Customized Forest Management Project
Covering 17,136 Hectares Including Afforestation Site Maintenance
On May 14, Chungnam Province announced that it will invest 34.4 billion KRW this year to implement a 'Customized Forest Management' project covering an area of 17,136 hectares (ha).
This project aims to respond to the climate crisis and enhance the public and economic value of forests, with a focus on creating an environment where young trees and diverse wildlife can grow healthily.
By project type, the breakdown is as follows: ▲ Afforestation site management 14,113 ha ▲ Young tree management 1,283 ha ▲ Economic forest management 612 ha ▲ Forest management for wildfire prevention 382 ha ▲ Public benefit forest management 746 ha.
The province plans to address issues such as decreased carbon absorption capacity and reduced ecosystem health caused by overcrowding within forests, which have arisen because about 70% of the total forest area consists of mature forests over 30 years old.
For each project, economic forests will focus on improving timber productivity and quality, while public benefit forests will prioritize restoring ecological functions and preventing natural disasters.
The wildfire prevention forest management project will focus on intensive management of pine species vulnerable to wildfires and will strengthen preventive management models by blocking 'fire ladders'?the spread of fire fuel along the canopy?through pruning and thinning.
In addition, to realize social value and revitalize the local economy, 78 people from low-income and vulnerable groups have been hired for public job positions.
These individuals are divided into the 'Forest Management Resource Survey Team' and the 'Forest Management Patrol,' and will carry out various field operations such as forest status surveys, project history management, responding to civil complaints, removing hazardous trees, and pest control.
The forest management project is a government-subsidized program that is implemented with the landowner's consent and without cost to the forest owner. Applications are accepted year-round through the administrative welfare centers in towns and villages where the forests are located, the relevant forestry departments, or the local forestry cooperatives.
Go Daeyeol, Director of the Provincial Forest Resources Division, stated, "Through customized forest management, we will enhance the vitality of our forests and lay the foundation for achieving carbon neutrality and responding to climate change," adding, "We will do our best to contribute to improving the quality of life for residents through sustainable forest management."
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