Repurposing Lumber

[Anchor Lead]

Thanks to a forest restoration project, waste lumber which would otherwise be discarded is being repurposed as firewood and even welcome gifts for needy neighbors. Let’s find out more.

[Pkg]

Here is an outdoor experience center for children in Namyangju, Gyeonggi-do Province. A small cabin is being filled up with various wooden props and objects. When spring comes, this space will be open to children as a place to observe nature including birds and insects. At a nearby carpenter's shop, people are making wooden toys and stationery such as pencil vases. They are gifts to be sent to some 20 welfare facilities for children in the area. All the articles are made with waste timber collected through a municipal forest fostering program.

[Soundbite] Lee Won-gyeong(Carpentry Instructor) : "I enjoy the process itself as it warms my heart.Also, imagining the smile of children makes me happy."

At one nursing home, wood has been delivered to be used for heating. Thanks to which, the center will be able to care for the elderly during the cold winter.

[Soundbite] Kim Yeong-ja(Nursing Home Director) : "We are so grateful to have heating so the elderly ladies can sleep and rest well."

Branches and twigs, also provided by the forest fostering project, are used to make hiking canes placed at mountain entrances and as materials to create gardens at schools and towns. Out of the box thinking coupled with a warm, serving heart has transformed waste wood into the most useful of purposes.