[기수정의 여행 in] Follow the yellow road... ‘Golden Forest’ opened for the first time in half a century

Participants in the ginkgo forest tour program are enjoying meditation after trekking. [사진=기수정 기자]

A golden colony of over 30,000 trees was unveiled for the first time in half a century.

Everland (Yongin, Gyeonggi Province) has opened Korea’s largest ginkgo tree colony, which was only occasionally open to companies and other organizations, to the public on a pilot basis. The ginkgo forest tour program, which was held three times a day (maximum 30 people per session) for three days from Friday to Sunday, received such an explosive response that all sessions were closed within two minutes of recruiting participants on the 18th of last month.

The pilot operation for the general public will end on the 10th, but the program for companies will continue to operate as is.

I recommend it to K-office workers who are busy with their busy daily lives. There is a place not far away where you can fully enjoy the romance of fall without mixing in with the lettuce crowd, so be sure to stop by before fall goes away.

Ginkgo leaves are blowing in the wind and spread out on the floor like a carpet. [사진=기수정 기자]

◆Secret Forest, take off the veil

Autumn has arrived in Everland. In the spring, it was bright with tulips, plum blossoms, and roses, and now the country’s largest ginkgo forest and fall foliage of wildflowers are at their peak. As we look at the forest covered in gorgeous fall colors, our hearts are pounding ceaselessly.

Everland recently opened the ‘largest ginkgo tree colony in Korea’, which had been occasionally open only to corporate groups, to the public on a trial basis.

145,000㎡ (about 44,000 pyeong). There are about 30,000 ginkgo trees at the foot of the expansive Perfume Mountain. In the 1970s, ginkgo trees were planted for reforestation and were managed with little disclosure to the outside world.

Numerous ginkgo trees with dense roots stretched out into the sky as if competing with each other to receive more sunlight, creating the current appearance.

Participants in the ginkgo forest tour program are enjoying a yoga experience. [사진=기수정 기자]

Ginkgo forest path, walk slowly

I walked slowly along the 5km trekking course. My whole body was touched by ginkgo leaves fluttering in the wind. Thanks to the wooden chairs, meditation hall, and observatory where you can see the ginkgo forest at a glance along the trail, you can take a breather and rest during the trek.

I was momentarily admiring the golden appearance of the ginkgo tree stretching out into the clear autumn sky, when my acquaintances started talking about the ginkgo tree being an endangered species. The fact that the ginkgo tree we see every time we turn our heads is an endangered species was quite surprising to those of us who often encounter the ginkgo tree.

Ginkgo is a rare plant that exists in only one species, one genus, one family, one order, one class, and one phylum. Species diversity is the most important thing for living things to survive for a long time, and only one species of ginkgo tree exists in the world. Accordingly, the ginkgo tree is listed as an endangered species in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, which records the status of wildlife in danger of extinction.

Lee Jun-gyu, head of Everland’s plant content group, said, “It is difficult for ginkgo trees, which spread their offspring through seeds, to naturally expand their habitat because animals such as birds and squirrels do not eat ginkgo fruits.”

The fact that this ginkgo tree is a conifer, and the story that it grew leaves over tens of thousands of years to survive… The forest story told by the group leader was very interesting.

Lying on the mat, I admired the sight of the ginkgo trees stretching straight toward the sky, listened to the sounds of nature, and enjoyed some leisurely time for the first time in a long time.

When I got tired from walking, I enjoyed meditating in the autumn breeze in a space where the autumn colors of the ginkgo trees were at their peak, admired the ‘Nicholas Party: Dust’ exhibition held at the Ho-Am Art Museum, and toured the traditional garden ‘Heewon’.

That time when I faced Mother Nature, meditated, organized my distracted mind, and even built up cultural knowledge… The leisure time given for only half a day left quite a deep impression.

Ho-Am Art Museum ‘Heewon’ [사진=기수정 기자]

Expand customer experience… plan to strengthen infrastructure and content

Everland this year received a positive response by piloting the ‘Garden Pass’, a special ticket for customers who only want to experience the garden.

The Experience Innovation Academy is preparing and presenting a customized program that allows customers to modularize and use the experience infrastructure located in the same complex, such as Everland and Caribbean Bay, as well as Forest Camp, Ginkgo Forest, Bonsai Garden, Speedway, and Ho-Am Art Museum as they wish. We also operate ‘Vitamin Camp’, a mental health management program based on positive psychology, and ‘Leadership Camp’, which expands insight as a leader through unusual experiences.

An Everland official said, “Domestic leisure culture and population structure are changing rapidly. We will continue to provide new experiences to customers by further expanding content and experience programs that can only be experienced at Everland, which connect not only plant content such as forests and gardens, but also surrounding infrastructure. “I plan to go out,” he said.

Nicolas Party: Dust exhibition held at Ho-Am Art Museum. The works are titled ‘Wooden Pillar’ (back), ‘Portrait with Mushrooms’ (front) [사진=기수정 기자]