Journal of the Japanese Institute of Landscape Architects

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Vegetation restoration on steep slopes, exposed by cut and fill in road-construction is seriously delayed in mountain areas because of climatic and topographical disadvantage. Therefore, a field study was conducted concerning the relationship between slope gradient and vegetation recovery on banked slopes along the 11 year old Odaigahara Driveway in Nara Prefecture. Two hundred and seventy quadrats (1m²) were placed on slopes of different gradients. Coverage of vegetation, height of community and occurring species were investigated.
The results are as follows.
On slopes gentle than 25°, coverage of vegetation, height of community and number of occurring species per quadrat reached 80%, 1.3m and 9 species (including 4 trees) respectively. Whereas on slopes steeper than 30°, they remained under 45%, 0.7m and 4 species (trees occurred rarely).
As slopes become steeper than 30°, Acer sieboldiana, Symplocos coreana and others, which constitute the natural beechwood forest appear less often and pioneer plants such as Poligonum deile, Carex kiotensis and others occurred more often.
It is necessary to keep slopes gradient under 25° for successful vegetation rehabilitation.

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