Mountaineering Education
Backgrounds
Since mountaineering is an outdoor activity, there is always a chance of unexpected danger. Various activities could cause severe damages to the forest.
Systematic education has been conducted with the following goals :
- 1) to provide correct information for safe and pleasant mountaineering;
- 2) to improve awareness of forests and nature.
Projects
Since 2003, the Korea Forest Service has run a mountaineering school to establish and encourage correct mountaineering culture. It includes the following programs :
- 1) a general course for adults,
- 2) a youth course for secondary school students,
- 3) a training course for instructors and
- 4) a training course for guides who provide mountaineering information.
There are more than thirty programs, including youth exploration of the Baekdu-daegan forest ecosystem in early August.
Hiking School Programs
| General Course | Youth Course | Instructor Course |
Mountaineering Guide Course | Youth exploration of Baekdu-daegan forest ecosystem |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Objectives | To disseminate accurate information and create a healthy culture | To disseminate accurate information and promote an understanding of forests | To teach theories and techniques and to train instructors to lead the mountaineering culture | To produce guides who can provide high-quality information services | To observe the natural ecosystem and to encourage natural protection through exploration of the Baekdu-daegan forest ecosystem |
| Target | Adults, public officials from the Korea Forest Service and local governments | Secondary school students | All adults | Mountaineering guides selected by local organizations | Secondary school students |
| Classification | Basic class (one day), Application class (two days), Advanced class (three days), Mountaineering culture class (five days) | Training class (one day), Basic class (two days), Summer camp class (three days) | Twelve days (on weekends for six weeks) | Six days | |
| Location | Education facilities at contract organizations and Forest Human Resources Development Institute | Education facilities at contract organizations, campsites for students and major mountains | Education facilities at contract organizations and major mountains in the country | Education facilities at contract organizations | Baekdu-daegan and near recreation forests |
Youth Exploration of Baekdu-daegan Forest Ecosystem
Backgrounds
While walking through Baekdu-daegan, a key part of the ecosystem on the Korean Peninsula, young people will hopefully be inspired by the beauty and importance of the countryside. These are the country’s future leaders, like the Silla knights, the Hwarang, who trained in mind and body and developed a patriotic spirit by visiting the mountains. The program aims to give them that opportunity.
Projects
Every summer vacation since 2002, the Korea Forest Service has run a program for secondary school students, Youth Exploration of the Baekdu-daegan Forest Ecosystem. For a week, thirty students and ten instructors explore ten areas, including Jiri Mountain, Dukyu Mountain, Sokri Mountain, Sobaek Mountain, Odae Mountain, and Seolak Mountain.