Seoul City Creates 100,000㎡ 'Fine Dust Reduction Street Forest Path'

Introduction of 113 Recommended Tree Species for Fine Dust Reduction

Seoul City announced on the 1st that it will create 100,000㎡ of 'Fine Dust Reduction Street Forests' along roadside pedestrian spaces and idle lands to provide a safe and pleasant walking environment from fine dust and to prepare for abnormal climate conditions such as drought, heavy rain, and heatwaves.

Seoul City will introduce 113 species of 'recommended tree species for fine dust reduction' that grow well in the central region and are effective in reducing fine dust. The existing linear green belts with trees of the same height will be transformed into multi-layered street forests by planting a mix of trees of different heights.

Structures such as walls and soundproof barriers around roadsides will be greened with climbing plants, and idle spaces such as traffic islands will be equipped with greenery and benches to provide convenience for citizens to take a short rest.

Additionally, the green boundary stones that were installed to separate sidewalks and green spaces will be replaced with rainwater storage and utilization facilities to prepare for abnormal climate conditions such as heavy rain and drought. During summer heavy rains, stored rainwater will help reduce surface runoff and mitigate flood damage, and during spring and autumn droughts, the stored rainwater will be supplied to green spaces to reduce drought damage.

The target areas for this project are ▲urban pedestrian spaces ▲idle road spaces such as traffic islands ▲elementary school commuting routes, with plans to complete the project by the end of this year.

Among urban pedestrian spaces, areas where street trees were only lined up will have a new linear green belt of 10,000㎡ created considering sidewalk width and street type, and 28,000㎡ of old green belts will be improved by installing multi-layered structures and rainwater storage and utilization facilities.

In addition, about 700 gaps where street trees are missing will be filled by planting new street trees, and about 1,500 street tree protection frames and covers that no longer fit due to tree growth will be maintained to prevent pedestrian safety accidents caused by street tree root uplift.

On 63,000㎡ of idle spaces such as traffic islands and central medians, perennial ground cover plants with bright flowers will be planted for greening, and eight “garden-style street forests” will be created by linking some of these with existing street trees and green belts, installing rest facilities so that citizens can take a short break while enjoying the flowers.

Especially, in six elementary school commuting routes, in collaboration with the Korea Forest Service, a 2.9km street forest called ‘Safe Green Forest for Children’ will be created. To protect children from fine dust and heatwaves and prevent traffic accidents, small trees (shrubs), medium-height trees (sub-canopy trees), and ground cover plants will be densely and thickly planted between street trees.

Yoo Young-bong, Director of the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s Green City and Leisure Bureau, said, “Through the creation of fine dust reduction street forests, we will respond to increasingly severe abnormal climate conditions such as fine dust and heatwaves and provide citizens with a safe and pleasant walking environment.” He added, “We hope that the street forests will become green resting places that make citizens’ daily lives healthier and further invigorate the city.”