• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
• /
• v.24 no.2
• /
• pp.57-69
• /
• 2021

Urban green spaces supply ecosystem services (ESs), which are consumed by city residents and generate demand, to improve air quality. It is important to determine supply and demand for ESs and reduce the gap for efficient management. This study proposed a method to use the concept of supply and demand for ESs in the decision-making process for urban planning or management. PM₁₀ concentrations were converted to weight for demand assessment on PM₁₀ reduction, and PM₁₀ absorption capacity of all green spaces including the forests, and that of urban green spaces excluding forests, was calculated for each supply assessment. The differences in the calculated supply and demand were analyzed to derive the mismatched regions in Suwon. As a result, regions with big forested areas showed sufficient supply, indicating that the degree of mismatch among administrative neighborhoods (dong) varied greatly depending on whether they had a forest. An analysis of only urban green spaces showed that all neighborhoods lacked supply. Forests with high PM₁₀ absorption capacity had a great effect, but urban green spaces can be considered a key element in reducing PM₁₀ in daily life. Considering the mismatch of supply and demand, spatial distribution, and population distribution, it is possible to prioritize the supply of urban green spaces to reduce PM₁₀ and, furthermore, support decision making for priority zones subject to forest conservation and designation and cancellation of green spaces, which gives significance to this study.

• Ocean and Polar Research
• /
• v.40 no.4
• /
• pp.259-270
• /
• 2018

The purpose of this study is to provide information to understand the context of the Antarctic Treaty System by looking back on its development process. It also aims to review the roles and activities of the CEP in the System in order to support the improvement of our Antarctic science policy. This study considered the developmental histories of independent conventions for Antarctic conservation and Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty under the system. CEP, established in accordance with the Protocol, has expanded its roles in the ATCM under the circumstances of climate change and increasing human activities in the treaty area. I examined CEP's functions, relationships with formal observers, and its activities along with CCRWP. In addition, I have estimated the contribution of the Parties to the CEP based on the documents submitted by the Parties. The leading Parties of the System have strengthened their initiatives to expand contributions to CEP with their output based on national Antarctic Program. However, Korea has not been able to take initiatives in the System even though Korea has invested considerable resources in its Antarctic program. To strengthen Korea's capability to instigate initiatives in the system, I suggest the following approaches: Firstly, Korea should improve its Antarctic science policy based on the newly established CEP five-year work plan; Secondly, Korea should organize a long-standing expert group to focus on Antarctic environmental policy and related scientific information; finally, Korea should intensify its collaboration with other Parties in developing Antarctic environmental priority issues.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
• /
• v.23 no.6
• /
• pp.75-85
• /
• 2020

The purpose of this study was to investigate the citizens' perception of urban ecosystem and urban ecosystem education to find out how to plan and create an effective urban ecosystem and how to utilize urban ecosystem education and educational media according to age groups. To this end, an online survey of 416 Suwon citizens was conducted, and based on the responses of the respondents, cross-analysis, multiple-response analysis, and correlation analysis were conducted using the IBM SPSS Statistics Statistical Program. The study found that fewer respondents showed a high understanding of urban ecosystem concepts compared to those who recognized the importance of environmental issues. Nevertheless, most of the respondents were aware of the importance of preserving and protecting the urban ecosystem and responded positively to the inconvenience. In addition, most of the respondents were aware of the need for urban ecosystem education and were found to have different preferred information media depending on age. It has been confirmed that the establishment of facilities such as ecological learning centers and seasonal environmental schools is the top priority among all age groups. Citizens are also aware of the importance of preserving and protecting the urban ecosystem and the need for education, but it is deemed necessary to supplement it because effective urban ecosystem conservation and protection plans and systematic education are not provided that citizens can sympathize with. In addition, it is deemed that various measures should be presented in selecting responsible organizations and educational media that host the education for effective education and promotion of urban ecosystem education according to conduct urban ecosystem education.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Traditional Landscape Architecture
• /
• v.28 no.2
• /
• pp.127-136
• /
• 2010

