Changes in the Environment and User Preferences in Oze Wetland as a Mountain Tourist Destination and Response to Them

Abstract

This paper takes Oze Wetland as a case study area known as a mountain tourist destination and outlines the characteristics of the natural environment of the Oze Wetland and the history of its use. It then clarifies how to respond to shifts in user preferences. The history and environment of Oze reveal the geological value of Oze as a wetland facing a rapid decline in its wetland environment and has come to symbolize the nature conservation movement in Japan. In addition to this, various efforts such as programs to educate visitors to carry their waste with them have been developed as a response to changes in the natural ecosystem and changing user preferences. In recent years grazing damage to vegetation and destruction of floor vegetation due to an increase in Japan’s sika deer population has become a serious issue and this paper examines the possibility of establishing a fund to protect the wetland.