The purpose of this study is to determine the factors influencing bird distribution in rooftop vegetation in an urban area. We surveyed the distribution of bird species using point count method in fourteen study sites in the Tokyo Ward. We examined the relationships between bird distribution and other environmental factors, including vegetation on the rooftops and land use around the study sites. Pearson's correlation coefficient and TWINSPAN were used for data analysis. In this study's result, a significantly high rate of bird species inhabiting urban areas were found in study sites. Avian species diversity increased with the floristic species richness and the tall-tree-covered area of the rooftop vegetation, and the green-covered area around the study sites. Based upon these results, it may be desirable to increase the area covered with plants, including tall trees (h>3m) on the rooftops, to attract woodland bird species. As bird distribution on rooftop areas has implications for other environmental factors, like a surrounding green area, it appears it would be effective to consider rooftop vegetation area and surrounding green spaces together in the planning stage.

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The purpose of this paper is to show that the experiences in nature in childhood, especially contact with animals and plants by play contribute to recognition of animals and plants habitat places. The kinds of the playing with animals and plants were collected by questionnaire and hearing, and the data was analyzed by dividing into 5 types of fishes and shellfishes, insects, birds, plants and others. In conclusion, some fishs habitats and the watersides environment were memorized by some ways of catching fish and swimming in the river; some insects habitats were memorized roughly; birds habitats were memorized and described not these habitat places but the situation of encounter the bird; some plants habitats that have appeal for play or have especially habitats, these habitats were memorized closely.

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Since most lands have been transformed by human activities in Europe, a protected area system that is aiming at conserving cultural landscapes formed by agriculture and forestry plays an important role for nature conservation policy. German nature park system is classified into this category. This study clarified the characteristics of the management organizations of German nature parks. First, the situation of protected area systems in Germany was examined in comparison with other European countries. Second, the characteristic of the nature park system in Germany was reviewed by using the prescription of the German federal nature conservation law. Finally, the present situation of management organizations of the nature parks was investigated with reference to a past study report and a field research conducted in three case examples. The study concluded that more than half of German nature parks were managed by their own corporations composed of local members such as municipalities, counties and non-governmental organizations in the western part of Germany. Nature park corporations emphasize the promotion of joint tourism development in cooperation with local municipalities. The main activity of the nature park corporations was to implement projects that contribute to landscape conservation and recreational development. The support of regional development was also an important role of nature park management.

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In this research, the rural work experience program for a high school student was carried out as a proposal of the natural experience program which leads to the environmental education or rural-urban integration. In the experience program, three courses (a day's trip,and one night - two days,and two nights- three days) were arranged, and coniferous forest thinning and agricultural works, such as rice harvesting, were conducted. The results were as follows: Through the questionnaire to the students before and after experience,their rural and environmental consciousness showed to tend deeper by the program. The follow-up survey after the program also showed the effect of the program on their rural consciousness and wish to nature contact.However, it became clear that most of them could not participate in the conservation action, due to time shortage in their daily life.

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This study is aimed at finding measures for the sustainable development of Satoyama preservation activities. First, questionnaires were distributed to various civic groups working for Satoyama preservation in Osaka prefecture, asking if there were any difference in group size and activities between the beginning and the present and how different they were. Next, among the valid responses, the groups that showed any improvement in their management forms were selected, and interviewed on how they had carried out their activities and developed their management system. Then, by noting the time period when major changes had occurred in the management form and clarifying the causes and effects that had been closely related to the operational improvements, any way for sustainable development was studied. The results show that what are needed are; (1) acquiring the knowledge on Satoyama and management skills at earlier stages; (2) introducing programs for considering a variety of relationships between Satoyama and people, whereby Satoyama can be regarded as not only the place to be preserved, but also the one for leisure activities, relaxation, and learning; (3) establishing the administrative function as an independent organization; and (4) having the local government play an administrative role of backing up civic groups in their initial movements as well as serve as a bridge between different organizations of the kind, which will surely help the development of civic groups.

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Recently, Japan has seen the trend throughout the nation that management activities for preserving Satoyama have been more voluntarily conducted by local residents. The management activities ranged from region to region, depending on the levels of management skill local residents acquired, which have made it difficult for researchers to predict how effective management activities, including thinning and forest floor management, are in preserving Satoyama. This study was conducted to estimate the management efficiency in preserving Satoyama in Osaka Prefecture through a field survey. The field survey was carried out at 21 different areas, and the interview was conducted on 6 different groups of local residents who voluntarily participated in management activities. The results obtained were: 1) management efficiency played a big difference between the initial management, such as thinning and creating square, and the regular management such as weed clearing; 2) As for manual labor, management efficiency was 4.2 persons/100 m2/day in the initial management when thinning was only conducted monthly by the operating officials. Management efficiency was 2.8 persons/100 m2/day in the regular management activities excluding weed clearing, which was conducted monthly by the operating officials; 3) As for machine use, management efficiency almost doubled when compared with those with manual labor. Management efficiency was 2.0 persons/100 m2/day in the initial management, and 1.8 persons/100 m2/day in the regular management.

