Economic and Public Value of Pine Forests in South Korea: Implications for Cost-Effective Pine Wilt Disease Management

Pine Wilt Disease (PWD) poses a significant threat to pine forests worldwide, resulting in substantial ecological and economic losses. In South Korea, where pine trees have significant cultural and ecological value, considerable resources are invested annually in controlling the disease. Despite these efforts, PWD continues to spread, raising concerns about the long-term effectiveness of management strategies. This study evaluates the combined economic and public values of pine forests while analyzing the cost-effectiveness of current PWD control measures. The study revealed that pine forests in South Korea provide substantial economic and public benefits, which increase with stand age and tree size. These values reflect the current and future benefits of timber production, Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs), and public Willingness To Pay (WTP) for conservation. Spatial analysis further identified high-value regions vulnerable to PWD, emphasizing the importance of targeted control measures. The combined economic and public values of pine forests significantly outweigh the costs of PWD management, demonstrating the cost-effectiveness of current measures. The results provide critical data to inform evidence-based policy decisions for sustainable pine forest management in South Korea.