Retirement Fun: Forest Walk, Korea National Arboretum, Kwangneung Arboretum

Kwangneung Arboretum? National Arboretum? Pocheon National Arboretum? Where is the arboretum we are looking for? We’d like to fully enjoy the fresh green of early summer during a forest walk. However, the name of the arboretum is...

 

Established in 1987 to promote the importance of the Kwangneung Forest, increase understanding of trees and grass, and provide enjoyment for visitors, the "Kwangneung Arboretum" was originally created as a botanical garden to represent South Korea to the world before the 1988 Seoul Olympics. In May 1999, it was promoted to a National Arboretum and its official name became "Korea National Arboretum." Many people still refer to it as the Kwangneung Arboretum and search for it using that name.

 

Along with the 'National Sejong Arboretum, ' which is the first urban arboretum in Sejong Teugbyeol-si (Administrative division name, such as Seoul Metropolitan), it can be confusing due to the use of the words 'national' and 'arboretum, ' as it may be mistaken for the National Sejong Arboretum in Sejong City. The Korea National Arboretum is actually located in Soheul-eup, Pocheon City, according to administrative divisions, and it can also be searched as the Pocheon National Arboretum. However, I have never encountered anyone referring to it as the Pocheon National Arboretum.

 

The Kwangneung Forest, where the arboretum is located, spans approximately 4 km east-west and 8 km north-south, covering Soheul-eup and Naecheon-myeon in Pocheon City, Jinjeop-eup and Byeollae-myeon in Namyangju City, and Minlak-dong and Nakyang-dong in Uijeongbu City. For reference, Gwangneung, the tomb of King Sejo, is located in Jinjeop-eup, Namyangju City.

 

The forest where the Korea National Arboretum is located is Gwangneung Forest. It was originally a hunting ground that King Sejo (1417-1468, the 7th king of the Joseon Dynasty, reigning from 1455 to 1468) frequented during his lifetime. After King Sejo's death, in 1468, Gwangneung, the tomb of King Sejo, was established, and the royal court of the Joseon Dynasty designated a forest area of 15 li (equal to 5.8km, ‘li’ is an old Korean unit of distance,) in all directions from Gwangneung as a sacred forest, providing thorough protection until the late Joseon period.

 

During the period of Japanese colonial rule, it was designated and protected as an experimental forest for forestry and forest conservation. Even during the turbulent times of liberation and the Korean War, it was well preserved and managed as an experimental forest. In 2010, it was designated as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve for conservation of biodiversity and has been protected ever since.

 

For over 540 years, this ecologically important forest has been well-preserved without significant damage, forming a rare temperate deciduous forest climax community (the final stage of a mature and stabilized forest) that is difficult to find in the northern part of the temperate zone worldwide (including the northern region of Gyeonggi Province and Gangwon Province). It is truly fortunate to have such a forest located about 50 km away from the bustling city center of Seoul.

 

The forest... fresh greenery, refreshing, cool, comforting, tranquil... It was a delightful walk on a summer day, fully embracing the dazzling greenery and phytoncides.

 

Entrance of Fir Tree Trail @HoneyJar

 Table of contents

• Korea National Arboretum Visitor Guide & Vehicle Guidelines
• Free Guided Tours at the National Arboretum
• What to Bring
• Walking Trails
• Another Day of Learning

 

Korea National Arboretum Visitor Guide

• Reservation or On-site Admission, both available: Admission with pre-booking for up to 3,500 people per day, on-site admission for up to 4,500 people. For those entering on foot, public transportation, or bicycles without a vehicle, on-site admission is available without reservation.
• Reservation : Korea National Arboretum Reservation Service (https://reservenew.kna.go.kr) Login > Select Parking Time Slot > Choose Vehicle Type > Select Number of Visitors > Enter Vehicle Number > Choose Payment Method
• Payment: Payment can be made during reservation or on-site. Parking fees are paid on-site
• Closed Days: Every Monday, Sundays (Closed every week in January, February, and December), January 1st, Lunar New Year, and Chuseok holidays
• Last Entry: Summer Season (April to October) 5:00 PM, Winter Season (November to March) 4:00 PM
• Operating Hours: 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM (5:00 PM during winter season)
• Korea National Arboretum Ticket Office Phone Number: 031-540-2000.
• Re-entry: Re-entry is allowed on the same day if you have a valid admission ticket

