Abstract
The riparian forest in Hosomidani Valley, located in the West Chugoku Mountains, in western Japan, is facing an environmental crisis because of a major on-going forest road construction project undertaken by the Japan Green Resources Agency. Most of the original vegetation in Chugoku district has already been lost due to industrial activity, and the Hosomidani area is one of the few areas where precious habitat has been maintained. Researchers and NGOs jointly investigated the area and discovered many species in different taxa in Hosomidani that are listed in the Red Data Book (RDB). It is urgently important to protect these species and their habitat and to maintain the biodiversity of the Hosomidani area.
