The beautiful forest will be able to represent of our forest with the bionomics, forestry value as well as the cultural, historical and lapse value, and we have to recognized the local feature, management of forest, protection and ownership subject, and the forest must be maintained as the precious life cultural property which must be kept for the next generation more than ever.
In order to keep the beautiful forest, we'll inform it continuously and will continue a preservation activity, and we must strive to inform and protect the beautiful forest in this ground in order to we and the future generations will live in the peace of forest.
The persimmon tree street in Youngdong gun, Chungbuk
The Autumn of Youngdong is desirable. The persimmon tree with fruit which is hanging in clusters under the autumn sunshine is filling the city, so the step of tourists who want to taste the mood of tree-lined of persimmon tree street is continued in this time every year.
The purple colored ripe persimmon which is hanging in clusters with putting the red leaf out in the skinny tree is putting in deep mood of autumn. So someone called the autumn persimmon tree as 'impression tree'. It means that is putting in the impressionof season well. Youngdong, Chungbuk which is the home of dried persimmon begun to plant persimmon tree on the street for public information of special product in the early of 1970, and created the tree-lined of persimmon tree for total 31km of 14km of Youngdong downtown and 17km of national road around downtown. The persimmon tree of downtown road is preserved well so it will be able to enjoy the impressive tree-lined.
Bi-won
Bi-won is the rear garden of Ch'angdok Palace as a royal villa of Joseon Dynastwhich is located in Walyongdong, Jonglogu, Seoul, and it is accomplised with about 103,000 pyeong of area. When Ch'angdok Palace is established for royal villa in 5 years of Taejong(1405), the rear garden is composed the next year, and it is expanded continuously by the kings of many generations of Joseon Dynast so it became the shape like nowadays. Bi-won which we've know in these days is the garden behind Ch'angdok Palace which is called as rear garden or gold garden in Joseon Dynasty.
It's special feature of Bi-won forest that is composed with the trees which grow spread out on side but straight upside. And it's the shape of original tree by the force of nature but the artificial tree for enjoyment. There are 100 kinds of trees in Bi-won forest, the zelkove, the ginko, the kind of locust tree, the yew tree, the chestnut tree, and Japanese apricot tree etc. that are 300 or more years old in there. It will be able to see tow kinds of tree which are designated with the natural monument on the road to Bi-wonforest. Those are the actinidia arguta planch which is designated at 251th of the natural monument and the aromatic tree which is designated at 194th of natural monument, and those are planted at the time when it establish Ch'angdok Palace. The other feature of Bi-won forest is that there are not many needle-leaf trees among the trees that is composing forest. Therefore, It can be said that the broadleaf trees which makes to recognize the change of season vividly are the master of Bi-won forest.
The things to enjoy with Bi-won forest are the zelkova and the kind of locust tree which is growing in Donhwamoon of Ch'angdok Palace. The reason that it planted the zelkova and the kind of locust tree in the front gate of the royal palace is originating from the old story which Sam-gong managed the affairs of state under the absolute tree in Ju kingdom of China. In Bi-won, the rear garden of Josen Dynast which has been continued for 500 years, we'll be able to find nature friendly trace of the ancestors who were living in standing with nature. Namely, the place where we could find composure of ancestors that get the trees and water joined together with using natural topography like hill or the shallow valley, and established the building in harmony with the natural scenery is Bi-won forest.
It'll be able to enjoy Bi-won forest for dividing with 4 of big area. The first area is the forest in around where has Buyongjeong, Juhapru etc. the forest includes Aereyonji, Aereyonjeong, Yeonkeyongdang etc. is second area. Theforest includes Gwanlamjeong, Bandoji, Jondeokjeong, Yeonji, Peymwoosa is third area, the forest includes Chuihanjeong, Soyojeong, Eojeong, Chungyijeong, Taegukjeong etc. focused on Ongnyucheon is fourth area. Those forests in 4 areas are located to north way in succession like order to see Bi-won. is catching in order to the north.
Cheonggye Mt.
If it choice one place to inquire the forest, the valley, the reservoir, the temple, the park and the city at a stretch around us, it could be Cheonggye Mt. Gwacheonn Seoul national park is located in under the valley which is spreaded widely in northwest side, the Gwacheon city, the first garden city of our country is located in the plain which is besieged with Woomeyon Mt, Gwanak Mt. like a picture. If it goes to the forest way toward Cheonggye Mt. for 7 minutes, the first milestones appeared, then you'll go to the way which is marked toward Maebong.
