Korea, Republic of

In the Northeast Asia sub-region, environmental pollution, transboundary sand and dust storms (SDS), agricultural expansion, deforestation, and overgrazing are growing challenges that are being further complicated by the impacts of climate change. Desertification, land degradation and drought (DLDD) are a significant problem affecting soil, air and water quality, threatening forest and woodlands, pasture and rangelands as well as irrigated and rain-fed croplands that support the livelihoods of more than half of the sub-region’s population.

This report explores how much nature we have and how much we use, in Korea and the world. It invites the Korean government, business sector and public to rethink the country’s roles and vulnerabilities in a world with increasing resource constraints and climate change threats. It encourages all to create strategies to help Korea overcome these imminent challenges.

This book presents 127 species of Korean mammals describing their taxonomy, natural history, distribution, conservation, and management. Also, the book introduces hotspots for mammal watching, history of Korean mammalogy, and mammalian zoogeography of Korea.

For the last 20 years there has been a growing interest in the geosciences for topics related to geoheritage: geoconservation, geotourism and geoparks. Geoheritage: Assessment, Protection, and Management is the first and only reference book to cover these main topics as well as the relationship of geoheritage to other subjects such as landscapes, conservation, and tourism. The book also includes methodologies for assessment, mapping, and visualisation, along with case studies and colour images of some of the most important global geosites. 

Como nossas cidades continuam crescendo, não devemos abandonar a proteção de áreas naturais às pressões da urbanização, e sim defender esses lugares, e realmente tentar criar novos espaços para a natureza dentro do tecido urbano – inclusive dentro dos centros das cidades. Também precisamos tornar a natureza mais acessível às pessoas, fornecendo interpretação e educação, sempre que possível. Conectar as pessoas à natureza deve ser um imperativo para todo o movimento de conservação, e as áreas protegidas urbanas estão bem situadas para fazer isso.