Aerial View of Fine Dust Blocking Forest along the 3rd Gyeongin Expressway [Provided by Incheon City]
[Asia Economy Reporter Park Hyesook] Incheon City will invest 13.1 billion KRW this year to create urban forests covering a total of 105,000㎡ across 45 locations.
According to the city on the 4th, three fine dust blocking forests and ten meditation forests will be completed in the first half of the year, and 32 locations including urban wind path forests and smart gardens will be finished by the end of the year.
The target areas include green spaces around the 3rd Gyeongin Expressway and the Seoul Metropolitan Area Circular Expressway, Bugye Girls' High School, Yonghyeon Nam Elementary School, and idle sites along the Suin Line in Jung-gu.
The city plans to cultivate fine dust blocking forests with broad-leaved tree species in multiple layers around highways and railway tracks, and to establish indoor smart gardens equipped with air purification facilities in industrial complexes.
Meditation forests will be created at schools to foster students' emotional development and provide rest areas for residents, and urban wind path forests will be developed on the outskirts of the city to bring fresh and clean air into the urban area.
Incheon City expects that the urban forests being created this time will absorb 483 kg of fine dust annually.
According to the National Institute of Forest Science, urban forests have on average 25.6% lower fine dust and 40.9% lower ultrafine dust compared to urban areas, and absorb 46 kg of fine dust annually per 10,000㎡ of urban forest.
An official from Incheon City stated, "Urban forests not only reduce fine dust and the heat island effect but also contribute to citizens' emotional stability and health promotion."
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