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The objective of this study is to find a way in which the factors relating to the succession of the village landscape of Sasabuki (thatched roof with dwarf bamboo, Sasa palmata) in the Tango Peninsula, can be determined, by understanding the processes of change occurring within its landscape, the causes of the decreasing number of Sasabuki houses, and the practical difficulties in maintaining them. We chose Kamiseya in Miyazu City, Kyoto Prefecture, analyzed documents concerning Kamiseya and we interviewed local residents, asking them how they maintained and managed Sasabuki roofs, and the reasons why they gave up Sasabuki. Then, we selected 6 other cases of thatched houses, and did the same analysis as the previous. In Kamiseya, management of Sasabuki houses was previously supported by system of mutual assistance. From 1960 to 1970, Sasabuki houses dramatically decreased. The causes were lack of labor due to rapid depopulation and aging, and a reduction of dwarf bamboo resources in both quantity and quality, because Kayaba had been replaced by artificial forests. Of those surveyed, the householders personal attachment to Sasabuki have allowed for the maintenance. It is significant to devise a system, which manages and utilizes Sasabuki in order to allow the succession of Sasabuki village landscape.

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The present study was performed to determine whether a single large or several small (SLOSS) forest fragments contain greater numbers of plant species in urban areas. We calculated the cumulative numbers of plant species and total area of 1-5 patch combinations in 22 fragmented forest patches in the Kyoto City area. The number of plant species in several (2-5) small patches tended to be greater than that in single large patches. Combinations of several patches containing more plants had longer perimeters, shorter isolation distances from mountain forests, or more micro landform types. Therefore, in an urban plant conservation strategy, small patches should be created, and such distributions should take into consideration landscape elements, such as perimeter, isolation, and internal habitat diversity.

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In Michinoku Lakewood National Government Park, the potential habitats of the several herbal species that found commonly in the forest floor and were preferred by park users were predicted from topographical factors and route census data. Potential-Habitat maps of the species were deduced from the analysis of the relations between the plant distributions along the census routes and the topographical factors (slope steepness, slope direction, hill-shade, and topographic wetness index TWI) and DEM (Digital Elevation Model) with GIS (Geographical Information System). Species richness and diversity in small watershed areas were evaluated with the Potential-Habitat maps thus obtained. The effective maintenance scheme of the forest floor can be evaluated by the potential habitats and the steepness of the site, and the areas in the park were classified with these criteria.

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In a park planning in the hilly landscape, it is necessary to balance use by people with preservation of the biota. Therefore, it is called for that a planner appropriately extracts the place suitable for use and the place for preservation. In this research, the environmental synthetic evaluation using two axes, ecosystem quality and convenience for people, was conducted in the Michinoku Lakewood National Government Park in Kawasaki Town, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. Using GIS, we conducted comprehensive evaluation on ecosystem quality from the viewpoints of forest floor plants, plant community complexes, avian species, and aquatic and semi-aquatic species in swamps, and on the degree of peoples convenience from the standpoints of slope, aspect, viewshed, and accessibility. Our results can be classified into four use types with the cross tabulation.

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It is quite important to develop efficient methods of environmental survey, evaluation and estimation for river ecosystem management. Actual vegetation map has been commonly used as an information source of river environment. However, it is difficult to understand vegetation transition processes using only one vegetation map at a period of time because riverine vegetation alternates continually in a dynamic river ecosystem. A vegetation map database was developed with maps at 6 different times using Geographical Information System (GIS). The vegetation classification legend of 62 classes were consolidated into 7 vegetation/cover classes based on flood disturbance. Cross tabulation analyses were performed on temporal continuous two vegetation maps. The vegetation/cover classes were changed at more than four out of ten study area in each maps. Cluster analysis was performed using reference index which indicates the degree of flood disturbance. Classification result suggested that there were 6 types of vegetation transition and these types were mapped using GIS. These results suggest that multi-temporal vegetation maps were useful for understanding vegetation transition and trend in a river ecosystem.

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To clarify the effects of sheep pasturing to meadow in open space on plant height, standing crop, and people's impression, six sheep were pastured in the grass (about 800m²) in the campus of Hokkaido University for 13 days. Although the plant height or standing crop could be controlled by sheep grazing, the extent differed depending on the plant species. Influences of variability of the growth level of each plant species and the palatability of each plant species on the control of plants were considered. In further experiments, effects of the timing of pasturage or palatability on the control of plant height or standing crop should be confirmed. In the survey, it was clarified that respondents had regarded the sheep favorably or the scenery including sheep, and generally agreed with the use of sheep in grass management. However, there is a possibility that many of respondents have been interested in sheep pasturage in advance, because there were several reports by the media before pasturage. Attitudes of residents or tourists to the sheep grazing should be further evaluated.

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For the purpose of creating the physiognomy of summer-green high forests and increasing species richness, the coppice forests (summer-green secondary forests) were managed by cutting lucidophyllous shrubs and bamboo grasses, and by keeping dominant trees like Pinus densiflora and Quercus serrata intact. Twenty fixed quadrates were set in 13 areas under the Sato-yama Management Project in Hyogo Prefecture, and the vegetation has been investigated for nine years after the management. As a result, the number of species had much increased in the first 5 years after the management, by comparing with those of before this management, except for some areas that species such as Dicranopteris linearis were dominant. The main species that increased after the management was Fagetea crenatae, which is the dominant species in the coppice forests. And the ratio of the number of disappeared species against those of appeared were low in Fagetea crenatae, while the ratio were high in Artemisietea princes, Miscanthetea sinensis and Chenopodietea. These species are not the dominant species in the coppice forests. Therefore, it is considered that Hyogo-model vegetation management is effective in the maintenance and increasing the species richness in the coppice forests. In addition, the secondary management, when the number of newly appeared species reach plateaus, showed to be adequate to keep the species richness.

