[한겨레S] Pine trees on the Korean Peninsula at a crossroads
Blame wilt disease and climate stress
Spreading to Uljin, Samcheok, Gyeongju, Andong, etc.
25% of the total… History with the nation
‘Pine tree extinction’ requires practical measures
A red, dying Geumgang pine tree in Sogwang-ri Forest, Uljin-gun, Gyeongsangbuk-do.
Pine trees are in crisis. Pine trees are dying due to pests and diseases and climate stress. First of all, pine wilt disease is causing large-scale deaths in major forest areas. Pine wilt disease, which was introduced into Korea in 1988, went through several difficult times and there was a time when manageable control was expected. However, after 2022, it has become difficult to do anything in severely affected areas. In particular, the spread is so serious that it seems like Pohang, Gyeongju, and Andong in North Gyeongsang Province and Miryang in South Gyeongsang Province are giving up on responding. Dying pine trees, like broadleaf trees with autumn leaves, can be easily observed on the road. In Gogeumsan Mountain, Daebori, Homigot-myeon, Pohang-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do, dead pine trees occupy about 70-80% of the entire forest. It is easy to see pine trees whose leaves have disappeared and only bare branches and trunks remaining, as well as pine trees whose leaves have turned red and are dying. Pohang City and Gyeongsangbuk-do have almost given up on pest control. The situation in Miryang and Andong is almost similar. In Daegu City, infected trees that look like autumn leaves can be seen in residential areas and roads. There are many dying pine trees all over the islands of Geoje and Tongyeong Island in Gyeongsangnam-do, where Hallyeohaesang National Park is located on the southern coast. The National Park Service and Gyeongsangnam-do are not brave enough to tackle pest control. Even among front-line organizations that monitor (observation and record) and control pine wilt disease in the field, there is a widespread sentiment that ‘it’s not enough anymore’. When pine wilt disease spread around 2014, the National Assembly stepped in and ordered measures, and a lot of administrative power was mobilized in ‘extreme areas’ to temporarily control the disease. However, right now, it is not a concern of city/provincial governors or mayors/county heads. If this continues, there is a high possibility that pine trees will disappear in the current extreme regions.
A mass die-off of Geumgang pine trees occurs at Taebaeksan Mountain in Bonghwa-gun, Gyeongsangbuk-do.
Geumgang pine tree dies due to wilt disease
Pine trees are also being confirmed to be dying due to climate stress rather than diseases and pests. Geumgang pine trees in Uljin, Gyeongsangbuk-do and Samcheok Forest Genetic Resources Reserve in Gangwon-do, known as the best pine forests in Korea, are representative examples. As of October 1, 2023, dead trees of Geumgang pine continue to be identified mainly in Sogwang-ri, Uljin-gun, Gyeongbuk, Punggok-ri, Samcheok-si, Gangwon-do, and Seokpo-ri and Goseon-ri, Bonghwa-gun, Gyeongbuk. This area has been designated as a forest protection area since the Joseon Dynasty and is the largest habitat for Geumgang pine trees along the ecological axis of the Baekdudaegan and Nakdongmaek (a mountain range that separates from the Baekdudaegan and extends to Busan). It is also a place in South Korea where pine trees, which are close to primeval forests, are in the best condition and stretch into the sky. Geumgang pine, one of the pine trees, was also used to build national treasures such as Gyeongbokgung Palace and Namdaemun. Even now, in the Uljin-Samcheok Forest Genetic Resources Protection Zone, Geumgang pine trees with a diameter of 1 m and a height of 20 m are widely distributed in a vast forest of over 10,000 ha. In these forests, mass death of Geumgang pine trees continues to be confirmed, ranging from as few as 3 to 5 trees to as many as 10 to 30 trees. Representative examples include Sogwang-ri in Uljin-gun, Punggok-ri in Samcheok-si, and Daehyeon-ri and Goseon-ri in Bonghwa-gun at the foot of Baekdudaegan, centering around the Nakdong vein. This summer too, the beautiful Geumgang Pine tree burned red and died deep in the forest. The death phenomenon began in Uljin in 2015 and is spreading to Samcheok and Bonghwa. From 2020, it began to spread to the Baekdudaegan Mountain Range, and by 2023, it had spread to various parts of the Baekdudaegan Ecological Axis, including Taebaeksan National Park and Seoraksan National Park. The National Park Service also began monitoring park areas. More mass deaths of Geumgang pine trees than expected are being confirmed at the border of the park area. It was confirmed that the dead wood of Geumgang pine was not infected with pine wilt disease. This is why it is assumed that the cause of the death of Geumgang pine trees is winter dryness and drought caused by the climate crisis. Researchers related to Geumgang pine trees at the National Institute of Forest Science and the National Baekdudaegan Arboretum are estimating that the cause of death is lack of moisture due to the climate crisis or death in the soil layer. If this trend continues, it is highly likely that pine trees will continue to suffer from diseases and pests, and Geumgang pine trees will gradually disappear due to climate stress. The problem is that about 25% of domestic forests are pine trees. It is necessary to observe and prepare for what kind of chain reaction dying pine trees will cause in the forest. It would be fortunate if the decline of pine trees occurs within the scope of the forest’s ability to self-purify, similar to the natural succession process that transforms into a new plant community in response to environmental changes. However, it may disappear with side effects and disasters we have never experienced. If the forest where the pine trees died has a steep slope, the risk of landslides increases. Other ecological disturbances or changes in the dead tree area cannot be ignored.
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A dying pine colony in Gogeumsan Mountain, Pohang-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do.
Death of pine trees increases disaster risk
Pine trees are particularly vulnerable to disasters. Landslides are also more likely and frequent in pine forests. Forest fires also depend on pine forests. In deciduous forests other than pine forests, the speed and firepower of forest fires are significantly lower. Nowadays, preventing disasters caused by pine trees is more important than growing pine trees well. A review is needed at the level of mountain disasters to reduce the impact of pine tree decline. The government’s forestry policy should also stop planting pine trees and actively monitor declining pine trees to reduce the impact. We need to closely monitor and record how pine trees are disappearing and prepare practical measures. The key is to actively prepare for changes in the disappearance of pine trees. However, we should not give up on restoration efforts to permanently preserve the species and genes of Geumgang pine trees in protected areas such as Baekdudaegan, national parks, and forest reserves. Pine trees are also mentioned in the national anthem. Historically, pine trees survived along with the Korean people. All buildings that are cultural heritage are made of pine trees. Even now, pine trees provide valuable economic benefits called ‘songi’ to mountain village residents. But now we may have to prepare to say goodbye to Pine Tree. We must prepare in terms of adapting to the climate crisis. The decline of pine trees is something we have never experienced before, and its essence is a biodiversity crisis caused by the climate crisis. A heavy question is asked about how to navigate this path. Written and photo by Seo Jae-cheol, expert member of Green Korea Federation
2023-10-08 02:00:21
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