Expansion of the Public Benefits of the Barrier-Free Forest Trail at Seongmisan, Mapo-gu

[Seoul District News] Mapo-gu Aims to Complete 'Total 770m Gentle Slope Walkway' by April to Enhance Accessibility for Disabled and Pregnant Women, Realizing Green Welfare... Yangcheon Bicenara Festival Renovated and Exhibition Extended Until March... Geumcheon-gu Selected as Ministry of the Interior and Safety Innovation Excellence Institution for 3 Consecutive Years

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Mapo-gu announced on the 10th that it has launched the ‘Barrier-Free Forest Trail Creation Project’ around Seongmisan Mountain on the 7th to expand the public functions of the forest.

This month, the district began construction of the barrier-free forest trail within Seongmisan, aiming for completion by mid-April. The barrier-free forest trail is a total of 770m long, consisting of Section 1 with 450m on the right mountain (also known as the Big Mountain) and Section 2 with 320m on the left mountain (also known as the Small Mountain), based on the one-way road crossing Seongmisan. These sections are connected by wooden bridges installed over the road.

Additionally, the slope rate is set below 8%, which is a gradient that non-motorized wheelchairs can ascend independently without external assistance. Accordingly, walking-vulnerable groups such as the disabled, elderly, and pregnant women can conveniently and safely enjoy the benefits of the forest.

The ‘Barrier-Free Forest Trail’ is a project by Seoul City to install low-gradient deck walkways in mountains near Seoul, implemented since 2011. Currently, a total of 77.7km across 39 locations have been established within Seoul.

Mapo-gu started with a 560m Section 1 installation in Maebongsan Mountain in 2012, completed a 652m Section 2 last year, and is currently constructing a 600m Section 3.

Meanwhile, a forest environment improvement project aiming for a transition to multi-layered forests is also underway. Currently, 70% of Seongmisan’s area consists of a monoculture forest of black locust trees, which is ecologically unhealthy. Monoculture forests are relatively vulnerable to viruses, making them prone to pest infections and rapid spread.

To improve this, the district plans to plant about 550 large trees such as oak and wild cherry trees, and about 14,000 shrubs including Korean dogwood and Deulkkaeong trees to promote a multi-layered forest structure.

Yoo Dong-gyun, Mayor of Mapo-gu, said, “Through these projects, I hope Seongmisan becomes a place where both residents and nature coexist happily,” and added, “We will continue various efforts to build infrastructure that allows residents to enjoy green welfare.”

Yangcheon-gu (Mayor Kim Soo-young) announced that, thanks to the support of residents, the light festival ‘Yangcheon Bicenara Festival’ held at Yangcheon Park since December last year will be extended until March 22.

The ‘Yangcheon Bicenara Festival’ is a representative themed event of the garden city Yangcheon, planned to offer warm emotions and comfort to residents visiting Yangcheon Park through a fantastic light illumination exhibition.

Before the extension, the district recently renovated the existing large tree structure in front of the Yangcheon Park Book Shelter. In particular, the lighting in the shapes of flowers and trees emphasized the vitality and freshness of the upcoming spring. Also, the tree’s center features the BI of ‘Garden City Yangcheon’ and ‘Friends of Yangcheon Park,’ and cute characters are installed at the bottom of the tree, creating a unique photo zone.

Furthermore, the district expanded the exhibition space beyond Yangcheon Park to the riverside walking path from Sinjeong Bridge to Omokgyo along Anyangcheon Stream, installing nighttime landscape lighting with trees and string lights over a 470m section. This allows residents to enjoy romantic night walks in nearby parks and along the stream.

Kim Soo-young, Mayor of Yangcheon-gu, said, “To repay the enthusiastic support and interest of residents for the Yangcheon Bicenara Festival, we are extending the exhibition until March,” and added, “Having completed the renovation fitting for the fresh spring soon to come, I hope many people visit Yangcheon Park.”

Geumcheon-gu (Mayor Yoo Sung-hoon) achieved the remarkable feat of being selected as an excellent local government for three consecutive years in the ‘2021 Local Government Innovation Evaluation’ hosted by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety.

The ‘Local Government Innovation Evaluation’ is conducted by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety to assess the efforts and achievements of local governments nationwide in regional innovation over the past year. To ensure fairness and objectivity, the evaluation was carried out by forming a government innovation evaluation team and a citizen evaluation team.

This year, based on five categories?autonomous innovation of institutions, participation and cooperation, inclusive administration, trusted government, and innovation diffusion and public perception?with 14 indicators, a total of 60 local governments were selected as excellent institutions.

Geumcheon-gu submitted the ‘Together ChanChanChan’ project, a Geumcheon-style side dish voucher program, as a case of ‘eliminating blind spots in public services,’ receiving favorable evaluations from the government innovation evaluation team.

Also, the ‘Smart Rainwater Inlet’ project to prevent flood damage during heavy rain scored higher than other local governments in the ‘public perception of representative innovation cases of institutions’ indicator.

In addition, through socially valuable operations such as the senior convenience store ‘Good Store’ for creating jobs for the elderly and the ‘Geumcheon-style Special Credit Guarantee Loan for Small Business Owners’ to alleviate financial difficulties of small business owners affected by COVID-19, Geumcheon-gu was selected as an excellent institution for three consecutive years.

Yoo Sung-hoon, Mayor of Geumcheon-gu, said, “As a result of field-centered communication administration, resident-centered life-close administration, and citizen-centered inclusive administration, we achieved the great feat of being selected as an excellent institution for three consecutive years,” and added, “We will continue to realize a happy city Geumcheon in every neighborhood through relentless innovation.”