Socio-Cultural Asset Integration for a Green Infrastructure Network Plan in Yesan County, Korea
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sustainability Article Socio-Cultural Asset Integration for a Green Infrastructure Network Plan in Yesan County, Korea María José Carranza Orantes 1, Jinki Kim 1,* and Jiseok Kim 2 1 Department of Landscape Architecture, Kongju National University, 182 Shinkwan-dong, Gongju, Chungcheongnam-do 32588, Korea; [email protected] 2 Department of Regional Development, Kongju National University, 182 Shinkwan-dong, Gongju, Chungcheongnam-do 32588, Korea; [email protected] * Correspondence: [email protected]; Tel.: +82-41-330-1447 Academic Editors: Baoxiu Zhang, Shangyi Zhou and Jingqiu Zhang Received: 29 November 2016; Accepted: 19 January 2017; Published: 28 January 2017 Abstract: Green Infrastructure (GI) can be used as a framework for planning human settlements and guiding development away from natural areas that possess high ecological value and provide important Ecosystem Services for society’s development. In this paper, we present a GI Plan for Yesan County (Yesan GI Plan), a small shrinking city in the Republic of Korea. Yesan possesses very rich, but still fairly unexplored natural and cultural resources. Therefore, Yesan’s GI Plan was developed through a multifunctional approach based on the different ecological and socio-cultural characteristics of the region, allowing to connect the core elements that conform the vernacular landscape and get the most out of the Ecosystem Services provided by resources in the area. The plan was defined mainly in two stages: first, applying weights to the different ecological and socio/cultural characteristics; secondly, arranging them through a set of GIS spatial analysis tools using a patch-corridor- matrix model approach. The final outcome is a lean network of ecological value hubs, connected to a set of socio-cultural value assets through a network of water bodies, intrinsic forestry characteristics and wildlife mobility in the area. This was followed in order to connect, facilitate and improve mobility and energy flow in Yesan. Keywords: cultural indicator; culture; ecosystem services; geotagged images; green infrastructure; Hub; patch-corridor matrix 1. Introduction Worldwide, the rapid and extensive changes generated by human intervention in the development of the economy and technology have influenced the natural capital and ecosystem services. These changes also influence the benefits and costs of public wellbeing [1,2] and affect “not only the biophysical systems that surround us, but also for the connections between those systems and human society in relation to broader, more complex social themes such as economics, social justice, and civic interaction” [3]. This drove the United Nations (UN) to set the Millennium Development Goals in 2000 [4] and to once again make another commitment to the environment, deciding to protect our planet through the 17 Sustainable Development Goals proposed in 2015 [5]. The importance of the relationship between people and the environment can be clearly seen through the efforts of the UN, as they highlight how people obtain certain benefits from ecosystems, which are called Ecosystem Services [6]. These Ecosystem Services are provided through different systems that are an inherent part of the green structures of the landscape [7]. The definitions of Green Infrastructure (GI) have various different sources and approaches. The US President’s Council on Sustainable Development defines GI as a network of open space, air sheds, watersheds, woodlands, wildlife habitat, parks, and other natural areas that provide many vital services that Sustainability 2017, 9, 192; doi:10.3390/su9020192 www.mdpi.com/journal/sustainability Sustainability 2017, 9, 192 2 of 16 sustainSustainability life and 2017 enrich, 9, 192 the quality of life [8]. Previous research of GI is linked with strategic planning2 of 17 and conservation [9]; valuation of ecological, social, and economic functions of landscapes [8,10]; technologicalenrich the quality and practical of life [8]. engineered Previous research systems of GI mimicking is linked with natural strategi processesc planning [ 11and]; conservation and policy and [9]; valuation of ecological, social, and economic functions of landscapes [8,10]; technological and planning with integral benefits for ecological, economic, and social spheres [12]. practical engineered systems mimicking natural processes [11]; and policy and planning with integral Thus, a GI planning approach can be considered suitable when planning for development and benefits for ecological, economic, and social spheres [12]. growth [Thus,9] that a GI produces planning the approach least effect can be on considered natural processes suitable when [7], since planning the originsfor