Author(s): Hyoseop Woo; Unji
Linked Author(s): Un Ji, Hyoseop Woo
Keywords: Green infra; Levee planting; Flood-risk reduction; Forest strip; Amenity
Abstract: Among three ways of planting trees as disaster-risk reduction measures in Korea, that can be called a modern-type green infra for disaster-risk reduction, this article focuses on old-time planting trees on the earthen levees along the rivers to protect their villages and farmlands against river floods. During the rapid urbanization, industrialization and progress in agricultural land management in Korea in 1960s and 1970s, the total number of the riparian forest strips reduced by 65% from 1938 to 2000. During that period, most existing riparian forest strips on the levees and floodplains have been replaced with compacted earth works and concrete blocks, except a few places having additional effects of windbreak, landscape, amenity and playing a role of riverside park for recreation for villagers and tourists. Some of them were designated as Natural Monuments by the Cultural Heritage Administration in Korea, like Gwanbangjerim and Sangrim that are introduced in this article more in detail as a good example of old-time village forests originally for flood-risk reduction, but nowadays for riverside park in Korea. As a way of implementing the old wisdom of ‘Ongoijisin’ which means ‘the old come alive to find out what is new’, this study suggests to investigate possible ways of revitalization of planting trees on the levee, not only for flood-risk reduction but also for providing habitats for flora and fauna and amenity for human.
Year: 2018