In this study, eco-village planning is defined as landscape ecological planning for nature restoration of modifying existing rural villages to eco-villages. The purpose of this study is the establishment of landscape ecological planning methodology an...
In this study, eco-village planning is defined as landscape ecological planning for nature restoration of modifying existing rural villages to eco-villages. The purpose of this study is the establishment of landscape ecological planning methodology and its application to common rural villages in Korea. The methodology is illustrated by a case study. This paper reviews the relevant literature from landscape ecology and landscape planning and applies a methodology for landscape ecological planning of eco-villages to a case study in Obok, Ganggum village, Korea. The proposed methodology of the study is summarized by three points.
Firstly, planning an eco-village has to be carried out in the boundary of a small watershed that is defined by homogeneous ecological character. In other words, the ecological planning range should be the watershed. Watersheds have been identified as one level of organization to provide boundaries for landscape and ecosystem analysis. Watersheds have often been advocated as useful levels of analysis for ecological landscape planning and natural resource management.
Secondly, because the small watershed is a landscape unit, it can have unique ecological character. Originally the watershed is the main subject of the hydrology, but especially it is also a mosaic of sub-landscape units that are spatial configurations of the ecosystems. There are a lot of sub-landscape units that are represented by land-uses and landscapes. The composition of sub-landscape units is the spatial structure of the watershed. Every village is located in the mosaic of the sub-landscape units. Therefore the character of the spatial structure of the watershed influences the ecological condition of the villages. First of all, one must analyze the spatial structure of the watershed for ecological planning. On this viewpoint, the spatial structure is analyzed by the ecological attributes of form, distribution, arrangement and composition of the sub-landscape units. Among all of the sub-landscape units, a green tract of land is the main subject of the analyzing entity. Woodland or forest as a green tract of land is a source of biological species and materials. Therefore the ecological attributes of green patches are especially analyzed by landscape indices. The selected landscape indices are elongation, lobes, interior area, convolution of perimeter, complexity and proximity of the green patches. Those are the ratio of natural habitat/human habitat, green and impervious area, ecological carrying capacity in the watershed as a landscape unit. These indices represent the state of ecological conditions and they will be the evaluation factors of the landscape ecological planning.
Thirdly, the principle of landscape ecological planning is the restoration of the prototype of nature. Entire restoration of green spatial structure is the natural forest as a matrix not a fragmented one. But this is impossible as human beings exist and change the natural landscape. So a possible restoration method is harmony with nature that maintains the order of the ecosystem process. From this point of view, the principles of Korean eco-village planning could be derived from the embedded planning theory of traditional villages. Korean traditional villages sustained a long history and that is the verification of the sustainable planning theory. This is the realization of the vernacular spatial character of the region as the principles of ecological planning. Also this will sustain the indigenous structure of the ecosystem.
Bi-bo was a complimentary method for landscaping a green spatial structure in Korean traditional villages. Bi-bo has many principles for complementing the landscape. Korean ancestors always wanted good places(myung-dang) for their houses and villages. But good places were not enough for everyone. So they set up an ideal spatial structure for the villages. The villages were always tucked away in a quiet valley. If there were gaps in their spatial structure in the real world, they wanted to close those gaps. This is bi-bo. Devices of bi-bo consist of symbolic and physical methods. In this paper, only the physical methods of bi-bo will be discussed. This is the introduction of green patches and wetlands like a pond, swale, and aquatic plantation. They thought of green patches (woodlands) as a mountain in a spirit. They wanted to make a mountain to complement the gaps for the entire closure of the village environment and connect the mountains as topography. But they could not make a mountain, so they made knolls and planted trees and made woodlands instead of a mountain. These woodlands were called village groves (maul-soup) or shrine groves (bi-bo-soup). In this case, bi-bo-soup was located at the approaches of the village. If the village was located towards the north, the grove could block the north wind which was considered harmful. Visually, outsiders would not notice the existence of the village, and the village could keep its security. Also, environmentally the grove would block the noise and supply fresh air to the village. Scenically the grove would enhance the visual landscape. In another cases, bi-bo-soup was located at the junction of two streams and on the dike for preventing disaster. They introduced water as a bi-bo element. That is to make a pond or watercourse for keeping chi (vital force). Interpreted by modern environmental planning, it retains water like a detention pond. Sometimes villagers thought that the air of the village was dry, so they made watercourses everywhere in the villages for preventing the chi of fire.
Modern landscape ecological planning theories would develope from these embedded principles. Small green patches could attach to big green patches. Consequently it might alter perimeters of the big green patches and add protuberances that can offer routes for wildlife. It can serve as an ecological corridor for wildlife. It is similar to the patch-corridor model in landscape ecology. When bi-bo-soup is located often in front of villages like a island, it can act as stepping stones for ecological corridors. Also it can enhance landscape diversity and promote proximity to other green patches. Besides, a bi-bo pond can clean up waste water and provide biotopes for wildlife. Additionally, it can sometimes prevent floods and supply water for a drought. As a result, it would help the water cycle of nature.
These frameworks for landscape ecological planning apply to Obok, Ganggeum villages in Wanju-gun, Korea. The planning concept is a restoration of spatial structure of the village especially in green spatial structure. As discussed above, the landscape prototypical character of Korean traditional villages was applied to planning methodology. It will be easy to persuade villagers in a public forum. A proposed planning scenario was made and evaluated by the selected landscape indices. Total green area was increased to 3.1%. As a result, biotopes and permeable areas were increased. Among the selected landscape indices of green patches, perimeter convolution, complexity and proximity were increased. It means that the ecological condition of green patches will be more sound and green areas of the village will be expanded naturally. In addition to this, connectivities among green patches will also be improved.
This paper will contribute to the methodology of landscape ecological planning on nature restoration for rural villages. To explore and visualize the perspective of future nature with vary efforts, the methodology elaborated in this study appears to be a successful tool. Its results facilitate discussion on nature restoration of rural villages and are desirable and realistic. As such, the study may well serve as an example of how to approach nature restoration around other rural villages.