Ecological research site of Mt. Jirisan - Korea (the Republic of)

Mt. Jirisan is located in the southern region of South Korea. It is largest in its size, second highest and dedicated as the first national park in South Korea. It is at the southern end of Backdudaegan mountain ranges. Mt. Jirisan site in Gurae County is located in the very vicinity of the national park and is the second KLTER(Korea Long Term Ecological Research) station by Ministry of Environment and National Institute of Ecology. The site suffered natural forest fire in 1999 and 2000 in a row that combusted vegetation about 13 and 7 hectares respectively. Since that time, some tree species were planted in some of the area. In 2010, the county designated the forest area of 155 ha including the KLTER site as the Gurae Ecoforest and has managed the forest for ecological stability. The area is composed of a variety of ecosystems like secondary pine forest as major vegetation, naturally rehabilitated area, thinning area, reforested area.