South Korea's forests were in an exceptionally poor condition after decades of exploitation and the destruction caused by the Korean War. By 1960, the average growing stock had fallen to just 10.6 cubic metres per hectare, compared with about 100 cubic metres per hectare in the early 1900s. Large areas had been stripped of trees, leaving the country's mountains vulnerable to erosion and communities short of fuelwood. The scale of the decline created an urgent need for nationwide reforestation, as degraded hillsides threatened both rural livelihoods and the country's long-term environmental stability.
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