• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.108 no.4
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• pp.645-654
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• 2019

The purpose of this study was to analyze the current status of and necessity for forest education in Korea in order to promote educational programs on the topic among different age groups. A survey conducted among 1,542 adults nationwide indicated that different age groups had variable degrees of awareness and experience of forest education programs. Specifically, older people responded more positively in terms of awareness, experience, and willingness to engage with forest education programs, and engaging in individual holistic development. In addition, participant companion types and motivation for participating in forest education programs were different among age groups. Regarding motivation for participating in forest education programs, all groups answered, "to enjoy the forest landscape," "to experience new things," and "to refresh themselves." In particular, individuals in their 30s had a desire to learn, while those in their 50s had a desire for a healthy lifestyle. Additionally, people in their 40s showed the highest participation rate in forest education programs, alongside their children and family members. In terms of operating period, older individuals preferred long-term operating programs. Accessibility was the most important factor for all age groups when selecting forest education programs. We hope that this study will be useful for the development and promotion of forest education programs for all age groups.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.112 no.2
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• pp.248-257
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• 2023

Because of various societal changes, such as the recent improvement in income levels and extension of the flexible work system, the demand for forest recreation activities and their use patterns are undergoing a change. Accordingly, it is necessary to identify the characteristics of each type through the segmentation of the overall forest recreation and welfare markets and to plan differentiated policies for each market type. This study classifies the forest recreation and welfare activities according to four types of users (i.e., passive usage type, ordinary type, active lover type, and indifferent type) using the Latent Class Analysis and examines their demographic and socioeconomic characteristics to explain the differences between the groups. Three policy implications were derived from the results obtained: 1) the group experiencing forest recreation welfare is subdivided; 2) the socioeconomic characteristics that distinguish the groups undertaking forest recreation activities were identified; and 3) the policy targets and characteristics that can increase the experience of forest recreation welfare were identified. This study is insightful as it suggests differentiated policies for each group and proposes policy measures to move to the desirable group.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.105 no.2
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• pp.253-260
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• 2016

This study identified the effect of forest education on juvenile probationers' psychological and emotional changes. Changes of mood states, self-esteem, self-control of 77 juvenile probationers, who attended forest education program co-managed by Korea Forest Service and Ministry of Justice in 2015, were identified by self-report survey. The result came out that forest education program had influence on positive change of juvenile probationers' mood states, increase of self-esteem, pursuing long-term satisfaction. The significance of the study is that the positive effect of applying forest education to attendance order program of juvenile probation was identified.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.109 no.4
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• pp.544-552
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• 2020

This study investigated the effectiveness of "Healing Stay in Forest," a long-term stay forest therapy program implemented by National Center for Forest Therapy in 2019 with 49 participants by measuring pre- and post-questionnaire responses and physical changes, such as blood pressure, body composition, and HRV. Results confirmed statistically significant reduction in negative emotions and enhancement of autonomic nerve balance in the participants. Regarding the changes in the evaluation of physical fitness based on medical history, some significant differences were observed in grip strength and standing high jump, in which participants with no medical history showed better results than those with medical history. These findings are important for verifying the effectiveness of long-term stay forest therapy (6 nights and 7 days).

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.103 no.4
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• pp.655-663
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• 2014

Currently forest interpreter has become one of occupations, and the demand for forest interpretation has been increasing. For that reason, it is important to achieve the goal of forest interpretation and to satisfy its customers. Therefore, this research examined the relationship between organizational commitment and job motivation and analyzed the effects of job motivation on organizational commitment. Firstly, the mean value for interpreters' job motivation was classified into three factors, which were social relationship, affection for forest, and self-development. Secondly, organizational commitment was classified into two factors of goal-oriented and relation-oriented commitments. Thirdly, gender and number of participation made significance differences in job motivation. In addition, organizational commitment of interpreters was different in accordance to their age and affiliated organization. Finally, job motivation had positive impacts on organizational commitment, and especially social relationship influenced positively to general organizational commitment and goal-oriented commitment.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.102 no.4
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• pp.530-536
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• 2013

This study aimed to analyze and compare results from psychological relaxations by using profile of mood state (POMS) and Malondialdehyde (MDA) level as a scale of oxidative damage before and after walking in the forest and on the street. 29 participations (15 men and 14 women) walked in the forest and on the street for 30 minutes of each for two days. The participations filled a questionnaire for POMS and conducted an heart rate variability test, oxidative damage test (MDA as biological marker through a urine test) before and after walking. To compare the psychological states after walking in the two difference places, walking in the forest showed statistically more meaningful results in the section of tension, depression, anger, fatigue, confuse and total mood disturbance (p<0.01) than walking on the street. According to the MDA results, a concentration of MDA showed significant increase after walking on the street (p=0.014). On the contrary to this, a concentration of MDA tended to decrease after walking in the forest (p=0.076). The study showed that the psychological states were more stable and oxidative damages were more decreasing after walking in the forest than walking on the street. In the conclusion, MDA would be biological indicator for assessing the effect of alleviation on the oxidative stress after walking in the forest.

