religious groups and students joined forces to compile a report critical of the shortsighted policies espoused by Ganghwa County local government, which sought to increase revenue from tourist resort development by destroying the tideland and the forest. The ‘Ganghwa-do Green Project’, as it is called, also proposed the drawing up of a tideland ecosystem and landscape preservation programme which would take the ecology of each village into account, employ environmentally-friendly agriculture and offer environmentally-friendly tour programmes focused on local cultural traditions (festivals, rituals, lifestyles, cultural remains, etc.), migratory bird watching and the exploration of the tideland ecology (including mud packs and shell gathering). There have also been some hopeful developments: In an effort to conserve nature, Ganghwa County designated 45 ha of the Sangbang sector as a Mountainous Region Protection and Purification Zone, while Incheon municipal government designated 24 protected species of animals in 2006. These measures include the observation and analysis of the changes to the Mount Mani eco-system, as well as the protection of the animals in the area. However, it has become clear that conservation efforts cannot succeed if they fail to take the socio-economic wellbeing of the people who live in the area into consideration. For example, the attempt on the part of the Ministry of Marine Affairs to designate 300m2 of tideland on the Southern coast of Ganghwa Island, a Marine Ecosystem Preservation Zone, ran into strong opposition from residents 84
and local businesses, most of whom were motivated by a fear of restrictions on further development and an interest in short-term financial gains. More than seven years have passed since then, but the government has only succeeded in designating some 60 m2 as a preservation zone.
Recommendations Six recommendations can be made to improve the conservation of Mount Mani’s natural, cultural and spiritual heritage. The basic ideas, which are in need of further elaboration, are: • Supporting the local initiative aimed at developing an effective conservation government system. A number of scholars and NGO leaders (including the members of the Ganghwa-do People’s Network) have gathered to discuss the future of Ganghwa Island, the problems inherent in development and the conservation of nature. Although undoubtedly a positive development, their concerns have yet to result in a systematic approach. The residents of the island are vulnerable to the temptations of the short-term benefits generally expected to accrue to development plans, while the limited experience of the local authorities, which pay lip service to and support in principle the conservation of the envi ronment, renders them unable to foresee future concerns. The combined ef forts of scholars, experts and the local community have proved successful in persuading the local authorities to put in place a network for the exchange of