Gimhae City plans to designate three new environmental education centers to expand local educational hubs.
The city is taking this step following the cancellation of the Hwapocheon Wetland Ecology Center's designation due to its failure to meet the required criteria. This has prompted the city to seek additional environmental education institutions to enhance its educational network.
On October 12, Gimhae City announced the designation of three new 'Gimhae City Environmental Education Centers' to improve accessibility to environmental education for residents and strengthen the local educational foundation.
This designation aligns with the second comprehensive environmental education plan for Gimhae City (2026-2030), which aims to engage 650,000 participants over five years, averaging 130,000 annually.
Previously, the city operated two centers: the Hwapocheon Wetland Ecology Center and the Bunsungsan Ecological Forest Experience Center.
However, the Hwapocheon Wetland Ecology Center has been unable to maintain the necessary full-time staff since the opening of the Hwapocheon Wetland Science Museum in September 2022, leading to the current cancellation process.
Currently, facility maintenance and management are conducted through a consolidated outsourcing method, but the lack of separate environmental education programs has prompted the city to pursue the cancellation of its designation.
A representative from the Gimhae City Environmental Policy Division stated, "The existing center has served as a regional educational hub, but it no longer meets the designation criteria, leaving only one operational center. We believe there is a need for regional educational hubs, so we decided to recruit three new centers this time."
Eligible candidates for the new center designations include institutions affiliated with national and local governments in Gimhae that focus on environmental education, as well as non-profit organizations established under relevant laws.
Applicants must have at least two full-time professional staff dedicated to environmental education and at least one full-time manager responsible for center operations. They must also have facilities such as classrooms, practice areas, educational equipment, and administrative offices available for regular use.
The city estimates that around 11 local organizations engaged in environmental education could potentially qualify for this initiative. Many existing organizations already have the necessary personnel and facilities in place.
The application period runs from October 8 to October 28, with submissions accepted from October 19 to 28 at 6 p.m. Applications can be submitted in person or by mail to the Gimhae City Environmental Policy Division's Environmental Education Team, or electronically via the administrative electronic document distribution system for eligible organizations.
In November, the city will conduct expert evaluations and on-site assessments. They will evaluate the foundation for environmental education, facilities and equipment, staffing, program and operational plans, and community collaboration systems. Up to three centers will be selected based on a cumulative score of 70 or higher.
If fewer than three organizations meet the 70-point threshold, only those that qualify will be designated. A city official noted, "If all support organizations fail to meet the criteria, we may need to re-announce the opportunity. However, if only some meet the criteria, we will proceed according to the results."
The final designations are expected to be made by the end of November after a review by the evaluation committee. The designation period will last for three years, with the new centers expected to begin operations in 2027.
Once designated, the centers will be responsible for providing environmental education to citizens, training environmental education leaders, developing and distributing educational programs and materials, and managing and providing environmental education information.
However, designation does not guarantee immediate financial or personnel support from the city. Gimhae City has indicated that while financial support for the centers is possible, there is currently no budget allocated for 2027.
A city official stated, "There is no support budget for next year, but we anticipate that if we allocate a budget after 2028 and it is approved by the council, support will be possible."
Once all three new centers are designated and the cancellation process for the Hwapocheon Wetland Ecology Center is completed, Gimhae City will have a maximum of four environmental education centers, including the existing Bunsungsan Ecological Forest Experience Center.
The city plans to evaluate the performance of the centers annually and conduct operational assessments at least once a year.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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