• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.113 no.1
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• pp.118-130
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• 2024

Rehabilitation of mining areas can reduce damage to ecosystems. However, the effects of rehabilitation on ecosystem services (ESs) and its contribution to local communities are not well known. Thus, the aims of this study were to clearly identify the ES beneficiaries affected by mining activities, to determine how the beneficiaries profit from surrounding areas in cooperation with local stakeholders, and to manage the rehabilitation areas for the ESs that the beneficiaries want. This study chose 18 ESs (4 provisioning, 7 regulating, 5 cultural, and 2 habitat services) based on The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity. A semi-structured questionnaire survey using an 11-point Likert scale was conducted among 87 community residents to investigate social awareness and identify key ESs. The survey results from two local communities showed high awareness and demands mainly on cultural (mental and physical health, aesthetic appreciation, and recreation) and regulating services (local climate and air quality, and moderation of extreme events). These services were related to the daily lives of residents in local communities, provided positive benefits, and potentially improved the residents' future livelihoods. However, the average questionnaire scores were limited to 6-7 points, indicating that the benefits to local communities were meager. The residents' awareness of provisioning service was negative, even if it provided goods and profit opportunities. This indicated a disconnection between local communities and provisioning services due to forest rehabilitation that did not consider local communities that traditionally relied on specific provisioning services before the onset of mining activities. Future forest rehabilitation in abandoned mine areas must consider the welfare of local communities for sustainable use of rehabilitated forests and enhancing ESs. In this study, only a qualitative evaluation based on frequency analyses was conducted. The quantification and valuation of key ESs are warranted in the future to promote ESs from forest rehabilitation in abandoned mine areas. The study results would be useful for developing site-specific ES promotion strategies for reforesting mine areas.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.101-112
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• 2019

Over the last few years, air pollution ($PM_{10}$, $PM_{2.5}$) in the Seoul metropolitan area (SMA) has emerged as one of the most concerned and threatening environmental issues among the residents. It brings about various harmful effects on human health, as well as ecosystem and industrial activities. Governments and individuals pay various costs to mitigate the level of air pollutants. This study aims to empirically find the willingness to pays (WTP) among the parents from different socio-cultural groups - international and domestic groups to mitigate air pollution ($PM_{10}$, $PM_{2.5}$) in their residential area. Contingent Valuation Methods (CVM) is used with employing single-bounded dichotomous choice technique to elicit the respondent's WTP. Using tobit (censored regression) and probit models, the monthly mean WTP of the pooled sample for green electricity which contributes to improve air quality in the region was estimated as 3,993 KRW (3.58 USD). However, the mean WTP between the international group and domestic group through a sub-sample analysis shows broad distinction as 3,325KRW (2.98 USD) and 4,449 KRW (3.98 USD) respectively. This is because that socio-cultural characteristics of each group such as socio-economic status, personal experience, trust in institutions and worldview are differently associated with the WTP. Based on the results, the society needs to raise awareness of lay people to find a strong linkage between the current PM issue and green electricity. Also, it needs to improve trust in the government's pollution abatement policy to mobilize more assertive participation of the people from different socio-cultural background.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.1-13
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• 2016

To detail a picture of the economic value of Miscanthus landscape conservation in terms of cultural services aspects of Ecosystem Services, Sunghaksan(Mt.), Hwawangsan(Mt.) and Jaeyaksan(Mt.), which are known for their Miscanthus colonies, were chosen as survey sites. After examining the willingness to pay for the value of Miscanthus landscape conservation by targeting of visitors each study area, the economic value of Miscanthus landscape conservation per capita aspects was evaluated using Contingent Valuation Methods(CVM) from the collected willingness to pay for economic value of Miscanthus scenery by site. After using the target Chi-square test to analyze the differences among each site, the correlation between specific variables was investigated. Willingness to pay for the Miscanthus landscape conservation was found to increase as the respondents' income became higher. The more environmental conservation efforts were being made in their daily life, the higher willingness to pay was for Miscanthus landscape conservation. Likewise in other studies, the higher the bid was, the less willingness to pay was. The per capita assessment of the Miscanthus landscape value of the logit models in the dual estimated using the factor extracted with each of the injected variable bounds was estimated for Seunghaksan (\38,277), Hwawangsan(\38,648), and Jaeyaksan(\48,891). The average of the three sites was estimated to be \38,679. Assessment of the economic value of these Miscanthus landscape sites saw high willingness to pay by visitors when compared to the current market price inflation, such as watching movies or amusement park admission, which could mean that visitors recognize the value of ecosystem services from nature in evaluating the Miscanthus landscape.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.280-304
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• 2013

