Mayor Kim Dong-geun of Uijeongbu: "Uijeongbu Urban Forest Project... Creating a 'City You Want to Walk In'"

City to Innovate as a Green City with the 'Uijeongbu Love Urban Forest Project'
Creating a Sustainable Urban Forest through Systematic Green Space Management
Enhancing Urban Aesthetics and Pedestrian Safety through Street Tree and Green Belt Maintenance
Expanding Green Infrastructure and Providing Urban Healing Spaces that Citizens Can Experience

Uijeongbu City in Gyeonggi Province (Mayor Kim Dong-geun) is set to actively promote the ‘Uijeongbu Love (Love) Urban Forest Project.’

Mayor Kim Dong-geun and city officials are inspecting the site while crossing the stepping stones at Buyongcheon. Photo by Uijeongbu City

According to Uijeongbu City on the 17th, the city established the nation’s first ‘Department of Walkable Cities’ in July last year and, following the creation of a pedestrian-friendly urban environment, will now develop a systematic and sustainable urban forest.

This project goes beyond simply expanding green spaces; it aims to transform urban forests into spaces where culture and nature harmoniously coexist, injecting new vitality into the city center. In particular, it plans to build a green city brand where nature and people coexist harmoniously and enable citizens to enjoy a pleasant and abundant green environment in their daily lives.

Through the core of this project, the ‘2025 Systematic Urban Forest Development Plan,’ the city intends to connect green spaces throughout the urban area, enhance design to increase the city’s value, and focus on citizen-centered complaint resolution.

To this end, the city will implement ▲ phased green space and street tree maintenance maximizing budget efficiency ▲ designation of priority management zones considering citizen usage rates, aesthetics, symbolism, and complaints ▲ urban forest maintenance centered on residential areas ▲ continuous monitoring to prevent safety accidents ▲ resource recycling of woody waste. Based on this systematic management system, the city plans to expand green infrastructure that citizens can tangibly experience and leap forward as a sustainable green city.

To maintain a more pleasant and healthy green environment within the city, the city will divide major green areas into three zones and systematically manage a total green space of 270,000㎡.

Street-side green belts will have their grass mowed three times a year and shrubs pruned once a year to improve urban aesthetics and increase city value. Additionally, benches, walkways, rest areas, and drainage facilities within green belts will be improved to make them more convenient for citizens to use.

Mayor Kim Dong-geun is inspecting the flower garden site at Jikdong Neighborhood Park. Provided by Uijeongbu City

The city will also focus on creating safe and healthy street trees alongside improving the walking environment. To ensure the health and safety of street trees, sections with old trees will be maintained, and issues such as raised pavement blocks and curbs caused by root protrusion, complaints due to fallen leaves, and safety accidents from falling dead branches will be prevented.

Pruning and removal of old branches will be conducted before the growing season in April and May, and safety inspections and branch maintenance will be carried out in September and October to prepare for typhoons and heavy snow, thereby enhancing pedestrian safety.

In particular, the city will significantly improve its image by maintaining hedgerows along city boundary sections and major pedestrian routes. Street trees and green belts at the city’s entry points will be created and facilities maintained to enhance the city brand value.

Major roadside hedgerow sections will be managed systematically to create a pleasant urban environment. The shape of forsythia trees will be controlled, hedgerows cultivated, and efforts such as removing kudzu vines will continue to improve the cityscape.

Furthermore, the city will connect Songsan Waterfront Park and Minrakcheon Sports Park to maintain the green belts and rest areas around Minrakcheon Stream. Trees will be trimmed and rest spaces created to provide citizens with healing spaces within the city.

Mayor Kim Dong-geun is communicating with citizens while walking along the Minrakcheon Healthy Ochre Trail. Provided by Uijeongbu City

The city plans to increase usage by creating diverse spaces that citizens can practically use, such as dirt paths, walking trails, garden-style green spaces, rest areas, and exercise spaces, going beyond simple green areas. It will expand citizen-tailored infrastructure, moving away from the conventional uniform lawns and azalea-centered green belts.

Additionally, to strengthen the symbolism of main roads, the city will diversify street tree species and improve street landscapes considering the connectivity of maintenance sections. By introducing specialized species and landscaping techniques linked to housing redevelopment and construction projects, it plans to create more sophisticated and differentiated urban landscape specialty streets.

The city will establish a systematic management system to ensure the health and safety of street trees within the city. To prepare for risks caused by aging street trees and environmental factors, regular safety inspections will be conducted, and customized street tree road improvement projects by road and district will be promoted to enhance urban aesthetics. With improved street landscapes and strengthened pedestrian safety, citizens are expected to enjoy a more pleasant urban environment.

Moreover, the city plans to move away from the existing method of simply discarding woody byproducts generated during urban forest management and instead recycle and utilize them efficiently. This will increase budget savings and contribute to eco-friendly policies that reduce carbon emissions.

Mayor Kim Dong-geun is sowing cornflowers and zinnias at Singok Saebit Garden. Provided by Uijeongbu City

In particular, last October, the city signed an agreement with an eco-friendly renewable energy company to establish a resource circulation system that processes woody waste into wood chips for use as fuel in power generation. This is expected to save tens of millions of won annually in disposal costs and reduce carbon dioxide emissions.

Mayor Kim Dong-geun said, “Urban forests are not just green spaces but important areas that enhance citizens’ quality of life,” adding, “Through systematic budget management and phased project implementation, we will realize tangible changes in the ‘Uijeongbu Love Urban Forest’ and create a sustainable ‘walkable city.’”

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