Last Saturday I went to Ungok to participate in the ?Green Leadership Camp? organized by Greenfund in Korea. Ungok is the 16^th registered wetland in Korea under the Ramsar Convention. In past years it was a a low-rise wetlands used to cultivate and harvest rice. Today it is a well-known case of wetlands being restored from being abandoned  farmlands though the planned migration of species previously excluded from the region because of human interference.

The Ungok Wetlands supports six endangered species of plants and animals, as designated by the Ministry of the Environment, as well as 549 rare species  of flora (459 species), mammals (11 species), birds (48 species), and aphimbians and reptiles (10 species). It is known as a biodiversity treasure hous of the inland midwest of Korea.

The history of the Ungok Wetlands stems from the 1600s, when the Kang family settled much of the area, and the established a village in the region.  A legend that a dragon appeared in the area lent its name to the village – Dragon Village (Yonggye Mageul) – and helped in the protection of the village itself. Currently there are several enterprises that promote the Ungok Wetlands, including the those that encourage people to participate in exploring and conserving the Wetlands,  such as the Eco Exploration Program and those that focus on the continuing efforts to clean and restore the Wetlands to their pristine condition. In addition to these, visitors to the Yonggye-ri  can participate in exploring Korea?s cultural heritage through enterprises dedicated to promotion of the  Korean tea ceremony, the making of celadon porcelain, and traditional fishing .