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July 31, 2001
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| A Joongang Ilbo reporting team climbed to the Nogodan peak of Mount Chiri in South Cholla province, on Monday, before its three-month trial reopening in August. Nogodan peak, standing 1,507 meters above sea level, was closed in 1991 to restore it from environmental damage. The refurbished 1.3-kilometer path to the peak was newly covered with wooden stairs. The vegetation of the closed area has recovered fully. Royal azaleas by the roadside stood al-most two meters tall. Weeds sprouted through the cracks of the wooden stairs. Red crane's-bill flowers bloomed. Groups of yellow day lilies near the summit were a sight. When the wind blew through the lilies in waves, it seemed as if a bucket of yellow paint had been spilled in a blue sea. The leaves of yellow lilies are used as salad herbs, and the root has medicinal uses. But the lilies had almost disappeared from the mountain when it was closed to public access 10 years ago. Climbers had pulled them out. Erosion had entirely denuded 16,500 square meters of the mountain. Nogodan ranked 4 on a 6-point scale of environmental damage, meaning that natural recovery is impossible without intervention. After 10 years of being left alone, without human traffic, the lilies are back. Most of the damaged areas are classified 1 － environmentally healthy. "It was difficult to see wild flowers 10 years ago, but now there are flowers every season" said Moon Gwang-seon, a worker of the Mount Chiri National Park. Royal azaleas and other species of azalea start blooming in May, crane's-bills in July and August and starwort in August and September. But there was little grass and few flowers in the popular camping sites. Once nature is damaged, it is difficult for it to recover. The National Parks Authority filled areas subject to wash-out with stones, sand and soil and covered them with straw and jute to repair erosion. In severely damaged areas the workers piled up "vegetation sacks" filled with soil, seeds and fertilizer. Plants that grow well in harsh environments were selected for sowing in seriously damaged areas. The number of plant species on the mountain was 116 in 1994. Now it is 148. The footprints of boar, Korean sable and badgers are found more frequently. Authorities will be cautious for a while in reopening Nogodan to humans. Hiking will be by permit only, and climbers will be limited to 400 a day. "Nogodan, which was restored over a 10-year period at a cost of 100 million won [$77,000], demonstrates that it is difficult for nature to recover, once it is damaged," said Ma Ho-seop, professor of forestry at Gyeongsang National University. by Kim Sang-jin |
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