1. Study Objectives and Method

❚ Research background and objectives

￮ Jeollabuk-do started its ecotourism development project in 2016, based on the 2015 “Establishment of guidelines and pass lines for one city, one ecotourism site.”

￮ Twelve cities and counties (except Jeonju and Buan) have  been developing ecological tourism sites that are designated by the province. Since 2017, 44 routes totaling 405 kilometers have been created, connecting excellent ecological, cultural, and historical resources, and contributed to the promotion of  walking culture.

￮ The Ministry of the Interior and Safety designated 10 cities and counties in Jeollabuk-do as population-decreasing areas in October 2021 and plans to invest heavily in revitalization projects to increase the population.

￮ The aim is to create long-distance walking trails that combine Jeollabuk-do’s history, culture, and ecology.This can be achieved through promoting ecotourism and forming supporting systems for  ecotourism villages while securing interconnectivity between the Jeonbuk Cheolli-Gil, 12 ecotourism sites, and  the established ecological trails so that existing ecotourism resources can contribute to the revitalization of the population-decreasing areas.

❚ Research area and methods

￮ The research area is 14 cities and counties of Jeollabuk-do.

￮ The research methods are to  review domestic and international cases of the development and operation of long-distance walking trails and to perform a comprehensive analysis for route selection based on the database of the province’s ecological and cultural resources.

￮ The site survey, expert advice, and interviews with relevant agencies are planned for the decision of final trails (draft).

2. Conclusion and Policy Suggestion

❚ Selection of long-distance Ecological Culture Trails

￮ Five elements—existing trails, conservation resources, exploration resources, connectivity resources, and infrastructures—are classified, and detailed evaluation indicators are developed for each element.

￮ Final routes are selected as follows: laboratory analysis  →  preliminary identification of route proposals → satellite picture analysis → on-site research → re-routing and adjusting → final route selection.

❚ Policy proposals

￮ A comprehensive plan to create long-distance trails in Jeollabuk-do should be established; long-distance ecological culture trails should consider nature; a cooperative body is needed to establish long-distance ecological culture trails.

​● DOWNLOAD REPORT (PDF, Korean)​