This study was carried out to investigate the flora of Mt. Gilsangsan (Ganghwa-Isl.). The vascular plants were collected 14 times (from March to November 2012), and were identified as 595 taxa; 122 families, 359 genera, 529 species, 7 subspecies, 51 varieties, 2 forms and 3 hybrids. The plant formation of Mt. Gisangsan is the deciduous broad-leaved and conifer mixed forest which is the common one in the middle part of Korean peninsula. All most mountain covered with young secondary forest which is mainly composed of Pinus and Quercus. The family represented by the largest number of species diversity were Asteraceae (11.%), Poaceae (10.7%), Cyperaceae (6.38%), Fabaceae (3.86%) and Rosaceae (3.52%) respectively. Korean endemic plants of this area were 12 taxa; Asarum misandrum, Clematis brachyura, Philadelphus schrenkii, Forsythia koreana, Polygonatum infundiflorum, etc. The red list of vascular plants according to IUCN valuation basis were examined, endangered species (EN) Abies koreana, Near Threatened species (NT) both Wikstroemia trichotoma and Sparganium erectum, Least Concern species (LC) Platycladus orientalis, Swertia diluta var. tosaensis and Iris minutoaurea and by Not Evaluate species (NE) Polygonatum infundiflorum. The floristic regional indicator plants found in this area were 45 taxa comprising two taxa of grade V and VI, nine taxa of grade III, three taxa of grade II, 29 taxa of gradeI. The naturalized plants were identified as 64 taxa and the percent of naturalized index (NI) was 10.7% of total 595 taxa vascular plants. Ecosystem disturbance wild plants were consisted of eight taxa; Rumex acetosella, Sicyos angulatus, Solanum carolinense, Ambrosia artemisiifolia, Ambrosia trifida, Aster pilosus, Hypochaeris radicata and Lactuca scariola. Furthermore, therophytes (26.5%), hemicryptophytes (26.0%), Geophyte (14.0%) showed high proportional ratio in life form spectrum.

• Korean Journal of Plant Taxonomy
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• v.46 no.1
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• pp.83-116
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• 2016

This study was carried out to investigate the flora and vegetation of Yokjido Island in Tongyeong-si, Korea. Vascular plants collected six times (from March of 2015 to January of 2016) were identified as 547 taxa in total, including 113 families, 354 genera, 487 species, four subspecies, 50 varieties, four forms and two hybrids. The first records from this region contained 314 taxa. In the flora of this area, endemic Korean species numbered eight taxa, and the red list of vascular plants according to the IUCN valuation basis numbered six taxa. In addition, 86 taxa of floristic regional indicator plants specially designated by the Ministry of Environment are included. Among the species investigated in this survey, 99 taxa were identified as specific species bio-geographically as compared floras of other terrestrial regions; 97 taxa of plants in southern areas and two taxa of limited distribution plants on the Korean Peninsula. In all, 74 naturalized plants were recorded in the investigated area. Samples of the forest vegetation of Yokjido Island were mainly classified as Pinus thunbergii community and the Alus firma community. Vertical structures of the communities were stable, and a DBH-class analysis showed that the dominant tree species would be maintained. If disturbance factors such as thinning could be halted, the composition of woody species and herbaceous species would change.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Grassland and Forage Science
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.298-309
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• 2018