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Diversity in plant species on the floor of coppice forest forms beautiful forest floor scenery. The purpose of this study was to examine conservation measures to maintain the flowering of forest floor plants. A case study was conducted to understand the relationships between forest management and flowering of forest floor plants in the Michinoku Lakewood National Government Park in Kawasaki Town, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. Flowering ratios of Disporum smilacinum, Ainsliaea acerifolia var. subapoda, Tricyrtis affinis, etc. were increased in plots with thinning and brush cutting, and in plots with brush cutting. Flowering ratios of Rhododendron obtusum var. kaempferi, Epimedium grandiflorum var. thunbergianum and Veratrum maackii var. maackioides were increased in plots only with thinning and brush cutting. These results showed that thinning is necessary to increase flowering of R. obtusum var. kaempferi etc. Brush cutting without thinning was also effective to increase flowering of D. smilacinum, A. acerifolia var. subapoda, T. affinis, etc.

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Shimane Prefectural Sanbe Nature Museum recognizes grassland plants in the neighboring field as the important asset representing the open air exhibition and therefore, performs mowing several times a year for the management of Kitanohara grassland. The objective of the present study was to investigate influences of mowing frequencies on flowering of grassland plants, by monitoring the flowering status at 3 sites exposed to mowing at different frequencies to assess optimal care methods for grassland plants as the open air exhibition. Each plot measuring 20m square was assigned to each site, followed by recording number of flowering stems in the plot as well as time-course changes of vegetational heights and percentage of vegetational cover in sub-plots. Vegetational heights reflect influences of mowing while there was a tendency towards maintaining lower stems at the plots subjected to frequent mowing. As regards flowering status, plants characteristic of flowering in spring did not reflect differences in mowing frequencies so much; in contrast, however, plants characterized with flowering in autumn tended to show less flowering at the plots undergoing frequent mowing.

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We examined effect of vegetation management on the species composition in wetlands in a valley of hilly site (altitude 130-200 m) in Shiga Prefecture. The study site had been paddy fields until 20 years before the investigation was done. Two 1 x 1 m2 quadrats were mowed and other tow quadrats were tilled at eight stands of different types of vegetation. Cover of each species was recorded in these four quadrats and two control quadrats. Water level, water quality and light condition were recorded at each stands. Canonical Correspondence Analysis suggested that water level strongly affected on the species composition in the study site. The reed, Phragmites australis vegetation was formed in the stands with highest water level and Carex dispalata was formed in the site with lowest water level. Tilling and mowing also affect the species composition. These disturbances generally increased annual grasses and reduced perennial and tree species in general. However the magnitude and direction of the change were depend on the existing vegetation type.

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Forest verges to paddy fields on lowermost hillside slopes are considered one of the most important habitats not only for managing forest species but also for semi-natural meadow species and species in wet conditions in the Satoyama landscape. To clarify the floristic composition of the verges in relation to environmental characteristics such as light intensity, surface soil water content, slope, slope direction and soil thickness, we sampled 33 research plots in the Tama Hills, central Japan. The results showed that although geomorphic locations were almost the same, light intensity and surface soil water content varied among plots, and these differences affected species composition. In the compositional groups of TWINSPAN classification, light intensity and surface soil water content were the principal factors that affected plant species composition. Brighter conditions due to mowing management as well as slope direction significantly enhanced the number of both meadow species and species in fields or at roadsides, while wetter conditions due to the location of aquifer and the difference in soil thickness meant a significant increase in the abundance of wetland species.

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The population dynamics of saplings taller than 50cm were investigated from 1998 to 2003 in every year in the whole 6048m² area of the restored natural habitat Inochi-No-Mori in Kyoto city. There were 1249 saplings in the area in 2003. Population density was 32.2 individuals / 100m². Celtis sinensis formed 32.3% of the total number of individuals and was dominant species of Inochi-No-Mori. Only 126 saplings had been dead from 1998 to 2003 , so mortality rate was very low. We examined the height growth characteristic of saplings. As a result, there were size dependencies on the height growth of saplings. So we approximated the height distributions of saplings by exponential functions. By using this model, simulation about the height growth of each sapling was conducted in assuming that mortality rate and number of recruitment individuals was constant. We got the calculated size distributions from 1999 to 2003 and compared the calculated size distributions with the observed ones. As a result, differences between the observed size distributions and the calculated ones were very slight. This model predicted that the frequency of saplings taller than 500cm would be highest in 2015. The simulation was very valid for predication dynamics of saplings.

