• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.203-214
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• 2018

This study was conducted to investigate the types, socio-demographic characteristics, use patterns, and visit motivations of visitors to "Jangseong Pyunbaek Healing Forest (JPHF)." Data were collected from 216 samples selected by convenient sampling method using questionnaire survey between October and November 2016. Data obtained from 476 respondents of the same type of survey during the same period were partly used to examine the types of activities of visitors to the study site. The results showed that 77.0 percent of respondents were categorized as "visitor for recreation" (VR: Those who visit JPHF for the purpose of general recreational experiences such as appreciating landscapes, tourism, social interactions rather than better health or healing). On the other hand, only 10.3 percent of respondents were "visitor for healing" (VH: Those who visit JPHF for the purpose of better health or physical and mental healing). VH showed a higher level of visit experiences to JPHF than VR and tended to expect JPHF as "the place to enjoy calm and natural experiences" more than VR did. VH tended to visit JPHF "alone" more, and their group size was also smaller than VR. About 26.8 percent of all respondents were not aware that JPHF was the "healing forest," and VH showed higher awareness of it than VR. About 66.8% of respondents assessed the managerial and operating states of JPHF positively while only 6.2% assessed them negatively. There was no difference in the assessment of managerial and operating states between VR and VH. The visitors of JPHF showed the markedly high use in main forest roads (use rate: 47.4%) and "Healing Field" (use rate: 59.2%) of JPHF. Regarding the visit motivations to JPHF, VH showed higher importance on "quietude," "health," and "tension release" than VR while VR rated higher importance on "social interaction." The paper discussed the managerial implications, findings, limitations and further studies.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.231-243
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• 2018

This study was conducted to determine and compare the perceived number of users (PNU) and evaluative standards for each type of visitors to "Healing Field" of Jangseong Pyunbaek Healing Forest (JPHF). Data were collected from 158 samples selected by convenient sampling method from the users of "Healing Field" in JPHF during September 2017. Visitors to "Healing Field" consisted of 49.3% for recreation (VR), 15.3% for healing (VH), and 35.3% for both recreation and healing (VRH). Respondents' average PNU was 23.8 (median: 20.0), and the range of average PNU by visitor type was 21.1-27.8 (median: 20.0). Respondents' PNU showed low correlations with perceived crowding (PC) (r=0.23) and perceived interference of healing experience (PIHE) (r=0.20). There were no differences in the optimal number of users (ONU) of "Healing Field" among the types of visitors. The overall average ONU was 28.9(median: 25.0), and the range of average ONU by types of visitors was 25.4-31.4 (median: 25.0-27.5). The overall maximum acceptable number of users (MANU) was 38.1, and MANU for VR, VH, and VRH was 36.9, 32.0, and 38.0, respectively. Respondents' mean PC was 2.73 (SD: 3.26, 9-point scale) while mean PIHE was 3.26 (SD: 1.77, 9-point scale). The VRH group showed a higher PC and PIHE than the VR group. The group with greater PNU than ONU showed higher PC and PIHE than the other groups. Based on the results, this paper presented some managerial implications, discussed the limitations of the study, and suggested the further studies.

• The Journal of the Korean Institute of Forest Recreation
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.35-48
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• 2018

This research was carried out to provide a good quality forest healing program as a basic source of development by researching the general characteristics of users of Geiji Mountain in North Jeolla Province, the recognition of forest healing and regional preference programs. As a result of the survey, Geigisan Mountain is used as a natural place for recreation and leisure of residents of Jeonju. The most important factors in the selection of forest healing programs for visitors were the activities, organization and chronology of the program, and the main purpose was to improve health. Week-by-week programs utilizing weekends were preferred for management of forest healing programs. It was revealed that sports programs prefer to enjoy natural scenery, forest experience programs, healing programs, forest therapy programs, meditation programs, and listening to forest music. The outcome of this study is expected to be used as a basic source for developing and researching a program for forest healing in the area of Mt. Meanwhile, the limit on the composition of suitable forest healing programs according to preference is required for continuous and continuous integrated study of the forest healing program for the future of the forest healing program.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.1057-1066
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• 2016

This study examined how 'forest name' or 'information of forest healing effectiveness' influence their perceived environmental restorativeness (PER) and perceived healing effectiveness (PHE). Study area was the 'Forest Healing Road (FHR)' in Mudeungsan National Park. Data were collected from 247 visitors selected by convenient sampling method using questionnaire survey during May-June, 2015. Respondents who read interpretive signs (forest name and information on forest healing effectiveness of FHR were written) installed along the FHR were regarded as placebo group and respondents who didn't read them as control group. The results showed that there were no overall differences on PER and PHE between control and placebo groups. Placebo group, however, rated more positive on 'being away' factor of PER than control group. All four factors (i.e., being away, coherence, fascination, comparability) of PER statistically influenced PHE (p<0.001), and these factors explained 51.1% of PHE. The 'coherence' was the most influential to PHE, followed by 'being away', 'comparability', and 'fascination' in order. Placebo effects on PER were shown in male, in lower age group(age${\leq}54$), or respondents with lower visiting experience to FHR(${\leq}20$ times/year). Placebo effects on PHE were found in male, in small group (${\leq}2$ persons), in respondents who visited 'alone' or 'with relatives/family', or in respondents with lower visiting experience to FHR(${\leq}20$ times/year). Some research and managerial implications were suggested.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.103 no.3
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• pp.453-461
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• 2014

