Gwangju City Promotes Ecological Restoration of Damaged Areas in Jeseoksan and Usan Parks

Selected for the Ministry of Environment's Small Ecosystem Restoration Contest Project

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Park Seon-gang] Gwangju Metropolitan City announced on the 18th that two sites, Jesoksan in Nam-gu and Usan Park in Buk-gu, have been selected for a contest project led by the Ministry of Environment for the conservation of micro-ecosystems, and will actively promote ecological restoration projects by October.

This project is fully funded by national government funds (930 million KRW) sourced from the ecological conservation cooperation fees paid by developers who caused ecosystem damage. It aims to restore areas within the city where ecosystems have been damaged or disconnected from forests, and provide ecological experience and rest spaces for nearby residents.

The target area around Jesoksan (11,564㎡) is a region where damage to the forest edge is intensifying and ecological restoration is urgently needed. Through restoring micro-ecosystems and creating habitats, the project will enhance organic food chain formation and ecosystem health. Facilities for ecological experience and use by local residents, such as trails, biotope learning centers, and observation decks, will also be installed.

The Usan Park area (9,980㎡) has over 70% of its forest damaged due to continuous cultivation, and abandoned waste scattered from illegal dumping. The damaged land will be restored to its original terrain to create a forest, and wetlands will be constructed using water channels within the site. Aquatic plants will be introduced to provide water purification functions.

Gwangju City has secured 7.6 billion KRW in national funds for a total of seven areas (228,000㎡), including the ecological axis restoration project at Wondangsan in Gwangsan-gu, creating ecological rest spaces where local residents and the natural environment coexist in areas threatened by the disruption of urban ecological axes.

Song Yong-su, Director of the Climate and Environmental Policy Division of the city, said, “To achieve ‘Carbon Neutral Gwangju 2045’ and wisely respond to fine dust and heat island effects, it is urgent to restore damaged and neglected spaces into ecological parks. We will actively apply for government contest projects to secure project funds and do our best in ecological axis restoration projects.”