Yuhan-Kimberly Takes Initiative to Save Endangered Korean Peninsula Native Kusu Tree

Signing of a Business Agreement for the Protection and Conservation of Kusangnamu and Endangered Alpine Conifers

On the 29th, at the National Sejong Arboretum, Ryu Kwang-su, Chairman of the Korea Arboretum and Garden Management Authority (left), and Choi Ho-yeon, Head of Sustainable Management at Yuhan-Kimberly (right), are posing for a commemorative photo after signing a business agreement. Photo by Yuhan-Kimberly

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Heeyoon] Yuhan-Kimberly announced on the 30th that it has signed a "Memorandum of Understanding for the Protection and Conservation of Abies koreana and Endangered Alpine Conifers" with the Korea Arboretum and Garden Management Institute under the Korea Forest Service.

This agreement is a follow-up measure to the mutual MOU for carbon neutrality activities and ESG management signed with the Korea Forest Service on the 8th of this month.

Through this agreement, Yuhan-Kimberly and the Korea Arboretum and Garden Management Institute will mutually cooperate on △ research and seed collection for the conservation of Abies koreana △ creation of Abies koreana forests for ex-situ conservation (at the National Baekdudaegan Arboretum) △ protection and conservation of endangered alpine conifers.

Abies koreana is currently facing extinction due to causes such as rising temperatures and decreased snowfall caused by climate change, making efforts for its conservation and restoration urgently needed. According to a survey by the National Institute of Forest Science, about 30% of Abies koreana trees are confirmed to be in a state of dieback.

Abies koreana, which is also used as a Christmas tree overseas, is a native species that grows only in Korea’s Hallasan and Jirisan Mountains, and its value is very high in terms of biodiversity.

Since 1984, Yuhan-Kimberly has planted and nurtured more than 54 million trees in national and public forests through the "Our Mountains and Rivers Green and Greener" campaign over the past 37 years. It has actively responded to climate change through discovering beautiful forests, establishing forest schools, restoring forests in border areas, and creating the Mongolian Yuhan-Kimberly Forest (desertification prevention forest). Since April of this year, it has been continuously making efforts for carbon neutrality by creating the first citizen-participatory carbon-neutral forest in Seokpo Forest, Yongin, together with the Korea Forest Service.

A Yuhan-Kimberly official said, "Through Environmental Management 3.0, Yuhan-Kimberly aims to achieve a sales ratio of over 95% for products using sustainable raw materials by 2030," adding, "In addition to activities through this agreement, we will present carbon neutrality achievement goals through the use of sustainably certified forest pulp, supplying large-capacity products that reduce packaging, using recycled packaging, and launching biodegradable products."

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