As soon as passing the second milestone, two branch of way comes out, the right side is the way toward Maebong,the left side is the way toward Wonsi valley. The way toward Maebong is rough though, but it's good to see the circumference of Gwacheon city in a sight when arriving on top. The route toward Wonsi valley is connected very narrowly and thinly as much as one person can pass out, and steep mountain slope is very steep so it makes feel like come into the deep mountain. The Mongolian oak, the chestnut tree and the acacia tree appear alternately, it couldn't have feeling as the forest near city because the forest is overgrown. If you climb to the way of Wansi valley, you'll meet new and wide road which comes down along the ridge, if you arrive the heliport with coming down along the ridge which is connected Cheonggye Mt. ->, the wide sky appears with spreaded circumference. If you go to the national park cabin from Cheonggye Mt., you'll enter the national park and go up with riding lift. The forest around the control reservoir is truly fine forest rest area. The place which catch visiter's eye most is probably the walk way which is composed around reservoir. In around the walk way which is connected to the thick forest, there are the mineral spring resorts and the chairs here and there sot it is becoming the rest place for the visitors. If you follow the walk way,you'll meet the mountain cabin. There are the fairy nail, Acacia tree, the chestnut tree forest and the pine tree forest etc. in the mountain cabin. Whole section of the mountain cabin is total 6.3 km as the distance for about 2 hours and 30 minute.
Namhansanseong
There are many dense pine tree forests in here and there of our country. The whole area of Namhansanseong which is located in Sanseongli, Joongbumeyon, Gwangjujun, Kyongkido is famous for the pine tree forest. If you visit the pine tree forestof Namhansanseong, you'll be able to put a lot of good points in your mind. First, Namhansanseong is the site of forest culture as the place where our ancestors cultivates and protects the forest actively. Second, the dark-blueish pine tree forest is preserved well, third, there is Sanseong which becomes the cultural element of the mountain and the forest, and fourth is the point that you'll be able to see and ruminate the site of sad history for the national war because of it was the hard-fought field ofBeyongjahoran. There are various interview courses, the course that getting off Sanseongli, passing the north gate -> south gate -> Sueojangdae and coming down to the forest behind Sueojangdae, then see the zelkova forest around line palace and coming down to the bus stop is most desirable. When you get off from the bus and come into the side street which spreads towards north of the rotary and you'll meet a north gate in distance for about 10 minutes.
You can go to Hanam if getting out of this gate, there is full of forest. Sticking to Sanseong and going up, you will see thick pine grove on your left. In the road from West gate to Sueojangdae, the left is thick pine tree grove and the right is widely spread Jamshil-beol. You will be in the middle of pine grove of Sueojangdae. Out of the pine tree grove, down from Sueojangdae, you can see promenade on your left, let’s go into the road. There are over zelkova trees of more than 100 years, which is the temporary palace (long ago, a detached palace where king stayed). What you must look carefully in the visit to Namhansanseong are Geumrim Guild of Namhansanseong, environmental characteristics and healing effect of pine groves near Namhansanseong, and historic value and significance of Namhansanseong, etc.
Anmyon island
Place where you can experience the breath of 500 years history through pine grove is Anmyon island. Pine grove with fine lineage located in Seungeunli Anmyon-eup had been continuously protected for more than 500 years since Joseon Dynasty's conservation policy of pine trees. You will arrive at Anmyon-eup in 30 to 40 minutes later if you head to the south through local highway No. 603 from Tae-Ahn-eup. Although you could see through windows to the south, full of dark green pine grove, it is Gomsol of seashore, not the one called Jeoksong(red pine) we will look at.
Pine trees in pine grove at Seungeunnli stretch to the sky upright beautifully. The figure of pine trees is more impressive since the most trees we have seen at the central region are crooked ugly. So, old times Joseon government designated this pine grove in Anmyon island Hwangjangbong-san for wood building Royal palace and administered the grove. In Anmyon island, descent pine grove spread approximately 3,000 ha. Here is the pine grove of Anmyon island where you can walk along its sweet pine fragrance. A neat promenade through 15m tall pine trees runs to observatory on the hill.
On the observatory, you will see West Sea to west and dense pine grove to south-east. The view here is the best of the pine grove in Anmyon island. The pine grove in Anmyon island, which is also a designated natural resting forest, is equipped with newly decorated subsidiary facilities like forest exhibition center, tree garden, camping ground, physical training field and promenade, etc. And, near Seungeunli, there are colonies of Mogamju trees, designated natural monument No. 138 and a pine tree seed gathering house with international scale.
