Ecological Strategy for Restoring the Forest Ecosystem in the Taebaek Region of Baekdudaegan Mountains in Korea

This study was conducted to classify the types of degraded land in the Taebaeksan region within the Baekdudaegan mountain range in Korea using image analysis and to assess the degree of degradation through a detailed survey of each type. Based on the findings, candidate tree species for restoration and strategies for land rehabilitation were proposed. The analysis identified 1589 degraded sites, classified into nine types of degradation. Using the Self-Organizing Map (SOM) method, these sites were further categorized into six environmental types. A survey was conducted on 25 degraded sites (encompassing 73 specific locations) in the Taebaeksan region, revealing that the sites fell into seven out of nine degradation categories: grassland, agricultural land, forest roads, ranches, cemeteries, logging sites, and abandoned quarries. The excluded categories were buildings and military facilities. A more focused survey was conducted on the 73 largest sites across the degradation types, with a reference ecosystem selected based on topographic analysis and succession processes. Diagnostic evaluations identified logging sites and severely degraded areas as the most urgent priorities for rehabilitation. Candidate tree species for restoration were proposed for each degradation type and environmental condition, based on ecological importance and reference ecosystem characteristics. This study provides a comprehensive assessment of degradation types following ecological restoration procedures and offers valuable baseline data for selecting restoration species and designing restoration strategies in conjunction with reference ecosystem studies.