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NPOS AND OTHER GROUPS IN KANSAI ARE VERY ACTIVE IN REVIVING SATOYAMA
4/25/2005

This is the season when fields and mountains are covered with greenery again. With its coming, community activities to conserve and restore the natural environment have become very active in the Kansai region. In Kyoto, in particular, which is the birthplace of Kyoto Protocol for measures to prevent global warming, both the government and residents hold keen interest in Nature. Non-profit organizations and other groups are very active in reviving satoyama (village groves and mountains) as well as in reforestation.

The Kyoto Protocol, which came into force in February 2005, is an international convention seeking a reduction in greenhouse gases. The Protocol is aimed at reducing the emission of carbon dioxide, which is converted back into oxygen by woods, and is not unrelated to problems faced by village groves and mountains, as well as bigger mountains.

--- Citizens' groups rise ---
Awareness of this problem has prompted 'Biotope Network Kyoto,' a group of Kyoto citizens, to start working in 2003. Since approximately 8,000 square meters of coppice (copse) and fallow field (in Shirakawa, Uji City) had gone wild, some 15 friends started to get together on Saturdays once or twice a month to cut bamboos which had encroached on coppice, to cut weeds and clean irrigation ponds. Today, the coppice is back to life again, frogs are spawning in the ponds, where you can also see nymphs of dragonflies.

In January 2004, the group obtained a legal status as a non-profit organization. It has begun to conduct school biotopes and roof-top biotopes to conserve or restore Nature in urban areas, and courses for the development of human resources. In the Uji City project to restore village groves and mountains, members are already thinking about resuming paddy field cultivation to grow rice. Akio Koizumi, Vice President of the group, says, 'In July, we will start a new group called 'Satoyama Club' so that people can take part in our activities more casually.'

--- Environment Ministry plays a part ---
Activities for conservation of satoyama and restoration of woods started not only with a serious aim of global-warming prevention but also with hopes of resurrecting lumber producing areas and protecting beautiful sceneries which comfort the spirit. Hence, the movement is spreading.

In Miyazu City, Kyoto Prefecture, which had been chosen as an area in the 'satochi (fields) and satoyama preservation model project' introduced in 2004 by the Environment Ministry, 'Satoyama Network Seya' is working actively. Ayabe City, also in Kyoto Prefecture, has its 'Satoyama Net Ayabe.' Other citizens' groups and NPOs include 'Yamashiro Satoyama no Kai' in Kyotanabe City , Kyoto Prefecture, and many others formed regionally or to pursue specific goals. Each of these groups is engaged in unique activities.

One of the elements which support this movement is educational campaigns by prefectural and municipal governments, which are active outside of Kyoto Prefecture as well. In spring, 2004, one of the newspaper companies held 'Japan's Satochi Satoyama 30-A Competition of Conservation Activities.' It chose four groups from the Kansai region, including 'Satoyama Club' in Osaka, 'Society to Try Nature Restoration: Biotope Mencius' in Wakayama and the above-mentioned two groups in Miyazu and Ayabe. Many local governments have their own ordinances to create green countryside (e.g., Sasayama City, Hyogo Prefecture). Under the theme of satoyama or greenery, enthusiasm for the conservation and restoration of natural environment is about to flourish. (K)

Satoyama: The mountainous terrain and woodlands that are located nearby villages and deeply connected with villagers' daily life. They used to be supply sources of firewood, edible wild plant and daily life water. There still remains a satoyama landscape in suburban districts such as in Kyoto.

From Kansai Window, April 20,2005
Kippo News



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