Osan City Begins Production of 'Urban Ecological Status Map' with Ecological Information

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Seo Dong-young] Osan City announced on the 19th that it will produce an 'Osan City Urban Ecological Status Map' containing biotopes (biological habitats), distribution of ecosystem-disturbing wild plants, and other information across its 42.73㎢ area.

The city held a kick-off meeting for the project on the 18th at the city hall situation room, attended by approximately 25 people including advisory committee members, environmental NGOs, heads of urban and agricultural departments, and the contractor.

With the project launched in December last year and scheduled for completion in June next year, the city plans to focus on creating detailed spatial ecological maps reflecting the region's environmental and ecological characteristics and values, as well as establishing an information system that can identify thematic spatial information for each category.

Through the kick-off meeting, environmental NGOs that have long been active in the region plan to work with the contractor to inspect the on-site ecosystem and share accumulated data, creating a map that provides an at-a-glance view of Osan's natural ecosystem status by incorporating various ecological habitat management and utilization methods.

Once the map is completed, it is expected to have high utilization value as a practical environmental guideline for national territorial and environmental planning tailored to Osan City's characteristics and current issues.

Kim Neung-sik, Vice Mayor of Osan City, said, "If we reflect the data accumulated by local environmental NGOs and ecological information surveyed through this project, it will be a highly practical result," and added, "It will have high utility value as an eco-friendly city management plan and ecological educational material."