Central America is a biodiversity hotspot thanks to its vertically stretched land mass. Yet at the same time, the region is highly vulnerable to climate change, where it derives its label the “dry corridor.“ For this reason, countries in the region are collectively contending with the challenges of deforestation. Disasters like wildfires and forest pests are increasing, and humans are destroying forests in favor of logging and land clearing.

On top of all this are the impacts of climate change. Rising temperatures are the primary culprit of more frequent, more intense wildfires and pest occurrences. Honduras, for instance, is suffering from nationwide forest fires every year due to festering droughts and water shortages triggered by climate change, while damage from pine wilt disease is also growing. Forests are even more ravaged by illegal tree-clearing for the purpose of oil extraction and agriculture. What is now left are bare patches of land that were once densely packed woodlands.

Climate change is not only threatening forests, but also businesses and individuals. Over half of Central America’s crops were damaged by the 2009 El Nino. The 2014 to 2016 drought left the region a huddle of inhabitants dependent on food aid. Poverty has become a primary social challenge facing all countries across the continent, albeit national discrepancies. In Honduras, 60 percent of the population suffers from poverty, while in Nicaragua, four in 10 people live on less than a dollar a day. As a result, many have illegally crossed borders to seek better living standards in the United States, resulting in problems of unauthorized immigration. Accordingly, green cooperation in Central America was discussed last year at the South Korea-US summit, despite the agenda’s seeming irrelevance to Korea.

Countries in Latin America look up to South Korea for its fast-paced advancement in both the economy and the environment. In particular, Korea is at the forefront of technology in the forestry sector, which encompasses forest restoration, wildfire control and pest management. Thus hopes are high that Korea could share expertise in fields such as seeds and seedlings production, as well as civil engineering technology to prevent damage from natural disasters. Forestry cooperation with Latin American countries could benefit Korea as well. Since most countries in Central America belong to the Coffee Belt -- an agroforestry model that combines forest restoration with coffee cultivation -- it would not only support local residents and the ecosystem, but also Korea, a major coffee importer. South America presents an even larger potential for forestry cooperation. Peru, home to vast patches of Amazon rainforests, can help Korea reduce emissions overseas through the REDD+ project, a global initiative to cut down carbon from deforestation.

Last January, a Korea Forest Service delegation visited Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Peru to discuss the direction of forestry cooperation. During the visit, the host countries stressed their interest in Korea‘s experience and expertise in forest management and restoration. Emilio Esbeih, President of the National University of Forest Sciences (UNACIFOR) in Honduras who met up with the Korean delegates, said, “Korea, where the whole nation got together to plant trees and have successfully recovered ruined forests within a short period of time, is our role model.”

This year, Korea is set to garner worldwide attention in the forestry sector, as Seoul is to host the 15th World Forestry Congress from May 2 to 6. Over the past half century, Korea has successfully transformed from a recipient country of development assistance to a significant donor. As much as the country is leading the field of forestry with internationally recognized accomplishments and technology, Korea hopes to make use of its expertise to develop a win-win model for the international community in the era of climate crisis.

Park Eun-sik is director general of international affairs bureau at the Korea Forest Service. -- Ed.