TEMPORAL CHANGE IN VISITOR PERCEPTION AFTER THE THERAPEUTIC FOREST CONSTRUCTION PROJECT - A CASE OF MT. MINJUJISAN, SOUTH KOREA

This study examined the visit characteristics and recognition of visitors on a forest healing program of the Therapeutic Forest over time. Visitors to the Therapeutic Forest of Mt. Minjujisan in South Korea in 2011 and 2016 were surveyed. A structured questionnaire was distributed and collected on site. The results showed that visitors preferred autumn for participation in the forest healing program and visited the Recreational Forest more frequently as a place for the program over time. Most visitors to the Therapeutic Forest were quite satisfied with forest healing program as well. The visitors in 2016 showed more satisfaction with the program than those who visited in 2011. Overall, people who had felt that their physical and mental status was at a low level had been visiting the Therapeutic Forest increasingly over time, and that they were very satisfied with the program as before. The forest healing program should focus on improving the personal evaluation on the health status and the degree of satisfaction of his or her own life.