関東森林研究論 文69-2(2018)

Mechanisms and actual condition of the “Citizen Forest (Shimin no Mori)” scheme forconserving green spaces in Yokohama, Japan
緑地保全を目的とした横浜市の「市民の森」制度の仕組みと実態
Katsuaki SUGIURA＊1, Gakushi INAGAWA＊1 and Keisuke KIDO＊1
杉浦克明＊1・稲川学志＊1・木戸圭介＊1
College of Bioresource Sciences, Nihon University, 1866 Kameino, Fujisawa, Kanagawa 252-0880, Japan＊1 日本大学生物資源科学部
Abstract: The Citizen Forest (Shimin no Mori) scheme, established in 1971, aims to protect green space in Yokohama, relying oncooperation between forest owners to preserve green spaces open to all citizens. The purpose of this study is to clarify the actual
condition of these open forests. To accomplish this goal, our study focuses on the 36 citizen forests open to the public. Our researchmethods include field surveys and interviews with city staff. In examining how these contracts have played out in the real world, wefound that most people use the land for walking, running, bird watching, etc. However, there are also places where access is difficultand others where garbage is scattered throughout the site. We conclude that while the Citizen Forest scheme is effective in preserving
green space, it is necessary to raise awareness of citizen forests, maintenance and renewal of signs, enhance guidance for access,promote the improvement of littering and waste disposal, and enhance facilities to increase public use. It is necessary to maintainand update signs in an easy to use by the public. However, it is probably difficult to install a toilet in the future since operation andmaintenance of the toilet requires labor and expenses.
Keywords: citizen forest, green spaces, Yokohama, recreation area要旨：横浜市の市民の森制度(1971 年制定)は，山林所有者等の協力のもと緑地を保護し，市民の憩いの場として利用することを目的としたものである。そこで，本研究の目的は，市民の森制度設立目的にある市民の憩いの場としての実態を明らかにすることである。調査対象は開園している 36 ヶ所とした。調査方法は現地調査と市職員への聞き取り調査である。その結果，利用者の利用目的としては主に散歩，ランニング，野鳥観察などが挙げられる。しかし，アクセス方法がわかり難い場所やゴミが散乱している場所も見られた。緑地保全としては効果を発揮していると考えるが，多くの人に利用してもらうには，サインの管理や更新，市民の森の認知度を上げるための広報活動の強化，市民の森へアクセスを容易にする案内の充実，利用者に対するゴミに関するマナー向上の促進，施設の充実が必要だろう。
一方，トイレの充実は，維持管理に係る労力や費用を考えると難しいだろう。
キーワード：市民の森，緑地保全，横浜市，憩いの場
continued to grow, and as of April 1, 2016, 43 land plots (~527I Introduction
Kanagawa Prefecture is about 40% (4) covered in forests,
most of which are distributed in the western part of theha) have been designated as citizen forests in Yokohama, 36 ofwhich are open to the public (9).

prefecture. Yokohama City, to the east of the prefecture, is close

There are few opportunities to gain experience and learn

to the center of Tokyo and the prefecture’s main economic hub

about contact with the forest and the use of wood from the forest(5). In Yokohama, forests account for about 9% of the total landin everyday life in modern society (3). This research focuses onmass, and in 1971 the city established a “Citizen Forest (Shimincitizens’ recreational areas, as described in the citizen forest’sno Mori)” scheme to protect this land (8). This system protects

main goals. The purpose of this study is to clarify the actual

green spaces, cooperating with landowners to use forests ascondition of the public recreational areas.

public recreational areas. In 1972, the year after the scheme wasPrevious studies concerned the behavior of forest owners (1),established, four citizen forests opened: Iijima, Kamigo,

management by residents (2), and consciousness of the current

Shimonagaya, and Miho (see Table 1). This number has

state of administrative officials (7). However, no research has－1 －(受理日 2018 年 3 月 22 日)

clarified the actual condition of the citizen forests. This study(n)18has the possibility to present improvement points of citizen

16

forests to increase users.

