생물다양성 보전활동을 성공으로: WWF/KORDI 황해생태지역지원사업 소액사업 사례 발표

Abstract

In a nation state’s context of a catch-up economy, the history of advances of environmental governance in the Republic of Korea is a triumph over the ideological confrontation between environmental protection and economic development. However, this environment-development dualism that has permeated the public for decades still remains. The sentiment of antipathy towards any new conservation actions is still pervasive particularly in less-developed regions of the country, including coastal areas that have been less exploited and thus possess high biodiversity and relatively well-preserved habitats. Conservation is yet perceived by local people as an imposition that hinders the development of local economy and subsequently the welfare of local communities.The small grant program of the WWF/KORDI Yellow Sea Ecoregion Support Project (YSESP) is supporting marine conservation actions of civil organizations since 2008. It aims at coming up with creative conservation actions that are proved effective on the ground, and in specific social, economic and political contexts at the local and the national levels. So far, the project has supported five organizations in Korea, whose activities vary from biodiversity monitoring to traditional folk plays. The small grant program had a focus on raising public awareness of biodiversity conservation and required active participation of local communities. Also, a partnership with local governments was recommended.As anticipated, the target areas were selected mostly from the places where misunderstanding about and skepticism to biodiversity conservation are predominant and where a conflict resolution is urgently required. Conservation activities were thus designed to reconcile with the hostile moods of local communities and to build a sustainable, harmonious partnership. Different approaches were applied at each target area by which different levels and dimensions of success were achieved.