Higashiosaka, which is located on the east side of Osaka, is an industrial city in Japan. Many rivers flow through it and for this reason, it is perceived as an ideal natural environment in which children can play. Riverside weeds are an immediate and recognizable nature source to city-dwelling children.

  Ranunculus silerifolius and R. sceleratus are species of flowering plant in the buttercup family. Ranunculaceae is found at the riverside and in a flood-control system that yields green patches alongside the riverbanks. They are toxic due to the presence of the substance, protoanemonin. Toxic weeds are predominant in the cracks of riverside concrete blocks, where they grow prolifically, owing to little competition from other weeds. These poisonous weeds have unique shapes, which are fascinating to children, placing them at an increased risk of acquiring dermatitis.

  Following the administration of a survey questionnaire, it was found that most primary school teachers and childcare personnel can’t differentiate these poisonous weeds with edible plants and prickly seeds, with which they permitted the children to play with.

  Since 2010, nutrias (river rats) (Myocastor coypus) in Higashiosaka’s rivers have been consuming the nontoxic weeds, leaving the poisonous weeds, which continue to grow and spread. In recent years, poisonous plants are proliferating in the city rivers because the nutria have broadened the habitation area of cities in western Japan.

  Thus, prompt measures are urgently needed to prevent the acquisition of dermatitis, triggered by poisonous river weeds.

  The present study was undertaken to determine ways of promoting local residents acceptance for the restoration of small-scale wetlands within a fallow field. This initiative is a Toyooka city-commissioned project for the conservation of habitats for the Oriental white stork. The study focuses on the reintroduction of the Oriental white stork, and on how such a project could affect local peoples’ lives. The study also aims at raising any issues that the residents might have, concerning the restoration of a wetland as a conservation of habitats for a wild animal. Furthermore, this paper aims to clarify what kind of education would be required to re-establish the area as a region friendly to the Oriental white stork. Data was collected from 24 practitioners of the project using an interview with a qualitative research method. It is evident from the survey results that the practitioners have not carried out land management “for the stork” but rather for “disaster/wild animal damage prevention” or “a sustaining landscape.” Due to this government-led program’s emphasis on improving biological diversity, the various commitments of the residents and Toyooka city have been generated. From these commitments, it can be presumed that practitioners could not make the best of proactive learning, based on their own awareness of the issues. In line with the survey results, this paper concludes that in order to enhance educational practices for the conservation of stork habitats and wetlands, Toyooka city would require to: 1) enhance a variety of learning opportunities such as education for sustainable development (ESD), 2) improve managerial cooperation regarding wetlands for the purpose of providing educational and interpretative programs.

  There is an environmental issue with forest degradation in developing countries. In relation to resource management based on people's participation and development, this program proposed “education for sustainability” in social studies at the level of elementary school practice. Program development of Environmental education about forest has not belonged to category of subject in school. Furthermore, there is insufficient study of evolution for the systematic approach. This study developed learning program for environmental conservation that considered the Japan's role in international society and focused on educational practice for sustainable forest resource conservation.

  Municipalities play an important role in promotion of environmental education in schools. However most previous studies of environmental education policy promoted by municipalities have been case studies or studies of specific policies (for example, school environmental management systems). Therefore we carried out a nationwide survey of municipality policies for environmental education in Japan using a questionnaire.

  The main results were as follows.

1. Generally, the implementation rates of environmental education policies are very low.

2. Large scale municipalities have higher policy implementation rates than small scale municipalities.

3. As for boards of education, regardless of scale, the most urgent issue for attention is considered to be the excessive burden placed on schools.

4. With regard to environmental bureaus, setting of an index of policy effects is considered to be the biggest issue for the bureaus of large municipalities, whereas, for the bureaus of small municipalities, internal issues including overworking by staff are considered to be important.

5. One common issue shared by boards of education and environmental bureaus is the ambiguity of environmental education.

  “Jimoto-gaku” is the method of building the climate change adaptation community, stating from the research of the impact cases of climate change in the region.

  In this study, we analyzed the results of the practices of “Jimoto-gaku”, which was conducted in 7 areas in Japan.

  The results are as follows;

(1)We could extract the impact cases and socio-economic factors by “Jimoto-gaku”. The knowledges are useful to understand the construction of climate change impacts and consider the actions for climate change adaptation in the region. At the same time, the participation of residents in “Jimoto-gaku” could promote the resident’s learning about climate change. The learning effects are sufficient for residents to recognize the local impacts of climate change.

(2)But, the impact cases and socio-economic factors extracted by “Jimoto-gaku” are not comprehensive, and the relevant scientific evidences are insufficient. The effects of “Jimoto-gaku” are insufficient for residents to build the behavior intention of adaptation and mitigation to climate change.

(3)To build continuous active learning and brush up the knowledges, we need to develop the formative process for climate change adaptation community.