Establishing ’Forest Pest and Disease Prevention System’


Korea Forest Service(KFS) has announced the fact that there has been arising damage of icterus and pine wilt disease, etc. and planned to establish ’Forest Pest and Disease Prevention System’ so as to preserve forest ecosystems systematically and radically.


There have been wide spreads of pine wilt disease and acacia icterus. Global warming has an effect on shortening a period of germs’ dormancy and as a result, pathogenic germs become active in a longer period. Climate change and environmental change in habitats cause stress on trees biologically as well. Therefore, KFS has designed how to build ’Forest Pest and Disease Prevention System’ and also set countermeasures for preventing varied forest pest and disease that are rampantly causing damage.


KFS has formed a working group of ’Forest Pest and Disease Prevention System’ composed of four teams with 25 members : ’Pest and Disease Research Team’ with 11 researchers from Korea Forestry Research Institute(KFRI), ’Forest Health Research Team’ with 6 researchers from KFRI too, ’Pest Disease Policy Team’ with 5 experts from KFS, and ’Advisory Team’ with 3 professionals.


The recently formed prevention system will analyze the main causes of pests and diseases, develop technology and preventative system and eventually take countermeasures, said KFS.


In accordance with the research by KFRI in acacia icterus, another serious forest disease, the main cause of it is that there is undernourishment and aging problems in acacia trees because roots are unable to suck up minerals and nutrient due to dry soils and acacia trees with 40~45-year life span are aging faster in decline.


KFS has a plan to replant chestnuts in areas where acacia trees infected by icterus have been cut down in terms of species conversion, and to thin out trees for rehabilitation and preservation of acacia species.


The budget of 60.8 million dollars by KFS has been put in forest pest and disease prevention. It is alleged that KFS has a plan to increase the next year’s budget by 10% and moreover, the budget for early prevention of pine gall midge by 135%.





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