Suwon Mayor Lee Jae-jun: "Ilwol and Yeongheung Arboretums to Operate Reflecting Citizens' Opinions"

Suwon Mayor Lee Jae-jun visited Ilwol Arboretum and Yeongheung Arboretum, which will open in May, consecutively. Mayor Lee (second from the right) is receiving an explanation from an arboretum official. Photo by Suwon City

Suwon Mayor Lee Jae-jun promised to actively reflect citizens' opinions in the operation of Ilwol Arboretum and Yeongheung Arboretum, which will open in May.

Mayor Lee visited Ilwol Arboretum and Yeongheung Arboretum consecutively on the 13th and 14th to hold an 'On-site Visiting Mayor's Office' and stated, "We will actively incorporate citizens' opinions before the official opening of the two arboretums."

First, Mayor Lee held the 'On-site Visiting Mayor's Office' at Ilwol Arboretum in Cheoncheon-dong, Jangan-gu. At this meeting, citizens requested ▲expansion of the arboretum site ▲promotion of the arboretum ▲installation of photo zones for SNS promotion.

Ilwol Arboretum is a 'citizen participation-type arboretum' created together with citizens. In March 2019, a citizen debate titled 'Suwon Citizens Create an Arboretum' was held to gather citizens' opinions. In the same year, over 1,000 citizen opinions collected through a 'Communication Box' operated within Ilwol Park, where Suwon Arboretum was to be established, were reflected in the design.

Ilwol Arboretum was developed on a 101,500㎡ scale within Ilwol Park in Cheoncheon-dong, Jangan-gu, in the western Suwon area. It serves as Suwon City's 'ecological landmark arboretum' with public roles such as systematic plant collection and research, ecological conservation, and ecological education.

Visitors can see eight themed gardens, including an exhibition greenhouse featuring Mediterranean plants, a wetland with aquatic plants, and a decorative garden showcasing flowers throughout the four seasons. The 3,036㎡ exhibition greenhouse displays Mediterranean plants under the theme of dry climate zones.

Currently, Ilwol and Yeongheung Arboretums are temporarily operated for Suwon city officials and some citizens. The city plans to accept online advance reservations from the 3rd to the 28th of next month after temporary operation until the 27th of this month, allowing only a limited number of visitors.

Mayor Lee also held a meeting during his visit to Yeongheung Arboretum on the 14th. Citizens suggested ▲development of experiential programs ▲provision of shaded rest areas ▲installation of handrails on slopes ▲installation of a winter light festival (Luminaria).

Yeongheung Arboretum was developed on a 146,000㎡ scale in Woncheon-dong, Yeongtong-gu, in the eastern Suwon area. It is a garden culture dissemination-type arboretum that preserves the existing terrain and natural ecological environment such as rice paddies, ponds, and forests as much as possible.

There are themed gardens such as Hydrangea Garden, Grass Garden, Rock Garden, Maple Garden, Rice Paddy, and Wetland Herb Garden, with about 1,000 species of trees and flowers planted, allowing visitors to enjoy the changing forest scenery throughout the seasons.

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