Forest Restoration Nears Completion After Wildfire and Heavy Rain Damage... Hadong County Also Works to Prevent Secondary Damage

Damaged Tree Logging to Be Completed by September,
Reforestation to Continue Through Next Spring

Hadong County in South Gyeongsang Province is carrying out restoration work on forests that were damaged by a large-scale wildfire and heavy rainfall in the Okjong-myeon area last year.

According to the county, the total area affected by the Okjong wildfire last year was 1,078 hectares (first phase: 994 hectares; second phase: 84 hectares). Restoration work is underway with a total project budget of 6.916 billion won, and the overall progress rate currently stands at 80%.

A total of 1 billion won in private facility damage compensation has been provided to 62 households (154 cases) cultivating forest crops such as Aralia elata (dureup), chestnuts, and bracken that were affected by the wildfire.

[Photo provided by Hadong County] The total area affected by the wildfires in Okjong, Hadong County, last year was 1,078 hectares (1st fire: 994 hectares, 2nd fire: 84 hectares). A total project cost of 6.916 billion KRW is being invested to carry out restoration work. Panorama of Hadong County Office.

To prevent secondary damage from heavy rainfall, the county has completed mountain erosion control projects at five sites (11.2 hectares) and stream conservation work at six sites (1.0 kilometers). Emergency logging was also carried out on hazardous trees covering 1.78 hectares near cultural heritage sites and residential areas.

Logging of damaged trees and reforestation projects are also underway for the areas affected by the wildfire. Out of the total 180 hectares designated for restoration, logging has been completed on 104 hectares (58%), and reforestation has been completed on 38 hectares (22%).

The county plans to finish logging of damaged trees by September and to carry out reforestation sequentially from this autumn through next spring, taking into account seasonal conditions and the opinions of forest landowners.

The restoration work for landslides and damaged forest roads caused by last year's heavy rainfall is also nearing completion. Restoration is ongoing at 50 sites with an investment of 2.411 billion won, and the current progress rate is 98%.

Of the 26 landslide restoration sites in areas including Agyang, Okjong, Jeongnyang, Cheongam, Hwagae, and Hoengcheon-myeon, 25 have been completed. Construction of erosion and check dams is currently underway in Yupyeong Village, Hoengcheon-myeon. Restoration of forest roads has been completed at 24 sites in Hoengcheon, Hwagae, and Okjong-myeon.

Hadong County is also conducting disaster prevention activities alongside the restoration work, including safety inspections and on-site surveys at 250 landslide-prone areas in preparation for summer heavy rainfall and typhoons.

A county official stated, "We are proceeding with restoration in wildfire and flood-damaged areas according to our plans, and we intend to continue preventive forest disaster measures through ongoing inspections and post-project management even after the completion of restoration."

Wildfires and heavy rainfall are unavoidable natural disasters, but the speed and systematic nature of recovery depend on the role of the local government.

While the restoration rate is important, the quality of construction and post-restoration management are even greater challenges. The true value of the restoration project will be realized when forest management is focused on prevention, ensuring that the affected areas are not exposed to the same disasters again.

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