Wood-cultivated ginseng, including roots in its dried form, is produced in forest land without using artificial facilities such as light barriers. To identify suitable sites for the propagation of wood-cultivated ginseng, factor combination technique (FCT) and linear combination technique (LCT) were used with geographic information system and the results were superimposed onto an actual wood-cultivated ginseng plantation. The LCT more extensively searched for suitable sites of cultivation than that by the FCT; further, the LCT probed wide areas considering the predominance of precipitous mountains in Korea. In addition, the LCT showed the much higher degree of overlap with the actual cultivation sites; therefore, the LCT more comprehensively reflects the cultivator's intention for site selection. On the other hand, the inclusion of additional factors for the selection of suitable cultivation sites and experts' opinions may enhance the effectiveness and accuracy of the LCT for site application.

Wind barriers play a vital role in protecting saplings until maturity when planted as vegetative windbreak forests. Most previous studies have focused on the porosity of wind barriers, but no studies have simultaneously examined the effects of the porosity and inclination, despite the potential of the inclination to decrease wind speed. We tested three wind barrier cases in wind tunnel experiments: (1) Case A (porosity of 0% with inclinations (90°, 80°, and 70°)), (2) Case B (porosity of 25% with inclinations (90°, 80°, and 70°)), and (3) Case C (porosity of 50% with inclinations (90°, 80°, and 70°)). The vertical and horizontal wind velocities were measured at three vertical and seven horizontal points behind the barriers. The results demonstrated a statistically significant decrease in the correlation between the distance and mean wind velocity for all cases, with up to a six-fold wind protection effect. The wind barrier with 0% porosity and a 90° inclination provided the highest degree of wind protection. However, the wind protection range was limited downwind, and recirculation of wind flow could occur in the leeward direction, potentially damaging saplings. A wind barrier with 50% porosity and 70° inclination sufficiently decreased the wind velocity and prevented recirculation of wind flow, demonstrating that both porosity and inclination considerably impacted the wind protection effect by reducing wind velocity. Our findings offer novel insights into the influence of wind barriers with varying porosities and inclinations and can provide valuable guidance for constructing efficient windbreak forests.

This study was conducted to explore an accurate site identification technique using a geographic information system (GIS) and geo-temperature (gT) for locating suitable sites for growing cultivated mountain ginseng (CMG; Panax ginseng), which is highly sensitive to the environmental conditions in which it grows. The study site was Jinan-gun, South Korea. The spatial resolution for geographic data was set at 10 m × 10 m, and the temperatures for various climatic factors influencing CMG growth were calculated by averaging the 3-year temperatures obtained from the automatic weather stations of the Korea Meteorological Administration. Identification of suitable sites for CMG cultivation was undertaken using both a conventional method and a new method, in which the gT was added as one of the most important factors for crop cultivation. The results yielded by the 2 methods were then compared. When the gT was added as an additional factor (new method), the proportion of suitable sites identified decreased by 0.4 % compared with the conventional method. However, the proportion matching real CMG cultivation sites increased by 3.5 %. Moreover, only 68.2 % corresponded with suitable sites identified using the conventional factors; i.e., 31.8 % were newly detected suitable sites. The accuracy of GIS-based identification of suitable CMG cultivation sites improved by applying the temperature factor (i.e., gT) in addition to the conventionally used factors.

Forest soil sediment disasters, categorized as landslides, slow-moving landslides (land creep), and debris flows, result in destruction of forests and properties, loss of life, and damage to infrastructures. Therefore, it is imperative to evaluate factors that cause slow-moving landslides and establish a national-level hazard information system. In this study, we used geographic information system (GIS) to investigate the difference between landslides and slow-moving landslides by overlapping and analyzing landslide hazard map with slow-moving landslide sites. Slow-moving landslide areas (SLAs) and non-SLAs were characterized to compare the effects of altitude and slope in slow-moving landslide events. Finally, we performed a hydrographical analysis of waterways to compare the SLAs and non-SLAs. Grade 3 slow-moving landslide sites were found to be the most prevalent among all landslide hazard grades (1–5), including those in regions outside the specified grades. The altitude and slope of SLAs were 5 m higher and 1° steeper than those of non-SLAs, respectively. The waterways in non-SLAs (205.4 m) were longer than those in SLAs (85.2 m). Our study highlights the importance of altitude, slope, and waterways as triggers for slow-moving landslides and provides an empirical basis for establishing national hazard information systems for these events.

As a result of the 1994 “WTO/TRIPs Agreement”, and based on adherence to the 1999 Agricultural and Fishery Products Quality Control Act, geographical indication (GI) has been implemented in South Korea since 2000. As of the end of 2014 there were a total of 95 products registered for GI, including 32 forestry products, 53 agricultural products, and 11 fishery products. There are four registered regions for dried persimmons in a single product, which is the most of any of the 51 regions (32 forestry products) registered for GI. Accordingly, this study investigates the opinions of dried persimmon-producing farmers and purchasers to increase profits for farmers and to suggest plans for the advancement of the GI system (GIs). However, a large number of dried persimmon farmers and purchasers are not familiar with GIs. Consequently, we were able to conclude that there is a need to continually publicize the importance and aims of introducing GI, perhaps by opening a website or developing a smartphone application. Furthermore, producers must improve the product quality and the government requirements to implement quality control strategies for GI-registered dried persimmons, and to conduct thorough management and supervision of the illegal distribution of dried persimmons that misappropriates GI.