1.2 Million Trees Planted from 2015 to 2021, 80,000 Trees Scheduled for Planting This Year
[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] Hangang Forests, which will provide cool shade and fresh air, will be additionally created in Hangang Parks, beloved as spaces for rest and leisure in daily life.
On the 13th, the Hangang Project Headquarters of Seoul City announced plans to plant 80,000 trees throughout Hangang Parks this year to actively respond to climate change issues such as fine dust and heat island effects and to expand green spaces within the city. Since 2015, Seoul City has been creating dense forests in Hangang Parks through the ‘Hangang Forest Creation Project’ to restore the naturalness of the Hangang River. As a result, by last year, a total of 1.2 million trees had been planted across 11 Hangang Parks, with plans to plant a total of 1.51 million trees by 2025.
Hangang Forests are created considering planting locations and functions, including ‘Ecological Forests’ focused on restoring naturalness, ‘Usage Forests’ that provide shade and serve as resting places for citizens, and ‘Buffer Forests’ that block fine dust, noise, and exhaust fumes.
First, by June, 40,000 trees will be planted in Nanji, Jamsil, and Gangseo Hangang Parks. Approximately 15,000 trees will be planted in green areas near the baseball field and water playground in Nanji Hangang Park, about 8,000 trees near Jamsil Bridge in Jamsil Hangang Park, and about 17,000 trees in green areas between Haengju Bridge and Ara Water Gate in Gangseo Hangang Park.
About 10,000 trees will also be planted through the ‘Citizen Participation Hangang Forest Creation’ project, where citizens voluntarily participate in planting trees. This project is promoted throughout Hangang Parks including Ttukseom, Jamwon, Nanji, and Gangseo, with continuous planting and nurturing of trees planned until autumn. The ‘Citizen Participation Hangang Forest Creation’ project involves general citizens, private companies, and organizations donating and planting trees. It attracted significant interest and participation last year due to the opportunity for citizens to plant trees with their own hands and engage in meaningful outdoor activities amid the COVID-19 situation.
Finally, about 30,000 trees will be planted through the ‘Green Planting Project,’ which plants boundary and shade trees around facilities such as playgrounds and exercise equipment during maintenance within Hangang Parks. Yoon Jong-jang, head of the Hangang Project Headquarters of Seoul City, said, “Hangang Forests serve as green infrastructure within the city, creating cool shade and fresh air, offering citizens a healthier and more enjoyable daily life.” He added, “The Hangang Project Headquarters will continue to promote the creation of dense Hangang Forests to nurture Hangang Parks as spaces for rest and leisure amid busy daily lives.”
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