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We said, in the previous report, that scenic beauty thinning is more effective than ordinary thinning to transit Hinoki cypress from its mass artificial forest to the mixed forest. To do scenic beauty thinning, we have to recognize what kind of type the tree form belongs to but actually it is hard to recognize it properly and apply it because there was a big difference between individual judgments. Our purpose, in this report, is to investigate the individual species competition and tree form of untouched cypress artificial forest. And also we aimed to quantitatively consider the standard to choose trees for scenic beauty thinning in cypress artificial forest. We investigated the cypress artificial forest (some types of age) untouched for at least 30 years. As a result, there were not any factors (deciding tree forms) having a competitive influence on the individual trees and neighboring trees. Obviously there are not still competitive relationships between comparatively high-density massive trees and neighboring trees. It is hard to choose trees for scenic beauty thinning in cypress artificial forest. Therefore we found that the conventional method would have to be reconsidered.

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This paper aims to research about how to control the vigorous bamboo forest expansion, through surveying the cleared Japanese cypress forest stands which were seriously invaded by Phyllostanchys pubescens and P. bambusoides. After clear cutting in April to June, both bamboo species soon sprouted temporal bamboo grass-like shoots, without near the stand of remaining bamboo forest. In the next spring of normal shooting season, in the stand near the remaining bamboo forest, the similar size of bamboo shoots sprouted vigorously, and in the bamboo grass-like stand, the bigger shoots by 3 or 4m height sprouted a lot. On the other hand, after clear cutting, vigorous woody pioneer plants such as Fagara ailanthoides and Mallotus japonicus also grew thick in every stands. However, as the sprouted bamboo shoots were not suffered any damage by the pioneer plants, it is considered to be necessary to cut again the sprouting bamboo shoots for controlling their expansion.

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Although Eupatorium japonicum Thunb. is a threatened plant species in Japan, conservation ecological studies on it have not been enough for conservation practices. Conservation of threatened plant species requires information on seed germination and soil seed bank. In the present study, we conducted germination tests with gradual temperature method (GTM) considering the light conditions, aiming to evaluate the expression of physiological traits contributing to accumulate their seeds into soil seed banks. We also tried to germinate the seeds contained in the soil that was sampled within a habitat of this species in order to detect the soil seed bank. We found no germination traits contributing to accumulate their seeds into soil seed banks. We also could not detect their seeds in the soil within its habitat. We concluded that this plant does not have the mechanisms for soil seed bank formation. Therefore, if all of above-ground local populations will become extinct, it means extinction of this plants metapopulation. As we can not rely on soil seed banks for population restoration, our immediate task is to conserve the existing individuals and their habitats. When we should conduct the restoration of this plant, it is effective enough to disperse their cold-stratified seeds before the beginning of spring.

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Understanding the ecological features of wetland plants is essential to establish a conservation plan for quickly decreasing wetlands in the suburbs. We analyzed the relationships between environmental factors and the sprouting, the growth, and the flowering of Saururus chinensis in abandoned paddy fields on valley bottoms with the aim of deriving guidelines for the wetland conservation using this species. We achieved three results: (1) Sprouting in the next spring is promoted by thinning high plants in fall. (2) The higher the water contents in soil, the more the number of sprouting is. (3) Lower vegetation coverage in shrub layers helps its growing, however the growth is restricted under the environment of the low sun radiation or the low soil water contents. (4) Flowering is promoted by higher sun radiation. Thinning shrubs and trees in and by abandoned rice paddy fields on valley bottoms will extend the habitat of Saururus chinensis, keep the soil water contents higher, and keep the sun radiation higher, therefore, will promote the sprouting, the growth, and the flowering of this species.

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Litter layers in parks and recreational forests are generally abandoned as fallen leaves and twigs, while those include many woody seeds and have some potential of seasonal seed bank. This paper presents early growth of Quercus serrata seedlings or epicotyl out of litter layers, for the purpose of reusing them. Litters were gathered from Quercus serrata campus forest and campus park areas, and then were laid out different centimeters thick on the experimental plots. Those litter layer plots were prepared on the forest floor and also in the open field. As a result, germination and seedling growth out of litter layers were better on the open field than on the forest floor. The growth was affected by temperature within litter layer, due to the difference of layer's thickness. In general, revegetative works are carried out on the open field or the area where has few shelter from daylight. Those results suggested potential of revegetative technique reusing litter layers on the open field.

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Leaves size in longitudinal and transverse direction of dandelion (Taraxacum officinale Weber.) were measured in every two days after removal of whole above ground organs at natural day length and at dark conditions in pots culture. Area and dry weight of each leaf was estimated non-destructively by using allometric relations, which were made from sampling leaves. The light condition caused differences in re-growth of dandelions between at natural day length and at dark condition. Light-photosynthesis curve revealed that light saturated productivity of leaves was about 13.0 CO2 μmol/m²/sec. and that respiration rate as 0.49 CO2 μmol/m²/sec. Quantity balance of photosynthetic production was estimated for each leaf in every day. New leaf grew rapidly and reached the maximum size in 10 days after emergence. Surplus production kept nearly balanced zero throughout this period. The balance became surplus after leaf completed the growth. Production economy during the early stage in each leaf was a self-supporting process without depending source on other organs. A leaf got about 0.3g dry weight surplus production during the life span. It is considered that these characteristics of dandelion adapted to the grassland that disturbed frequently by mowing or trampling.