development of GI are and related to thegrowth ideas [9] and that actions produces taken the forleast nature effect on conservation. natural processes At the [7], same since time,the origins GI maintains of GI are related a transversal to characterthe ideas for and development, actions taken focusing for nature on conservation. different levels At andthe same areas: time, ecologically GI maintains [12, 13a transversal], socially and culturallycharacter [2, 9for,12 development,,14], and economically focusing on [8 ,different15,16]. These levels dimensionsand areas: ecologically allow the creation [12,13], socially of a framework and for developmentculturally [2,9,12,14], actions and that economically will place the [8,15,16]. protection These of dimensions nature at theallow center the creation of it, but of ata framework the same time, the dimensionsfor development also actions provide that an will efficient place frameworkthe protection for of human nature activityat the center development of it, but at [17 the]. Withsame this as background,time, the dimensions we present also provide the creational an efficient process framework of a general for human GI activity plan for development territorial action[17]. With with a socio-culturalthis as background, focus in we the present county the of Yesan,creational Republic process of of Korea a general (Korea). GI plan for territorial action with aThe socio-cultural aim of this focus study in the is tocounty explore of Yesan, a plan Republic for highlighting of Korea (Korea). Yesan’s disrupted green assets with a The aim of this study is to explore a plan for highlighting Yesan’s disrupted green assets with a focus on ecological conservation and the reconnection of the socio-cultural assets of the town. The study focus on ecological conservation and the reconnection of the socio-cultural assets of the town. The provides an alternative as a possible tool to be considered for Yesan’s future planning and development, study provides an alternative as a possible tool to be considered for Yesan’s future planning and makingdevelopment, use of, and making focusing use on,of, and Yesan’s focusing intrinsic on, Yesan’s ecological intrinsic and cultural ecological strengths and cultural and character. strengths andIn brief,character. the methodology used was a definition of land categories and planning of such chosen featuresIn based brief, on the pre-existing methodology law used definitions. was a definition This thenof land led categories to the identification and planning of of relevant such chosen natural assetsfeatures that based would on form pre-existing the ecological law definitions. network This at then the led same to the time identification that the definition of relevant ofnatural physical characteristicsassets that would of the form site addedthe ecological the vernacular network partat the to same the study. time that Then, the thedefinition processing of physical using GIS toolscharacteristics was done by of overlapping the site added the the different vernacular cultural, part to historical, the study. andThen, social the processing assets together using GIS with tools a set of ecologicalwas done features by overlapping for obtaining the hubsdiffer andent cultural, links of thehistorical, network and (Figure social1 ).assets The overarchingtogether with method a set of was the patch-corridor-matrixecological features for obtaining model [ 18hubs]. According and links of to the Forman, network landscapes (Figure 1). are The conformed overarching by method a series of patternswas the of patches,patch-corridor-matrix corridors, and model matrices [18]. on Accord land ating different to Forman, scales. landscapes These three are conformed landscape elementsby a series of patterns of patches, corridors, and matrices on land at different scales. These three landscape can be either manmade or created by nature. Patches represent larger and wider areas of natural land elements can be either manmade or created by nature. Patches represent larger and wider areas of than that of corridors. In addition, ideally, patches should be of a rounded shape with several small, natural land than that of corridors. In addition, ideally, patches should be of a rounded shape with tentacle-likeseveral small, corridors tentacle-like for creating corridors connections for creating [3], conn althoughections they [3], although can also they be of can larger also or be smaller of larger scale, longeror smaller or rounder, scale, andlonger are or considered rounder, and the are nodes considered where the corridors nodes where coalesce corridors [18]. coalesce On the [18]. other On hand, corridorsthe other tend hand, to be corridors of a more tend elongated, to be of a linearmore elongated, shape that linear help connectshape that the help disperse connect patches