DATE : 2024-08-13
HITS : 796
The Korea Forest Service (KFS), led by Minister LIM Sang-seop, announced on the 12th that it dispatched youth participants to Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, from August 4th to 9th for a five-day trip during which they created a forest to combat desertification in Gorkhi-Terelj National Park.
The KFS selects participants for its Global Leadership Program each year from among the corps of the Korea Green Ranger and implements overseas forest experience programs.
This year, the 34 members of the program planted over 100 trees in a public-private cooperation forest within Gorkhi-Terelj National Park, in collaboration with 45 Mongolian high school students. This event was particularly significant as it marked the 30th anniversary of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD).
The youth team also took time to understand Mongolia's climate and the importance of desertification prevention through visits to afforestation sites and nurseries in Lun Soum, exploration of UNESCO World Heritage Sites, traditional Mongolian nomadic experiences, and trekking at Aryabal Meditation Temple.
As part of the 3rd phase of the Korea-Mongolia Greenbelt Project, the KFS plans to create a public-private cooperation forest in Gorkhi-Terelj National Park by 2026. The forest will cover an area of approximately 12.9 hectares, equivalent to about four soccer fields.
Director AHN Byung-ki of the Forest Welfare & Education Division stated, "The trees planted through the joint efforts of Korean and Mongolian youth will significantly contribute to preventing desertification in Mongolia in the future." He added, "We will continue to support youth in understanding the value of forests and participating in international environmental movements through various international exchanges that provide experiences with diverse forest environments."