• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.56-62
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• 2012

There is little information about appropriate greenspace structures to satisfy aesthetic function in Korea. The purpose of this study was to analyze Korean's aesthetic preferences for greenspace structures concerned with urban tree plantings of an areal type to explore desirable greenspace landscapes. The study considered 5 structural variables of greenspace which were species composition, tree density, tree size, vertical and horizontal structure, and tree layout pattern. A photo-questionnaire was prepared through color simulations of different landscape types for each structural variable. Preference responses of an interval-scale rating from 214 respondents were statistically analyzed between landscape types and between respondent groups. Respondents preferred greenspace landscapes with diverse tree species to single species, higher tree density to lower density, larger trees to many smaller trees, multilayered and grouped plantings to single-layered and sparse plantings, and informal pattern to formal pattern. These preferences tended to be relatively higher for educated specialist and student groups than for other generalist group. Thus, multilayered and dense plantings in natural pattern including larger trees of diverse species, which are similar to ecological plantings, are recommended to increase aesthetic function of greenspace.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.493-502
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• 2006

This study analyzed greenspace structure focused on greenspace areas and vegetation structure for Yanggu, investigated resident attitudes to the greenspace, and explored strategies to improve greenspace functions in a rural region. Woody plant cover was approximately 29% for parks and only 3% for commercial gardens. The amount of planting for Yanggu was poor, as compared with the results of similar studies for urban areas. Trees, of which dbh was below 20cm, accounted for 91% of all trees and the tree-age structure was largely characterized by a young, growing tree population. Based on the analysis of mean importance values (MIV) of woody plant species, only a few were different in dominant species from urban areas. Four species among 10 species with highest MIV in Yanggu were very common species also ranked among 10 in cities. The most dominant species planted in residential and commercial gardens were practical plants such as fruit or edibles. Greenspace covered about 69% of parks, 39% of residential gardens, 37% of institutional gardens, 24% of streets, and 15% of commercial gardens, respectively. Tree planting potential revealed that present woody plant cover can be increased additionally by 6 times in the streets and by 2 times in the residential and commercial gardens. Based on the results of greenspace structure, planting patterns, and questionary investigation, some strategies were suggested to enlarge greenspace including its environmental functions. They included identifying each street section through setting up themes and planting appropriate species, creating multilayered vegetation structures, and promoting planting in bare grounds of gardens and around a buildings for saving energy.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.23-28
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• 1999

This study measured transpiration rate of urban trees and albedos of urban surfaces, and examined the function of microclimate amelioration by urban greenspace. Transpiration rates of trees were highest in July and August of growing months. Transpiration per unit leaf area for the two months was 300-350 g/$m^2$/h for Platanus occidentalis, 210-270 g/$m^2$/h for Ginkgo biloba and Zelkova serrata, and 130-140 g/$m^2$/h for Acer palmatum. Surface albedos were 0.09 for asphalt paving and 0.68 for white wall, which reveals that light-colored surfaces are better than dark-colored ones to lower the heat build-up. Due to lack of evapotranspiration, concrete surfaces were, at t midafternoon maximum, 8$^{\circ}C$ hotter than grass ones, though the albedo of concrete paving was higher thant that of grass and trees. Summer air temperatures at places with 12% and 22% cover of woody plants were, respectively, 0.6$^{\circ}C$ and 1.4$^{\circ}C$ cooler than a place with no vegetation. To mitigate the impacts of urban heat islands, required are minimization of hard surfaces, light-coloring for building surfaces, and greenspace enlargement including more plantings.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.83-90
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• 2003

This study explored effects of urban greenspace on improving atmospheric environment, which is concerned with $CO_2$, SO$_2$ and NO$_2$ uptake, and with reduction of summer air temperatures. The site of this study was focused on Jung-gu in Seoul. Tree density and cover were 1.1 trees/100 $m^2$ and 12.5% respectively for the study area except forest lands. Atmospheric purification by greenspace was associated with changes in tree cover per unit area of each land use type. The mean $CO_2$ storage by woody plants was 19.4t/ha, and annual uptake averaged 2.2t/ha/yr for $CO_2$, 1.9kg/ha/yr for SO$_2$ and 5.0kg/ha/yr for NO$_2$. Entire tree plantings in the study area played a significant role by annually offsetting $CO_2$ emissions of about 1,830t from fossil fuel consumption by 330 persons, SO$_2$ emissions of 1,620kg by 1,080 persons, and NO$_2$ emissions of 4,230kg by 450 persons. The summer air temperature was 3.6$^{\circ}C$ cooler at a location with 54% cover of woody plants and 4.5$^{\circ}C$ cooler at a forest site with 100% cover, compared to a place with no planting. A 10% increase of woody plant cover was estimated to decrease summer air temperature by approximately 0.6$^{\circ}C$ until a certain level of canopy cover. Analyzing data from the Automatic Weather Stations in Seoul revealed that increasing tree cover decreased mean air temperature for the summer season (Jun~Aug) in a nonlinear function. Woody plant cover was the best predictive variable of summer temperature reduction. The results from this study are expected to be useful in emphasizing the environmental benefits and importance of urban greenspace enlargement, and in urging the necessity for planting and management budgets.

• Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.247-264
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• 1999

In this study, I investigate how city parks have been created, and what are some characteristics of the location and function of 69 city parks in Tokyo. The city parks in Tokyo have been made in three patterns. The first is planned parks which have been created as a urban facilities considering the scales and types. The second is memorial parks which have been made to memorialize the national monumental event or to preserve natural and cultural resources. The third is public property parks which have been made by occurrence of public vacant land which is resulted from the grant of Royal Garden, restoration of public rented ground, producton of reclaimed land, utilization of dry river bed. The city parks can be classified in five patterns according to distance from CBD and park area. The first is central parks which have historical characteristics strongly. The second is planned parks that are specialized functionally. The third is large scale urban edge parks which are located in the edge of 23-Gu(district) in Tokyo. The fourth is hill parks which have natural characteristics strongly. The fifth is waterside parks that are located along a lake, a pond, a river, or artificial waterside facilities. From this study I have found out that a great effort has been made to activate the utilization of parks for residents in Tokyo, through mnagement goals and ways of parks, composition and chatacteristics of park facility resources, various Events, residents participation in undertaking of parks.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.39-51
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• 2008

This study focuses on the reconstruction of buffer greens which were installed to reduce environmental effects on roadsides constructed in the 1980s, in order to supplement various urban green functions. The subjects were buffer greens installed along the Songpadaero and Nambusunwhanro in Songpa-gu. Planting was suggesting to strengthen the buffer, landscape, shading and ecological function according to the use of the buffer green surroundings. The surroundings of the green axis subjects are high-rise apartment areas, neighboring commercial areas, commercial working areas, transportation facility areas, urban support facility areas, schools, parks, etc. However, the structure of the buffer greens were uniformed with Plantanus occidentalis and Ginkgo biloba and Zelkova serrata in the canopy layer and with Forsythia koreana and Ligustrum obtusifoliumin the shrub layer in lineal or alternate order, functioning only as buffer space. Therefore, the buffer greens need to be reconstructed， supplementing various functions according to land use, in order to improve the pedestrian walk area in terms of landscape and use of greens. In line with that, the planting improvement plans according to the land use patterns, and physical and ecological structure were classified into buffer and landscape, landscape and buffer, buffer and shading, and buffer and ecological function. In addition, improving planting function, species and facilities are suggested.