• Korean Journal of Agricultural and Forest Meteorology
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.227-232
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• 2014

Ageratina altissima is an invasive plant species known to threaten native plant communities in Korea. A. altissima is thought to invade shady forests from disturbed open areas; however, uncertainty remains as to how shade and litter depth might affect establishment. A study of A. altissima distribution characteristics in areas adjacent to trails was undertaken at Mt. Umyeon in Seoul, Korea. Increasing densities of A. altissima were found to correlate with greater light availability and decreasing litter depth (p < 0.001) within 10 m distance from trail locations and on ridges rather than further within forests and valleys. The effects of soil moisture content, soil gravel content and soil pH on distribution were not found to be significant, suggesting that A. altissima is adaptable to a broad range of soil conditions. Results indicate that forest areas close to trails may be particularly susceptible place to A. altissima invasion, demonstrating the need to carefully consider implications for A. altissima expansion in trail management.

• Journal of the Korean association of regional geographers
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.416-431
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• 2011

Hiking trails in Mt Jiri, and Mt Halla, National Park have been examined in terms of their degrading factors. The trails are deteriorated by natural erosion processes as well as human trampling. Trail deterioration is classified into tread lowering, sidewall retreat, path widening and divergence based upon a place where erosional processes occur. Tread lowering and sidewall retreat is generally produced by natural erosion factors, whereas path widening and divergence is generated by human trampling. Rainwash is the most contributing process to tread lowering. By contrast, several processes such as rainwash, needle ice action, deflation, tree falling and animal activity play a major role in sidewall retreat according to physical conditions of a hiking trail. Path widening and divergence could be classified by a factor producing human trampling. There are lots of cases related to rainwash such as the tree root, gravel, and bedrock, exposed by a surface flow lowering a tread and the riser produced by tread scouring. A puddle of rainwater on a flat tread and a fallen tree of Abies koreana in a forest region are also major factors to cause path widening and divergence. A paved tread with stones encourages a hiker to walk out of a trail. Taking a shortcut also results in path widening and divergence without a factor giving a hiker inconvenience on a trail.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.21-28
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• 2015

This study examined the habitat status of wild birds at closed-trails and the control group of opened-trails in the national park of the Baekdudaegan mountains. After evaluating each area based on this, it's aimed at being utilized as basic data for future national park management and opening of trails. Upon field investigations and analyzing existing literary materials, it was found that there were a total of 76 bird species living around the trails. Among them, it was confirmed that 60 species can breeding and 10 species are protected by law. Upon assessing the scores of each area according to the evaluation standards of this study, Area I had 7 scores, area II had 13 scores, area III had 5 scores, and area IV had 16 scores, showing that the control group open-trail area IV between Jeongryeongchi and Seongsamjae had the highest score, and that area III of Wolyeongdae~Chotdaebong~Daeyasan~Miljae~Wolyeongdae had the lowest score. Evaluation of closed-trail according to wild bird species (Avifauna) was attempted in this study, but there were more bird species living in open-trails, while also having higher evaluation scores. Therefore, if opening trail is needed in the future due to excessive desires of visitors or inevitable social demands, it is judged that various environmental factors including mammals highly affected by people should be evaluated to open up the sector with the lowest score. Also, it is judged that through methods such as reservation systems, the number of visitors should be controlled or night-time hikes should be prohibited so that nocturnal wildlife can freely use the trails.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.75-85
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• 2016

In recent years, natural healing space studies have been done in health care and forestry. However, previous studies have focused on healing effects of natural elements in interior space or natural landscape view. And there is a limit to using the evidence for healing space design. The aim of this study is to discover the relationship between types and effects of healing space for evidence-based design. This study compares and analyzes the mayor images, psychological restorativeness, and satisfaction to identify the effects and differences of natural trail, designed trail, natural shelter, and designed shelter by types of forest space. Collected data is analyzed with a factorial analysis, valiance analysis and multiple regression analysis in SPSS 18.0. The results of this study are as follows: 1) Among five factors consisting psychological restorativeness, natural trail can be achieved with 'being away' and 'compatibility' and designed shelter can be achieved with 'fascination' and 'coherence'., 2) Psychological restorativeness values higher in images with higher excitement, brightness, vitality, and beautifulness as well as in images with lower level of disorder., 3) Among five factors consisting psychological restorativeness, higher forest satisfaction can be achieved with a higher level of 'being away' and 'coherence'. In conclusion, this study contributes to providing fundamental information for design guidelines of healing spaces through identifying the characteristics of healing environment by types of forest space.

• The Journal of the Korean Institute of Forest Recreation
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.71-81
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• 2018

It is necessary to build a quality-enhancing forest leisure sports facility according to values that value life quality, national forest policy. Vita Parcours (fitness trails) is found to be the activities highly convenient, so their introduction and promotion in Korea should be highly considered. field survey was necessary to explore the possibility of installing Vita Parcours. Several sites were selected, such as Asean recreational forest, Unaksan recreational forest, Yumyeongsan recreational forest, Saneum recreational forest, Jungmisan recreational forest and National center for forest therapy. At these locations, we explored the current status of forest facilities and forest trails. A total number of 31 exercise facilities has been identified and surveyed, some of which are located on the trails (2), alongside the trail (9), alongside trail boundaries (2) or represent facilities suitable for both outdoor and indoor exercise within the forest (18), all of whom provide location for 44 different exercise routines (flexibility exercises (23), endurance (12) and strength exercises (9)). Field work also included identification of forests paths, the total number of whom was 34 paths - 30 identified as trails, 2 as hiking trails, 1 as a forest path for relaxation and healing and 1 as an exploratory path. Regarding the structure and shape of these trails, 32 was straight in shape and only 2 designed as a circular forest trails. Average length of these trails was 652.2m with the highest and the lowest point altitude difference of 60m, on average. Saneum recreational forest provide the most suitable site/environment for Vita Parcours and as a result of this, Saneum recreational forest is proposed as a location to support the endeavors in promotion of these valuable forest fitness trails. Among the forest paths at this site, a forest path which has a length of 1.84km and 73.0m the highest and the lowest point altitude difference was selected as the most suitable, and may be equipped with necessary stations for exercise or obstacles. In addition, if these trails are to be introduced and welcomed by its users, we must assure that they are properly maintained.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.96 no.1
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• pp.70-76
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• 2007

