This study used the nearest feature model to connect forest patches within the western Geum River Basin. Due to many different forest patch sizes, 3 alternative methods were tested to determine the best way to establish an ecological network with forest patches. Alternative 1 used all forest patches to determine whether patches were large enough. Alternative 2 used forest patches over 10 ha in size. Alternative 3 used natural conservation indices to select forest patches containing better qualities in the natural conservation level. As a result 635 out of 724 patches of over 10 ha were selected for comparison. Alternative 1 showed that forest patches of less than 10 ha were outliers interrupting the establishment of the ecological network. They generated an unnecessary ecological network to link core areas to comparison features. The ecological network was improved by using forest patches greater than 10 ha in size(Alternative 2). Each comparison feature was much more hierarchically connected to core areas in Alternative 2 than in Alternative 1. Forest patches filtered by natural conservation indices were useful for obtaining the best ecological network. Alternative 3 clearly showed the connections in the ecological network between core areas and forest.