Getbol, Korean Tidal Flats, Republic of Korea

This region hosts one of the world’s largest and most productive tidal flat ecosystems, which supports the millions of migratory waterbirds at the heart of the EAAF whilst providing to humans the many benefits that come from a healthy ecosystem, known as ecosystem services.

The Getbol, Korean Tidal Flats is a natural serial property comprised of four component parts which are located on the eastern shoreline of the Yellow Sea, on the south-western and southern coast of the Korean Peninsula, each one representing a different subtype of tidal flat. 

A tidal flat is an accumulation of floating sediments which are carried by the waves and is revealed only twice a day, at low tide. The Getbol Tidal Flats have formed over the last 8,500 years, since the Last Glacial Maximum.

The site occupies a total area of 128,411 ha. It constitutes about 50% of all of the tidal flats in the Republic of Korea as well as around 90% of the country’s Wetland Protected Areas. The property has a buffer zone of 74,592 ha.

It holds particular international importance as a major stopover site for the 118 species of migratory waterbird that travel along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway.

Endemic to the EAAF, eight of these 118 species are globally threatened and include the critically-endangered Spoon-billed Sandpiper (pictured), which is known as Asia’s most threatened migratory bird, with a maximum population of only 600 individuals left in the whole world.

The site exhibits a complex combination of geo(morpho)logical, oceanographic and climatologic conditions that have led to the development of a diverse habitat for a wide variety of tidal flat creatures.

The Getbol is an area of high invertebrate biodiversity, which includes 375 species of benthic diatoms (microalgae), 152 species of marine algae and 857 species of macrobenthos (marine organisms measuring more than 1mm).

The property is home to five threatened species of marine invertebrates, as well as 47 species that are endemic to the Yellow Sea, among which is the evolutionarily-unique tiger crab, with its distinctive, flattened legs which are adapted to digging, rather than swimming.

The site demonstrates the link between geodiversity and biodiversity, and the dependence of cultural diversity and human activity on the natural environment.

The livelihoods of many human communities along the south-western coast of the Korean Peninsula are dependent on the farming of marine resources, which is often based on indigenous knowledge.

Bbeolbae fishing is a 500-year old method in which a strainer is used to collect the cockles from just below the surface of the mud flats. To avoid sinking into the mudflats where the sediment is very fine, local residents move around with one knee resting on a plank.

Humans have lived in this area since prehistoric times and have become part of the natural ecosystem. The harmony between nature and humans is essential for the sustainable use of this World Heritage site and greatly contributes to its chances of survival for future generations.