Joosang Chung

Temporal and spatial characteristics of forest fires in South Korea between 1970 and 2003

Information on the temporal and spatial patterns of forest fires can contribute to efficient forest fire management. To evaluate the readjustment of forest fire precautionary periods and to provide information for forest fire prevention and suppression strategies, the temporal and spatial characteristics of forest fire occurrences and spread in Korea were analysed using statistics from 1970 to 2003. Monthly forest fire occurrences and burned area were examined using time-series analysis, and F-tests were conducted among forest fire occurrences, burned area, and fire area growth rate to understand monthly forest fire characteristics. To understand the spatial characteristics of forest fires, cities and counties with similar forest fire characteristics were grouped based on cluster analysis of forest fire occurrences and spread characteristics. A seasonal exponential smoothing model was selected for forest fire occurrences and burned area. The number of mean annual forest fire occurrences was 429, and mean annual burned area was 2908 ha year–1 in Korea. The seasonal differences in forest fire characteristics were clearly distinguished, with 61% of total forest fire occurrences and 90% of total burned area being in March and April. Forest fire precautionary periods are suggested based on forest fire occurrence patterns. A total of 226 cities and counties throughout the country were classified into three groups. Group 1, which had frequent forest fire occurrences with smaller burned areas and slower fire growth area rates, was distributed in the western part of Korea and metropolitan regions. Group 3, which had a relatively small number of forest fire occurrences but larger burned areas and fast growth rates, was located in the central inland region and the eastern part of the Taeback Mountain Range. Group 2 had characteristics intermediate between those of group 1 and group 3.

The effects of site factors on herb species diversity in Kwangneung forest stands

The objective of this study was to investigate the herb species diversity associated with biotic and abiotic forest site factors in the Kwangneung Experimental Forest in South Korea. Vegetation data were collected from 109 sample plots in the study area and species diversity was measured in terms of species richness and Shannons diversity index. Topographic site characteristics, soil depth, stand density and volume were also measured in the sample plots as site factors. A multiple regression model was developed to identify significant site factors influencing the herb species diversity in the study area. The results show that stand density, landform classes and the interaction between water availability and aspect are significant factors influencing herb species diversity (P < 0.05). This result suggests that light and water availability are important factors for the herb species diversity of forest stands.

A terrain-based method for selecting potential mountain ridge protection areas in South Korea

Abstract Mountain ridges are valued by the Korean people as major and critical sources of natural resources and environment. Despite their recognised values, continuous exploitation and infrastructure development in forestlands have been causing large-scale degradation in mountains throughout the country. In response to this problem, our study supports recent efforts by the government to designate protection areas across the country. We build on the traditional classification of mountain ridges and apply a terrain-based spatial model to derive mountain ridge area boundaries. Based on the well-known mountain ridge system of the Korean peninsula, established in 1769, our approach was to select mountain ridgelines and boundaries using a terrain-based spatial model. The selected areas are generally located at high elevations with undulating terrain. They include a relatively large portion of ecologically important areas. A large portion of non-nationally owned forest is also found in the selected areas. Ecological importance and property rights would likely cause significant debate and conflicts among different social groups regarding designation of legally binding protection areas. Our model provides an explicit, scientific basis for the rigorous evaluation and area prioritisation as part of the protection area designation process. Application of our model can facilitate conversation on the country’s mountain ridge asset and public participation in the decision-making process.

Assessing the potential suitability of forest stands as Kirengeshoma koreana habitat using MaxEnt

The objective of this study was to assess the potential suitability of forest stands of the Mt. Baek-un region in South Korea as habitats for Kirengeshoma koreana by determining essential biotic and abiotic environmental factors using MaxEnt. Presence data were collected from 16 plots in the study area, and a forest stand map was used to assess the potential suitability of the plot as habitat for the species. The topographic site characteristics were analyzed using GIS, and the terrain relief conditions were measured using the topographic position index. The site environmental factors that significantly influenced the potential suitability of the forest stands as habitats for K. koreana were chosen using MaxEnt. The results indicated that landform types, soil depth, and water and light availability at the forest floor were the factors that most strongly influenced K. koreana habitat suitability. These significant environmental factors were assessed to determine the forest stand sites that were most suitable as potential habitats for the species in the study area.

Maintaining Long-Rotation Forestry: A New Challenge for Sustained Yield of Timber Resources in South Korea

SUMMARY This study aims to analyse the current perceptions of forest owners regarding long-rotation forestry in South Korea, and to explore reforestation policies, in order to identify ways in which they may improve their applicability to successful management of timber resources. The majority of forest owners had a negative perception of long-rotation forestry, and preferred to select tree species that produce short-term profits. Government subsidies to reduce the costs of timber production, tax benefits, and technical supports are required in order to encourage forest owners to pursue long-rotation forestry. Such efforts need to be enacted in conjunction with policies that improve the profitability of forest ownership in the domestic timber market, such as a new log scaling system that places higher value on locally produced timbers, as well as policies that facilitate active use of government support systems.

Selecting suitable sites for mountain ginseng (Panax ginseng) cultivation by using geographically weighted logistic regression

With the well-being trends to pursue a healthy life, mountain ginseng (Panax ginseng) is rising as one of the most profitable forest products in South Korea. This study was aimed at evaluating a new methodology for identifying suitable sites for mountain ginseng cultivation in the country. Forest vegetation data were collected from 46 sites and the spatial distribution of all sites was analyzed using GIS data for topographic position, landform, solar radiation, and topographic wetness. The physical and chemical properties of the soil samples, including moisture content, pH, organic matter, total nitrogen, exchangeable cations, available phosphorous, and soil texture, were analyzed. The cultivation suitability at each site was assessed based on the environmental conditions using logistic regression (LR) and geographically weighted logistic regression (GWLR) and the results of both methods were compared. The results show that the areas with northern aspect and higher levels of solar radiation, moisture content, total nitrogen, and sand ratio are more likely to be identified as suitable sites for ginseng cultivation. In contrast to the LR, the spatial modeling with the GWLR results in an increase in the model fitness and indicates that a significant portion of spatial autocorrelation in the data decreases. A higher value of the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve presents a better prediction accuracy of site suitability by the GWLR. The geographically weighted coefficient estimates of the model are non-stationary, and reveal that different site suitability is associated with the geographical location of the forest stands. The GWLR increases the accuracy of selecting suitable sites by considering the geographical variations in the characteristics of the cultivation sites.

Analyzing the Management Characteristics of Beekeeping Households According to Their Beekeeping Types

In this study, the types of domestic beekeeping households were classified into a migratory, nonmigratory, and mixed beekeeping, and the management characteristics of each type were compared in terms of management scale, honey extraction, productivity, and profitability. In order to investigate thes...