Cherry Blossoms Bloomed Two Weeks Earlier Than Average
"A Sign of Climate Crisis... Impact on Ecosystems"
This year, cherry blossoms bloomed about two weeks earlier than the average date (April 8), bringing the feeling of spring closer. According to the Korea Meteorological Administration, cherry blossoms in Seoul officially bloomed on the 25th. This is the second earliest record since the observation of Seoul cherry blossom blooming dates began in 1992.
Most cherry blossoms along Yeouido Yunjungno, Seoul's representative cherry blossom street, were bursting into bloom as of the 28th, awaiting full bloom. The reason for the early blooming this year is analyzed to be due to the higher average temperature in March compared to usual years.
On the 28th, citizens are moving along the cherry blossom path at Yunjungno, Yeouido, Seoul. [Image source=Yonhap News]
As excitement grows for flower viewing in various places, some local governments planning festivals for the cherry blossoms that bloomed earlier than usual are facing difficulties. They originally scheduled the festivals for early April, when the cherry blossoms were expected to bloom, but this year the flowers might have already fallen by then.
Local governments are hastily moving their festival schedules forward. Gangneung City in Gangwon Province changed the dates of its representative spring festival, the Gyeongpo Cherry Blossom Festival, from the originally planned April 4?9 to March 31?April 5.
Changwon City in Gyeongsangnam-do advanced the Jinhae Gunhangje Festival period by about a week compared to last year. The Jinhae Gunhangje Festival opened on the 25th and will continue for ten days until April 3.
Like cherry blossoms, forsythia also bloomed earlier than usual. Seongdong-gu in Seoul held the Eungbongsan Forsythia Festival a week earlier than the scheduled date of the 30th, holding it on the 23rd.
The early blooming of cherry blossoms is due to climate change. This March was warm enough during the day to wear just a shirt. The problem is that early blooming of cherry blossoms may disrupt the ecosystem. When flowers bloom early, they also wither earlier, causing food sources to disappear quickly for insects like butterflies and bees that rely on flowers.
Pollinating insects such as butterflies and bees play an important role in transferring pollen and helping flowers reproduce. In other words, if the flowering period advances, other interacting organisms will be affected in a chain reaction. This poses a risk of ecosystem collapse.
Shin Woo-yong, Secretary General of the Seoul Environmental Movement Union, said, "Weather and temperature changes inevitably affect the ecosystem. Unexpected signs continue to appear, and the earlier blooming of cherry blossoms is one of these signs," adding, "This will have a cascading effect on all humanity."
He continued, "Policies to minimize and restrain consumption and transition to renewable energy are urgent, but current policies are not sufficient to stop climate change."
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