BIOSPHERE RESERVENOMINATION FORM
[January 2013]

INTRODUCTION
Biosphere reserves are areas of terrestrial and coastal/marine ecosystems, or a combination thereof, which
are internationally recognized within the framework of UNESCO's Programme on Man and the Biosphere(MAB) They are established to promote and demonstrate a balanced relationship between humans and thebiosphere. Biosphere reserves are designated by the International Coordinating Council of the MAB
Programme at the request of the State concerned. Individual biosphere reserves remain under the sovereign
jurisdiction of the State where they are situated. Collectively, all biosphere reserves form a World Networkin which participation by States is voluntary.
The World Network is governed by the Statutory Framework adopted by the UNESCO General Conferencein 1995 which presents the definition, objectives, criteria and the designation procedure for biospherereserves. The actions recommended for the implementation of biosphere reserves are set out in the "Seville
Strategy" and were further developed in the Madrid Action Plan (2008-2013). These documents should be
used as basic references for the completion of this nomination form.
The information presented on this nomination form will be used in a number of ways by UNESCO:(a) for examination of the site by the International Advisory Committee for Biosphere Reserves and by
the Bureau of the MAB International Coordinating Council;(b) for use in a world-wide accessible information system, notably the UNESCO-MABnet andpublications, facilitating communications and interaction amongst persons interested in biospherereserves throughout the world.
The nomination form consists of three parts:
Part one is a summary indicating how the nominated area responds to the functions and criteria for biospherereserves set out in the Statutory Framework, and presents the signatures of endorsements for the nominationfrom the authorities concerned. Part two is more descriptive and detailed, referring to the human, physicaland biological characteristics as well as to the institutional aspects. Part three consists of two annexes: thefirst annex will be used to update the Directory of Biosphere Reserves on the MABnet, once the site has been
approved as a biosphere reserve. The second annex will be used to provide promotional and communicationmaterials of the biosphere reserve. Tables, illustrations and maps as appropriate throughout the nomination
form are welcomed.
The form should be completed in English, French or Spanish. Two copies should be sent to the Secretariat,
as follows:
1. The original hard copy, with the original signatures, letters of endorsement, zonation map andsupporting documents. This should be sent to the Secretariat through the Official UNESCO
channels, i.e. via the National Commission for UNESCO and/or the Permanent Delegation to
UNESCO;
2. An electronic version (on diskette, CD, etc.) of the nomination forms and of maps (especially thezonation map). This can be sent directly to the MAB Secretariat:
UNESCO
Division of Ecological and Earth Sciences
1, rue Miollis
F-75352 Paris Cedex 15, France
Tel: +33 (0)1 45 68 41 51
Fax: +33 (0)1 45 68 58 04
Email: mab@unesco.org
http://www.unesco.org/mab

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TABLE OF CONTENTPART I: SUMMARY
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Proposed Name of the Biosphere Reserve
Name of the Country
Fulfillment of the Three Functions of Biosphere Reserves
Criteria for Designation as a Biosphere Reserve
Endorsements

3
3
3
7
21

PART II: DESCRIPTION
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.

Location
Area
Biogeographical Region
Land Use
Human Population of the Proposed Biosphere Reserve
Biophysical Characteristics
Ecosystem Services
Main Objectives for the Biosphere Reserve’s Designation
Conservation Function
Development Function
Logistic Support Function
Governance, Biosphere Reserve Management and Coordination
Special Designation
Supporting Documents
Addresses

26
28
29
29
34
41
57
63
70
79
91
106
120
121
138

Annex I: MABnet Directory of the Biosphere Reserves

141

Annexes

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PART I: SUMMARY
1. PROPOSED NAME OF THE BIOSPHERE RESERVE:[It is advisable to use a locally accepted geographic, descriptive or symbolic name which allows people to identify
themselves with the site concerned (e.g. Rio Platano Biosphere Reserve, Bookmark Biosphere Reserve). Except inunusual circumstances, biosphere reserves should not be named after existing national parks or similar administrative
areas.]

Tadami Biosphere Reserve: Tadami BR

2. NAME OF THE COUNTRY:Japan

3. FULFILLMENT OF THE THREE FUNCTIONS OF BIOSPHERE RESERVES:[Article 3 of the Statutory Framework presents the three functions of conservation, development and logistic support.
Explain in general terms how the area fulfills these functions.]

3.1 "Conservation - contribute to the conservation of landscapes, ecosystems, species and genetic
variation".
(Stress the importance of the site for conservation of biological and cultural diversity at the regional or global scales).

<Natural environment>
The islands that make up Japan are located off the eastern Eurasian Continent, lying in an arc stretchingalong the eastern edge to the southern edge of the Sea of Japan, with their outer edges facing the Pacific
Ocean. They are located at the edge of a continental plate and close to the border of a continental plate andan oceanic plate; an area of active crustal movements and volcanic activity. Its climate is oceanic, belonging
to a typical humid region (K>28) where its climatic climax is forest. There are a large number of rugged
mountains due to active crustal movement, volcanic activity and the rainy environment, and narrow alluvial
plains are spread across the valleys. A warm current (Tsushima Current) flows into the Sea of Japan whichlies between the continent and the Japanese islands, and a dry monsoon wind blowing from the continent in
winter picks up moisture from the Sea of Japan, resulting in heavy snowfall (a rare natural occurrence
anywhere in the world) on the coastal mountainous backbone ranges of the Japanese islands in the Sea ofJapan. The Tadami Biosphere Reserve (hereafter referred to as the “Tadami BR”) proposed site is an
enclosed mountainous region about 1,500 m above sea level that faces the winter monsoon, and has one of
the heaviest areas of snowfall in Japan (the annual average deepest snow on flat land is 250 cm).
The Tadami BR proposed site is located at the eastern edge of the Echigo Mountains, the western edge ofFukushima Prefecture, and the southern part of the Tohoku region in Honshu (Latitude: N37°06′17.0′′37°28′11.5′′, Longitude: E139°09′52.3′′-139°34′30.3′′). Geographically, it consists of large relief mountainsof more than 600 m, middle relief mountains of 400-600 m, low relief mountains of 200-400 m, a gravel
plateau and the floodplains of the Tadami River and Ina River basins. The Tadami River, which rises atOzenuma and flows northward, and the Ina River, which similarly rises near Mt. Hiuchigatake of Oze andflows westward on the east side of the Tadami BR proposed site, meet at the central part of Tadami Town,
and then meander before changing direction to the east and flowing down to the sea. The lowest altitude is
350 m at Tadami River near the border of Tadami Town and Kaneyama-town, and the highest altitude is
1,819.9 m at Mt. Maruyamadake located at the border of Tadami Town and Hinoemata-village; giving a
difference in elevation of a little more than 1,450 m.
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Almost the whole area of the Tadami BR proposed site is a mountain zone about 1,000 m above sea level,
where cool temperate deciduous broad-leaved forests, typically beech (Fagus crenata) forest grows. In thismountain zone, slopes are shaved off by avalanches, bedrocks are exposed, and a steep and complicated“nivation landform” is created, due to the geological characteristics of heavy winter snowfall and green tuff
bedrock with a comparatively fragile structure. In response to these conditions of steep topography and acomplicated location environment, a plant population adapted for these different conditions has developed.
A landscape mosaic of vegetation is composed of evergreen coniferous forest such as Pinus parviflora var.
pentaphylla or Japanese arborvitae (Thuja standishii) on the ridges, shrubs like Quercus mongolica var.
undulatifolia or Hamamelis japonica obtusata on the avalanche slopes, beech (Fagus crenata) forest on thecomparatively stable parts where debris and soil have been deposited by avalanches on the lower part of theslopes, and riparian forests like Japanese wing nut (Pterocarya rhoifolia) or Japanese horse chestnut(Aesculus turbinata) along the stream banks. This kind of landscape is very rare in mountainous areas ofless than 1,000 m above sea level, and moreover in the Tadami area, it exists in a pristine primeval
condition with very little human interference and covers a large area of more than 40,000 ha. In addition, insuch a vast and primeval natural environment, umbrella species such as raptors, like Golden eagles (Aquila
chrysaetos japonica) or Mountain Hawk-Eagles (Spizaetus nipalensis orientalis) that are living naturalmonuments, and large mammals, like the black Asiatic bear (Ursus thibetanus japonicus) are found in large
numbers. In addition, rare animals such as forest bats, like the Frosted myotis (Myotis pruinosus) and theUssuri Tube-nosed Bat (Murina ussuriensis) inhabit this area. Also, Lilium rubellum, a rare species ofalpine lily, is found across the snowpatch grassland of Mt. Asakusadake and Mt. Aizu-Asahidake, and thecharacteristic avalanche slopes of Tadami, creating the largest autogenesis ground in Japan.
(Flora)140 families, 1,109 species of tracheophyte are confirmed in Tadami Town (about 96% of the Tadami
BR proposed site). (Education Board of Tadami Town, Fukushima Prefecture 2006)(Fauna)Numbers of species confirmed in Tadami Town (about 96% of Tadami BR proposed site): 15 families,
32 species for Mammals, 44 families, 145 species for Aves, 6 families, 13 species for Amphibia and 4
families, 10 species for reptiles (Tadami Town Town History Editing Committee 2001). More than
2,000 species are confirmed for Insects (Wataru Tsunoda 2007).
These are fauna and flora located inside Tadami Town, though the areas, where humans are not able toeasily access due to the steep nivation landform, have not been investigated in detail. Moreover, there isa possibility of finding further fauna and flora if the Hinoemata area (Sodesawa right bank line) (about
4% of the Tadami BR proposed site) is included.
<Situation of land use near the area of the Tadami BR proposed site>
In 1973, the Environment Agency designated 86,129 ha including the Tadami BR proposed site as the“Echigosanzan-Tadami Quasi-national Park,” based on the Natural Park Act (27,849 ha in the Tadami
BR proposed site).
A large part (52,368 ha) the core area and the Buffer Zone A and B (mentioned later) of the proposedsite is National Forests administrated and managed by the Kanto Regional Forest Office of the Forestry
Agency.
In 2003, the Kanto Regional Forest Office of the Forestry Agency designated 470 ha National Forestsof Tadami BR proposed site as the Protected Forest “Hometown Forest,” based on the Law on the
Administration and Management of National Forests.
In 2007, the Kanto Regional Forest Office of the Forestry Agency designated 83,891 ha (40,830 ha in
the Tadami BR proposed site) National Forests including the Tadami BR proposed site as the “OkuAizu Forest Ecosystem Reserve”, based on the Law on the Administration and Management of
National Forests.
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In 2007, the Kanto Regional Forest Office of the Forestry Agency designated 105,434 ha (10,967 ha in
the Tadami BR proposed site) National Forests including the Tadami BR proposed site as the “AizuSanchi Green Corridor”, based on the Law on the Administration and Management of National Forests.
Most of the surrounding areas of the Tadami BR proposed site are mountain zones, the greater parts areadministrated and managed by the Kanto Regional Forest Office of the Forestry Agency.
There is about 857 ha of cropland along the Tadami River and Ina River systems in the Tadami BR
proposed site; about 70% rice paddies and the remaining 30% general purpose fields. The farming is
generally managed so as not to interfere with the regional biological diversity.
Non- agriculture plants in the Tadami BR proposed site consist of some small factories scattered acrossthe proposed transition area; such as construction, automobile, electronics, etc.
In the Buffer Zone B proposed site inside the Tadami BR proposed site, there is an artificial lake
(Tagokura Lake) made by damming the Tadami River. This artificial lake is designated as a Class I
Special Zone of the Echigosanzan-Tadami Quasi-national Park based on the Natural Park Act, and is an
important sightseeing point of the natural landscape in this area. Tadami Lake is located right under
Tagokura Lake in the transition area proposed site and this artificial lake also contributes to theconservation of wild animals as a stopover for migratory birds.

3.2 "Development - foster economic and human development which is socio-culturally andecologically sustainable".
(Indicate current activities and the potential of the proposed biosphere reserve in fulfilling the objective of fostering
sustainable economic and socio-cultural development, including by securing flows of ecosystem services from thebiosphere reserve).

<Legal system for sustainable land use>
The Kanto Regional Forest Office of the Forestry Agency established the Regional Administration andManagement Plan and the National Forest Operation Plan of the Aizu Forest Planning Area based on
the Law on the Administration and Management of National Forests, and administrates and manages
205,290 ha (52,548 ha in Tadami BR proposed site) of National Forests of Aizu area including theTadami BR proposed site. The main objective of administration and management of National Forests
shall be to fulfill public beneficial functions of forests such as nature conservation, wild animals
protection, land conservation, etc.
In 1973, the Environment Agency designated the “Echigosanzan-Tadami Quasi-national Park” as alarge primeval mountains park covering the area of the Southern part of the Echigo Mountains that
extend over Niigata and Fukushima Prefectures and a part of the neighboring Mikuni Mountains
adjacent to the Echigo Mountains, based on the Natural Park Act. Most of the areas are mountainousand difficult for humans to access due to the steep topography and limited number of mountain trails,
resulting in a minimal environmental load by tourists.
<Traditional land use by Tadami area residents>
In a part of the Buffer Zone B proposed site and the transition area proposed site, Tadami Town
residents still engage in traditional pursuits, such as hunting, collecting edible wild plants, mushrooms,
utilizing firewood and vegetation as fuel and for weaving baskets made from vine, grass tree or treebark, etc. These historical common practices and by utilizing forest resources in a sustainable way areimportant elements that support local life and the economy of the area.
<Town administration measure>
In 2006, Tadami Town developed the 6th Tadami Town development promotion plan with a concept of“A town living life with beech, a town living with snow; challenge of Oku-Aizu Tadami – creation ofreal local value,” with a town plan utilizing the inherited properties of the Tadami area such as nature,
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6history, culture, living, industry, etc.
In 2007, the “Tadami Beech Center” was started as a core organization for realizing the 6th Tadami
Town development promotion plan. At Tadami Beech Center, there are several activities: (1)conservation of the natural environment and protection of wildlife, (2) investigation and research of thenatural environment, (3) operation of a museum “Museum of Japanese Beech and Rivers, Tadami,” (4)education and training, (5) information transmission and exchange activities, etc., concerning theTadami area.
In 2007, Tadami Town announced an initiative “The Capital of Mother Nature,” targeting local
residents to re-recognize the value of the large natural environment of the Tadami area, as theinheritance of the next generation. This announcement was publicized both inside and outside the town,
and Tadami Town is working on fulfilling each proposed measure.
Prior to the examination of the registration of the Tadami BR, a study committee was held for branding“The Capital of Mother Nature” to establish the area brand image utilizing the natural environment andlocal resources of Tadami. In the committee, eight proposals were introduced and institutional
utilization of a Biosphere reserve (UNESCO Eco Park) of the UNESCO MAB program was proposed
as a framework (platform) to realize these proposals.
After applying for Tadami BR registration and until registration is completed, Tadami Town is planning
to prepare a budget and implement advance projects for promoting activities as a BR after registration.
These activities ensure local residents will easily understand BR’s principles along with the threeimportant pillars; protection and conservation of biological diversity, investigation and research andsustainable socioeconomic development of the area, as well as conserving the natural environment
inherited in the Tadami area, including protecting the traditional culture and life based on the naturalenvironment and development of the local community.

3.3 "Logistic support - support for demonstration projects, environmental education and training,
research and monitoring related to local, regional, national and global issues of conservation andsustainable development".
(Please indicate current or planned activities).

Soon after the Tadami BR proposed site is registered as a BR, an organization (Tadami BR Promotion
Council (provisional name)), consisting of the Kanto Regional Forest Office of the Forestry Agency,
the Tohoku Regional Environment Office of the Ministry of the Environment, Fukushima Prefecture,
local governments of the Tadami BR proposed site, several industrial associations, local community
groups, Electric Power Development Co., Ltd., the Japanese Coordinating Committee for MAB etc.,
will be established for the management and operation of the BR. The Promotion Council will carry out
general discussions for the protection and conservation of biological diversity inside the BR, andinvestigation and research and sustainable socioeconomic development of the area. The Secretariat of
the Promotion Council is set up in the Tadami Beech Center (Organization summary is given below
Section 4.3). For realizing the purposes of the Tadami BR; especially local development at a grassroots
level, the BR area Liaison Council, which is a voluntary organization consisting of commercial
establishments in the region, NPO/NGO and individuals, will be established.
The Kanto Regional Forest Office of the Forestry Agency is conducting the monitoring surveys for the
purpose of protection and conservation of the natural environment of the Oku-Aizu Forest Ecosystem
Reserve, based on the Law on the Administration and Management of National Forests.
The Kanto Regional Forest Office of the Forestry Agency is conducting the monitoring surveys for the
purpose of appropriate forest management of the Aizu-Sanchi Green Corridor, based on the Law on the
Administration and Management of National Forests.
In 2012, Tadami Town started “‘The Capital of Mother Nature’: An academic investigation researchsubsidy project” to encourage researchers or a research group studying basic and applied research
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related to conservation, regeneration and utilization of biological diversity in Tadami Town and forresearch related to utilization of sustainable ecosystem services.
Tadami Beech Center originally promotes basic research into the natural environment and wildlife of
Tadami Town, and in addition centralizes Tadami Town for academic investigation and research, while
coordinating with universities and research institutions through “‘The Capital of Mother Nature’: An
academic investigation research subsidy project” that has been set up by Tadami Town.
Tadami Beech Center collects materials related to the natural environment of the Tadami area andexhibits and explains them in the “Museum of Japanese Beech and Rivers, Tadami.”
Tadami Beech Center not only hosts lectures and nature observation meetings, but also invites andprovides lecturers for events aiming to obtain support from residents and visitors concerning theimportance of valuing and protecting the natural environment and wildlife of the Tadami area and its
utilization.
Tadami Beech Center proactively supplies and transmits information regarding the nature of Tadami
and information concerning the protection, conservation and utilization of nature both inside andoutside the town, through the Beech center homepage, newsletters, bulletins, etc. At the same time, theCenter sponsors or welcomes a variety of events.
Tadami Town is examining the possibility of preparing an institution for researchers or students to stayand receive training.
In 2013, the Education Board of Tadami Town is planning to apply for registration of the Asahi
elementary school located in the town to the “UNESCO Associated School Project Network.” This will
be followed by sequential registrations to the UNESCO Associated School Project Network for othereducational institutions located in Tadami Town.