14R = 0.381
P < 0.05

1210

II Research target and methods

8This paper focuses on the 36 public forests in Yokohama (Table61), some of the 43 forests designated as citizen forests as ofApril 1, 2016. We studied the number of entrances, public
toilets, benches, and signs (guide and information signs forusers) in each site. In order to investigate the above items, weconducted a field survey in 2016 for 36 citizen forests. We
interviewed people at city hall to obtain any information that

4200204060

80

100120 (ha)Fig. 1 Relationship between forest area and number ofentrances Since 2007, the reason why the public toilet has
not been established in recent years was judged from thelocation condition and the staying time of the user.

2 ha or more in relation to citizen forests was considered eligible

could not be obtained from our field survey.
Two of the forests in our study area—Hitorizawa andSegami—are adjacent to one another and the boundary between
the two is unknown (Table 1). We therefore considered the twoforests as one. A part of Nakatamiyanodai forest, meanwhile,

to become public recreational land. Citizen forests could beused by the public from sunrise to sunset.
Forest owners and Yokohama (i.e., the mayor) signed a 10year contract prohibiting the development of the land or any
change in traits. Forest owners received the following three

could not be investigated, in part because of no-entry area.
The relation between two variables was based on Pearson’s
correlation coefficient test using SPSS statistical software

preferential measures: 1) reduction of fixed property and city
planning taxes, 2) receipt of “green space developmentincentives” from the city at the end of each year, and 3) receipt

version 22, considered significant at P ≤ 0.05.

of a “continuous lump sum” when renewing the contract.
Designated citizen forests are open to the public and managed

Table 1 Research target
IijimaKamigoArea（ha）
5.7
4.9

Openingdate
1972/4/5
1972/4/10

Tsunashima
OiwakeArea Openingdate（ha）
6.1 1991/10/26
32.9 1994/3/26

Shimonagaya
M iho
Kamariya

6.1
39.5
11.8

1972/4/15
1972/11/4
1973/11/7

M inamihonjyuku
Araizawa
Niiharu

6.3
9.6
67.2

1995/9/17
1998/5/24
2000/3/26

M ine
Shishigaya
Seya

13.0
18.6
19.1

1974/10/8
1975/4/26
1976/4/24

M aioka
SekigayaKamoihara

19.5
2.2
2.0

2001/5/5
2003/4/2
2005/4/2

67.1
Hitorizawa*1Kozukuejyoshi 4.6

1977/4/12
1977/10/1

Komaokanakago
Kanazawa

1.1
24.8

2007/4/28
2011/5/17

Segami*1
Shomyoji
Kumanojinjya

1979/7/7
1979/7/11
1980/7/19

FukayaNakatamiyanodai*2
Imajyuku

3.1
1.3
3.0

2012/4/1
2012/7/20
2013/3/15

IV Results and discussion

Bukenji
2.3 1983/4/23
Jike
12.4 1983/10/28
M asagarigafuchi 6.5 1984/10/25

Kajigaya
KawawaShimbasi

2.9
4.0
3.3

2014/4/1
2014/4/1
2015/1/16

Most people using citizen forests utilized the land for walking,Wuethrich
YasashiKashiwatyo
Asahinakita1.9
11.5

2015/9/1
2016/4/1

Name

48.2
10.7
5.3

3.2
5.1

1987/5/30
1991/4/28

Name

in cooperation of between the forest owner and a group for theprotection of the land (Aigokai), formed by nearby residents.
This group is responsible for cleaning and patrolling the forest.
The park green space office entrusts the land management
and facility inspections to a third-party business, who isresponsible for maintaining the property along the garden roadand open spaces.

1. Actual condition of park facilities
running, bird watching, etc. at our field survey. In this way, they
are valuable open spaces in a predominantly urban landscape.

*1: We combined Hitorizawa and Segami in our analysis because

A statistically significant (P < 0.05) weak correlation (R =the boundary between the two is unclear. *2: A part of this forest0.381) was observed between land area and number ofcould not be investigated.

entrances (Fig.1). Therefore, there tends to be a positive
relationship between a forest’s number of entrances and its land

III Outline of Yokohama’s citizen forest schemearea. However, some small forests have many entrances in caseWe use documents (8) and (10) to outline how the citizen forestof elongated forest compartments. For example, Kumanojinjya

system works. The program began in 1971 as a unique initiative

citizen forest has 10 entrances due to its unique shape, despiteof Yokohama. Any land covered with trees and with an area ofits small area of 5.3 ha.

