Voluntarily Designating Private Forest as Protected Area... Why?

[Anchor]

"Forest genetic resource protection areas" are designated and strictly managed by the government to preserve forest ecosystems. Because development is restricted, exercising property rights can be difficult. However, a forest owner has voluntarily stepped forward to request that their private forest be designated as a protected area.

Reporter Jo Jaegeun has the story.

[Reporter]

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

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

A place where martens play and the natural monument Siberian flying squirrel appears at night.

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

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 case of a private forest owned by an individual being designated as a forest genetic resource protection area.

Although development and the harvesting of forest products are restricted, making the exercise of property rights practically difficult, the forest owner voluntarily requested the designation.

[Shim Jung-jin / Representative, Chorokwon Agricultural Corporation: We intended to work for ecological preservation and such, and since that stance remains unchanged, if we do it right with this (protection area) designation, we can do things a little more systematically and a little more effectively...]

In particular, by connecting with nearby protected areas, a large ecological axis has been completed.

[Jung Sooyoung / Researcher, Korea National Arboretum, Korea Forest Service: The great significance lies in connecting protected areas that previously existed in spot forms into a single protected area, and providing a space where animals and plants can interact with connectivity.]

[Lee Dasom / Natural Ecosystem Team Leader, Green Korea United: With the area of national forests in our country being around 26 percent, in a situation where national forests are scarce and private forests are extensive, this designation can serve as a positive starting point.]

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

(Video by: Kim Dae-chul)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.