4. CRITERIA FOR DESIGNATION AS A BIOSPHERE RESERVE:[Article 4 of the Statutory Framework presents 7 general criteria for an area to be qualified for designation as a biospherereserve which are given in order below.]

4.1 "Encompass a mosaic of ecological systems representative of major biogeographic region(s),including a gradation of human interventions".
(The term "major biogeographic region" is not strictly defined but it would be useful to refer to the Udvardy
classification system (http://www.unep-wcmc.org/udvardys-biogeographical-provinces-1975_745.html)).

< Ecological systems representative of biogeographic regions >The Tadami BR proposed site is located in “2-15-6 The Palaearctic Realm, Oriental Deciduous Forest”
based on biogeographic regions (Udvardy 1975) prepared by IUCN (International Union forConservation of Nature). It belongs to the Japan Sea area climate and has a complicated variety oflocations and environments formed by “nivation landform,” which is due to the geologicalcharacteristics of 3-5 m heavy snowfall in the winter and green tuff bedrock with a comparatively
fragile nature. Due to these locations and environments, a vegetation mosaic is formed with evergreen
coniferous forest like Pinus parviflora var. pentaphylla or Japanese arborvitae (Thuja standishii) on theridge parts, shrubs like Quercus mongolica var. undulatifolia or Hamamelis japonica obtusata on theavalanche slopes, deciduous broad-leaved forest with mainly beech (Fagus crenata) at thecomparatively stable location where debris and soil have been deposited by avalanches on the lower
part of the slopes, and riparian forests like Japanese wing nut (Pterocarya rhoifolia) or Japanese horsechestnut (Aesculus turbinata) along the streams. This kind of landscape is very rare in cool temperateregions, and starts from a mountain located behind the settlements. It exists in a pristine primeval
condition with very little human interference, over a large area of about 40,000 ha (Photo 4-1).
Most of the area between the primeval mountain zone and the settlements is the mosaic vegetation
made up of secondary forests of deciduous broad-leaved trees, used as copses for firewood and charcoal,and planted forests of Japanese cedar (Cryptmeria japonica) and Japanese larch (Larix kaempferi),
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planted on grassland after the Second World War.
In the area from highly natural mountain zone to secondary forests of deciduous broad-leaved trees(transition area proposed site and a part of the Buffer Zone B proposed site), Tadami Town residents
engage in hunting, gathering edible wild plants and mushrooms, woods for fuelwood and living
materials; all of which are traditional sustainable use.
In the transition area of the Tadami BR proposed site, we find the Tadami River, which flows
northwards from the southwest side of the proposed site, the Ina River, which flows westward from theeast side to eventually meet the Tadami River at the central part of Tadami Town, and tributaries ofthese rivers, and the settlements of Tadami Town scattered on fluvial terraces found along these rivers.
In a basin of the Tadami River and Ina River of the Tadami BR proposed site, there is mountainous
riparian forest consisting of Salix spp.; such as Salix hukaoana, which is a Japanese endemic species aswell as the endangered species, Salix sachalinensi and Salix dolichostyla ssp. Dolichostyla, etc. In
addition, Salix hukaoana is found across a total range of 50 km in this basin, creating the largest
autogenesis ground in Japan. The large growth of Salix hukaoana is dependent on river disturbance andindicates the highly natural condition of the river environment in this basin. (Tadami nature-study
meeting, 2012)
There is about 857 ha of cropland in the transition area proposed site; about 70% rice paddies and theremaining 30% general purpose fields. This cropland is along the Tadami River and Ina River systems,
and is inside or adjacent to the settlement areas.
Tadami Town consists of 27 settlements, however, there is no area with a typical townscape. Even in
the Tadami district where a town hall is located in the most populated area with a town street withstores, restaurants and guesthouses along a national road, it is still surrounded by forested mountains,
fields and cropland. Other districts are even smaller and neighboring village houses are surrounded bycropland and fields and forested mountain scenery.
Next to the Tadami BR proposed site are found natural forests of deciduous broad-leaved trees, asecondary forest of deciduous broad-leaved forest and a planted forest of Japanese cedar (Cryptmeria
japonica) and Japanese larch (Larix kaempferi), and activities such as forestry, mountain climbing,hunting, fishing and edible wild plant collecting are commonly practiced.
<Legal status>
In 2007, 40,830 ha of National Forests including a center part of the Tadami BR proposed site were
designated as the Oku-Aizu Forest Ecosystem Reserve based on the Law on the Administration andManagement of National Forests. The purpose of Forest Ecosystem Reserve is maintaining the naturalenvironment consisting of forest ecosystems, protection of fauna and flora, conservation of genetic
resources, development of forest management operation and management technique and contribution toscientific research, which is achieved by conserving primeval natural forest. In addition, 105,434 ha(10,967 ha in the Tadami BR proposed site) of National Forests surrounding the area were also
designated as the “Aizu-Sanchi Green Corridor” based on the Law on the Administration andManagement of National Forests. The purpose of the Green Corridor is maintenance and improvementof biodiversity through retaining wider and effective continuity of forests, and further protection andconservation of forest ecosystems.
470 ha of National Forests located in the northeast area of the Tadami BR proposed site were
designated as the Protected Forest “Hometown Forest” based on the Law on the Administration andManagement of National Forests. The purpose of the Hometown Forest is appropriate conservation offorests, which have significance as a local symbol etc., in cooperation with the local community andcontribution to the rural development.
In 1973, about 27,849 ha including the central part of the Tadami BR proposed site was designated as apart of the Echigosanzan-Tadami Quasi-national Park based on the Natural Park Act. Included were a
specific area with excellent vegetation which needs to be conserved for the future as well, 10,623 hawhich is about 38% was designated as a Quasi-national Park Special Protection Zone, 13,190 ha which
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9is about 47% was designated as a Quasi-national Park Class I Special Zone, and 4,036 ha which isabout 15% was designated as a Quasi-national Park Class II Special Zone.

Photo 4-1 Mountains dominated by nivation landforms and mosaic vegetation are found just behind thesettlements.

4.2 "Be of significance for biological diversity conservation".
(This should refer not only to the numbers of endemic or rare species, but may also refer to species on the IUCN Red
List or CITES appendices, at the local, regional or global levels, and also to species of global importance, rare habitat
types or habitats with unique land use practices (for example traditional grazing or artisanal fishing) favouring theconservation of biological diversity).

Biological diversity is considered on three levels; ecosystem diversity, species diversity and genetic
diversity (Convention on Biological Diversity; CBD).
<Ecosystem diversity>
In the Tadami area, there are primeval natural environments extending across 40,000 ha, with various
geological features formed by nivation landform, several types of vegetation growing in the topography
and animals inhabiting such unique vegetation, resulting in high ecosystem biodiversity.
In the Tadami BR proposed site, top species in the ecosystem such as large mammals like the Asiatic
black bear (Ursus thibetanus japonicus: Listed as Endangered II (Vulnerable) in the IUCN Red List)
and raptors like the Golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos japonica) or Mountain Hawk-Eagle (Spizaetus
nipalensis orientalis) are found in large numbers. Especially, both the Golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos
japonica) and the Mountain Hawk-Eagle (Spizaetus nipalensis orientalis) are listed as Endangered(EN) in the Red List of the Ministry of the Environment (2012). In general, the Golden eagle (Aquila
chrysaetos japonica) is found nesting on the rock ledges of steep cliffs in mountainous areas. They hunt
Japanese hare (Lepus brachyurus), the Copper pheasant (Syrmaticus soemmerringii) and such snakes as
the Japanese rat snake (Elaphe climacophora) in open areas such as shrub zones, grass areas anddenuded land next to the forest; its home range extends up to 200 km2 (Yamazaki, 2002). On the other
hand, the Mountain Hawk-Eagle (Spizaetus nipalensis orientalis) is highly dependent on the forest,
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nesting in large trees and hunting several small and medium size animals in the forest such as; Japanese
hare (Lepus brachyurus), the Copper pheasant (Syrmaticus soemmerringii), snakes, badgers (Meles
meles), racoon dogs (Nyctereutes procyonoides), Japanese martens (Martes melampus), Japanese minks(Mustela itatsi), flying squirrels (Petaurista leucogenys), Japanese squirrels (Sciurus lis), brown-earedbulbuls (Hypsipetes amaurotis), meadow buntings (Emberiza cioides), etc. (Yamazaki 2002). This large
and primeval natural environment of the Tadami area, with nivation landform characteristics formed byheavy snowfall and a vegetation mosaic created by those topographies, provides two separate and ideal
habitats for the Golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos japonica) and the Mountain Hawk-Eagle (Spizaetus
nipalensis orientalis), whose nesting environments and food sources are quite different. This
demonstrates the existence of these umbrella species (raptors) are indicative of a rich ecosystem in the
Tadami BR proposed site.
<Species diversity>
No endemic species limited in the Tadami BR proposed site were confirmed, although the entire picture
is not clarified as the general basic research related to the biological diversity of the Tadami BR
proposed site has not been carried out yet.
About 45% of the native plants (vascular plant) in Japan are endemic species and the percentage ofJapanese endemic species, which appear in Tadami Town of the Tadami BR proposed site is about 9%.
In addition, there are 12 endangered species designated by the Ministry of the Environment (about 1%of the total) and 17 endangered species designated by Fukushima Prefecture (about 2% of the total) in
Tadami Town. Forest wilderness in the Tadami BR proposed site extends over about 70,000 ha, which
are generally inaccessible to humans due to their deep and steep topography, however, the percentage ofJapanese endemic species and endangered species are expected to increase once the investigation isstarted.
<Genetic diversity>
Regarding genetic diversity, the high diversity and endemism of beech (Fagus crenata) and Japanesewing nut (Ptrocrya Rhoifolia) groups in Tadami Town were confirmed by genetic analysis (Education
Board of Tadami Town 2003, Education Board of Tadami Town 2004 and the Education Board of
Tadami Town 2005)
As a result of research on the genetic diversity of rare tree species, Salix hukaoana, of the Ina Riverbasin which is the largest autogenesis ground in Japan, genetic differentiation of the group was
confirmed and a range of genetic flow was also revealed (Kikuchi, Suzuki 2012).
<Rare species>
In Tadami Town of the Tadami BR proposed site is the only confirmed site in Fukushima Prefecture of
the Frosted myotis (Myotis pruinosus), which is a Japanese endemic species of bat and they are listed as
Endangered (EN) in the IUCN Red List as well as Endangered (EN) in the Red List of the Ministry of
the Environment (2012).
In the riparian forest in a basin of the Tadami River/Ina River flowing in the Tadami BR proposed site,rare tree species Salix hukaoana, which is classified as Endangered II (Vulnerable) in the Red List of
the Ministry of the Environment (2012), grow in the largest numbers found in Japan. Since the growthof this tree species depends on river disturbance (snow flood), the large growth of such tree species
indicates that the river environment in this basin has been conserved in a highly natural state. (Tadami
nature-study meeting, 2012)
Tadami Town of the Tadami BR proposed site is the largest autogenesis ground of Lilium rubellum inJapan, which is a Japanese endemic species and found only around the Iide mountain range, Mt. Azuma
and Sumondake, located in the southern part of Miyagi Prefecture and at the prefectural boundaries ofNiigata, Fukushima and Yamagata Prefectures. (Yutaka Takahara, et al. 2012) Almost all the places
have grassland at the summit area, steep rocky slopes of nivation landform or the ridges of scree slopes;
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it is expected to be the most important growth area of a natural population in Japan. This species isclassified as Near Threatened (NT) in the Red List of the Ministry of the Environment (2012) as well as
in the Red Data Book of Fukushima Prefecture.
Reference: Ecology and conservation of ecosystem of the Golden eagle and Mountain Hawk-Eagle, Toru
Yamazaki (2002), the Journal of Japanese Society of Poultry Diseases, Vol. 38 extra edition, p. 41-47

4.3 "Provide an opportunity to explore and demonstrate approaches to sustainable development on aregional scale”.
(Describe in general terms the potential of the area to serve as a site of excellence for promoting the sustainable
development of its region (or "eco-region")).

Historically, the economic life of residents in the Tadami area has been basically supported byagriculture (including slash and burn agriculture known as “Kano”) and utilization of the rich local
natural resources such as hunting, collecting and fishing. This style of life has endured, even during themodernization after the Meiji era, and it still exists today. Therefore, the harmonious relationshipbetween nature and humans has always been found as an undercurrent in this local community, thus
fulfilling the criteria of being a sustainable local community.
<Approaches of Tadami Town>
From 1990, the collection, arrangement and investigation of folk implements were carried out by
Tadami Town residents. It is known as the “Tadami method,” and some of these folk implements wereregistered as National Tangible Cultural Properties in 2003.
In 2006, Tadami Town developed the 6th Tadami Town development promotion plan with a concept of“A town living life with beech, a town living with snow; challenge of Oku-Aizu Tadami – creation ofreal local value,” with a town plan utilizing the inherited properties of the Tadami area such as
traditional nature, history, culture, living, industry, etc., clearly separating such subjects from following
the contemporary urbanized values.
In 2007, Tadami Town established the “Tadami Beech Center” as a core organization for actualizing
the 6th Tadami Town development promotion plan. At Tadami Beech Center, there are several
activities: (1) conservation of the natural environment and protection of wildlife, (2) investigation andresearch of the natural environment, (3) operation of a museum “Museum of Japanese Beech and Rivers,
Tadami,” (4) education and training, (5) information transmission and exchange activities, etc., of the
Tadami area.
In 2007, Tadami Town announced “The Capital of Mother Nature,” targeting local residents to rerecognize the value of the large natural environment of Tadami area as the inheritance of the next
generation.
In 2012, Tadami Town started “‘The Capital of Mother Nature’: An academic investigation researchsubsidy project.” This project encourages researchers or research groups that are studying basic and/or
applied research related to conservation, regeneration and/or utilization of biological diversity in
Tadami Town and for research related to the utilization of sustainable ecosystem services. The research
results will be reported and returned to the Tadami Town residents, and moreover, are expected to bepresented at academic meetings and in an academic journal.
Tadami Beech Center is planning to strengthen the relationship with university and research institutes
as well as to centralize Tadami Town for academic investigation research through “‘The Capital ofMother Nature’: An academic investigation research subsidy project,” Four Universities are currently
working on investigation research: Niigata University, Yokohama National University, Tokyo
Metropolitan University and Tokyo University.
<Acceptance of outside research institutes by Tadami Town>
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A database compilation of many aspects of folklore as well as folk implements of Tadami Town werecreated by Kanagawa University 21st Century COE Program, “Systematization of Non-written Cultural
Materials for the Study of Human Societies,” and published in a website known as the “Tadami Town
Internet Eco-museum.” (http://www.himoji.jp/tadami-item/) This website presents the folklore of
Tadami Town with an overview of images of Tadami Town, and the system helps to foster
understanding of their livelihood with computer images showing the mountain village life of Tadami
Town on the internet. At an international symposium conducted by this program, the “Tadami Town
Internet Eco-museum” was introduced as an example during the discussion on the possibilities ofInternet Eco-museums. (Edited by the Research Promotion Committee of Kanagawa University 21stCentury COE Program, “Systematization of Non-written Cultural Materials for the Study of Human
Societies,” 2008)
Kanagawa University investigated many aspects of folklore in the Ookura district of Tadami Town,
focusing on a “Changes to ethnic group after rapid economic growth” based on an accumulation offolklore investigations of the Tadami area by the Tadami Town Town History Editing Project andResearch Promotion Committee of Kanagawa University 21st Century COE Program, “Systematizationof Non-written Cultural Materials for the Study of Human Societies.” (Edited by Kenji Sano, 2008)
In 2010, at the 2nd International Symposium of International Center for Folk Culture Studies, “‘Story’ –Human Culture from the Perspective of folk implements/material cultures,” sponsored by theInternational Center for Folk Culture Studies of Kanagawa University, which is a collaborative study
center approved by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, and theInstitute for the Study of Japanese Folk Culture of Kanagawa University, the subject of names for folk
implements were discussed using a folk implement of Tadami Town as an example.
From 2008 to 2011, a general study of ecosystem services related to the Ordinary Meeting of theConference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity was conducted by the Forestry andForest Products Research Institute of the Incorporated Administrative Agency, a report meeting washeld in 2010 and its report was released in 2011. (Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute of theIncorporated Administrative Agency, et al. 2011)
Utsunomiya University conducted a rural survey concerning the problems and vitalization of themountainous area in the Fuzawa district from 2010, and a final report was released in 2012.
(Utsunomiya University, 2011; Utsunomiya University, 2012)<Acceptance as National Forests>
As almost the whole of the core area and the Buffer Zone A and B of the proposed site is designated as
Oku-Aizu Forest Ecosystem Reserve based on the Law on the Administration and Management of
National Forests. Thus entering this area is restricted though entering for investigation research isallowed with gaining admission.
<Expectations of the BR proposed site registration>
The town plan based on an ecosystem of deciduous broad-leaved forest – mainly beech forests in heavy
snowfall areas – was introduced internationally and to some neighboring countries, through the World
Japanese Beech Tree Summit held in 2005 and 2007. Moreover, if the Tadami BR designation is
granted this time, the long worked upon town plan built upon the concept of “A town living life withbeech, a town living with snow; challenge of Oku-Aizu Tadami – creation of real local value,” will beinternationally and widely recognized, resulting in a boost of confidence and a source of great pride forthe town residents. It is also expected to be a source of encouragement and motivation for industrial
development of the transition area proposed site and social sustainable development.
Based on this Biosphere Reserve designation, it is expected that there will be increased interest in
approaches to “The Capital of Mother Nature,” a spread of cooperation and collaboration concerning
the town plan and region development, and the development of research in several fields outside thenatural sciences, such as in the humanities and social sciences with the study of the history and culture
UNESCO - Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme - Biosphere reserve nomination form - January 201313of the Tadami area.
A variety of approaches used in the Tadami BR proposed area, including background, method andspecific examples of these approaches can be expected to take over and lead the sustainable
development of the whole region. In addition, the results will be a model for activation of many similar
mountainous areas found all over Japan, and all suffering from the same depopulation, an aging
population and a decline of regional community, as found in Tadami.

