Gyeongbuk Provincial Government New Town Millennium Forest Selected as 'Korea's Best Urban Forest'

The ‘Gyeongbuk Provincial Government New Town Millennium Forest’ was selected as the Best Urban Forest in South Korea in the ‘2023 Green City Best Practices’ contest announced by the Korea Forest Service on the 12th.

The Green City Best Practices contest has been held annually since 2007 to select and award outstanding cases among 5,073 urban forests nationwide (325 in Gyeongbuk), encouraging healthy competition among local governments to improve project quality and widely promote the necessity of urban forests.

The Millennium Forest created inside the Gyeongbuk Provincial Government Office

The Millennium Forest received high marks for its harmony in complex utilization linked to the forest, including ecological restoration-type expansion that preserves existing pine and oak forests reflecting a nature-friendly philosophy, enhancing residents’ forest recreation and healing functions, utilizing green cultural spaces such as hosting representative local cultural events, and revitalizing forest education.

The name ‘Millennium Forest’ symbolizes the 700 years since the founding of Gyeongsangbuk-do, commemorates the relocation of the new provincial government office and the construction of the new town, and represents a forest that will soar together into the new millennium.

From 2013 to 2015, it was ecologically and healthily developed to improve the urban landscape, and continuous supplementation of forest facilities provides residents with the best forest welfare services.

In particular, the loess barefoot trail created in the Millennium Forest is highly regarded as the best place for physical and mental training for local residents, and it is also possible to use it in connection with the outer walking trail linking Geommusan Mountain and Hominji Pond.

Barefoot walking on the loess path inside the Millennium Forest at Gyeongbuk Provincial Office.

Along with this award, the Korea Forest Service has granted the right to host the ‘National Urban Forest Workshop,’ which will provide an opportunity to promote Gyeongbuk’s excellent urban forests and cultural tourism resources to many officials visiting from various regions in December.

Lee Cheol-woo, Governor of Gyeongbuk, said, “The Millennium Forest not only provides clean air but also serves as a sanctuary for new town residents who have gathered and settled from various places, and as a place for emotional cultivation for the growing generation, making it a symbolic site of the new town.” He added, “Taking this honorable award as an opportunity, we will do our best to expand urban forest projects throughout the province to improve the quality of life for residents.”