[Senior Trend] The Treasure Called Forest... From Health to Jobs

‘The Giving Tree,’ Shel Silverstein’s picture book, captures the lives of humans and trees. In the book, the boy who befriends the tree sells the fruits it gives, breaks off branches to use as firewood, and even cuts the trunk to make a boat. When he grows old and becomes an elderly man, he rests on the tree stump. Forests have always embraced all of us.

Korea’s forests cover 63% of the entire land, ranking 4th among OECD countries, about twice the global average (31%). It is only behind Finland at 73%, Japan at 69%, and Sweden at 68%. Moreover, anywhere in the country, you can reach a park or recreational forest within an hour from home. This was not always the case; it is the result of a 20-fold increase in forest resources over the past 60 years. We are a green powerhouse with a unique achievement of ‘the shortest-term forest greening,’ having transformed barren mountains into lush greenery.

When considering the third act of seniors’ lives, there is a reason to look at mountains and forests again. Our people truly love mountains. ‘Hiking’ has ranked first as a favorite hobby among Koreans for over a decade. People enjoy wild mountain vegetables, and the number of campers is steadily increasing, reaching 7 million. The mountain village lifestyle vicarious satisfaction program ‘I Am a Natural Person’ has been long-running and is especially popular among middle-aged and older adults.

‘Healthy living’ is a global topic today. More people are contemplating how to live well, seeking a balanced and stable life both mentally and physically. Those exhausted by harsh urban life and competitive environments increasingly want to return to nature. At this time, if we expand the perspective of seeing mountains merely as places for rest (play), not only will health improve, but countless work and leisure opportunities will also arise.

First, being with forests can extend healthy life expectancy. Koreans live long and well but are not happy. Seniors suffer from illnesses on average from age 64 and endure about 18 difficult years before passing away. Simply visiting forests often benefits health. Scientific evidence shows that being close to mountains reduces stress and boosts immunity, leading to physical and mental recovery. Visiting Dr. Lee Si-hyung’s Hongcheon Healing Sun Village, famous for the ‘happiness hormone, serotonin,’ you will find forest-friendly activities such as forest walking and meditation with natural sounds. Abroad, some places offer insurance premium discounts for regular mountain visits. Visiting nature is seen as health management and disease prevention, reducing the insurance payouts insurers must make.

From another perspective, forests can create jobs. The Korea Forest Service and Korea Forest Welfare Institute have published a guidebook titled ‘100 Ways to Work in the Forest.’ The book outlines paths to becoming a forest interpreter, forest healing instructor, or engaging in timber and forest product production. It introduces over 200 pages of diverse jobs and educational programs.

There are notable overseas examples in Germany. The Schwarzwald (Black Forest) is ten times the size of Seoul and serves as a place for convalescence and recreation. It provides ‘nono care’ (elderly caring for the elderly) tourism and services. The village of Biberach is another case. A small rural village with 100 residents engaged in livestock farming learned natural therapy methods from a priest, and now its population has surged past 10,000, with 20% working in the forest healing industry. Most people work in lodging facilities for visitors, and local governments plan and operate courses in cooperation with the Forest Service and universities. Also, there is Kamikatsu Town in a Japanese mountain village. Originally, 85.6% of its total area was forest. About half of its 2,000 residents are over 65, making traditional industries like timber and tangerine harvesting difficult. At this time, they focused on leaves that elderly people could easily handle. They carefully picked maple leaves, packaged them in sets of ten, and sold them to high-end restaurants, earning higher profits than before. Now, thousands of researchers and tourists flock there to benchmark.

Meanwhile, seniors’ activities are becoming more active domestically as well. Through forest-related startups and technical education, cases are emerging where people create their own work using machines like the latest drones and robotic arms. Also, healing and wellness tourism villages capable of forest healing are being developed in Jeju, Gangwon, and Jeolla regions. Activities include forest walking, mountain meditation, and herbal foot baths.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, finding one’s own tree or forest, small vegetable gardens, and gardening have become popular across generations. Companion plant schools and companion plant hospitals have also emerged. Although still in its early stages, thanks to the ESG trend, projects related to carbon emission rights in the forest sector and afforestation projects to reduce carbon emissions are also emerging in response to climate change.

‘Forests’ have no retirement age, and you can just be ‘yourself.’ Monk Tatnik said, “We can find peace in the forest and learn how to love and cherish ourselves and our neighbors.” Forests are full of treasures waiting for us.

Lee Boram, CEO of Third Age