• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.490-496
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• 2018

The present study aimed to identify the importance of forest experience activity by examining what effects forest experience activity has on primary school students. The study population consisted of 108 students enrolled as fourth graders in primary schools in Chuncheon as of November 2017. The study measured the changes in their attitude toward forest and personality from before and after forest experience activity. The results indicated that the primary school students who participated in forest experience activity showed statistically significant increase in attitude toward forest and personality. In other words, the study identified the positive effects of forest experience activity on recognizing the importance of nature and personality building. The present study aimed to test the importance and effects of forest experience through forest experience activity outside of the classroom, as well as to present the validity of promoting forest experience activity.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.341-353
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• 2019

The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of urban forest and school forest experience programs on attitude toward the forest, psychological well-being, and stress of high school students. The subjects of this study were 26 students from a high school located in B-dong in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province. They were divided into the experimental groups participating in urban forest experience and the control groups participating in school forests experience. Each group participated in the five weekly two-hour long forest experience program. We conducted a pre- and post-experience questionnaire surveys using the scale of environmental attitude toward the forest, the scale of psychological well-being, and the scale of academic stress to observe mental and psychological changes of the high school students. Data were analyzed by SPSS 23.0 program and a Wilcoxon sign rank test. There was a significant increase in the attitude toward forests of high school students participating in the forest experience programs. The groups participating in the school forest experience showed an increase in the psychological well-being although it was not statistically significant, and the groups participating in the urban forest experience showed a statistically significant increase, indicating that the forest experience affected the psychological well-being of the high school students. The groups participating in the school forest experience showed a decrease in the academic stress although it was not statistically significant, and the groups participating in the urban forest experience showed a statistically significant decrease, indicating that the forest experience affected the academic stress of the high school students.

• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.140-149
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• 2023

We surveyed to assess the impact of the mood states and sentiments resulting from forest experience on the school life satisfaction of Korean boarding middle school students (n=90). The average mood state score was 2.32 on a scale of 1-5, with the subscale of vigor scoring the highest (3.19). The average sentiment score was 3.08, with the subscale of subjective happiness scoring the highest (3.08). The average school life satisfaction score was 3.66, with the subscale of interpersonal relationships scoring the highest (3.91). The mood states resulting from forest experience explained 39.6% of the variance in school life satisfaction, and the regression model showed a significant fit (F=9.077, p<0.001). Similarly, sentiments resulting from forest experience explained 47.4% of school life satisfaction, with the regression model showing a significant fit (F=10.569, p<0.001). It can be concluded that forest experience positively impacts the school life satisfaction of Korean boarding middle school students.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.413-421
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• 2018

This study is intended to look into the effects of children's forest experience activities on parent-child relationship and child attitude change. To achieve this, a survey was empirically carried out to 185 children. The results were as follows. First, the normality of parent-child relationship before and after forest experience activities showed that the parent-child relationship increased from 3.229 points before participation in forest experience activities to 3.841 points after participation in forest experience activities on average. And the child attitude increased from 3.226 points before participation in forest experience activities to 3.765 points after participation in forest experience activities, which there was a change of mean value before and after forest experience activities in both concepts. Second, the difference in parent-child relationship and child attitude change before and after forest experience activities showed that both parent-child relationship(Z=-10.98, p<.001) and child attitude(Z=-11.05, p<.001) did have significant differences before and after forest experience activities in the significant level of .05. As for the above-mentioned findings, children's forest experience activities improves the parent-child relationship and changes their behaviors outside the kindergarten. Consequently, nature-friendly forest experience education can provide emotional stability for children and help them build a positive rapport between teacher, parent and peer.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.26 no.11
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• pp.1223-1233
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• 2017

The purposes of this study are to analyze the degree of satisfaction on forest experience among children, based on a survey of teachers and parents who lead them, and to make proposals based upon the findings. The survey was performed in forest experience for children at Apsan Park in Daegu. The results are as follows. First, there were 78 respondents comprising 34 teachers, 39 parents, and 5 others. The teachers' age groups were distributed evenly between the 20s and 40s and parents' 51.3% were in their 30s and 46.2% in their 40s. Second, all participants responded that forest experience is necessary for children. 80.8% of respondents required continually additional construction. Specifically, parents insisted that forest experience for children should be built up more than the teachers did. Third, as a result of the management and program satisfaction of forest experience for children, 38.5% of respondents wanted increased access and another 38.5% desired unlimited access. In addition, the older teachers preferred more flexible access. Fourth, the safe facility topped the list of the four facilities ranked by importance with 0.39 points, followed by the learning experience field, the shelter facility, and the discretional facility. This study aims to build up basic data in order to make and practically manage forest experiences for children. Therefore, through continuous research, forest experience for children should be established as a practical experience spaces for children.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.462-473
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• 2015

