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Crops formerly cultivated in the DMZ included rice, grown in paddy fields, and vegetables such as potatoes, cabbage, cucumbers, corn, and tomatoes grown along with grains other than rice in well-drained fields. Since these fields were well fertilized with manure, the soils were not impoverished at the time cultivation was abandoned. During the past 15 years grasses, forbs, shrubs, and some oak trees have grown up in the former vegetable fields; and the paddy fields are now covered with grasses and trees such as poplar and acacia. Seemingly, the former pine forests of the mountainous areas are changing to oak forests.

As might be anticipated, the abundance of birds and mamals feeding on grains dropped sharply and both variety and abundance of insectivorous birds and their predators increased withing the zone over the past 15 years. Wild boar [[strikethrough]],[[/strikethrough]] and Korean deer have increased markedly, and the Korean tiger, which is probably extinct in South Korea, may now occur in the DMZ. Among the more conspicuous birds that have increased in numbers are the Korean crane, white-naped crane, Japanese crested ibis, Japanese stork, black stork, spoonbill, Tristram woodpecker, swan, ring-necked pheasant, and magpie.

On the basis of preliminary surveys made by Korean scientists in December 1965 and May 1966, the following areas ^[[in the Buffer zone]] were selected for intensive study:

(1) [[underlined]] Punc^[[h]]-uk-kol [[/underlined]] (37° 55'; 126° 40'). This area, located near the west end of the DMZ about 30 miles from Seoul, was intensively cultivated for rice and vegetables prior to the war. The U.A. Army controls this area, and the Korean Army controls the following three areas.

(2) [[underlined]] Myojan-dong [[/underlined]] (38° 17'; 127° 10'). Located almost in the central part of the DMZ about 60 miles from Seoul, this area was intensively disturbed and almost completely destroyed as a result of heavy combat during the war.

(3) [[underlined]] Injae [[/underlined]] (Punchbowl -- 38° 15'; 128° 05'). This ia a mountain basin located about 80 miles for Seoul. Here and in the following area the forest vegetation is comparatively well preserved.

(4) [[underlined]] Hyan^[[g]]-no-bong [[/underlined]] (38° 15'; 128° 17'). Located at the eastern end of the DMZ, this is a beautiful mountainous, forested area.