4.4 "Have an appropriate size to serve the three functions of biosphere reserves"(This refers more particularly to (a) the surface area required to meet the long term conservation objectives of the corearea(s) and the buffer zone(s) and (b) the availability of areas suitable for working with local communities in testing anddemonstrating sustainable uses of natural resources).

Basically, the core area and buffer zone proposed site of the Tadami BR proposed site are the“Preservation Zone” and “Conservation and Utilization Zone” of the Oku-Aizu Forest Ecosystem
Reserve, respectively, which were established by the Kanto Regional Forest Office of the Forestry
Agency based on the Law on the Administration and Management of National Forests. Actually, theview of zoning of Forest Ecosystem Reserve refers that of Biosphere Reserve. And other areas are set
up as transition area of proposed sites. However, a buffer zone is designated for wider purposes such asconservation and utilization based on the BR setting standard of the UNESCO MAB program, and it isdifficult to include concerned areas as one category, as the Oku-Aizu Forest Ecosystem Reserve basedon the Law on the Administration and Management of National Forests and the Echigosanzan-Tadami
Quasi-national Park based on the Natural Park Act have duplicate designations in part of the buffer
zone. Therefore, the buffer zone of the Tadami BR proposed area was divided into “Buffer zone A”
where conservation of the natural environment is the first priority objective to manage in line with thecore area and “Buffer zone B” where sustainable utilization is the objective with an assumption ofconservation.
The proposed core area measures 3,557 ha of forests. The ridgeline connecting Mt. Aizu-Asahidake~Mt.
Maruyamadake~Mt. Tsuboiri is centrally located in the proposed site and mosaic vegetation oflandslide scar site, herbaceous community, shrub and beech forest exists in a primeval condition on thenivation landform. Also, it’s area accords with the Preservation Zone of Oku-Aizu Forest Ecosystem
Reserve, which was designated considering any extension required for preserving the biologicalcharacteristics of the forest, based on the Law on the Administration and Management of National
Forests. These steep mountainous areas are caused by the nivation landform of ridgelines, with no easy
access for ordinary persons and no residence. In this manner, it is enough size and location formaintenance and conservation of the primeval forests.
The proposed site of Buffer Zone A (8,380 ha) is a valuable area for conservation of the regional
biological diversity and includes the existence of a mountainous landscape of heavy snowfall areas andhabitats for wildlife. It is also designated as a Special Protection Zone of the Echigosanzan-Tadami
Quasi-national Park based on the Natural Park Act, as well as a Conservation and Utilization Zone of
the Oku-Aizu Forest Ecosystem Reserve based on the Law on the Administration and Management of
National Forests.
In the proposed site of Buffer Zone B (42,953 ha), most of the area (28,894 ha) is designated as theConservation and Utilization Zone of the Oku-Aizu Forest Ecosystem Reserve based on the Law on the
Administration and Management of National Forests, and part of the area is designated as some otherlegislative and regulatory methods such as the Class I Special Zone and the Class II Special Zone of the
Echigosanzan-Tadami Quasi-national Park based on the Natural Park Act, as the Protected Forest“Hometown Forest” based on the Law on the Administration and Management of National Forests andas the “Aizu-Sanchi Green Corridor” based on the Law on the Administration and Management of
National Forests. It also includes a small part of the Tadami Town forest (1,498 ha) and the surface of
Dam Lake (1,024 ha).
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The size of the proposed site of Buffer Zone A/B (total 51,333 ha) is about 14 times that of the
proposed site of the core area, providing a sufficient area to surround the proposed site of the core areaand fulfill its role as a mechanism against any impact by humans.
The proposed site of the transition area (23,142 ha) is a sustainable utilization area with the functions
and roles of traditional village-vicinity mountains and village land, with the scenery consisting of about
90% planted forest or copse, about 4% field or rice paddy and about 2% residential area, etc.
The proposed site of the transition area along the Tadami River is designated as the “Tadami-Yanaizu
Prefectural Natural Park” based on the Natural Park Act.
The proposed site of the transition area has been used by humans since the middle of the Jomon era andit is also convenient for the current inhabitants in terms of geography, topography and access. Therefore,
forest resources such as fuel, agricultural material, collection of edible wild plants/mushrooms, etc.,
have been utilized.

4.5 Through appropriate zonation:"(a) a legally constituted core area or areas devoted to long term protection, according to theconservation objectives of the biosphere reserve, and of sufficient size to meet these objectives".
(Describe the core area(s) briefly, indicating their legal status, their size, the main conservation objectives).

Forest Ecosystem Reserve is primeval natural forest, which represents the forests of Japan and has
considerable area, designated and managed by the Forestry Agency based on the Law on the
Administration and Management of National Forests for the purpose of maintenance of the naturalenvironment, protection of fauna and flora, conservation of genetic resources and contribution ofscientific research, and so on. In 2007, the Kanto Regional Forest Office of the Forestry Agency
established 83,891 ha of National Forests including the Tadami BR proposed site as the Oku-Aizu
Forest Ecosystem Reserve based on the Act. Among this area, 7,715 ha was designated as a
Preservation Zone, having a sufficient area to strictly protect the primeval forest ecosystem and toreserve the biological characteristics of the forests.
The surrounding areas of Mt. Hiuchigatake and a ridgeline which runs from north to south of Mt. AizuAsahidake ~ Mt. Maruyamadake ~ Mt. Tsuboiri ~ Mt. Aizu-Komagatake designated as the Preservation
Zone of Oku-Aizu Forest Ecosystem Reserve, based on the Law on the Administration andManagement of National Forests. Subalpine zone of coniferous forest (aciculignosa) spreads into thesurrounding area of Mt. Hiuchigatake, whereas high moor and snowpatch grassland along with asubalpine zone of coniferous forest (aciculignosa) extend from Mt. Aizu-Komagatake ~ Mt. Tsuboiri.
On the other hand, in the surrounding area of Mt. Tsuboiri ~ Mt. Maruyamadake ~ Mt. Aizu-Asahidake,a nivation landform has been created by avalanches and excellent scenery of bare land, grassland andshrubs are seen mixed together. In this way, the vegetation varies greatly even in the same Preservation
Zone of the Oku-Aizu Forest Ecosystem Reserve (according to an actual vegetation map on a scale of
1:50,000 of Biodiversity Center of Japan). The proposed site of the core area of the Tadami BR
proposed site is designated to correspond to the north of Mt. Tsuboiri of Preservation Zone of the OkuAizu Forest Ecosystem Reserve (3,557 ha).
The Preservation Zone of the Oku-Aizu Forest Ecosystem Reserve based on the Law on the
Administration and Management of National Forests is generally off-limits to ensure strict protection of
the forest ecosystem by eliminating any human influence; it is based on the principle of management of
the Oku-Aizu Forest Ecosystem Reserve setting policy.
Moreover, the proposed site of the core area as an area which requires conservation of scenery andvegetation is designated as a Special Protection Zone and a Class I Special Zone of the EchigosanzanTadami Quasi-national Park based on the Natural Park Act.
A part of the proposed site of the core area is designated as the Tadami Prefectural Wildlife Protection
Area and the Tadami Special Protection Area; these zones are based on the Wildlife Protection andAppropriate Hunting Law, which allows no hunting and any human work activities such as cutting trees
UNESCO - Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme - Biosphere reserve nomination form - January 201315

and bamboos, and restricts any extended new constructions.

"(b) a buffer zone or zones clearly identified and surrounding or contiguous to the core area or areas,
where only activities compatible with the conservation objectives can take place".
(Describe briefly the buffer zones(s), their legal status, their size, and the activities which are ongoing and planned there).

Proposed site of Buffer Zone A/B is designated to encompass the proposed site of the core area in total.
The proposed site of Buffer Zone A (8,380 ha), as a required area for conservation of the naturalenvironment and an important habitat of wildlife, is designated as a Conservation and Utilization Zoneof the Oku-Aizu Forest Ecosystem Reserve based on the Law on the Administration and Managementof National Forests as well as the Special Protection Zone of the Echigosanzan-Tadami Quasi-national
Park based on the Natural Park Act. This Buffer Zone A is managed, with more focus on the protection
and conservation of biological diversity, even if it is inside the buffer zone.
Most of the area in the proposed site of Buffer Zone B (42,953 ha) is designated as the Conservationand Utilization Zone of the Oku-Aizu Forest Ecosystem Reserve based on the Law on the
Administration and Management of National Forests, and part of the area is designated as some otherlegislative and regulatory methods such as the Class I Special Zone and the Class II Special Zone of the
Echigosanzan-Tadami Quasi-national Park based on the Natural Park Act, as the Protected Forest“Hometown Forest” as well as the “Aizu-Sanchi Green Corridor,” based on the Law on the
Administration and Management of National Forests. It also includes a small part of the Tadami Town
forest. In this zone, utilization by ecotourism, education, study activities, etc., are planned while
maintaining sustainable utilization by traditional common practices (including the System of Common
Use of National Forest Land), without disturbing the conservation of the natural environment.
Part of the area proposed site of Buffer Zone B is designated as the Protected Forest “Hometown
Forest” based on the Law on the Administration and Management of National Forests. The Protected
Forest contributes to the rural development by the conservation of forests or utilizing for recreation, andis managed in cooperation with the local community.

"(c) an outer transition area where sustainable resource management practices are promoted anddeveloped".
(The Seville Strategy gave increased emphasis to the transition area since this is the area where the key issues onenvironment and development of a given region are to be addressed. Describe briefly the transition area(s), the types ofquestions to be addressed there in the near and the longer terms. The Madrid Action Plan states that the outer boundary
should be defined through stakeholder consultation).

In the Tadami BR proposed site, the transition area proposed site is set up at the outer section, adjacentto the buffer area proposed site. It consists of forested mountains and fields, cropland, residential areas,etc.
The residents of the Tadami BR proposed area have been utilizing forest resources traditionally, and ina sustainable way without imposing any great pressure on the natural environment. They have engaged
in sustainable hunting, collecting edible wild plants and mushrooms, weaving handiwork made fromvine, utilizing firewood as fuel, etc. Edible wild plants and mushrooms collected from the mountains
are provided to the visitors in guesthouses. Processed edible wild plants and mushrooms and crafts are
sold as specialized products.
The life, culture and industry of Tadami Town relying on the natural environment and resources are
rapidly declining, while suffering from depopulation due to the ever-increasing outflow of young people
to urban areas and an aging population which are common factors in the mountainous areas of Japan inrecent years. In addition, it is a fact that the natural environment and resources are not well-utilized fora local socioeconomic development suitable to the changing times. Therefore, Tadami Town developed
UNESCO - Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme - Biosphere reserve nomination form - January 201316

the 6th Tadami Town development promotion plan (2006) and announced “The Capital of Mother
Nature,” promoting a town plan utilizing inherited regional properties like nature, history, culture,living, industry, etc., centering on the natural environment as represented by the beech forests andresources.
The basic industries of Tadami Town are primary industries such as agriculture and forestry. The main
agricultural products are rice, buckwheat and tomatoes, and there is no strong branding except for the“Nango Tomato.” Therefore, the local economy has not been developed based on agriculture. In thecase of organic agriculture, which is sustainable with less pressure on the environment, there is no
unified approach for the whole region, although some farmers are practicing organic agriculture (as of2013 two products have been applied for organic agricultural products). However, establishment of a
local economy based on the regional agriculture is expected, by utilizing the existence base of the
agriculture and promoting sustainable organic and pesticide-reduced agriculture with less pressure on
the environment and branding such cultivated agricultural products in the future.
Regarding forestry, logging of the natural forest used to be carried out to provide valuable materials forthe revival after the Second World War, however, logging has stopped due to the reduction of good
resources of natural forests and the strong demand from local community to conserve the naturalenvironment. The planted forests of coniferous trees are enough for intensive harvesting. The
coniferous forests were planted to expand afforestation after logging the natural forests, which was
carried out as a national policy after the 1950s, however, the industrialization utilizing forest resources
didn’t make progress because of stagnant wood prices and reduction of wood use. Hence, amanagement system and infrastructure development towards sustainable forest management utilizing
the Forest Certification System etc., will be required in the private and public forests. On the other hand,firewoods are continuously utilized as fuel, reduce local consumption of fossil fuels and have thepotential for modeling a low carbon society.
Concerning inland fisheries, anadromous fish (Salmon/Trout) became extinct due to fragmentation ofrivers by the dam for electrical power development in the Tadami River system and other fish resources
have decreased due to over-fishing, as a result, fish resources are currently somehow maintained byreleasing fish into the rivers. However, mountain stream fishing of Japanese char (Salvelinus
leucomaenis) and landlocked salmon (Oncorhynchus masou masou) is popular and there are many
visitors for fishing. It is necessary to strengthen river management and resource management tomaintain mountain stream fish resources by natural means.
In a basin of the Ina River, the river bed is relatively wide allowing a changing flow channel by river
disturbance, resulting in the maintenance of a highly natural river environment. As a result, a basin of
the Tadami River and Ina River is the largest autogenesis ground of the rare tree species, Salix
hukaoana, in Japan. However, due to river improvement carried out in recent years, the natural
disturbance system required for renewal of this species has been changed and the continuation of thegroup is threatened. Hence, river management considering the general protection of the riverenvironment including riparian forest such as Salix hukaoana will be required.
Even though the scale is small, there are processing industries utilizing local agricultural products andforest products in Tadami. Its development is expected by management and improvement of utilization
along with the Tadami BR project.
Tourism is one of the main industries of Tadami Town, however, there is a limitation with package
group tour type tourism which is mainly conventional dam sightseeing. In addition, infrastructures forsightseeing such as transport systems and lodging facilities are not sufficient. However, there is a highpossibility of development by utilizing the rich natural environment of Tadami Town as tourist
attractions, based on a principle of the UNESCO MAB program. The Tadami-line of the East Japan
Railway Company (JR East), which runs between the primeval natural environments, will not only be
an important transport system for residents, but also a mainstay of regional sightseeing. In addition,
trekking in beech forests plays a big role in understanding the importance of protection andconservation of the natural environment and wildlife. The scenery of the Ina River basin with its
UNESCO - Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme - Biosphere reserve nomination form - January 201317

remaining natural environment is ideal for photo and video shooting, and future utilization is to be
expected.
The ecotourism industry has not yet fully established itself due to problems of preparedness to receive
visitors. Hence, it is necessary to establish several facilities, such as; development of an ecotourism
guide system, improvement of individual guiding ability of existing guides, training of new guides anddevelopment of new tours, etc.
In Tadami Town, there are several cultural assets, including government-designated important cultural
assets based on the Law on Protection of Cultural Properties. However, exhibition facilities andpublishing methods have not been strongly established. Hence, it is necessary to develop the exhibition
facilities along with effective utilization of cultural assets as a related project to the Tadami BR.
The establishment of a biosphere reserve will assist the town plan utilizing inherited regional properties
such as nature, history, culture, living, industry, etc., centering on the natural environment represented
by beech forests and resources, which Tadami Town has been promoting in the 6th Tadami Town
development promotion plan. At the same time, it helps local residents to recognize its value and havepride, and helps the connection to regional activation. In addition, it is expected to be a model case todemonstrate an effective breakthrough against the problems faced by a local community, such as decay
due to depopulation and an aging population which many semimountainous areas are suffering in Japan.
Tadami Town was greatly damaged and affected by the accident at Fukushima No.1 Nuclear Power
Plant of Tokyo Electric Power Company caused by the Great East Japan Earthquake in March 2011 andits harmful rumors, and also by the Niigata and Fukushima heavy rainfall disaster in July 2011. The
background of these accidents and the damage initiated by natural disasters is that people weaken theirrelationship with nature (direct exchange of resources and spirituality), depend on the technologies
created by society and become overconfident in them with the development of a modern society andeconomy. Against such a background, the international recognition and presentation of the naturalenvironment of the Tadami BR proposed site applied by Tadami Town which is located in Fukushima
Prefecture in Japan and the life and culture of Tadami Town residents based on nature, presents one
model of humans living in harmony with nature, and will connect to the revitalization of the Fukushimaregion.

(d) Please provide some additional information about the interaction between the three areas.
None.

4.6 "Organizational arrangements should be provided for the involvement and participation of asuitable range of inter alia public authorities, local communities and private interests in the design
and the carrying out of the functions of a biosphere reserve".
4.6.1 Describe arrangements in place or foreseen.
(Describe involvement of public and/or private stakeholders in support of the activities of the biosphere reserve in core,buffer and transition areas (such as agreements, protocols, letters of intent, protected area(s) plans)).

