Last updated: April 2023
The "Urban Forest" project focused on the establishment of the Mongolian-Korean Friendship Forest on a 40-hectare land in Dambadarjaa, Sukhbaatar district of the capital city, Ulaanbaatar. Previously known as the Forest Research and Development Center Arboretum Park, this area has a river running through it. The project, with a total cost of over 8 million EUR, was designed specifically to reduce air pollution in the capital, to create a healthy eco-environment for Ulaanbaatar residents to spend their leisure time and to raise awareness of the importance of forests and the benefits of trees in Mongolia. In total, 55,000 trees and shrubs of 36 different species were planted so far and the park boasts five different types of coniferous trees that thrive in Mongolia, including larch, pine, abies, cedar, and spruce, as well as deciduous trees such as birch, aspen, willow, lilac, and maple. The Urban Forest park also includes several facilities, such as a visitor information center, a playground, sport facilities, a natural arboretum and a ground fountain. The park will be operational and accessible to the public in 2023. The project was implemented between 2017 and 2022, as the second phase of the Korea-Mongolia Greenbelt Reforestation Initiative jointly developed by the Mongolian Ministry of Environment and Tourism (MET) and the Korea Forest Service (KFS). The Green Belt initiative was created with the overall aims to mitigate desertification, combat climate change, and reduce yellow dust and sandstorms in Mongolia. (Ref. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5)
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Overview
Nature-based solution
- Blue infrastructure
- Lakes/ponds
- Rivers/streams/canals/estuaries
- Grey infrastructure featuring greens
- Riverbank/Lakeside greens
- Green playgrounds and school grounds
- Parks and urban forests
- Large urban parks or forests
Key challenges
- Climate action for adaptation, resilience and mitigation (SDG 13)
- Climate change adaptation
- Climate change mitigation
- Environmental quality
- Soil quality improvement
- Air quality improvement
- Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
- Green space creation and/or management
- Regeneration, land-use and urban development
- Regulation of built environment
- Promote natural styles of landscape design for urban development
- Water management (SDG 6)
- Flood protection
- Stormwater and rainfall management and storage
- Cultural heritage and cultural diversity
- Preservation of natural heritage
- Health and well-being (SDG 3)
- Enabling opportunities for physical activity
- Creation of opportunities for recreation
- Social justice, cohesion and equity (SDG 10)
- Environmental education
Focus
Creation of new green areas, Creation of semi-natural blue areas, Management and improved protection of rivers and other blue areas
Project objectives
Besides contributing to the overall objectives of the Green Belt initiative to combat desertification, climate change, yellow dust and sandstorms, the Urban Forest Park has the following specific objectives:
- Reduce air pollution;
- Increase urban green space and create a healthy green environment in the city;
- Increase the benefits of forests for urban residents;
- Planting a dense grove of willow trees along rivers and ponds to keep the wetlands from flooding during rainy seasons;
- Control soil pollution in the 40ha area to a certain level and not polluting the soil further;
- Capture soil water in the marshy area of the field by creating lakes and ponds;
- Control river diversion and changes in water level;
- Provide opportunities for recreation;
- Develop a model "Urban Forest";
- Raise awareness of the importance of forests in Mongolia, as well as the benefits of trees, how to grow and care for them, and motivate Mongolians to create their own forests;
- Serve as a training field for university students.
(Ref. 3, 4, 6, 7)
Implementation activities
In order to create the Urban Forest Park, the following actions were carried out in accordance with the general plan and approved design in 2017–2018. In 2019, soil treatment was completed, trees were planted, river dams and small reservoirs (ponds) were established, and a knowledge garden of native Mongolian trees was created. Amenities, like flower-shaped fence protection and sidewalks, were also constructed. A training and information center was constructed in 2020, and a flower complex for Mongolia's steppe region was also formed. In 2021, a parking lot, a playground for kids, a tower, and a sports field were constructed. The construction of a lake waterway has not been finished to date.
So far, the project has planted 55,000 trees and shrubs of 36 species. The project also completed the breeding of 140,000 seedlings of 21 species in a greenhouse. (Ref. 1, 7)
Climate-focused activities
Climate change adaptation:
- Implement measures that prevent/manage desertification, soil erosion and landslides
Climate change mitigation:
- Implement sustainable forest management measures to increase carbon sinks/ improve carbon storage
Main beneficiaries
- National-level government
- Researchers/University
- Citizens or community groups
- Young people and children
Governance
Management set-up
- Government-led
Type of initiating organisation
- National government
- Public sector institution
Participatory approaches/ community involvement
- Unknown
Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project
Korea-Mongolia Greenbelt Reforestation Project was initiated by the Ministry of Environment and Tourism of Mongolia (MET) and the Korea Forest Service (KFS) to mitigate desertification and climate change, and combat yellow dust and sandstorms in Mongolia. (Ref. 1, 4, 6) The Korea Forest Service is an independent agency focusing on forestry and overseen by the South Korean Ministry for Food, Agriculture, Forestry.
