Characteristics of High Hedges in Nasu Settlement, Kanra Town, Gunma Prefecture

Abstract

The distribution and tree species composition of a high windbreak hedge was investigated in a Nasu settlement located in a mountainous area, Kanra town, Gunma prefecture. We identified 28 high hedges that had heights of more than 3 m, and there were a lot of west-facing hedges to a house. Although Quercus myrsinifolia often dominated in the high hedges, fruit, flowering and wildflower trees grew at the study site. A characteristic of high hedge management is the bending of branches using a latticed bamboo set. These high hedges that form a specialized windbreak are important as a unique climatic and cultural landscape element.