Second Provincial Arboretum to be Established in Daebudo, Ansan

A Second Provincial Arboretum to be established in Daebudo, Ansan is expected to emerge as the largest tourism hub on the west coast, attracting over 1 million visitors annually.

This outlook was raised at the 'Second Provincial Arboretum Development Forum' held on the 31st at the International Conference Hall of Ansan Cultural Arts Center, organized by Gyeonggi Province.

Yoo Beom-gyu, a senior official from the Province's Forest and Greenbelt Division, stated in a keynote presentation titled 'Basic Directions for Second Provincial Arboretum Development' that "being located one hour away from the Seoul metropolitan area and developing recreational facilities alongside the arboretum, combined with proximity to nearby attractions such as English Village, Fishing Village Folk Museum, and Youth Training Center, it will become the largest tourism hub on the west coast attracting over 1 million visitors annually."

In his presentation, Official Yoo outlined four key categories for the arboretum development: ▲a harmonious arboretum aligned with the west coast tourism belt development plan ▲a specialized arboretum reflecting regional and ecological characteristics ▲an arboretum with dual-purposed exhibition and preservation spaces ▲an engaging arboretum.

Earlier, Professor Kim Yong-sik from the Landscape Architecture Department at Yeungnam University presented on 'Current Status Analysis of Domestic Botanical Gardens and Overseas Cases,' arguing that "successful establishment requires concrete establishment goals from the planning stage, introduction of systematic database management systems for plant resources, and securing specialized personnel."

In subsequent discussions, Gyeonggi Province Councilor Noh Young-ho emphasized that "phased and annual construction of the arboretum is necessary so that citizens can visit without burden and enjoy a pleasant and meaningful time, while contributing to local economic revitalization."