Since 1977, Using Logging Profits to Support Dream Trees... 1375 Students Received 500 Million Won in Scholarships So Far
[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Choi Jae-ho] On the 22nd, Gyeongbuk Province selected 23 children of local forestry workers and exemplary high school and university students in the forestry field, awarding them Poplar Scholarship certificates and individual scholarships of 1 million won each.
The selected scholarship students were recommended by market and county heads as well as principals of forestry-specialized high schools.
Gyeongbuk Province has been selecting scholarship students annually since 1978 under the 'Poplar Scholarship Fund Management and Operation Ordinance,' targeting children of forestry workers and forestry field workers in the province, as well as high school and university students in the forestry field. To date, 1,375 students have received scholarships totaling 500 million won.
The origin of the Poplar Scholarship fund is also noteworthy. In 1967, during a local inspection of forestry projects, then-President Park Chung-hee gave an encouragement fund. To honor the purpose of national land greening, Gyeongbuk Province planted Italian poplar trees along the Nakdong River in Buksam-eup, Chilgok-gun. In 1977, the province created the principal fund for the scholarship by harvesting and selling these trees.
Since then, additional funds have been added from revenues of operating circular hunting grounds, sales of provincial forest timber, provincial contributions, and donations. Currently, about 1.5 billion won is deposited in the Gyeongsangbuk-do Integrated Management Fund and operated using the interest income.
This Poplar Scholarship system was recognized for its historical and cultural value as a scholarship program that has produced local talents for 43 years during the National Forest Cultural Heritage Review Committee meeting last November. It was designated as the first national forest cultural heritage in the forestry field on the 3rd of this month (Forest Service Notice No. 2020-393).
Lee Cheol-woo, Governor of Gyeongbuk Province, stated, "The selection of Poplar scholarship students symbolically fosters future forestry talents," adding, "We will do our best to create abundant forests to improve forestry welfare services for residents so that many citizens can find happiness and health in the forest."
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