• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.57-69
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• 2021

Urban green spaces supply ecosystem services (ESs), which are consumed by city residents and generate demand, to improve air quality. It is important to determine supply and demand for ESs and reduce the gap for efficient management. This study proposed a method to use the concept of supply and demand for ESs in the decision-making process for urban planning or management. PM₁₀ concentrations were converted to weight for demand assessment on PM₁₀ reduction, and PM₁₀ absorption capacity of all green spaces including the forests, and that of urban green spaces excluding forests, was calculated for each supply assessment. The differences in the calculated supply and demand were analyzed to derive the mismatched regions in Suwon. As a result, regions with big forested areas showed sufficient supply, indicating that the degree of mismatch among administrative neighborhoods (dong) varied greatly depending on whether they had a forest. An analysis of only urban green spaces showed that all neighborhoods lacked supply. Forests with high PM₁₀ absorption capacity had a great effect, but urban green spaces can be considered a key element in reducing PM₁₀ in daily life. Considering the mismatch of supply and demand, spatial distribution, and population distribution, it is possible to prioritize the supply of urban green spaces to reduce PM₁₀ and, furthermore, support decision making for priority zones subject to forest conservation and designation and cancellation of green spaces, which gives significance to this study.

• The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
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• v.8 no.8
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• pp.465-473
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• 2021

This study is the application of a choice experiment to assess Mekong Delta urban households' preferences and motivations for ecosystem conservation in the U Minh forest. The study applied a choice modeling approach to estimate the economic values of the proposed ecosystem conservation program in the U Minh forest by accessing urban consumer preferences and their willingness to pay for the project. Discrete choice experimental data was collected from 450 residents in the cities of the Vietnamese Mekong Delta. The multinomial logit model was employed to identify consumer's stated preferences for the environmental and sustainability attributes of the conservation project. The results showed that Mekong Delta urban residents paid much attention to the proposed project to protect and develop the U Minh forest. In addition, the results showed that higher education, income, and knowledge of the U Minh forest revealed a higher likelihood of selecting the project, while the older residents would select the status quo more than the younger ones. The study also proved that the effect of participation had a strong impact on the willingness to pay for the project. The findings could be useful for policymakers to take action to raise resident's awareness and willingness to pay for the U Minh forest project.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.315-325
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• 2014

Valuation of ecosystem services through organic carbon distribution and cycling in the Quercus mongolica forest at Mt. Worak national park were investigated from May 2012 through April 2013. The amount of carbon allocated to above and below ground biomass was 81.94 and 20.53 ton C/ha. Amount of organic carbon in litter layer was 6.49 ton C/ha. Amount of organic carbon within 50 soil depth was 141.23 ton C $ha^{-1}$ $50cm-depth^{-1}$. Total amount of organic carbon in this Quercus mongolica forest was estimated to 250.19 ton C $ha^{-1}$. The estimated amount of won in this Quercus mongolica forest in terms of total organic carbon was about 5.27 million won $ha^{-1}$. The amount of carbon evolved through soil respiration was 7.31 ton C $ha^{-1}yr^{-1}$. The amount of carbon evolved through microbial respiration and root respiration was 3.58 and 3.73 ton C $ha^{-1}yr^{-1}$, respectively. The amount of organic carbon absorbed from the atmosphere of this Quercus mongolica forest was 1.61 ton C $ha^{-1}yr^{-1}$ when estimated from the difference between net primary production and microbial respiration. This amount will come to about 33,000 won $ha^{-1}yr^{-1}$ in Korean currency.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.225-235
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• 2021

