466
Probably, 13 of these species are considered
globally threatened, notably the Chinese egret,
black-faced spoonbill, swan goose, Baikal teal,
Mandarin duck, hooded, white-naped and redcrowned cranes, Far Eastern curlew, Nordmann’s
(or spotted) greenshank, spoon-billed sandpiper,
Saunders’s gull and relict gull. In addition, there
are at least three threatened populations (mute
swan, black brant and Eastern oystercatcher) not
listed by the Asia-Pacifi c Migratory Waterbird
Conservation Strategy that occurs regularly in
internationally important concentrations in Korea.
What of these species’ future? With a strengthening economy, South Korea has started to shift its
wetland policies noticeably in recent years, cancelling the massive Yeongsan reclamation project
in 1998 (which would have led to the eventual
loss of most of the important southwest tidalfl ats), and is starting to respond to the demands of
international conventions such as Ramsar and the
Convention on Biological Diversity. Although,
only a few Ramsar sites have been designated,
both a ‘Wetlands Conservation Act’ (in 1999) and
a ‘Natural Environment Conservation Act’ have
been introduced for approval. The Ministries of
Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries
(who carry the largest responsibility for wetlands
under national legislation) have voiced their public opposition to coastal reclamation, while working to designate National Wetland Protection
Areas. Further, government-led initiatives include
increased participation in the site network activities (carried out as part of the Asia- Pacifi c
Migratory Waterbird Conservation Strategy) and
also participation in bilateral bird conservation
talks with neighbouring Japan. A series of other
major projects are also ongoing, including two
full-scale UNDP-GEF projects (one covering the
Yellow Sea, the other the Tumen River and
regional catchment). In addition, there have been
some amount of efforts made at local sites towards
altering management regimes in individual ricefi elds allowing some to remain fl ooded in winter
for waterbird use (Lee 2001). Further, there had,
perhaps, also been initiation of a nationwide
scheme covering c 1,000 ha at fi ve sites to subsidise farmers to manage their ricefi elds for
biodiversity.
The recent shift in government stance has been
assisted by a growing interest in birds and their
conservation, fuelled by the media and the rapid
increase in the popularity of bird watching. In
addition, different NGOs have started to involve
themselves in bird surveys by participating in the
Ministry of Environment-organised and funded
waterbird surveys. Some of them have increasingly starting to cite bird protection as a reason for
opposing reclamation and developments affecting
wetlands. Through the same domestic wetland
conservation work, some are even beginning to
involve in international conservation initiatives,
working with Japanese and Chinese NGOs.
South Korea really has a worthy conservation
cause. The future of charismatic bird species, and
the well-being of a huge human population, will
very largely depend on the wetland ‘wise use’
management techniques and conservation initiatives developed now.
21.18 Wetlands of Japan
There are a large number of wetlands under different environmental conditions in Japan, an
account of which is briefl y given below.
21.18.1 Kiritappu Wetland
Kiritappu Wetland (Plate 21.15 ) is a 3,168-ha
wetland in Hamanaka-cho, Akkeshi District, in
Hokkaidō, Japan. It is also called wetland of fl owers because numerous fl owers can be seen in
summer. It is the third largest wetland in Japan,
following the Kushiro Shitsugen National Park
and Sarobetsu fi eld. The peatland at the centre of
Kiritappu wetland (803 ha) was nominated as a
natural treasure of Japan in 1922. It was registered as a Ramsar site on 10 June 1993. Further,
the local people founded a National Trust, called
Kiritappu Shitsugen Trust N.P.O., in 2000 AD
and are making efforts to protect and preserve the
wetland. Kiritappu Wetland is situated on the
northeast side of Japan and faces the Pacifi c
Ocean between Kushiro and Nemuro. It is 9 km
long and 3 km wide.
21 Wetlands of Other Regions in Asia
Probably, 13 of these species are considered
globally threatened, notably the Chinese egret,
black-faced spoonbill, swan goose, Baikal teal,
Mandarin duck, hooded, white-naped and redcrowned cranes, Far Eastern curlew, Nordmann’s
(or spotted) greenshank, spoon-billed sandpiper,
Saunders’s gull and relict gull. In addition, there
are at least three threatened populations (mute
swan, black brant and Eastern oystercatcher) not
listed by the Asia-Pacifi c Migratory Waterbird
Conservation Strategy that occurs regularly in
internationally important concentrations in Korea.
What of these species’ future? With a strengthening economy, South Korea has started to shift its
wetland policies noticeably in recent years, cancelling the massive Yeongsan reclamation project
in 1998 (which would have led to the eventual
loss of most of the important southwest tidalfl ats), and is starting to respond to the demands of
international conventions such as Ramsar and the
Convention on Biological Diversity. Although,
only a few Ramsar sites have been designated,
both a ‘Wetlands Conservation Act’ (in 1999) and
a ‘Natural Environment Conservation Act’ have
been introduced for approval. The Ministries of
Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries
(who carry the largest responsibility for wetlands
under national legislation) have voiced their public opposition to coastal reclamation, while working to designate National Wetland Protection
Areas. Further, government-led initiatives include
increased participation in the site network activities (carried out as part of the Asia- Pacifi c
Migratory Waterbird Conservation Strategy) and
also participation in bilateral bird conservation
talks with neighbouring Japan. A series of other
major projects are also ongoing, including two
full-scale UNDP-GEF projects (one covering the
Yellow Sea, the other the Tumen River and
regional catchment). In addition, there have been
some amount of efforts made at local sites towards
altering management regimes in individual ricefi elds allowing some to remain fl ooded in winter
for waterbird use (Lee 2001). Further, there had,
perhaps, also been initiation of a nationwide
scheme covering c 1,000 ha at fi ve sites to subsidise farmers to manage their ricefi elds for
biodiversity.
The recent shift in government stance has been
assisted by a growing interest in birds and their
conservation, fuelled by the media and the rapid
increase in the popularity of bird watching. In
addition, different NGOs have started to involve
themselves in bird surveys by participating in the
Ministry of Environment-organised and funded
waterbird surveys. Some of them have increasingly starting to cite bird protection as a reason for
opposing reclamation and developments affecting
wetlands. Through the same domestic wetland
conservation work, some are even beginning to
involve in international conservation initiatives,
working with Japanese and Chinese NGOs.
South Korea really has a worthy conservation
cause. The future of charismatic bird species, and
the well-being of a huge human population, will
very largely depend on the wetland ‘wise use’
management techniques and conservation initiatives developed now.
21.18 Wetlands of Japan
There are a large number of wetlands under different environmental conditions in Japan, an
account of which is briefl y given below.
21.18.1 Kiritappu Wetland
Kiritappu Wetland (Plate 21.15 ) is a 3,168-ha
wetland in Hamanaka-cho, Akkeshi District, in
Hokkaidō, Japan. It is also called wetland of fl owers because numerous fl owers can be seen in
summer. It is the third largest wetland in Japan,
following the Kushiro Shitsugen National Park
and Sarobetsu fi eld. The peatland at the centre of
Kiritappu wetland (803 ha) was nominated as a
natural treasure of Japan in 1922. It was registered as a Ramsar site on 10 June 1993. Further,
the local people founded a National Trust, called
Kiritappu Shitsugen Trust N.P.O., in 2000 AD
and are making efforts to protect and preserve the
wetland. Kiritappu Wetland is situated on the
northeast side of Japan and faces the Pacifi c
Ocean between Kushiro and Nemuro. It is 9 km
long and 3 km wide.
21 Wetlands of Other Regions in Asia