Tuesday was Arbor Day, and, surely enough, this year again wildfires raged around the country. In Yangyang, Gangwon Province, a fire burned down Naksan Temple, a place full of history since Silla times. Surrounding neighborhoods and pine groves also suffered a lot of damage. It was saddening all the more for happening on the country's 60th Arbor Day.
Ironically, mountain wildfires happen most often around the time of Arbor Day. According to statistics from the last five years 19.3 percent of the wildfires each year occur in a ten-day period starting April 1 because of the dryness and seasonally strong winds. An average of 37 occur on Arbor Day, and some people go so far as to say more tress burn on Arbor Day than are planted.
Wildfires are even more unfortunate for being manmade disasters rather than natural ones. The Korea Forest Service (KFS) says that of the 304 fires that broke out last year 49 percent were accidental ones, 18 percent started as field burning, and 32 percent were caused by cigarettes or children playing with fire. Once a fire rages through an area it takes 30 years to restore the area, and 100 years for the ecosystem to fully recover. The price paid for a moment of carelessness is truly massive.
Decades of effort have resulted in a country with thick trees on every mountain. Planting them is important, but now it is no less important to keep them safe and care for them. A large number of people go to the mountains around this time because of the significance of Arbor Day and because of Hansik (the 105th day after the winter solstice). If that is why there are so many fires, the country might as well consider making the day a day to protect mountains and then plant trees some other day when the risk of wildfire is relatively less.
The country should not neglect the need to plant tree species that are of higher economic or environmental value. The Korea Forest Research Institute once estimated that the various benefits of Korea's forests could as of 2003 be measured as equaling W58.8 trillion yearly. That is W1.23 million per person per year. Forests return many benefits if they are well maintained and cared for.
The Hankyoreh, 6 April 2005.
[Translations by Seoul Selection (PMS)]
[Editorial] Naksan Temple Burns on Arbor Day |
