“백로는 쫓아낼 대상 아닌 이웃”... ‘백로X인간’ 공존 해법 모색

As urbanization and development continue to intensify conflicts among residents surrounding the breeding grounds of egrets across the country, voices calling for viewing egrets not as objects of rejection but as neighbors to live together with and find a path of coexistence are growing louder.

The Jeonbuk Environmental Movement Union, Daejeon Environmental Movement Union, and Cheongju-Chungbuk Environmental Movement Union jointly hosted the "Our Attitude for Dreaming of Coexistence with Egrets! Egrets X Humans Coexistence Citizen Forum" at the Jeonbuk Provincial Council's assembly hall on June 11. This forum was organized to reevaluate the ecological value of egrets and discuss practical coexistence measures between humans and egrets through domestic and international management cases.

Egret habitats being fragmented due to urbanization... "Cutting trees to drive them away only shifts the conflict"
Choi Yoo-sung, a researcher at the National Institute of Biological Resources, who was in charge of the first presentation, pointed out the recent trend of large-scale breeding grounds being damaged or dispersed in small scales due to urbanization, development, and residents' complaints. Choi emphasized that "egrets are closely related to rivers, wetlands, and farmland, and group breeding grounds are indicators of the health of regional ecosystems."

Following this, Lee Kyung-ho, the head of the Daejeon Environmental Movement Union, mentioned conflict cases in Daejeon and Cheongju, criticizing the cutting of habitat trees due to complaints about odor, noise, and excrement. Lee stated, "Such cutting and eviction methods are merely 'passing the egret bomb,' shifting the conflict to another area rather than eliminating egrets," suggesting a policy shift to manage habitats like in Vietnam and Japan and utilize them as ecological assets.

Local issues pouring out... Proposing development regulations and ecological parks as alternatives
The subsequent panel discussion (moderated by Lee Jung-hyun, co-representative of the Jeonbuk Environmental Movement Union) exchanged vivid voices from the field and concrete alternatives.

Realistic complaints and prior coordination: Jo Mi-young, head of the Environmental Hygiene Department in Jeonju, lamented the difficulty of persuading residents, stating, "Comprehensive review and social consensus are necessary." Lee Eun-jae, director of the Daejeon Research Institute, said, "Realistic measures should be taken to identify areas of severe conflict early and naturally guide egrets to move to other places."

Governance and ecological parks: Park Jong-soon, head of the Cheongju-Chungbuk Environmental Movement Union, expressed concerns that egrets displaced by development projects could cluster near the Songjeol-dong residential complex in Cheongju, leading to severe conflicts. Park suggested that establishing a governance structure involving the government, private sector, and civic organizations, along with creating "egret ecological parks" like in Jeonju, could be an alternative solution.

Need for proactive comprehensive surveys: Jang Jin-ho, an activist at the Jeonbuk Environmental Movement Union, acknowledged the ecological value of egret habitats in Jeonju such as Geonji Mountain and Egret Park but warned of potential conflicts due to odor and dust. Jang emphasized the necessity of conducting comprehensive surveys and discussing proactive management measures for Jeonju's regional group breeding grounds before conflicts escalate.

Enhancing institutional sanctions: Seo Nan-yi, a member of the Jeonbuk Provincial Council, stressed the need for strong sanctions and social discourse, such as conditional development restrictions, for undeveloped areas without habitat protection measures even before legalization.

Expanding to a East Asia coexistence model with Korea, Japan, and Vietnam
During the forum, experiences were shared on how conflicts over egret breeding grounds at KAIST were alleviated through on-site ecological education, highlighting the importance of education and promotion once again.

Concluding the forum, co-representative Lee Jung-hyun stated, "Eliminating egret breeding grounds will not solve the problem," suggesting that "administrative bodies, civil society, and experts should gather wisdom to create urban ecosystems where people and wildlife can live together."

Meanwhile, the three branches of the Environmental Movement Union that organized this forum plan to launch an 'International Forum' in the future with researchers and civic organizations from Korea, Japan, and Vietnam participating. Through this, they aim to share each country's habitat management experiences and build a 'East Asia Coexistence Model,' recognizing egrets as neighbors of coexistence.

📝 Summary:
As conflicts between residents and egrets increase due to urbanization, a forum was held in Jeonbuk to discuss coexistence. Experts highlighted the importance of preserving egret habitats and finding sustainable solutions to conflicts, such as creating ecological parks and conducting comprehensive surveys.

🗣️ Korean Translation:
도시화와 개발로 인한 주민과 백로 간의 갈등이 심해지자, 전북에서 공존에 대해 논의하는 포럼이 개최되었습니다. 전문가들은 백로 서식지를 보존하고 지속 가능한 해결책을 찾는 중요성을 강조했으며, 생태 공원을 만들거나 포괄적인 조사를 실시하는 것과 같은 지속 가능한 해결책을 찾는 것이 중요하다고 강조했습니다.

❓ Comprehension Questions:
1. What was the purpose of the "Our Attitude for Dreaming of Coexistence with Egrets" forum?
그 "우리의 백로와 함께 공존을 꿈꾸는 태도" 포럼의 목적은 무엇이었습니까?
2. How did Choi Yoo-sung emphasize the importance of egret habitats?
최유성은 백로 서식지의 중요성을 어떻게 강조했습니까?
3. What alternative solutions were proposed during the panel discussion?
토론 패널에서 어떤 대안적인 해결책이 제안되었습니까?

💡 Vocabulary Learning:
1. urbanization / 도시화 / noun
- the process of making an area more urban by building houses, businesses, and infrastructure
- 도시화는 주택, 상업 및 인프라를 건설하여 지역을 더 도시적으로 만드는 과정입니다.
- Urbanization has led to an increase in traffic congestion in the city.
- 도시화로 인해 도시에서 교통 체증이 증가했습니다.

2. fragmentation / 단편화 / noun
- the process of breaking or separating something into small parts or pieces
- 단편화는 무언가를 작은 부분이나 조각으로 나누거나 분리하는 과정입니다.
- The fragmentation of the market made it difficult for small businesses to compete.
- 시장의 단편화로 인해 소기업이 경쟁하기 어려워졌습니다.

3. coordination / 조정 / noun
- the organization of different parts for effective operation or working together
- 효과적인 운영이나 협력을 위해 서로 다른 부분들을 조직화하는 것
- Good coordination between departments is essential for project success.
- 부서 간의 좋은 조정은 프로젝트 성공에 중요합니다.

4. governance / 통치 / noun
- the way that a city, company, organization, etc., is managed by the people who control it
- 도시, 회사, 조직 등이 그것을 통제하는 사람들에 의해 관리되는 방식
- Transparent governance is crucial for building trust in public institutions.
- 투명한 통치는 공공기관에 대한 신뢰 구축에 중요합니다.

5. sanction / 제재 / noun
- an official order that limits trade, contact, or other activity with a particular country
- 특정 국가와의 무역, 연락 또는 기타 활동을 제한하는 공식 명령
- The government imposed sanctions on the country for violating human rights.
- 정부는 그 나라가 인권을 위반했기 때문에 그 나라에 제재를 가했습니다.

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