[Imsil=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Park Nosik] With the creation of an ecological forest around Okjeongho, a representative tourist destination in Imsil-gun, Jeonbuk, the pace of establishing an eco-friendly ecological tourism hub is expected to accelerate.
The county announced on the 30th that the Okjeongho area, known for its outstanding scenery, has passed the feasibility review committee of the Korea Forest Service for designation as an ecological forest and has been officially designated as such.
The designated ecological forest site covers 34 hectares of national and public land in San 38, Ipseok-ri, Unam-myeon, with a total project cost of 3 billion KRW.
The county plans to develop the area around Okjeongho, which has excellent ecological value, into a hub space where visitors can directly observe healthy and well-preserved forest resources and understand the value and importance of various forest ecosystems.
Earlier, from April to July, the county completed a feasibility evaluation survey and established a basic plan. In August, it submitted an application for ecological forest designation to the Korea Forest Service and passed the review at the committee meeting held this month at the Bungeo Island Visitor Center.
During this review, the county provided an on-site briefing covering the necessity of the ecological forest, site conditions and accessibility, forest ecosystem stability and biodiversity, and management plans, which are key factors in assessing the feasibility and suitability of the ecological forest.
As a result, the Korea Forest Service review committee judged the site as ‘suitable,’ achieving the great success of designating 34 hectares of forest around Okjeongho as an ecological forest.
Accordingly, the county has achieved another milestone by preparing ecological tourism development content for Okjeongho linked with the Bungeo Island forest bathing area utilizing forest resources.
The Okjeongho Ecological Forest is scheduled to complete detailed design and administrative procedures starting next year, be developed over three years from 2023 to 2025, and open in 2026.
The site will include a forest ecology observation center, ecological trails, forest experience zones, a botanical garden, and ecological restoration forests.
The county also plans to establish a systematic management plan to maintain and enhance the ecosystem and biodiversity of the forests surrounding Okjeongho.
Okjeongho is known as an area submerged by the construction of the Seomjingang Dam, Korea’s first multipurpose dam, in 1965, and is a place filled with the sorrows of displaced residents who lost their hometowns and livelihoods.
Since the lifting of the Okjeongho water source protection zone, the county has actively promoted projects such as the Seomjingang Eco Museum and the Mulanegil trail maintenance.
In particular, while developing Bungeo Island into a year-round tourist park, the county is preparing to open a suspension bridge and zipline that will provide access to Bungeo Island next year.
The county expects that with the creation of the ecological forest along with the Bungeo Island suspension bridge, Okjeongho, a treasure of Jeollabuk-do, will become a nationwide tourist attraction leading ‘Jeonbuk Tourism.’
County Governor Sim Min said, “The Okjeongho Ecological Forest will restore various forest ecosystems and create synergy as a complex tourist site for forest education, experience, and exploration harmonized with the waterside. Once the suspension bridge opens, it is expected to become a core tourism resource of Jeonbuk in the with-COVID era, along with the Bungeo Island forest bathing area.”
Imsil=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Park Nosik sd2481@asiae.co.kr
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