Planting Trees Under the Sea?

Ulsan City Invests 600 Million to Create Underwater Forests to Prevent Coastal Pollution and Increase Fisheries Income

Ulsan City Hall building. Ulsan City will continue the underwater forest creation project this year, cultivating seaweed in the ocean.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yong-woo] The project of "planting trees" under the sea will be carried out again this year in Ulsan.

On the 3rd, Ulsan City announced that it will promote the "2020 Underwater Forest Creation Project" in areas where coastal seaweed is disappearing due to coastal bleaching caused by rising water temperatures, coastal development, and coastal pollution, as well as in areas suitable for underwater forest formation.

This project, conducted by the Korea Fisheries Resources Agency, will invest a total of 600 million KRW to newly create 5 hectares in the Eomul waters of Buk-gu, Ulsan. In addition, maintenance, management, and effect surveys will be conducted on a total of 303 hectares, including 12 existing underwater forests (58 hectares) in Buk-gu, Dong-gu, and Ulju-gun, and 2 national sea forest creation sites (245 hectares).

The underwater forest creation project involves placing natural stones larger than 1㎥, which are most suitable for the project area, to transplant seaweeds such as gompi and gamtae that can inhabit the waters off Ulsan. Spore bags and artificial pouches are also installed to provide spawning grounds, habitats, and food sources for aquatic organisms. This also serves the secondary function of absorbing carbon dioxide.

Since 2008 until last year, Ulsan City has been carrying out the "Underwater Forest Creation Project" with a total project cost of 6.5 billion KRW across 12 coastal sites covering 58 hectares within the jurisdiction.

A city official said, "Through this underwater forest creation project, the habitat environment for aquatic plants and animals will improve, the coastal fishery ecosystem will be restored, and as fishery resources are created, it is expected to lead to increased income for fishermen."