• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.65-80
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• 2019

The Wetland Conservation Plan is used as a tool to set the management direction of wetland protected areas, and which is establishing a plan for the conservation, wise-use, and management based on wetland's condition. This study was conducted to establish a conservation plan considering the functions and management conditions of Upo wetland protected area. To this end, there are analyzed the current issues, plans and implementation status of Upo Wetland Conservation Plans in the past. The management elements to be considered in establishing the Wetland Conservation Plan were selected through prior research analysis and the priority of those elements was identified through the AHP. As a result, it was found that lack of considering the changes and performance evaluation of the existing plans in wetlands, conducting short-term projects related to maintenance original function of wetland, different management methods for wetland protected areas and other adjacent areas, lack of understanding and cooperation by stakeholders, inconsistencies in timing of the Conservation Plan and survey of wetland protected areas. In order to improve the problem, it needs to include the performance evaluation stage of establishing the conservation plan, strengthen cooperation of stakeholders and expertise, continuing of projects for wetlands' maintenance, priority of the project considering the management side, and to adjust the timing of plans to improve data availability.

• Proceedings of the National Institute of Ecology of the Republic of Korea
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.42-52
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• 2021

In order to secure basic data on biodiversity for wetland conservation and management used the data from Wetland Protected Area surveys conducted in South Korea (2015-2019) to analyze the distribution of fish from a total of 15 orders, 45 families, 134 species, and 12,972 individuals. The predominant species identified were Zacco platypus (Temminck and Schlegel) (19.47%) and Zacco koreanus (Kim, Oh and Hosoya) (8.16%). Of all emergent species, 52.9% (n=71 species) were freshwater species, 26.9% (n=36) were brackish species, 3.0% (n=4) were migratory species, 27% (n=36) were marine species, and 9.0% (n=12) were riffle benthic species. Overall, 5.2% (n=7 species) were endangered species, 3.0% (n=4) were exotic species, and 23.1% (n=31) were Korean endemic species. The eight identified Wetland Protected Areas (WPA) were classified based on their habitat characteristics and on the analysis of their emergent fish communities, as estuarine (n=2), coastal dune (n=1), marsh (n=2), stream (n=2), and stream-marsh (n=1) types. The environmental factors revealed to have the greatest influence on the species diversity of emergent fish were maintenance and repair, installation of reservoirs, and construction of artificial wetlands around them. The present study offers basic information on the diversity of fish species in different Wetland Protected Area types that can be used to inform conservation and management decisions for WPA.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.139-146
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• 2019

There is often confliction between conservation for protected ecosystem assets and development for various stakeholders at wetland protection areas. The concept of Ecosystem Services can be an alternative solution for the conflicts. This paper attempted to measure and evaluate cultural ecosystem services according to the index evaluation approach. For the evaluation, the paper suggested five indicators of ecosystem cultural services including: inspiration, landscape aesthetics, education, eco-tourism, and heritage. The developed indices of cultural services in this study can be also utilized as a policy support tool for conservation of the wetland protected areas. The result illustrates the ranking and correlation of each indicator of ecosystem cultural services and suggestions for useful means of management policy in wetland protected areas.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.25-43
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• 2016

