Seoul City to Use Trees Pruned in Hangang Park as Food for Animals at Seoul Grand Park

Seoul Metropolitan Government Hangang Project Headquarters Collaborates with Seoul Grand Park to Utilize Byproducts After Disaster-Preparedness Tree Maintenance
Hazardous Tree Byproducts in Hangang Park Used as Food and Toys for Animals at Seoul Grand Park

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] The Seoul Metropolitan Government's Hangang Project Headquarters announced on the 6th that it will maintain trees in Hangang Park in preparation for upcoming natural disasters such as the rainy season and typhoons, and will provide the branches and stumps generated after maintenance to the Seoul Grand Park Zoo.

The branches from the maintained trees will serve as treats for herbivores such as beavers and Barbary sheep, while the decayed branches and stumps will be used as food for giant anteaters and toys for carnivores like jaguars.

The Hangang Project Headquarters conducts tree maintenance annually in Hangang Park to prepare for disasters, and the byproducts generated during this process were previously discarded at a cost.

The maintenance involves cutting down dead trees and those that are decayed or hollowed out and at risk of falling due to wind and rain, to prevent safety accidents for citizens. To reduce disposal costs, they proposed collaboration with the Seoul Grand Park Zoo. Since pesticide spraying is not allowed in Hangang Park, it was concluded that the tree byproducts are suitable as animal feed and toys, and the project was agreed upon and promoted.

This project will be piloted this year, and its continuation will be evaluated in the future. If sustained, it is expected to have a twofold effect of reducing byproduct disposal costs and enhancing animal welfare through behavioral enrichment.

In the first half of this year, about 29,000 square meters of disaster-risk trees along the riverside of Yeouido Hangang Park will be maintained, and approximately 400 tree byproducts will be provided.

Kim Sang-guk, Head of the Hangang Project Headquarters Park Division, said, “I am pleased that the byproducts from the trees maintained for the safety of citizens visiting Hangang Park are being meaningfully utilized,” and added, “We will continue to seek ways to create synergy through ongoing collaboration.”