2015 – 2020
We coexist with the trees in Seoul. The existence and disappearance of urban trees are shaped by external factors. The question of a tree’s survival is determined by human convenience rather than the changes of nature itself. Nevertheless, trees always live with us. We walk past trees every day, almost indifferently. The number of trees planted on the streets of Seoul exceeds 306,000, and they live in the harsh conditions of the city. Humans do not know everything about trees; perhaps there is nothing we can do about it. Following the cycle of nature may be the right decision, as our unilateral aid may not have been requested.
Have you ever stood still and observed the trees for a long time? To learn about trees, you need an observer's perspective. By carefully observing and learning about them, one is able to extend their relationship with trees beyond simple visual cognition. As such, trees and humans can communicate in a natural way.
Just as humans cannot be simply categorized by species and sex, trees also differ greatly from one another. We tend to perceive them in a way that feels comfortable to us. However, it is more important to recognize trees for what they are. Maintaining a constant interest in them as individuals is the basic attitude we should adopt. This attitude becomes a small starting point for trees to form forests. Trees are social beings just like humans and are connected within their networks. The forests they form will become their community and home. Both urban trees and humans need forests. Urban forests start with us.
Seoul Tree is a project that shares recognized trees within one’s radius of life and creates a virtual forest based on online maps. People who observe the various changes in the trees that surround us remember certain aspects about them, but it is difficult to know all the trees around us. Through Seoul Tree, you can share the trees you know and discover others. We hope that the virtual forest will be a true starting point in building a real forest from the trees we have shared.
–
우리는 서울이라는 도시 안에서 나무와 공존하며 살아간다. 도시 나무의 존재와 소멸은 외부 요인으로 형성된다. 생명 존속 여부는 자연 변화보다 인간 편의를 위한 행동의 영향으로 비로소 결정된다. 그럼에도 나무는 항상 우리 곁에 존재한다. 무심히 지나치는 서울의 가로수만 해도 30.6만 그루 이상이며 그들은 도심의 가혹한 조건에서 살아간다. 인간은 나무의 모든 걸 아직 알지 못하기 때문에 더욱 해줄 수 있는 것이 없다. 요청하지 않은 도움보다 자연 순환을 따르는 게 옳을 수 있다.
가만히 멈춰서 나무를 오래 바라본 적이 있는가? 나무에 대해 알아가려면 관찰자 시점이 필요하다. 천천히 나무를 바라보면 시각 인지를 벗어나 보이지 않는 시선으로 서로를 응시할 수 있게 된다. 그렇게 나무와 인간은 자연의 방식으로 소통할 수 있다.
인간이 종과 성의 분류 속에 동일하지 않듯 나무도 제각기 다르다. 우리는 습관처럼 비슷하거나 이해할 수 있는 형태로만 받아들인다. 그보다 존재 자체로서 나무를 인지하는 것이 중요하다. 개체에 대한 지속한 관심의 시작이야말로 우리가 가져야 할 기본 태도이다. 이와 같은 태도는 나무가 숲으로 형성되는 작은 시작점이 된다.
나무는 인간과 동일한 사회적 존재로 그들만의 네트워크로 연결돼있다. 공동체를 이룰 숲은 그들의 터전이자 삶이다. 도시 나무와 우리에게는 숲이 필요하다. 도시의 숲은 우리로부터 만들어진다.
<서울 나무>는 개인의 행동반경 안에서 인지하는 서울의 나무를 공유하고 온라인 지도 기반으로 가상의 숲을 만들어 간다. 일상 속에 자리한 나무의 다양한 변화는 수시로 관찰한 사람이 기억하기 쉽지만, 주변의 모든 나무를 알긴 어렵다. <서울 나무>를 통해 자신이 인지한 나무를 공유하고 또 다른 나무를 바라볼 수 있다. 함께 공유한 나무로 가상의 숲이 물리적인 숲으로 변화하기를 바란다.
How to Register a Seoul Tree
1. Upload a photo of a tree in Seoul to Instagram with the hashtags #서울나무 and #seoultree.
2.If the tree is selected, instructions on how to register it will be sent to the observer.
