Fourteen Asian nations have gathered in Korea to discuss the restoration of forest ecology and the preservation of biological diversity.

The Korea Forest Service hosted the "forest ecology conservation in Asia" workshop, in cooperation with the U.N. Convention on Biological Diversity Secretariat (UNCBD), in Jeju from July 14 to 18. The participants were forestry professionals from 14 countries, including Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Mongolia, Iran, Afghanistan and Uzbekistan. Also in attendance were seven international associations, including the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the U.N. Environment Programme (UNEP) and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

During the workshop, the Korea Forest Service introduced its "forest ecology restoration initiative," which is based on the country's experience of reforestation. It gave examples of its restoration efforts and explained its policies, such as designating the Baekdudaegan Mountain Range as a preservation area and restoring depleted lands and forests that have been devastated by fire. Participants also visited the Jeolmul Natural Recreation Forest and the Halla Eco-forest, among others on Jeju Island.



Later this year, from October 6 to 17, Korea will present its "forest ecology restoration initiative" for Asian regions at the 12th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in Pyeongchang, Gangwon-do (Gangwon Province). Deforestation across the world is a very serious problem, the forest service said, and according to the U.N.'s FAO, 13 million hectares of forest and jungles have been destroyed annually between 2000 to 2010.

"Fifty years ago, half of the forested land in Korea was damaged and in poor condition, but the government and citizens made an effort to turn barren lands back into forests," said a Korea Forest Service official. "Today, the conservation of Korea's forests is above average for Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) nations."

"I hope that this workshop will help restore forest ecology across Asia and help preserve biological diversity, and that Korea's reforestation experience will help Asian nations recover their barren lands," he said.

By Limb Jae-un
Korea.net Staff Writer
jun2@korea.kr