Overview
Forests are where human life and culture and history began, and forests are precious resources that provide not only timber but also clean water, clean air, and beautiful natural environments. In the spring of 2000, the largest wildfire since the founding of the country broke out in the East Sea. From Goseong in Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province to Uljin in Gyeongsangbuk-do, a total of 23,794 hectares of dense forest has turned into ashes, leaving countless plants and animals as well as many residents losing their property and lives, and dispossessing their homes. Such wildfires are not just simple forest damage, but a terrifying disaster that even destroys natural ecosystems, requiring decades of effort to recover. Since most wildfires are caused by human error during the East Sea coastal wildfires, the Forest Love Promotion Center was established in February 2006 to protect the beautiful Geumsu Gangshan, painstakingly built through forest reforestation projects, from wildfires and to promote the importance of forests. At the Forest Love Promotion Center, visitors are guided to freely visit the video room, forest ecology center, wildfire education center, wildfire diorama, and forest restoration hall, accompanied by explanations from forest interpreters. In September 2009, the wildfire video experience center was expanded to screen 4D 3D animations depicting the occurrence and extinguishing process of wildfires, allowing visitors to directly experience the damage and severity of wildfires through virtual wildfire experiences. Now, the Forest Love Promotion Center will not only prevent wildfires in the East Sea but also protect and safeguard the Baekdudaegan range, the backbone of the Korean Peninsula, from wildfires, thereby playing a role in realizing a 'green country safe from wildfires.'