Read and pick up litter in Jeju’s Gotjawal ... 14-day ecological experience

【Financial News Jeju = Reporter Jeong Yong-bok】 An ecological experience event where visitors walk through Jeju’s Gotjawal, pick up litter and read in the forest will run for 14 days starting on the 17th. Visitors can also receive an eco-friendly souvenir by checking in at six points along the trail and taking part in a satisfaction survey.
The Jeju Gotjawal Sharing Foundation said on the 14th that it will hold “2026 Gotjawal Trekking” with Chubb Group’s LINA General Insurance from the 17th to the 30th along the Gotjawal trail at Gyorae Natural Recreation Forest in Jocheon-eup, Jeju City.
The event is part of the “Supi Orae” campaign sponsored by LINA General Insurance. It was organized to help local residents and visitors understand the ecological value of forests and the need to protect the environment through firsthand experiences in the forest.
Gotjawal is a distinctive forest in Jeju, formed as trees, vines and other plants grow among large and small rocky areas created by volcanic activity. It is an ecological habitat for a wide variety of organisms and an important part of Jeju’s natural environment.
Gyorae Natural Recreation Forest, where the event will be held, has ecological observation paths and walking trails that make use of Gotjawal’s natural environment. Participants can walk the forest trails and learn about the vegetation, geology, and local culture and history.

The program consists of five activities: on-site interpretation of Gotjawal, reading in the forest, plogging, check-ins at ecological exploration sites, and coloring postcards featuring endangered plants and animals.
On-site interpretation is offered at 11 a.m. on weekdays and at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. on weekends. Participants join a guide to learn about the forest’s vegetation, geological features and ecological value.
The other programs run throughout the event. “Reading in Gotjawal” lets participants enjoy reading and relaxing in the forest at their own pace. At the plogging station, participants can borrow litter-collection equipment and help clean up the environment as they walk along the trail.
On the “Gotjawal Spot Tour,” visitors explore six sites along the trail related to vegetation, geology, culture and history to learn about the forest’s features. Those who take and submit photos of the information boards at each site and complete a satisfaction survey can receive a zero-waste souvenir set of household items designed to reduce waste.
A postcard-coloring program featuring endangered plants and animals will also be offered to raise awareness of Gotjawal’s biodiversity and the need for its conservation.

The event is also connected to the shared-ownership movement launched to protect Gotjawal. The Jeju Gotjawal Sharing Foundation was established in 2007 through the “Provincewide Campaign to Buy One Pyeong of Gotjawal.” It has continued to buy privately owned Gotjawal at risk of development or damage with donations and preserve it as a shared natural asset.
According to the Sharing Foundation, it has invested 14.4 billion won from the shared-ownership fund it has raised to bring about 1.15 million square meters of privately owned Gotjawal into shared ownership. The foundation manages the land it has purchased while also running ecological education and community-participation programs.
The event also aligns with the aims of the shared-ownership movement, as experiencing the forest firsthand can help people understand the need for conservation.
Kim Beom-hun, chairman of the Jeju Gotjawal Sharing Foundation, said, “LINA General Insurance’s support has made it possible to offer people an opportunity to experience the value of Gotjawal,” adding, “I hope that walking through and caring for the forest will encourage people to take an interest in conserving Gotjawal.”

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