Son, Yong-Hoon, Ju-Kyung Lee, Do-Eun Kim, & Hyuksoo Kwon (2021, February). Understanding the difference in residents’ perception of the vulnerability of local ecological assets––Focused on Paju, Gyeonggi-do. Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture, 49(1), 31-41. (Korean) (doi: 10.9715/KILA.2021.49.1.031) (Access: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/349891986_Understanding_the_Difference_in_Residents%27_Perception_of_the_Vulnerability_of_Local_Ecological_Assets_-_Focused_on_Paju_Gyeonggi-do_-/references)

English Abstract: This study targets the city of Paju, Gyeonggi-do, where many challenges are facing ecological assets management due to the increase in recent development. Using the survey data provided by the National Institute of Ecology in Korea, the study analysed the differences in the local residents’ perception of local ecological assets. The Q methodology, which is useful for revealing differences in opinions, was applied to classify the narrative groups, which had different points of view in evaluating each asset. Next, the study compared the differences in perceptions of the vulnerability of ecological assets. As a result of the analysis, the city of Paju was divided into two main narrative groups: a ‘Nature Conservation Group’ and a ‘Heritage Conservation Group’. The Nature Conservation Group wanted to prioritize ecologically valuable assets, such as wetlands, brackish zones, and forests. The Heritage Conservation Group preferred preserving ecological assets having a cultural contexts, such as royal tombs, graves, and the surrounding landscape. Evaluating the ecological assets, the two groups identified 23 ecological sites under threat from development among the 25 ecological sites considered. The Nature Conservation Group noted the importance of sites such as the Sannam Wetlands, Gongneungcheon, Gongneungcheon Brackish Zone, and Simhak Mountain. These were considered to be the most vulnerable ecological assets in the city. The study found differences in the perceived values for each ecological asset by residents. The results can serve as useful data for decision-making on ecological asset management in the city of Paju.

Yong-hoon Son <sonyh@snu.ac.kr> is in the Department of Environment Landscape Architecture, Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea.

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