Gochang Ungok Wetland, Rated 'Best' in Ecotourism for 6 Consecutive Years

Published 01 Nov.2023 10:09(KST)

Gochang-gun, Jeollabuk-do announced on the 1st that Ungok Ramsar Wetland received the highest grade in the city and county evaluation of the Ecotourism Site Development Project.

The county has achieved the remarkable feat of receiving the highest grade for six consecutive years from 2018 to this year, establishing itself as a representative ecotourism area.

This evaluation, hosted by Jeollabuk-do, was conducted over three days starting August 21, targeting 12 ecotourism sites in the province, assessing 11 items across four categories including resource excellence, marketability, and subjectivity.

Ungok Wetland Ecological Park. [Photo by Gochang-gun]

This year, Gochang Ungok Ramsar Wetland and Jangsu Tteunbongsaem received the highest grade, each receiving an additional 1.2 billion KRW for next year's ecotourism site development project budget and 50 million KRW in incentives.

The county, together with the Gochang-gun Ecotourism Residents' Social Cooperative, which includes residents from six villages around Ungok Wetland, has been promoting ecotourism and generating income for residents through diverse programs such as Saturday Markets, Ecological Meals, Wetland Ecological Education, Village Grandmother Guides, and Firefly Tours.

Additionally, since 2015, the county has been implementing foundational projects for the ecotourism site, including trail maintenance, ecological stream restoration, creation of ecological parks and playgrounds, and development of ecological villages to foster the Ungok Wetland ecotourism site.

In particular, next year, the construction of the Ungok Ramsar Wetland Center and the establishment of a new national ecological trail at Ungok Wetland are planned, raising expectations among visitors to the wetland.

A county official stated, “Ungok Wetland’s achievement of the highest grade for six consecutive years is not only due to its outstanding ecological resources but also thanks to the long-term cooperation and efforts of Gochang-gun and local residents. We will continue to strive to make Ungok Wetland a global brand through ongoing communication and collaboration with local residents.”