This research was completed to provide fundamental data regarding the guidelines to installing and managing utility facilities & structures in wetland protected area to advance the functions and sustainable use of ecology services by preserving the ecology within wetland protected area. There were 5 on-site researching areas that were used as the main subject with these areas chosen and considered from 21 inland wetlands that have been designated and are being managed from the Ministry of Environment and by their designated dates as a wetland protected area. The utility facilities in these wetland areas were categorized by their types and a detailed on-site investigation was proceeded with investigation items chosen whereas these facilities are working by their roles from their location, size, used materials, types, information contents and etc., The results showed that regarding informational structures, several locations of information boards were distanced from the main exploring routes which did not consider the visitor's eye level which had their readability dropped and by sunlight, time lapse and water penetration, many information boards were damaged or corrupted so that it was hard to confirm the information noticed or understanding an image. Insufficient observation and educational structures were installed that considered the ecological characteristics of wild animals and their living conditions. Regarding convenience facilities, there were parking lots that were installed on the fore-land and to decrease non-point solution sources, some parking lots needed to be located in protected lowlands while some facilities' shape and colors did not harmonize with their natural surroundings, creating a sense of awareness, which will need some more consideration. As for safety facilities, they were very insufficient compared to other facilities. This means that additional safety structures are needed so that related personnel can be aware of where a visitor is located when an accident occurs. Protectional facilities strongly needed new structures and a management system to cut off entrances and do surveillance so that visitors do not go into areas outside of the managed areas and bring damages to restricted locations. Research labs needed to expand the use of automatic weather systems and water gauge equipments to build fundamental data regarding floodgates that are intimated to the forming of wetlands. Sensor cameras and other types of monitoring systems are needed to monitor the majority types of animals living in the wetlands as well.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.132-144
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• 2015

Yongneup wetland protected area, the only high moor in Korea, is a core area to conserve biodiversity. Even though the Yongneup wetland protected area is relatively small, various plant species are distributed in the Yongneup wetland protected area because it includes various habitats showing different environmental gradients. Vascular plants distributed in the Yongneup wetland protected area were identified as a total of 376 taxa that is composed of 73 families, 217 genera, 322 species, 3 subspecies, 44 varieties and 7 forms. For endangered plants designated by the Ministry of Environment, 5 species including Trientalis europaea var. arctica, Lilium dauricum, Halenia corniculata, Lychnis wilfordii and Menyanthes trifoliata were found and 34 taxa were confirmed to be distributed only in the mountainous wetland habitats. Regarding naturalized plants, a total of 11 taxa were distributed, but most of them were distributed in the areas where artificial interference has occurred. And in areas inside the wetlands that are relatively well preserved, 2 species of Bidens frondosa and Erigeron annuus were observed. In this study, the occurrence and distribution of Pseudostellaria baekdusanensis M. Kim, which was recently found in Mt. Baekdu and reported as a new species, were identified in the Yongneup wetland protected area. A wetland is a very vulnerable area to drastic environmental changes and damages to its ecosystem could cause the extinction of rare plant species which are distributed only in the wetlands. Therefore, it is mandatory that current status of the Yongneup wetland protected area is evaluated and actions to prevent rapid environmental changes are taken. Fourteen separate investigations were conducted in 2013 and another four in 2014, to evaluate current status of the Yongneup wetland protected area. These investigations have provided us the basic information for future actions of conservation and restoration.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.477-484
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• 2013

In 1999, Wetlands Conservation Act was enacted for the domestic implementation of the Ramsar Convention in Korea. According to the Act, wetlands have been managed by the Ministry of Environment and the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries(MOF). In the field of coastal wetland of which MOF is in charge, starting with the designation of Muan coastal wetlands as protected area in 2001, there are 12 wetland conservation areas up to $218.96km^2$. Even though there has been rapid growth of protected areas, it is time to give attention to the effective implementation of wetland conservation policies. This study aims to analyze institutional and operational problems related to wetland management and give some recommendations for the improvement of the wetland conservation policy and legal framework.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.305-317
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• 2023

This study suggested a citizen science based model to enhance the efficacy of the managing invasive alien plants and examined whose applicability in 3 Wetland Protected Areas (Jangrok of Gwangju metropolitan city, Madongho of Goseong in South Gyeongsang Province, and Ungok of Gochang in North Jeolla Province). The process consists of (a) collecting citizen scientist including local residents of 3 protected areas and piling up information on the 4 species of invasive alien plants (Sicyos angulatus L., Solanum carolinense L., Ambrosia artemisiifolia L. and Solidago altissima L) in a information platform Ecological Information Bank (EcoBank) from September 18th to October 31th, (b) constructing distribution map containing the location and density (3 phases: individual-population-community) of target plants, (c) providing distribution map to Environment Agency and local government who is principal agent of managing invasive alien plants in 3 protected areas, and from whom (d) surveying applications of the distribution map and opinion for future supplement. As a result, citizen science based monitoring should be continued to complement the nationwide information for the field management of invasive alien plants with the expansion of target species (total 17 plants species that Ministry of Environment in South Korea designated) and period of monitoring in a year to increase the usability of surveyed information from citizen science. In the long run, effectiveness of the management of invasive alien species applied by citizen science should be reviewed including efficacy of field management process from citizen's participating in elimination project of invasive alien plants and time series distribution followed by the management of the species.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.177-188
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• 2008