 

Visitor with Vehicle Guidelines

• Vehicle registration is mandatory for visiting the Korea National Arboretum
• Unregistered vehicles are not allowed to enter the parking lot
• The total number of daily admission vehicles is limited to 600 or fewer. It is divided into morning parking hours (9:00 AM to 1:00 PM) and afternoon parking hours (1:00 PM to 6:00 PM), with each time slot limited to 300 or fewer vehicles.
• For reservations with 300 or fewer vehicles, vehicle registration can be done up to one hour before the visit
• Parking Fees: Regular vehicles - 3,000 won per entry, buses - 5,000 won per entry
• Navigation: 'Korea National Arboretum,' Address, 415 Gwangneung Arboretum Road, Soheul-eup, Pocheon City, Gyeonggi Province

 

Free Guided Tours at the Korea National Arboretum

• On-site Registration Application: Visitor Information Center across from the ticket office, first-come, first-served basis, free of charge, Only Korean language available as of June 21st 2023
• Target Audience: Open to all National Arboretum visitors, departure guided by an arboretum interpreter
• Operating Hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM (4:00 PM during winter season, excluding lunchtime from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM)
• Group Size: Approximately 15 people. It is not necessary for all participants to gather before departure. During our weekday visit as a couple, we joined the interpreter and another two individuals during the tour
• Interpretation Center Phone Number: 031-540-2042
• Program Title: Gwangneung Forest Bird Watching, Ecological Exploration of Gwangneung Forest, Discovering Plants and Trees in the Arboretum, Meeting Ancient Trees in the Arboretum. Description: Education > Arboretum Education Program > Individual Application Program

https://kna.forest.go.kr/kfsweb/kfi/kfs/cms/cmsView.do?mn=UKNA_03_07_01&cmsId=FC_003604

 

KNA Free Guided Trip, Vistor Center @HonetJar

What to Bring

Water, picnic mat, packed lunch

 

There are benches and seating areas throughout the rest areas, but they are often dusty, so it's not comfortable to sit without a mat. Since the walk is long, carrying a large picnic mat can be burdensome, so I recommend bringing a small one. You can purchase drinks only at the convenience store in the rest area and the cafe near the forest lake. It is recommended to bring a bottle of water for the walk. Tripods are not allowed unless special permission for photography is granted.

 

The shade provided by the forest covers many parts of the walking trail. Sunglasses or a hat are not necessarily required, but there are sections where the sunlight is fully exposed intermittently. Still, after a long walk, I realized it was a good idea to keep the load light and not bring too much. Since bugs are fond of my partner and me, we always carry insect repellent for walks from early summer to late autumn, and this walk was no exception.

 

Eating kimbap under the shade of a tree reminded me of the kimbap I used to eat on picnics when I was young. Before visiting the Korea National Arboretum, we stopped by Gwangneung-eup to buy kimbap. There's a dumpling shop in Gwangneung called Hyesung Mandu (Phone: 031-528-9587, Address: 80 Gwangneungnae-ro, Jinjeop-eup, Namyangju-si, Gyeonggi-do). We were looking forward to eating kimchi dumplings and kimbap lunchboxes under the shade of a tree, but they told us they weren't making dumplings today due to a group order. The kimbap, three rolls only for 7,500 won! We enjoyed a delicious and cost-effective kimbap lunchbox on a bench under the shade of a tree with a clean picnic mat.

 

The food available at the Korea National Arboretum's convenience store and cafe is not sufficient for a meal. The convenience store sells instant cup rice, and the cafe offers muffins similar to those sold at Costco.

 

Also, for our next visit, I thought it would be better to eat lunch at the bench table next to the ginkgo tree near the forest lake, rather than at the "rest area." There's a beautiful ginkgo tree that was planted around the same time we were born. I wondered how big the tree would be when it reaches our age, and how small we would look in front of it...

 

Walk Trail

https://kna.forest.go.kr/kfsweb/kfi/kfs/cms/cmsView.do?mn=UKNA_01_07&cmsId=FC_003196

국립수목원 - 수목원안내 > 걷고싶은길 > 소개

• The Korea National Arboretum provides various themes and courses for visitors to enjoy the arboretum in different ways. You can freely explore and wander without getting lost as all paths are interconnected. Unfortunately, there is no foreign language map available.

