Naju Bitgaram Lake Park Wins Grand Prize in Natural Environment Award Contest

Published 08 Nov.2022 11:44(KST)

[Naju=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yukbong] Naju City, Jeollanam-do (Mayor Yoon Byung-tae) announced on the 8th that Bitgaram Lake Park was selected as the grand prize winner of the ‘2022 22nd Natural Environment Awards Contest’ hosted by the Korea Ecological Restoration Association and will receive the Minister of Environment Award.

Sponsored by the Ministry of Environment, the Natural Environment Awards discover and select exemplary cases of ecological and environmentally friendly conservation and restoration of habitats, urban and artificial grounds, rivers and wetlands, parks and green spaces, and damaged areas.

Additionally, amid active promotion of policies and related projects for carbon neutrality and ecosystem service enhancement, it is the most prestigious award in the ecological restoration field, focusing on presenting and developing a model for green industry development and expansion of environmental services.

Bitgaram Lake Park in Naju City achieved the grand prize in the project category with the slogan ‘Restoration and Expansion of the Naturalness of Isolated Urban Forests.’

It received high praise particularly for creating terrestrial and aquatic spaces that organically connect ecological soundness, people, and natural ecosystems.

Located in the central part of the Innovation City, Bitgaram Lake Park was originally created as an artificial lake in 2015 with a total area of 521,861㎡, but transformed into an ecological lake inhabited by various flora and fauna through Naju City’s ecosystem enhancement strategy focusing on restoring and expanding naturalness.

Baemesan Mountain, rising in the center of the park, was isolated and some forests were damaged during development, but later became a green network hub connecting the city and nature through restoration and expansion of existing forests and aquatic ecosystems and diversification strategies for biological habitats.

Bitgaram Lake Park, now an ecological lake with species diversity, confirmed 33 species and 434 individuals of birds through monitoring, and it was found to be home to the first-class endangered wild animal Eurasian otter and second-class wildcat.

The city utilizes the park’s high tourism value with attractions such as Bitgaram Observatory, children’s forest, monorail, stone slide, outdoor performance hall, music and ground fountains, making it a popular green healing spot in the urban area.

Mayor Yoon Byung-tae said, “Through this Natural Environment Award, Bitgaram Lake Park has been given a story to leap forward as a premium resting space for residents, a top-level ecological lake park nationwide, and a representative tourist resource of Naju along with Bitgaram Observatory.”

He added, “As a lake park connecting nature and people in the city, we will do our best to provide sustainable ecosystems and ecological welfare services for residents.”