• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.51-59
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• 2022

This study investigated the effects of participation in a forest therapy program on ego-resiliency and interpersonal relationships to strengthen the independent capabilities of children requiring protection. The participants were divided into two groups: the experimental group (n=87; age, 16.40±1.90 years) and control group (n=90; age, 16.97±1.39 years). The study was conducted from July to August 2020. The experimental group participated in a forest therapy program operated by the National Center for Forest Therapy, Yeongju, for 2 nights and 3 days, whereas the control group lived routine life. The participants' ego-resiliency and interpersonal relationships were tested at the beginning and end of the forest therapy program. In the experimental group, ego-resiliency was improved and interpersonal relationships were significantly altered. Therefore, forest therapy programs may serve as effective interventions that can positively affect the social adaptation and growth of protected children into healthy adults.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.51 no.3
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• pp.167-177
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• 2023

In 2022, our investigation focused on exploring the macrofungal diversity in South Korea. Through the examination of morphological characteristics and ITS sequences of the rDNA, we successfully identified four unrecorded species (Laccaria striatula, Leotia atrovirens, Malvipezia emileia, Xerula strigosa). Detailed morphological descriptions, accompanied by photographs and molecular phylogenetic analyses were performed.

• Journal of Korean Biological Nursing Science
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.227-234
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• 2022

Purpose: Smoking is a way of coping with anxiety and stress. This study aimed to identify the effects of forest-thermal combined therapy on anxiety and depression in smokers who desire to quit smoking. Methods: Thirty participants were included in the study, 15 in the experimental group and 15 in the control group. Those in the experimental group participated in a three-day forest-thermal combined therapy program. The program includes forest walks, meditation and thermal therapy in the charcoal kiln. Results: Before and after the program, physiological indicators such as cortisol, heart rate variability, and serotonin anxiety level using the state-trait anxiety inventory (STAI), and stress level using the psychosocial well-being index (PWI) were measured in both groups. The differences in STAI (p=.012) and PWI (p=.006) scores between the experimental and control groups were statistically significant. However, cortisol, heart rate variability, and serotonin were not significantly different between the two groups after the program. Conclusion: These results show that forest-thermal combination therapy effectively reduces anxiety and stress in smokers. It suggests that forest-thermal therapy can potentially increase smoking cessation rates.

• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.260-268
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• 2021

This study was conducted to grasp users' preferences and behavior of forest paths and to provide basic data for forest path construction in the future. Among forest path users, males and females over 20 years old were surveyed on forest path preferences, motives for visiting, using time and distance, companions, and sources for obtaining information on forest paths. A total of 587 people participated in the questionnaire, and cross-analysis was conducted simultaneously using the SPSS statistical program. In analyzing the preference of forest paths, it was found that male and the general public preferred trekking path for activities while female and foresters preferred forest path for relaxation and healing (p<0.05). As for the motives for visiting forest paths, the response that they visited for a walk/rest was the highest in gender, occupation, and age group. As for the number of annual visits, less than 5 was the highest in overall, and foresters tended to visit forest path more often than the general public, and the number of visits to the forest paths increased with age (p<0.01). The most common route to acquire information about forest paths is the Internet, while the Internet use is relatively low in those over 60s (p<0.05). The response ratio of accompanying their family in visiting forest paths were the highest, while the response in their 20s and 60s was the most in accompanying their friends (p<0.05).

• Journal of People, Plants, and Environment
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.565-574
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• 2018

Previous studies have shown that forest therapy program can help prevent dementia. However, few studies have focused on low-income elderly people living alone. The current study examined the meanings that the elderly living alone receiving medical care assigned to the urban forest therapy program, as a way to understand the pathways that nature-based intervention affect preventing dementia. Twenty-one participants were recruited and they participated in a five-week urban forest therapy program. Semi-structured interviews were carried out with 21 participants who experienced the urban forest therapy program, and analyzed qualitative data using thematic analysis. Results showed that all themes identified were related to connectedness with oneself, neighbors and nature. Awarenesses of change were consisted of positive and negative themes. The themes of positive awareness were improvements of mental and emotional condition, feelings of isolation and loneliness, and health-related lifestyle. The negative themes were terminations of short-term programs and inconvenient access to the urban forest. Based on these data, we suggest an urban green welfare framework for future research and interventions for preventing dementia of underprivileged elderly group.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
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• v.43 no.5
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• pp.1-12
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• 2015

This study analyzes the physiological healing effects on users according to forest types. Forest types are classified into Chamaecyparis obtusa, Quercus serrata and Pinus densiflora and the subjects of this study, 64 hypertensives, 59 diabetics and 59 ordinary people, were tested to observe their physiological effects. The index of physiological reaction comprises electroencephalogram(EEG), heart rate variability(HRV), blood pressure and cortisol level. An analysis of the stress-buffering effect from the physiological reactions of the overall subjects indicates that Quercus serrata forests have a higher stress-buffering effect than others in terms of central nervous, endocrine and autonomic nervous systems. Chamaecyparis obtusa forests are contributory to soothing stress in the central nervous and endocrine systems. Pinus densiflora forests contribute in some indexes of the endocrine and autonomic nervous systems. In contrast, Pinus densiflora forests are less influential on a stress-buffering effect than the other two. In the level of the effect for lowering blood pressure, Chamaecyparis obtusa and Quercus serrata forests are more effective than Pinus densiflora forests. Therefore, staying in the first two forests can heighten the healing effect of the lowering of blood pressure for hypertensive patients. Every forest is efficacious to lowering diabetic blood glucose levels. Spending time in Quercus serrata forests is more effective for hypoglycemic.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.241-248
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• 2015

