Use of ecosystem services and land ownership to prioritize conservation areas on Jeju Island, Republic of Korea

Abstract

In the face of ecological challenges, sustainable implementation of conservation strategies necessitates a delicate balance between ecosystem services, biodiversity, land ownership, and cost considerations. This study presents a conservation strategy for Jeju Island, Republic of Korea, an area renowned for its unique ecological features. We developed the strategy by evaluating 12 scenarios involving the establishment of protected areas (PAs) and the use of other effective area-based conservation measures (OECMs). The purpose of this evaluation was not to enhance ecosystem services and biodiversity directly but rather to identify strategies that could achieve these goals in a financially feasible way, considering the various cost and land ownership factors. Our findings revealed that conservation prioritization targets are primarily located in the central and eastern regions of Jeju Island, where ecosystem services are concentrated, and levels of biodiversity are high. The expansion of conservation targets from 17% to 30% entailed increased costs, largely due to the increased inclusion of private lands and agricultural areas. The introduction of OECMs provided a means to improve ecological network and representation within conservation networks. We also found that applying penalties to improve the boundary lengths of PAs could lead to more cost-effective conservation strategies. Although expanding conservation targets to 30% led to significant shifts in land ownership patterns and increased conservation costs, the benefits to biodiversity and provision of ecosystem services were substantial. This study provided valuable insights into the determination of conservation planning through the harmonization of biodiversity prot ection, provision of ecosystem services, and consideration of economic costs related to patterns of land use and ownership. The results can aid policymakers and stakeholders in making informed decisions about resource allocation in biodiversity conservation.