This study examined the multi-functionality of an eco-pastoral system in alpine grassland and measured its economic value. The multi-functionality can be divided into three categories: direct-use value, indirect-use value, and heritage value. Direct-use value includes both extractive (forage and livestock production) and non-extractive (recreation and tourism) functions. Indirect-use value includes the functions of water conservation, soil erosion control, atmospheric control, landscape, livestock-manure management, and forest firebreaks. The heritage value includes the function of species diversity. The results showed that the annual value for 1 hectare of the eco-pastoral system in alpine grassland's direct use was estimated to be 21,090,874 Korean won; the indirect-use value was 15,562,203 won when the landscape in grassland system, and 16,018,224 won when the landscape comprised in silvopastoral system. The value of the species diversity in heritage terms ranged from 767,273 to 1,578,845 won, depending on whether it included any endangered species. The total value of multi-functionality of the eco-pastoral system in alpine grassland was estimated to be a minimum of 37,420,350 won/ha and a maximum of 38,687,942 won/ha. The results of this study can provide useful insights for the eco-pastoral system in alpine grassland policies in Republic of Korea.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.253-260
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• 2016

This research aimed to quantitatively measure the environmental values of Taebaeksan, Naksan, and Gyeongpo provincial parks located in Gangwon-do. The research was based on the CVM technique which estimates the economic values for all kinds of ecosystem. Also, the estimated value of environment goods can suggest the magnitude of additional utility other than the cost people pay when they visit the provincial parks. Such result can be used as basic data in addition to information on natural ecology or cultural landscape to decide whether the park should be promoted as a national park. The questionnaires-collected from Taebaeksan(180 copies), Naksan(179 copies), and Gyeongpo(180 copies) provincial parks were used to measure the environmental value of each provincial park. Variables that affect the response of 'yes(Y)' or 'no(N)' to the cost suggestion for the economic valuation of environment are estimated under the catagories of environment conservation status (env.), degree of park management (manage.), environmental conservation effort, education (edu.), and income (inc.) of the respondents (execu.), pertaining to the 3 provincial parks in Gangwon-do. The value of natural environment to 1 visitor to the 3 Gangwon provincial parks was estimated by the Logit method that Hanemann proposed using the average of inserted variables. The results showed that the additional environmental value that 1 visitor can gain is 44,060 won for Taebaeksan Provincial Park, 41,191 won for Naksan, and 41,844 won for the Gyeongpo Provincial Park. Taebaeksan Provincial Park's environmental value is estimated at the highest as the respondents judge that its natural environment is well preserved and the facilities are managed well.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.23-33
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• 2012

In this study, how much users of Hannamkeumbuk Keumbuk Mountains are aware of Baekdaegan and its attached mountain chains, a traditional geographic system, according to Sangyungpyo and basic data like the degree of awareness and use-behaviors, etc. have been studied. In addition, the environmental value of Hannamkeumbuk Keumbuk Mountains separating the central and the southern part of Korea among attached mountain ranges, secondary mountain chains, which act as an ecosystem buffer in the Baekdudaegan Range, has been estimated at the current amount of currency. In the questions of the perception of the traditional classification standard of mountain chains and Baekdudaegan, more than 70% of respondents answered that they had heard of or known them but 66.8% werenot aware of Hannamkeumbuk Keumbuk Mountains. While the awareness for Baekdudaegan is high, the perception of its attached mountain chains was very poor. DBDC responder system and CVM, which is used widely for the value estimate method of environment goods, were used. As the result, an additional benefit got when a person visits Hannamkeumbuk Keumbuk mountains was estimated as 5,813 won. It could find out that this amount was very low compared with 51,984 won, average visit cost. It judged that the reason was that damage of environmental conditions, the monotony of the trails and progress of indiscriminate environmental destruction, etc. The results of this study will offer a new perspective on public relations activities and resource conservation of Baekdudaegan and its attached mountain chains and estimate perceptions and efficient services for visitors to HannamKeumbuk Keumbuk Mountains. This study will act as data for basic planning and management to increase the mountains' value and to preserve them. Further studies are needed to make a frame of work division and management with various organizations so that the management of Hannamkeumbuk-Keumbuk Mountains may be properly established and their value may been hanced.