IPSI Second Global Conference
SC III/5/add.6
12 March 2012

Exploring Sustainable Solutions with Consideration for Ecosystem Services:
Restoration and Revitalization of Satoyama/Satoumi Communities after theGreat East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami
Implementing Partners
Graduate School of Life Sciences, Tohoku University
United Nations University (UNU)
Ministry of the Environment, Japan (MOEJ)
CEPA Japan
Brother Sales Ltd.
Canon Inc.
DELL Japan
Hewlett-Packard Japan, Ltd.
Lexmark International K.K.
Seiko Epson Corporation
Background
Restoration of Socio-Ecological Production Landscapes (SEPLs) and building resiliencein SEPLs to reduce disaster risk are areas of particular interest and relevance to theInternational Partnership for the Satoyama Initiative (IPSI). Of immediate importance isthe rebuilding and restoring of SEPLs affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake andTsunami of 11 March 2011 as well as the livelihoods of people living there. IPSI has
recognised these as urgent issues, which it can contribute to addressing.
The Graduate School of Life Sciences at Tohoku University is a member of IPSI, and has
been leading and coordinating the Tohoku Green Renaissance Project, which aims tosustainably rebuild livelihoods in the disaster-affected areas in Tohoku. In the process, it
places an emphasis on “Green Rebuilding” in order to enrich ecosystems and thebiodiversity of local nature.
The Urato Islands (Shiogama City, Miyagi Prefecture) contain some of the recently
devastated SEPLs where people have traditionally lived in harmony with nature, making
their livelihoods from agriculture, fisheries and aquaculture (oysters and seaweed) in asustainable manner supported by the rich and unique ecosystems of the islands. While thetsunamis took many things from their lives, the people in Urato still continue to co-exist
with the sea, and are making desperate efforts to rebuild their livelihoods. Meanwhile, thepeople have become more aware of deep-rooted challenges that they had already been
facing before the disasters, including depopulation, ageing populations and a lack ofsuccessors. Many of these people are concerned about how they can sustain theircommunities into the future.

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IPSI Second Global Conference
SC III/5/add.6
12 March 2012

Objectives and Proposed Activities
The overriding objective of these activities is to develop an optimal model for rebuilding,restoring and revitalizing disaster-affected communities in a sustainable manner withconsideration for ecosystem services while exploring solutions to long-standing
challenges that local communities had already been facing before the disaster. UNU-IAS
and the Graduate School of Life Sciences at Tohoku University, together with other IPSI
members including MOEJ, CEPA Japan and the Ink Cartridge Satogaeri Project (BrotherSales Ltd., Canon Inc., DELL Japan, Hewlett-Packard Japan, Ltd., Lexmark International
K.K., and Seiko Epson Corporation), and in consultation with local people and otherstakeholders, will explore and propose potential solutions to help people on the Urato
Islands to rebuild their livelihoods and revitalize their satoyama/satoumi communities.
The proposed activities will aim to 1) explore sustainable solutions considering
ecosystem services for post-disaster rebuilding and restoration of the Urato Islands, and2) revitalize and support communities in maintaining sustainable use of their naturalsurroundings while also promoting best use of existing natural resources (e.g. eco-/green
tourism and environmental education led by local fishers, branding of local marine andagricultural products to add value), and ensuring the long-term survival of local culturesand livelihoods that have been shaped by close human-nature interactions over many
generations.
A series of meetings and workshops with local people and other stakeholders working
towards restoration of the islands will be organised to enhance collaboration and to build
consensus on ways and means to revitalize communities. Based on the consensus, a pilot
project (most likely eco-/green tourism) will be implemented before March 2014, which
will aid in the further development of a platform for multi-stakeholder participation andcollaboration. Progress reports (in Japanese and English) will be uploaded to the website
on a regular basis, and will be presented at IPSI and other relevant meetings and sideevents (e.g. IUCN-WCC in September 2012) to widely disseminate the restoration
process in Japan and abroad. Policy papers will also be produced offering
recommendations for post-disaster restoration through methods aligned with naturalprocesses rather than those aimed at overcoming or conquering nature.

Contact details
Prof. Masakado Kawate, Graduate School of Life Sciences, Tohoku University
Mr. Yasuharu Ina, Ministry of the Environment, JapanMr. Tetsu Hattori, CEPA Japan
Mr. Akihito Kume, Canon Inc. (on behalf of Brother Sales Ltd., Canon Inc., DELL
Japan, Hewlett-Packard Japan, Ltd., Lexmark International K.K., Seiko EpsonCorporation)
Ms. Akane Minohara, UNU-IAS

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