The Korea Forest Service selects 50 beautiful urban forests as everyday sanctuaries for life

Wow... The 50 most beautiful urban forests...

I want to visit all of them.

Daejeon Temi Park was around 20 years ago? I went there when I was part of a photography club, but I haven't been during cherry blossom season because the traffic gets too congested.

I think I'll go for a walk in the nearby woods once autumn begins.

Everyone, please check out the list of beautiful city forests selected in each region and visit them~

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Recommended for 916 locations, detailed evaluation... "Expand urban forest area per person to 15㎡ by 2027"

Daejeon Jung-gu Temi Park Urban Forest
Provided by the Korea Forest Service. Reproduction and database use prohibited.

(Daejeon=Yonhap News) Reporter Lee Eun-pa = The Korea Forest Service announced on the 1st the 'Top 50 Beautiful Urban Forests' selected based on recommendations from the public.

The selection of the 50 most beautiful urban forests aims to widely promote the value and role of urban forests as resting places in citizens' lives. The Korea Forest Service received recommendations for 916 urban forests from 3,062 citizens in April, and after evaluating public preference surveys, accessibility, ecological health, usage levels, and scenic value, they finalized the 50 sites.

The selected urban forests this time are categorized into five types based on their roles and functions: climate change response type, economic effect enhancement type, landscape improvement type, resident health promotion type, and resident participation type.

Cheongju Wonheung-i Ecological Park Urban Forest
Provided by the Korea Forest Service. Reproduction and database use prohibited.

Eight locations, including the Wind Path Dam Forest in Jung-gu, Ulsan, which considers the topographical features of mountain areas on the outskirts of the city to absorb urban carbon dioxide and mitigate the heat island effect, have been selected.

The economic effect enhancement type refers to places that contributed to revitalizing the local economy by utilizing urban forests as tourism resources, including five locations such as Pohang Nam-gu Pohang Railway Forest, which connected the city center separated by railway tracks.

The landscape improvement type refers to areas where green spaces have been expanded to enhance the city's aesthetics, including 12 locations such as Daejeon Jung-gu Temi Park Urban Forest, where royal cherry trees cover the entire hill, creating a spectacular view.

The community health promotion type is a forest that contributes to promoting physical activity and relieving stress through exercise facilities and walking trails. Twelve locations, including the accessible urban forest at Mansu Mountain in Namdong-gu, Incheon, which can be safely and conveniently used by people with disabilities, the elderly, and young children, have been designated.

Thirteen sites, including Cheongju Wonheung Ecological Park Urban Forest, which is used as a forest ecology education center for infants and elementary school students and where residents participate directly in planting trees, gardening, and maintenance, have been selected.

Urban forests have been found to reduce the average daytime temperature in summer by 3 to 7 degrees Celsius compared to the city center, and to increase average humidity by 9 to 23%. They also help mitigate the urban heat island effect and reduce fine dust by an average of 25.6% and ultrafine dust by an average of 40.9%.

A 1-hectare urban forest (10-year-old) absorbs an average of 6.9 tons of carbon dioxide annually, directly contributing to climate change mitigation. The trees that make up the urban forest absorb traffic noise through their leaves or physically block the spread of noise, creating a comfortable living environment for city residents.

Gyeongbuk Pohang Railway Forest
Provided by the Korea Forest Service. Reproduction and database use prohibited.

The per capita urban forest area in Korea is 11.48 square meters, which is much smaller than major cities in developed countries such as New York with 23 square meters and London with 27 square meters.

The Korea Forest Service plans to expand the urban forest area per person to 15 square meters by 2027 and, together with local governments, to create urban forests that highlight regional characteristics, fostering them as local tourism resources and community cultural spaces.

Top 50 Beautiful City Forests
Provided by the Korea Forest Service. Reproduction and database use prohibited.

Chief of the Forest Service, Lim Sang-seop, said, "We will develop urban forests into forest assets that respond to the climate crisis and help revitalize the local economy," and "We ask for your great interest and love for urban forests, which are always a resting place for citizens with their diverse charms."

sw21@yna.co.kr