The Ecosystem Conservation Fund Return Project is implementing following the Natural Environment Conservation Act in South Korea. We utilize these funds to restore the disturbed ecosystem around or in the cities. The funds and areas have increased recently. However, the design and planting species are similar, regardless of the regions or surrounding landscapes. The objectives of this study are to 1) establish the standard for selecting restoration-ready plants, 2) select the restoration-ready plants based on that standard, and 3) suggest the vegetable floor plans and profile diagrams for the restoration practice. We established the standard based on the existing literature and the field survey in the reference forests around the Daejeon metropolitan city, the 6th largest city in South Korea. We targeted the major 4 plant communities from the actual vegetation map: Quercus acutissima community (42.8㎢, 26.3%), Pinus densiflora community (21.7㎢, 13.3%), Q. variabilis community (18.4㎢, 11.3%), and Q. mongolica community (15.0㎢, 9.2%). The mixed communities were excluded. The vegetation survey was implemented using the Braun-Banquet method and the quadrat sizes were 10x10㎡ or 15x15㎡. In addition, we measured tree density of each layer and interval among trees in a quadrat.
Results/Conclusions
At first, we established the 7 standards: 1) The intact natural area around the restoration area should be a restoration model; 2) The indigenous woody plants, except for exotic or landscaping trees; 3) The plants that have invaded the disturbed area; 4) Except for the vine or indigenous but outland plants; 5) The appearance frequency is over 60% (namely, constancy degree is over grade 4); 6) The coverage class is over grade 2; 7) Highly marketable plants (mass marketing, cost-effective). Using these standards, except for standard (7), we sorted out the woody plants from each plant community. In addition, we summed up the basic information of each plant community, such as distribution altitude, mean height and so on. Finally, we suggested the vegetable floor plans and profile diagrams of each plant community based on the sorted woody plants and the field survey data including tree density and interval. The density and interval values of Q. acutissima, P. densiflora, Q. variabilis, and Q. mongolica amounted to 8.7 (/100㎡) and 4.2m, 14 (/100㎡) and 4.6m, 11 (/100㎡) and 4.0m, and 14 (/100㎡) and 4.6m, respectively. In conclusion, appropriate selection of relevant plants for restoration can considerably improve restoration effect and reduce restoration costs.