Combating Pollution and Heat: Seoul’s green Initiative

The Seoul Metropolitan Government is aggressively tackling air pollution and urban heat island effects with an enterprising expansion of its “wind Road Forest” project. This initiative focuses on creating strategically located urban forests designed to channel cool air from the city’s outskirts into its densely populated center. The plan aims to establish 30 new sites in the first half of this year alone, building upon the success of previous installations.

What is a Wind Road Forest?

A Wind Road Forest is essentially an urban forest strategically designed to facilitate the movement of cool air generated in the mountainous outskirts into the city center. This helps to mitigate the urban heat island effect and reduce fine dust concentrations. Last year, Seoul completed 18,040㎡ of Wind Road Forest, including areas near the Seongsu Bridge. This year’s plan involves creating an additional 55,920㎡ across 23 locations, including Namsan Mountain, bringing the total to 74,000㎡.

Strategic Planting for Maximum Impact

the project emphasizes the use of plant species specifically chosen for their resilience to urban conditions. These include plants with high absorption rates of air pollutants, drought-resistant varieties, and species that provide sustenance for local insect and bird populations. The city plans to introduce 1,084 trees, 148,592 shrubs, and 397,136 groundcover plants, incorporating garden design elements to create visually appealing and ecologically functional spaces.

A Multifaceted Approach to Urban Greening

The Wind Road Forest initiative represents a extensive approach to urban greening. It not only helps to reduce air pollution and lower temperatures but also creates carbon sinks and enhances the overall urban landscape. The forests are categorized into three types based on the unique topographical features of each location.

Leveraging Seoul’s Geography

Seoul’s location,surrounded by mountains like Bukhansan and Gwanaksan,provides a unique opportunity to harness natural air currents. The cool air generated in these mountains flows into the city along rivers and valleys, a phenomenon that the Wind Road Forest project aims to amplify.

Data-Driven Planning

The Seoul Metropolitan Government utilizes the 2019 Seoul Wind Road Creation Basic Plan to identify optimal locations for these forests. This plan incorporates the KLAM_21 model, a cold air fluid analysis simulation developed by the German Meteorological Agency, to map the flow of cool air into the city. This data-driven approach ensures that the Wind Road Forests are strategically placed to maximize their impact.

Environmental and Economic Benefits

The benefits of urban forests are well-documented. According to the National Forest Research Institute, a 1-hectare forest can absorb 6.9 tons of carbon dioxide and 168 kg of fine dust annually. It can also reduce the average summer temperature by 3-7°C and increase humidity by 9-23%, effectively mitigating the urban heat island effect. Studies have shown that a single tree can provide the cooling equivalent of 10 air conditioners, and roadside trees with understory plantings can reduce sidewalk temperatures by as much as 4.5°C. The 74,000m2 of Wind Road Forest planned for Seoul this year is projected to absorb approximately 51 tons of carbon dioxide annually.

One tree has 10 air purifiers and 10 air conditioners, and the roadside trees with the lower layer forest have a variety of studies that the temperature reduces the temperature of 4.5 ℃ in the sidewalk, and if it stays in the urban forest, the temperature is reduced by about 2 ~ 3 ℃ outside the urban forest.

A Greener Future for Seoul

The Wind Road Forest project is a key component of seoul’s broader strategy to combat climate change, reduce air pollution, and improve the quality of life for its citizens. By strategically integrating nature into the urban environment, Seoul is creating a more sustainable and livable city for the future.

We will continue to do our best to complete the ‘Garden City Seoul’, which can continue to promote the city’s forest creation project, which lowers the temperature of the hot city and reduces fine dust, and can feel the effects of green welfare for citizens.

Lee Soo-yeon, director of the Seoul Metropolitan Garden City