Networking in the River Basin by Canoe Clubs and its Possibility

For Forming the Arena for New Way of River Improvement

Abstract

People living in urban area is starting to notice importance of forest in upriver district concerning to the water resource and outdoor recreation. And networking on various levels between urban area and rural area in a river basin is demanded to reactivate communities in mountain region. The Teshio river in the northern part of Hokkaido keeps better condition of natural environment, because the river improvement work has been delayed there. The natural environment has a possibility to develop the nature based tourism by giving fields of canoeing for urban people. Networking of local governments in the basin was needed to realize it. But it had not been formed until the 1980s. Canoe clubs established by local resident in each municipality have started to form a grass roots network from the beginning of the 1990s. This network has formed a broader network that covered levels from grass roots to government by connecting with environmental groups, Hokkaido Development Board and Department of civil engineering construction that are managing river improvement and local governments. And it is initiating a project in the unit of the basin to reactivate communities. This paper will show the status and problems of the broader network in the basin by focusing on the relationship with the canoe clubs network.