Mt. Odae
Mt. Odae is mountain of fir. Entering into Mt. Odae National Park, you will walk under thick fir covering the sky. Mt. Odae's representative fir grove is around Woljeong temple and entrance to Sangwon temple, north-east slope of Birobong. Woljeong temple's fir grove is the most outstanding grove in Mt. Odae. Woljeong temple is surrounded by fir, and especially it you look around at the front garden of Jeokgwangjeon where the Octagonal 9-story Stone Pagoda stands, you will see fir grove only. The front yard of Sangwon temple can be said to be a precious observatory that shows clearly the true character of our groves. If you stand to the south and turn your head to the east, you can face the long and slender landscape where grey-brown bare trees scrubs adorn the ridge, and if turn your head slightly to the west, you can see the gallant fir grove.
Nae-Seorak
Mt. Seorak is among others, Korean favorite mountain. With fantastically-shaped rocks and waterfall, dense grove, deep valley, clean water, ... both in name and reality, it is the best mountain in South Korea. Usually, Inje-gun area including the peak of Mt. Seorak, Daecheong-bong(1708m) and Baekdam valley located in west inland between Misi-ryeong and Hangye-ryeong, Jangsu-dae, etc. is called Nae-Seorak. Baekdam valley in which Gayadong valley and Gugokdam valley joined together clean mountain stream flows clean bedrock and gravel stones and forms mysterious land along with thick wood nearby. It takes about 2 hours from Yongdae-ri Ticketbox to Baekdam Mountain Villa, and about 3 hours from the Villa to Oseam. Going up along the road, you pass Baekdam-sa temple in harmony with the best valley in South Korea, and Suryeomdong valley, the continuous mysterious view, Oseam's fir grove and Manggyeong-dae, the Nae-Seorak's observatory, etc.
Gyerim, Najeong grove, Yeokeun valley grove
In Gyeongju, an ancient city of Shilla Dynasty there are a lot of cultural remains lasted for 1,000 years. There are also interesting cultural remains related to grove, which are, Najeong grove with the birth myth of Park hyeokgeose, the founder of Shilla and Gyerim grove, where the founder of Gyeongju Kim Family was born. There are also Yeokeun valley grove with the wisdom of Queen Seondeok.
It is told that the founder of Gyeongju Kim Family was from Gyerim and the founder of Gyeongju Park Family was born in Najeong grove, and the reason why they have the narrative saying a country or a clan is originated from tree or grove Shilla people considered tree and grove as the origin of creation, or sacred path between god and men. Moreover, according to the doctrine of the five natural elements of the positive and negative, they sometimes considered the nature as person. You can find the traces in Yeokeun valley grove.
In the story about Yeokeun valley, you can see the wisdom of Queen Seondeok, Shilla people's wisdom which picked out the site of Sacheon King, god of the defence of fatherland at the grove where gods had been strolled and their Buddhist vision of the universe which made the top of Nangsan a heaven. In addition, they considered nature as qualitative object, for example, Yeokeun valley has had strong negative element from long ago.
Changdeok Palace Backyard(huwon)
Most people know there is Bi-won at the center of the city, but there are not many people who recognize the value of the backyard grove. The backyard grove is a man made grove but has natural forms maintained by natural power for a long time since then. And, you can taste enough the natural beauty of Joseon Garden, the best of culture harmonious with nature, and confirm the ancestors' simple views of nature directly there.
In the backyard grove, there are 100 kinds of trees, among them, there are about 80 with over 300 years and some designated natural monument. Backyard is decorated so that you can feel refined and kind touches by placing ponds and many-storied buildings between streams, thick foot of mountain and hill. The broad-leaf trees grove near lotus pond and grove around Yeongyeongdang, and grove near Bandoji and Okryucheon, etc. are nice places.
Jongmyo Oak Grove
It is the grove that has kept the capital of a country for 600 years, sacred grove at the center of the downtown and Joseon Dynasty's Divine Forest, so Jongmyo's grove is unique and special. Divine Forest is sacred grove that had been protected by the state. Joseon Dynasty Divine Forerst was Jongmyo grove and it was a space for god rather than for living men since it was enshrined the ancestral tablet of kings who became god by building Jongmyo.
So, they didn't plant flowery trees and there was no bower or multi-storied building. groves around Jeong-jeon or Yeongnyeong-jeon are nice place preserving the old look of grand gal oak trees.