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  3. Exploring Korea's Unique Wetlands: A Day with Hanns Seidel Foundation Seoul in Incheon's Getbol Area

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Exploring Korea's Unique Wetlands: A Day with Hanns Seidel Foundation Seoul in Incheon's Getbol Area

The Hanns Seidel Foundation Seoul embarked on a fascinating excursion into the exciting world of Getbol, Korea's wetland biotope. The day brought a mixture of discovery, learning and appreciation for nature. In line with the aims of HSS-Korea, the participants left with new knowledge and a deeper commitment to environmental protection, as well as a heightened awareness of the importance of habitats and how to protect them.

On Monday, June 3rd, 2024, Hanns Seidel Foundation Seoul undertook an excursion to the Incheon region focusing on Getbol, a unique wetland habitat in Korea known for its incredible biodiversity and ecological significance. The activity commenced around 11:30 am at Songdo Ora Pizza, where participants shared a meal and coffee before heading to the Songdo district in Incheon. After exploring the area and making their way to the designated meeting point, the group boarded a group bus that transported them to the destination.

 

Upon arrival, participants set off for the Getbol area near the sea, home to numerous native and migratory species, including endangered ones. Equipped with binoculars and a brochure listing local flora and fauna, participants had the opportunity to observe various animals such as different types of egrets, followed by a dollar bird, various crab species, and mudskippers. At each stop, representatives of Green Incheon, the organisation HSF Seoul partnered with for the excursion, provided information about the organisms, their habitats, and the importance of preserving them and their environment.

After witnessing a variety of Getbol residents, the group climbed a small hill in an adjacent forested area. At the top, a pagoda offered views of the Incheon Bridge while program leaders kindly provided refreshments. Participants were encouraged to draw things they had seen, learned, and enjoyed on paper tiles while enjoying biscuits, with enough for everyone to take some home, as well as refreshing tea made from a plant called glasswort that grows around Getbol - the group learned that Koreans believe plants growing near the coast have health benefits and beneficial properties.

 

Meanwhile, participants completed a survey about their experiences, providing helpful questions for the program organisers to tailor their informative program. The break concluded with a beautiful poem from the collection of writer Na Tae-joo, "Let's Say It Is a Beautiful Day."

 

The group then made their way along the coastline to the water. The area is usually reserved for fishermen and nature experts like Green Incheon, so participants had the privilege of exploring the area and spotting species they had previously learned about and read about in the brochure.

 

Following this final activity, participants exchanged their impressions and shared what they had learned and enjoyed - unanimously expressing gratitude for an enriching, entertaining, and interesting experience. Mrs. Migyeong Kim then thanked the participants with some closing words and an appeal for environmental protection and biosphere preservation, along with a kind request to continue raising awareness about Getbol areas, some of which are already protected as UNESCO World Heritage sites.

 

The group was picked up by the bus at a nearby location and returned to the starting point. Participants went home with a plethora of new experiences and valuable insights.