Seosan-si, South Chungcheong Province, plans to create a habitat for endangered prickly lily at Pungjeon Reservoir.

Seosan City, South Chungcheong Province, announced on the 16th that it plans to create a habitat for the prickly kite, a Class Ⅱ endangered wild species, at Pungjeon Reservoir in Inji-myeon.

To this end, Seosan City signed an agreement with the Geumgang River Basin Environmental Office, Korea Rural Community Corporation Seosan-Taean Branch, Hyundai Transys, and Cheonripo Arboretum the day before.

The contracting organizations will invest 60 million won by September 2029 to create a habitat for prickly lily in Pungjeon Reservoir.

The Geumgang River Basin Environmental Office is in charge of the project, Seosan City is in charge of habitat protection and management, Rural Community Corporation is in charge of habitat provision, Hyundai Transys is in charge of project cost support, and Cheonripo Arboretum is in charge of prickly pear transplantation and monitoring.

The prickly lily is the plant with the largest leaves among Korea's native plants, and was designated as an endangered wild species in 1989 due to rapid decline in its habitat due to development and wetland reclamation.

Seosan Mayor Lee Wan-seop said, “We hope that this project will become a cornerstone for promoting biodiversity and preserving the ecosystem,” and added, “I hope that citizens who visit Pungjeon Reservoir will experience a unique joy while observing the prickly lily.”