Expanding Forest Screens Protecting Cities... Korea Forest Service Accelerates 'Korean-style Green New Deal'

'Fine Dust Blocking Forest' Expanded by 1.5 Times... 'Wind Path Forests' Also Created in 17 Cities and Provinces
Korea Forest Service Implements Urban Forest Creation and Management Act... Establishes Foundation for Citizen and Corporate Participation

Families are enjoying water play and forest bathing at the Songdo Pine Forest Urban Forest in Pohang. Provided by the Korea Forest Service.

[Asia Economy (Daejeon) Reporter Jeong Il-woong] The Korea Forest Service is stepping on the accelerator for the Korean-style Green New Deal project by expanding urban forests.

According to the Korea Forest Service on the 13th, urban forests refer to forests created within cities for specific purposes such as ▲fine dust blocking forests ▲urban wind path forests ▲child safety green forests. The expansion of urban forests is also considered a representative Korean-style Green New Deal project in the forestry sector.

Fine dust blocking forests are established around sources of fine dust to block and absorb fine dust. To this end, the Korea Forest Service plans to increase the scale of fine dust blocking forests from 93 hectares last year to 156 hectares this year, enabling fine dust to be reduced and purified through the forests.

Urban wind path forests serve to open wind corridors between the city center and the outskirts. Polluted air generated in the city escapes through these wind paths, and fresh air purified by the forest remains in the city, creating a kind of circulation pathway. The Korea Forest Service plans to establish urban wind path forests in 17 cities and provinces nationwide by next year.

Another type, the child safety green forest, aims to create safe and pleasant forests within child protection zones. The Korea Forest Service introduced the child safety green forest this year and is currently creating such forests at 50 locations nationwide.

The Korea Forest Service’s expansion of urban forests aims to maximize the positive effects of forests in urban areas where most people spend their time.

For example, research by the National Institute of Forest Science shows that simply looking at trees in a forest for 15 minutes reduces the stress hormone cortisol by 15.8% and lowers blood pressure by 2.1%.

Additionally, studies confirm that one hectare of urban forest absorbs 46 kg of fine dust, 24 kg of sulfur dioxide, 52 kg of nitrogen oxide, and 46 kg of ozone annually.

Urban forests also help maintain appropriate temperatures in cities and reduce urban noise caused by vehicles and other sources.

First, forests block hot direct sunlight, lowering the average midday summer temperature by about 3 to 7 degrees Celsius and mitigating temperature drops caused by radiative cooling in winter.

Moreover, forests surrounding an area like a folding screen reduce ambient noise. For instance, the Forest Science Institute analyzes that trees planted on both sides and the center of roads can block up to 75% of automobile noise.

The Korea Forest Service has also been fully enforcing the “Act on the Creation and Management of Urban Forests, etc.” since the 10th of last month. This law strengthens the obligations of the national and local governments to create and manage urban forests, while allowing citizens, organizations, and companies to directly participate in the creation and management of urban forests, thereby establishing an institutional foundation for sustainable urban forest creation and management.

Choi Byung-am, Administrator of the Korea Forest Service, said, “The Korea Forest Service will strive to systematically create and manage urban forests so that the public can enjoy diverse and greater benefits from forests,” adding, “We hope that people can take rest and relaxation in urban forests and enjoy a healthy life.”

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