Muan Cheongcheon-ri Hackberry and Hornbeam Forest

Muan Cheongcheon-ri Hackberry and Hornbeam Forest is a row of hackberry and hornbeam trees located in Cheongcheon-ri, Cheonggye-myeon, Muan-gun, Gwangju-Jeonnam Integrated Special City. A 'row tree' refers to trees planted in a long line along roadsides or streets, serving as roadside trees. Traveling from Muan-eup toward Mokpo on National Route 1 for about 3km, you will see a dense row of trees stretching approximately 400m along the national road, blocking the front of the village like a fence. Currently, the trees have an average girth of 3m and a height of 30m, with 66 hackberry trees, 20 hornbeam trees, and 3 zelkova trees protected as Natural Monuments. The exact planting date of these trees is unknown, but they are estimated to be about 500 years old.

According to a legend, about 500 years ago, a man named Bae from the Dalseong Bae clan settled here as the founding ancestor, but strong sea winds from the West Sea caused great damage to both houses and crops. Unable to find a solution, they were troubled until a passing traveler suggested planting hackberry and hornbeam trees in front of the village. With a hopeful heart, they obtained and planted about 100 trees. As the trees grew lush and blocked the sea wind, the descendants increased and the village prospered. In fact, the row trees of Cheongcheon-ri serve an important function as a windbreak forest, protecting the village from strong winds blowing from the western sea.