Hwaseong Special Municipal City Plants 'Trees of Hope' for the Future

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Park Chan-hyeok] Hwaseong Special Municipal City successfully concluded the '2025 Tree-planting Ceremony' held at Jeongjo Filial Piety Park on the 27th.

The event commemorated the launch of Hwaseong Special Municipal City and the 80th Arbor Day, serving as a venue to share the green future vision of Hwaseong Special Municipal City and Gyeonggi Province. The ceremony was held under the theme of 'Planting the future of Hwaseong City together with Gyeonggi Province through the will and hands of 100 people.'

The event was attended by approximately 200 people including Mayor Jeong Myung-geun of Hwaseong City, Cha Seong-su, Director of the Gyeonggi Province Climate Environment and Energy Bureau, National Assemblyman Kwon Chil-seung, Venerable Seong-hyo of Yongju Temple of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism, provincial and municipal council members, related government agencies and civic organizations, and citizens.

Mayor Jeong announced the start of the event through his commemorative address. The family of 'Million Baby' Kim Ryu-an, the first baby born after Hwaseong Special Municipal City surpassed 1 million in population, represented 1.05 million Hwaseong citizens and read an environmental declaration pledging to act together for nature protection and carbon neutrality implementation.

Subsequently, participants performed a ceremony delivering 'Hope Trees' to children and the Million Baby family. The Hope Trees were planted using soil combined from 29 eups, myeons, and dongs throughout Hwaseong City. The crape myrtle, which is Hwaseong City's official municipal flower and blooms its resilient flowers even against strong wind and rain, was selected as the Hope Tree, adding meaning to the ceremony.

Following the example of King Jeongjo, who planted over 12 million trees in the Hwaseong area including Hyungnyeongwon during his reign, citizens together planted a total of 324 trees of 7 species including crape myrtles at Jeongjo Filial Piety Park, reflecting on the meaning of filial piety and the importance of tree-planting.

In addition, the city conducted a 'Companion Tree Campaign' providing blueberry and Daphne odora seedlings, offering citizens an opportunity to personally cultivate trees at home and make carbon-neutral green growth a way of life. The campaign received enthusiastic response from residents.

Mayor Jeong Myung-geun stated, "Like Hwaseong Special Municipal City's motto for this year, 'Geun-go-ji-yeong (roots deep, branches flourishing),' the trees planted today will create a sustainable green future for Hwaseong City, just as a deeply rooted tree bears abundant fruit. Moving forward, we will take the lead in practicing carbon neutrality and expanding green spaces so that we can pass on a healthy environment to future generations."

Meanwhile, Hwaseong City is pursuing forest and green space policies including afforestation and forest management projects, Jangan Namsan urban forest development projects, and forest biomass utilization projects to foster forest resources and implement carbon neutrality and green growth.