• Journal of People, Plants, and Environment
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.525-539
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• 2019

Much research has been conducted on user behavior by taking surveys and interviews to plan the green space effectively. However, there is a limitation in understanding detailed user characteristics such as personalities and values. This study applied the Persona-based Scenario Method (PSM) to Hongneung Experimental Forest to understand the detailed needs and behaviors of the users in the forest recreation area. The PSM is a user experience modeling technique, which tries to understand the users by describing the type of users as real people. This study 1) extracts the factors of visitor recreation activities in Hongneung Experimental Forest based on the results of the survey, 2) develops user personas based on the results of survey and comes up with activity factors, and 3) designs user scenarios. As a result of applying the PSM, 64 factors of visitor activities were derived from the observation survey in 14 sites of Hongneung Experimental Forest and 25 key factors of visitor activities were chosen through observer's brainstorming. Second, three types of personas were developed considering the key factors and the results of user characteristics with quantitative and qualitative analysis. Lastly, context scenarios were designed by applying the key factors of visitor recreation activities to the persona model. We identified the design problems of the space and design requirements through the scenarios. This study has significance in that it takes an approach from the user perspective and was applied to the forest recreation area, which was mainly used in product design. The developed personas could be used for deriving design elements and setting the direction for planning considering detailed needs, behaviors and characteristics of users.

• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.102-114
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• 2019

The issue of sustainable forest management (SFM) continues to emerge as part of the REDD+ mechanism mitigation efforts. Especially for some developing countries, such as Indonesia, forest management is required to provide benefits to the welfare of local communities in addition to forest conservation efforts. This study aims to identify the economic, social, and environmental impacts of community-based forest management (CBFM) implementation activities, which is one of the implementations of SFM at field level. The primary objectives were to find out the impacts of CBFM activities based on local people's perceptions and to identify what factors need to be considered to increase local people's satisfaction on CBFM activities. The data from 6 sub-villages was derived through surveys with local people involved in CBFM activities, interviews with a key informant, and supported by secondary data. The results of the study state that CBFM activities have increased the local people's income as well as their welfare, strengthening the local institution, and help to resolve conflicts in the study area. CBFM has also been successful in protecting forests by rehabilitating unproductive lands and increase forest cover area. By using binary logistic regression analysis, it found that income, business development opportunities, access to forests, conflict resolution, institutional strengthening, and forest rehabilitation variable significantly affected the local people's satisfaction of CBFM activities.

• Journal of Korean Society of Rural Planning
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.101-112
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• 2020

Recently, public awareness regarding mountain villages' landscapes is increasing. Thus, this study aimed to provide standards for conservation, management and creation of mountain village landscape by characterizing and classifying those exist. 286 mountain villages' data were collected and 19 variables - extracted from GIS spatial information and statistic data of mountain villages, chosen as right sources according to former studies - were utilized to conduct factor and cluster analysis. As a result of the factor analysis, 7 characteristics of the mountain villages' landscapes were defined - 'Location', 'Cultivation', 'Ecology·Nature', 'Tourism', 'Residence', 'Recreation'. The K-means cluster analysis categorized the mountain villages' landscapes into four types - 'Residential', 'Touristic', 'General', 'Environmentally protected'. The classification was examined to be appropriate by field assessment, and basic guidelines of mountain village landscape management were set. The results of this study are expected to be utilized planning and implementing regarding mountain village landscape in the future.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.109 no.3
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• pp.333-340
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• 2020

The aim of this research was to investigate how a family forest education program can improve communication skills, parenting efficacy, and family strengths. For this study, 165 people answered survey questions. The sample group included 103 parents, and 62 children, all of which were family forest education program participants at the National Center for Forest Education, in Hoengseong, Korea. Surveys were conducted before and after participants had taken part in the program. Demographic information, motivation, satisfaction, communication skills,and parenting efficacy were investigated in the surveys. The results showed a statistically significant increase in the level of family strengths of parents and children after the program. Moreover, the program improved parenting efficacy, and parent-child communication skills, which are deeply related to family strengths. In other words, the family forest education program contributed to the enhancement of family strengths. This study verifies the need for continued research in forest education programs.