Shinan County to Overhaul Landscape Tree Project... Reviewing Sustainability of 11.1 Billion Won Investment

More Than 400 Million Won Spent Annually on Management Costs
Reorganization Set for 2027 Following Economic Feasibility Review

Shinan County, which forms part of Jeonnam-Gwangju Metropolitan City, has decided to overhaul its long-running landscape tree project as the management burden has grown, and to shift its management system toward reducing future fiscal costs.

Shinan County Office.

The county comprehensively reviewed ongoing management expenses, the limits of tree utilization, and civil complaints due to delays in tree removal, and decided not to maintain the existing project as is but rather to reorganize it in phases based on economic feasibility and utility.

The landscape tree project began in 2009 as the 'Landscape Tree Nursery Support Project.' At that time, approximately 140 farms received partial financial support for the purchase of about 500,000 saplings. Since 2019, the county has purchased around 210,000 trees from about 130 farms for landscape management and usage purposes.

Of these, roughly 170,000 trees have been used for public projects, such as parks and street trees, as well as for organization work. However, about 40,000 trees are still being managed by about 100 farms.

The problem is that as the project has been prolonged, the burden of management expenses has continued to accumulate. According to the county, the total budget spent from 2019 to this year on landscape tree purchases, land acquisition, and leasing has reached 11.1 billion won. Even now, more than 400 million won is spent each year for management.

There are also limitations in terms of utilization. The demand for trees in public projects is limited, and delays in removal have led to ongoing complaints from landowners and farms.

In particular, in some cases, the cost of digging up, transporting, and transplanting existing trees is not substantially different from the cost of purchasing and planting new trees. This has raised the need to reconsider whether it is economically justified to continue holding and managing trees with low utility.

In response, the county will launch an economic feasibility review of the overall landscape tree project starting in October 2026. The review will analyze the current status of landscape tree holdings and management, as well as targets and methods for reorganization, associated costs, the potential for tree utilization, the cost difference between transplanting existing trees and planting new ones, and the anticipated long-term fiscal savings.

Based on the results of the review, the county plans to begin a landscape tree reorganization project in 2027 by selecting trees with low utility and economic viability.

A county official stated, "This reorganization is not simply about clearing trees; it is intended to reduce future financial burdens and efficiently allocate limited resources to areas where they are truly needed." The official added, "We will thoroughly consider economic and legal feasibility and reflect the opinions of residents, farms, and landowners to minimize any inconvenience or burden."

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