From "Lake of Death" to "Lake of Life"... Siheung City Seeks Marine Environmental Education Strategies Using Sihwa Lake

Seeking Directions for “Siheung-style Marine Environmental Education” Ahead of Sihwa Lake Day
Forum and Workshop to Be Held on October 8 at Turtle Island Marine Ecological Science Museum
Discussion on Linking Citizen Science and Ecological Observation... Sharing the Ecological Value of Sihwa Lake

Siheung City in Gyeonggi Province (Mayor Lim Byung-taek) is seeking region-specific marine environmental education strategies, using Sihwa Lake, which was once known as the “Lake of Death” but has since restored its ecosystem, as a foundation.

Promotional Material for Siheung-Style Marine Environment Education Activation Forum and Workshop. Provided by Siheung City

On September 30, Siheung City announced that it will hold the “Siheung-style Marine Environmental Education Activation Forum and Workshop” at the Turtle Island Marine Ecological Science Museum at 2 p.m. on October 8, ahead of Sihwa Lake Day (October 10).

“Sihwa Lake Day” is a commemorative day established by Gyeonggi Province in 2024 to mark the 30th anniversary of Sihwa Lake. The event aims to raise awareness of Sihwa Lake’s ecological value and the importance of environmental preservation.

This event is co-hosted by the Siheung Eco Center and Siheung YMCA, and organized by the Siheung Environmental Education Network. It is sponsored by Siheung City and the Sihwa Lake Foundation, with about 50 participants including experts in marine environmental education, representatives from environmental organizations, and instructors expected to attend.

Participants will reflect on the meaning of Sihwa Lake’s transformation into a “Lake of Life” through the efforts of citizens and the local community, and will discuss ways to utilize Siheung’s ecological and environmental resources for education purposes. The program consists of a tour of the Marine Ecological Science Museum, an expert forum, and a workshop for developing educational programs.

During the forum, Dr. Lee Seulgi from the Korea Maritime Institute will give a presentation on “Envisioning the Future of Siheung’s Seas through the Second Basic Plan for Marine Education and Culture.” Kang Honggu, CEO of Naturing, will introduce citizen science project cases and usage methods utilizing digital platforms. This will be followed by a discussion on how to integrate environmental education, citizen science, and ecological monitoring related to Sihwa Lake into local education.

At the workshop, members of the Siheung Environmental Education Network will propose educational programs utilizing Turtle Island and Sihwa Lake, and explore future directions for education.

Hong Seong-rim, Head of the Environmental Bureau of Siheung City, stated, “I hope this event serves as an opportunity to revisit the ecological value of Sihwa Lake and to collectively consider the direction of marine environmental education that leverages regional characteristics,” adding, “We expect that Sihwa Lake Day will spark greater interest and participation from the local community.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.