canberrabirds

FW: [Birding-Aus] Fwd: Restore Saemangeum

To: "Canberrabirds" <>
Subject: FW: [Birding-Aus] Fwd: Restore Saemangeum
From: "Alastair Smith" <>
Date: Mon, 9 Jul 2007 21:36:44 +1000
Subscribers to Birding-aus will be familiar with the construction of the
Saemangeum sea wall in Korea and the potential devastating impact this will
have on migratory waders. Can I ask all canberrabirds subscribers to read
the posting from Ricki Coughlan and visit the website
http://www.restoresaemangeum.com. to sign the online petition.
Regards
Alastair  

From: Ricki Coughlan <
Date: 9 July 2007 1:02:28 PM
 Hi All

 In April 2006 a 33km seawall was completed at Saemangeum on the  
 Yellow Sea coast of South Korea. The wall excluded the tide from  
 400 square kilometres of mudflat which was the most important  
 staging area for many species of migratory shorebirds which visit  
 the Yellow Sea as they travel ffrom Australia to their breeding  
 grounds in Siberia each year. This action completed the creation of  
 the now infamous Saemangeum Reclamation Area. It will certainly  
 increase pressure on the Threatened Spoon-billed Sandpiper and  
 Nordmann's Greenshank, both of which number 1000 or less  
 individuals. There is every likelyhood that the reclamation will  
 bring about a reduction in migratory shorebird numbers overall - as  
 former visitors to Saemangeum compete with other populations around  
 the Yellow Sea for resources - and we are particularly concerned  
 about the one third of the global population (280,000) of Great  
 Knot which relied upon this region for refuelling before proceeding  
 to their Siberian breeding grounds each year.

 The South Korean government can find no use for the "reclaimed"  
 site but, despite this, there is no realistic chance of having the  
 wall removed. The chances are good that some of the site can be  
 returned to nature if the sluice gates on the wall are fully  
 opened, permitting the reintroduction of a tidal flow and I am  
 appealling to all of you to assist me in calling for this take take  
 place. You can do so by visiting http://www.restoresaemangeum.com.  
 Admittedly, the likelyhood of attaining even this concession is not  
 good. However, to do nothing will only encourage continued  
 reclamation activity on more sites along the South Korean coastline  
 and beyond. This is part of a range of actions which are currently  
 in train and which are aimed at restoring Saemangeum and  
 discouraging further reclamations in the region so please lend just  
 a few moments to act on behalf of the magnificent migratory  
 shorebirds.

 Regards

 Ricki Coughlan
 Cremorne Point, Sydney

 http://www.restoresaemangeum.com
 


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