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Mudeungsan Provincial Park: Role of buffer zones and proposals for national park status. Presented to: IUCN World Conservation Congress Session 790. Junghoon Ki. Myongji University (Korea Planners Association) Jeju, Republic of Korea, September 2012
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Mudeungsan Provincial Park: Role of buffer zones and proposals for national park status Presented to: IUCN World Conservation Congress Session 790 Junghoon Ki Myongji University (Korea Planners Association) Jeju, Republic of Korea, September 2012 1900-2100 (7-9 pm), Sunday, 9 September Room Halla A
Mudeungsan Provincial Park (1) • Mudeungsan Provincial Park (IUCN Category IV) is within the boundaries of Gwangju, South Korea’s fifth largest city • Width: 30-km2 and height: 1,187 m • The park has a network of well-signed trails that are heavily used by local residents • There are several Buddhist temples, as well as a museum of cultural artifacts • About 57 percent of the park is in private ownership but subject to strict development controls Credit: Gwangju metropolitan city
Mudeungsan Provincial Park (2) • Mudeungsan Provincial Park (within red line) is located adjacent to the urbanized area (within white line) of Gwangju metropolitan city • The proposed national park (within yellow line) is 2.7 times larger than the current provincial park • A scenery zone between the park and the urbanized area (C-3 to C-6) regulates building density Credit: Gwangju metropolitan city
A vigorous response to urbanization (1) • Mudeungsan was established in 1972 as a provincial park of Jeollanamdo Province • When Gwangju city became a metropolitan city in 1986 with status equivalent to that of a province, the park became the responsibility of the city • In 1972, Gwangju had a population of 620,000. This has grown to over 1.4 million. Urban pressures on the park have increased accordingly, both in terms of visitors and land-use changes • There were over 7.2 million visitors in 2011, mainly from Gwangju. The park is easily accessible by city bus or car
A vigorous response to urbanization (2) • When it was established, the park was on the outskirts of the city, but residential, commercial, and industrial development has advanced closer and closer • The city government has responded vigorously with land-use planning and regulation centered on several buffer zones (Guideline 4.13) • By coincidence, the city’s second ring road (map: C-1 to C-9) serves as a buffer between urbanized areas and the park • Taken together, these measures not only protect the park, but work to contain urban sprawl (Guideline 7.6). Credit: Gwangju metropolitan city
A vigorous response to urbanization (3) • Inappropriate development is also addressed within the park. • A military camp, a transmission tower, and commercial shops have been removed in an effort to preserve and restore natural habitats Credit: http://blog.daum.net/jun64314
Proposed expansion and national park status (1) • In 2010, the city proposed to the Korea Ministry of Environment that Mudeungsan be expanded from 30 km2 to 80 km2 and made a national park • Motivations of the expansion include protection of environmentally sensitive lands, and creation of more opportunities for outdoor recreation • However, pivotal reasons for the expansion is that current boundary of Mudeungsan provincial park isn't effective for connecting ecological continuity and for satisfying visitors' needs for various mountain-climbing and hiking activities • The ministry asked the Korea Environment Institute, a research center under the Office of the Prime Minister, to undertake a feasibility study • The institute made positive findings, as has the Korea National Park Service, and the proposal is moving forward
Proposed expansion and national park status (2) • Local NGOs have provided political support, as well as help with securing the agreement of private landowners who would be affected by the expansion (Guideline 6.3) • National park designation would result in increased funding • It would also carry with it considerable prestige, since this would be only the twenty-first national park in the country Credit: Gwangju metropolitan city
Proposed expansion and national park status (3) • Even with an expanded park and with national park status, the challenges of urbanization and accommodating large numbers of visitors will remain • To cope with these challenges, park staff and their advisers believe it will be essential to bring park management and urban planning together in comprehensive “sustainable ecological design” • Sustainable ecological design means urban planning and management techniques that minimizes urban impacts on national park area • This design includes land use regulations, building density regulations, zoning, and other environmental guideline for areas between urbanized area and national park area