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“Let’s Head to the Forest”: Busan Metropolitan City Launches Full-Scale 2026 Forest Education Programs

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Busan Metropolitan City (Mayor Park Heong-joon) announced that it will operate a variety of forest education programs to help citizens understand the value of forests, practice sustainability, and enhance their well-being through engagement with nature.

Through December (varying by program), forest therapy, forest interpretation, and early childhood forest education programs will be conducted at around 50 forest experience sites.

The programs will be actively operated at sites including Busan Healing Forest, Hwamyeong Arboretum, Haeundae Arboretum, Youth Experience Forest, and Daeyeon Arboretum Exhibition Garden, led by 77 forest education specialists such as forest interpreters and early childhood forest instructors.

At Busan Healing Forest (Cheolma-myeon, Gijang-gun), forest therapy programs designed to enhance immunity and promote health will be offered, including “Facing Each Other (the) Forest” for expectant families, “Let’s Stay Healthy (the) Forest” for senior citizens, and singing bowl meditation sessions.

At Hwamyeong Arboretum, families with young children and elementary school students can enjoy learning through nature with programs such as “Same or Different? Stories of the Four Seasons’ Living Things,” which was selected as an outstanding educational program by the Korea Forest Service in 2025.

At Haeundae Arboretum, new programs for this year include “My Friend Reptile Star,” a nature learning experience featuring reptiles, and “Shall We Take a Walk with Sheep?” a sheep walking program, along with various activities that engage all five senses in the forest environment.

In addition, the Youth Experience Forest within Children’s Grand Park and the Daeyeon Arboretum Exhibition Garden offer a range of programs designed to foster positive changes in participants through interaction with nature.

Any citizen interested in the programs can participate free of charge by applying through the city’s integrated reservation system at https://reserve.busan.go.kr.

Alongside these initiatives, all 16 districts and counties are also operating diverse programs to ensure that local residents can equally benefit from forest education.

Programs reflecting local characteristics include “Feel the Night Forest of Bongnaesan” (Yeongdo-gu), “Walking Barefoot on the Dongnae Hwangto Trail” (Dongnae-gu), and “Hwangnyeongsan Phytoncide Healing Forest Experience” (Nam-gu), offering unique experiences available only in those areas. Additionally, approximately 560 forest classes are being operated to support the holistic development of young children.

The city also plans to expand forest education opportunities through upcoming events, including Children’s Day programs in May, summer vacation special sessions in August, and the 12th Busan Forest Experience Festival in October.

Ahn Cheol-soo, Director General of the Green City Bureau, stated, “We are fully operating customized programs for all groups, including infants, elementary, middle, and high school students, underprivileged groups, and families. We ask for citizens’ active interest and participation,” adding, “We hope this will be an opportunity to step away from daily life, find healing in the forest, and learn the value of nature.”