The purpose of this study was to propose reasonable and rational how to protect the old trees in Hamyang County located at north-west end of Gyeongnam Province. Forty seven old trees designated as nurse trees by the county were surveyed from September to November of 2011. Theage, size, species and vitality of each tree were checked on the site, and the surrounding condition of the rooted area affected by the human usage of each site was surveyed.
The frequent species were Zelkova serrata, Salix glandulosa, Pinus densiflora, Celtis sinensis and Catalpa ovata. The most frequent tree was Zelkova serrata the number of which was thirty seven(83%)among forty seven, followed by Pinus densiflora and Celtis sinensis the number of each was three(6%) respectively. The main usage of the tree by the people were as scenic, ritual(Dangsan-mok) and shading(Jungja-mok) purpose. Twenty eight percent of the trees was 300~400 years old, and twenty five percent was100~300 years old. The most frequent location of the tree was among the village(60%) and beside the roads(17%). Eight trees(17%) stand alone.
Twenty one sites(16%) were covered with wooden deck, and the average area of the deck was 43.50㎡, and resting facilities were installed at the seventeen sites(13%) whose average area was 82.19㎡. The almost of pavements around the trees were pervious but 67.10㎡(average) of seven sites(15%) were paved with impervious materials. Fourteen trees were supported by the butress and treated by the surgical operation.
The surgically operated trees was seemed to be closely related with the age of trees. But, as the results of survey, the trees and surrounding rooted area could be said that the more used by the people and covered by the impervious materials, the weaker to survive.