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The purpose of this study was to clarify the structure and habitat conditions of Epilobium angustfolium communities for the sake of vegetation management on semi-natural grassland. Vegetation and soil conditions of Epilobium angustfolium communities were investigated at four study areas in the middle-southern part of Nagano Prefecture in central Japan. Five types of plant communities were distinguished at the third level of the TWINSPAN classification, and at the fourth level, seven variations of one were distinguished. These vegetation types were related in various study areas. Epilobium angustfolium communities were formed at from man-made naked lands to Miscanthus sinensis type grasslands. Except for one type of Epilobium angustfolium community, all vegetation types were consisted of many characteristic species of Arundinello-Miscathion sinensis alliance. The DCA axis 1 was related to the species diversity and gradient of the communities, on the other hand the DCA axis 2 was related to the soil moisture on the ones. It suggested that the habitat niche of Epilobium angustfolium is remarkably wide

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In order to clarify that Ligustrum lucidum has invaded the wild in Japan, we researched by using literatures on how so many Ligustrum lucidum had been imported into Japan as a roadside tree over the last 23 years, and how many out of the 123 major rivers in Japan Ligustrum lucidum was found in.Then we investigated existence,number of individuals, distribution density and the growing condition of Ligustrum lucidum at the natural and artificial green districts in two new residential areas in western Japan. In result, we revealed that about 15 million Ligustrum lucidum were imported to Japan for the last 23 years and that Ligustrum lucidum has been distributed at 25.2 percent of the major rivers in Japan. 31.9 percent of natural green districts have been invaded by a lot of individuals of Ligustrum lucidum.The density of these was very high,and Ligustrum lucidum has grown well in natural and artificial forests. To our knowledge, we conclude that Ligustrum lucidum is an invasive alien plant in Japan.

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We aimed to clear the average walk-speed on a wooden path in Ozegahara, Nikko National Park. This study analyzed on the variety situations to walk on a wooden path. We use the random sampling over 100 data by questioners and 20~30 data by observations. Additionally, we treated the intentional sampling data with field survey. Whole of situations with rests or without, the walk-speed was 1.07 (m/s) in crowded situation. And we got the furnish walk-speed with three situation. First situation, the visitors walked in crowded with no rests. The walk-speed was 1.22 (m/s) (median) at this situation. Second situation, the visitor walked in crowded with some rests. The walk-speed was 0.87 (m/s) (median). Third situation, the visitor walked in no crowded with no rests. The walk-speed was 1.15 (m/s) (median). As the results, we brought out the useful data of the walk-speed on a wooden path.

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This study aims to determine both the factors which account for the fluctuation in the number of visitors and the effect of decentralizing visitors in the Oze area of Nikko National Park. After clarifying the fluctuation in the number of visitors to the Oze area over the past fifteen years, the multiple regression equation was used to examine the fluctuation in the number of visitors in terms of social factors, nature factors and traffic control factors in the Oze area of Gunma prefecture over the last three years. The analysis showed that decentralizing visitors on weekdays had a clear effect on all areas of Oze, and there was an obvious dispersion of visitors away from crowded entrance spots in the area of Oze located in Fukushima prefecture. The analysis showed that decentralizing visitors on weekdays had a clear effect on all areas of Oze, and there was an obvious dispersion of visitors away from crowded entrance spots in the area of Oze located in Fukushima prefecture. The flowering period of the giant skunk cabbage seems an increase in the number of visitors to Hatomachitohge, as do weekend for Ohshimizu. The analysis further showed that controlling the number of private cars and sightseeing buses had some effect on the decentralization of visitors in areas of Gunma prefecture.

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We aimed to clear the characteristics of crowding evaluation of visitors on wooden path at Ozegahara, Nikko National Park. We supposed the visitors on the pass spoiled the good view. And we researched to evaluate the crowding at the most abundant use section. we get the four results with compared with the impression to the actual place to video reflection of the place. 1) First, we picked up twenty scenes. We grasp the limited crowded impression point that there were 90 visitors within visible 500m. 2) On the other hand, research with video reflection was given smaller 14% than actual one. 3) Additionally, we understood the structure of impression of the crowded wooden path, the result constructed to three elements of image; "favor", "crowded" and "moving". And we knew the results were influenced for the weather, too. 4) we compared the results at actual space to video reflection. Finally, we indicated the research with video reflection was available for landscape evaluation.

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Too many public visitors in natural parks have threatened the integrity of natural and cultural resources and the quality of the visitor experience. In the concrete, not only the impact on the ecological system caused by visitors leavings and the eutrophication of the peripheral water, but also the conflict occurred by the interaction of visitors, including psychic overcrowding are as important problems as ever. To solve the psychic problems effectively, the comprehension on the nature of the visitors consciousness including perceived crowding is required. This paper deals with Oze, Nikko National Park called as the birthplace of nature conservation of Japan, and Mt. Fuji in Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park, a symbol of Japan. The purpose of this study is 1) to grasp the difference of the attributes and the consciousness of visitors in two parks and 2) to make clear the relation between them. In the result, the tendency for first visitors to be more satisfied than others, the difference that generation of visitors in each park perceived crowding strongly and like those were found.