As interest in 'Forest therapy' continues to increase, local governments as well as Korea Forest Service (KFS) are actively promoting a project to create 'healing forests' nationwide. In this situation, it is necessary to examine whether such a policy is suitable. Therefore, the main purpose of this study is to estimate the use value of Jangseong healing forest which is the most-visited place among the national healing forests. To achieve this aim, a survey of randomly selected 400 visitors was conducted in Jangseong healing forest. 391 surveys were used for analysis, excluding 9 untruthful answers. And 1.5 bounded dichotomous choice contingent valuation method (CVM) was used to estimate the economic value of Jangseong healing forest. As a result, the average willingness to pay ($wTP_{mean}$) for the use fee of Jangseong healing forest was 35,010 won per visitor per day. And the annual use value of Jangseong healing forest was estimated to be worth almost 7.5 billion won.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture Conference
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• 2014.03a
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• pp.57-58
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• 2014

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.423-433
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• 2016

This study compared the effect of different types of sounds(no sounds, sounds of nature, music, and sounds of children playing) on profile of mood states(POMS) in a healing forest. Data were collected from 231 respondents selected from among visitors to the 'Healing Field' in 'Jangseong Chukryongsan Pyeonbaek Healing Forest' in October, 2012. Each respondent was exposed to one type of sound. The results showed that there were differences in POMS among the different sound treatment groups. Sounds of children playing showed negative effects on POMS. Unexpectedly, however, sounds of nature and musical sounds had no effects on POMS. These tendencies were consistently found not only for total mood disturbance score (TMDS) but also for POMS by factors (i. e. tension, anger, vigor, fatigue, confusion, depression). Perceived crowding level was positively correlated with TMDS(r=0.568) and POMS by factors (range: r=0.331 - 0.571). This paper discusses the research results and suggests several managerial implications.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.113 no.1
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• pp.1-13
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• 2024

This study used the results of the 2022 national survey of forest welfare facilities and space users conducted in the Republic of Korea to identify the associations and combination patterns among use of forest welfare facilities and various user characteristics. In addition, a correspondence analysis-namely, a categorical data analysis-was performed regarding four facilities: National Natural Recreation Forest, National Soopchewon, National Forest Trail, and National Healing Forest. The cross-analysis revealed highly significant differences (p < .001) in the age, household income per month, means of transportation, companion type, path to information acquisition, and purpose of visit among the users of forest welfare facilities. Moreover, the results of the correspondence analysis demonstrated that users of National Soopchewon and National Healing Forest were distinguished from users of the other forest welfare facilities based on demographic characteristics such as age and household income per month. In addition, the means of transportation of National Forest Trail users differed from that of users of the other forest welfare facilities. Moreover, users of National Soopchewon were associated with the type of public group visit, acquisition of information from the websites of related institutions and facilities and via online portals, and the purpose of participating in education and experiencing education programs. Therefore, the companion type, path to information acquisition, and purpose of visit on the part of users of National Soopchewon could be differentiated from those of users of other forest welfare facilities. The findings of this study revealed the associations and combinations among forest welfare facilities and the characteristics of users of such facilities, with the scope of utilization of the forest welfare facility user data being expanded via correspondence analysis.

• Journal of the Korea Convergence Society
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• v.10 no.7
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• pp.317-323
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• 2019

Amid the recent growing social demand for wellness culture and healing tourism, I, through a literature survey and case study, reviewed the conditions of healing tourism in Gangwon-do as a destination of healing tourism, and examined the development project of Gangwon-do type healing tourism and commercialization of the wellness perspective. According to the survey, it was found that the Yeongdong area in Gangwon Province had excellent healing-based conditions in virtue of abundant natural resources, but it was found that it was necessary for local governments to cooperate in order to prevent overlapping investments and create synergy effects by connecting with one another as development contents or business items of healing tourism projects overlap or remain in the planning stage. In the case of Goseong-gun, which was reviewed as the main site, it has high potential as a silver-healing tour and if the County seeks a wellness merchandising strategy for each healing tourism target based on a therapy program linked with local specialized resources, and effectively links and specializes regional strengths in Gangwon-do's Yeongdong region, it is expected to become a regional success story of operating the development of the local tourism for silver and health-oriented tourists.

• The Journal of the Korean Institute of Forest Recreation
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.23-33
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• 2018

The purpose of this research is to develop basic materials useful for the visiting management policies' establishment of national parks by analyzing the characteristics of and satisfaction with the visit to Hallyeohaesang National Park according to travel routes. For this, a total of 671 visitors to Hallyeohaesang National Park were recruited and field surveys were conducted three times in spring, summer, and fall from March to November 2017. The Hallyeohaesang national park's visitors were surveyed using a self-administered questionnaire about visitor characteristics (ex: motivation of visiting, travel routes, travel time, and participating activities, etc.) and satisfaction (ex: satisfaction with the visit, intention to revisit, and intention to recommend). SPSS 21.0 program was used for the statistical analysis: frequency analysis and independent-samples t-test analysis. As a result of analysis the motivation of visiting, those who visited only Hallyeohaesang National Park (a single destination) showed a mean value statistically significantly higher level in health improvement and vacation, relaxation, and healing compared to those who had visited or would visit other places along with Hallyeohaesang National Park (multi-destinations). Single destination visitors spent less time traveling from home to national park than multi-destinations visitors. Those who visited only Hallyeohaesang National Park (as a single destination) showed a mean value statistically higher satisfaction and intention to revisit and recommend. The results of this research have significance in providing basic materials to develop efficient park management policies by studying the characteristics of Hallyeohaesang National Park visitors.