Attempts to develope designation criteria for ecological protected areas were made for rational and scientific designation and management of 'ecosystem and landscape conservation areas', 'wetland protection areas', 'special islands protection areas', and 'wildlife protected areas' which have been designated and managed by the Ministry of Environment. Through analysis of the requisites and criteria of IUCN, UNESCO, Natura 2000, the Ramsar convention, the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan, and Germany as well as various academic researches, evaluation items of the protected areas were classified into naturalness, biodiversity, ecosystem, and scientific values. These classification titles are reflection of Korean laws concerning the 4 protected areas described above. Of these items 'naturalness' is composed of 3 factors of wilderness, geomorphology and landscape, and vegetation. 'Biodiversity' is composed of the 5 factors of species diversity, endangered species, rare species, indigenous biological resources, and habitat of wetland wild animals. 'Ecosystem' is composed of 5 factors of typicalness, diversity, rarity, restoration ability, and degree of interference. All factors are scored using a 3 point scale of high, middle, or low and are then transformed into the numerical index for designating and zoning purposes. Conclusively, it is expected that the developed methodology will be highly applicable with field verifications.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.456-464
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• 2016

Korea established an inventory of 1,916 sites of inland wetlands during a nationwide investigation from 2000 to 2010. If inland wetlands is included in or near various protected areas designated by the government, it can be selected as a wetland to be managed with priority. This study evaluated the aspect of management of inland wetlands by analyzing the correlation between locations of national protected areas and inland wetlands. As a result, it was shown that a considerable percentage of current inland wetland was located in areas that were designated and managed as protected areas by the government, as they had a high value of natural environment protection (527 sites, 31.61 %). When the range was widened to a radius of 1 km for protected areas, 959 sites were included and 57.53 % of sites were located in or nearby the protected areas. Among them, 46.79 % of sites were distributed up to or within a 1 km radius of waterside areas and rivers; it accounted for 81.33 % of wetlands located in protected areas. Therefore, it was found that locations of current inland wetlands were mostly in contact with rivers. The results of overlay analysis were classified into high, medium and low; the correlation of location with inland wetlands was analyzed through the analysis of separation distance of various protected areas. The number of wetlands located in areas of a 'high' value of protection was 998 (59.87 %); 289 sites (17.34 %) were distributed in areas of a 'low' value of protection. This implies that these wetlands are located in artificial areas and are more exposed to environmental pressures. Thus, these wetlands could be determined as inland wetlands, which we considered for the establishment of measures to prevent damage.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.59-71
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• 2019

This study was conducted to prioritize land purchase in Hwapocheon wetland protection area by reflecting the conservation value of wetlands considering HSI(Habitat Suitability Index) for flagship species. As a result of this study, the flagship species, Oriental White Stork and Been Goose, which can represent the Hwapocheon wetland protection area, were selected through selection criteria and expert feedback. Based on the habitat requirements of the selected flagship species, SI(Suitability Index) for the flagship species was reviewed and the conservation value of wetlands was assessed. The conservation value of the wetlands was divided into five grades from very high to very low. The areas with high conservation value were mainly distributed around wetlands and waters in upstream and downstream of Hwapocheon wetland protection area. The land purchase priorities were divided into five grades by overlapping the thematic maps of the conservation value of wetlands, the economics, and the urgency of restoration. The arable lands which can disrupt wetland ecosystems are analyzed as priority areas where priority purchasing is required. Relatively well-preserved wetlands and areas have low land purchase priorities. This study is meaningful in that biodiversity is considered in land purchase priorities.