"Designate My Forest as a Protected Area"... Why a Landowner Volunteered

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Forest genetic resource protection areas are strictly managed by the government to preserve forest ecosystems. Because of this, development and use are restricted. However, a private landowner has voluntarily stepped forward, asking for their private forest to be designated as a protection area.

Reporter Jo Jaegeun has more.

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A marten, an endangered wildlife species grade II, marks its territory on a rock before disappearing.

As evening falls, another endangered animal, the leopard cat, begins its activity.

A place where martens play and the natural monument flying squirrels appear at night.

Located near Unduryeong in Pyeongchang, 198 hectares of this area were designated as a forest genetic resource protection area in three phases starting last December.

There are more than 300 species of native plants here.

Among them, 51.5 hectares are private forests. Excluding religious corporations, this is the first time a private individual's forest has been designated as a forest genetic resource protection area.

Although the exercise of property rights has effectively become difficult due to restrictions on development and the gathering of forest products, the forest owner voluntarily requested the designation.

[Shim Jung-jin / Representative, Chorokwon Agricultural Corporation: We intended to work for ecological preservation and such things, and that part hasn't changed. By being designated as a protection area like this, if we do it well, we can work a bit more systematically and a bit more effectively...]

In particular, by connecting with nearby protection areas, a massive ecological axis has been completed.

[Jung Sooyoung / Researcher, Korea National Arboretum, Korea Forest Service: The great significance lies in connecting protection areas that previously existed in dots into a single protection area, and we have provided spaces where plants and animals can connect and interact with one another.]

[Dasom / Natural Ecosystem Team Member, Green Korea United: Given that our country's state-owned forest area is around 26% and with such a situation where state-owned forests are scarce and private forests are abundant, this designation case can serve as a positive starting point.]

In an era of climate change and biodiversity crises, the choice of an ordinary yet practicing individual is creating a meaningful precedent for the future.

(Video by: Kim Dae-chul)

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