Objectives: This study was conducted to provide scientific and effective information on phytoncides, which are associated with forest healing, and to activate recreational forests. Methods: The target sites were natural recreation forests, a forest park and an arboretum, and the control sites were three urban parks. The samples were collected at a volume of 6.0 L and a flow rate of 0.1 L/min for one hour using a low volume pump and the solid adsorbent sampling method. The phytoncide compounds adsorbed in the Tenax TA tube were analyzed by a automatic heat desorption unit and GC-MS. Results: By type of recreational forest, the annual concentrations of phytoncide (monoterpene) for the forest park showed the highest concentration with $1.450{\mu}g/m^3$, while those for the arboretum showed the lowest concentration at $0.892{\mu}g/m^3$, and thus the concentration of the forest park was approximately 1.6 times higher than the arboretum. The season showing the highest concentration of phytoncides was summer (June) and the forest park was the highest among the recreational forests. The concentrations of major components for phytoncide showed in descending order: ${\alpha}-pinene$, ${\beta}-pinene$, camphene, 3-carene and limonene. The seasonal concentration of ${\alpha}-pinene$, camphene and ${\beta}-pinene$ by type of recreational forest increased in April, which is characterized by low temperature and humidity, and the seasonal concentration of camphene decreased with higher humidity. The meteorological factors which had the high correlation with the concentration of total terpene were temperature and humidity. $CO_2$ and $O_2$ showed an inverse correlation. Conclusion: The major components of phytoncide were ${\alpha}-pinene$, ${\beta}-pinene$, camphene, 3-carene and limonene in descending order of concentration. Further and systematic study on the chemical nature of individual phytoncides, and on the effect of phytoncides on humans needs to be performed.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.299-319
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• 2016

The National Forest Inventory (NFI) is important for providing fundamental data for basic forest planning and the establishment of forest policies for the purpose of implementing sustainable forest management. The purpose of this study is to present the development of Korea's NFI including legal basis, sampling design, and measured variables and to review the usage of NFI data. The survey methods and forestry statistics among the Unites States, Canada, Japan, China, and European countries were briefly compared. Total 140 publications utilizing NFI data between 2008 and 2015 were categorized with 15 subjects. Korea has conducted the NFI 6 times since 1971, but only the $6^{th}$ NFI is comparable with the fifth, the previous NFI, because the permanent sampling plots have been shared between the periods. The Korean Forestry Statistics contains only half as many variables as that of advanced countries in Forestry. More researches were needed to improve consistent measurement of diverse variables through implementation of advanced technologies. Additional data for Forest Health Monitoring since the NFI $6^{th}$ must be under quality control which will be an essential part of the inventories for providing the chronological change of forest health.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.82-92
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• 2013

This paper presents a landscape design proposal for the Kyeongsang National University Hospital in Changwon, Kyeongsangnam-do. The site is located at 555 Samjeongja-dong, Seongsan-gu, Changwon, Kyeongsangnam-do, and its area is approximately $79,743.1m^2$. The goal of the design was to create a landscape that helps the patients' recovery and public well-being as well as respects the surrounding environment. In order to achieve this goal, three design subjects were considered: maximizing the healing functions of the landscape, promoting ecologically regenerative landscape, and increasing the aesthetic value of the landscape based on the local context. For the healing aspect, first, therapeutic plants were carefully selected and various healing programs were introduced to the open space area such as the sensory garden, meditative space, the medicinal herb garden, outdoor acupressure treatment facilities, remedial playground etc. In addition, as the importance of patient's privacy is emphasized in research, the space and circulation patterns were divided according to the characteristics of the users. For ecological consideration, the design proposed to preserve and extend the existing ridgeline with pine forest, and recover the natural water system and recycle the water for the landscape management. For the aesthetic experience of the people, in contrast to the surrounding evergreen forest, diverse deciduous and flowering plants were introduced to arouse a sense of the season, and fruit bearing trees for wildlife to create a specific mood of being in nature so that people can listen to the songs of the birds and watch squirrels play etc. In addition, all the spaces and facilities were designed and placed according to universal design principles so that there would be no barrier for the patients to use them. Also, a sustainable management scheme was suggested to maintain the landscape in ecological and economical ways.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.211-222
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• 2013

Objectives: A great number of people visit forests for their bountiful healing factors. We investigated the quantity of terpene and analyzed the correlations with meteorological and environmental factors at Mt. Mudeung in order to support public health. Methods: The terpene amounts were investigated along 11 main trails using stainless steel tube packed by Tenax TA (150 mg) and Carbopack B (130 mg) during March to November 2012. Terpene amounts of 20 species (${\alpha}$-pinene, camphene, etc.), and meteorological and environmental factors were investigated in the field. Results: Terpene of 16 species was released from the forest and total terpene amounts were 2,080 pptv at the site of Chamaecyparis obtusa, the highest among 11 sites, nearby the first reservoir on Mt. Mudeung. Terpene concentrations in the forest were nine to 23 times higher than found in urban areas. Total terpene amounts had positive correlations with temperature, humidity, carbon dioxide and oxygen (p<0.01) with $R^2$ of 0.345, 0.369, 0.591, 0.145, respectively, from April to July. Wind speed and solar radiation in the forest had a negative correlation with terpene amounts and showed statistical insignificance with p-values of 0.118 and 0.233, respectively. Conclusions: This study suggests that the amounts of terpene around Mt. Mudeung are indeed higher, so visitors may enjoy a therapeutic walk in the forest with a healing effect. These results showed the forest was very effective for improving human health.