‘Urban Forest Act Enacted and Promulgated’ Korea Forest Service to Promote Expansion of Urban Forests in Residential Areas

Young children are participating in forest experience activities in an urban forest. Source=Asia Economy DB

[Asia Economy (Daejeon) Reporter Jeong Il-woong] The "Act on the Creation and Management of Urban Forests" (hereinafter referred to as the Urban Forest Act) has been enacted and promulgated. Taking this opportunity, the Korea Forest Service plans to expand the creation of urban forests within residential areas.

According to the Korea Forest Service on the 12th, the Urban Forest Act strengthens the responsibilities of the government and local governments for the systematic creation and ecological management of urban forests and promotes private sector participation in the creation and management of urban forests.

With the implementation of the Urban Forest Act, the Korea Forest Service expects that policies to expand urban forests, promoted together with local governments, will gain momentum.

In addition to increasing the urban forest creation budget from 240 billion won last year to 330 billion won this year, the Korea Forest Service plans to expand the target areas for fine dust blocking forests from the existing industrial complex surroundings to major roads and other locations starting next year through consultations with budget authorities.

Investment in urban forest creation brings benefits back to the public. For example, according to the National Institute of Forest Science, the public value provided by forests was estimated at 221 trillion won as of 2018, which translates to a benefit of 4.28 million won per citizen.

Previously, the Korea Forest Service has been promoting new projects since last year to address urban environmental issues in a nature-friendly way, including fine dust blocking forests and urban wind corridor forests.

Fine dust blocking forests are created between sources of fine dust such as industrial complexes and residential areas to block the inflow of fine dust into living areas.

Urban wind corridor forests induce air circulation, drawing clean and cool air from the outskirts of the city into the urban center and expelling polluted and hot air from within the city.

Kim Ju-yeol, Director of the Urban Forest Landscape Division at the Korea Forest Service, said, “The expansion of urban forests will create conditions where citizens can more evenly experience the benefits provided by forests up close,” adding, “The Korea Forest Service will strive harder for the systematic creation and ecological management of urban forests.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.