using the wetland,” and added, “We will actively support the sustainable use of the region’s excellent natural ecological resources as tourism assets.”