The Time When Trees Become a Forest
Arbor Day, observed on April 5, was established to encourage people to plant and care for trees and to cherish nature.
How long will it take for the single tree planted today to grow into a forest?
The time it takes for a tree to fully mature into a mature tree on average 20 to 50 years,
For these trees to grow together and form a mature forest, it is said to take.
That is why protecting the forests around us protecting the forests around us.
March: Forests scorched in many places
However, on March 21, wildfires broke out in 11 areas across the North Gyeongsang region.
In less than two weeks, countless trees were reduced to ashes.
The wildfire destroyed approximately 48,000 hectares of forest—an area equivalent to 80% of Seoul’s total land area or 160 times the size of Yeouido—and
There have been 75 casualties and countless displaced people, and many are suffering as a result.
Why WadizLaunched a Wildfire Relief Fundraising Campaign
The moment the forest burned, homes vanished, and livelihoods were destroyed.
Wadiz “What can we do right now?” .
Wadizis a place where supporters and makers come together to drive change.
Some people launch crowdfunding campaigns to raise funds for new products, while others participate in crowdfunding to lend a hand where help is desperately needed.
This is exactly why Wadizdecided to rally support in the face of a national disaster.
We consider where the necessary support should go, gathering feedback from supporters to determine the most appropriate approach.
That’s what Wadizdoes best.
📍 2019 – Wadizfirst wildfire relief fundraising campaign: Gangwon wildfires
Wadizhas been carried out various projects.
In April 2019, a massive wildfire in Gangwon Province burned an area equivalent to 742 soccer fields in just one day, leaving thousands of people displaced.
When disaster struck suddenly, Wadizits supporters sprang into action faster than anyone else.
The very next day after the wildfire broke out, we immediately launched an emergency relief fundraiser, and in just one week, we raised 20 million won.
But there was something more important than fundraising.
The funds raised truly go where they are truly needed, in the way that is most needed.
Wadizhas formed a relief funding task forceand actively incorporated feedback from supporters to identify the best support methods.
At the same time, we conducted a survey among our supporters.
Although both regions suffered significant damage, there were differences in the extent of the damage, so we gathered opinions on how best to allocate the donations.
As a result, the majority of supporters voted for the option “Please distribute the funds appropriately to whichever of the two regions needs them most,” and,
We have decided to divide the funding equally between the two regions.
Taking into account the temporary living conditions of the disaster victims at the Tosung-myeon Office in Goseong County and the Okgye-myeon Office in Gangneung City,
✅ We provided living boxes, TVs, microwaves, dressers, and other items, and ✅ we were able to deliver not only the supplies but also messages of encouragement from 431 supporters.
By consulting with our supporters and visiting the affected areas in person to determine who needed assistance, a meaningful relief project thatWadiz‘Wadiz’ could carry out.
📍2022 – Wadizwill make a donation just for signing the petition”: Uljin and Samcheok Wildfires
In 2022 ,a massivewildfire —the longest-lasting on record , burning for a staggering 213 hours —engulfed Uljin and Samcheok.
More than 6,000residents lost their homes, and countless livestock and petswere left without owners, wandering through the wildfires or trapped in pens or homes, putting them in danger.
Once again,Wadiztook action to ensure that practical support reached those who needed it most.
We have launched a fundraising campaign to support three relief organizations: World Vision, which provides disaster relief kits; the non-profit organization WeAct, which assists in the rescue and treatment of dogs affected by wildfires; and the animal rescue group Revers.
Plus, anyone can easily contribute by simply signing the petition Wadiz donates 2,022 won per signing accountfor each account that signs the petition.
(Source: World Vision, WeAct Instagram)
Thanks to the support of ✅ 309 backers and ✅ 137 signatures, we were able to lend a helping hand—however small—to help our neighbors and the animals affected by the disaster return to their daily lives.
📍 March 2025 – Emergency Relief Fundraising Campaign Launched Once Again: Wildfires in the Gyeongsang Region
It was a wildfire relief fundraiser I never wanted to organize again.
However, in March 2025, large-scale wildfires broke out again in the South Gyeongsang, North Gyeongsang, and South Jeolla regions.
It was approximately 2.8 times the scale of the 2022 Uljin and Samcheok wildfires, which caused over 900 billion won in damage, and
A total of 5,000 buildings, including homes and agricultural facilities, were destroyed by fire, and more than 30,000 residents were evacuated.
Eleven nationally designated cultural heritage sites and 19 provincially or municipally designated sites—including the thousand-year-old Gounsa Temple in Uiseong County—have been reduced to ashes.
Currently, Although the fire has been extinguished, approximately 3,000 displaced residents are still living in temporary shelters.
And Wadizhas once again launched a fundraising campaign with its supporters to aid in the recovery from wildfire damage.
This relief fundraising campaign, which runs until April 11, will ✅ deliver donations through Hope Bridge: Korea National Disaster Relief Association in the names of the “supporters” themselves, rather than Wadiz, and ✅ once the campaign ends, we plan to share updates on the donation process via our “News” section.
To ensure that we never launch another fundraising campaign again
Wadizis a platform created to make the world a better place.
That change goes beyond simply launching and funding new projects.
This applies to all efforts to pool our strength exactly where and when it is most needed.
From the 2019 Gangwon Province wildfires, to the 2022 Uljin and Samcheok wildfires, and on to the 2025 Gyeongsang Province wildfires. This is whyWadizhas been running relief fundraisers.
We hope that this emergency relief fund for the Gyeongsang region wildfires will also serve as a small ray of hope for residents in the affected areas as they work to rebuild their lives.
I also sincerely hope that we will never again lose our forests and homes to wildfires.
