Creating Schools Full of Flowers and Trees... Gangbuk-gu Promotes Eco School Project

Published 28 Jan.2020 06:38(KST)

By Mid-Year, Green Spaces Established at Changmun Girls' Middle and High Schools... School Forests Blocking Fine Dust, Creation of Natural Ecology Learning Centers

Cases of Utilizing Leftover Land within Schools

[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] Gangbuk-gu (Mayor Park Kyum-soo) is promoting the ‘2020 Eco-School Project,’ which creates green spaces in unused school grounds.

The Eco-School project installs forests, nature learning centers, and rest areas in underutilized places such as school rooftops and around playgrounds to provide a nature-friendly educational environment.

This year’s project will be implemented at Changmun Girls’ Middle and High School, with the district planning to complete the project by the first half of the year. With a total project cost of 200 million KRW funded by the city, a nature learning center (500㎡) will be installed in the high school and a school forest (600㎡) in the middle school.

The district will form and operate an Eco-School Promotion Committee consisting of school officials, students, and parents. Following this, a project briefing session will be held to prepare a design plan reflecting the needs of stakeholders and to create green spaces tailored to each school’s characteristics.

Moving beyond simply increasing green areas, the project aims to create spaces such as ‘fine dust blocking forests’ and ‘ecological experience nature learning centers’ where children can learn the importance of nature, environmental pollution prevention, and resource conservation.

Additionally, the secured spaces will be provided as venues for ecological learning linked to educational programs and as communication spaces within the school community, and further utilized as key green areas in Gangbuk-gu.

Previously, since 2013, the district has carried out school greening projects at nine schools in the area. Most schools with established ecological learning spaces have expressed high satisfaction.

Gangbuk-gu Mayor Park Kyum-soo stated, “It is known that the more green spaces there are in schools, the greater the positive impact on students’ emotional stability and educational effectiveness. We will continue to breathe life into leftover spaces and provide green rest areas for students and residents who are tired and struggling in their daily lives.”