Legal Foundation Laid for Eco-Friendly Lumber Harvest & Use of Forest Satellite

Minister Nam Sung-hyun of Korea Forest Service. (Photos: KFS)

Korea Forest Service (KFS) said the National Assembly gave the go-ahead to the revision of the Act on Creation and Management of Forest Resources, calling for the establishment of a lumber harvest system, and offering financial support to cover losses incurred by forest owners on Dec. 8.

Under the amendment, large-sized logging with a given area is managed systematically and comprehensively in areas, such as ecology, landscape and forestry disasters, from a planning stage through feasibility study.

Local governments and provincial forest administration offices may inaugurate screening committees so that they can make decisions after examining permits on logging.

Steps are in place to prevent losses forest owners sustain in the wake of the strengthening of a permit system.

The National Assembly approved a revision of the Act on Creation and Management of Forest Resources, calling for the establishment of a co-friendly lumber harvest system.

The value of standing trees not felled in consideration of ecology, landscape and forest disaster dangers will be compensated within national budget.

Administrative offices are required to handle applications on the permits of logging within 30 days after an application is submitted. In the case a prior feasibility study is done, they are required to inform outcomes within seven days.

A legal foundation has been laid for the building and operation of a forest satellite survey network related to an agriculture and forest satellite, to be launched in 2025, which will gather and utilize surveyed information.

The step is expected to ramp up the efficient management of forest resources through surveillance and the surveying of the whole of forests on the Korean Peninsula in a wide and scientific fashion, strengthen the prevention of forest fires and restoration, landslides and forest insects and achieve carbon neutrality via the real-time inspection of forest changes, caused by climate change.

KFS Minister Nam Sung-hyun said, “KFS plans to overhaul and operate a lumber harvest system the way economic, environment and social functions of forests can be demonstrated in harmony and ram up institutional execution by implementing systems, including a lumber harvest system designed to provide support to forest owners lest they incur losses from the reinforced steps.”

A view of an eco-friendly lumbering considering forest ecosystem and landscape by KFS’ Gangneung Management Office. (Photos: KFS)

KFS Takes Cue from Foreign Companies’ Reduction of Gas Emissions

Korea Forest Service (KFS) commissioned research on the domestic exploration through the analysis of ESG cases in the foreign forest sector in order to help major Korean companies expand their ESG investments to the forest sector.

The commissioned study went to Korea University ESG Research Center, headed by Prof. Lee Jae-hyuk of Korea University Business Administration Department. It will be done for eight months between April 4 and Dec. 2.

Takeaways of the study will be an analysis of Korean and foreign companies’ ESG cases related to overseas afforestation projects; an analysis of categories related to forests in Korean and foreign ESG indices; and how to connect forests and ESG.