Participants in a forest healing program meditating with their eyes closed in the forest. Forest healing focuses on the concept of healing rather than treatment, aiming to soothe the mind and body tired from daily life and restore a sense of stability. Provided by the Korea Forest Service
[Asia Economy (Daejeon) Reporter Jeong Il-woong] The National Forest Healing Center was selected as the only eco-friendly recommended travel destination in Yeongju, Gyeongbuk.
The Korea Forest Welfare Promotion Institute announced on the 5th that the Forest Healing Center was named in the ‘2022 Eco-Friendly Recommended Travel Destinations’ organized by the Korea Tourism Organization.
Eco-friendly recommended travel destinations are selected by receiving applications from local governments and choosing 25 sites nationwide that stand out in areas such as carbon neutrality practice, eco-friendly ecological exploration, and spreading eco-friendly values.
The Forest Healing Center is one of the institutions under the Forest Welfare Promotion Institute, established with a project budget of 148 billion KRW on a 2,889-hectare site around Oknyobong in Bonghyeon-myeon, Yeongju-si, and Sang-ri, Yecheon-gun, Gyeongbuk, and opened in July 2018.
This space, which adds the concept of ‘healing’ to the existing concept of national natural recreation forests, is equipped with a health promotion center, forest healing village, research center, and healing forest trails, creating a new concept of forest welfare space by introducing and applying forest healing programs.
The Forest Science Institute has found through research that healing factors found in forests, such as scenery, phytoncides, negative ions, oxygen, sounds, and sunlight, are effective in enhancing positive human emotions and reducing negative ones. Provided by the Korea Forest Service
In particular, the Forest Healing Center made efforts last year to emphasize the role of forests and practice sustainable management (ESG) and carbon neutrality in line with the 2050 carbon neutrality national policy.
Based on the abundant forest resources of Baekdudaegan, it developed carbon reduction practice content and provided carbon-neutral forest education to forest users through certification by the Ministry of Environment.
It also actively raised awareness of climate change and environmental conservation through public-private cooperation.
Representative campaigns include the original artwork exhibition linked with publishers, ‘Green Paintings of the Earth,’ plant photo exhibitions of Ulleungdo and Dokdo, making garland kits and conscience bags using discarded banners, environmental music performances with the Eco Green Choir, and the fantastic forest cultural experience ‘Forest Ballad.’
Kim Jong-yeon, director of the Forest Healing Center, said, “The Forest Healing Center will solidify its image as a ‘carbon-neutral practice travel destination’ through various forest welfare contents and active campaigns and fulfill its social responsibility as a public institution to promote national carbon neutrality practice.”
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