The current forestland classification system does not adequately capture the actual conservation value of forest resources. Despite the policy importance of restraining forestland conversion, the Expenses Incurred in Creating Forest Replacement Resour...
The current forestland classification system does not adequately capture the actual conservation value of forest resources. Despite the policy importance of restraining forestland conversion, the Expenses Incurred in Creating Forest Replacement Resources remains limited in effectiveness because it is imposed within a framework that fails to reflect conservation value. This study aims to establish a Forestland Conservation Suitability Assessment system that quantifies the multifaceted conservation value of forest resources and classifies forestlands according to relative conservation levels, thereby enabling an improved differential imposition structure for the Expenses Incurred in Creating Forest Replacement Resources. Assessment indicators were designed in accordance with the High Conservation Value (HCV) criteria of the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), comprising 20 evaluation indicators. Conservation scores were calculated at the watershed scale using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Fragstats, standardized to Z-scores, and classified into five grades from Grade A (highest) to Grade E (lowest). Analysis of conservation suitability revealed that Conservation Forestlands are predominantly distributed across mid-level grades, whereas Semi-Conservation Forestlands tend to be concentrated in relatively lower grades. Reflecting this pattern, the study introduced a set of equal-interval adjustment coefficients (1.00–1.80) applied to the five conservation grades, producing imposition amounts that increase systematically with conservation value. Rather than relying on uniform charges, this structure embeds conservation suitability outcomes directly into the imposition process and offers a more targeted mechanism for regulating forestland conversion. Such an approach highlights the feasibility of shifting toward a conservation suitability-based forestland management system that more accurately captures the ecological significance of forest resources.