Food Security and Livelihoods The mountainous Boseong region, optimum for tea farming, enjoys an annual average temperature of 13.4°C and precipitation of 1450mm. About 34% of The Republic of Korea’s national tea-yield is produced in Boseong, and the local economy is further enhanced by tea processing, tea-field tours and tea-experience programs.

Regional and Traditional Tea Cultivation Knowledge When planting tea trees, farmers dig about 50cm deep, then fill 30cm of the hole pine needles and branches, considering soil settlement in the progress. They also plant rye or cassia seed in the field alongside the tea trees to reduce cold-weather damage while providing support for healthier growth. Pulled weeds are simply placed between tea tree branches, so that the dried weeds eventually fall to the ground and become natural fertilizer. Weeds in the ridges of the tea field are not pulled, however, as they provide natural protection against erosion.

Agricultural Biodiversity Eco-friendly tea fields are habitat to abundant flora and fauna, including 27 million tea trees, 3 million cedars, lush forests of cypress, yew, juniper, and ginko, and abundant wild flowers, along with endangered species of otter, yellow-beaked swan, marten, and insects. These diverse levels of vegetation and biological habitat are linked to the villages, nearby forests, reservoirs, and then to Deungnyangman Bay, protecting the biological sustainability of slope tea fields.

Unique Landscape The majority of the Boseong tea fields are reclaimed from steep slopes, offering majestic topography that resembles rushing ocean waves. The unique landscape represents human communication with our environment. The outstanding scenery has been acknowledged by its status as a popular tourist destination and by its designation as one of 31 best worldwide landscapes by CNN.