Korea Forest Service Eases Forest Management Plan Preparation and Administrative Procedures

The Korea Forest Service announced on December 12 that it has amended certain subordinate regulations under the Forest Resources Act to facilitate the preparation of forest management plans tailored to local conditions and to streamline administrative procedures.

A forest management plan is a blueprint that determines the types, scale, and timing of forestry projects to be implemented over a ten-year period for the efficient creation and management of forests.

Infographic on the Relaxation of Standards for Establishing and Approving Forest Management Plans for Public and Private Forests. Provided by the Korea Forest Service

Previously, forest management plans were required to include all forestry projects, such as afforestation, forest tending, logging, forest road construction, and forest income projects.

However, moving forward, project items that do not align with the local conditions of the management plan area may be excluded. In addition, the approval period for forest management plans will be shortened from 30 days to 20 days, thereby enhancing convenience for forestry workers.

The amendment also allows for the exclusion of "year changes" related to logging, excavation, and forest road construction from the list of items requiring approval for amendments to forest management plans, and permits the issuance of documents with the approved forest management plan attached.

Furthermore, the Korea Forest Service has eased the approval process for the preparation of forest management plans for public forests managed by cities, counties, and districts, replacing the requirement for approval from provincial governors with a procedure for collecting their opinions, thereby strengthening the autonomy of local governments in forest management.

Kim Daehwan, head of the Direct Payment System Team at the Korea Forest Service, stated, "By improving regulations, we have reduced the burden of preparing forest management plans and enhanced the effectiveness of the system's operation. The Korea Forest Service will continue to expand the foundation for field-oriented, sustainable forest management."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.