• The Loving Lovers' Trail, where love springs forth: 2.4km

• Healing Fir tree Trail for Health: 4.5km in length, this course is highly recommended as it allows you to experience the refreshing atmosphere of the fir tree path and also allows for a walk around the Yookrim Lake. Unlike other courses, it includes uphill and downhill sections.

https://kna.forest.go.kr/kfsweb/kfi/kfs/cms/cmsView.do?mn=UKNA_01_07&cmsId=FC_003198

국립수목원 - 수목원안내 > 걷고싶은길 > 힐링 전나무 숲길

 

• The Rare and Medicinal Plants Trail for Plant Study: 2.7km
• For those visiting the National Arboretum for the first time, 'Zelkova(Neutinamu in Korean) and Museum Trail’: 2.2km
• For exploring with children: 'Plant Evolution Exploration Trail': 2.4km
• For families or groups visiting the arboretum, 'Delicious Lunch Box Trail': 2.4km
• For enjoying the sounds of birds and the wind, 'Peaceful Path Trail' for those who want to walk alone and experience simple happiness: 2.3km

 

Another Day of Learning

 

Through the Korea national arboretum guide, the arboretum's website, and exploring various questions, I had another day of learning.

 

All the metasequoias in the world originated from a grove where they were first discovered alive. Until the 1940s, when metasequoias were discovered in China, they were thought to be extinct organisms, as they had only been found as fossils. The metasequoias we see in Korea today are believed to have arrived from China to the United States and then to Japan around 1957. The metasequoias in Damyang and Seoul's Sangam Sky Park are the same trees. Since sequoia fossils have been found in Korea as well, we cannot simply consider metasequoias as Chinese trees.

 

The Gwangneung Yogang flower(Cypripedium Japonicum) was first discovered in the Gwangneung Forest in 1932. It earned its name, Gwangneung Yo-gang flower, because its corolla resembles a Korean chamber pot. It is designated as a first-class endangered wild plant in South Korea, as designated by the Ministry of Environment in 2005, and it is also known as the Large Lady’s slipper. This perennial plant belongs to the Orchidaceae and Cypripedium Linne family and has a height of approximately 30-40cm.

 

You can see The Gwangneung Yogang flower in #5 spot of the ‘Rare Medicinal Plant Course’ in the Korea National Arboretum. The underground stem is thin with long internodes, and two branches face each other at the top, spreading out in a wide fan shape with a diameter of 10-20cm. From April to May, one pouch-shaped flower blooms at the end of the stem. Recently, it has also been discovered in Deogyusan, Muju, Chuncheon in Gangwon Province, and Gwangyang in Jeollanam-do, with an estimated population of around 800 individuals nationwide.

Gwangneung Yogang flower(Cypripedium Japonicum) @HoneyJar

 

The oldest tree in the Korea National Arboretum is said to be a brown oak tree(Galchamnamu in Korean), estimated to be around 360 years old. When I visit next time, I have decided to find out where exactly this brown oak tree is located. Among the six common oak species in Korea, the oak tree is one of them. The other five oak species are the sawtooth oak(commonly called ‘Chestnut oak’, Sangsulinamu in Korean), cork oak(Gulchamnamu in Korean), Pin oak(Daewang Chamnamu in Korean), Quercus oak(Jolchamnamy in Korean) and Mongolian oak(Singalnamu in Korean), all belonging to the oak family. ‘Cham’ in Korean means true in English. They are true trees that nourish and sustain the forest.

 

All oak tree species bear acorns. The most commonly eaten acorn jelly is made from chestnut oak, and the acorn jelly made from brown oak tree is considered the most delicious. Acorns contain tannin, which gives them a bitter taste when eaten raw, but it is said that acorns from brown oak tree can be eaten raw. Oak trees provide humans with refreshing shade, timber, and acorn jelly, and they also sustain the forest's animals. They feed squirrels with acorns and leaves, and they provide sap for insects. The leaves that the squirrels eat are not just ordinary leaves; they are leaves with caterpillars on them.

 

Dead Tree, KNA @HoneyJar

 

While walking in the arboretum, I came across a sign that read, "The Dead Tree Lives On." It explained that although the tree's life as a tree had ended, its life as a member of the ecosystem had not. The profound explanation captivated me, and I stood in front of it for a while. It takes about 200 years for a dead tree to fully return to nature.