Hapcheon-gun Opens the Future with Forests ... Achieves Both Safety and Tourism

From Landslide and Forest Fire Prevention
to Forest Recreation and Tourism Revitalization:
Comprehensive Forestry Policies in Action

Hapcheon-gun in South Gyeongsang Province is achieving results that encompass public safety, tourism, and revitalization of the local economy through comprehensive forestry administration, which integrates forest disaster prevention and forest resource utilization.

According to the county, it received outstanding evaluations last year in all areas of forestry, including forest disaster response, forest management, and the creation of green spaces, earning recognition as the top or excellent institution in five categories in evaluations conducted by the Korea Forest Service and Gyeongsangnam-do Province.

[Photo provided by Hapcheon County] Hapcheon County is conducting a comprehensive forestry administration policy meeting that links forest disaster prevention with the utilization of forest resources.

In particular, during the heavy rains in July last year, while neighboring areas suffered a series of landslides, Hapcheon-gun recorded zero casualties. The county continued to manage 298 landslide-prone sites and preemptively evacuated 103 residents from 79 households in areas at risk during severe weather, minimizing damage.

This response led to Hapcheon-gun being selected as the best institution nationwide in the Best Practices for Landslide Prevention and Response evaluation, organized by the Korea Forest Service. This year, the county plans to invest a total of approximately KRW 30.2 billion for permanent restoration projects at 559 sites affected by landslides and forest road damage.

Efforts to prevent forest fires are also being strengthened. The county has established an early response system by cracking down on illegal burning, collaborating with private organizations, and operating honorary forest fire watchers.

This year, the county is focusing on community-based prevention activities by distributing reusable containers to farmers who use wood-burning boilers and expanding forest fire prevention awareness campaigns.

Projects for sustainable forest management are also being actively promoted. The county is working to create a healthy forest ecosystem through economic forests, large tree plantations, reforestation in areas damaged by forest fires, and the planting of honey plants and region-specific trees. In particular, the planting of honey plants is expected to support beekeeping farms and expand the production of local specialty products.

The activation of tourism utilizing forest resources is also noteworthy. All-season forest tourism resources, such as royal azaleas and silver grass on Hwangmaesan Mountain and pink muhly grass at Sinsoyang Sports Park, are attracting tourists and establishing themselves as key assets for revitalizing the local economy.

[Photo provided by Hapcheon County] A panoramic view of the pink muhly pasture created around Hapcheon Sinsoyang Sports Park

Hwangmaesan Mountain has gained nationwide popularity as a destination for royal azaleas in spring and silver grass in autumn. The pink muhly grass colony at Sinsoyang Sports Park is also drawing continuous streams of tourists, particularly through social networking services (SNS). The county plans to enhance the tourism infrastructure by expanding photo zones and convenience facilities to support longer stays.

Forest recreation infrastructure is also being expanded. Odosan Natural Recreation Forest has been attracting attention with forest healing programs such as meditation, yoga, and forest trail walking. In addition, a green cultural experience zone equipped with cabin houses and camping facilities in the Hwangmaesan area is scheduled to officially open this July.

Moon Donggu, Head of the Forestry Division, stated, "Caring for the forest ultimately means making people happier," adding, "We will strive to create a safe forest environment that residents can truly experience and to establish a sustainable forest model where people and forests coexist."

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