From applying for the registration of the Tadami BR proposed site until its registration is completed,the preparation organization (Tadami BR Preparation Liaison Council (provisional name)), consistingof local governments of the Tadami BR proposed site, the Kanto Regional Forest Office of the Forestry
Agency, the Tohoku Regional Environment Office of the Ministry of the Environment, several
industrial associations, local community groups, the Japanese Coordinating Committee for MAB, etc.,
is established for management and operation of the BR. The Secretariat of the Preparation Liaison
Council is set up in the Tadami Beech Center. In case of a successful registration of the Tadami BR
proposed site as a BR, this Preparation Liaison Council will be immediately expanded to the Tadami
BR Promotion Council (provisional name). The Promotion Council holds general discussions for
UNESCO - Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme - Biosphere reserve nomination form - January 201318

protection and conservation of biological diversity inside the BR, investigation and research andsustainable socioeconomic development of the area, by a roundtable method. The Secretariat of thePromotion Council will be continuously located in the Tadami Beech Center.
The Promotion Council will set up an expert committee by people of experience or academic standing,
who will advise on the protection and conservation of biological diversity inside the BR,
investigation/research and local development.
For realizing the purposes of the Tadami BR, Tadami Town will set up a project team in the town hall,
to examine administrative policy, make a plan, and implement it for the large ancestral and primeval
natural environment existing in the Tadami BR proposed site and for the benefit of the lives and cultureof Tadami Town residents rely on this natural environment.
For realizing the purposes of the Tadami BR; especially local development at a grassroots level, theTadami BR Promotion Resident Liaison Council (provisional name), which is a voluntary organizationconsisting of commercial establishments in the region, NPO/NGO and individuals, is established.

4.6.2 Have any cultural and social impact assessments been conducted, or similar tools andguidelines been used?
(e.g. Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)’s Akwé: Kon guidelines; Free, Prior, and Informed Consent guidelines,
Biocultural Community Protocols, etc.). (UNESCO’s Programme on Man and the Biosphere (MAB) encourages
biosphere reserves to consider and respect indigenous and customary rights through programmes or tools, inaccordancewiththeUnitedNations
Declarationonthe
RightsofIndigenous
Peoples(http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/unpfii/documents/DRIPS_en.pdf when relevant and appropriate)).

The Town History Editing Committee (1989-2004), carried out an investigation and evaluation of thehistory, culture and industry of Tadami Town, which was edited and published as a town history alongwith documents (refer supplement documents). Additionally, many investigations on many aspects offolklore have been made by universities and research institutes, and the results were published as
publications (refer supplement documents). In the Tadami region, there is a large and primeval naturalenvironment, where residents utilize natural resources in a sustainable way such as; hunting, collectingof edible wile plants and mushrooms, utilizing firewood as fuel and weaving handiwork, such as
baskets made from vines, grass tree or tree bark, etc. Also, there are traditional annual celebrations likethe “Onbe” (New Year’s bonfire) and the “Saotome” dance. On the other hand, the Tadami area is also
facing the difficulty of passing on the region’s traditional culture as the connection between humans
and nature is becoming weaker, due to modern social structures and changes in society’s sense ofvalues; along with depopulation due to the ever-increasing flow of young people to urban areas and theaging population. However, if the Tadami BR proposed site is successfully registered as a BR, theinternational recognition and presentation of such a natural environment as the Tadami area and the
traditional lives and culture of the Tadami Town residents based on nature will provide pride to local
residents, as well as strengthen the connection between humans and nature. It is expected many further
developments will come about through carrying out measures based on the Tadami BR.

4.7 Mechanisms for implementation:
Does the proposed biosphere reserve have:"(a) mechanisms to manage human use and activities in the buffer zone or zones"?
If yes, describe. If not, describe what is planned.

Yes (No ○ Under planning)
In the Echigosanzan-Tadami Quasi-national Park and the Oku-Aizu Forest Ecosystem Reserve
including the proposed site of Buffer Zone A/B, human exploitation of resources and activities are
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regulated and restricted based on the Natural Park Act and the Law on the Administration andManagement of National Forests. In addition, in the National Forests of Buffer Zone B, sustainableutilization, such as the collecting of edible wild plants and mushrooms, and management of the forests
is carried out by local community, under “The System of National Forest Permitted to Use of Local
Dwellers” based on the Law on the Administration and Management of National Forests.

"(b) a management policy or plan for the area as a biosphere reserve"?
If yes, describe. If not, state how such a plan or policy will be developed, and the timeframe. (If the proposed area
coincides with one or more existing protected natural area(s), describe how the management plan of the proposed
biosphere reserve will be complementary to the management plan of the protected area(s)).

Yes (No ○ Under planning)
For the Echigosanzan-Tadami Quasi-national Park and the Oku-Aizu Forest Ecosystem Reserve
including the core area and the proposed site of Buffer Zone A and B, the Park Plans based on the
Natural Park Act and the Regional Administration and Management Plan of National Forests based on
the Law on the Administration and Management of National Forests have been established respectively.
For the proposed site of the transition area, a basic policy consisting of a main five items wasestablished in the 6th Tadami Town development promotion plan (2006). The items have been adopted
by Tadami Town, and are carried out without fail. The contents correspond to management of the BR.
The Tadami BR Promotion Council (provisional name) plans to draw up overall and integrated
management and operation plans for the proposed site.

"(c) a designated authority or mechanism to implement this policy or plan"?
Yes (No ○ Under planning)
For the proposed site of the core area and that of Buffer Zone A and B of the Tadami BR, Fukushima
Prefecture and the Kanto Regional Forest Office of the Forestry Agency conduct appropriate
protection/conservation measures, based on the Park Plans of the Echigosanzan-Tadami Quasi-national
Park and the Regional Administration and Management Plan of National Forests including the OkuAizu Forest Ecosystem Reserve respectively.
An organization (The Tadami BR Promotion Council (provisional name)), consisting of local
governments (Tadami Town and Hinoemata-village) of the Tadami BR proposed site, the Kanto
Regional Forest Office of the Forestry Agency, the Tohoku Regional Environment Office of the
Ministry of the Environment, Fukushima Prefecture, several industrial associations, local community
groups, Electric Power Development Co., Ltd., the Japanese Coordinating Committee for MAB, etc., isestablished for management and operation of the BR. The Promotion Council carries out general
discussions for protection and conservation of the biological diversity inside the BR, investigation andresearch and sustainable socioeconomic development of the area. The Secretariat of the Promotion
Council is set up in the Tadami Beech Center.
Through the cooperation and collaboration of administrative organs, industrial organizations, local
community groups and the Japanese Coordinating Committee for MAB which are members of the
Tadami BR Promotion Council (provisional name), Tadami Town will take the lead of achieving thetargets of the Tadami BR transition area proposed site.
The Tadami BR Promotion Council (provisional name) will cooperate with the Tadami BR Promotion
Resident Liaison Council (working name) which is a commercial establishment based on a management
plan to be drawn up in the future for appropriate and functional management of the whole BR.

“(d) programmes for research, monitoring, education and training"?
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If yes, describe. If not, describe what is planned.

○Yes (No ○ Under planning)
Tadami Town, which is the core of the Tadami BR proposed site, has been conducting academic studies
concerning beech forest general investigations since 2002, with the aim of understanding the actual
condition of the natural environment of the Tadami area.
Investigation and research of biological diversity was conducted at Tadami Town, mainly by the
Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute of the Incorporated Administrative Agency.
Tadami Beech Center originally promotes basic research of the natural environment and wildlife of
Tadami Town.
Tadami Beech Center not only conducts lectures and nature observation meetings, but also provides
lecturers for events aiming to obtain support from residents and visitors concerning the importance ofvaluing and protecting the natural environment and wildlife of the Tadami area and its utilization.
Since 2012, several investigations related to the natural environment of the Tadami area have been
conducted by researchers and research groups through “‘The Capital of Mother Nature’: An academic
investigation research subsidy project.”
The Tadami Beech Center supports universities and research institutions for academic investigation
research in Tadami Town, through “‘The Capital of Mother Nature’: An academic investigation
research subsidy project,” it also centralizes Tadami Town for academic investigation and research,while coordinating with universities and research institutions.
In 2013, the Education Board of Tadami Town is planning to apply for registration of the Asahi
elementary school located in the town to the “UNESCO Associated School Project Network.” This will
be followed by sequential registrations to the UNESCO Associated School Project Network for othereducational institutions located in Tadami Town.

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PART II: DESCRIPTION
6. LOCATION (COORDINATES AND MAP(S)):
6.1 Provide the biosphere reserve’s standard geographical coordinates (all projected under WGS 84):
Cardinal points:
Most central point:
Northernmost point:
Southernmost point:
Westernmost point:
Easternmost point:

Latitude
37°17'8.6"
37°28'11.5"
37°06'17.0"
37°14'13.1"
37°19'22.8"

Longitude
139 °20'45.3"
139 °21'45.0"
139°20'46.6"
139°09'52.3"
139°34'30.3"

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6.2 Provide a map(s) on a topographic layer of the precise location and delimitation of the threezones of the biosphere reserve (Map(s) shall be provided in both paper and electronic copies).
Shapefiles (also in WGS 84 projection system) used to produce the map must be attached to theelectronic copy of the form.
If possible, also provide a link to access this map on the internet (e.g. Google map, website…).

Aga Town
Sanjyo City

Kaneyama Town
Showa Village
Uonuma City

Tadami Town

Minami-Aizu Town

Hinoemata Village

Core area

Buffer Zone B

Tadami BR area

Buffer Zone A

Transition areaRiver
Boundary ofadministrative district

Figure 6-1 Topographic layer and zonation of the Tadami BR proposed
site

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7. AREA (see map):
Total: 78,032 (ha)Terrestrial

Marine (if applicable)

Total

7.1 Area of Core Area(s):3,557 ha0 ha3,557 ha

7.2 Area of Buffer Zone A:
Area of Buffer Zone B:

8,380 ha42,953 ha

0 ha
0 ha

8,380 ha42,953 ha

7.3 Area of Transition Area(s):23,142 ha

0 ha

23,142 ha

78,032 ha

0 ha

78,032 ha

TOTAL:

7.4 Brief rationale of this zonation in terms of the respective functions of the biosphere reserve. If a
different type of zonation also exists indicate how it can coexist with the requirements of thebiosphere reserve zonation.
(e.g., if national criteria exist for the definition of the area or zones, please provide brief information about these).

Basically, core area and buffer zone proposed site are the “Preservation Zone” and “Conservation andUtilization Zone” of the Oku-Aizu Forest Ecosystem Reserve respectively, which were established by
the Kanto Regional Forest Office of the Forestry Agency based on the Law on the Administration andManagement of National Forests. Actually, the view of zoning of Forest Ecosystem Reserve refers thatof Biosphere Reserve. And other areas in Tadami Town are set up as transition area of proposed sites.
However, the buffer zone must fulfill many purposes such as conservation and utilization based on the
BR setting standards of the UNESCO MAB program, and it is difficult to include concerned areas as
one single category, as the protection and conservation methods of the natural environment including
the Oku-Aizu Forest Ecosystem Reserve and the Echigosanzan-Tadami Quasi-national Park based on
the Natural Park Act are designated in duplicate in part of buffer zone. Therefore, the buffer zone of the
Tadami BR proposed area was divided into “Buffer Zone A” where conservation of the naturalenvironment is the first priority objective to manage in line with core area and “Buffer Zone B” where
sustainable utilization is the objective with the assumption of conservation.
The proposed site of the core area accords with the Preservation Zone of the Oku-Aizu Forest
Ecosystem Reserve based on the Law on the Administration and Management of National Forests. The
area of this Preservation Zone is provided in the Aizu Forest Planning Area Regional Administrationand Management Plan etc.
The proposed site of Buffer Zone A is the Conservation and Utilization Zone of the Oku-Aizu Forest
Ecosystem Reserve based on the Law on the Administration and Management of National Forests, andit also accords with the area except the core area of the Special Protection Zone of EchigosanzanTadami Quasi-national Park based on the Natural Park Act, where protection and conservation of thenatural environment and biological diversity are required.
The proposed site of Buffer Zone B accords with the total area of the Conservation and Utilization
Zone of the Forest Ecosystem Reserve based on the Law on the Administration and Management of
National Forests other than Buffer Zone A, the Echigosanzan-Tadami Quasi-national Park based on the
Natural Park Act other than the core area or Buffer Zone A, the Protected Forests “Hometown Forest”
based on the Law on the Administration and Management of National Forests, the Green Corridor andtown forest adjacent to the core area. Also in this area, sustainable utilization of natural resources such
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as the system of forests where local people are habitually allowed to get in is carried out.
In the proposed site of the transition area, the 6th Tadami Town development promotion plan has beencreated utilizing the inherited properties of the Tadami area such as nature, history, culture, life,
industry, etc., with a concept of “A town living life with beech, a town living with snow; challenge of
Oku-Aizu Tadami – creation of real local value.”

8. BIOGEOGRAPHICAL REGION:[Indicate the generally accepted name of the biogeographical region in which the proposed biosphere reserve is located.](The term "major biogeographic region" is not strictly defined but you may wish to refer to the Udvardy classification
system (http://www.unep-wcmc.org/udvardys-biogeographical-provinces-1975_745.html)).

The Tadami BR proposed site is located in the southern area of The Palaearctic Realm (IUCN 1975).
2. The Palaearctic Realm
15. East Asia
6. Deciduous broad-leaved forests, shrubs or woodlands

9. LAND USE:
9.1 Historical:(If known, give a brief summary of past/historical land use(s), resource uses and landscape dynamics of each zone of the
proposed biosphere reserve).

Almost all of the proposed site of the core area is designated as the Echigosanzan-Tadami Quasinational Park based on the Natural Park Act in 1973, and also, the whole area of the core area isdesignated as the Oku-Aizu Forest Ecosystem Reserve based on the Law on the Administration andManagement of National Forests in 2007. Since the proposed site of the core area is located in deepmountains with steep topography, it has never been used for human habitation or for traditional
livelihood activities.
In a part of the National Forests in the Tadami BR proposed site (inside the Buffer Zone B proposedsite), the natural forests were logged for railroad ties and furniture in the early Showa era (1926-1989).
After the Second World War, with the development of forestry machinery, large scale logging of broadleaved trees such as beech happened rapidly to meet the increase the wood demand for the national
revival. However in 1989, Tadami Town made a strong representation concerning the decrease of thewater-retaining capacity of the forest, increasing floods and landslides and the deterioration of thenatural environment; this resulted in a year on year decrease in logging. Currently, the administrationand management policy of the National Forests in Japan has been changed from focusing on wood
supply to maintenance and improvement of public beneficial functions. Most of the area is also
designated as the Oku-Aizu Forest Ecosystem Reserve and managed accordingly.
In the buffer zone of the Tadami BR proposed site, hunting and collecting of edible wild plants andmushrooms have traditionally been carried out by local communities, even now, such activities still
continue in a sustainable way, under “The System of National Forest Permitted to Use of Local
Dwellers” based on the Law on the Administration and Management of National Forests.
As part of the country-wide power development projects, after the Second World War, a hydroelectric
power generation dam was constructed in the Tadami River basin. Construction work of the Tagokura
Dam and Taki Dam were started in 1954 and 1959, respectively, and settlements in the area were
submerged or forced to transfer (Photo 9-1). In 1983, the Tadami Dam was constructed and is inoperation today.
On the valley plains and river terraces of a basin of the Tadami River and Ina River, people have been
settled since the middle of the Jomon era, and initially lived by hunting, collecting and fishing. Later,
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agriculture was spread and farming (including slash and burn agriculture known as “Kano”) and thecultivation of rice crops increased after centralized administration control influenced the area. After the
early modern times, agriculture has been developed as basic industry in this area and hunting andcollecting became secondary support livelihoods, and their importance did not change until after theSecond World War. After the Meiji era, the modern nation was established and as the export of silkincreased, sericulture became a famous and important industry in this area, however, it has declined andtoday, there is no trace.
Settlements of Tadami Town are scattered on the valley plain and river terrace of a basin of the TadamiRiver and Ina River, and have often suffered damage from flood waters caused by long periods of rainin the rainy season, typhoons, local heavy rainfall and in addition heavy spring melts of one of theheaviest areas of snowfall in Japan. (In recent years the area has experienced heavy rainfall in 1956,
1969, 1998 and 2011, and typhoons in 1958 and 1982.) The river improvement works of the TadamiRiver started in 1978 and the Ina River in 1958. In the 1960s, an agriculture restructuring project andthe mountain village development special measures project brought modern agriculture to the area with
the introduction of farm land consolidation, large agricultural machinery, improvement of farm roads
and waterways, etc.
At the foot of the mountains, a hinterland of the Tadami Town settlement, the land has been
traditionally used as hayfields, with the collection of saw grasses for animal fodder, green manure androof thatch. Since the high economic growth period after the War, use of the grassland has been in
decline and currently land use has changed to a planted forest of Japanese cedar (Cryptmeria japonica).
Copses are distributed throughout the surrounding area of the settlements, providing wood for firewood
and charcoal for household use by copse forest management. Utilization of copses for firewood andcharcoal is still continued, even though the frequency of use has decreased.

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Photo 9-1 The Tagokura settlement was submerged by the Dam Lake with the power development project of
the Showa period (left). Completed Tagokura Dam (right)

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9.2 Who are the main users of the biosphere reserve? (for each zone, and main resources used). If
applicable, describe the level of involvement of indigenous people taking into account the “United
Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples”.
(http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/unpfii/documents/DRIPS_en.pdf).
<Core area proposed site>
None<Buffer Zone A proposed site>
Almost none (Some mountain climbers use some of the mountain trails of Mt. Asakusadake)<Buffer Zone B proposed site>
Residents of Tadami Town and Hinoemata-village (Possible to access by mountain and forest roads)<Transition area>
Residents of Tadami Town and visitors (Possible to access by train and road)

9.3 What are the rules (including customary or traditional) of land use in and access to each zone of
the biosphere reserve?
<Core area proposed site>
According to the principle of management of the Preservation Zone of the Oku-Aizu Forest Ecosystem
Reserve, the area is to leave to natural turnover without human action as a rule. Though it is possible towalk the existing trail, the activities, which have negative impact on the ecosystem, such as picking
edible wild plants, mushrooms, other plants, etc. are prohibited. As an exception, monitoring survey andmaintenance of the existing trail, etc. are allowed with gaining admission.
There is no regulation of customary and traditional land use.
<Buffer Zone A proposed site>
Mountain trails of Mt. Asakusadake are used for access to the Buffer Zone A proposed site surrounding
Mt. Asakusadake located in the western part of the Tadami BR proposed site.
No road has been prepared to access the Buffer Zone A proposed site which is adjacent to the core area
proposed site.
There is no regulation of customary and traditional land use.
<Buffer Zone B proposed site>
In the Buffer Zone B proposed area; common practices such as collecting edible wild plants andmushrooms are carried out traditionally by local residents and in a sustainable way.
<Transition area>
In the transition area proposed site, common practices such as the collecting of edible wild plants andmushrooms and utilization of firewood as fuel are traditionally carried out by local residents in asustainable way.

