Greenbelt Systems Play an Important Role in the Prevention of Landscape Degradation Due to Urbanization

Greenbelts were designated by the Korean government in 1971 in 14 large cities to prevent uncontrolled urban expansion. Recently, deregulation of the greenbelt system has resulted in further development, but the ecological role of greenbelts has not been fully considered when decisions about urban management are being made. We examined the ecological roles of the greenbelt system in the Seoul metropolitan area and prepared sustainable management and improvement plans based on our analysis of landscape characteristics using satellite images covering a ${\sim}30$-year period. The loss of forest cover during this period in the greenbelt areas was lower than that in the areas outside and inside of the greenbelt. Fragmentation of forest cover was correlated with the pattern of loss of forest cover. The NDVI of the greenbelt remained steady at 90% of that in outside of the GB for three decades. This suggests that the greenbelt system has performed its primary roles well. However, the remaining green space was not adequate to provide a sink for air pollutants even when the greenbelt area was included. We discuss how the negative effects of urbanization can be reduced through sustainable management and restoration to promote ecological functioning in greenbelts and urban landscapes.