Questions/Answers

Due to the damage of nature as a result of rapid urban development, an alienated area of park and green areas arose. In order to resolve inequality in parks and green areas between regions, the Seoul Metropolitan Government promoted the “Expansion of Green Life SOC(Social Overhead Capital)” by recreating small public spaces that had been neglected in parks and green areas as green shelters for residents. Consequently, small changes in diverse parts of the city led to changes in the whole city, contributing to the resolution of underprivileged areas in parks and green areas, as well as leading to urban regeneration, regional revitalization, and community building. In particular, 109 green shelters have been created for 9 years from 2012 to the present. It is a space that can heal depression and helplessness caused by COVID-19 for citizens who are restricted from free movement due to the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, the Seoul Metropolitan Government has selected fine dust reduction species to reduce fine dust, the issue of largest concern in recent years. When creating green shelters in scrapped lands all over the city, it is planted mainly to reduce fine dust, contributing not only to the reduction of fine dust, but also to mitigating the heat island phenomenon and reducing carbon emissions.

Through ”Green Life SOC” the park and green area services were provided to the residents of the underdeveloped areas of the park and green areas, and the citizens Citizens were encouraged to participate in the initiative, leading to voluntary maintenance and sustainability. Moreover, the expansion of green areas using the abandoned land has been contributing to mitigating the urban heat island phenomenon, reducing carbon emissions, and preventing natural disasters. In particular, to citizens complaining of depression and helplessness due to the limited free movement as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the area is becoming a healing space and a haven.

1. Health and Wellbeing The GLS aims to improve citizens’ quality of life and create a pleasant residential environment by giving residents a place to take walks or relax that is near where they live. 2. Inequality Reduction Most of Seoul’s green space-alienated districts are in the city’s historic center. Accordingly, the GLS’s first act was to designate abandoned plots of land in these districts to be turned into green rest areas through a joint effort with locals. This helped reduce inter-district green space inequality by turning unused land in underdeveloped areas into places that improve quality of life. 3. Responding to Climate Change This project effectively responds to climate change by reducing fine dust levels and carbon emissions, alleviating the urban heat island phenomenon. 4. Sustainable Cities and Communities The SMG offered classes to residents of target districts to cultivate “neighborhood gardeners.” Residents participated in all project stages so that they would be able to maintain the green areas after the GLS is over. This resulted in the recovery of local communities and sustainable urban system. 5. Terrestrial Ecosystem Protection The SMG is helping rebuild ecosystems and increase biodiversity by connecting “green spaces” to create ecological corridors.

The GLS is popular with citizens, as demand for neighborhood parks increases amid COVID-19. The budget for the project was significantly decreased by having residents participate and thereby be motivated to maintain/upkeep their own green spaces. It has even improved how people perceive such districts by transforming the urban environment, with multiple green areas coming together to form what are known as “hot locations,” which revive local economies. The connecting of previously disconnected green spaces has created a peaceful coexistence of humans and various forms of life (birds, butterflies, insects, etc.).

Seoul is a metropolis with a population of over 10 million. It also has a high population density, which makes it very difficult to provide all Seoul residents with equal access to green spaces/parks. This led to the idea of using abandoned plots of land to create green spaces—the GLS—which is helping alleviate green space inequality for alienated districts. Citizens who were forced to stay close to home throughout 2020 because of social distancing amid COVID-19 are now beginning to gather at parks. This is making parks that are within walking distance an important asset. Expanded application of the GLS is creating green spaces for citizens who are exhausted by the restrictions on life caused by COVID-19.

The GLS has made everyday public spaces safer for local residents, including making it safer for women to walk alone at night by cleaning up slum areas that had previously been prone to crime. Participants were recruited openly without any limits on age or gender. The GLS is significant in that green rest areas were created on abandoned plots of land by residents (of diverse ages, genders, and occupations) with the help of experts.

The GLS was carried out for residents of districts that lack green areas. By turning abandoned plots of land in these districts into green rest areas, areas that used to be avoided (because of illegal garbage disposal, etc.) were turned into features that beautify the urban landscape while decreasing green space inequality.

