Study on Methodology of Watershed Planning under a Master Plan for Parks and Open Spaces in Urban Areas

Abstract

This study aims to compare and discuss methodologies on watershed planning in the “Top 40” master plans for parks and open spaces, selected by the Evaluation Committee in 2013,leaded by Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT). The following four points were clarified. The first is the most cities adopted the concept of watershed management as a basic policy of planning. The second is there is pioneering cities which have developed innovative methodologies of watershed planning, Yokohama, Kamakura, Kakamigahara. The third is the characteristic of the methodology differs depends on the requirement of each city and the purpose of plan. In Yokohama, they developed the environmental management system through the designation of watershed division. In Kamakura, the analysis of bio-diversity in small watershed units provided the rational reason for the preservation of green spaces. In Kakamigahara, the preservation of Satoyama led the most important policies for protecting drinking water resources. The forth is that the watershed planning had a lot of varieties reflected each city's condition. However, the methodology is effective for evaluating complex environment, such as forest, agricultural land, water system and wetland. Also, it is not limited to green spaces but could be applied to the whole environment, including urban areas.