The 26 th Session of the International Coordination Council of the Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme (10-13 June 2014 UNESCO) NATIONAL REPORT Republic of Korea Following the 25 th session of MAB-ICC, the MAB s most notable achievement in the Republic of Korea (hereinafter referred to as ROK) has been the amendment of the Korean Nature Environment Conservation Law in March 2013 to include, for the first time, the concept of the biosphere reserve. This provided the basis for national financial support to biosphere reserves (BRs) and MAB activities. Central government and local authorities subsequently made efforts to encourage sustainable development in BRs through local product labeling. Since then, Gochang has been designated as the 5 th Korean BR last year and the need to cooperate among BRs has been increasing. Financial and technical support for World Network of Island and Coastal Biosphere Reserves (WNICBR) and East Asia Biosphere Reserve Network (EABRN) continues. Moreover, in 2013, the initiation of support for Green Economy in Biosphere Reserves (GEBR) in Sub-Saharan Africa, became an important mechanism for Korea to initiate international development assistance projects in the field of biodiversity. In 2014 MAB-ROK plans to establish medium-and long-term strategies for MAB activities at the national level to coincide with the occasion of the 40 th anniversary of the MAB National Committee of the Republic of Korea (hereinafter referred to as MAB-ROK). MAB-ROK is doing its best in conjunction with local and foreign partners for the active utilization of BR as learning sites and as models for sustainable development in the carrying out of national and international biodiversity policies. The following are details of MAB activities in Korea since the 25 th session of MAB-ICC.
1. Operation of MAB National Committee MAB-ROK holds regular biannual meetings. Its members consist of seven governmental officials and eighteen experts from different fields. They mainly provide policy advice on MAB and BRs. By participating in MAB-ROK the members can contribute to improve cooperation among government, organizations and experts regarding MAB projects and promote research, educational training and awareness building. At the first regular meeting in March 2013, they discussed the management plan of BRs for 2013. During the second meeting in October BR managers made presentations reporting on the results of activities in 2013 and discussed the plan for 2014. 2. Building Domestic Networks for Communication In June 2013, MAB-ROK hosted a workshop for BR managers in the Jeju World Natural Heritage Centre. Managers of Mt. Sorak BR, Jeju Island BR, Gwangneung Forest BR and Gochang BR participated in the workshop and shared the results of the 25 th session of MAB- ICC and discussed further establishment of a domestic network of BRs and development of interrelations and cooperation among BRs. 3. Including the Concept of Biosphere Reserve in National Law In the Korean Nature Environment Conservation Law amended in 2013, a new article on BR was created. Based on the article, the national government s financial support for BRs can be much facilitated. This is the first time that the biosphere reserve is recognized in the national law. At the local level, management ordinances of the four Biosphere Reserves, excluding Mt. Sorak BR, exist. 4. Enhanced Cooperation and Exchanges between Experts and Practitioners on Relevant Key Issues To encourage joint activities among biosphere reserves on island and coastal areas, Jeju Island BR has provided funds-in-turst (FIT) since 1996 and increased the amount to USD100,000 per year. In 2013, the 3 rd Meeting of the World Network of Island and Coastal
Biosphere Reserves was held in Saaremaa and Hiiumaa, Estonia 4 to 6 June 2013. During the meeting, the coordinating committee including Jeju Island BR and Mernoca BR, decided to publish an annual case studies book. They agreed to start joint research projects on climate change and sustainable development. They launched a webpage for this network. In November 2013, Shinan Dadohae BR and Cat Ba BR of Vietnam entered into an MOU. Since both BRs have coastal wetlands and tidal flats, they agreed to further exchanges on human resources and sharing management experiences and conservation techniques on BRs. In response to climate change, they are going to consider a plan on preventing and restoring coastal wetlands and tidal flats degraded by erosion and conducting joint research on island ecosystems. In October 2013, Jeju Island BR and Wudalianchi BR of China entered into an MOU. Since both BRs have volcanic geological resources, they agreed to conduct joint research on the biodiversity of volcanic areas and exchange human resources on conservation of volcanoes and its natural resources. Through this MOU they are going to expand their scope of cooperation from research to human resource training and ecotourism. 5. Training Biosphere Reserves and Other Relevant Stakeholders Based on Improvements of Financial Mechanisms In order to conserve biodiversity, reduce poverty and contribute to sustainable development in Sub-Saharan Africa, KOICA started providing funds to the UNESCO project named Green Economy in Biosphere Reserves (GEBR). This fund focusses on three BRs namely Bia BR Ghana, Omo BR Nigeria and East Usambara BR Tanzania. MAB-ROK participates as a supporting member of GEBR. The ROK is strengthening the regional network by actively participating in EABRN (East Asian Biosphere Reserve Network). Since 1994 the Ministry of Environment through the Korean National Commission for UNESCO has been supporting EABRN financially with a Funds-In-Trust to UNESCO. In October 2013, the 13 th EABRN meeting took place in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia with participants from seven member countries (China, Democratic People s Republic of Korea, Japan, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Republic of Korea and the Russian Federation.) During the meeting the member countries exchanged opinions through