To attain the long-term benefits of forest restoration in North Korea, it is important to present the economic value of reforestation. This study as aimed to evaluate the economic value based on cost-benefit analysis from the ecosystem services perspective. The benefits of reforestation were classified into ecosystem services such as carbon sequestration, water supply, soil erosion control, and disaster risk reduction, and were converted into economic values to calculate comprehensive benefits. In the forest restoration scenario, an "independent forest restoration scenario (IFS)" and a "cooperation-based forest restoration scenario (CFS)" were composed in consideration of recent afforestation performance and forest policy, and the difference in the quantity of afforestation was derived as a scenario despite the same restoration period. In the IFS, it is estimated that over the next two decades, 800 thousand ha of the forest will be restored at a cost of KRW 3,829 billion, resulting in a benefit of KRW 6.87 trillion. The present benefit net value is KRW 3,39 trillion. In the CFS, it is estimated that the benefits of KRW 18,890 billion will be generated by restoring 2.2 million ha of the forest at a cost of KRW 10,053 billion. The present benefit net value is KRW 8,359 billion. In both scenarios, BCR had an economic feasibility value greater than 1, but there was a big difference in the expected benefits. In conclusion, forest restoration can have higher benefits than cost, and its value could be enhanced through forest cooperation.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.1-16
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• 2022

The purpose of this study is to quantitatively evaluate the amount of carbon storage for trees in forest ecosystem to support the foundation for carbon neutrality implementation in Korea National Park. It targeted 22 national parks designated and managed as national parks in Korea, and conducted research on forest trees in the terrestrial ecosystem among various natural and ecological carbon sink. The survey and analysis method followed the IPCC guidelines and the National Greenhouse Gas Inventory in Korea. The amount of tree carbon storage in the forest ecosystem of Korea National Park was confirmed to be about 218,505 thousand CO₂-ton and the amount of carbon storage per unit area was 570.8 CO₂-ton per hectare. Compared to 299.7 CO₂-ton per hectare, the average carbon storage per unit area of the entire Korean forest, it was found that about twice as much carbon was stored when assuming the same area. In other words, it means that the tree carbon storage function of the national park is about twice as high as that of the average tree carbon storage function of entire Korean forest. It has great implications in Korea National Park not only provides biodiversity promotion and exploration services as a national protected area, but also performs excellent functions as a carbon sink.

• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.330-341
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• 2017

Tropical forests play a key role for functioning of the planet and maintenance of life. These forests support more than half of the world's species, serve as regulators of global and regional climate, act as carbon sinks and provide valuable ecosystem services. Forest floor biomass and litterfall dynamics was measured in different sites influenced by fire in a seasonally dry tropical forest of Bhoramdeo wildlife sanctuary of Chhattisgarh, India. The forest floor biomass was collected randomly placed quadrats while the litterfall measured by placing stone-block lined denuded quadrat technique. The seasonal mean total forest floor biomass across the fire regimes varied from $2.00-3.65t\;ha^{-1}$. The total litterfall of the study sites varied from $4.75-7.56t\;ha^{-1}\;yr^{-1}$. Annual turnover of litter varied from 70-74% and the turnover time between 1.35-1.43 years. Monthly pattern of forest floor biomass indicated that partially decayed litter, wood litter and total forest floor were differed significantly. The seasonal variation showed that leaf fall differed significantly in winter season only among the fire regimes while the wood litter was found non significant in all the season. This study shows that significant variation among the site due to the forest fire. Decomposition is one of the ecological processes critical to the functioning of forest ecosystems. The decomposing wood serves as a saving account of nutrients and organic materials in the forest floor. Across the site, high fire zone was facing much of the deleterious effects on forest floor biomass and litter production. Control on such type of wildfire and anthropogenic ignition could allow the natural recovery processes to enhance biological diversity. Chronic disturbances do not provide time for ecosystem recovery; it needs to be reduced for ecosystem health and maintaining of the high floral and faunal biodiversity.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Geographic Information Studies
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.120-134
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• 2015

InVEST Water Yield model developed by Natural Capital Project was applied for South Korea to assess domestic forest ecosystem's water provisioning services. The InVEST Water Yield model required 8 input dataset, including six spatial map data and two derived by coefficients. By running the model with relatively easy acquired and modified data, the result of domestic forest ecosystem's water provisioning services was 9,409,622,083 ton using the standard of the year 2011. The result showed similar patterns and distribution of rainfall in 2011, but showed difference when compared with existing researches spatially driven in nationwide statistical analysis results. This difference is assumed to occur with different model mechanism in spatial implementation and statistical analysis. So given that the model is currently still developing, applications should be taken on qualitative perspectives rather than on quantitative perspectives. Additionally, for advancing the application of InVEST water yield model, quantification of suitable input data and comparison using multi-modeling is required.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.341-351
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• 2019

