• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
• /
• v.10 no.4
• /
• pp.21-30
• /
• 2007

This study aims to understand the characteristics of dangsan forests and rural community forests (RCF), and seek for a landscape management scheme. Dangsan forests and RCF have been maintained by local residents since hundreds of years ago. However, many of them have been disturbed. The case sites were derived from the twenty villages previous investigated where dangsan forests and RCF's remainrd. The two sites were remodelled to restore what have been degraded. Hanbam village has maintained its dangsan forest with good management practices, whereas the dangsan forest and RCF of Goiran village showed relatively poor management. The size of dangsan forest at hanbam village was 13,784$m^2$, and major tree species was Pinus densiflora. In total, 151 trees with more than 30cm in DBH were standing on the site. As a cultural activity, the dangsan festival have been held in January $5^{th}$ by lunar calendar to the 2005 at the Jindongdan, a dangsan tree made of stone. The RCF of Hanbam village has disappeared due to the event of landslide in 1930, which needs to be restored. Goiran village has a dangsan forest and a RCF. The forests in Goiran village revealed many problems due to bad management practice. The prototype of the dangsan forest was deteriorated by introduced Prunus serrulata and the facilities for physical training. A systematic management scheme for dangsan forests and RCF's should be established with a close partnership among local residents, experts, and local government.

• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
• /
• v.42 no.1
• /
• pp.188-209
• /
• 2009

Dangsan forests had been established by local residents several hundred years ago. They were disturbed in various ways, but still remain in many villages where dangsan festivals are held every year. Although the remaining Dangsan forests represent korean rural cultural landscapes, their characteristics still remain to be uncovered. The objectives of this study were to understand the three elements, Dangsan tree (Divine tree), shrine and stone tower, and to investigate the culture at inland areas and seashore areas relation to Dangsan forests. Twenty cases of Dangsan forests at inland areas and twenty at seashore areas were investigated. There were nine shrines and six stone towers found out of twenty inland Dangsan forests. Fifteen shrines were found out of twenty seashore Dangsan forests. Stone tower was not found at seashore areas. Fifteen events of dangsan festival were investigated. Dangsan festival appeared to have played an important role to preserve Dangsan forests. Based on the findings of this study, Dangsan forests are, as landscape elements at inland and seashore areas, proved to have a potential for the improvement of cultural and natural landscapes in the country.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
• /
• v.35 no.3
• /
• pp.82-91
• /
• 2007

Rural areas dominate country landscape, where the population is rich in traditional and natural heritage. Dangsan forests and Rural community forests (RCF) have been maintained by local residents for hundreds of years. However, many of these forests have been disturbed, and only small amount of Dangsan forests and the RCF remain due to the efforts of local residents. Recently, the remnants of Dangsan forests and RCF have been regarded as living traditional landscapes representing the cultural and rural background of Korea. But the value of Dangsan forests and the RCFs has not been recognized by many. This study aims to understand the characteristics and management status of Dangsan forests in Sungnam-ri, Wonju. Sungnam-ri has four villages, each of which is bordered by a Dangsan forest at the riparian buffer. Sungnam-ri has been selsected as a site for a rural village development project by the Ministry of Agriculture & Forestry of Korea. Sunghwanglim (the Upper Dangsan forest) is designated as Natural Monument No.93 and entrance is limited in this area. The size of Sunghwanglim is $21,133m^2$, and the major tree species are Kalopanax pictus (Dangsan tree, Divine tree), Pinus densiflora, Abies holophylla, Acer triflorum, Ulmus davidiana, Fraxinus rhynchophylla and Quercus serrata. In total, 124 trees with more than 40 cm in DBH are at this site. As for cultural activities, the Dangsan festival is held on April 8th and September 9th of the lunar calendar at shrines in the forests. Although other Dangsan forests are smaller than Sunghwanglim, they also have similar cultural activities. The landscape of the Dangsan forests have been managed for several hundred years by the local people, and they intend to continue maintaining the Dangsan forests for the purpose of festivals and other cultural activities. The findings in this study suggest that Dangsan forests have the potential for the development of rural villages and for the improvement of cultural and natural landscapes in Korea.