The research carried out to analyze the change of recognition of elementary school students after a forest experience to determine the effectiveness of the environmental education in elementary school curriculum. The data is collected through surveys before and after forest experience for 311 people on 2nd and 3rd grades of two elementary school in Jeonju city, then the conclusions analyzed the results of the surveys are as follows. Students who participated in the forest experience show a positive change in all areas after the forest experience, for example, awareness of the forest and behavior recognition in the forest, the need for commentary about the forest. Especially, the area of the behavior recognition has much significant result than the other areas. In the details of the behavior recognition, a behavior recognition and environmental awareness for the life of the forest have been greatly improved. From the results described above, the forest experience can be seen a great help to elementary school students to have a respect and dignity of life and recognize the importance of the natural environment. Thus, the nature experience such as the forest experience is needed to enhance the life respect and environmental consciousness, foster sensitivity to natural cycles. In order that much more elementary school student can participate in evironmetal education through the forest experience, it would suggest to perform the forest experience as creative and experiential activities in the school curriculum.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.15 no.6
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• pp.3616-3624
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• 2014

The aim of this study was to inquire into the perceptions and the needs of parents on their forest experience activity. To achieve this, a survey was carried out on 250 parents of children in a Gyeonggi-based private kindergarten from December 26 to December 31, 2013. The results are as follows. For the perceptions of parents on the forest experience activity, the 'perception on overall effectiveness' was the highest, followed in order by 'perception on educational effectiveness' and 'general perception'. For the needs of parents on their forest experience activity, 58.2% of them recognized the importance of regular forest experience activity. For the necessity of an annual program, 60.7% of them recognized the necessity of a planned annual program. For the recommendation of forest experience activity, 61.1% of them gave a strong recommendation for forest experience activity. As stated above, most parents positively viewed children's forest experience activity in the environment as it is difficult to approach nature in downtown areas, and children also highly viewed the educational effectiveness of it.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.16 no.8
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• pp.5189-5197
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• 2015

This study is intended to look into early childhood teachers' perceptions and needs for forest experience activities. To achieve this, a survey was carried out to 170 early childhood teachers in kindergartens and child care centers in Daejeon city. The SPSS(Statistical Package for Social Science) v. 18.0 was used for data analysis through the process of data coding and data cleaning. The frequency analysis was conducted for the general state of those surveyed. The frequency analysis, ANOVA and factor analysis were conducted for the perceptions and needs for forest experience activities. The findings showed that early childhood teachers had positive perceptions for the educational effects of forest experience activities. Especially, they perceived that the educational programs of forest experience activities need to be highly recommended to early children as forest experience education is important for forest experience activities. Consequently, forest experience education is just as important and useful for early children to learn the importance of coexistence with human and nature, and develop a sense of community by interacting with nature.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.334-342
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• 2019

This study is empirically intended to look into the effects of parents' perception of their children's forest experience activities on educational effectiveness. The results were as follows. First, parents' perception of forest experience operation activities had a significant effect on educational effectiveness according to the period of participation in forest experience education. And their perception of the appropriate number of teachers to support forest experience had a significant effect on educational effectiveness. Second, parents' perception - which it is appropriate for the current daycare centers to participate in forest experience every day except a day with a lot of fine dust and a day with bad weather- had a significant effect on educational effectiveness. And their perception of appropriate forest experience places had a significant effect on educational effectiveness. Third, parents' perception of appropriate time in the day for forest experience activities had a significant effect on educational effectiveness. Fourth, parents' perception of their children's forest experience activities had a significant effect on communication. As for the above-stated findings, there was a significant difference in educational effectiveness and communication according to parents' perception of their children's overall forest experience activities. Consequently, there is the differences in their perception of educational effectiveness in the number of teachers in charge due to outdoor activities, the relationship with weather due to fine dust, forest experience places, education time, etc, indicating that these common concerns are related to the safe educational activities of children.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
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• v.34 no.4 s.117
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• pp.48-60
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• 2006

This study was carried out to create a master plan for an urban eco-forest, including concepts of forest restoration, forest management, and nature education. The concept of an urban eco-forest is different from the original eco-forest, which pursues the conservation of native species in their habitats, using the resources of special plants, etc. The study site was a hill (128m) managed as an urban natural park. Citizens have usually used the park for fitness purposes, as a place for outdoor exercise early mornings on weekdays and holidays. The result of a questionnaire survey showed that the users knew about the eco-forest, and they wanted to participate in the nature education programs. The flora and actual vegetation were weak about conservation of native species on the site. The framework of the plan consisted of development of the ecological forest and forest restoration, and allowed for recreation and the experience of nature, according to the concepts of the urban eco-forest. The landscape was divided into the experience zone of biodiversity, the experience zone of a valley ecosystem, the forest restoration zone, and the recreation and experience zone in nature. Based on this framework, detailed programs and theme areas were planned, as were forest restoration models and planting plans.