IFEZ, British group ink MOU on wetland project

The Incheon Free Economic Zone (IFEZ) inked an agreement with a wetland restoration organization as the city pushes to accelerate the recognition of Songdo International City as an environmentally friendly and sustainable city.

The memorandum of understanding with the Wildfowl and Wetland Trust (WWT), signed on Monday, strengthens international cooperation in a demonstration of a shared commitment to sustainability to inspire stakeholder confidence. The WWT, a leading conservation charity based in Britain specializing in wetland preservation since 1946, operates 10 wetland centers in its home nation, including the London Wetland Center.

The agreement was implemented to springboard international cooperation as well as to bolster biodiversity and conservation of ecological space. Under the framework, the two organizations are set to cooperate closely in various fields to protect diverse habitats and biological diversity through international collaboration, academic exchange, education and a global citizenship awareness campaign.

Highlighting the broader vision of the partnership, Tina Redshaw, international engagement manager of the WWT, emphasized in a speech marking the signing that the wetland center should serve as a bridge connecting humans, nature and the local community, beyond being a simple environmental preservation facility.

Redshaw added that the project not only reaches out to the community but also creates regenerative spaces accessible to visitors, cultivating social cohesion and fostering a deep sense of belonging to both the wetland and the local areas.

Meanwhile, Yoon Baek-jin, the vice commissioner of IFEZ, stated that the agreement and special lecture will mark a pivotal shift toward integrating the currently dormant wetland into a vibrant global ecological site and a nature retreat. Through the Songdo International Eco Center, IFEZ aims to elevate the environmental credentials of the city and drive its growth toward becoming a sustainable, green city, Yoon added.

BY LEE SO-YOUN [[email protected]]