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Little research has been done on visitors perceptions of ecological impacts caused by trampling on trails in mountainous areas. The objects of this study are to raise awareness by reviewing previous studies about perceptions of the ecological impacts on trails and to prepare materials to direct the management of trails based on a survey of visitors opinions. The study, conducted in Daisetsuzan National Park, focused on the ecological impacts on trails and visitors strategies of coping behavior with damaged sites. Self-administered mail-back questionnaires were used to elicit the visitors perceptions of the ecological impacts on trails. The questionnaires were supplemented by photographs depicting various kinds of damage. Most of the visitors indicated awareness of trail erosion, muddy conditions, and damage to vegetation. The majority of them recognized the need to deal with some of these conditions. The results of the study confirmed that not only the scenic but also ecological and functional aspects were included in visitors perceptions. Result showed that some users recognized their effects on the impacts at least, and had improved the coping behavior when they passed over a damaged site.

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Trail degradations have been found in most mountainous natural parks in Japan. For maintenance of trails, managers should pay attention to the attitudes of visitors and stakeholders, and they should get the consensus for the ideal maintenance method of trails with visitors and concerned stakeholders. The method that demonstrates projected trail maintenance measure is needed. Moreover managers should understand that the attitudes of hikers and stakeholders about trail maintenance are not always similar. In this paper, we applied photo-montage method to evaluate projected trail maintenance, and analyzed the differences of evaluations of hikers and stakeholders at Mt. Rishirisan in Rishiri Rebun Sarobetsu National Park, Japan. Stakeholders recognized trail impacts, and they felt necessity of some measures more than hikers did, especially around the summit of Mt. Rishirisan. Stakeholders and hikers evaluated the photograph which has steps with logs higher than other photographs. Hikers and stakeholders gave priority over the protection of vegetations and soils around trails. Stakeholders wanted the slight trail maintenance, the PR of the place where trails were degraded and the council which public administrators and local people would discuss the management of the mountain.

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A landscape including elements that identify its area becomes necessary condition in regional planning. A case study to investigate perception and evaluation structure of district identity at Arashiyama area, Kyoto City, was conducted. 30 subjects who lived in or near Kyoto City were asked to respond to structured interviews with landscape photographs by 2 types of improved repertory grid analyses. One analysis revealed a perception structure of forest landscape image, and another showed us a schematic network of criteria words expressing identity of Arashiyama area. This also clarified that how the criteria words involve concrete elements of district identity. And a relationship between evaluation of district identity and perception structure of forest landscape was analyzed by multiple regression analysis. The identity of Arashiyama area was strongly bound with the image of "artificiality" and "harmony". Furthermore, based on these results, an application for present regional landscape planning was discussed.

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This study was conducted to find what landscape was attractive to local residents in a rural area close to an urban city, on the edge of a hill full of farmlands, in terms of topographical features by using a photographic projection method. The results show that the landscape attractiveness to local residents differs depending on the topographical features unique to each local area. On the bottom of the valley, for example, a landscape including a waterway running through the bottom is more attractive to the residents. On the side of the valley, a landscape with step-like paddy fields and slope forests is more attractive. In the depressed or the flat area on top of the valley, pond surfaces or spacious farmlands, which play an important role, as the foreground, of comprising the scenery of slope forests and village houses in the mid distance as well as that of mountains in the far distance, are preferable. These results make it clear that the landform serves as a basis for supporting the attractiveness of the landscape. In addition, cited as favorable aspects by those local residents were, temples and shrines on the valley side, and traditional village houses, stone images of Jizo, lanterns for traditional festivals, as well as temples and shrines in the flat area on the top.

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The aims of this paper are to find important factors which should be considered in the formation of good farmland landscape based on the land use analysis and a photo questionnaire. The case of Biei, which has been a famous sight-seeing area for rural landscape in Hokkaido, was selected for this study. The results showed that hilly landforms, patchwork fields and panoramic views of far mountains were important factors in the preference of people. But the agricultural efficiency has needed land leveling of steep areas and significant negative effect of graded bur slopes was found. To conserve the beauty of hilly landscape, it is important to maintain the patchwork fields based on good farm management with some support from the public or visitors. Furthermore, the conservation of suitable forests or tree plantings which hide the bur slopes and also work as a good middle landscape element is desirable.

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There have been many residents who want to live in super-high rise buildings from where wonderful birds eye vies could be enjoyed. They may intend to have quite new landscape experiences from their rooms, and this would initiate the demand of constructing more high rise buildings for residential use.This study reffere to the tendency of residents' preference of green spaces through analysis of landscape attitude of residents through evaluation of landscape values of green space seen from their own rooms in the said building. Research was conducted in the site of new development project of JHDC in Minatoku, Tokyo. The results may indicate that the values of green spaces should be evaluated by the degree of landscape preference in relation to the expectation of green spaces as sources of new urban landscapes and object of bird eye view experiences from inside the rooms. The height of rooms would be thought as key factors of sense of satisfaction to the landscape and green spaces to bee seen from the high rise rooms.When residents live in the room from where valuable parks and green spaces, they may satisfy the quality of green space and that would attract them to go to the green space and enjoy the environment there. The degree of looking down angle, 10 may degree in this case was considered as critical.

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Consciousness toward green which an advantage made use of the existent trees of the housing rebuilding for and a taste were investigated, and this research looked for a green qualitative point of view. A resident questionnaire was done targeting Musashino midori-cho Parktown which completed rebuilding. 90% and more of the residents knew a "It is liked." thing about green as that result. There were most "There is much green and rich which green was abundant in" in that reason. As for liked green, there were many things which formed the frame of the symbol, the streets in "the row of trees along the loop road" and so on. It found out that the landscape which matched a "It is in harmony with the building." "A balance with the big tree (exist tree) and planting tree is good." building at the same time, and the good point of a balance of the trees mutuality were evaluated, too. It became clear that green that green to see from the inside, and flowering tree, a flower, field grass along the path varied was evaluated in a part.

