Citizen-Centered Forestry Administration for the Benefit of Both Citizens and the Cooperative
Calls for Communication and Cooperation
On July 16, the Jinju City Council Urban Environment Committee announced that it had held a meeting with the Jinju Forestry Cooperative to discuss the current status and challenges of local forestry administration, and agreed to work together to promote citizen-centered forestry management.
During the meeting, the cooperative briefed the committee members in the office of the Urban Environment Committee Chair on various forestry-related projects commissioned by Jinju City, including forest road and erosion control projects, trail construction, aerial pest control, and wildfire suppression. The cooperative also requested the committee’s interest and support for cemetery management and forestry administration services, which are being carried out as part of citizen complaints and entrusted tasks.
The committee members, drawing on their successful experience with the 'Restoring Bibongsan Project,' asked the cooperative to ensure not only promptness but also kindness in handling citizen complaints and administrative services related to forest damage, emphasizing the importance of citizen-centered forest management. They also pledged to maintain close cooperation with the cooperative.
Additionally, Vice Chair Choi Minkook referenced a wildfire earlier this year that started in Sancheong County and spread to Hadong County, urging proactive measures against the increasing scale of wildfires driven by the climate crisis. He stated, "Jinju City is no longer a safe zone," and stressed the urgent need to strengthen preventive forestry infrastructure, such as expanding forest roads for wildfire response.
Committee member Kang Myoyoung emphasized the need for active promotion of the cooperative’s projects and communication with citizens so that the various benefits and dividends provided by the cooperative can directly benefit the citizens.
Jung Deokgyo, head of the cooperative, responded by saying, "We will sincerely listen to the opinions of the council members, who represent the citizens, and do our best to ensure that the forestry cooperative can fully play its role in the local community."
Meanwhile, the Jinju City Council Urban Environment Committee continues to strengthen its engagement with the local community by holding meetings such as the one with the Jinju City Volunteer Disaster Prevention Corps on July 7, thereby enhancing its on-site legislative activities.
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