Yongin City, Gyeonggi Province, announced on the 1st that it has created 16,701㎡ (about 5,050 pyeong) of land as an urban forest this year to provide green space to citizens.
Urban forests refer to parks, school forests, forest green areas, and street trees (forest) created in the city center. It is known to have a great effect on improving the urban landscape as well as reducing fine dust and carbon emissions.
The city has been pushing for an "urban forest creation project" to create green spaces such as Garosupgil and Ssamji Park by utilizing idle national and public land or spare spaces in the city center.
This year, from May to last month, 16,701㎡ of urban forests were created in eight places, including Namdong, Cheoin-gu, Dongbaek-dong, Giheung-gu, and Sanghyeon-dong, Suji-gu.
Last month, 37 trees such as zelkova, cherry, pine, and pear trees and 4,460 shrubs such as Yeongsanhong, Hoeyang, and Jopopok were planted in the traffic square located near Gwanggyo Well Homes Apartment in Sanghyeon-dong, Suji-gu, making it a green space for all seasons. It also installed trails and benches for local residents.
In Seokseong-ro (502-15 Dongbaek-dong, Giheung-gu), which connects Dongbaek and Masung, a 1km street forest path was installed using a road divider to improve the urban beauty and help reduce fine dust.
Yongin Samgye High School (Pogok-eup, Cheoin-gu), Bora Middle School (Bora-dong, Giheung-gu), and Towol Elementary School (Pungdeokcheon-dong, Suji-gu) planted trees and flowers on campus and created trails to help students study in a pleasant environment.
Ssamji Park, built in Namdong, Cheoin-gu and Gogi-dong, Suji-gu, is highly satisfied by local residents.
Originally, the place where Ssamji Park was located was an idle land that had been neglected for a long time. There were many complaints from residents because it was covered with miscellaneous trees and garbage.
Now, magnolias, king cherry trees, zelkova trees, maple trees, and pine trees have been planted, and it has been transformed into a park that boasts different scenery in all four seasons. Outdoor exercise equipment and benches are also installed, attracting many residents.
The bus transfer center at Dongcheon Station, where trees cannot be planted, has been set up with a lightweight for mobile pots and plants to grow so that you can feel green even in the desolate city center.
A city official said, "The urban forests created throughout the city are becoming a space that gives citizens small leeway in their daily lives as well as alleviating urban heat island phenomena and reducing fine dust."
Writer: Anne Ma