This study is aimed at reviewed and analyzed in order to suggest the improved plans related to natural monuments. The summary of this study is as followings; First, Replacing the current term 'cultural properties', which denotes the meaning of 'goods', we need to devise an new categorization that separates such properties into cultural heritage and natural heritage under the national heritage framework. Second, the designation criteria for natural monuments should be divided into the individual realm for animals and plants respectively, since they are not divided in the current Act. Third, the guidelines for naming of natural monuments should be established with the following new categories in accordance with the clear standards. Fourth, such imbalances require us to give priority to the relatively neglected types and areas. Fifth, as the big and old trees account for more than a half of the designated plants, it is necessary to search out new resources(wet plant communities, seashores, sand dune plant communities, etc.) such as geological resources, mineral springs, hot springs, and fossils that are in danger of completely being exploited and exhausted. While most of the designated animals are protected nationally, the existing designation system is required to protect habitats and breeding places for the systematic and efficient conservation. Sixth, as long as we need to preserve those historical and cultural resources for the future generations from national and global perspectives, we should enhance their values by designating them as natural monuments even though they are protected by other regulations such as the natural environment area. Seventh, as a result of the survey, we found that more budgets and experts in the local governments, more empowered organizations, more active public participation should be provided for the better Natural Monument management in Korea. Eighth, the Lap of Natural Heritage in the National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage needs to be developed to the Natural Heritage Institute to conduct the diverse activities such as researches, restoration, exhibition and education programs in a systematic and efficient way. Ninth and the last, major damages to natural monuments can be generally categorized into the artificial one and natural one, respectively. The artificial damages include toxics, soil covering, excessive humidity, fire, construction and management works, unlawful damages, fishing, oil spillage, etc, and the natural ones include lightning, storms(typhoons), heavy snowfalls, damage by insects and diseases, lack of prey, etc. This study will become meaningful in that it proposes specific measures for the improvement of the institutions, designation, and management of natural monuments on the basis of the comprehensive analysis on natural monuments. We wish to leave the other subjects related with this study to the future researches.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Traditional Landscape Architecture
• /
• v.34 no.4
• /
• pp.57-65
• /
• 2016

Maeul-soop(Village forest) is a key element of Korean traditional village landscape historically and culturally. However, a number of Maeul-soops have been lost or declined due to various influences since the modern age. For this Maeul-soop that has a variety of conservation values including historical, cultural and ecological ones, attention and efforts for a systematic conservation and restoration of Maeul-soop are needed. The purpose of the present study is to provide information on ecological restoration and sustainable use and management of Maeul-soops based on component plant species, habitat and location characteristics of 499 Maeul-soops spread throughout Korea. Major six categories of threat factors to Maeul-soop ecosystem were identified and the influence of each factor was evaluated. For the evaluation of weight by threat factors for the influence on the vulnerability of Maeul-soop ecosystem, more three-dimensional analysis was conducted using Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) analysis method. In the results of evaluation using AHP analysis method, reduction of area, among six categories, was spotted as the biggest threat to existence of Maeul-soops. Next, changes in topography and soil environment were considered as a threat factor of qualitative changes in Maeul-soop ecosystem. Influence of vegetation structure and its qualitative changes on the loss or decline of Masul-soop was evaluated to be lower than that of changes in habitat. Based on weight of each factor, the figures were converted with 100 points being the highest score and the evaluation of vulnerability of Maeul-soop was conducted with the converted figures. In the result of evaluation of vulnerability of Maeul-soops, grade III showed the highest frequency and a normal distribution was formed from low grade to high grade. 38 Maeul-soops were evaluated as grade I which showed high naturality and 10 Maeul-soops were evaluated as grade V as their maintenance was threatened. Also in the results of evaluation of vulnerability of each Maeul-soop, restoration of Maeul-soop's own area was found as top priority to guarantee the sustainability of Maeul-soops. It was confirmed that there was a need to prepare a national level ecological response strategy for each vulnerability factor of Maeul-soop, which was important national ecological resources.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
• /
• v.36 no.6
• /
• pp.639-650
• /
• 2022

Abeliophyllum distichum Nakai, a rare plant with distylous characteristics, is native to certain parts of the Korean Peninsula. It is registered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as a globally endangered plant. This study was conducted to establish an appropriate local conservation management plan suitable for future A. distichum populations by comparing and analyzing the flowering characteristics and population size according to distyly based on the results of quantitative surveys in 14 regions, including 8 areas with native populations of A. distichum and 6 natural monument populations. The number of individuals appearing in each population group was surveyed, and the flowering individuals were identified by style as being either pin or thrum flower types as they were being examined and recorded on the site. In total, 13,130 individuals of A. distichum (7,003 flowering and 6,127 non-flowering individuals) were recorded, but the balance of the number of pin- and thrum-flowered individuals in each population was not significant (p<0.05), indicating an imbalanced state. In particular, the Yeongdong (YD) population was very disproportionate compared to other populations, suggesting that its genetic diversity was low and the possibility of inbreeding was high. The average flowering and fruiting rates by management unit were much higher in the natural monument populations (89.2% and 55.3%, respectively) than in the natural habitat populations (39.0% and 8.5%, respectively). It may be due to a difference in reproductive growth resulting from light inflow into the forest caused by the upper crown closure. The area of occupation (AOO) of A. distichum on the Korean Peninsula covered an area of 23,224.5 m². Although the natural monument population was smaller than the natural habitat population, its density was higher, likely as a result of the periodic management of natural monument populations, where the installation of protective facilities in certain areas restricts population spread. Conservation of A. distichum populations requires removing the natural monument populations suspected of anthropogenic and genetic disturbances and expanding the conservation priority population by designating new protected areas. Although the habitats of natural monument populations are managed by the Cultural Heritage Administration and local governments, there are no agencies that are responsible for managing natural habitat populations. Therefore, institutional improvement in the overall management of A. distichum should be prioritized.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Geographic Information Studies
• /
• v.9 no.4
• /
• pp.1-11
• /
• 2006

