The Most Beautiful Forest in Korea for 2011

Beats me what kind of yardstick is used by the Korea Forest Service when it comes to ranking their forests and one wonders why it seems necessary in the first place to have such a list in the first place.

Anyway, they've just declared on 26th October that the "MOST BEAUTIFUL FOREST FOR 2011"...drumroll please... is...in Odaesan in Gangwon-do.

Odaesan in winter

In particular, the stretch of fir forest sandwiched between the Iljimun ( One Pillar Gate) at the entrance of  Woljeong Temple and the Kumgang Bridge is supposed to be particularly fetching. Tree huggers can take their pick from the 1,700 fir trees in this area. But do handle them with some respect. The  average age of these firs is about 83 years, but there are  some which are over 3 CENTURIES old. Now , that's impressive.

The  fir forest of Woljeong Temple on Mount Odae, Gangwon Province.

Must check out what was the Most Beautiful Forest for the past years.


sources:
http://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_entertainment/502726.html
http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_1_1_1.jsp?cid=264215