Research on Area Change of Coastal Sand Dunes Based on the Dune Boundary Data in South Korea

Coastal sand dunes in South Korea were listed 133 first in 2001 by the Ministry of Environment, and from 2007 to 2009, the National Institute of Environmental Research listed 199. Listed from the prior research, we delimitated 207 coastal sand dune boundaries. Past and present coastal dune boundaries were presumed by aerial photos took in 2014 and during the 1940s to 1960s at the National Geographic Information Institute. Then, we modified the boundary of coastal sand dunes by conducting a field survey. We categorized 189 listed up and 19 history management coastal sand dunes based on the characteristics of coastal sand dunes. Coastal sand dunes in South Korea were located in each district: 58 in Jellanam-do, 42 in Chungcheongnam-do, 30 in Gangwon-do, 14 in Jeju, 12 in Gyeongsangbuk-do, seven in Jeonbuk-do, and two coastal sand dunes in Gyeonggi-do and Gyeongsangnam-do. The change in the area of coastal sand dunes between the past and present 36.5% of coastal sand dunes were decreased because of agricultural and commercial use. Coastal sand dunes could be changed by high-pressure development. Our data were valuable for temporal and spatial usage and change of coastal sand dunes.