Assemblyman Lee Myung-no Holds Forum on 'Urban Forest Restoration Measures'

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Yoon Jamin] A forum on urban forest restoration plans in the Gwangju area was held at the Gwangju Metropolitan Council.

The Gwangju Metropolitan Council announced on the 23rd that it held a policy forum titled "How to Create Urban Forests in Gwangju" in collaboration with the Gwangju Madang 2030 Forum.

Kim Young-sun, Executive Director of the Gwangju Jeonnam Green Alliance, presented on "Current Status and Restoration Plans of Urban Forests," and Lee Myung-no, a member of the Gwangju Metropolitan Council, participated as a discussant.

Executive Director Kim Young-sun said, "Today, urban forests are exposed to various environmental pressures such as the heat island effect, air pollution, soil acidification, and the influx of invasive species," adding, "Urban forests are very important urban assets, providing environmental benefits such as energy savings, health and recreation promotion, and landscape improvement, as well as socio-economic benefits like increased property values and job creation."

He continued, "It is necessary to conduct a detailed survey of urban green spaces and designate them as conservation green spaces or ecological landscape conservation areas to systematically preserve them."

He also stated, "The legal standard for urban park area per capita, as defined by the 'Act on Urban Parks and Green Areas,' is at least 6㎡. Based on the current park area, Seoul has 8.09㎡ per person, Daejeon 8.05㎡, and Ulsan 10.41㎡, all exceeding the standard, but Gwangju has 5.90㎡, which does not meet the legal requirement," adding, "This figure is far below the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended standard of 9㎡ per person for urban park area."

He then proposed the following measures for urban forest restoration: ▲ improving street landscape ▲ enhancing green corridors and water circulation ▲ designating and expanding protected areas ▲ establishing green connectivity ▲ and the Gwangju Forest Project.

Council member Lee Myung-no suggested increasing the ratio of green spaces on building exteriors and rooftops through green buildings, as well as greening public infrastructure such as transportation facilities and public cultural and sports facilities.

Meanwhile, the '2030 Forum' was founded to proactively discover future agendas and publicize policy alternatives for creating a new Gwangju by 2030, marking the 50th anniversary of the May 18 Democratic Movement. Researchers, politicians, activists, and citizens gather to select topics related to Gwangju's future agenda for 2030 and hold regular monthly forums.

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