• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.558-568
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• 2021

Poor supervision and tourism activities have resulted in forest degradation in islands in Korea. Since the southern coastal region of the Korean peninsula was originally dominated by warm-temperate evergreen broad-leaved forests, it is desirable to restore forests in this region to their original vegetation. In this study, we identified suitable areas to be restored as evergreen broad-leaved forests by analyzing the environmental factors of existing evergreen broad-leaved forests in the islands of Jeollanam-do. We classified forest lands in the study area into six vegetation types from Sentinel-2 satellite images using a deep learning algorithm and analyzed the tolerance ranges of existing evergreen broad-leaved forests by measuring the locational, topographic, and climatic attributes of the classified vegetation types. Results showed that evergreen broad-leaved forests were distributed more in areas with a high altitudes and steep slope, where human intervention was relatively low. The human intervention has led to a higher distribution of evergreen broad-leaved forests in areas with lower annual average temperature, which was an unexpected but understandable result because an area with higher altitude has a lower temperature. Of the environmental factors, latitude and average temperature in the coldest month (January) were relatively less contaminated by the effects of human intervention, thus enabling the identification of suitable restoration areas of the evergreen broad-leaved forests. The tolerance range analysis of evergreen broad-leaved forests showed that they mainly grew in areas south of the latitude of 34.7° and a monthly average temperature of 1.7℃ or higher in the coldest month. Therefore, we predicted the areas meeting these criteria to be suitable for restoring evergreen broad-leaved forests. The suitable areas cover 614.5 km², which occupies 59.0% of the total forest lands on the islands of Jeollanamdo, and 73% of actual forests that exclude agricultural and other non-restorable forest lands. The findings of this study can help forest managers prepare a restoration plan and budget for island forests.

• Journal of Environmental Policy
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.3-37
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• 2012

In perspective of biodiversity conservation and protected areas (PAs), the aims of the study are to review the mid-long term national plans, which deal with national territory and environment in Korea, and to find out the way to improve this issue. Key issues were drawn by referring "Biodiversity 2011-2020 Strategic Targets" and "Protected Area Decision" in CBD CoP-10 and 7 National comprehensive or basic Plans were reviewed. Quoting Biodiversity 2011-2020 Strategic Target 5, "By 2020, the rate of loss of all natural habitats, including forests, is at least halved and where feasible brought close to zero, and degradation and fragmentation is significantly reduced", most of national plans included various methods such as "No Net Loss of Green", "No Net Loss of Wetlands", and so on. Regarding the target 11, "By 2020, at least 17% of terrestrial and inland water, and 10% of coastal and marine areas, ecologically representative and well connected systems of PAs and other effective area-based conservation measures, and integrated into the wider landscape and seascapes", 15% by 2015 was set up as a target of total PAs in Korea and 13% by 2015 or 2020 was set up as a target of coastal and marine PAs. CBD CoP-10 Decision X/31 (Protected Areas) invites parties to develop a national long-term action plan for the implementation of PoWPA and describes 10 issues that need greater attention. National action plan for the implementation of PoWPA doesn't be mentioned at any national plans even PoWPA. Regarding the 10 issues, most of issues were well reflected within various national plans, however there is still a need to improve the details and corelation between plans. Particularly, in terms of management effectiveness evaluation (MEE), there was no national plan to directly deal with MEE even though CBD invites parties to work towards assessing 60% of the total PAs by 2015. Based on the review results, below 4 items were suggested; (1)"The Comprehensive Plan of the National Territory" needs more attention on the Biodiversity Conservation and PAs, (2)Consider to establish "National PA System Plan" embedded into "the Comprehensive Plan of National Environment", (3)Establish a "National Action Plan for the implementation of PoWPA", (4)Improve the National Plans through linking with Biodiversity 2011-2020 Strategic Targets and relevant PA key issues.