[Square] Forestry Workers Are Hidden Heroes and Future Hope

Jongho Park, Administrator of the Korea Forest Service. Photo by Korea Forest Service

November 1st is Forestry Workers' Day. In Korea, after the successful reforestation efforts, November has been designated as Forest Care Month since 1995 to promote the importance of forest management following afforestation for forest health. Additionally, Forestry Workers' Day was set on November 1st, the first day of forest care, to express gratitude to forestry workers who strive to create healthy forests and to remind people of the value of forestry and mountain villages.

Especially this year holds special significance as it marks the inaugural year of the designation of Forestry Workers' Day. This year, nature has sent more warning messages to humanity than ever before. These include the prolonged 54-day monsoon season, successive typhoons, increasingly large wildfires, and landslides.

Warning signs such as climate change, which were once overlooked, are now having a direct impact on us. Along with this, interest in forestry and forestry workers has recently increased. The current crisis, named climate change and climate emergency, has brought about a shift in viewing nature not merely as a resource but as something to be restored and preserved.

Nowadays, the role of forests in reducing carbon emissions, identified as a major cause of climate change, is becoming increasingly important. For example, in Korea, it has been found that carbon absorption through forests accounts for 99.9% of the total absorption.

On the other hand, if forests are not properly managed, it is difficult to expect significant carbon absorption capacity. This is because as trees age, their growth and carbon absorption decrease. In line with this, two-thirds of Korea’s forests consist of trees over 30 years old. This suggests that the aging of trees may worsen domestic conditions for responding to climate change and other crises.

Considering this, sustainable forest management such as forest care, selective harvesting, and reforestation becomes not a choice but a necessity to increase carbon absorption. The difference in carbon absorption per hectare between managed and unmanaged forests is as much as 30 tons. Therefore, properly managing forests through systematic forest management will be the most effective way to respond to climate change.

However, forestry workers, who play a crucial role in forest management, must wait at least 25 years to generate income after afforestation. Moreover, the low profitability associated with long-term management exacerbates the difficulties faced by forestry workers. The average annual income of forestry households is only about 56% of that of urban worker households, reflecting the current situation. This is also interpreted as a factor contributing to the decline in the forestry population.

For the same reasons, the Korea Forest Service shares the awareness with forestry workers that “without forestry workers, forests become barren and cannot function properly,” and thus urgently needs support such as the introduction of a forest public interest direct payment system, expansion of forestry tax benefits, and increased loan support for forestry workers.

Based on this awareness, the Korea Forest Service established the ‘K-Forest Korean-style Forest New Deal Strategy’ last July to revitalize the forest industry and build an income safety net for forestry workers. The Forest New Deal Strategy focuses on revitalizing forestry and breathing life and vitality into forests through government innovation.

However, it is well understood that no matter how good a policy is, it is difficult to realize without interest and support. Therefore, we earnestly hope that the establishment of ‘Forestry Workers' Day’ will raise societal interest in forestry and forestry workers. We also hope that every November 1st from now on will be a day to thank forestry workers who nurture and care for our forests and to reflect on the importance of forests.

Park Jong-ho, Administrator of the Korea Forest Service