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To examine the relationship between a bamboo forest and people in an urban area, We examined the awareness of residents of Kouhoku New-Town of bamboo forest. We conducted a questionnaire survey that considered ten environmental functions, including its scenic nature, amenities, and woody resources. The results showed that factors such as the surrounding environment and field experience were relevant to evaluating bamboo forest. Volunteer participants who were very aware of bamboo forest evaluated the use of resources in bamboo forest favorably. Conversely, for residents who were less aware, it appeared to be important to give added value to by-products of bamboo forest, such as Bamboo works and Charcoal of Bamboo, and to improve their awareness by using resources that allow continuous evaluation of bamboo forest.

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The Nasu Highway is a distinctive path through a forest area. Paths through forests are usually located in the forests among the mountains or come into existence planting roadside trees, yet the Nasu Highway is very varied. The Nasu Highway is located in the level clearing for agriculture and is surrounded by the wide Japanese red pine forest as well. It is impossible to exist the paths like the Nasu Highway with no human's strong will. And the aim of this enquiry obtain the knowledge of road schemes with developing the history of the Nasu Highway's landscape formation based on an analysis of space feature and process. Methods for studying are field surveys and literature researches. In effect, the feature of the Nasu Highway has been acquired by people's effort. Particularly, there was the splendid cooperation with some executive organizations after WWII.

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Providing measures to relieve over-use problems are important for management of alpine recreation areas in Japan. For discussing how to control number of visitors, or how many visitors should be limited, it is essential to understand site-choice behavior in those areas. In this study, we explored the modeling of site-choice behavior applying choice experiment, using a sample of fall trekking season in Daisetsuzan National Park. Our results showed that condition of fall leaves and crowding have significant effects on site-choice behavior as well as recreational settings of destination, itinerary, and trekking times. These results will be particularly applicable in designing "regulated utilization area" system that the Ministry of the Environment established in 2003 for coping with over-use situation in National Parks and Quasi National Parks in Japan.

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Although the importance of wetland environment has been recognized widely, some wetlands located in or near urbanized regions in Hokkaido have been exposed to development pressures. This study attempted to evaluate the wetland landscapes under such conditions in Iburi Region. Using a photo questionnaire, image impressions and attitudes toward wetlands were surveyed. As a result, two factors of the wetland images, general evaluation and spatial characteristic were identified. Based on the factor scores sampled, 21 photo were grouped into 6 clusters. The clusters showed that man-made elements in the photos had a great negative effect on the general evaluation. Although some facilities for users decreased the feeling of nature, the effect on the general evaluation was not significant. Based on the correspondent analysis, the respondents were classified into two groups such as, protection oriented and development or use oriented. A relatively high proportion of respondents who live in or near Iburi were grouped into the latter group. Few differences of the landscape evaluation by the attitude groups were found.

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The landscape and waterscape around the Tenryu River, a river flowing in the south of Nagano Prefecture, has changed dramatically since the 1960s, a period of rapid growth for the Japanese economy. The purpose of this paper is to clarify the changes that have happened in the past several decades by comparing 170 pairs of photographs of the same places taken at different periods. Analyzing the photographs, the following observations can be made. The edge of the water is made difficult to access because of the presence of a concrete retaining wall. Open spaces on the dry riverbed being rankness with trees and plants are unavailable for recreation. The riverside itself is out of sight, obstructed by high man made flood protection banks, plants and urbanization along the river. Therefore, it can be said that the river has not only become geographically distant but is in fact farther in people's consciousness as well.

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This study was carried out to seek the favored scenery structure of the city dwellers in Osaka City by analyzing the relationship between the scenery and the landform or the land use. As a result, the following becomes clear. First, even if the city accumulation is remarkable in downtown of Osaka, the space composed of natural elements such as the woods, the row, the surface of the water and so on is important. Second, in the commercial area which spreads to the west side on the Uemachi plateau, the city basis facilities such as the avenue which produces rich scenery are important. Moreover, the trenches or the rivers which leave the personality of Water City Osaka are important. Third, in the residential area which spreads to the southern part and the eastern part on the Uemachi plateau, the neighborhood green of human scale and the living scenery from the old days are attractive. Fourth, the characteristic of the Uemachi plateau and the characteristic of the history are lost. Fifth, in the industrial area which spreads to the estuary part and on the sea, the new viewpoint places such as the tall building and the ship appear and the seaside becomes a valuable viewpoint place.

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Shiga Prefectural government is now planning to refurbish lakeshore parks as one of the measures of Lake Biwa Comprehensive Preservation and Improvement Project. The objective of this study is to investigate into the actual conditions of people's uses of the shoreline spaces, and then to gain feedback for redesigning the parks. On-site observations of activities were executed at one of the lakeshore parks on two weekdays and on two weekend days in the summer of 2004. The space of the park was also analyzed through simple survey of the site and investigation of the construction documents. The results are as follows. The site has a simple section composed of a flat ground between two slopes. Most visitors access by automobiles. Leisure activities such as barbecue and fishing dominate, while activities such as playing with water and underwater observation are minor. Fewer visitors use the shorelines and the slopes, contrary to the previous researches. More visitors use the spaces closer to the parking lot. Facilities and furnitures are used well. Trees also afford activities if their sizes, forms, layout and density are appropriate. These facts imply that more studies on the relationship between landforms and activities are necessary.

