Mount Palgong's critters come back after 70 years of clutter cleared
Seventeen species, including endangered martens and goshawks, were spotted after 70 years of illegal structures, nearly 360 tons of waste were removed.
An endangered yellow-throated marten is spotted using a stream in Mount Palgong National Park after illegal structures in the area were removed and the stream was restored to its natural state.KOREA NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
Call it nature’s homecoming. After authorities removed 70 years of illegal structures from a stream in Mount Palgong National Park, 17 wildlife species moved back in — including endangered yellow-throated martens and northern goshawks.
The Korea National Park Service (KNPS) said on Tuesday that various wild animals had recently been spotted at the stream in Dohak-dong after authorities removed the illegal structures and restored the area to its original state.
A total of 92 unauthorized structures had been installed there, including canopies, steel bridges, candle boxes and altars. Shamans had occupied state- and publicly owned land without permission since the 1960s and used the area for religious rituals because Mount Palgong is believed to hold spiritual powers.
The park’s authorities worked with local officials and repeatedly persuaded the occupants to leave the site. The occupants eventually agreed to voluntarily dismantle the structures and vacate the area. The office completed the removal of the illegal structures and restoration of the stream in May.
Authorities removed about 356 tons of waste during the restoration, including discarded concrete. They also returned natural rocks that had been moved away from the stream and restored the damaged terrain to a state as close to its natural condition as possible.
Mount Palgong National Park is occupied with unauthorized tents and tables for religious rituals before authorities removed them.KOREA NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
Motion-activated cameras monitored the area from early June through early August after the restoration was completed. The footage captured an endangered yellow-throated marten moving through the stream and dipping its body into the cool water. An endangered northern goshawk was also spotted resting on a rock in the stream.
“A total of 17 wildlife species were observed moving through or resting around the stream, including six mammal species [such as raccoon dogs and roe deer] and 11 bird species [such as gray wagtails and white’s thrushes],” the KNPS said. “The findings show that the removal of illegal structures and reduced human interference have helped restore the stream’s natural environment and transform the area into an ecological space used by wildlife.”
An endangered northern goshawk is spotted using a stream in Mount Palgong National Park after unauthorized structures in the area were removed and the stream was restored to its natural state.KOREA NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
The KNPS plans to continue minimizing human interference in the area through an automated guidance system at the entrance to the stream and regular patrols. The agency will also continue ecological monitoring with motion-activated cameras to manage the restored area.
“We will systematically restore damaged areas in national parks and manage them so nature can recover on its own,” KNPS Chairman Joo Dae-young said.
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
