• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.96 no.5
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• pp.533-538
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• 2007

This study was conducted in the spring of 2005 through personal interviews to examine the opinions of forest products manufacturers and consumers about the perspective of forest certification in South Korea and to characterize those consumers who expect the activation of a forest certification system in South Korea. Study results indicated that consumers showed more positive aspect for the activation of forest certification than forest products manufacturers. Respondents who had a negative view for establishing a forest certification system in South Korea pointed out a lack of customers' demand for certified wood products as the most important reason. Results also showed that, even when a forest certification system would be introduced as a possible policy for helping to attain sustainable forest management, it would take at least 5 to 10 years to establish a forest certification system in South Korea. To facilitate the establishment of the system, many respondents suggested that an increased public awareness of forest certification systems was the most required precedent condition, and government for manufacturers and forest management association for consumers had to certify forest management practices as a competent organization. A profile of consumers who expected the activation of a forest certification system would describe in relative terms as the highly educated female who interviewed in the city of Seoul and of the 20 age bracket. Although there were an increased public awareness and positive prospective of forest certification by consumers and forest products manufacturers, it is required to arouse much more interest of consumers about the system.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.96 no.2
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• pp.183-188
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• 2007

This study was carried out to examine the perceptions of consumers and forest product manufacturers in South Korea about forest certification and to identify their willingness-to-pay for certified products by personal interviews. Sixteen percent of interviewees knew and heard about forest certification. However, fifty-six percent of interviewees had an intention to participate in forest certification system. The consumers' group can be described in relative terms as the male of 30 age bracket. The average price premium charged to consumers was higher than one paid to manufacturers, and thus manufacturers are willing to include the additional costs for certified products.

• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.254-262
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• 2012

The purposes of the research in related to FSC in JuJe experimental forests (JJEFs) is to make pre and post socio-economic comparisons and play an important role of FSC, and recognition change to FSC timbers and to make an analysis to consumers' needs. As the results of onsite survey in 2005, respondents show a high awareness of SFM and FSC in comparisons of 2004, and the JJEFs play a critical role to make SFM and FSC advertisement worldwide, such as consumers' satisfaction to SFM and FSC is high. Hence provision of JJEF information such as job creation and socio-economic impacts to stockholders could make their satisfaction improving. Most of respondents to the FSC of JJEF represent a positive rate while low awareness to FSC timber is represented. Therefore, necessary information about JJEF FSC with forest management, process and consumption pattern of FSC is required into citizens. The final results prove that FSC effects such as 1.3 billion won direct additional benefits in terms of socio-economic aspects including environmental benefits and job creation and economic effects are enough to offset 1.3 billion won additional costs.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.98 no.2
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• pp.203-211
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• 2009

The study was conducted to examine consumers' awareness and perceptions on forest certification and their willingness to buy and pay price premium for certified wood products especially for selected four wood products. A total of 136 residents in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province were interviewed in the autumn of 2008. Although only 24.3 percent of the consumers are aware of forest certification, 82.4 percent of the respondents recognized the need and significance of forest certification. In general, 77.2 percent of the respondents were willing to buy certified wood products. Majority of the respondents, 84 out of 136 respondents (61.8%) expressed their willingness to pay (WTP) from more than 0 percent to less than 10 percent. Consumers' average WTP for certified wood products was estimated to be 5.6 percent. From the results of the study, lower priced wood products, such as copier paper (WTP=9.8%) and wood frame (WTP=11.6%), have higher price premiums than high priced products, such as wood table (WTP=6.8%) and wood flooring (WTP=7.6%). In conclusion, there could be feasible markets for certified wood products in South Korea as four out of five consumer are willing to pay more for such products. For the forest certification system to be adopted and widely accepted, the perceptions of forest stakeholders including consumers should be further increased.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.99 no.1
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• pp.24-35
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• 2010

This paper aims to contribute to the introduction of forest certification (a private enterprise) in Korea by developing C&I with consideration of the Korean forestry situation. For this study, 6 attributes for establishing certification system at FMU level was applied. To weigh relative importance of international organization's assortment and indicators, AHP survey was conducted to each experts in political, ecological, social, and economic field. By the experts attending FSC's auditing process, indicators adopted through AHP survey were inspected again for the realistic application in the fields. In this process, the typical environment of Korean forestry in real aspect and problems in FSC system were reaffirmed. Therefore, 7 criteria, 27 indicators and 92 checklists were finally developed for the construction of forest certification based on the results of AHP surveys and from investigation on the realistic situation in the fields.

