Abstract
In Japan, as well as globally, emphasis has been placed recently on the cooperation between sustainable development and multifunctional social capital building, with respect to the conservation of local ecosystems. In this regard, a wide-ranging environmental assessment is necessary to facilitate a successful partnership. We have consequently surveyed and evaluated the conditions and challenges pertaining to the conservation of fauna and flora in relation to 417 road-building projects in Japan. Our results have indicated that during the implementation phase the environmental conservation measures (ECM) appeared to be disproportionately slanted in favor of certain taxonomic groups (i.e., rare raptors and orchidaceous plants). However, in the investigative phase, most taxonomic groups had been surveyed to consider the target conservation species. The number of target species relevant to the ECM varied by region. Mostly, the duration of the monitoring period after the ECM was one or two years. Our survey indicated that a limited number of projects were attempting to apply sustainable environmental conservation measures, with cooperation from the road operators, regional communities, and scientists.
