Development of Sustainability Criteria for Forest Landuse Planning

지속가능한 산지개발을 위한 환경기준 설정에 관한 연구

This study aims to develop a set of criteria for evaluating the sustainability of forest landuse, which could facilitate the environmentally friendly development of forest lands in Korea. The concept of sustainable development in forest landuse was reviewed from literature and by interviews with experts in forest-related fields. Delphi technique was employed for gathering experts' opinions. According to the results of Delphi test, the concept of sustainable development in forest landuse was confirmed as "Use of forest lands in a lasting manner within the carrying capacity of the ecosystem involved". There are 16 factors which should be considered with care when the development of forest lands is planned. They include the ratio of forest cover left undeveloped, ecological stability, and landscape naturalness. Among them are the ecological factors rated most important. The experts emphasized the importance of local characteristics in setting up the criteria for sustainable forestland development. The study did not attempted to apply the criteria to real settings. Therefore, before applications in real situations, further case studies should be made for the criteria to be safely used in landuse planning.