"Gwanaksan and Bukhansan Fresh Air to the City Center" ... Seoul City Creates First 'Wind Path Forest'

170 Billion KRW Invested in Collaboration with Korea Forest Service ... Creating Forests That Bring Clean Air by 2021

[Asia Economy Reporter Jo In-kyung] Forests that open paths for clear and cold air generated overnight in Gwanaksan and Bukhansan to flow into the city will be created along rivers and roadsides in Seoul.

On the 14th, Seoul City announced that it will officially begin creating 'urban wind path forests' to respond to climate change in two areas: Gwanaksan~Anyangcheon area (Gangnam district) and Bukhansan~Uicheon area (Gangbuk district).

To find the optimal wind paths, the city simulated the movement routes of winds blowing from the mountains to select target sites and applied suitable creation models for each site. In collaboration with the Korea Forest Service, a total of 17 billion KRW, including 8.5 billion KRW from the national government and 8.5 billion KRW from the city, will be invested. Forest creation will start next month and is planned to be completed by the end of next year.

The wind path forests will be created in three types: 'wind-generating forests' that guide mountain air to flow toward the city, 'connecting forests' that serve as corridors linking forests and the city, and 'stepping and diffusion forests' established within the city.

Among these, 51 km (101,443㎡) of connecting forests will be planted with about 460,000 trees of species that reduce fine dust, such as wild cherry trees and oak trees. Leaves with fine and complex surfaces adsorb and absorb fine dust, while branches and trunks block moving fine dust. Stepping and diffusion forests operate by creating small-scale forests in urban parks or on building exteriors to generate breezes caused by temperature differences.

The city expects that by introducing and diffusing air from outer urban forests into the city through the wind path forests, the average daytime temperature in Seoul's city center during summer will be lowered by 3 to 7℃, and air purification effects will also be achieved. According to research by the National Institute of Forest Science, one hectare of forest absorbs 168 kg of fine dust and other air pollutants annually.

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