Healing Trees

[Anchor Lead]

Amid the rising heat and air pollution, city forests can be of double benefit, by providing shade and supplying clean oxygen. In fact, they even absorb fine dust, acting as a natural air purifier.

[Pkg]

A small green forest can be seen surrounded by the concrete jungle. It is a refuge for city dwellers where they experience and embrace nature.

[Soundbite] Lee Ok-geun(Citizen) : "It's so clean. My thoughts are cleared up. I think it's especially good for the brain."

A team measured fine dust concentration levels inside a forest and in an ordinary city environment where cars pass through. The reading exceeds 110 micrograms at a bus stop, which is a poor level in terms of fine dust pollution. Inside the woods, the level drops sharply to 75 micrograms which is considered average. According to measurements taken since April by the Korea Forest Service, fine dust levels were found to be an average 10 to 20 micrograms lower inside a forest than elsewhere.

[Soundbite] Park Chan-yeol, Ph.D.( Korea Forest Service) : "Trees absorb fine dust and lower the concentration levels in the air, acting as air purifiers."

Researchers say that dust particles remain on leaves even on windy days and only fall to the ground when it rains or the winds are very strong.