9.4 Describe women’s and men’s different levels of access to and control over resources.
(Do men and women use the same resources differently (e.g., for subsistence, market, religious/ritual purposes), or use
different resources?).

Traditional hunting and fishing is usually done by men; in all other ways there are no significant
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differences of access to resources.

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10. HUMAN POPULATION OF PROPOSED BIOSPHERE RESERVE:[Approximate number of people living within the proposed biosphere reserve]

Permanently

Seasonally10.2 Buffer Zone A
Buffer Zone B

0
0
0

0
0
0

10.3 Transition Area(s)4,695Almost none

Total:

4,695

Almost none

10.1 Core Area(s)(As of May 1, 2013)10.4 Brief description of local communities living within or near the proposed biosphere reserve.
(Indicate ethnic origin and composition, minorities etc., main economic activities (e.g. pastoralism, tourism) and thelocation of their main areas of concentration, with reference to the map (section 6.2)).

The Tadami BR proposed site includes Tadami Town and a part of Hinoemata- village of Fukushima
Prefecture. However, there are no residents in the part of Hinoemata-village that lies inside the Tadami BR
proposed site. As seen in the table, the population of Tadami Town living within the Tadami BR proposedsite was 4,932 in 2010. The population decreased by 625 in the 10 years from 2000 to 2010.
Table 10-1 Comparison of area and population of Tadami Town and Hinoemata-village which are includedin the Tadami BR proposed site (1990-2010)* There are no residents in the part of Hinoemata-village lying inside the Tadami BR proposed site.

District

Area (km2)

District

Area (km2)

Tadami Town
Inside the Tadami BR proposedsite (Tadami Town)
Hinoemata Village
Inside the Tadami BR proposedsite (HInoemata-village)
Total population inside theTadami BR proposed site

1990
(Population)

2000(Population)

1990(Population)

2010(Population)

2000(Population)

2010(Population)

748

6,170

5,557

4,932

748

6,170

5,557

4,932

391

702

757

636

33

0

0

0

781

6,170

5,557

4,932

Reference: “National census,” Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications
It is thought that humans have been living in the Tadami Town site since the Old Stone Age, some
17,000 years ago. After the Middle Ages, a local administration organization was established and life
revolved mainly around agriculture, hunting, collecting and fishing.
The settlements of residents are scattered along the Tadami River and Ina River.

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10.5 Name(s) of the major settlement(s) within and near the proposed biosphere reserve withreference to the map (section 6.2):________________________<Inside The Tadami BR proposed site>
Tadami district where the town hall is located (Refer Article 6.2 Drawing)<Neighborhood of the Tadami BR proposed site>
Uonuma-city, Niigata Prefecture, Japan (about 37 km in a straight line) (Refer Article 19, Figure 19-1)* However, Route 252 which connects Tadami Town and Uonuma-city via the shortest route isclosed due to snow in the winter. Access by rail is still possible by the Tadami-line of the East Japan
Railway Company (JR East)
Aizu-Wakamastu-city, Fukushima Prefecture, Japan (about 57 km in a straight line)

10.6 Cultural significance:(Briefly describe the proposed biosphere reserve's importance in terms of past and current cultural values (religious,
historical, political, social, ethnological) and others, if possible with distinction between material and intangible heritage(c.f. UNESCO Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage 1972 and UNESCO
Convention for the Safeguard of the Intangible Cultural Heritage 2003 (http://portal.unesco.org/en/ev.phpURL_ID=13055&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html
andhttp://portal.unesco.org/en/ev.phpURL_ID=17716&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html)).

From the perspective of religion, polytheism coexists with centralized Buddhism (including various
sects of mountainous esoteric Buddhism, etc.) Shintoism and the Japan-specific traditional faith ofprimitive animism believing that gods are present in all of nature (Yaorozu-no-kami) are accepted; there
is also a Christian presence.
On the river terrace of a basin of the Tadami River and Ina River flowing inside the Tadami BR
proposed site, historic ruins dating from the Old Stone Age through to the Heian era were found. Thereis evidence to show humans have been living in Tadami area for some 17,000 years. In the Jomon era,
people built settlements, developed earthenware pottery and lived by hunting, fishing and collecting
plants (Tadami Town, Fukushima Prefecture, 2004).
Earthenware from the Jomon to Yayoi eras and containing rice hulls has been found in ruins, indicatingthat rice cropping was already established by those times. In addition, secondary graves have beenfound in the Kubota ruins designated as a historic site by Fukushima Prefecture. This is a burial practiceof East Japan from the early Yayoi era, in which a corpse is dug up several years after first burial andthe bones are kept in an earthenware pot and reburied. (Tadami Town, Fukushima Prefecture 2004).
The traditional livelihood of Tadami Town used to be farming, including slash and burn agriculture,hunting and collecting natural resources such as edible wild plants; such traditions are still seen today
and are important to the industry of the Tadami area.
Since the Edo era, paddy rice cultivation and forestry using the limited arable land was popular, andafter the Meiji era, this trend expanded with progress on arable land improvement and the advance offorestry companies; paddy rice cultivation became a main occupation.
The “Collections of Production Tools and Working Clothes of Aizu-Tadami,” including 1,917
production tools, 416 working clothes – total 2,333 items – all of which were used in the traditional
livelihoods of Tadami Town were arranged by Tadami Town residents, and designated as National
Important Tangible Folk Cultural Properties in 2003 (Photo 10-1).
Traditional performance offering prayers for good harvests in the year, “Saotome dance and Kagura of
Kobayashi and Yanatori,” started in the early of Edo era, has been inherited by the Local Preservation
Society (Fukushima Prefecture Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property; Photo 10-2).
On the other hand, Asahiza, a group performing Inaka Kabuki, which was popular from the Edo era
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were formed in Tadami Town, but disbanded due to modernization after the Meiji era.
During the Edo era, a statue of Okurairi Sanjusan-kannon was set up by the local farmers of the
Minami-Aizu area. The “Joho Temple Kannon Hall” constructed during the Muromachi era isdesignated as a National Important Cultural Property (Photo 10-3) and the “Mokuzo Kannon Bosatsuzazo” enshrined inside is also designated as a Fukushima Prefecture Important Cultural Property.
The “Former Residence of the Igarashi Family” built in 1718 is the oldest farm house in Fukushima
Prefecture and is designated as a National Important Cultural Property (Photo 10-4).
The “Residence of the Hasebe Family (Totsu guardhouse site),” constructed during the Edo era (1718)
used to be a guardhouse on the Hachijuri mountain road which was a trade route between Echigo and
Aizu. The house is designated as a Fukushima Prefecture Important Cultural Property.
In Tadami Town, from the Edo era to today, occupation categories such as Kobiki (saw-man),
Motoyama (headman), Sakiyama (miner), Banjo (carpenter), Boujutsu (stick fighting), Kyudo (archery),Ogasawara-style Reihou (etiquette), Sanpou (arithmetic), etc., were inherited over many generations byreceiving a scroll (a kind of occupation license).
In the last 50 to 60 years of the late Edo era (1603 to1868), a craftsman called Kijishi who lived in
mountain area, made many woodworks such as bowls and trays by lathe turning. He lived in the Fuzawa
area and would trek through the mountain forests in search of raw wood. (Education Board of Tadami
Town, 1992). The site known as the Fuzawa Kijishi village ruin was designated as a Tadami Town
Historic Site in 1984 (Photo 10-5).

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Photo 10-1 Arranged by residents (above) “Collections of Production Tools and Working Clothes of AizuTadami” (bottom) (National Important Tangible Folk Cultural Properties)

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Photo 10-2 Kobayashi Saotome Dance (above) and Yanatori Tata Kagura (bottom) (Fukushima Prefecture
Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property)

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Photo 10-3 Joho Temple Kannnon Hall (National Important Cultural Property)

Photo 10-4 Former Residence of the Igarashi Family (National Important Cultural Property)

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Photo 10-5 Tombstones offer a trace of the Ohta Kijishi village, Fuzawa district

10.7 Specify the number of spoken and written languages (including ethnic, minority andendangered languages) in the biosphere reserve.
(Refer, for instance, to the UNESCO Atlas of Endangered languages (http://www.unesco.org/culture/languagesatlas/index.php)).

The spoken and written language used by almost all the residents of the Tadami BR proposed site isJapanese. However, it is a local dialect known as Tadami-Ben, and is influenced strongly by the Niigata
Prefecture region. The vocabulary includes words, dating back to very early times and some are uniqueto the region (Education Board of Tadami Town, 2002).

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11. BIOPHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS:
11.1 General description of site characteristics and topography of area:(Briefly describe the major topographic features (wetlands, marshes, mountain ranges, dunes etc.) which most typicallycharacterize the landscape of the area).

In the Tadami BR proposed site, mountains occupy most of the surface area except for the basins of the
Tadami River and its tributary, the Ina River. Particularly in the southern and western parts, steep
massifs are found; Mt. Aizu-Asahidake (1,624 m) and Mt. Asakusadake (1,586 m) giving altitudes wellin excess of 1,000 m. In the mountains of the southern part, ridges extend in a north-south direction,
limiting the flow direction of the Tadami and Ina Rivers and their major tributaries. Whereas in thenorthern part of the Ina River basin, relatively gentle-sloping mountain ranges are found around Mt.
Asakusadake with a regular height of 800-1,000 m. In these mountains, slopes are shaved off byavalanches, bedrocks are exposed, and a steep and complicated “nivation landform” is found. This isdue to the geological characteristics of heavy snowfall - the Tadami area has one of the heaviest
snowfalls in Japan, with an annual winter average snow coverage of 2.5 m in flat areas -, and the green
tuff bedrock with a comparatively fragile nature. On these complicated topographies, a “mosaic ofvegetation” is found as plant communities grow by adapting to each habitat environment. The minimum
altitude is 350 m at the Tadami River near the border of Tadami Town and Kaneyama-town, and the
maximum altitude is 1,819.9 m at Mt. Maruyamadake located at the border of Tadami Town and
Hinoemata-village.

11.2 Altitudinal range:
11.2.1 Highest elevation above sea level:
1,819.9 m (Mt. Maruyamadake located at the border of Tadami Town and Hinoemata-village)

11.2.2 Lowest elevation above sea level:
350 m at the left bank of Tagosawa-bridge of Tadami River near the border of Tadami Town and Kaneyamatown(139°22′43.9′′E, 37°23′11.5′′N)

11.2.3 For coastal/marine areas, maximum depth below mean sea level:

metresThere is no connection to the coast or any marine area.

11.3 Climate:(Briefly describe the climate of the area, you may wish to use the regional climate classification by Köppen as
suggested by WMO (http://www.wmo.int/pages/themes/climate/understanding_climate.php)).

The Tadami BR proposed site is categorized as a humid subtropical climate in the Köppen climateclassification system, and belongs to the Japan Sea area climate and is an area of heavy rainfall andsnowfall.
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11.3.1 Average temperature of the warmest month:25.5 °C at 377 m above sea level (August)

11.3.2 Average temperature of the coldest month:-0.7 °C at 377 m above sea level (January)

Table 11-1 2010 Monthly mean temperature, maximum temperature, minimum temperature and Warm
Index (WI) of the Tadami BR proposed site measured by the Automated Meteorological Data Acquisition
System (AMeDAS) of the Japan Meteorological Agency (139°19'0.0"E 37°20'4.0"N, at 377m above sea
level)
Month
Monthly mean
temperature (°C)
Maximum temperature(°C)
Minimum temperature
(°C)

Jan.

Feb.

Mar.

Apr.

May

Jun.

Jul.

Aug.

Sep.

Oct.

Nov.

Dec.

WI

-0.7

-0.5

1.7

5.0

12.9

19.4

23.4

25.5

20.2

13.9

6.3

2.4

86.6

2.5

3.6

6.3

10.6

19.9

26.0

29.1

31.8

25.3

18.7

11.8

6.6

-3.4

-3.9

-1.6

0.9

7.0

14.1

19.7

21.6

16.8

10.8

2.7

1.1

11.3.3 Mean annual precipitation: 2,284.7 mm, recorded at an elevation of 377 metres
The measured values of precipitation from 2006 to 2010 of the Tadami BR proposed site measured by the
Automated Meteorological Data Acquisition System (AMeDAS) of the Japan Meteorological Agency(139°19'0.0"E 37°20'4.0"N, at 377 m above sea level) are shown in the table below.
Table 11-2 Precipitation from 2006 to 2010 in the Tadami BR proposed site measured by the AutomatedMeteorological Data Acquisition System (AMeDAS) of the Japan Meteorological Agency (139°19'0.0"E
37°20'4.0"N, at 377 m above sea level)
Precipi

Jan.

Feb.

Mar.

Apr.

May

Jun.

Jul.

Aug.

Sep.

Oct.

Nov.

Dec.

tationAnnualprecipitat
ion

2006

175.0

163.0

196.0

171.0

94.0

115.0

542.0

62.0

171.0

253.0

222.0

335.0

2499.0

2007

128.0

169.0

198.0

95.0

106.0

291.0

303.0

182.0

96.0

178.0

202.0

228.0

2176.0

2008

207.5

219.0

157.5

119.0

65.0

89.0

225.5

140.0

62.0

156.0

158.0

313.0

1911.5

2009

196.0

220.0

59.0

88.5

73.5

108.5

270.5

228.0

207.5

123.5

250.5

289.0

2114.5

2010

424.0

202.0

182.0

158.0

99.5

204.0

194.0

132.0

325.5

112.0

274.5

415.0

2722.5The Tadami BR proposed site is located in one of the heaviest snowfall areas in Japan (Photo 11-1). The
measured values of snowfall and snow depth from 2006 to 2010 of the Tadami BR proposed site measured
by the Automated Meteorological Data Acquisition System (AMeDAS) of the Japan Meteorological Agency(139°19'0.0"E 37°20'4.0"N, at 377 m above sea level) are shown in the table below.

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Table 11-3 Monthly average snowfall and annual snowfall from 2006 to 2010 in the Tadami BR proposedsite measured by the Automated Meteorological Data Acquisition System (AMeDAS) of the Japan
Meteorological Agency (139°19'0.0"E 37°20'4.0"N, at 377 m above sea level)
The
total
snowfall (cm)

Jan.

Feb.

Mar.

Apr.

May

Jun.

Jul.

Aug.

Sep.

Oct.

Nov.

Dec.

Annualsnowfall

2006

425.0

286.0

309.0

179.0

24.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

126.0

1349.0

2007

224.0

220.0

280.0

46.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

88.0

187.0

1045.0

2008

371.0

413.0

136.0

64.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

62.0

101.0

1147.0

2009

280.0

229.0

248.0

55.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

319.0

1131.0

2010

427.0

270.0

172.0

191.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

273.0

1333.0Monthly
averagesnowfall (cm)

345.4

283.6

229.0

107.0

4.8

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

30.0

201.2

Table 11-4 Monthly average of maximum snow depths from 2006 to 2010 in the Tadami BR proposed sitemeasured by the Automated Meteorological Data Acquisition System (AMeDAS) of the Japan Mete
Meteorological Agency (139°19'0.0"E 37°20'4.0"N, at 377 m above sea level)
Maximum snow
depth (cm)
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
Monthly averageof maximum snow
depth (cm)

Jan.

Feb.

Mar.

Apr.

May

Jun.

Jul.

Aug.

Sep.

Oct.

Nov.

Dec.

284.0
98.0
138.0
149.0
245.0

284.0
122.0
232.0
151.0
247.0

262.0
158.0
201.0
117.0
173.0

232.0
80.0
107.0
67.0
133.0

41.0
106.0
0.0
0.0
0.0

0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0

0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0

0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0

0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0

0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0

0.0
33.0
38.0
0.0
0.0

88.0
86.0
65.0
163.0
126.0

182.8

207.2

182.2

123.8

29.4

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

14.2

105.6

0.0

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Photo 11-1 Tadami Town is located in a heavy snowfall area
2-3 m snow coverage is common even in town (above) and residents work hard to clear the snow away
(below)

11.3.4 Is there a meteorological station in or near the proposed biosphere reserve? If so, what is its
name and location and how long has it been operating?
The Automated Meteorological Data Acquisition System (AMeDAS) of the Japan Meteorological
Agency has been set up in the Tadami BR proposed site (139°19'0.0"E 37°20'4.0"N, at 377 m above
sea level), and temperature and precipitation data have been recorded since 1976.

11.4 Geology, geomorphology, soils:
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(Briefly describe important formations and conditions, including bedrock geology, sedimentary deposits, and importantsoil types).

