Sweeping the leaves
On Dec. 4, one of my friends in Gwangyang County, South Jeolla Province, invited me to see an art exhibition titled "Black and Black: Art of the Sacred Sea Oceania."
Before I viewed the exhibition, my friend — who represents an environmental organization — suggested that I might help sweep up the leaves felled from trees along the street. I worked for an hour with him and others.
Along the way, my friend told me the story of how he did the job. In fact, the residents living near these trees had filed a complaint with city hall because of the damage caused by the fallen leaves. In response, the mayor put up placards along the street, saying he would cut down the trees.
Then, a lady from the environmental organization visited the mayor and persuaded him not to cut the trees. She explained that the trees provide important benefits, such as offering resting places for pedestrians and reducing cooling costs in summer. She also noted that excessive pruning can cause the trees to grow too quickly and die early. Instead of cutting the trees, she suggested that the group members rake up the fallen leaves every Thursday. The mayor accepted her suggestion.
The example above demonstrates that, with the participation of civic groups, local governments can consider a wider range of policy options by incorporating opinions from diverse stakeholders, rather than making decisions unilaterally. Moreover, this approach represents a small but meaningful step toward preserving the global ecosystem in the face of climate change.
Rising temperatures are causing a decline in plant diversity and threatening marine ecosystems. Korean firs in the high mountains are on the verge of dying out. Many fish species along the southern coast are now subtropical, and one species — "hongeo" or skate — has already disappeared. Given this situation, maintaining and preserving our surrounding ecosystems, including urban and regional rivers, may be a starting point for mitigating global warming.
In 2021, Shinan County in South Jeolla Province and the National Institute of Ecology signed an agreement to preserve endangered wildlife. They promised to study the value of the ecosystem of the fox tail orchid and of Koreanohadra koreana, and to develop and promote content for ecological education.
In 2023, Seoul Grand Park, along with citizens and civic organizations, created a companion fund to protect endangered species, improve the living environment and engage in nature conservation projects. In 2024-25, Yuhan Corp. and public organizations collaborated to conduct an ecological survey of the Miho River in North Chungcheong Province and to restore its habitat.
Everywhere on Earth, ecosystems are said to be created in cooperation with hundreds of different species. If even one species disappears, the ecosystem collapses, resulting in unpredictable disasters. In the midst of the climate crisis, the environmental protection activities of people and organizations are indispensable for nature and the citizens themselves. Saint-Exupeéry said that what I clean is cleaning one side of my planet; it’s time for all people to join together in maintaining an appropriate global temperature.
He is a retired English teacher who published a book titled, "Flower Is Flower."