3. Trees registered on the map will be shared with other tree observers.
4.Through the Seoul Tree Map, people can discover new trees, observe them together, and share stories about them.
* To provide a better service, the tree registration feature on the map is temporarily suspended. We are working to restore it as soon as possible.
1. Upload a photo of a tree in Seoul to Instagram with the hashtags #서울나무 and #seoultree.
2.If the tree is selected, instructions on how to register it will be sent to the observer.
3. Trees registered on the map will be shared with other tree observers.
4.Through the Seoul Tree Map, people can discover new trees, observe them together, and share stories about them.
* To provide a better service, the tree registration feature on the map is temporarily suspended. We are working to restore it as soon as possible.
Seoul Tree ID Structure
A unique 10-digit code is given to and shown with each tree. For example, a tree is identified as 82026-19-005, which denotes the Country Code (82, Korea), Area Code (02, Seoul), District Classification Number (6, Seocho-gu, Dongjak-gu, Gwanak-gu, Geumcheon-gu), District Number (19, Dongjak-gu), and Tree Number (005, sequential from 001).
A unique 10-digit code is given to and shown with each tree. For example, a tree is identified as 82026-19-005, which denotes the Country Code (82, Korea), Area Code (02, Seoul), District Classification Number (6, Seocho-gu, Dongjak-gu, Gwanak-gu, Geumcheon-gu), District Number (19, Dongjak-gu), and Tree Number (005, sequential from 001).
District Classification Numbers
1 Jung-gu, Jongno-gu, Yongsan-gu
2 Mapo-gu, Seodaemun-gu, Eunpyeong-gu
3 Seongbuk-gu, Gangbuk-gu, Dobong-gu, Nowon-gu
4 Jungnang-gu, Dongdaemun-gu, Seongdong-gu, Gwangjin-gu
5 Gangdong-gu, Songpa-gu, Gangnam-gu
6 Seocho-gu, Dongjak-gu, Gwanak-gu, Geumcheon-gu
7 Yeongdeungpo-gu, Guro-gu, Yangcheon-gu, Gangseo-gu
1 Jung-gu, Jongno-gu, Yongsan-gu
2 Mapo-gu, Seodaemun-gu, Eunpyeong-gu
3 Seongbuk-gu, Gangbuk-gu, Dobong-gu, Nowon-gu
4 Jungnang-gu, Dongdaemun-gu, Seongdong-gu, Gwangjin-gu
5 Gangdong-gu, Songpa-gu, Gangnam-gu
6 Seocho-gu, Dongjak-gu, Gwanak-gu, Geumcheon-gu
7 Yeongdeungpo-gu, Guro-gu, Yangcheon-gu, Gangseo-gu
District Numbers
01 Jung-gu
02 Jongno-gu
03 Yongsan-gu
04 Mapo-gu
05 Seodaemun-gu
06 Eunpyeong-gu
07 Seongbuk-gu
08 Gangbuk-gu
09 Dobong-gu
10 Nowon-gu
11 Jungnang-gu
12 Dongdaemun-gu
13 Seongdong-gu
14 Gwangjin-gu
15 Gangdong-gu
16 Songpa-gu
17 Gangnam-gu
18 Seocho-gu
19 Dongjak-gu
20 Gwanak-gu
21 Geumcheon-gu
22 Yeongdeungpo-gu
23 Guro-gu
24 Yangcheon-gu
25 Gangseo-gu
01 Jung-gu
02 Jongno-gu
03 Yongsan-gu
04 Mapo-gu
05 Seodaemun-gu
06 Eunpyeong-gu
07 Seongbuk-gu
08 Gangbuk-gu
09 Dobong-gu
10 Nowon-gu
11 Jungnang-gu
12 Dongdaemun-gu
13 Seongdong-gu
14 Gwangjin-gu
15 Gangdong-gu
16 Songpa-gu
17 Gangnam-gu
18 Seocho-gu
19 Dongjak-gu
20 Gwanak-gu
21 Geumcheon-gu
22 Yeongdeungpo-gu
23 Guro-gu
24 Yangcheon-gu
25 Gangseo-gu
Trees Number
Sequential from 001
Sequential from 001
→ seoul tree