－2 －関東森林研究(n)3569-2(2018)(n)
200
R = 0.564
P < 0.0118030

1602514020120100

1580
10604052000204060801000120 (ha)020406080

100120 (ha)Fig. 2 Relationship between forest area and numberof benches

Fig. 3 Relationship between forest area and number of
information signs

There was no statistically significant correlation between

from the results of field survey, an increasing number of signs

land area and number of benches. This number probably
depends on the length and shape of the walkways rather thanNo citizen forest has more than three toilets (Table 2), andsimply the size of the forest (Fig.2).

few forests installed toilets after 2007. This is probably due tothe cost and work involved in installing and maintaining

Table 2 Relationship between opening date andnumber of public toilets

bathroom facilities.

IijimaNumberOpeningof publicdatetoilets
1972/4/5
1

Tsunashima

NumberOpeningof p ublic
datetoilets
1991/10/26
0

Kamigo1972/4/10

0

Oiwake1994/3/26

2

Shimonagaya

1972/4/15

1

M inamihonjyuku

1995/9/17

1

Name

are necessary.

Name

M iho

1972/11/4

0

Araizawa

1998/5/24

1

Kamariy a

1973/11/7

0Niiharu

2000/3/26

2

M ine

1974/10/8

1

M aioka

2001/5/5

1

Shishigaya1975/4/26

2Sekigaya

2003/4/2

0Seya

1976/4/24

1Kamoihara

2005/4/2

1

Hitorizawa*1
Kozukuejyoshi

1977/4/12

2

Komaokanakago

2007/4/28

0

1977/10/1

1

Kanazawa

2011/5/17

0Segami*1
Shomyoji

1979/7/7

2

Fukaya1979/7/11

0

Kumanojinjya
Bukenji

1980/7/19
1983/4/23

10Jike1983/10/28

Some forests had garbage scattered on the ground. Whilesome citizen forests have installed garbage cans or dumpsters,
many are not equipped with garbage facilities. It is necessary to
encourage users’ proper disposal of garbage and the protectiongroups to engage in cleanup.
2. Results of Interviews
Some of our information could not be obtained through fieldstudies or informational documents, and therefore we also

2012/4/1

0

Nakatamiyanodai
ImajyukuKajigaya

2012/7/20

0interviewed city officials. We found that Yokohama often

2013/3/15
2014/4/1

00

requests that forest owners register their land as citizen forests.

1Kawawa

2014/4/1

0

M asagarigafuchi 1984/10/25

1Shimbasi

2015/1/16

0However, few forest owners actually do so. This may beWuethrich

1987/5/30

1Kashiwatyo

2015/9/10Yasashi

1991/4/28

1Asahinakita

2016/4/1

0*2*1: We combined Hitorizawa and Segami in our analysis because theboundary between the two is unclear. The same number of toilets areshown. *2: A part of this forest could not be investigated.

Each citizen forest has a different number of signs withdifferent content. Citizen forests with active protection groups(Aigokai) have information signs with reports of the group’sactivity, citizen forests with parking lots have parking signs, etc.
However, some of these informational signs are not updated,others are difficult to read due to damage, etc.
In this study, we did not consider the differences in thecontent of informational signs and instead compared thenumber of signs. A statistically significant (P < 0.01) correlation(R = 0.564) was observed between land area and number ofinformation signs (Fig.3). As the area grows, users need moreinformation. Since there is no person to guide or monitor users－because Yokohama’s only publicity of citizen forests is throughpamphlet and a website. We can therefore assume thatawareness of citizen forests is not high.
Forest owners registering their property as citizen forests areeligible for specific incentives. They are exempt from allproperty and city planning taxes. In addition, each forest owneris paid 30 JPY per square meter as a green space development
incentive, and 300 JPY per square meter as a lump sum when
renewing their contract after 10 years.
The reason why the public toilet has not been establishedsince 2007 was judged from the location condition and thestaying time of the user. However, the biggest reason isprobably due to the labor and financial costs of maintaining
these facilities.
Our interviews also illuminated what happens when
information signs become damaged. The person who installed
the sign has an obligation to repair damaged and indecipherable

3 －signs. In other words, the city restores city signs and theto navigate.

protection group restores any signs they install. Eachorganization performs periodic maintenance inspections to findAcknowledgement

any damaged or undocumented information signs.