The GLS began as a one-off, festival-style event intended to foster citizens’ interest in green spaces. Starting in 2015, the project’s focus was changed to creating green rest areas for and with residents in everyday spaces as a means of reducing inter-district green space inequality. In 2019, the GLS focused on reviving under-developed districts and cultivating “Neighborhood Gardeners” to make residents more familiar with creating green spaces through community culture. This resulted in a system through which green spaces are operated continuously through public-private cooperation. Each year, a committee of experts from various fields is created to assess the year’s activities and discuss problems/solutions. The solutions identified are applied to the following year’s activities, resulting in a virtuous cycle of improvement.

The main form of opposition that the GLS faced was objections from some local residents (noise, invasion of living space, etc.) in response to the efforts to repurpose local land. This prompted the SMG to first concentrate on communication with residents. By having residents participate in all stages, the city showed that it was trying to address their long-held wish for neighborhood beautification. To avoid partiality, an organizing committee comprised of experts from diverse areas (landscaping, architecture, urban planning, etc.) was formed to participate in the GLS’ decision-making process. This committee system is currently being benchmarked by other cities.

The GLS reversed the urban structure of Seoul by using grassroots efforts to breathe new life into abandoned land and thereby alleviate green space inequality. The operational system was based on a bottom-up approach, with joint participation by all stakeholders (residents, experts, private firms, etc.) in all stages, and the fair division of roles helped create bonds of solidarity. It is a sustainable, citizen-participatory model that accommodates residents’ demands while reducing the financial burden on the administrative body and inspiring residents to voluntarily maintain the green spaces even after the end of the project.

The 72-Hour Landscaping Project (previous version of the GLS) benchmarked Germany’s 72-Hour Urban Action and Italy’s Public Project in Milan. It was based on the premise of transforming abandoned plots of land into green rest areas (based on citizens’ ideas) within 72 hours. The Seoul Garden Show, a large festival, now features a category on urban regeneration that recruits “Neighborhood Gardeners.” Efforts continue to be made to transform local land (abandoned plots, alleys, waste storage sites, etc.) into public gardens.

The SMG advertised the GLS through diverse social media channels (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, etc.), which not only made citizens aware of the project, but become interested in participating. In response to COVID-19, various prompt measures were taken (hosting of contactless international symposium, production/distribution of diverse garden-related video content, etc.) that continue to be used for the future implementation of the GLS.

The GLS has already been recognized for its outcomes and is being benchmarked as an example of outstanding administrative practice by other cities/provinces. The Korea Institute of Arboretum Management, which is affiliated with the Korea Forest Service, benchmarked the 72-Hour Landscaping Project to launch the “Garden Dream Project,” which brings volunteers to abandoned plots of land to turn them into gardens. Gohan-eup Office (Jeongseon-gun, Gangwon-do) benchmarked the Seoul Garden Show to launch the “Gohan Alley Garden Fair,” which has turned a neglected village that was the site of a former coal mine into a popular “garden village,” thereby contributing to urban regeneration. The GLS is also being adopted by the cities of Jeonju and Cheongju.

It is also trying to benchmark in the urban regeneration sector. It partials, it is applicable when gradually regenerating the old downtown.

To expand the GLS, the SMG uses abandoned public spaces in residential areas. The division of roles among citizens, public institutions, and private companies enables the creative transformation of abandoned land into new spaces. The GLS also trains residents to be Neighborhood Gardeners. The GLS is a high-output, low-cost project that brings about voluntary participation in maintenance/upkeep. The 72-Hour Landscaping Project makes all decisions through a committee made up of experts in landscaping, architecture, design, civil engineering, and culture. It allows the participation of citizens from all walks of life (university students, etc.) through open recruitment. Participants apply their creativity to the transformation of abandoned plots of land using limited resources within only 72 hours. The “neighborhood gardens” that are created through the Seoul Garden Show are the result of voluntary the participation of local residents and merchants in everything from analysis of the target plot to concept design and construction. To encourage corporate participation, the Seoul Garden Show operates a “Gardening Industry Pavilion,” where outstanding examples are displayed. It also offers interactive programs, cultural performances, and gardening-related academic conferences to encourage the attendance of people from diverse groups.

The GLS is based not on big-budget rapid development, but on small-budget change that is slow and steady and uses existing human resources. It is based on partnership with locals achieved through development/replacement that is partial but consistent. The business structure, which allows participation by all stakeholders in all stages, divides roles in a way that addresses residents’ demands while not putting an undue financial burden on the administrative institution. After the project is over, residents, who have become emotionally attached to their green space, voluntarily take care of it, making the GLS the sustainable and citizen-participatory model.

