Proposed bird habitats near Saemangeum airport could harm migratory routes, experts warn

Proposed alternative habitats for migratory birds near the planned Saemangeum airport in South Korea are facing strong criticism from experts who argue they are ineffective and could jeopardize the vital East Asian-Australasian Flyway (EAAF). The South Korean Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT) and the Saemangeum Development and Transportation Bureau plan to create substitute habitats for endangered species, including various species of sandpipers, in areas like Gyeonsan City's Gaejado Island and the lower reaches of the Mangyeong and Dongjin rivers. However, seven ornithologists from the Netherlands, Portugal, and China, including Professor Mu-Tong of Princeton University's Center for Energy and Environmental Policy Research, have warned that these proposed sites are unlikely to sustain the birds.

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The destruction and devastation of the Sora tidal flats is highly likely to cause a drastic decrease in sandpiper populations that depend on the UNESCO World Natural Heritage site.

In two review opinions submitted to the Seoul High Court, the experts stated that the destruction of the Sora tidal flats, a critical stopover point for migratory birds, is highly likely to cause a drastic decrease in sandpiper populations that depend on the UNESCO World Natural Heritage site. They recommended a review of the plan until the capacity of the alternative habitats to actually support bird populations is proven. The experts highlighted the concept of 'site fidelity,' explaining that sandpiper species are strongly attached to specific locations, with subtle differences in tidal patterns, invertebrate prey, and topography making one tidal flat distinct from another. "Even if a tidal flat appears identical, sandpiper species are inextricably linked to specific locations," explained Mu-Tong, emphasizing that these birds undertake long migrations, relying on sites like the Sora tidal flats to refuel.

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Even if a tidal flat appears identical, sandpiper species are inextricably linked to specific locations.

Environmental experts further argue that the plan violates international guidelines and domestic regulations. According to the director of the Ecological Landscape Research Institute, Myung Ho, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) recommends a strict sequence of 'avoidance, minimization, and then compensation' for biodiversity loss during development. Alternative habitats are considered a last resort, only to be implemented when avoidance and minimization are scientifically impossible. Myung Ho pointed out that the Saemangeum airport plan lacks genuine avoidance measures, focusing instead on minimization and compensation strategies. He also criticized the plan's inherent contradiction: creating habitats to attract birds near an airport runway while simultaneously implementing measures to deter them, such as traps and habitat manipulation, calling it an "unrealistic and unscientific assumption" that birds will respect human-defined boundaries.

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Intermediate stopover sites, due to their specific intertidal wetland characteristics, cannot be artificially replaced.

Additionally, concerns have been raised about increased bird strike risks. While sandpipers might be deterred, larger water birds like geese, ducks, and seagulls could still frequent the area after the tidal flats are reclaimed. Mu-Tong warned that these larger species pose a more significant collision risk. Myung Ho added that even if alternative habitats successfully attract birds, their repeated passage through the airport's airspace during transit to and from these sites could heighten the danger of collisions. A coalition of civic groups plans to submit these expert opinions to the court before the upcoming fourth hearing on July 15, urging judicial control over plans that do not prioritize avoidance measures.

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The Saemangeum airport development plan lacks substantive avoidance measures.