Nature Conservation Strategies for the 'SATOYAMA' and 'SATOCHI', Habitats for Secondary Nature in Japan

抄録

 The importance of conserving the traditional Japanese rural landscapes, 'SATOYAMA' and 'SATOCHI', as habitat for secondary nature is well recognized by Japanese society today. These landscapes suffered large-scale destruction during the late-1960s, especially due to rapid urbanization of the peripheries of major cities in the wake of rapid economic growth. The natural environment of the 'SATOYAMA' was widely destroyed. Citizens' movements since then have attempted to protect and manage such secondary nature, which is considered a valuable space for guaranteeing both the quality of life and regional biodiversity. A long-term conservation strategy for the 'SATOCHI' should be framed to revitalize the economy of Japan's rural areas and for utilizing secondary nature for domestic biomass production in this era of global environmentalism. The lost nature of the 'SATOCHI' will also need to be restored with an aim to reconstruct an ecological network on national lands.