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Recently the value of landscape as social stock has been discussed, and the evaluation of technoscape as regional asset has also been quested. The former studies abstracted several unique properties of technoscape, such as simple repetition and dualistically-confronted landscape, and this study attempts to manifest the meaning of text-added landscape as another unique property of technoscape. This study abstracts the effects of text-addition found in existing art works, such as minimal arts, and classified them into 2 categories; (1) addition of concrete text and (2) addition of abstract text, such as numbers or alphabets, to obtain the effects; (1) Assumption, integration or emphasis of the meaning of texts and (2) Variation of meaning, respectively. Furthermore, the experiment proved the effect of abstract text above and the stabilization of meaning, weakening of perception of simple repetition as the effect of concrete text.

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There has been an ongoing increase in the number of the "natural burial grounds" in the U.K. since 1993, where burial and nature reserve are both regarded as main objectives. The movement towards this type of burial has multiple origins, which includes each independent effort by citizens and a naturalist social worker for Do-It-Yourself burials, and by a cemetery officer for an eco-friendlier and more cost-effective burial style. These efforts were integrated into a single movement by a group of psychotherapists as part of its search for an un-institutional style of death, under the consideration for environmental issues. The rapid progress of the movement was possible partly because of the absence of the general laws that regulate the burial activities by private parties. The government has started to consider the potential of a nationwide standard for burials and cemeteries, which may legalize the natural burial grounds and improve the currently unregulated management of them in future. In such governmental efforts the accumulation of expertise and the codes of practice developed by the private institutions have been playing considerable roles. To establish sustainable management strategies to maintain the sites healthy as both burial grounds and woodland is considered to be the case in point.

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For the post-war tactic, R.O.C. government had given priority to the policy of economical development since 1945. Then, due to the development of leisure concept and the raising concern of environment, R.O.C. government has adopted "Policy Park" since mid-1970. There are 4 domains will be studied in this thesis, which include : (1) analyze the development and transformation of Taiwan Policy Park, which is based on the concept of Japanese Policy Park. (2) systematize the Policy Park through the studies of its set-up background that relates to the social trends such as politics, economics and citizen request (3) compare the Policy Park between Taiwan and Japan to discuss their similar and different points (4) analyze the relativity of Policy Park implemented in Taiwan and Japan through the studies of national income.

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In order to make the space design of a comfortable bathing in the forest atmosphere (BIFA), it is important to investigate the effect to a human body first and then the characters of many physical factors constituting the forest space. In this paper we research and analyze physical factors constituting the elements of BIFA, especially light intensity and thermal effect. To make clear the effect of BIFA, this experiment was done in the forest [Seiwa Residents' Woodland] and the city [Chiba City] respectively at the same time. The subjects of this experiment are twelve, and the results were recorded by rating to some evaluation scales, and data are compared from the viewpoint of comfortableness. From this result, we can clearly notice psychological and physiological effects at the case of forest. In the mountainside of a village in summer under the fine sky, the values of the light intensity were subjectively seemed to be the same as in the city though the real intensity was 1/22 of the city. Moreover, at the case of thermal effect, we surely understand that it is cooler and more comfortable in the forest than in the city from the resulting data through the whole day.

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In urban residential areas, a city park is a place of recreation and relaxation for people. A park with beautiful planting is indispensable to make a good living environment. On the other hand, crimes occurred in the open air, such as a park, are regarded as an issue as the result of recent crime rate rise in Japan. I analyze the spatial characteristics of tree-lined sidewalk that may cause a fear of crime, and attempt to gain knowledge of what a safe and comfortable park should be like, a park in which people could walk through and play without fear. My study is conducted at two city parks and its surrounding pedestrian space in Tama City located west side of Tokyo. First, questionnaire surveys of living environmental awareness are conducted to inhabitants living near the parks. The five spaces where they feel fear are figured out. Secondly, the formation of planting (shape, allocation, classifications of trees), the sidewalk configurations (shape, width, slope) and the depth of sight (the horizontal distance from viewpoint to an obstacle in five directions of visible extent) of the five spaces are examined to analyze these relation. Finally the reason why they get frightened is analyzed with drawing up ground plan and elevation for the relation.

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The object of this study is to clarify relationships between the enjoyment of walking and change of interest to the living environments, the townscape elements and transitional stops in peoples walking. Elementary school wards in Fukuoka-City were regarded as base units in this study. Seven units were picked up as this case study areas through analyzing the urban development. The following four items were investigated, 1) characteristics of participation in walking, 2) the townscape elements which relate to the enjoyment of walking, 3) change of interest to the living environments investigated, 4) transitional stops in peoples walking. As results, requirements for people to enjoy walking were identified as follows. 1) The favorite place would be found in the area, 2) The peoples sense of pride of each place could be important in the area. Effectiveness to the enjoyment of walking by quality of transitional stops in peoples walking was recognized, and the kinds of meaning were identified thought the results of questionnaire.

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