Geology: Most of the southwest area of the Tadami BR proposed site, forms a stratum of bedrock centering
mainly on sedimentation rock of the Jurassic period known as Hinoemata Formation, and intrusive (magmafrom deep underground rises to the earth’s crust) Granite rocks of the Late Cretaceous period are also
distributed. Most of the bedrocks in the northern area are volcaniclastic rocks and lava which accumulated
at the bottom of a sea between the Early Miocene and early Middle Miocene Epoch in the Neogene Period.
On the border of the Fukushima and Niigata Prefectures centered on Mt. Asakusadake, andesite terrestrial
volcanic ejecta of the Quaternary Period are found. Also in the lowlands along the Tadami River and Ina
River, terrace deposits formed in the latter half of the Quaternary Period are distributed. (Tadami Town
2001).
Soil: The majority of the area is covered by brown forest soil, and surface gleyed brown forest soil is foundin the flatlands and concave sections of gentle slopes where the soil layer is heavy clay presenting stiff andwall-like formations. Dry podzolic soil is distributed on ridge lines at 350 m above sea level, wet corrosive
podzolic soil is found from halfway up the mountain to the ridge line at an altitude of around 1,500 m andwet iron podzolic soil is found at an altitude of about 600 m and on the concave sections of gentle slopes or
flatland where snow remains for a long time. Black soils are distributed on hillocks. Also, soil erosion isfound in areas with a thin soil layer and an inclined angle of 30 degrees or more where the surface layer ispeeled off by snow movement (The Kanto Regional Forest Office of the Forestry Agency 2012).

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11.5 Bioclimatic zone:(Indicate the bioclimatic region in which the proposed biosphere reserve is located, refer to the table below and tick theappropriate box for each area of the biosphere reserve).

Areas
Hyper-arid
Arid
Semi-arid
Dry Subhumid
Moist Subhumid
Per-humid

Average annual
rainfall/mm
P<100100-400
400-600

Aridity index
Penman(UNEP index)
<0.05
<0.05
0.05-0.28
0.05-0.20
0.28-0.43
0.21-0.50

600-800

0.43-0.60

0.51-0.65

800-1200

0.60-0.90>0.65

P>1200>0.90

Corearea(s)

Bufferzone(s)Transitionarea(s)○○○Table 1: Aridity index resulting from the use of P/ETP
Mean annual precipitation (P)/mean annual potential evapotranspiration (ETP)

11.6 Biological characteristics:
List main habitat types (e.g. tropical evergreen forest, savanna woodland, alpine tundra, coral reef,
kelp beds) and land cover types (e.g. residential areas, agricultural land, pastoral land, cultivatedareas, rangeland).
For each type, indicate:- REGIONAL if the habitat or land cover type is widely distributed within the biogeographicalregion within which the proposed biosphere reserve is located, to assess the habitat's or land cover
type's representativeness;- LOCAL if the habitat or land cover type is of limited distribution within the proposed biospherereserve, to assess the habitat's or land cover type's uniqueness.
For each habitat or land cover type, list characteristic species and describe important naturalprocesses (e.g. tides, sedimentation, glacial retreat, natural fire) or human impacts (e.g. grazing,
selective cutting, agricultural practices) affecting the system. As appropriate, refer to the vegetationor land cover map provided as supporting documentation.
Habitat type 1. cool-temperate deciduous broad-leaved forest (nivation landform and mosaic
vegetation) (Regional)<Habitat type>The most predominant vegetation in the core area proposed site and Buffer Zone A/B proposed sitewhich is distributed widely throughout most of the Tadami BR proposed site is deciduous broad-leaved
forest (cool-temperate zone). However in this regional area, slopes are shaved off by avalanches (Photo11-2), bedrocks are exposed, and steep and complicated “nivation landforms” are found (Photo 11-3).
This is due to the geographical characteristics of heavy snowfall in winter, a green tuff bedrock with acomparatively fragile nature or deeply-weathered granite bedrocks. Main topographies are ridges,
middle slopes, lower valley side slopes and valley floor flood plains in mountainous areas, and alpine
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grasslands are found in the pseudo-alpine zones of Mt. Asakusadake. Due to the steep topography andcomplicated location environment formed in this way, plant populations have adapted for eachenvironment and a forest vegetation mosaic is formed, with evergreen coniferous forests such as Pinus
parviflora var. pentaphylla or Japanese arborvitae (Thuja standishii) in the ridge parts, shrubs such as
Quercus mongolica var. undulatifolia or Hamamelis japonica subsp. obtusata in the avalanche slopes,
beech (Fagus crenata) forests at the comparatively stable location where debris and soil have been
deposited by avalanches on the lower part of the slopes, and riparian forests such as Japanese wing nut(Pterocarya rhoifolia) or Japanese horse chestnut (Aesculus turbinata) along the streams (Photo 11-4).
Especially nivation landforms and the vegetation landscapes which are found on such landforms arevery rare in mountainous areas of less than 1,500 m altitude. Moreover, this natural landscape exists ina primeval condition with little human interference, and covering a large area of more than 40,000 ha isvery characteristic of the Tadami area.
<Characteristic species>
This variety of vegetation provides various habitats for animal species. In the Tadami BR proposed site,
top species in the ecosystem such as large mammals like the Asiatic black bear (Ursus thibetanus
japonicus: Listed as Endangered II (Vulnerable) in the IUCN Red List) and raptors like the Golden
eagle (Aquila chrysaetos japonica) or Mountain Hawk-Eagle (Spizaetus nipalensis orientalis) are foundin large numbers. Especially, both the Golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos japonica) and the MountainHawk-Eagle (Spizaetus nipalensis orientalis) are listed as Endangered (EN) in the Red List of the
Ministry of the Environment (2012). In general, the Golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos japonica) is foundnesting on the rock ledges of steep cliffs in mountainous areas. They hunt Japanese hare (Lepus
brachyurus), the Copper pheasant (Syrmaticus soemmerringii) and such snakes as the Japanese rat
snake (Elaphe climacophora) in open areas such as shrub zones, grass areas and denuded land next to
the forest; its home range extends up to 200 km2 (Yamazaki, 2002). On the other hand, the MountainHawk-Eagle (Spizaetus nipalensis orientalis) is highly dependent on the forest, nesting in large trees
and hunting several small and medium size animals in the forest such as; Japanese hare (Lepus
brachyurus), the Copper pheasant (Syrmaticus soemmerringii), snakes, badgers (Meles meles), racoon
dogs (Nyctereutes procyonoides), Japanese martens (Martes melampus), Japanese minks (Mustela
itatsi), flying squirrels (Petaurista leucogenys), Japanese squirrels (Sciurus lis), brown-eared bulbuls(Hypsipetes amaurotis), meadow buntings (Emberiza cioides), etc. (Yamazaki 2002). This large andprimeval natural environment of the Tadami area, with nivation landform characteristics formed byheavy snowfall and a vegetation mosaic created by these topographies, provides two separate and ideal
habitats for the Golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos japonica) and the Mountain Hawk-Eagle (Spizaetus
nipalensis orientalis) whose nesting environments and food sources are quite different. This
demonstrates the existence of these umbrella species (raptors) are indicative of a rich ecosystem in the
Tadami BR proposed site.
The rare alpine lily Lilium rubellum (Near Threatened (NT) in the Red List of the Ministry of theEnvironment (2012) as well as in the Red Data Book of Fukushima Prefecture (2007)) is a Japanese
endemic species, and a rare species which is found only around the Iide mountain range, Mt. Azuma
and Sumondake, located in the southern part of Miyagi Prefecture and the prefectural boundaries ofNiigata, Fukushima and Yamagata Prefectures. In the Tadami BR proposed site, it grows naturally in
the grasslands of the pseudo-alpine zones of Mt. Asakusadake and on the steep rocky slopes of nivation
landforms or the ridges of scree slopes which are the largest autogenesis ground in Japan (Takahara, etal. 2012).
Tadami Town of the Tadami BR proposed site is the only confirmed site in Fukushima Prefecture of the
Frosted myotis (Myotis pruinosus), which is a Japanese endemic species of bat and they are listed as
Endangered (EN) in the Red List of the Ministry of the Environment (2012). Its habitat condition
requires natural forest with wide diameter trees for nesting in tree hollows (Education Board of Tadami
Town, 2001), confirmation of this species in the Tadami BR proposed site indicates the existence of
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highly natural forest inside the proposed site.
<Important nature>
In the deciduous broad-leaved mountain forests, the southern part of the Tadami River is formed on a
bedrock stratum centering mainly on sedimentation rock of the Jurassic period known as Hinoemata
Formation, and intrusive (magma from deep underground rises to the earth’s crust) Granite rocks of theLate Cretaceous period, while almost all of the bedrocks in the northern part of the Tadami River areformed on volcaniclastic rocks and lava which accumulated at the bottom of a sea between the Early
Miocene and early Middle Miocene Epoch in the Neogene Period. On the border of the Fukushima andNiigata Prefectures centered on Mt. Asakusadake, limited andesite terrestrial volcanic ejecta of the
Quaternary period are seen with a typical landslide topography, however, this has almost no influenceon the vegetation.
As it is located in a heavy snowfall area, outstanding nivation landforms are created by snow coverage
and avalanches. Also in the Spring snowmelt rivers flood regularly, which has a significant influence on
the river environment and vegetation.
<Human impact>
In the National Forests of the core area and the Buffer Zone A and B proposed site, the primeval naturalforests are maintained and conserved based on the Law on the Administration and Management of
National Forests and the Natural Park Act; this ensures no negative factors affect the area.

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Photo 11-2 Early spring with frequent avalanches shaving off the mountainsides in the Tadami BR proposedsite

Photo 11-3 Nivation landform and mosaic vegetation formed by avalanches of heavy snowfall and geologicalfactors

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Photo 11-4 Main elements of mosaic vegetation
Upper left: Coniferous forest trees stand along a ridge line (Pinus parviflora var. pentaphylla).
Upper right: Shrubs such as Quercus mongolica var. undulatifolia colonize avalanche slopes.
Lower left: Beech (Fagus crenata) forest grows in stable locations.
Lower right: Riparian forests settle along streams (Japanese horse chestnut (Aesculus turbinata) andJapanese wing nut (Pterocarya rhoifolia)).
Habitat Type 2 (Regional)<Habitat type>
The Ina and Tadami Rivers flow through the Tadami BR proposed site. There is also a riparian
environment including mountainous riparian forests growing along the river tributaries (Photo 11-5)<Characteristic species>
Along the Tadami and Ina Rivers that flow through the Buffer Zone B proposed site and the transitionarea proposed site, highly natural riparian forests of Salix spp. dominate the landscape, and the rare tree
species Salix hukaoana, which is classified as Endangered II (Vulnerable) in the Red List of the
Ministry of the Environment (2012), grows on the largest scale found in Japan.
In the rivers, a variety of fish, some Near Threatened or Vulnerable are found. In particular, Salmonidae
fish such as the Japanese char (Salvelinus leucomaenis), Japanese fluvial sculpin (Cottus pollux) (listed
as Near Threatened (NT) in the Red List of the Ministry of the Environment (2013)), Siluridae fish suchas akaza (Liobagrus reini) (listed as Endangered II (Vulnerable) in the Red List of the Ministry of theEnvironment (2013)), landlocked Arctic lamprey (Lethenteron camtschaticum) (listed as Endangered II(Vulnerable) in the Red List of the Ministry of the Environment (2013)).

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<Important Nature>
Before construction of the dams, the river environment was shaped by the powerful effects upon theriverbed geology of a regular rise in the river and flooding, etc. With the construction of five dams on
the Tadami River in March and July of 1959, 1960, 1963 and 1964, and an intake dam in the Ina River,the flow rate was regularized resulting in many changes to the river environment, such as a rise in theriverbed caused by an expansion of the decreased flow rate area throughout the river system increasing
the sedimentation of gravel, an overall reduction of the minimum flow rate, and a lengthening of theflow rate reduction period. Today, some 50 years after dam construction, the river environment
ecosystem, including the dam lake, has stabilized and is now an integral part of the regional
environment.
<Human impact>
Due to river improvements carried out in recent years, the continuation of the largest group of Salix
hukaoana growing in the Tadami River and Ina River basins is threatened by a change in the natural
disturbance system required for renewal by this rare tree species. This group is also the biggest
autogenesis grounds found in this area, and hence, river management for the general protection of theriver environment including riparian forest such as Salix hukaoana will be required.
After the War, power generation and erosion control dams, along with multipurpose dams for domestic
and agricultural water, etc., were constructed. According to the division of the river ecosystem or river
section, the flow rate reduced, and this influenced the river ecosystem. Also, these river structures block
the migration of anadromous fish.
Catching by recreational angling reduces the population of mountain stream fish.
In Tadami Town, selectively bred and cultivated Japanese char (Salvelinus leucomaenis) have beenreleased into the river since around 1970, causing the disappearance of the native Japanese char frommany places. However, there are small streams where the small number of wild Salvelinus leucomaenis
pluvius live and conservation of their habitat is required.
Fish such as the Japanese char (Salvelinus leucomaenis) are maintained by releasing, and seasonal andlicensed fishing, etc., carried out under the management of the Inland Water Fishery Cooperative
Association. In addition, fishing is banned in some rivers to protect fish stocks.
Management of river flow rates, disaster prevention, etc., are carried out under the River Act.

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Photo 11-5 Mountainous riparian forest dominated by Salix spp. growing in a basin of the Ina River
Land coverage Type 1 (Regional)<Land coverage type>In the Buffer Zone B proposed site and transition area proposed site, a secondary forest of deciduous
broad-leaved forest traditionally utilized by local residents for hunting, collecting, production of
firewood and charcoal as fuel, and planted forest consisting of evergreen coniferous forest, Japanesecedar (Cryptmeria japonica) and deciduous coniferous forest, Japanese larch (Larix kaempferi), grown
for wood production are found. These forests are located along the tributaries of the Tadami and Ina
Rivers and at the base of mountains behind the settlements and they form a mosaic landscape along withnatural vegetation growing on nivation landforms (Photo 11-6).
In a secondary forest of deciduous broad-leaved forest, over many years, a huge group of pollarded(Agariko-type) Konara Oak (Quercus serrata), have been created by repeated cutting of trunk bud flushgrown from the coppicing surface and on-snow logging in the winter for the purpose of firewood
production. The pollarded shape of Konara Oak (Quercus serrata) is an historical asset showing one
historical type of forest utilization in this region. This pollarded Konara Oak (Quercus serrata) is notcommon in Japan and was created by firewood and charcoal forestry as a result of natural regeneration
through sprouting and on-snow logging in heavy snowfall regions such as the Tadami area (Photo 11-7).
In Tadami Town, there is a very rare complex type of pollarded Beech (Fagus crenata) formed from thesimultaneous production of charcoal wood from ground level bud flush cutting and firewood harvested
from coppicing (Suzuki, Kikuchi 2012) (Local; Photo 11-8).
<Important Nature>
It is formed in the mountains on a base of volcaniclastic rocks and lava of the Neogene period; there islittle impact from avalanches even in areas of heavy snowfall, as it is formed on flatland or tableland at
the foot of the mountains. However in planted forests, root twisting of planted trees caused by
sedimentation pressure and the movement pressure of snow is found, and frequent snow damage bysnow accretion results in poor tree growth.
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In this area, secondary beech forest springs up soon after logging of the natural beech forest, however inthe case of firewood utilization by cutting short young trees, this secondary beech forest changes to asecondary forest of Japanese oak (Quercus crispula) or Konara Oak (Quercus serrata). If this is subject
to any additional human disturbance such as burning, it changes yet again to a secondary forest
dominated by Japanese white birch (Betula platyphylla). The past land use can be deduced by studying
the compositional features of these forest communities.
<Human Impact>
The National Forests of the Buffer Zone B of proposed site are administrated and managed to fulfill
public beneficial functions of forests, such as rehabilitation and regeneration of the natural forests in theplanted forests, resulting in less negative environmental impact.
Private and public forest owned forest in the transition area proposed site is managed by the “AizuRegional Forest Plan” based on the Forest Law, resulting in no negative impact on the regional
environment. In addition, after the registration of the Tadami BR, a plan targeting sustainable forest
management with less environmental load will be implemented, by introducing a Certification System
related to sustainable forest management.

Photo 11-6 A planted forest where a secondary forest of deciduous broad-leaved trees and Japanese cedar(Cryptmeria japonica) have spread across the base of the mountains showing evidence of nivation landforms
and mosaic vegetation patterns (Left bank of the Ina River).

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Photo 11-7 Pollarded shapes of a Konara Oak (Quercus serrata) forest

Photo 11-8 Complex type Beech (Fagus crenata) formed by ground level cutting and on-snow logging

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Land coverage Type 2 (Regional)<Land coverage>
In the river terraces, flood plains and the gentle piedmont slopes located along the Tadami and Ina
Rivers flowing through the proposed transition area of the Tadami BR proposed site, settlements arescattered along with croplands of rice paddy and fields (Photo 11-9).
<Characteristic species>
In the spring waters and agricultural irrigation ponds of Tadami Town, egg-laying by salamanders andnewts is commonly found, e.g. the Japanese black salamander (Hynobius nigrescens)(listed as Near
Threatened (NT) in the Red List of the Ministry of the Environment (2012)), the Tohoku hynobiid
Salamander (Hynobius lichenatus) (listed as Near Threatened (NT) in the Red List of the Ministry of theEnvironment (2012)) and the Japanese Fire Belly Newt (listed as Near Threatened (NT) in the Red Listof the Ministry of the Environment (2012)).
In the flooded rice paddies before or after rice-planting, egg-laying by the forest green tree frog
(Rhacophorus arboreus) and Schlegel’s green tree frog (Rhacophorus schlegelii) is found.
In early summer, the firefly species Luciola (Luciola cruciata) and Luciola lateralis are found inproximity to the rice paddies and the flow channels.
<Important Nature>
In the lowlands along the Tadami and Ina Rivers, terrace deposits formed in the latter half of the
Quaternary Period are distributed, forming roughly four terrace plains. There has been little change tothe earth surface.
<Human impact>
The area classified as cropland is 628 ha, according to the 58th Fukushima Agriculture, Forestry and
Fisheries Annual Report (2012). However, the management of arable land is decreasing due to the
reduction of the farming population caused by a lack of successors and an aging population. Most of thesites are actually deserted arable land, however, the influence of such land on the natural environment is
not clear.
In the 5 years from 2005 to 2010, the population decreased by 352 from 5,284 to 4,932, and no largescale housing land development has been carried out. Also, there are no plans for any large-scale resort
development.
Cropland spread across the terraces and diluvial plain, and in addition to conventional agriculture,organic agriculture, pesticide-free and pesticide-reduced agriculture are being practiced. There is noplan for consolidation of the arable land.
In the residential district of Tadami Town, “Creating a hometown landscape in harmony with nature andpeople’s livelihoods” based on the Tadami Town townscape ordinance is being addressed.

