Suncheon City Plants Shade Trees to Improve Pedestrian Convenience and Prevent Urban Heat Islands

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Hyung-kwon] Suncheon City announced that it will promote a ‘Traffic Island Shade Tree (木)’ planting project, which plants trees on traffic islands next to crosswalks to provide shade for pedestrians and minimize urban heat island effects.

Suncheon City plans to investigate areas around traffic islands with high pedestrian traffic and long signal waiting times that need shade and places that do not obstruct drivers’ visibility, and plant green shade trees (木) annually to provide comfortable shade for citizens.

Last year, shade tree planting work was completed at Namjeong Traffic Island, and this year at four traffic islands at Araetjang Intersection, receiving great responses from citizens. The city plans to create 15 additional sites.

The shade tree planting will consider surrounding conditions and plant shade trees either as solitary trees or in forest belt forms, and the places where shade trees are planted will be converted into green zones considering on-site conditions.

Kim Hoe-man, Director of the Parks and Greenery Division of Suncheon City, said, “Citizens will be able to avoid the harsh sunlight under the refreshing shade of trees while waiting at traffic signals,” and added, “Shade trees are expected to have a great effect on improving the urban environment, such as purifying vehicle exhaust gases, inducing pleasant air flow, and preventing urban heat island effects.”

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