• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.108 no.3
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• pp.418-428
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• 2019

The purpose of this study was to analyze and clarify the forest information shown in the Korean Peninsula Forest Distribution Map (KPFDM) printed in 1910. First, the background, process, results, and reliability of the Forest Survey Project (1910), which is the basis of the KPFDM, were evaluated. Next, the information of the KPFDM, preserved as a paper map, was digitized to show forest status and forest type. The results of the analysis can be summarized as follows: Analyzing the Korean peninsula of the 1910 period in terms of the present South and North Korean regions, stocked forests were found to be more widely distributed (73%) in the northern region. The southern region largely consisted of deforested areas, with young-growth trees and unstocked forests making up 80% of all forests there. The northern region had abundant natural forests, with 80% of the forests in Yanggang-do, which currently includes Mt. Baekdu and the Hyesan area, composed of stocked forests. Pinus densiflora was found about 2.7 times more often in the southern region than in the northern region. Large numbers of coniferous trees excluding Pinus densiflora were found in the northern region. In particular, 53% of the forests and 72% of the stocking land in the southern region were composed of Pinus densiflora.