Restoration of 'Guyana Mangrove Forest' Using Korean Forestry Technology

A mangrove forest restoration project in Guyana using Korean forestry technology is being promoted.

The Korea Forest Service announced on the 19th that on the 18th (local time), it held a groundbreaking ceremony for the mangrove forest restoration project in Georgetown, the capital of Guyana, together with the Global Green Growth Institute (hereinafter GGGI).

A partially restored view of the Guyana mangrove forest. Provided by the Korea Forest Service

Guyana, where 85% of the land is covered by forests, is a country located in the northern part of the South American continent, surrounded by a 459 km coastline. 90% of the residents live in coastal lowlands. Additionally, 75% of the farmland is located in coastal lowlands, making it vulnerable to sea level rise and natural disasters caused by climate change.

Guyana's mangrove forests play a key role in reducing damage from tidal waves, enhancing biodiversity, and enabling the majority of the population to sustain their livelihoods through primary industries such as fishing and agriculture.

However, the mangrove forest, which covered 80,000 hectares in 2001, was severely damaged due to economic development and other reasons, and by 2011, the mangrove forest area had sharply decreased to 23,000 hectares. This highlights the importance of restoring and sustainably managing the mangrove forests.

With this awareness of the problem, the Guyanese government signed a detailed project plan and implementation measures in May with the Korea Forest Service and GGGI to ecologically restore the mangrove forests and appropriately respond to the climate crisis.

Accordingly, the Korea Forest Service and GGGI plan to restore 120 hectares of mangrove forest along a 6 km section of Mahaica Beach in Guyana by 2027, strengthen ecosystem management based on local communities, protect about 500 residents and 1,000 hectares of farmland, and achieve a total reduction of 1.12 million tons of carbon dioxide over the next 25 years.

GGGI, which will participate in the restoration project, is an international organization with 48 member countries as of last month, operating projects in 51 countries and supporting developing countries in green growth and carbon neutrality policy development, green finance and resource mobilization, and strengthening public-private partnerships.

GGGI was founded in Korea in June 2010 and officially launched as an international organization in October 2012. Currently, former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon serves as its chairperson.

Nam Song-hee, Director of International Forestry Cooperation at the Korea Forest Service, said, “The Korea Forest Service will strive to use the restoration of Guyana’s mangrove forests as a stepping stone to enhance climate crisis response capabilities and leave a model precedent that strengthens the economic self-reliance foundation of coastal areas through biodiversity enhancement.”