2005 Assessment of Forest Benefits


March 30, 2005

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Korea Forest Service announced that the 6.41 million ha of forest provides astounding public benefit worth 58,881.3 billion wons per year, taking up as much as 8.2% of GDP based on 2003.

Korea Forest Research Institute assessed the value of forest＇s public benefits, which based on 2003, is astounding 8.2% of national GDP, 2.6 times as much as the total agriculture and fisheries production, and overwhelming 18.4 times as more than the total forestry production, providing 1.23 million wons worth of benefits per person every year.



The forest public benefit was first assessed in 1989 amounting to 17,656 billion wons. After which 6 assessments were done in 14 years showing increase of 3.3 times.

The recent assessment was done for 7 functions: water source improvement, air purification, erosion control, forest recreation, water purification, landslide prevention, wildlife protection. Some of the benefits such as biodiversity, climate mitigation, landscape conservation are omitted. The value is expected to greatly increase once they are included.

Compared to the 2000 assessment, there has been an increase of 9,000 billion wons. One of the main reasons for the increase in the value is the increased demand for forest recreation caused by 5-working day implementation. The assessment procedure for landslide prevention has been modified as well.
To enhance the public benefit functions of the forest, active forest tending, silviculture, fire prevention, pest and disease control is essential.




Consequently, KFS is facilitating forest plantation projects (afforestation of 20,000 ha of barren farm land, expansion of urban forest and school forest) as measures to expand forest benefits together with forest tending projects(targeting 20,000 ha per year until 2008). As for the forests that have limitations in applying forest tending projects such as creation of national park and greenbelt, intensive management on forest fire protection, pest and disease prevention will be conducted for 1.35 million ha. KFS is aiming for certification of 6.25 million ha as carbon sink.

The social demands for forest functions such as recreation, clean water, clean air, and landscape is expected to rise together with the increase in public demands for natural environment.

Recognizing the importance of the forest benefits, Japan made the first assessment in 1979. For assessment of year 2000, the value amounted to 75,000 billion yen(843,000 billion won). Japan＇s forest area is 25 million ha, four times as big as the area of Korean forests, however the benefit value is 14 times higher. It can be said that they have been taking care of the forests and conserving them better than we have.

Translated by Int＇l Cooperation Division
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