Background: Standing biomass, litter production, rate of litter decomposition, amount of litter on forest floor, and amount of soil organic carbon distribution were investigated from March 2016 to November 2018 in order to evaluate the ecosystem value through organic carbon distribution in the Pinus densiflora forest at Namsan, Seoul Metropolitan City. Results: The amount of organic carbon in the Pinus densiflora forest was 261.09 ton C ha^-1 during the research period, and fixed organic carbon in plant through net photosynthesis was 3.2 ton C ha^-1 year^-1. The organic carbon in plant was 62.77 ton C ha^-1 (24.04%), in litter on the forest floor was 3.65 ton C ha^-1 (1.40%), and in soil was 194.67 ton C ha^-1 (74.56%). The value of plant, litter on forest floor, and soil organic carbon distribution were each 6,277,000 won ha^-1, 365, 000 won ha^-1, and 19,467,000 won ha^-1. The value per ton of fixed organic carbon in plant through net photosynthesis was 320,000 won ha^-1 year^-1 and the value of ecosystem services stored in carbon in the Namsan forest ecosystem was about 26.1 million won ha^-1 for 3 years. Conclusions: The results of this study suggest that the pine forests of Namsan rapidly decompose leaves due to the high atmospheric temperature and accumulate a large amount of organic carbon in the soil to provide climate control regulatory service function.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.390-399
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• 2019

Background: The Northern Hemisphere forest ecosystem is a major sink for atmospheric carbon dioxide, and the subalpine zone stores large amounts of carbon; however, their magnitude and distribution of stored carbon are still unclear. Results: To clarify the carbon distribution and carbon budget in the subalpine zone at volcanic Jeju Island, Korea, we report the C stock and changes therein owing to vegetation form, litter production, forest floor, and soil, and soil respiration between 2014 and 2016, for three subalpine forest ecosystems, namely, Abies koreana forest, Taxus cuspidata forest, and Juniperus chinensis var. sargentii forest. Organic carbon distribution of vegetation and NPP were bigger in the A. koreana forest than in the other two forests. However, the amount of soil organic carbon distribution was the highest in the J. chinensis var. sargentii forest. Compared to the amount of organic carbon distribution (AOCD) of aboveground vegetation (57.15 t C ha^-1) on the subalpine-alpine forest in India, AOCD of vegetation in the subalpine forest in Mt. Halla was below 50%, but AOCD of soil in Mt. Halla was higher. We also compared our results of organic carbon budget in subalpine forest at volcanic island with data synthesized from subalpine forests in various countries. Conclusions: The subalpine forest is a carbon reservoir that stores a large amount of organic carbon in the forest soils and is expected to provide a high level of ecosystem services.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.97 no.3
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• pp.305-315
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• 2008

Payments for Environmental (or Ecosystem) Services (PES) are emerging as new conservation policy tools. The basic concept underlying PES is that users pay to providers of environmental services for ensuring the continual provision of services based on the voluntary contracts. The purpose of this paper is to introduce the concepts and types of PES and to design a pilot PES scheme for biodiversity/ecosystem conservation on Genetic Reserve Forest in Korea. Genetic Reserve Forest is one of the protected areas designated in Korea to maintain forest biodiversity. PES is designed for the pine forests only in Genetic Reserve Forest, which corresponds to 943 ha. Service providers are to manage their forests based on the contracts in ways that maintain and enhance forest biodiversity and receive the payments in return. The payments are calculated as the sum of management, monitoring, and opportunity costs, resulting 1,140,378 won/year/ha (it corresponds to approximately $1,227 based on the 2007 average exchange rate 1$ = 929.2 won). Because PES are relatively new policies, however, more work needs to be done. Future work includes researches on the correlation between forest biodiversity and management practices and the economic evaluation of forest biodiversity. In addition, enhancing awareness on PES and education of stakeholders are warranted to further develop the scheme.