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Photo 11-9 Scenery along the Ina River

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12. ECOSYSTEM SERVICES:
12.1 If possible, identify the ecosystem services provided by each ecosystem of the biosphere reserveand the beneficiaries of these services.
(Please refer to the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment Framework and The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity(TEEB) Framework (http://millenniumassessment.org/en/Framework.html andhttp://www.teebweb.org/publications/teeb-study-reports/foundations/)).

<Supporting services>
The soil formation, cycle of minerals nutrient and primary production by autotrophs such as plants,
maintain the healthy ecosystem of the Tadami area and are essential to provide the ecosystem services.
The benefits are received by the Tadami residents, visitors and residents surrounding the Tadami BR
proposed site.
<Provisioning services>
Conservation of biological diversity provides: supplies of bird and animal meat, edible wild plants andmushrooms (Photo 12-1) and freshwater fish, abundant water resources due to heavy snowfall, wood
production for building materials and firewood (Photo 12-2), material supplies of traditional crafts(Photo 12-3) such as tree bark and grass tree used for weaving handiwork and honey from apiculture(Photo 12-4). All these resources are used by Tadami residents, and made available to visitors andoutside residents who purchase the products delivered from this area.
Hydroelectricity, a renewable energy source making use of the abundant water resources from heavy
snowfall is supplied to the Kanto region.
<Regulating services>
Regulation services, such as regulation of climate, control of soil erosion, control of flood, water
purification and air purification are received by the Tadami residents, visitors, and residents surrounding
the Tadami BR proposed site.
<Cultural services>
Information on such traditional skills as weaving using tree bark and the grass tree that have beenpracticed indoors in the winter (agricultural off-season), traditional food preservation methods such as
dried Osmund (Osmunda japonica), Izushi of minnow (Japanese dace: Tribolodon hakonensis) (Photo12-5), annual events like the Saotome dance and Onbe (New Year’s bonfire), trekking and Eco-tourism,
discovery of scientific knowledge by investigation and research, environmental education, etc., arereceived by the Tadami residents, visitors, and people related to the Tadami BR proposed site (including
mail, HP, etc.).

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Photo 12-1 Harvesting of Osmunds (Osmunda japonica) on avalanche slopes after the thaw (above), andcrumpling Osmunds (Osmunda japonica) (Preparing dried Osmunds) (below)

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Photo 12-2 Firewood is still a key fuel(Firewood cut on the mountains in early spring (above) and stored firewood (below))

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Photo 12-3 Woven handiwork made from natural materials
Photo (above): wild vine (Vitis coignetiae) (upper left), three-leaf akebia (Akebia trifoliata) (upper right),
Varnish tree (Toxicodendron trichocarpum) (lower left), Manchurian walnut (Juglans mandshurica var.
sieboldiana) (lower middle), Carex multifolia (lower right)
Photo (below): Silver vine (Actinidia polygama) handiwork is a characteristic material of this area andarticles are light, with good drainage and ideal for everyday use.

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Photo 12-4 Apiculture (Bee hives)Photo 12-5 Izushi of minnow (Japanese dace: Tribolodon hakonensis)

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12.2 Specify whether indicators of ecosystem services are used to evaluate the three functions(conservation, development and logistic) of biosphere reserves. If yes, which ones and give details.
In the reserve proposed site, research of fauna and flora and floristic composition was conducted, andutilized to designate the forest ecosystem reserve based on the Law on the Administration andManagement of National Forests and Quasi-national Park based on the Natural Park Act.
For local development, the types and amount of collection or economic value of edible wild plants andmushrooms are evaluated, and thus provide basic information of regional socio-economic activities. In
addition, insect fauna were surveyed while investigating biodiversity, and as a result, the pollination offarm products and the inhibitory effect on crop damage from diseases and harmful insects were
evaluated.
Much support is given by institutions such as the Town History Editing Projects and investigation andresearch conducted by the natural sciences and the humanities and social sciences into the Tadami BR
proposed site by universities and research institutes, all of which provide information for socioeconomic
activities and education activities in the area.

12.3 Describe biodiversity involved in the provision of ecosystems services in the biosphere reserve(e.g. species or groups of species involved).
Edible wild plants:
Osmund (Osmunda japonica), bracken (Pteridium aquilinum), Ostrich fern (Matteuccia struthiopteris),
Urtica thunbergiana, daylily (Hosta montana), udo (Aralia cordata), Japanese butterburs (Petasites
japonicus), Japanese angelica tree (Aralia elata), red pepper (Gamblea innovans), Eleutherococcus
sciadophylloides, Kalopanax (Kalopanax septemlobus), greenbrier (Smilax riparia), Asteraceae
flowering plant (Parasenecio delphiniifolius), Elatostema umbellatum var. majus, Water dropworts(Oenanthe javanica), Japanese honewort (Oenanthe javanica), wasabi (Wasabia japonica), wildrocambole (Allium macrostemon), wormwood (Artemisia indica var. maximowiczii), bamboo shoots of
Sasa kurinensis (Artemisia indica var. maximowiczii), Japanese pepper (Artemisia indica var.
maximowiczii), etc.
Fruits:Japanese Chestnut (Castanea crenata), Manchurian walnut (Juglans mandshurica var. sieboldiana),
Heartnut tree (Juglans mandshurica var. cordiformis), Japanese horse chestnut (Aesculus turbinata),
wild vine (Vitis coignetiae), silver vine (Actinidia polygama), hardy kiwi (Actinidia arguta), Japanesemulberry (Morus australis), Akebia trifoliata, white angel (Malus Tschonoskii), etc.
Mushrooms:
Matsutake mushrooms (Tricholoma matsutake), Maitake mushrooms (Grifola frondosa), Nameko
mushrooms (Pholiota microspora), honey mushrooms (Armillaria mellea subsp. Nipponica), Shimeji
mushrooms (Lyophyllum shimeji), Mycoleptodonoides aitchisonii, Sarcodon aspratus, Sarcomyxa
serotina, Jew’s ear mushrooms (Auricularia auricula-judae), Meripilus giganteus, Brick Cap mushroom(Hypholoma sublateritium), chicken mushrooms (Laetiporus sulphureus), Amanita hemibapha,
Climacodon septentrionalis, Hygrophorus russula, etc.
Materials for weaving:
The vine of Silver vine (Actinidia polygama), Akebia trifoliata, Clematis apiifolia var. biternata, treebark of Manchurian walnut (Juglans mandshurica var. sieboldiana), wild vine (Vitis coignetiae), trunksof Japanese sumac (Toxicodendron trichocarpum), grass tree of Carex dolichostachya, Boehmeria
silvestrii, etc.

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12.4 Specify whether any ecosystem services assessment has been done for the proposed biospherereserve. If yes, is this assessment used to develop the management plan?
A study of the ecosystem services of the Tadami BR proposed site by the Forestry and Forest Products
Research Institute of the Incorporated Administrative Agency is evaluating each utilization of a variety
of forestry ecosystem services concerning mountains in the vicinity of villages so as to provide data fordeveloping methods of over-all assessment based on indexes and economic standards (Refer 16.1.
Article 2). This evaluation will be utilized for designing a maintenance management plan.

13. MAIN OBJECTIVES FOR THE BIOSPHERE RESERVE’S DESIGNATION:
13.1 Describe the main objectives of the proposed biosphere reserve, integrating the three functions(conservation, development and logistic), presented below (sections 14 to 16), including componentsof biological and cultural diversity. Please specify the indirect pressures and/or organizational issues.
In the Oku-Aizu Tadami area, for a considerable time, the local community has developed by taking
advantage of the rich natural environment and a variety of natural resources. It has inherited a traditional
living culture, which has continued since the Jomon era, including hunting, collecting, and fishing alongwith agriculture and forestry, all of which provide the means for a basic livelihood, and form anundercurrent in this local community: this is known as a Beech Zone culture. However, in recent years,
with increasing depopulation and an aging population, these kinds of socioeconomics systems are
declining along with local communities. In response, Tadami Town developed the 6th Tadami Town
development promotion plan, to utilize the rich natural environment (snow, beech forest) and natural
resources of this area in many different ways, and to inherit the many regional traditions, cultures andindustries that have grown based on the natural environment. The plan also develops and promotes
regional independence and activation; to realize and promote this plan even more, it has been decided toutilize the framework of the Biosphere Reserve of the UNESCO MAB Program.
In the Tadami BR proposed site, nivation landforms formed by heavy snowfall and a large primeval
natural environment characterized with a vegetation mosaic are protected and conserved under existing
legal systems, such as the Oku-Aizu Forest Ecosystem Reserve based on the Law on the Administrationand Management of National Forests and the Echigosanzan-Tadami Quasi-national Park based on the
Natural Park Act; and as a result, the traditional lifestyles or culture of the people who rely on thenatural environment have been maintained in a sustainable way. Also, the Town History Editing
Projects of Tadami Town, the receiving of external research institutes, and a variety of investigation andresearch by the natural sciences and the humanities and social sciences into the Tadami BR proposedsite have all been conducted and information transmission from the Tadami Beech Center has been
carried out. However, in the Tadami BR proposed site, on the other hand, the local community issuffering from the decline of industry, the decay of the local community and the weakening of theinherited connection between local residents and the natural environment, due to the modern social
economy and changing values; along with depopulation and an aging population which many
mountainous areas are suffering in Japan, caused by the ever-increasing outflow of young people tourban areas. Therefore, registration of the Tadami BR proposed site targets presenting the concept of the
BR to the residents of the Tadami BR proposed site, and help them adapt the traditional lives or cultureof the people who rely on the inherited natural environment of the proposed site for their social
economy and local industry; encouraging and tying the regionally inherited connection between humans
and nature as well as activating the area and achieving the purpose of the BR concepts by theparticipation of the residents. In addition, the results of such achievements of those approaches in the

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Tadami BR proposed site, will be a model to demonstrate the effectiveness of the BR on the local
development of many other mountainous areas which are all suffering from the same problems.

13.2 Describe the sustainable development objectives of the biosphere reserve.
(If appropriate, please refer to Agenda 21, Rio+20 and SDG post 2015).

The current total population of Tadami Town is 4,695, with 42.4% aged 65 or older giving a highpopulation aging rate (As of May 1, 2013). The population of Tadami Town, after the Second World
War, rose to more than 12,000 at the time of the Tagokura Dam construction on the Tadami River; after
completion of construction the population fell and rapid depopulation has continued (Figure 13-1). The
biggest reason is that there is no industry capable of supporting such a population in the Tadami area.
The fundamental industry of the Tadami area is agriculture and forestry industry. Agriculture is now
well established and productivity is competitively high, however, agricultural income is not sufficient tomake a living. Also, the processing of agricultural products to enhance value has been worked on, but inreality new product development or market development has a long way to go. Regarding forestry,
predatory forestry such as excessive logging of the natural forest, used to be carried out, with aconsequent reduction of resources. However coniferous planted forests, planted to expand afforestation
after the Second World War, still need forest management operations, thinning is not conducted
appropriately due to stagnant wood prices; resulting in difficult conditions for industrialization.
In the 1930s before the Second World War, the population was estimated at about 8,000 people and thearea was very viable, vital and sound. However, according to the 2010 statistics, the total population
was less than 5,000, which is lower than the prewar total population. The population problem of Tadami
Town is not just simply depopulation, but also concerns population composition. As seen in the
population breakdown of 1965, the population was basically distributed as a pyramid type with a thickbase of young people and an aging apex, whereas in the statistics of 2010, the pyramid has inverted witha thick top band of aged people (Figure 13-2). This clearly demonstrates the serious depopulation ofyoung people who would have supported the area in the future, in addition to the decrease of the total
population; in a sense, a neo-futuristic rapid progress of depopulation. Moreover, the outflow of young
people with no working opportunities to urban areas only exacerbate the situation. As a result, aphenomenon of a society with extremely few young people in their twenties is seen. In the future,
depopulation will increase, due to the death of aged people, the outflow of young people and a further
decrease of the number of children. The biggest problem here is that the current population composition
is not able to maintain a local population at a critical constant level, which in turn then connects to thedecline of industry and the further future decay of the local community. In order to solve this problem, it
is essential to maintain the young population and to do that, it is important to ensure working
opportunities through local development and the development of industry, by utilizing the naturalenvironment and natural resources of the Tadami area in a sustainable way (Figure 13-3).
The setting up of the Biosphere Reserve will encourage the town plan which has been promoted in the
6th Tadami Town development promotion plan by Tadami Town to utilize the inherited properties of thearea such as nature, history, culture, living, industry, etc., by centralizing the natural environment
represented by our beech forests, providing a source of pride to Tadami residents and help theconnection to regional activation.
In addition, it is expected to be a model case to demonstrate an effective breakthrough against the
problems faced by a local community, such as decay due to depopulation and an aging population which
many local communities are suffering in Japan (Figure 13-3).
Tadami Town was greatly damaged and affected directly and indirectly by the accident at Fukushima
Daiichi (No.1) Nuclear Power Plant of the Tokyo Electric Power Company caused by the Great East
Japan Earthquake in March 2011 as well as the Niigata and Fukushima heavy rainfall disaster in July of
the same year. The background of these accidents and the damage initiated by natural disasters is that
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people weaken their relationship with nature (direct exchange of resources and spirituality), depend on
the technologies created by society and become overconfident in them. Against such a background, theinternational recognition and presentation of the regional, inherited and rich natural environment withthe characteristic of heavy snowfall and the traditional life and culture of Tadami Town residents who
rely on such an environment in the Tadami BR proposed site which is located in Fukushima Prefecture
in Japan, presents one model of humans living in harmony with nature, and will connect to therevitalization of the Fukushima region (Figure 13-3).

Total population
Population aging rate(%)
Population aging rate (%)

Total population

Reference: “National census”, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications

Figure 13-1 Transition of total population and population aging rate of Tadami Town

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Population composition of Tadami Town in 1965

Male

Female(Number of people)

100 years or older
95-99 years old
90-94 years old
85-89 years old
80-84 years old
75-79 years old
70-74 years old
65-69 years old
60-64 years old
55-59 years old
50-54 years old
45-49 years old
40-44 years old
35-39 years old
30-34 years old
25-29 years old
20-24 years old
15-19 years old
10-14 years old
5-9 years old
0-4 years old(Number of people)

Population composition of Tadami Town in 2010
Male

Female(Number of people)

100 years or older
95-99 years old
90-94 years old
85-89 years old
80-84 years old
75-79 years old
70-74 years old
65-69 years old
60-64 years old
55-59 years old
50-54 years old
45-49 years old
40-44 years old
35-39 years old
30-34 years old
25-29 years old
20-24 years old
15-19 years old
10-14 years old
5-9 years old
0-4 years old(Number of people)

Figure 13-2 Population composition of Tadami Town (above: in 1965, below: in 2010)(Reference: “National census,” Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications)

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Rationale of regional vitalization

The root of Regional value of Tadami Town

= A large and inherited primeval natural environment and resources with mainly beech
natural forest, and the traditional life and culture of the residents who rely on nature(Hunting, collecting, weaving handiworks, traditional performing arts, etc.)
Effective utilization of the Biosphere Reserve,targeting local socioeconomic development by
the protection and conservation of the valuable
natural environment and utilization of local
resources in a sustainable way

Vitalization of Tadami Town, Socioeconomic development
Revitalization of Fukushima
Demonstrate the effectiveness of Biosphere Reserve for problem-solving of local
society
Present a model region where humans and nature co-exist

Figure 13-3 Objectives of the Tadami BR

13.3 Indicate the main stakeholders involved in the management of the biosphere reserve.
The Kanto Regional Forest Office of the Forestry Agency, Fukushima Prefecture, Tadami Town ofFukushima Prefecture and Hinoemata-village of Fukushima Prefecture

13.4 What consultation procedure was used for designing the biosphere reserve?
In December 2011, Tadami Town established a study committee consisting of people of experience or
academic standing and town residents for branding “The Capital of Mother Nature.” In the committee,
nine proposals were introduced and a framework of the BR system was proposed as a frame to realize
the branding.
In May 2012, Tadami Town established a study committee consisting of people of experience or
academic standing and town residents for the Tadami BR to conduct monthly regular meetings from
May to August, to discuss policy and proposals concerning the area-setting related to the application of
the Biosphere Reserve (Photo 13-4).

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Photo 13-4 The study committee of Tadami Town BR (May to August 2012)13.5 How will stakeholder involvement in implementing and managing the biosphere reserve be
fostered?
The Tadami BR Promotion Council (provisional name), consisting of related administrative
organizations (the Kanto Regional Forest Office of the Forestry Agency, the Tohoku Regional
Environment Office of the Ministry of the Environment, Fukushima Prefecture, Tadami Town,
Hinoemata-village), local industrial associations, local community groups, Electric Power Development
Co., Ltd., the Japanese Coordinating Committee for MAB,etc., was established, and the Secretariat of
the Promotion Council was set up in Tadami Town for integrated management and operation of the
Tadami BR proposed site. The Promotion Council will set up an expert committee consisting of peopleof experience or academic standing, to obtain scientific advice.
Prior to the registration of the Tadami BR, Tadami Town will set up a project team for BR promotion in
the town hall, to implement the region development plan of the Tadami BR as a center. The project teamwill examine administrative measures related to the BR, make plans for the related projects andimplement them.
For promoting the Tadami BR, the Resident Liaison Council (the Tadami BR Promotion Resident
Liaison Council (provisional name)), which is a voluntary organization consisting of local residents andcommunity organizations, will be established. The Resident Liaison Council will work on proposals,requests and voluntary activities, to realize the BR.
Refer Figure 13-1.