This paper aims to develop a GIS(Geographic Information System) application model as a decision-making support system in order to evaluate the potential of forests according to their functions, or to classify forest functions. The forest functions analyzed in this study are as follows: production of timber, stable supply of water resources, forest hazards prevention, recreation in forests, conservation of living conditions and natural environment. Using a model possible to evaluate the potential of each forest function and to assort forest functions by making priority-based decisions according to the functions, as well as allowing for various possible analysis environments, its application has been reviewed. Factors for assessing the forest functions could be built by using the following three categories: four maps-topographical map, vegetation map, forest site map and basic forest land use map-whose quantitative drawings had already been made; other self-established maps, such as one indicating the location of sawmills, location map of expressway interchanges, and spatial data of national population distribution map; and attribute data of population and precipitation. The GIS application developed here contributes to the evaluation of forest functions in all the subject areas by map units and national forest management districts based upon the assessment system.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
• /
• v.18 no.4
• /
• pp.456-464
• /
• 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 Environmental Impact Assessment
• /
• v.23 no.6
• /
• pp.453-465
• /
• 2014

Hotspots are top sites in terms of species diversity as the most threatened and most diverse sites which have been used to select priority areas for reserves. The purpose of this paper is to identify biodiversity hotspots through analyzing nationwide spatial patterns of species richness and rarity of Korean mammals. Four endangered mammals and eleven common mammals were selected as target species. Environmental variables as model input data were consisted of topography, distance, and vegetation structure etc. and Maxent was used to develop species distribution models for target species. Species richness and rarity were used as index of biodiversity. The results of this study were as follows. Firstly, hotspots of species richness for endangered mammals were in high elevation and steep mountain areas. However, species richness for whole mammals were high in low elevation of mountains. Secondly, distribution pattern of species rarity for endangered mammals were similar as richness. However, hotspots of species rarity for whole mammals were a little different from species richness. Species rarity was high in both low and high elevation of mountain areas. This study will provide the useful information for a biodiversity assessment, a habitat conservation, a national ecological network plan, and the management of protected areas.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
• /
• v.27 no.6
• /
• pp.626-634
• /
• 2005

The objectives of this study was to assess pollution level and contamination status on tailings and soil in the vicinity of four disused metal mines in Kangwon province. As the result of total metal concentrations analysis, the pollution degree of tailings and soil decreased in the order of Wondong > Second Yeonhwa > Sinyemi ${\fallingdotseq}$ Sangdong mines. Total metal concentrations of mine tailings in this study were $1.2{\sim}78.2$ and $1.1{\sim}80.6$ times higher than those in the background soil and the tolerable levels suggested by Kloke, respectively. From these results, we found that tailings served as contamination source of nearby soil. According to sequential extraction of metals, large proportion of heavy metals in all mine tailings existed in the form of a residual fraction, and heavy metals in non-residual form was mainly associated with Fe-Mn oxide fraction and sulfidic-organic fraction. Fe-Mn oxide fraction and sulfidic-organic fraction of heavy metals may be released into and contaminated the nearby environment under the oxidation or reduction condition in long-term. In particular, the proportions of the exchangeable and carbonate fraction of Cd in mine tailings from Second Yeonhwa mine were relatively high. This suggests that Cd may be easily released into and contaminated the nearby environment in the near time. Concentrations of heavy metals in mine tailings and the nearby soil exceeded the standard (agricultural area) of Soil Environment Conservation Law. So it was thought that remediation for mine tailings and the nearby soil is needed. The pollution indices of the samples in this study were for higher than 1.0 and the pollution degree was very serious. Priority remediation site for these mines was Wondong. As Results of danger indices, it was showed that exchangeable form in Wondong and Fe-Mn oxide form in the rest mines should be removed preferentially.