Icheon City Preserves Future of Natural Monuments...Pursuing Successor Tree Cultivation Project

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Eom In-yong] Icheon City announced on the 2nd that it is pursuing a successor tree cultivation project for the natural monuments within its jurisdiction—the Baekbalsong Pine in Sindae-ri (Natural Monument No. 253) and the Banryong Pine in Doryeop-ri (Natural Monument No. 381)—to fully transmit their genetic characteristics and cultural heritage value to future generations.

Both the Baekbalsong and Banryong pines are aged trees showing signs of declining vigor, and damage such as broken branches from heavy snow last winter has heightened the necessity of preservation and successor tree cultivation.

Beginning with a field briefing session held jointly with the National Institute of Forest Science in June 2023, the city has continued the successor tree cultivation project to date.

As a first step, using asexual propagation (grafting), the city will create genetically identical clone trees from the parent trees to preserve as successor trees, and plans to utilize these successor trees through future propagation as promotional trees to communicate the cultural and ecological value and significance of the two natural monuments.