Seoul Gangseo-gu 'Nonsallim Project (Geumgaeguri Rice Paddy)' Promotion

Organic Farming and Paddy Field Biodiversity Monitoring in Collaboration with Local Environmental Groups... Seoul's Only Paddy Wetland Used for Species and Ecological Environment Conservation

[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] Gangseo-gu, Seoul (Mayor Noh Hyun-song) announced that it will carry out an environmental restoration project utilizing the large-scale rice paddies, the only ones remaining in Seoul.

The district prepared this project to preserve the ecological environment of rice paddy wetlands, which have superior carbon dioxide removal capacity compared to forests and high ecological value, as well as to inform residents about eco-friendly farming methods.

To this end, the local environmental organizations, Mulpure Ecological Education Center and Gangseo iCOOP Cooperative, will take charge of activities related to life agriculture such as organic joint farming, while the district will operate rice paddy organism monitoring and educational programs.

First, rice farming will be conducted using organic methods in the ‘Golden Frog’ rice paddy, a 3,300㎡ area in Ogok-dong.

For more effective rice farming, a ‘Rice Paddy Life Promotion Committee’ consisting of local farmers, environmental groups, and public officials will be formed, and native rice (Jagwangdo) and improved rice (Chucheong) will be cultivated together with participants until November.

All farming processes, from plowing, transplanting, harvesting, to milling, will be carried out jointly to provide a sense of fulfillment in farming and an opportunity to reconsider the importance of ecological environment preservation.

Additionally, experts will participate in monitoring activities of rice paddy organisms. Participants will monitor the species and population of organisms inhabiting the Golden Frog rice paddy and nearby general rice paddies to directly observe the effects of different farming methods.

Along with this, a professional instructor will guide families participating in life agriculture in rice paddy organism monitoring and drawing activities, and a ‘Golden Frog Rice Paddy Picture Book’ containing the monitoring results will be produced.

Moreover, the district will open the ‘Golden Frog Rice Paddy School,’ a five-session course for local students.

The program will allow students to visit rice paddy wetlands to directly observe rice paddy organisms and experience the effects of climate change, such as changes in amphibian populations.

On May 24, at the eco-friendly rice paddy cultivation site in Ogok-dong, the endangered level 2 species (designated by the Ministry of Environment), the ‘Water Scorpion,’ which is rarely found in Seoul, was discovered, reaffirming the importance of preserving its habitat.

Mayor Noh Hyun-song said, “Since the project started in 2017, positive effects such as the introduction of organic farming methods by nearby farms have appeared,” and added, “We will continue to carry out various eco-friendly projects to raise awareness of the importance of rice paddy wetlands among more residents.”