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.
Thecodiplosis japonesis is sweeping the Pinus densiflora forests from south-west to north-east direction, destroying almost all the aged large trees as well as even the young ones. The front line of infestation is moving slowly but ceaselessly norhwards as a long bottle front. Estimation is that more than 40 percent of the area of P. densiflora forest has been damaged already, however some individuals could escapes from the damage and contribute to restore the site to the previous vegetation composition. When the stands were attacked by this insect, the drastic openings of the upper story of tree canopy formed by exclusively P. densiflora are usually resulted and some environmental factors such as light, temperature, litter accumulation, soil moisture and offers were naturally modified. With these changes after insect invasion, as the time passes, phytosociologic changes of the vegetation are gradually proceeding. If we select the forest according to four categories concerning the history of the insect outbreak, namely, non-attacked (healthy forest), recently damaged (the outbreak occured about 1-2 years ago), severely damaged (occured 5-6 years ago), damage prolonged (occured 10 years ago) and restored (occured about 20 years ago), any directional changes of vegetation composition could be traced these in line with four progressive stages. To elucidate these changes, three survey districts; (1) "Gongju" where the damage was severe and it was outbroken in 1977, (2) "Buyeo" where damage prolonged and (3) "Gochang" as restored, were set, (See Tab. 1). All these were located in the south temperate forest zone which was delimited mainly due to the temporature factor and generally accepted without any opposition at present. In view of temperature, the amount and distribution of precipitation and various soil factor, the overall homogeneity of environmental conditions between survey districts might be accepted. However this did not mean that small changes of edaphic and topographic conditions and microclimates can induce any alteration of vegetation patterns. Again four survey plots were set in each district and inter plot distance was 3 to 4 km. And again four subplots were set within a survey plot. The size of a subplot was