抄録
To aid the conservation of vanishing old-growth fukugi trees (Garcinia subelliptica) in Okinawa
Prefecture, this study aimed to compile an inventory of the dimensions and spatial distribution of such trees planted centuries ago as windbreaks along homestead borderlines. This paper reports our field survey results and findings from a small island, Taketomi Island, belonging to Yaeyama Island Group. We measured 1,194 fukugi trees with a minimum diameter at breast height (DBH) of 5 cm. Mean tree height, DBH, and estimated tree age are 6.05 m, 22.7 cm, and 90.8 years, respectively. Furthermore, almost 60% of the surveyed trees were planted on the east and north sides of homesteads to protect them from typhoons and monsoonal winds in the winter. Huge trees older than 250 years were distributed across 12 different homesteads. In addition to G. subelliptica, other useful tree species, namely Podocarpus macrophyllus and Diospyros egbert-walkeri, were commonly found as homestead windbreaks. Similar to other islands, he need for conservation initiatives and projects for these remnant old-growth trees is urgent, as they are vital parts of the scenic landscape for tourists on Taketomi Island.
