The Korea Land and Housing Corporation (LH) noted on the 16th that it plans to create 'air-purifying urban forests' to contribute to the reduction of fine dust and fire prevention.
'Air-purifying urban forests' are forests established in urban living areas for the purpose of air purification, utilizing the characteristics of trees that adsorb and absorb harmful substances in the air through the stomata of leaves, branches, and stems. LH has so far developed a total of 750,000 square meters of urban forests nationwide, achieving an annual carbon reduction effect of approximately 1,141 tons.
Starting this year, LH is actively promoting the creation of approximately 180,000 trees, spanning a total area of 2.25 million square meters of 'air-purifying urban forests' utilizing parks and green spaces in the third new towns, including Incheon Gyeyang.
The plan is to plant large trees that are more than twice the number currently in clusters over an area of more than 40% of the park and green space, and to actively introduce plants with excellent fine dust adsorption and absorption functions, such as yellow poplar and oak, to increase the air purification effect of urban forests by more than 25%.
The air-purifying urban forests created in the third new towns are expected to reduce fine dust levels equivalent to 10,000 kg emitted by 6,000 diesel vehicles annually and absorb more than 2,500 tons of greenhouse gases, including carbon dioxide.
Considering the frequent forest fire conditions that have arisen recently, LH plans to reduce the proportion of fire-sensitive coniferous tree species, such as pine and nut pine, and to mix 36 fire-resistant tree species recommended by the Forest Service, such as maple and sweetgum. This is expected to increase the proportion of fire-resistant species in the third new towns to about 27%.
Park Dong-seon, head of LH's National Land and Urban Headquarters, said, "The urban forests in the third new towns will serve as a green mask for the health of residents," and added, "We will continue to do our best to implement an eco-friendly carbon-neutral city in preparation for future risks posed by climate change."