A project to preserve and manage coastal dunes formed on Jeju's unique volcanic geology is in full swing.
According to the mid-term briefing session of the Ministry of Environment's National Institute of Ecology on the 5th for the 'Establishment of a Basic Plan for Conservation and Management of Jeju Coastal Dunes', a plan to preserve and manage 24 coastal areas in the province by officially designating them as coastal dunes is being promoted.
In this service, eight areas that have been excluded from coastal dune management will be newly recognized as coastal dunes and included in management after an investigation into the formation process and form.
The eight new sand dunes are areas that environmental groups have consistently argued should be included in management, and some areas have already been confirmed as sand dunes in investigations by the Jeju Island World Heritage Headquarters and other organizations.
Last year, Jeju Island became the first in the country to protect coastal dunes by enacting the 'Jeju Island Coastal Dune Conservation and Management Ordinance'.
This service from the National Institute of Ecology will also be carried out to establish a five-year basic plan for setting conservation goals and efficient management of coastal dunes in accordance with the Jeju Island Coastal Dune Ordinance. The National Institute of Ecology plans to hold the final service report on the basic plan for coastal dune conservation and management in November and complete the service by the end of the year.
โ Increased management target sand dunes from 14 to 24
The National Institute of Ecology designated 14 coastal areas in Jeju Island, including Iho, Hamdeok, Gimnyeong, Woljeong, Pyeongdae, Hado, Shinyang, Seopjikoji, Pyoseon, Jungmun, Sagye, Hamo, Gwakji, and Hyeopjae, as coastal sand dunes 10 years ago through the '2016 Coastal Dune Report'.
After the 2016 survey, a comprehensive survey of the entire Jeju coastal dunes was conducted again in 10 years.
This time, eight places are newly designated as coastal sand dunes, including Hunannyeo, Haengwon, Sehwa, Jongdal-ri, Hagosudong, Hwanguchi, Seolkumbadang, and Sangmori (Moseulpo). In addition, among the existing 14 sites designated in 2016, two were added as the Hado and Pyoseon dunes were divided into north and south, respectively, increasing the total number of coastal sand dunes in the province to 24.
Among these, the Dunanyeo coastal sand dunes extend from the coast of Woljeong-ri, Gujwa-eup, Jeju-si, inland to the surface of the 'Dangcheomul Cave' area, which is included in the 'Jeju Volcanic Island and Lava Tube System', a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site.
As the lime component of the sand accumulated on top of Dangcheomul Cave dissolved in rainwater and seeped into the cave over a long period of time, limestone products of similar shapes such as stalactites, stalactites, stone columns, stalagmites, cave corals, and cave pearls were formed in Dangcheomul Cave.
Calcareous products that cannot be found in a typical lava cave decorated the interior of Dangcheomul Cave with a golden color due to the influence of coastal sand dunes, creating a cave landscape that is unique in the world.
Sangmori (Moseulpo) is a coastal sand dune formed on top of the geologically valuable 'Hamori Formation' on the coast near Altreu Airport in Seogwipo City. The Hamori Formation is pyroclastic material created by the eruption of Songaksan Mountain.
The height of the dune layer is about 10 meters, and fossils such as pottery, abalone, and conches used in prehistoric times were discovered in the sand of the dune.
However, Sangmori coastal sand dunes have been excluded from official management and have been significantly damaged due to lack of systematic conservation and management. It is currently used as a Marine Corps shooting range, and access to the dunes is also restricted.
The 'Seolkumbadang' coastal dune on the west side of Yongmeori Beach, Andeok-myeon, Seogwipo-si, was also formed by accumulation of sand on top of the Hamori Formation. The name Seolkumbadang was taken from the place name โSeolkum neighborhoodโ in Sagyeri, this area.
Several strata are exposed on the surface of the Seolkumbadang dune cliffs, allowing you to see thousands of years of geological history at a glance.
The Hwanguchi coastal dune in front of Sanbangsan Mountain in Andeok-myeon is known to have had a wide and gentle coast in the past that allowed an American landing ship (LST) to dock in 1950 during the Korean War.
However, the Hwanguchi Sand Dunes have lost their original form due to rapid sand loss and are considered to be in urgent need of systematic restoration and management projects.
In this service, an investigation is also being conducted into 'remnant sand dunes' that remain isolated like islands inland, such as Yeondaebong Peak in Haengwon-ri and Danjimosal in Handong-ri, which are located in the area where Woljeong Sand Dunes are presumed to have existed in the past.
โ Jeju sand dunes created by wind, sand, and volcanic islands
In this service, we plan to present systematic conservation measures in addition to coastal dune surveys.
The National Institute of Ecology plans to classify Jeju Island's coastal dunes into three types: inland infiltration type (bell type), beach hinterland type (natural embankment type), and beach hinterland type (cliff-linked type) and prepare conservation plans for each.
The currently proposed conservation measures include minimizing obstacles in the sand movement path (suppressing the installation of buildings) and creating a wind path for the inland penetrating bell type, and for the natural embankment type, protecting the hinterland wetlands, suppressing the installation of visiting decks, prohibiting the installation of artificial facilities within the sand source, and controlling access during the breeding season for snowy plovers.
Additionally, for the cliff-connected type, it was proposed to secure space around the sea cliff, which is a coastal cliff, and to conduct systematic research on the beach-dune topography.
The National Institute of Ecology plans to create a management list by sand dune type and use this list to evaluate the value of sand dunes, diagnose the risk of damage, and designate priority management targets. It also plans to devise a plan to use sand dunes as educational spaces or ecological experience centers.
Coastal dunes are sandy areas such as dunes formed by blowing white sand beach sand inland due to strong winds.
Coastal dunes, once known only as sandy land, are emerging as an important place to preserve the country and respond to climate change through the natural supply of sand and the function of natural breakwaters.
When the sand on the beach is lost due to a typhoon or tsunami, the coastal dune plays a role in alleviating sand loss by supplying the sand stored in the dune behind to the beach again. It also acts as a natural breakwater that disperses the energy of strong waves coming from the sea and absorbs shock, protecting residential areas and agricultural lands.
Recently, it has been attracting attention as a coastal carbon sink where halophytes that absorb and store carbon grow.
In particular, Jeju's coastal dunes have a unique shape as they were formed on top of the volcanic island's geology, and some local coastal dunes are also of high geological value, as they influence the formation and maintenance of calcareous products inside lava tubes.
