City to use Han River flowers, crops to feed zoo animals

Flowers at a Han River park in Seoul / Yonhap

What happens to the flowers and crops that decorate Seoul's riverside parks in spring and autumn?

Each year, city officials plant some 30 tons of flowers and crops in the area that spans 28,640 square meters. These flowers are usually disposed of after being used as visitor attractions

That is set to change this year, after the Seoul metropolitan Government said Saturday that it plans to run a pilot program to use the flowers and crops as food for herbivores at a city-run zoo.

Under the plan, the city government will provide 22 tons of crops and flowers from the parks along the Han River as food for animals at Seoul Grand Park in Gwacheon, just south of the capital.

This year, officials will give 15 tons of canola flowers and seven tons of rye to feed the zoo's animals.

They said that zoo and park officials reached an agreement and checked that the canola flowers and rye harvested before ripening are edible for the animals.

Separately, they plan to donate around 800 kilograms of barley to social welfare organizations.

The local government officials are considering extending the project after reviewing the results of this year's pilot program. (Yonhap)