The Republic of Korea has more than 3,400 large and small islands. About 60 % of these islands are located in the southwestern Jeollanam-do Province, which also includes a huge tidal flat wetland. Because of high biodiversity in the tidal flat ecosystem and a healthy oceanic ecosystem, this area was designated as Dadohae Haesang National Park in 1981. Shinan Dadohae, including Heuksan Do-Hong Do (-Do corresponds to Island) and Bigeum Do-Docho Do, are well known for their island vegetation, migratory birds, and biodiversity. Jeung-Do, famous for its tidal flat ecosystem and biodiversity, was designated a Provincial Park of Jeollanam-do. The excellence of ecosystem, landscape, and cultural attributes gave significant reasons to designate these areas as the 3rd UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in the Republic of Korea in 2009. Since this designation, research has been carried out to develop a management plan for sustainable development based on a balance of human and natural systems in biosphere reserve areas. In the management plan, several special strategies related to global climate change and a low carbon society were adopted, such as to monitor changing socioeconomic standards as well as to monitor changing ecosystems of island and coastal environments. Because education on sustainable use of energy and resources is also an important issue in the island system for accomplishing a low carbon society, this was also included. The most important issue in the management plan, however, is related to the environmental adaptation process of human society on islands, given that these areas are limited resource areas.
Keywords
- Comprehensive management system
- Korea
- Shinan Dadohae Bioshpere Reserve
- Sustainable Island