Gyeonggi Marine and Fisheries Resources Institute to Plant 12,000 Halophytes in Hwaseong and Ansan

The Gyeonggi-do Marine and Fisheries Resources Research Institute will carry out a "Blue Carbon Ecosystem Restoration Project" by planting halophytes along the coastlines of Baekmiri in Hwaseong and Seongamdo in Ansan over two days, from May 29 to 30.

Halophytes are plants that grow in saline soils such as coastal areas, and they absorb atmospheric carbon dioxide, storing carbon in the sediment around their roots. Carbon that is absorbed and stored through marine or coastal ecosystems in this way is referred to as "Blue Carbon."

The Marine and Fisheries Resources Research Institute plans to create halophyte habitats along the coastlines of two regions, Hwaseong and Ansan, as part of efforts to respond to climate change and achieve carbon neutrality. All eight species to be planted?Suaeda japonica, Plantago maritima, Aster tripolium, Artemisia fukudo, Carex scabrifolia, Limonium tetragonum, Salicornia europaea, and Triglochin maritimum?are native to the province.

Daebudo Panorama

The institute will plant a total of 12,000 seedlings and sow 3 kilograms of seeds in collaboration with local residents and marine biology experts. Continuous post-management, including improvements to the growth environment to increase the establishment rate, will also be implemented. The institute plans to establish a systematic, science-based climate response model in the future by measuring the carbon absorption capacity of halophytes and analyzing their impact on the marine ecosystem.

Kim Seonggon, Director of the Gyeonggi-do Marine and Fisheries Resources Research Institute, stated, "The creation of halophyte habitats is not merely a matter of vegetation restoration, but an important starting point for establishing a blue carbon ecosystem as a marine carbon sink," adding, "We will continue to expand practical and scientific projects to restore marine ecosystems and respond to the climate crisis."

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