Construction of forest environmental information and evaluation of forest environment

산림환경 정보구축 및 산림환경 평가

This study was carried out to lead the scientific management of the urban forest by estimating the forest environment. Forest environmental information was constructed using IDRISI system based on survey data, soil, plant, and digital elevation data. Forest environmental information was consisted of soil depth, soil organic content, soil hardness and parent rock as a soil environmental factor, and forest community, tree age, crown density as a plant environmental factor. Plant activity and topographic environment also were analyzed by using remote sensing data and digital elevation data. Environmental function of urban forest was estimated based on results of soil conservation and forest productivity. 70% of urban forest is located in elevation of lower than 200m and 55% of forest area have the slope of lower than 15 degree. Analyzed soil conservation status and forest productivity were almost the same as the soil chemical properties of collected soil sample and the vegetation index estimated using remote sensing data, respectively. Thus, the constructed forest environmental information could be useful to give some ideas for management of urban forest ecosystem and establishment of environmental conservation planning, including forests, in Taejon. The best forest environmental function was appeared at the natural ecology preservation zone. Current natural parks and urban parks were appeared to establish the environmental conservation plan for further development. The worst forest environmental function was appeared at the forest near to the industrial area and an overall and systematic plan was required for the soil management and high forest productivity because these forest was developing a severe soil acidification and having a low forest productivity.