Considering Civil Society Participationin GIAHS Conservation in the Digital era:
A Case study of Crowdfunding
Campaigns in Tokushima, Japan
Naoki Naito, Ph.D(Tokushima University / University of the Sacred Heart, Tokyo /National Museum of Ethnology, Osaka)

Background 1/2
GIAHS Conservation at the Forefront ofSuper-Aging (or Shrinking) Societies

Fig. Japan's population from 1920 to 2010, withpopulation projections out to 2060
SOURCE:MIAC,
Japan 2018

Fig. Japan's population Structure by Age GroupBackground 2/2
Bio diversity crises in JapanX Major causes of bio diversity

crisis in Japan (Ishihama 2016)
X Overuse of natural resources
X Underuse of natural resources
X Alien species

Fig. Trend of Moving-in Population Overrun(1954-2014)

X Global warmingPast model

AgendaHow can we (re) organize Civil Society
Participation in GIAHS Conservation ?
strong(permanent/strong commitment)-rural resident

Promote urban-rural migration
non-resident
weakInterest/Loyalty

Ruralresident
population(tentative/weak commitment)-tourists and other consumers in urban area
Urban weakCommitment/Participation

Fig. urban-rural migrationstrong

Present model

AgendaHow can we (re) organize Civil SocietyParticipation in GIAHS Conservation ?
strong(permanent/strong commitment)-rural resident(continual/intermediate commitment)-urban resident but ‘participate’ in rural governancenon-resident
weakInterest/Loyalty

non-resident
population

Ruralresident
population-New stakeholders/actors inrural revitalizationstrongCommitment/Participation -How can we define them?

(tentative/weak commitment)-tourists and other consumers in urban area
Urban weakFig. conceptual model of non-resident rural population(based on Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications Japan 2017)

Aim of this Presentation
X Considering Possibility of Crowdfunding Campaign as atool for citizen participation in GIAHS Conservation
X ‘the strength of weak tie (Granovetter 1973:1377)’
X“The personal experience of individuals is closely boundup with lager-scale aspects od social structure, wellbeyond the purview or control of particular individuals”.
X Examine the impact of crowdfunding on wildlife

management of GIAHS site in Tokushima.

Overview of the Area:
Nishi-Awa Steep Slope
Agricultural Heritage System,Tokushima Japan

Landscape ofLandscapeof Nishi-Awa
Nishi-Awa
The villagesareare
distributed•• Thevillages
across the mountainside
distributed
across the• The elevation of these villages
mountainside
is approx. 300–700 m•• Theelevation
ofisthese
The slopegradient
30–40˚• villages
The inhabitantsof the 300–700
lowlands
is approx.
call this mountainous aream“sora,” meaning “sky”•• Theslopeinhabitants
gradient haveis 30–
The area’s
40˚
employed steep-slope
agriculture
instead ofof terrace• The
inhabitants
thefarming
lowlands call thismountainous area “sora,”

Geological features⚫ The land of Japan sits onplate boundaries

140ﾟ E45ﾟ N- Subject to serious
earthquakes⚫ Located in the central
mountainous area of Shikoku
IslandMountainous landscape

Shikokuisland35ﾟ NKyusyu
island⚫ These mountains sit along theMedian Tectonic line

130ﾟ E

Fault plane of the fracture zone

Plate boundaryMedian tectonic line

Hokkaidisland
HonsyuislandCoping with hazards⑶ Soil formation⑴ Fracture Zone formation⑵ Landslide/Collapse

Nishi-Awa

140ﾟ E45ﾟ N⑷ Agricultural land use
Typhoon/Snowfall
Pacific Ocean

Philippine Sea plate
Oceanic crustMedian tectonic lineEarthquake/ABA
Grand deformation
Fig. Geological cross-section
B35ﾟ N130ﾟ
E

Continental crustSlope gradient and stability
Habitation in thismountainous area
requires adaptation
to the geologicaland climatologicalenvironment.

90030-40˚

850

Stable gradient of slope

800

750

Altitude 標高(m)m

700
650
600
550

500
450
400
350
0

10203040

Slope gradient
地表傾斜 度Fig. Distribution of villages

Using kaya straw to prevent erosion

Covering the ground with Kaya straw
stored at conical hay stacks (koeguroor guro)

NotcoveredCoveredMaterial culture to prevent erosionand create soil

Various farming implements
are used to reverse the soil
erosion and crush the gravel
into soil

Reversing the soil
erosion by using anunique farming
implement ‘sarae’

Making farming
implements by local
13blacksmithIndigenous crop diversity
Millets

Corn

Buckwheat

PotatoCucumber(finger millet, sorghum,
foxtail millet, commonmillet, Japanese millet)→40 varieties in total

Co-existing with wildlife
Communal land for kaya straw

Accipiter nisus nisosimilis

Plants: 282 species
Insects: 241 species
Birds:28 species

Adonis shikokuensis

The communal land used for kaya
straw cultivation supports various
kinds of wildlife

Socio-cultural practices

OTSUCLE: Academic Crowdfunding Site
Founded by Tokushima University, JapanA Case ofCrowdfunding Campaign
X Project objective
X Commodify exterminated deer
X Decline the costs of wildlife

management in Tokushima
X Period
X 2017.10.7-2017.11.12
X Goal
X half a million JPY

X Result
X 0.9 million JPY from 100 donors

18

How can we create the interest of
potential participants ?

19

Spacial Distribution of Donors

Residents from other area

Residential place of Donors（10/6-11/2）

University staffs

Tokushima Residents
2
1
2
1

1

3
2

1

1

1

2
1

徳島県内

徳島県外

1

1
11月1日

1

10月31日1

10月30日

10月27日

10月24日

10月23日

10月22日

10月21日

10月20日

10月17日

10月16日

10月15日

徳島大学関係者

2
1

11月2日

2
10月29日2

10月28日2
1

10月14日

10月10日1

10月13日

10月9日

1
10月12日1
10月11日1

3

10月26日

3

2
10月8日

10月7日

2

3

10月25日1

10月19日3

10月18日3

aaa- 1 1 60
6R Q
3

32

a
Creating the network ofa Interests

CFCF

野生鳥獣との共存をめぐる
教育研究課題にCFを利用
野生鳥獣と の共存を めぐ る 教育研究課題にCF を 利用・ CF・ CF

Challenge- Crowdfunding campaign created the network of interests- Offered a channel for participation (donating)- Further Participation?

strong(permanent/strong commitment)-rural resident(continual/intermediate commitment)-urban resident but ‘participate’ in rural governancenon-resident
weakInterest/Loyalty

non-resident
population

Ruralresident
population(tentative/weak commitment)-tourists and other consumers in urban area
Urban weakCommitment/ParticipationstrongFig. conceptual model of non-resident rural population(based on Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications Japan 2017)

Conclusion：Possibility of Crowdfunding
Campaign as a tool for citizen participationin GIAHS Conservation
X No Sense of Place (Meyrowitz, J. 1985)
X ‘de-territorialization’
XElectric media have removed barriers and increased access topreviously restricted information.
X Crowdfunding campaign created the network of interests bothfrom the urban residents and residents of other rural areas.
X We should not simply consider crowdfunding as a tool forfunding but also as a tool for creating the network of theinterests.