RESTORING ECO-SYSTEM AT MINING AREAS

[Anchor Lead]

More than half of Jabyeongsan Mountain in Gangwon-do Province has been devastated due to limestone mine operations that continued for decades. Recently, projects are under way to plant endangered wild flowers and restore the eco-system in some of the mining areas.

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These are limestone mines located in Jabyeongsan Mountain. Not even a single blade of grass is seen around here due to limestone mining operations that began in the 1980s. A project is in full swing to plant wild flowers in a nearby region where the mine was closed down and repair works have been completed. The project is designed to restore a habitat for rare plants, which was damaged by former mining operations. One hundred heads of catchfly flowers, an endangered species, are taking root. The flowers grow only in a limestone area more than 1,000 meters above sea level.

[Soundbite] Shin Dong-hyuk(Wonju Prov. Environment Office) : "The civil and gov't joint project is to restore endangered species, promote biodiversity and revitalize the eco-system in the devastated regions."

Five years have passed since the planting project launched in 2018. In carrying out the project, initial priorities are given to ten percent of the closed-down mines measuring 15,000 square meters. Some 600 heads of 22 endangered species, including Siberian chrysanthemums and orange stonecrops, were planted. Nearly 80 percent of the plants are growing well in a healthy condition, improving the local eco-system.

[Soundbite] Cho Beom-jun(Wild Korea) : "It is a good example, as they are being reborn as regions to re-attract animals as well as endangered species after mines were closed down."

By bringing rare, endangered plants back to the recklessly exploited mountain, the project will turn the damaged mountain into a new ecological treasure trove.