Forest of Oriental Arborvitae in Yeongcheon-ri, Danyang

The oriental arborvitae is found in China and Korea, and within Korea it grows in areas such as Danyang, Dalseong, Andong, and Yeongyang. It often takes root in rock crevices on cliffs and forms stands there, and it is also widely planted around houses and villages to enhance the surrounding scenery. The Forest of Oriental Arborvitae in Yeongcheon-ri, Danyang, lies beside the national highway running from Danyang to Jecheon, on a limestone outcrop about 100 metres high. The trees themselves are only 1 to 2 metres tall and grow sparsely, and because no distinct forest cover has formed around them, at first glance the site appears to contain only arborvitae; other shrubs typical of limestone habitats, such as galgi-jopabnamu, a spirea species, are also found there. This forest is a specimen demonstrating that the oriental arborvitae grows well on limestone terrain, and the fact that Korea's few natural habitats of this tree survive as small, widely scattered populations in places as distant from one another as Danyang, Dalseong, Andong, and Yeongyang gives them very high research value for plant community ecology and population genetics. For this reason the site has been designated and protected as a natural monument.

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Where it is

Region

Danyang, Chungbuk

Designation

Natural Monument · 천연기념물