• New & Renewable Energy
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.70-78
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• 2022

To respond to global warming, there is an increasing interest in eco-friendly alternative energy sources. Therefore, unused forest biomass that has been neglected due to a lack of marketability is attracting attention. With the introduction of the "unused forest biomass certification system" in 2019, ways of determining quantity of unused forest biomass have steadily increased. However, there have been reported cases whereby unused forest biomass weighed more than the amount of harvested trees. It was found that it was possible that forest resources that can be used as round wood were mixed with unused forest biomass. In this context, this study aimed to estimate the amount of mixed round wood in the unused forest biomass supply. The relative expression of growing stock/ha versus the amount of final clearing/ha collected was modeled (y=1.490x-94.341, R²=0.861). As a result, it was found that round wood was mixed into the unused forest biomass, contributing to the disparity observed between the weighted forest biomass and the amount of trees harvested. In conclusion, proper declaration and certification procedures should be carried out for the use of forest resources and promoting unused forest biomass usage.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.103 no.4
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• pp.696-702
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• 2014

This study was conducted to provide resonable price of timber that come out from certified forests for sustainable forest management. To accomplish this study objectives, we analyzed compound interest method, willingness to pay (WTP) and price sensitivity measurement (PSM) when buying certified pulp. In case of compound interest method, we used prime cost by average price per ha of each area (Hongcheon, Inje, Shinnam) and unit price that add up the pulp price and investment costs. Interest rate reflects 2 to 6% and investment period apply to 5 years. WTP and PSM data were collected from questionnaire survey. As a result, if apply to interest rate of 2% and investment period of 3 years, result values are quite similar to WTP of 5% and optimal pricing point of PSM. That also showed similar pattern in each area.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.49-62
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• 2010

This study aims to examine a significant difference in performance of, and attitudes towards, environmental tourism among domestic tourism companies by their types and scale, and to propose a policy direction for a new certification program on environmental tourism. This study conducted a survey with 152 tourism accommodations and 150 travel agencies. As a result, this study found that tourism accommodations and a large scale of companies had participated in environmental management practices more often than travel agencies and a small scale of companies. Also, tourism accommodations were more likely to recognize well a relation between their business and environmental tourism, and were more likely to participate in a new certification program than travel agencies. A large scale of tourism accommodations showed more positive attitudes towards environmental tourism than a small scale of tourism accommodations. On the other hand, all of the travel agencies showed less positive attitudes towards environmental tourism regardless of their size. In conclusion, this study proposed that the government should adopt a different approach to a new certification program according to tourism companies' types and scale, also it should provide a variety of incentives and supports for tourism companies.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.44 no.5
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• pp.502-513
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• 2018

Objectives: Stress hormone (cortisol) can be used to analyze psychological and physiological changes and healing effects before and after in blood and saliva. Here it is applied to scientifically validate the effects of the healthy forest experience in Deogyusan Mountain National Park. Methods: A healthy forest experience program was provided to college students (males and females) at Deogyusan National Park. Stress, hormones (cortisol), blood pressure, pulse, oxygen saturation and stress, anxiety, and depression were measured. This study was designed to objectively analyze the effects of stress hormones before and after. Results: Depression, stress, anxiety, and satisfaction with the forest experience program in Deogyusan National Park were very high in reliability in terms of Cronbach's Alpha: depression scored 0.910, stress 0.558, anxiety 0.934, program satisfaction 0.826, and program effectiveness 0.894. Conclusions: In this study, we utilized the Healthy Forest Experience Program and the 'Health and Medical Center Health Record Book' of the Health Forest Experience Program (Ministry of Environment's Environmental Education Certification Program). In the future, we will seek ways to utilize saliva since it is easier to collect than blood samples and apply the stress hormone cortisol as a saliva authentication program. In addition, by implementing ecological welfare programs in which nature and human beings coexist through systematic preservation and restoration, the national park management can utilize ecological, scenic and cultural services wisely. We expect to be able to provide exploration and welfare services.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.91-102
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• 2015

In connection with biodiversity that has recently become the topic, competition to secure biological genetic resources is being heightened all over the world. Korea also has a variety of efforts to secure and preserve plant genetic resources, and has recognized the importance of the function and role of arboretums. Arboretums in Korea, however, have the problems in terms of quality due to the rapid increase. One of the problems is shortages in experts who are essential for the proper functioning of arboretums. To solve the problem, the State introduced Gardener Training Program certification system and started to train gardeners. However, gardeners who have actually employed at arboretums are less than 20% and thus the problem of shortages in experts still exists. In this context, this study examined 44 registered arboretums in Korea to find out the current situation of experts; analyzed arboretum experts and the program certification system in view of relevant laws; and investigated the current situation of training programs being operated in three Gardener Training Program certification organizations. Finally, this study conducted a survey of 68 gardeners who completed the training program at Chollipo Arboretum and tried to suggest a plan for securing experts from the gardener training programs. The plan for utilizing the trained gardeners as experts in arboretums is as follows: First, legal standards for the employment of experts in arboretums should be strengthened. Second, it is necessary to evaluate training programs, in order to raise the reliability of arboretum experts' expertise. Third, official validity that can be honored in all arboretums should be granted to a certificate of program completion. Finally, networks of gardeners who completed the programs should be formed through follow-up management of them.