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Each year, after conducting the GLS, the SMG creates a committee of experts from diverse fields to conduct an internal assessment. The outcomes, problems, and future direction of the GLS are discussed, and the results of the discussions are applied to the following year’s GLS. The 72-Hour Landscaping Project was commissioned in March to the University of Seoul for a project assessment and proposal of the GLS’ future direction. In 2021, the assessment of the Seoul Garden Show will be consigned to an outside institution.

The GLS is closely connected to the everyday spaces of citizens, as it is based on abandoned land in places where residents actually live. After the project is conducted, its effects on residents and their causes are analyzed. Afterward, the project’s effect on society as a whole is analyzed. Discussions on sustainability are consistently held through satisfaction/feedback surveys of participants (residents, experts, corporations, etc.) as well as discussions on the appropriateness of certain plots of land and whether the project can continue to be operated by residents.

The expansion of the GLS is creating small but meaningful changes throughout Seoul. These changes, which have been made since 2012, are not only helping reduce green space inequality, but also realizing benefits through urban regeneration, local revitalization, and building of local communities. Citizens who were forced to stay close to home throughout 2020 because of the sustained social distancing measures in response to COVID-19 are now beginning to gather at parks. This made parks that are within walking distance an important asset. Expansion of the GLS is creating green areas that provide immense relief to those who are suffering because of COVID-19. Therefore, the SMG will be expanding the GLS beyond public spaces to create change citywide through the transformation of personal (private) spaces.

The GLS is based on a cooperative structure made up of the SMG, district governments, citizens, experts, and private companies. Through the flexible division of roles based on the equality of all stakeholders, all demands are addressed. The SMG is the supervising institution, focusing most on encouraging citizens to play an active role from start to finish. Experts participate in all decision-making processes, while citizens participate in everything from drawing up the initial plan to later acting as the primary agents of upkeep/repair. Meanwhile, corporations use the GLS as a CSR activity, providing funding and helping advertise the project. With this, administrative institutions can address citizens’ requests for neighborhood beautification without complicated procedures or a large injection of funding. As the users of the green spaces, local residents participate in the entire process (from idea design to construction), through which they contribute to local regeneration and become emotionally attached to the project so that they want to continue maintaining the green area after the project’s completion. Experts develop social-participatory profit-making models through their work on the GLS, while private companies use the GLS as a CSR endeavor to boost their image as eco-friendly companies and advertise their products.

Participated in by all stakeholders (experts, residents, SMG, district governments, and private companies), the GLS achieves social solidarity through the equal division of roles. The 72-Hour Landscaping Project makes all decisions through an organizing committee made up of experts in landscaping, architecture, design, civil engineering, and the arts and allows the participation of citizens from all walks of life (university students, residents, landscaping-related majors, etc.) through open recruitment. Participants creatively transform abandoned plots of land using limited resources within 72 hours. The “neighborhood gardens” created through the Seoul Garden Show are 100-percent participatory: they are made through the voluntary participation of local residents and merchants in everything from target plot analysis to concept design and construction. The gathering of residents who share a common interest results in a small community that takes responsibility for follow-up care, which enhances not only social solidarity but creates new jobs related to garden management. This year, the Seoul Garden Show contributed to revitalizing local economies through the cooperation of 26 businesses in the Haebangchon area of Yongsan-gu (restaurants, cafes, shops, etc.) and creation of a discount coupon book. Various citizen-participatory programs were also held throughout the expo.

The expansion of the GLS began in Seoul in 2015. The implementation process showed that many more citizens participated than expected, and that the project’s premise was well-received. To continue meeting the expectations of residents, the GLS needs to offer more educational programs and advertise more widely. Because of the time constraint of the 72-Hour Landscaping Project, it is always at risk of being a one-time event. It thus needs to be linked with related programs of district governments in order to increase its recognition and be maintained in the long term. To increase the quality of the project’s creations, a larger budget needs to be allocated from the beginning. In 2019, the focus of the Seoul Garden Show shifted from public to private spaces. By creating neighborhood gardens in easily accessible spaces, it produced many outcomes. Plans are now underway for the Seoul Garden Show to be hosted jointly with district governments in order to make its effects more visible to citizens in their everyday lives. In the future, entire neighborhoods will be targeted for transformation into a “garden-friendly neighborhood” to make even more progress toward reducing green space inequality and expanding a gardening-friendly culture.