national reports, case studies and thematic presentations. Concurrent to the meeting, the EABRN Joint Research Project was initiated to develop cooperation among Changbaishan BR China, Mt Paekdu BR DPRK, Mt. Sorak BR ROK and Sikhote Alin BR Russian Federation. As the part of WNICBR that is supported by Jeju Island BR (USD100,000 per year from 2013 to 2017) and Mernoca BR of Spain ( 50,000 per year from 2014 to 2015) through the UNESCO Funds-In-Trust program, Jeju Island BR hosted The UNESCO Training Course for Islands Coastal Area Biosphere Reserves Managers in October 2013 at the Jeju World National Heritage Centre. Through this training course Jeju Island BR provided various capacity building programmes on BRs such as fundamental management of biosphere reserves, directions for improvement on WNICBR and mitigation of the effects of climate change and more to the managers of nine countries from the network. 6. Utilize Biosphere Reserves as Learning Sites Korean BRs are inducing voluntary participation of local residents and visitors through Education for Sustainable Development programmes. Local residents and visitors have come to realize the importance of biodiversity conservation through the ESD activity of each BR. The Mt. Sorak BR runs lifelong education for local residents, and the Jeju Island BR runs a biosphere reserve education programme at UNESCO ASPnet schools in cooperation with the Korean National Commission for UNESCO. Shinan Dadohae BR, Gwangneung Forest BR and Gochang BR all run diverse experience programmes on ecosystems and BRs. Since 2008, Korea National Park Service, the managing authority of Mt. Sorak BR, has implemented a lifelong education programme entitled Citizen University. Citizen University is providing MAB programme information to participants and thus improves local residents understanding of sustainable development. Mt. Sorak BR also runs an eco-tour for children and students. This eco-tour programme is aimed at education concerning ecosystems and links with other tourist attractions. In 2013, approximately 5,000 people participated in the programme. Last year the Jeju Island BR started a biosphere reserve - UNESCO ASPnet schools project in conjunction with the Korean National Commission for UNESCO. Three schools
participated and were afforded the opportunity to better understand the concept of BR and to experience the vast biodiversity of Jeju Island BR. During the project period, three schools started on the spot tour courses, experience programmes and theoretical programmes about biosphere reserves. The participants learned about basic theories of biosphere reserves and climate change, observed the biosphere reserve while listening to an interpretation and also learned how to properly recycle without harming nature. 200 people registered for the biodiversity education programme. Jeju Island BR runs an interpretation programme and experience programme for children and parents in the core area of Jeju Island BR at Hyodon cheon Streams and Mt. Halla. In 2013, 280 participants joined this programme and listened to professionals giving their interpretations. Shinan Dadohae BR has raised awareness of biodiversity through its tidal flat experience programme and interpretation programme as well. Tourists can join the eco-tour Jeungdo Tidal Flat Ecological Exhibition, which has various programmes and field activities related to tidal flats. The Korea National Park Service (Dadohae Haesang National Park Office and Dadohae Haesang National Park Western Office) and its Migratory Bird Centre runs an interpretation programme (full season) on natural resources and migratory birds. The Gochang BR has a diverse educational eco-tour programme on the use of its natural recourses. One of which is the eco-tour near Ungok Wetland. They build migratory bird and wetland observatory decks, eco-trails and run interpretation programmes for the Ungok Wetland. Another Gochang BR educational eco-tour programme has to do with its tidal flats. Gochang BR provides various experience and education programmes of the tidal flats to children and their parents. The Gwangneung Forest BR offers a botanical class for adults and students lasting eight months by inviting field experts from Korea National Arboretum, the managing authority of the core area of Gwangeung Forest BR. During the class they do lectures and activities on taxonomy, photography and indoor gardening.
7. Enhancing the Sustainable Development Function of Biosphere Reserve Most of BRs designed their emblems to promote communication and enhance participation and recognition of local residents on biosphere reserves. Shinan Dadoahe BR and Jeju Island BR developed their own emblems and is labelled on their local products for sale. Since brand development has been carried out individually, the Ministry of Environment started research on brand development strategies to provide guidelines for the development for specialized ROK BR local brands to assist with systematic and effective brand development. In order to share good practices with other BRs domestically and abroad, MAB-ROK explores ways to build a database on the MAB homepage and establish related training courses with a strong hope that wide ranging cooperation among the MAB secretariat, related countries and biosphere reserves could be realized. 8. Awareness Building on Biosphere Reserves Following the designation of Gochang BR, MAB-ROK advertised five domestic BRs (Mt. Sorak, Jeju Island, Shinan Dadohae, Gwangneung Forest and Gochang) and its concept of sustainable development in an environmentally specialized newspaper for 3 months to raise public awareness on the biosphere reserves. Plus, MAB-ROK distributed eco-bags that can induce eco-friendly and sustainable images of biosphere reserves in the minds of local residents, local government and MAB events such as EABRN meetings. 9. Improvements on Zonation of Biosphere Reserve During the 25 th Session of MAB-ICC, it was recommended that the size of the transition zone which occupies 1% of the entire Mt. Sorak BR be expanded. In accordance with the recommendation made by MAB-ICC, MAB-ROK is implementing the research project to expand the transition area and has organized workshops to introduce the value of BR to local governments and communities. MAB-ROK expects to foster active participation from local communities to BR through this process.