The main purpose of this study was to realize Mountain Search and Rescue System based on Ubiquitous Sensor Network for applying search and rescue operations in the mountains. The on-site survey was conducted in order to test the possibility of data reception rate and sensor network stability, ten nodes was installed on the trail at 100m intervals Unson waterfall to Kwanumbong in Kyeryongsan national park. The results showed that the data reception rate was over 90.0% at least. To test sensor network stability, nodes were randomly turned off one by on. The result was 100% functionality.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.100 no.3
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• pp.476-482
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• 2011

As part of studies on the reduction of forest trails degradation caused by high users density, this study was carried out to investigate soil physical properties of forest trails of Gyeongnam Domain in Mt. Jiri, Southeast Korea. Since the forest were opened for leisure trailing in 2008, the average soil erosion amounts per a square meter on the forest trails were $0.0015m^3$ from Inweol to Gumgeo, $0.0018m^3$ from Dongang to Suchol, and $0.0027m^3$ from Suchol to Chungam for 3 years. But, from Chungam to Agyang, the erosion was almost not occurred because it was recently opened. The soil hardness in 5 cm depth was significantly higher than in 10 cm depth. It indicates that intensive soil compaction by users has mainly affected in 5 cm soil depth until now on. In three forest trails compacted intensively, the porosity of 0-7.5 cm soil layer was down to 1.4-1.5 times compared to that in 2008. In additions, the bulk density was up to 1.6-3.1 times compared to the controls, which were not opened to users. As a result, the degradation caused by high users density would keep occurring on the three forest trails unless any counterplans are considered for the degradation reduction. At the moment, users distribution to other forest trails and long-term sabbatical years would be the most effective counterplans to keep from users gravitation on the three forest trails.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.99 no.4
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• pp.508-516
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• 2010

Hallasan National Park is facing dramatic increase of visitors since no entrance fee charge effected in January of 2007 and it has created a concern about appropriate use levels. The overall objective of this study is development of the carrying capacity indicators management program using indicator and standard based on visitor experience and resource protection (VERP) model. The result of delphi survey identified eight potential indicators of resource and experiential conditions, including quality of valley water, visitor counts, trail impacts, crowding etc. Also, Data were also gathered to help provide an empirical foundation for setting standards for these indicator variables. The carrying capacity indicators management program based on VERP model estimates sustainability of national park and analyze scientifically change about resources and visitor's behavior. Also, it systematically manage and use united data, it supports operation accomplishment respected rational decision.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.113 no.2
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• pp.210-221
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• 2024

This study aimed to investigate the effects of forest walking based on an exercise prescription on body composition of older adults. Forty-four older adults (average age: 69.3 ± 3.1 years) participated in this study. The experimental group engaged in forest walking based on a prescribed exercise intensity considering the participants' respective health conditions. The participants walked three times a week for more than an hour each time for 8 weeks. By contrast, the participants in the control group spent their days according to their usual lifestyle. The analysis involved the following: ① a comparison of the measurements taken before and after the 8-week period of forest walking in the experimental group, ② a comparison between pre- and post-study measurements in the control group, and ③ a comparison of the changes (post-study minus pre-study values) between the experimental and control groups. The results were as follows: ① the experimental group showed significant decreases in weight, body fat mass, and body mass index; ② the control group exhibited significant decreases in muscle mass and ratio in right arm and left leg, muscle ratio in trunk, and body water mass in right arm; and ③ weight and body fat index decreased in the experimental group but increased in the control group. In conclusion, forest walking based on an exercise prescription had a positive impact on body composition of older adults.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.102 no.2
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• pp.255-263
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• 2013

This study was carried out to evaluate degradation status of forest trails by analysis of soil physical and chemical properties in Mt. Jiri area of Gyeongnam province. Soil texture was loam in the forest area and sandy loam in the forest trails. Soil bulk density was significantly higher (P<0.05) in the forest trails (1.15 g/$cm^3$) than in the forest area (1.00 g/$cm^3$). The rates of pore space were lower in the forest trails (56.6%) than in the forest area (62.4%). Soil moisture content was significantly different (P>0.05) between the forest trails (13.3%) and the forest area (11.3%) Soil strength was higher at 5 cm of soil depth than at 10 cm of soil depth. It indicates that soil compaction by visitors could be affected at 5 cm of soil depth. Soil strength over 30 cm of soil depth was not significantly different between the forest trails and the forest areas. The content of organic matter, total nitrogen, available phosphorus, and exchangeable cations were lower in the forest trails compared with the optimum content of forest soils because of soil erosion with increasing visitors. These results indicate that it needs a counterplan to protect forest trails from overcrowded visitors.