Yongsan-gu, Forest Pest Monitoring and Control

Forestry, Parks, and Green Spaces Receive 278.66 Million KRW for Pine Wilt Disease Control and More... 'Tree Health Consultation' for Residential Green Areas to Start in March

Pine Wilt Disease Prevention Tree Injection 작업

[Asia Economy Reporter Jong-il Park] Yongsan-gu (District Mayor Seongjang Hyun) is conducting a ‘Pest Monitoring and Control’ project targeting forests, parks, and green spaces within the district.

The required budget is 278.66 million KRW. It allocates 30 million KRW for pine wood nematode control, 199.16 million KRW for general pest control, 45.5 million KRW for forest disaster job projects, and 4 million KRW for urban tree health care projects.

The pine wood nematode is a nematode that parasitizes pine trees, Korean pine, and Japanese black pine, boring into the trees. It parasitizes vector insects such as the pine sawyer beetle and northern pine sawyer beetle, transmitting diseases to trees through these vectors. Infected trees are known to die 100%.

The district plans to regularly inspect sites to investigate (request testing for) ‘suspected infected trees’ such as pine trees that are dead or in the process of dying. This month, injections will be administered to about 2,500 trees to prevent nematode infection. A 2.15% emamectin benzoate formulation will be injected by drilling holes into the trees.

During spring (March-April) and autumn (November), the movement of pine trees will also be monitored. If pine tree handling businesses move trees without a ‘production (non-infection) certificate,’ they may be fined upon detection.

The district will also intensify general (sudden and invasive) pest control projects starting this month. After removing major pest (such as the spotted lanternfly and lace bug) winter egg masses in February and March, priority will be given to injecting street trees such as the Norway maple in March and April. This is to prevent the ‘American white moth,’ which caused significant damage last year.

The forest disaster job project will also begin this month. Eight temporary workers have been hired, including two for the forest pest monitoring and control team, three for the specialized wildfire prevention and suppression team, and three for the landslide site prevention team.

From March to October, the district will conduct ‘tree health consulting’ targeting green spaces in multi-use living areas such as apartments and school forests. Private specialized companies (tree hospitals) will diagnose tree damage and issue prescriptions. Institutions wishing to receive consulting can apply through the district’s Parks and Greenery Division (☎2199-7622). This does not apply to private gardens or trees.

Additionally, the district plans to operate a separate ‘Forest Pest Monitoring and Control Headquarters (headed by the district mayor)’ for three months starting in June to thoroughly prevent pest outbreaks.

As of January, Yongsan-gu has 47 parks covering 506,789㎡. There are 7,835 street trees, and other general green spaces and forested areas cover 369,567㎡.

Seongjang Hyun, Mayor of Yongsan-gu, said, “Due to climate change and prolonged droughts, the frequency of pest outbreaks has increased. Through pest control projects, we will maintain residents’ green resting places safely and comfortably.”

Namsan Park Panorama

Parks and Greenery Division (☎2199-7622)

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.