In the wake of a massive wildfire that swept through North Gyeongsang Province, causing extensive forest damage, the Korea Forest Service, North Gyeongsang Province, Yeongyang County, Gwangju City in Gyeonggi Province, Chungju City in North Chungcheong Province, Jecheon City in North Chungcheong Province, the Korea Timber Cooperative Association, and the Timber Culture Promotion Association have joined forces to utilize wildfire-damaged trees as building materials and turn them into high-value-added resources, according to an announcement on July 15.
North Gyeongsang Province established a public-private partnership and held working-level discussions to convert trees that were felled or died as a result of the wildfire into resources for use as building materials. This initiative aims to increase the self-sufficiency rate of domestic timber and to gain recognition for its value in use.
Although the wildfire-damaged trees are scorched on the outside, their interiors remain intact, maintaining a quality suitable for use as structural or interior and exterior building materials. However, due to difficulties in securing demand, the initiative was designed as a pilot project to prioritize their use in public wooden buildings as a way to address this challenge.
Pine trees from the wildfire-damaged areas of North Gyeongsang Province that are suitable for construction will be collected through collaboration between the Korea Forest Service, North Gyeongsang Province, and Yeongyang County. The Korea Timber Cooperative Association will process these trees, manage timber quality, and produce them as building materials.
The processed timber will be used in public wooden buildings promoted by participating local governments, such as the National Timber Culture Experience Center in Seoul, the Timber Education Center in Gwangju City, Gyeonggi Province, the Timber Culture Center in Chungju City, North Chungcheong Province, and the Woraksan Tourist Information Center in Jecheon City, North Chungcheong Province. The public and private sectors have finalized discussions on implementation plans through a working-level council.
Cho Hyunae, Director of the Forest Resources Bureau of North Gyeongsang Province, stated, "By using wildfire-damaged trees in public buildings, we expect not only to increase demand for domestic timber but also to have a positive effect on the recovery of wildfire-affected areas and the revitalization of the local economy. We will continue to create a virtuous cycle of resources by utilizing wildfire-damaged trees as building materials."
Meanwhile, when the Gyeongsang Timber Resource Center, currently under construction in Pohang City, is completed in 2026, North Gyeongsang Province plans to further process wildfire-damaged trees into high-value-added resources such as building materials and to continuously expand their use.
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