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Mapo District Residents and Organizations in Mapo Offered 85 Free Small Garden Plots... Applications Accepted from 24th to 28th, Final Selection by Public Lottery

Sangam Dure Community Garden

[Asia Economy Reporter Jong-il Park] Mapo-gu (Mayor Yoo Dong-gyun) operates the ‘2020 Jaturi Garden’ to harvest safe food through eco-friendly urban agriculture and promote healthy leisure activities, offering free garden plots to Mapo-gu residents and organizations located in Mapo-gu.

Since 2013, the Jaturi Garden project promoted by the district has provided urban residents, who have few opportunities to touch soil in the city, with a chance to experience agriculture. It also serves as an opportunity to reconsider the value of food, receiving great support from residents.

The operation of Mapo-gu’s Jaturi Garden is based on the principle of not using any chemical fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, or vinyl to spread eco-friendly urban agriculture, and regular education is conducted to promote proper urban agriculture.

Participants hold direct transaction markets and sharing events twice a year in the first and second halves, donating sales proceeds and surplus agricultural products, actively contributing to the activation of a sharing culture with neighbors and the spread of proper agricultural culture.

The gardens leased by the district are located in two places with a total of 85 plots (approximately 16.5㎡ per plot). Sangam Dure Garden (1691 Sangam-dong, Mapo-gu) has 67 plots, and Samgak Education Garden (569-3 Deogeun-dong, Deogyang-gu, Goyang-si) has 18 plots. Sangam Dure Garden leases 65 plots to individuals and 2 plots to senior centers, while Samgak Education Garden leases 18 plots to organizations such as daycare centers.

Eligibility for application is limited to residents registered as of the announcement date (February 17, 2020) with an address in Mapo-gu or organizations located in Mapo-gu, with one plot leased per household (organization).

The application period is until the 28th. Applicants can download the application form and agreement from the notice section of the Mapo-gu Office website (www.mapo.go.kr), fill them out, and submit them along with a resident registration certificate (for individuals only). Applications can be submitted in person at the Mapo-gu Office Regional Economy Division or the nearest community service center, or by mail (must arrive by 6 p.m. on February 28 to the Regional Economy Division).

Final participants (organizations) will be selected through a public lottery after the application period ends. For more details on Jaturi Garden applications and operations, please refer to the Mapo-gu Office website (www.mapo.go.kr) or contact the Mapo-gu Regional Economy Division at 3153-8564.

Mayor Yoo Dong-gyun of Mapo-gu said, “I hope that families and neighbors in Mapo-gu will cultivate gardens together, grow crops, and through this process, grow into a healthy local community that communicates with each other.” He added, “We ask for the interest and cooperation of residents seeking new vitality in life within the city.”