We extend my appreciation to all staff members of Department

Yokohama collects reports from each protection group 2–4of Green area Conservation Promotion, Division of Green up

times a year to keep a record of their activities. FurtherPromotion, Bureau of Environment Creation, City ofcooperation between the two organizations is necessary to deal

Yokohama for cooperation of interviews.

with problems relating to illegible signs and litter.
There are also complaints from local residents and users,

References

many related to other users’ behavior and access methods.

(1) AOYAGI, M., YAMANE, M. (1991) An empirical study on theExamples of the former include illegal dumping of garbage,

behavior of landowners in order to conserve urban andtheft of plants, and accidents between bicyclists and runners. To

suburban forest. J. JILA. 54 (4): 266-272

solve the latter, detailed access methods are published on(2) GOTO, C. (2012) A study on the actual conditions of thepamphlets and website. However, city officials are often asked

citizens green space’ system focusing on management by

about the best way to access citizen forests: many are difficult

residents. J. City Plan. Inst. Jpn. 47 (3): 1057-1062

to access. Therefore, better descriptions of each forest should be(3) FORESTRY AGENCY of JAPAN (2011) Annual Report on

posted on informational maps, and the webpages with access

Trends in Forests and Forestry: 2011 edited. Zenrinkyo. 212pp

instructions should be readily available.

(4) FORESTRY AGENCY of JAPAN (2012) Forest rate and planted
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http://www.rinya.maff.go.jp/j/keikaku/genkyou/h24/1.html

V Conclusions
Through the Citizen Forests scheme, Yokohama is promoting(Accessed 31 October 2017)

the preservation of green spaces. However, while the(5) MINISTRY of AGRICULTURE, FORESTRY and FISHERIES ofmaintenance of these facilities promotes their public use, thisJAPAN (2017) Yokohama City detailed data

maintenance is also expensive. For the most people to makehttp://www.machimura.maff.go.jp/machi/contents/14/100/deta

effective use of the forests, we suggest the following

ils.html (Accessed 31 October 2017)

improvements. It is necessary to maintain and update signs in(6) SUGIURA, K., YOSHIOKA, T., INOUE, K. (2014) Elementaryan easy to use by the public. However, it is probably difficult toschool students’ knowledge of tree species’ names: Case study

install a toilet in the future since operation and maintenance ofof an elementary school in Fujisawa in Kanagawa Prefecture. J.

the toilet requires labor and expenses.

Jpn. For. Soc. 96 (1): 43-49

It is necessary to increase awareness of the forests by(7) TANAKA, K., YANAI, S., MURATA, Y. (2003) A study on theincreasing the distribution of pamphlets and expanding public

consciousness of officers on forest conservation and on therelations on the city’s website, since it seems few are aware ofpartnership between the local governments and civic groups inthe citizen forest program. Access to these lands is difficult tocities. LRJ 66 (5): 809-814

understand except for those who live nearby, so it is important(8) YOKOHAMA CITY (2016) Citizen forest (Shimin no Mori)

to improve information signs and provide easy-to-understand

http://www.city.yokohama.lg.jp/kankyo/green/shiminnomori/pamphlets to aid access. Scattering garbage disturbs the(Accessed 16 November 2016)

landscape and reduces users. Therefore, it is necessary to(9) YOKOHAMA CITY (2016) Citizen Forest (Shimin no Mori)

improve garbage disposal in the forest and on walking paths

designation list http://www.city.yokohama.lg.jp/kankyo/green/

through signs, pamphlets, and the Internet.

shiminnomori/shimin-mori-hyou.html (Accessed 16

There is a need for as many people as possible to use citizen

November 2016)

forests, as these facilities are maintained through public taxes.

(10) YOKOHAMA CITY (2017) Citizen forest (Shimin no Mori)

These facilities give people an opportunity to be exposed toscheme

nature, a crucial experience in an urban area where children are

http://www.city.yokohama.lg.jp/kankyo/green/shiminnomori/s

becoming unable to recognize specific trees (6). It is important

himin-mori-seido.html (Accessed 31 October 2017)

to make these forests into facilities that attract users and are easy

－4 －