Sacheon City to Launch Tree Species Conversion Project in Pine Wilt Disease-Affected Areas

Priority given to heavily affected areas such as Gonyang-myeon and Seopo-myeon... 100 hectares targeted for the 2027 project

Forest owners' consent forms accepted through December 11... Support for planting replacement species after logging

Sacheon City in South Gyeongsang Province is accepting applications for sites for its 2027 tree species conversion project to prevent the spread of pine wilt disease in heavily affected areas and restore forests.

The city announced on November 13 that it will carry out the “2027 Pine Wilt Disease Tree Species Conversion Project,” which will cut down existing pine trees and plant other species in areas heavily affected by the disease.

The project will clear-cut pine trees in forests where pine wilt disease has occurred in clusters and replace them with other species. The city plans to use the project to rehabilitate infected areas and restore the ecological and economic functions of the forests.

[Photo provided by Sacheon City] Forests in Sacheon affected by pine wilt disease. The city plans to launch a forest species conversion project in 2027 in areas hardest hit, including Gonyang-myeon and Seopo-myeon.

Eligible sites are areas where at least 50% of the pine trees on the forest land are infected with pine wilt disease. Sacheon City will give priority consideration to Gonyang-myeon and Seopo-myeon, where damage has been concentrated.

The project will cover a total of 100 hectares. Sites with at least 1 hectare for which forest owners have submitted consent forms will be reviewed by a selection committee, which will determine the final project sites.

Participating forest owners may sell the trees to be cut down through sales contracts with timber producers. However, actual proceeds may vary depending on the condition of the trees and the terms of the contracts.

After the trees are cut down, Sacheon City will carry out a reforestation project by planting species other than pine, with no separate reforestation costs charged to forest owners.

Tree species for planting will be selected to reflect forest owners’ opinions, but some choices may change depending on factors such as seedling availability. Applications will be accepted from November 12 through December 11, 2026.

Sacheon Mayor Park Dong-sik said, “To prevent the spread of pine wilt disease, it is important to convert the species in affected areas as well as remove damaged trees. I urge forest owners to take an interest and participate so we can restore forest health and develop sustainable forest resources.”

Sacheon City plans to finalize the project areas after reviewing the proposed sites and completing the deliberation process, then proceed with the tree species conversion project in 2027.

For tree species conversion in areas affected by pine wilt disease to lead to genuine forest restoration, forest owners’ participation is essential, along with the selection of suitable species and ongoing management after trees are cut down.

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