Greenfield Restored at Nogodan in Mt. Chiri

Seseokpyungjeon and Nogodan, a sub-alpine belt located on the major ridge of Mt. Chiri, were places in which the ecosystem was seriously damaged to the extent of that the trees and plants were all gone and the red dirt were exposed.

Damage of Nogodan was accelerated since 1970s due to the reckless construction of military and communication facilities.

In that place, many spontaneous plants began to grow again including Spontanea, Valeriana Fauriei, Patrinia Villosa, Lychnis, and Rorippa Islandica. And as wild plants such as Rhododeadroa Schlippeabachii and Rhododeadron Mucroaulatum have spread all over the regions, the natural appearances of the region started to reappear.

It is the result of the ecosystem restoration project by Korea National Park Authority (KNPA). From 1995, the KNPA began the ecosystem restoration project by mobilizing many experts on ecosystem. Before they began the project, the KNPA completed a thorough environmental investigation on the regions and prepared the restoration plan in 1994. This restoration project is significant for the preservation of the ecosystem. Thus far, the restoration projects have been done in a hastily fashion, merely spreading the foreign seeds rather than the indigenous plants.

When the KNPA introduced the nature-sabbatical-scheme during the period of 1991~1993, restoration was not achieved due to the regions’ unique sub-alpine belt climate and ceaseless entry by visitors. Thus they decided to execute a project with a `special measure`.

Contrary to ordinary forestation project or erosion control work, the KNPA began the project with an ecosystem examination on the damaged sites, a process of analysis of the cause of damage, provision and improvement of the soil, and a stabilization procedure for the slanting surfaces. After completing these procedures, they transplanted the seeds from neighboring plants. Firstly, they finished the engineering work to stabilize the eroded ground, and covered with the deep rich soil, which disconnects influx of outside species, and various kinds of fertilizers were mixed. And then, they transplanted neighboring spontaneous plants that were growing in groups.

To help the plants to take root, they covered the surfaces with rice straws and put the `jute nets` that were interwoven in a checkered pattern. The jute nets, which are nets made by a natural material that are decomposable, played a crucial role preventing the plants with weak roots not to washed away by wind and rainwater.

As a result the 12,141m2 Seseokpyungjeon, with exception to its paths and waterways, has been recovered with trees and plants. The original number of spontaneous species was 331, but it had increased to 363.

Most parts of damaged ground in Nogodan (38,007 m2) , except for the pathways for climbers, were also refurbished with grass.

The KNPA said on 15th, ``we just provided the minimum amount of help for the nature to re-established itself.`` ``A stabilized and primitive ecosystem is being reemerged in the regions as the number of plant species keep increasing.``

Jung Young-Gwan yongari@donga.com