Evaluation of the Monetary Value of Air Pollutants’ Reduction by Forests in South Korea

The economic value of forests as public goods is often underestimated. This study evaluates the public benefit of air quality improvement by forests in South Korea from 2014 to 2020. The monetary value of air quality improvement, particularly in five air pollutants (i.e., SO2, NO2, PM10, PM2.5, and...

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Main Authors: Sumin Choi, Jinsuk Jeong, Chan-Ryul Park
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2025-04-01
Series:Forest Science and Technology
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/21580103.2025.2474025
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author Sumin Choi
Jinsuk Jeong
Chan-Ryul Park
author_facet Sumin Choi
Jinsuk Jeong
Chan-Ryul Park
author_sort Sumin Choi
collection DOAJ
description The economic value of forests as public goods is often underestimated. This study evaluates the public benefit of air quality improvement by forests in South Korea from 2014 to 2020. The monetary value of air quality improvement, particularly in five air pollutants (i.e., SO2, NO2, PM10, PM2.5, and O3), has gradually increased from KRW 6.0767 trillion in 2014 to KRW 6.5511 trillion in 2017. However, the value decreased from KRW 5.8712 trillion in 2018 to KRW 5.2597 trillion in 2020, possibly due to a decrease of forest area and air pollutant concentrations. In 2020, following the COVID-19 pandemic, the concentrations of air pollutants decreased remarkably from the previous year. For a more objective assessment, it is necessary to examine the total area of green space, including green facilities and urban forests, which are not included in the national data used in the study. Furthermore, key assessment items such as the percentage of vegetation cover, deposition rate, and pollutant removal costs should be modified and adapted to domestic conditions. To this end, monitoring data on the air quality impacts of forests should be utilized in order to facilitate the study of the air quality improvement function of forests at different temporal and spatial scales.
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spelling doaj-art-1d0705f6cec84710b239e72264e246be2025-08-20T02:40:21ZengTaylor & Francis GroupForest Science and Technology2158-01032158-07152025-04-0121216517510.1080/21580103.2025.2474025Evaluation of the Monetary Value of Air Pollutants’ Reduction by Forests in South KoreaSumin Choi0Jinsuk Jeong1Chan-Ryul Park2Livable Urban Forests Research Center, National Institute of Forest Science, 57, Hoegiro, Seoul 02455, KoreaLivable Urban Forests Research Center, National Institute of Forest Science, 57, Hoegiro, Seoul 02455, KoreaLivable Urban Forests Research Center, National Institute of Forest Science, 57, Hoegiro, Seoul 02455, KoreaThe economic value of forests as public goods is often underestimated. This study evaluates the public benefit of air quality improvement by forests in South Korea from 2014 to 2020. The monetary value of air quality improvement, particularly in five air pollutants (i.e., SO2, NO2, PM10, PM2.5, and O3), has gradually increased from KRW 6.0767 trillion in 2014 to KRW 6.5511 trillion in 2017. However, the value decreased from KRW 5.8712 trillion in 2018 to KRW 5.2597 trillion in 2020, possibly due to a decrease of forest area and air pollutant concentrations. In 2020, following the COVID-19 pandemic, the concentrations of air pollutants decreased remarkably from the previous year. For a more objective assessment, it is necessary to examine the total area of green space, including green facilities and urban forests, which are not included in the national data used in the study. Furthermore, key assessment items such as the percentage of vegetation cover, deposition rate, and pollutant removal costs should be modified and adapted to domestic conditions. To this end, monitoring data on the air quality impacts of forests should be utilized in order to facilitate the study of the air quality improvement function of forests at different temporal and spatial scales.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/21580103.2025.2474025air pollution reductionair quality data of forest sitesforest ecosystem servicemonetary valuepublic value evaluation
spellingShingle Sumin Choi
Jinsuk Jeong
Chan-Ryul Park
Evaluation of the Monetary Value of Air Pollutants’ Reduction by Forests in South Korea
Forest Science and Technology
air pollution reduction
air quality data of forest sites
forest ecosystem service
monetary value
public value evaluation
title Evaluation of the Monetary Value of Air Pollutants’ Reduction by Forests in South Korea
title_full Evaluation of the Monetary Value of Air Pollutants’ Reduction by Forests in South Korea
title_fullStr Evaluation of the Monetary Value of Air Pollutants’ Reduction by Forests in South Korea
title_full_unstemmed Evaluation of the Monetary Value of Air Pollutants’ Reduction by Forests in South Korea
title_short Evaluation of the Monetary Value of Air Pollutants’ Reduction by Forests in South Korea
title_sort evaluation of the monetary value of air pollutants reduction by forests in south korea
topic air pollution reduction
air quality data of forest sites
forest ecosystem service
monetary value
public value evaluation
url https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/21580103.2025.2474025
work_keys_str_mv AT suminchoi evaluationofthemonetaryvalueofairpollutantsreductionbyforestsinsouthkorea
AT jinsukjeong evaluationofthemonetaryvalueofairpollutantsreductionbyforestsinsouthkorea
AT chanryulpark evaluationofthemonetaryvalueofairpollutantsreductionbyforestsinsouthkorea