To implement the project, a "Green Belt" project office has been set up, and it is currently in charge of the project. The Agency of Forestry within the Ministry of Environment and Tourism will take over management and accountability going forward. (Ref. 7)
Project implemented in response to ...
... an EU policy or strategy?
Unknown
... a national policy or strategy?
Yes
(1. Green Belt National Program (Ref. 1, 4, 6)
2. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): Target 15.3. "Combat desertification, restore degraded land and soil, including land affected by desertification, drought and floods, and strive to achieve a land degradation-neutral world" (Ref. 5, 8))
... a local policy or strategy?
Unknown
Financing
Total cost
More than €4,000,000
Source(s) of funding
- Multilateral funds/international funding
Type of funding
- Direct funding (grants, subsidies, or self-financed projects by private entities)
Non-financial contribution
Type of non-financial contribution
- Provision of goods
Who provided the non-financial contribution?
- Public authorities (e.g. land, utility services)
- Citizens (e.g. volunteering)
- Private sector (businesses, financial institution)
Impacts and Monitoring
Environmental impacts
- Climate change
- Strengthened capacity to address climate hazards/natural disasters
- Environmental quality
- Improved air quality
- Improved soil quality
- Water management and blue areas
- Improved water quality
- Increased protection against flooding
- Green space and habitat
- Increased green space area
- Increased conservation or restoration of ecosystems
- Increased conversion of degraded land or soil
- Increased number of species present
Economic impacts
- Unknown
Socio-cultural impacts
- Social justice and cohesion
- Improved access to urban green space
- Health and wellbeing
- Improved mental health
- Gain in activities for recreation and exercise
- Cultural heritage and sense of place
- Improvement in people’s connection to nature
- Education
- Increased support for education and scientific research
- Increased knowledge of locals about local nature
- Increased awareness of NBS and their benefits
Type of reported impacts
Expected impacts
Presence of formal monitoring system
Yes
Presence of indicators used in reporting
Yes
Presence of monitoring/ evaluation reports
Yes
Availability of a web-based monitoring tool
Yes
References
1. Korea-Mongolia Greenbelt Project, official website available at Source link (Accessed 22-02-2023)
2. Urban Forest, Introduction video available at Source link (Accessed 18-02-2023)
3. Montsame news (2020-03-27), “The "Greenbelt" project represents Mongolia and Korea's friendship", available at Source link (Accessed 22-03-2023)
4. AFoCO news, (2022-01-07), "Successes in forest cooperation: Greenbelt Reforestation by the Republic of Korea and Mongolia", available at Source link (Accessed 22-03-2023)
5. Korea-Mongolia Greenbelt Project-Press release, attached (Accessed 25-03-2023)
6. Greenbelt brochure, attached (Accessed 25-03-2023)
7. Urban Forest Park, Information provided by the management team (Accessed 25-03-2023)
8. Montsame news (2021-09-27), “Mongolia and the Republic of Korea will collaborate to combat desertification", available at Source link (Accessed 26-03-2023)
9. Montsame news (2018-05-08), "Ground breaking ceremony for ‘Ulaanbaatar Urban Forest’ held", available at Source link (Accessed 27-03-2023)
10. Source link news (2021-04-22), "Dambadarjaa will have a park covering 40 hectares", available at Source link (Accessed 27-03-2023)
2. Urban Forest, Introduction video available at Source link (Accessed 18-02-2023)
3. Montsame news (2020-03-27), “The "Greenbelt" project represents Mongolia and Korea's friendship", available at Source link (Accessed 22-03-2023)
4. AFoCO news, (2022-01-07), "Successes in forest cooperation: Greenbelt Reforestation by the Republic of Korea and Mongolia", available at Source link (Accessed 22-03-2023)
5. Korea-Mongolia Greenbelt Project-Press release, attached (Accessed 25-03-2023)
6. Greenbelt brochure, attached (Accessed 25-03-2023)
7. Urban Forest Park, Information provided by the management team (Accessed 25-03-2023)
8. Montsame news (2021-09-27), “Mongolia and the Republic of Korea will collaborate to combat desertification", available at Source link (Accessed 26-03-2023)
9. Montsame news (2018-05-08), "Ground breaking ceremony for ‘Ulaanbaatar Urban Forest’ held", available at Source link (Accessed 27-03-2023)
10. Source link news (2021-04-22), "Dambadarjaa will have a park covering 40 hectares", available at Source link (Accessed 27-03-2023)
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Information about this nature-based solution was collected as part of the "NBS 2022" UNA Asian extension project funded by the Asia-Europe Foundation.