September 30, Tuv, Mongolia — To foster public-private collaboration to support Mongolia’s ambitious Billion Trees National Movement, the Asian Forest Cooperation Organization (AFoCO) has entered into a partnership with YUHAN Corporation, the National Forest Agency (NFA) of Mongolia, and the “Billion Trees” NGO through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in early September. This agreement aims, which seeks to restore degraded lands and expand the country’s forest cover.
Through this MOU, the partner organizaitons will embark on a joint project to restore wildfire-affected areas in Batsumber soum, Tuv aimag. The project inception ceremony for the “Yuhan 4RE (Resilient, Regenerative, Responsible Reforestation): Restoration of Wildfire-affected Forests in Batsumber” Project was successfully held from 29 September to 1 October 2025 in Batsumber soum, Tuv aimag, Mongolia. The event, jointly organized by AFoCO and Yuhan Corporation, marked the launch of a multi-year initiative aimed at restoring wildfire-affected forests and supporting Mongolia’s Billion Trees National Movement. Representatives from AFoCO, Yuhan Corporation, NFA, Billion Trees NGO, National University of Mongolia (NUM), and the government offices of Tuv aimag and Batsumber soum gathered to celebrate the launch of the project and affirm their shared commitment to ecological restoration and climate resilience in the region.
During the ceremony held at the NUM’s University Forestry Facility, opening remarks from the delegates highlighted the importance of corporate social responsibility and transnational cooperation in addressing land degradation. The partnership showcases an exemplary public–private approach where research institutions and local forest units collaborate to rehabilitadte some 15 hectares of fire-damaged forest through the annual planting of 36,000 seedlings, while implementing research and community outreach activities.
In his remarks, AFoCO’s Executive Director emphasized the event’s symbolic and practical significance in strengthening Korea–Mongolia environmental cooperation. The project aligns with Mongolia’s national reforestation agenda and AFoCO’s broader mission to accelerate sustainable forest management across Asia. As part of the follow-up actions, the implementing agencies plan to finalize detailed work and budget plans by November 2025 and continue collaboration through the Project Steering Committee. The successful launch of the Yuhan 4RE Project demonstrates the potential of cross-sector partnerships in achieving tangible outcomes for forest restoration, climate adaptation, and community engagement.
Participants also visited the nearby restoration site, observing visible impacts of past wildfires and discussing field-based strategies such as fencing, grazing control, and community patrol systems to protect newly established plantations.
Based on the 2013 National Forest Inventory data by the Forest Research and Development Center (FRDC), forest cover in Batsumber soum is about 147,222 ha (~approximately 11% of the forest area in Tuv aimag (1,388,199 ha)). Since 2000, it was reported that approximately 18% (26,419 ha) of Batsumber’s forests have been affected by wildfires.
With financial contributions from YUHAN Corporation, the joint development of the project among AFoCO, NFA, and Billion Trees NGO is underway, and the project will aim to plant at least 36,000 trees (approximately 15 hectares) in the selected wildfire-affected areas in Batsumber soum, Tuv aimag.
Other news coverage on the event:
– [Break News] Yuhan Corporation Officially Launches Project in Mongolia
– [MONTSAME News Agency] Yuhan Corporation Joins ‘Billions of Trees’ National Movement