Pohang Cheolgil Forest and Songdo Solbat Urban Forest Selected as One of the 50 Most Beautiful Urban Forests

Pohang City announced that Songdo Pine Forest Urban Forest and Pohang Railway Forest, the city's representative urban forests, have been selected as part of the "50 Beautiful Urban Forests" by the Korea Forest Service.

Lee Gangdeok, Mayor of Pohang (left), and senior officials walking barefoot in the Songdo Solbat Urban Forest.

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This competition, held under the theme "Life + Rest = Urban Forest," saw 916 beautiful urban forests across the country, created in various regions, nominated as candidates through recommendations from local governments and citizens.

Based on a public preference survey and criteria such as accessibility, ecological health, usage, scenic value, and uniqueness, 50 urban forests, including "Songdo Pine Forest Urban Forest" and "Pohang Railway Forest," were ultimately selected.

Selected as a health-promotion urban forest, "Songdo Pine Forest Urban Forest" is a rare site within the city where mature black pines are planted over a vast area of about 23 hectares. Adjacent to Songdo Beach, it is highly accessible and loved by citizens as a representative forest.

In addition, it has become a sacred place for barefoot walking, hosting the National Barefoot Walking Competition for the second time this year. The 3 km barefoot trail, exercise facilities, and various amenities, as well as a children's forest experience center and kids' playground within the pine forest, make it a place for all generations to enjoy together.

Selected as an economic-effect enhancement urban forest, "Pohang Railway Forest" is a 9.3 km urban forest created by utilizing the abandoned site of the Donghae Nambu Line railway, which runs through the city center of Pohang. By creating a green space in an area left neglected after Pohang Station was relocated, it has become a case study in overcoming the decline of the old city center and establishing green infrastructure for urban regeneration.

Citizens walking in Pohang Cheolgil Forest.

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Various types of trees and fruit-bearing plants that serve as food for wildlife have been planted in each section to reflect the changing seasons, playing an important role in maintaining the ecosystem and enhancing biodiversity.

Lee Kyungsik, head of the Greenway Promotion Division, said, "Urban forests are effective in mitigating the urban heat island effect during summer by lowering city temperatures through plant transpiration. By absorbing fine dust and pollutants, they improve air quality, making the urban environment more pleasant and enhancing the quality of life for citizens. We will continue to devote ourselves to the creation and management of urban forests."

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