Focusing on Japanese Cypress, Sawtooth Oak, and Lily Magnolia
Promoting Diversification of Tree Species to Respond to Climate Change
Jeollanam-do announced plans to focus on cultivating tree species that are resistant to wildfires and pine wilt disease, and that serve as nectar sources for bees, as part of its response to climate change.
Since 2014, Jeollanam-do has selected species such as Japanese cypress, sawtooth oak, lily magnolia, Dendropanax, torreya, and pine as strategic species, and has carried out afforestation projects covering a total area of 31,000 hectares through this year.
However, due to recent changes in forest environments caused by climate change and the demand from forest owners for greater diversity in afforestation species, it has become necessary to shift toward species with higher economic value and greater ecological conservation benefits.
In response, the Jeollanam-do Forest Research Institute recently held a roundtable to identify future tree species, attended by over 20 participants including representatives from the National Institute of Forest Science, forest seedling producers, breeding experts, and local government officials.
During the meeting, the following species were proposed as strategic species for the Jeollanam-do region: fire-resistant species such as Japanese snowbell, camellia, and Daphniphyllum; nectar-producing species such as black locust and oriental raisin tree; and economically valuable species such as Loblolly pine and slash pine, which are also easy to manage.
Among these, Loblolly pine and slash pine are evaluated as highly economical species due to their rapid growth and ability to produce high-quality timber. Based on a planting density of about 500 trees per hectare, it is expected that annual income could reach 250 million won per hectare after a 40-year rotation.
In addition, the results of a two-year joint study on the establishment of nectar plant complexes in the southern region, conducted by the Jeollanam-do Forest Research Institute and the National Institute of Forest Science in the Haenam area, demonstrated that black locust (91%) and Heptacodium (93%) showed excellent establishment rates, proving their potential as nectar-producing species.
Jeollanam-do is currently creating about 90 hectares of nectar forests annually, and plans to continue expanding these, mainly in public forests, not only to conserve the ecosystem but also to increase the income of 2,846 local beekeeping households and vitalize the beekeeping industry.
The proposed strategic species will be planted and cultivated in earnest two to four years from now, after designating seed collection stands and establishing a seedling production system.
Kang Shinhee, director of forest resources at Jeollanam-do, stated, "It is necessary to identify promising species with diverse functions to proactively respond to climate change and forest disasters," and added, "By building a Jeollanam-do-style forest management model centered on strategic species, we will contribute to increasing the income of forest owners."
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