Cheongju seeks solutions for coexistence between 2,000 egrets and residents facing severe noise and odor

Cheongju city is grappling with how to achieve coexistence between approximately 2,000 egrets and its residents, who have lodged numerous complaints about noise and foul odors emanating from the birds' habitat. The city is exploring various measures to manage the egret population in Songjeol-dong, acknowledging the complexity of balancing citizen grievances with demands for conservation. The area, a small park forest, is situated within a newly developed urban district featuring apartments, schools, and residences. Residents have reported severe environmental disruptions, with one complaint stating, "The collective habitat of thousands of egrets is severely threatening the right to a clean environment. They make loud noises when people approach and attack with droppings. Seeing pine trees rot from excrement makes me angry and sad. We need to investigate their harmfulness and establish measures for population control and relocation."

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The collective habitat of thousands of egrets is severely threatening the right to a clean environment. They make loud noises when people approach and attack with droppings. Seeing pine trees rot from excrement makes me angry and sad. We need to investigate their harmfulness and establish measures for population control and relocation.

The city has allocated 12 million won for park management between July and September, focusing on cleaning accumulated droppings, food scraps, and feathers. Volunteer citizens also assist in these cleanup efforts. Lee So-young, head of Cheongju City's Nature Conservation Team, stated, "We are agonizing over countermeasures due to continuous complaints. As they are designated a protected species by North Chungcheong Province, we cannot arbitrarily control their numbers or relocate them. For now, we are focusing on tidying up the surroundings while they are here and will devise further measures after they leave." Environmental groups, however, propose a different approach, advocating for "coexistence between people and egrets" through habitat preservation. The Cheongju-Chungbuk Environmental Movement Federation has nominated the egret habitat for a "Let's Protect This Place" campaign, which has advanced to the final on-site evaluation stage. Park Jong-soon, secretary-general of the federation, highlighted the habitat's significant academic, ecological, cultural, and social value as the only urban migratory bird habitat in Cheongju and one of the largest egret breeding grounds nationwide. He aims to create a model of coexistence with national support.

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We are agonizing over countermeasures due to continuous complaints. As they are designated a protected species by North Chungcheong Province, we cannot arbitrarily control their numbers or relocate them. For now, we are focusing on tidying up the surroundings while they are here and will devise further measures after they leave.

An additional complication arises from the habitat's proximity to Cheongju International Airport, located just over 7 kilometers away. The Airport Facilities Act prohibits the establishment of bird protection zones within an 8-kilometer radius of airports due to bird strike risks. The environmental group plans to organize forums, meet with the mayor, and establish a coexistence committee. Park acknowledged the residents' inconvenience and stated, "We are not insisting on unconditional preservation of the egret habitat, but rather seeking to establish measures for coexistence." He also suggested that in addition to managing the breeding grounds, periodic cleaning of the surroundings is necessary to reduce odor and complaints. The group is also considering creating artificial nests in areas like the confluence of the Miho and Musimcheon rivers to gradually relocate the egrets' living space.

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The Songjeol-dong egret habitat is Cheongju's only urban migratory bird habitat and the largest egret breeding ground nationwide, possessing significant academic, ecological, cultural, and social value. We aim to create a model of coexistence with the support of the entire nation.