Timber production and forest cycle management with ecological and landscape considerations — subsidies available for participants
South Chungcheong Province announced Monday it will introduce eco-friendly logging practices to support timber production and forest cycle management while preserving ecological and scenic values.
The province will offer a subsidy of 18,532 won ($14) per cubic meter of standard standing timber volume to forest owners who participate in the eco-friendly logging program.
Eco-friendly logging is a harvesting method that retains portions of trees in clustered or strip-shaped forest formations, reducing damage to ecosystems and landscapes and limiting the risk of natural disasters.
The approach aims to establish a full cycle of forest management — planting, tending, harvesting and replanting — by restocking harvested sites with tree species suited to local conditions and maintaining them over time.
To qualify for the subsidy, forest owners must meet the relevant criteria, including leaving at least 20 percent of the logging zone as clustered or strip-shaped forest in areas of 5 hectares or more.
Subsidies are calculated based on the volume of eligible standing timber following an on-site inspection. Applications must be submitted to the relevant city or county government within six months from the day after the logging permit expires.
"Eco-friendly logging is an approach that considers not only timber production but also the forest's ecology, scenery and the woodland that future generations will inherit," said Ahn Gyu-won, head of the province's forest land management division. "We will work closely with cities and counties to strengthen policy outreach and do our utmost to establish sustainable forest management that links harvesting, reforestation and follow-up care."
kwonhl@heraldcorp.com