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Tadami Town
(Secretariat)(Guide andadvice)Fukushima
Prefecture (Related
to the Quasi-national
Park and local
development)

Electric Power
Development Co., Ltd.
(Related to the dam lake,etc.)<Expert committee>- Nature protection sectional
meeting- Investigation and researchsectional meeting- Local development sectional
meeting

Kanto Regional Forest
Office of the Forestry
Agency (Related to
National Forests, etc.)

Tohoku Regional
Environment Office of the
Ministry of theEnvironment (Advice
related to conservation of
the Quasi-national Park)The Tadami BR Promotion
Council (provisional name)Coordination and conference relate to management andoperation of the BR(Japanese Coordinating
Committee for MAB)
(For promotion of MAB
project)

Hinoemata Village(Related to the Buffer
Zone B connected)

Representative ofresidents (Related totown plan)

Self-governing community
organization- Each ward assemblyIndustrial associations- Agricultural cooperative- Forest owners’ cooperative- Inland Water Fishery
Cooperative- Commercial and industrial
association

Other organizations- NPO- Women’s association- Youth association- Others

The Tadami BR Promotion Resident Liaison Council (provisional name)
Proposals, requests and Voluntary activities to realize the BR

Figure 13-1 Organization chart of the Tadami BR promotion system (Draft)

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13.6 What are the expected main sources of resources (financial, material and human) to implement
the objectives of the biosphere reserve and projects within it?
(Please provide formal commitments and engagements.)

Concerning the management and operation of the Tadami BR, each organ sources financial measures,personnel distribution for cases regulated by the related organs.
Concerning operation of the Tadami BR Promotion Council (provisional name), Tadami Town is
responsible for care of the Secretariat (Tadami Beech Center) as well as the financial and personnel
measures for operating the Council.
Financial resources related to the BR promotion project implemented by a project team of Tadami Townhall are the self-sponsored funds of Tadami Town.

14. CONSERVATION FUNCTION:
14.1. At the level of landscapes and ecosystems (including soils, water and climate):
14.1.1 Describe and give the location of ecosystems and/or land cover types of the biosphere reserve.
•

Refer Article 11.6.

14.1.2 Describe the state and trends of the ecosystems and/or land cover types described above andthe natural and human drivers of the trends.
•

Refer Article 11.6.

14.1.3 What kind of protection regimes (including customary and traditional) exist for the corearea(s) and the buffer zone(s)?
•Refer Article 7.4.

14.1.4 Which indicators or data are used to assess the efficiency of the actions/strategy used?
•
•
•
•
•

14.2

Investigation of Endangered Species of Wildlife Protection Management Strategy (mountain hawk eagle,etc.) implemented in National Forests by the Kanto Regional Forest Office of the Forestry Agency
Tadami Town Beech Forest General study
Ecosystem and fauna and flora data investigated by Tadami Town History Editing Projects
Academic investigations conducted by universities and research institutes
Basic research of natural environment implemented by Tadami Beech Center basis (ecosystemmonitoring).

At the level of species and ecosystem diversity:

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14.2.1 Identify main groups of species or species of particular interest for the conservation objectives,
especially those that are endemic to this biosphere reserve, and provide a brief description of thecommunities in which they occur.
<Flora>Salix hukaoana (Photo 14-1)
In a riparian forest of a basin of the Tadami River and Ina River of the Tadami BR proposed site, a raretree species, Salix hukaoana which is classified as Endangered II (Vunerable) in the Red List of the
Ministry of the Environment (2012), grows naturally in the largest numbers found in Japan. Since thegrowth of this tree species depends on river disturbance (Spring melts), the large numbers and growthof such tree species indicates that the river environment in this basin has been conserved in a highly
natural state. (Tadami nature-study meeting, 2012)
Lilium rubellum (Photo 14-2)
Tadami Town of the Tadami BR proposed site is the largest autogenesis ground of Lilium rubellum inJapan, which is a Japanese endemic species of alpine lily and found only around the Iide mountain range,
Mt. Azumasan and Sumondake, located in the southern part of Miyagi Prefecture and at the prefectural
boundaries of Niigata, Fukushima and Yamagata Prefectures. These autogenesis grounds remain as
grasslands of pseudo-alpine zone, steep rocky slopes of nivation landforms or the ridge of scree slope ina natural state, and are expected to be the most important growth area in Japan. This species is classified
as Near Threatened (NT) in the Red List of the Ministry of the Environment (2012) as well as in the
Red List of Fukushima Prefecture (2007). (Takahara, et al. 2012)
Cirsium aidzuense
Cirsium aidzuense, is a Japanese endemic plant species and is seen in the Tadami BR proposed site anddistributed in the Aizu-region of Fukushima Prefecture and its adjacent Prefectures such as Yamagata,
Niigata, Gunma and a part of Tochigi (Critically Endangered (CR) in the Red List of the Ministry of theEnvironment (2012))<Fauna>Golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos japonica) (Photo 14-3) and Mountain Hawk-Eagle (Spizaetus
nipalensis orientalis) (Photo 14-4)
In the Tadami BR proposed site, top species such as raptors like the Golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos
japonica) or Mountain Hawk-Eagle (Spizaetus nipalensis orientalis) are found. Both species are listed
as Endangered (EN) in the Red List of the Ministry of the Environment (2012). In general, the Golden
eagle (Aquila chrysaetos japonica) is found nesting on the rock ledges of steep cliffs in mountainous
areas. They hunt Japanese hare (Lepus brachyurus), the Copper pheasant (Syrmaticus soemmerringii)
and snakes such as the Japanese rat snake (Elaphe climacophora) in open areas such as shrub zones,
grass areas and denuded land next to the forest; its home range extends up to 200 km2 (Yamazaki,2002). On the other hand, the Mountain Hawk-Eagle (Spizaetus nipalensis orientalis) is highly
dependent on the forest, nesting in large trees and hunting several small and medium size animals in
the forest such as; Japanese hare (Lepus brachyurus), the Copper pheasant (Syrmaticus soemmerringii),
snakes, badgers (Meles meles), racoon dogs (Nyctereutes procyonoides), Japanese martens (Martes
melampus), Japanese minks (Mustela itatsi), flying squirrels (Petaurista leucogenys), Japanesesquirrels (Sciurus lis), brown-eared bulbuls (Hypsipetes amaurotis), meadow buntings (Emberizacioides), etc. (Yamazaki 2002). This large and primeval natural environment of the Tadami area, withcharacteristics of nivation landforms formed by heavy snowfall and a vegetation mosaic created bythese conditions, provides two separate and ideal habitats for the Golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos
japonica) and the Mountain Hawk-Eagle (Spizaetus nipalensis orientalis), whose nesting environment
and food sources are quite different. This demonstrates the existence of these umbrella species(raptors) are indicative of a rich ecosystem in the Tadami BR proposed site.
Black Asiatic bear (Ursus thibetanus japonicus)
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The Black Asiatic bear (Ursus thibetanus japonicus), which is an umbrella species and a large mammal(listed as Endangered II (Vulnerable) in the IUCN Red List), inhabits the deciduous broad-leaved forestof the Tadami area and lives by foraging and scavenging nuts, fruits and the buds of Fagaceae trees suchas beech (Fagus crenata), konara oak (Quercus serrata), Mongolian oak (Quercus crispula) andchestnut (Castanea crenata), insects, carrion, etc. Tree hollows found in old age trees are required forwinter hibernation.
Japanese serow (Capricornis crispus) (Photo 14-5)
This goat antelope is a Japanese endemic species and is globally classified and protected as ascientifically rare animal. It is designated as a National Special Natural Monument and inhabits
deciduous broad-leaved forests.
Frosted myotis (Myotis pruinosus) (Photo 14-6)
In Tadami Town of the Tadami BR proposed site, The Frosted myotis bat (Myotis pruinosus), which isa Japanese endemic species and listed as Endangered (EN) in the Red List of the Ministry of theEnvironment (2012), has been found only in Fukushima Prefecture. Its habitat condition requires
natural forest with wide diameter trees for tree hollow nests (Education Board of Tadami Town, 2001),
and it is considered to inhabit the highly natural deciduous broad-leaved forests of the Tadami area.
Landlocked Arctic lamprey (Lethenteron camtschaticum)
In general, the Arctic lamprey (Lethenteron camtschaticum) is born in a river and spends there during
larval stage before travelling downstream as an adult to the sea. Then it spends two years growing to alength of about 50 cm in the sea. Later the fully mature fish return to the river of their birth and spawn.
Most of the Landlocked Arctic Lamprey are found in a basin of the Ina River including the Tadami BR
proposed site and have a small body length of about 15-20 cm. They are known as the landlocked typeas they live and breed in a river for their whole life. Habitat locations are very few and the basin of Ina
River including the Tadami BR proposed site is a rare habitat of the Landlocked Arctic lamprey. It isalso classified as Endangered II (Vulnerable) in the Red List of the Ministry of the Environment (2013)(Inaba, 2012).

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Photo 14-1 Male catkins of Salix hukaoana

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Photo 14-2 Lilium rubellum grows on the steep rocky slopes of nivation landforms (Above and below)

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Photo 14-3 Golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos japonica)

Photo 14-4 Mountain Hawk-Eagle (Spizaetus nipalensis orientalis)

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Photo 14-5 Japanese serow (Capricornis crispus)

Photo 14-6 Frosted myotis (Myotis pruinosus)

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14.2.2 What are the pressures on key species? In other words: what are the threats (example
unsustainable management of forest), their immediate causes (drivers of change like forest change or
habitat change), their underlying causes (example overgrazing, fire, pollution), and the main driving
forces (example: economic, political, social, external, etc.) and the area(s) concerned?
Concerning the core area of the proposed site and the Buffer Zone A/B proposed site both are managed
under the Law on the Administration and Management of National Forests as well as the Natural Park
Act, resulting in no pressure on any major species. In the transition area proposed site, the importantnatural disturbance system which generates a variety of habitats may be affected by any public works,
especially of the river environment for river improvement, however, such work is generally managed ina sustainable way.

14.2.3 What kind of measures and indicators are currently used, or planned to be used to assess both
species groups and the pressures on them? Who undertakes this work, or will do so in the future?
Investigation of Endangered Species of Wildlife Protection Management Strategy (mountain hawk eagle,etc.) is implemented in National Forests by the Kanto Regional Forest Office of the Forestry Agency.
Basic research of natural environment implemented by the Tadami Beech Center basis (ecosystemmonitoring) and investigation of population dynamics of specific species groups (Luciola fireflies(Luciola cruciata), Luciola lateralis, the char (Salvelinus leucomaenis pluvius) and salamanders) areplanned to be implemented in the future.

14.2.4 What actions are currently undertaken to reduce these pressures?
Public works with less influence on the natural environment and wildlife are promoted.

14.2.5 What actions do you intend to take to reduce these pressures?
The Tadami BR Promotion Council (provisional name), consisting of related administrative
organizations (the Kanto Regional Forest Office of the Forestry Agency, the Tohoku Regional
Environment Office of the Ministry of the Environment, Fukushima Prefecture, Tadami Town,
Hinoemata-village), local industrial associations, local community groups, Electric Power Development
Co., Ltd., the Japanese Coordinating Committee for MAB,etc., where the Secretariat of the Promotion
Council was set up in Tadami Town for integrated management and operation of the Tadami BR
proposed site, will discuss to make any adjustments of public works to minimize any influence on thenatural environment and wildlife.

14.3. At the level of genetic diversity:
14.3.1 Indicate species or varieties that are of importance (e.g. for conservation, medicine, foodproduction, agrobiodiversity, cultural practices etc).
Japanese horse chestnut (Aesculus turbinata)
It is a pollen source for bees and the seeds are used as an ingredient of Tochi Mochi.
White angel (Malus Tschonoskii)
Fruits are macerated in alcohol to be used as cough medicine. This is the reason that the large WhiteUNESCO - Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme - Biosphere reserve nomination form - January 2013

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angel trees are protected and remain in large numbers in the town.
Amur cork tree (Phellodendron amurense)
Bark has been used as a stomach medicine.
Nikko maple (Acer maximowiczianum)
It has been used as medicine for eye diseases.
Tilia jmaximowicziana
Bark fiber is used for cable stitch and cloth (Shinafu).
Carex multifolia
It is used as a material for Hiroro weaving.
Three leaf akebia (Akebia trifoliata), Silver vine (Actinidia polygama), wild vine (Vitis coignetiae),
Clematis apiifolia var. biternata, Japanese walnut (Juglans mandshurica var. sieboldiana) and Varnish
tree (Toxicodendron trichocarpum)
They are used as materials for weaving handiworks.
Silver vine (Actinidia polygama), hardy kiwi (Actinidia arguta)
The fruits are eaten raw and also used for fruit wine.
Pyrus pyrifolia
The fruits are eaten raw and also pickled in salt.
Paulownia tree (Paulownia tomentosa)
Wood is used for furniture such as cabinets.
Toshima mulberry (Morus bombycis) (a variety for sericulture)
It is a kind of Japanese mulberry, grown in the mountains and is resistant to cold weather and is earlyripening; it was cultivated in fields for use in sericulture.
Japanese walnut (Juglans mandshurica var. sieboldiana)
Nuts are collected and stored for raw consumption.
Edible wild plants such as Osmund (Osmunda japonica), bracken shoots (Pteridium aquilinum), Ostrichfern (Matteuccia struthiopteris), Diplazium squamigerum, daylily (Hosta montana), etc., are used as
foods.
Mushrooms such as Matsutake mushrooms (Tricholoma matsutake), Maitake mushrooms (Grifola
frondosa), Nameko mushrooms (Pholiota microspora), etc., are used as foods.
Japanese honey bee (Apis cerana japonica)
It is a bee used for collecting pollen to make honey.
Wheel tree (Trochodendron aralioides)
The bark is soaked in water to rot, and the muddy residue is taken out and pounded in a mortar to make“birdlime.” This sticky birdlime is smeared on tree branches or poles to catch birds, dragonflies andflies.
Native Japanese Char (Salvelinus leucomaenis pluvius)
It is necessary to examine and protect for genetic diversity in the Tadami area. It is designated as Data
Deficient (DD) in the Red List of the Ministry of the Environment (2013).
Landlocked sculpin (Cottus pollux)
It is a Japanese endemic species and inhabits the Tadami River, Ina River and those tributaries of the
Tadami BR proposed site. Migratory sculpin which travel to the sea and Japanese fluvial sculpin which
stay in a river for their whole life are thought to be two different species, as they differ in the number ofsoft rays (interior fin bones) of their pectoral fins as well as in their lifestyle and genes (Inaba, 2012). It
is listed as Near Threatened (NT) in the Red List of the Ministry of the Environment (2013).
Landlocked Arctic lamprey (Lethenteron camtschaticum)
It is classified as Endangered II (Vulnerable) in the Red List of the Ministry of the Environment (2013)and habitat areas in Japan are now fewer. A basin of the Ina River including the Tadami BR proposedsite is a precious habitat for the Landlocked Arctic lamprey (Inaba, 2012).
Japanese dace (Tribolodon hakonensis)
This fish is the ingredient of “Ohira” or “Izushi,” which are traditional dishes of the Tadami area.
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Tribolodon ezoe
Its population is declining throughout the entire Fukushima Prefecture and a population group in a basinof the Tadami River and Ina River is latitudinally the southern limit of distribution on the Japan Sea side.
Therefore, conservation of this species is required (Inaba, 2012). Tribolodon ezoe of the Tohoku region
is listed as a Threatened Local Population (LP) in the Red List of the Ministry of the Environment(2013).

14.3.2 What ecological, economic or social pressures or changes may threaten these species orvarieties?
Decline in the population of vines by collecting for material of woven handiwork.
Decline in population of aquatic biota such as; Japanese dace (Tribolodon hakonensis), Large egg type
sculpin (Cottus pollux) (Near Threatened (NT) in the Red List of the Ministry of the Environment(2013)), Landlocked Arctic lamprey (Lethenteron camtschaticum) (Endangered II (Vulnerable) in the
Red List of the Ministry of the Environment (2013)), chenopod (Liobagrus reini) (Endangered II(Vulnerable) in the Red List of the Ministry of the Environment (2013)), Inversiunio jokohamensis(Near Threatened (NT) in the Red List of the Ministry of the Environment (2012)), etc., by deteriorationof the river environment and over-fishing.
There is a possibility of gene disturbance to Native Japanese Char (Salvelinus leucomaenis pluvius)(Data Deficient (DD) in the Red List of the Ministry of the Environment (2013)) by releasing of
selective captive-bred Japanese Char (Salvelinus leucomaenis) into rivers.

14.3.3 What indicators, at the level of the species, are used, or will be used, to assess the evolution of
population status and associated use?
Distribution survey of Lilium rubellum, investigation (monitoring) of the population dynamics(Takahara, et al. 2012)
Investigation (monitoring) of the population of Salix hukaoana (Education Board of Tadami Town,
2005; Suzuki and Kikuchi, 2006; Suzuki and Kikuchi, 2008; Tadami nature-study meeting, 2012)
Tadami nature-study meeting has continuously implemented the investigation (monitoring) of the
population of fireflies.
Research and genetic analysis of Native Japanese Char (Salvelinus leucomaenis pluvius) of the Tadami
area is planned to be conducted by Tadami Beech Center base in the future.

14.3.4 What measures will be used to conserve genetic diversity and practices associated with theirconservation?
Elucidation of collective genetic structure of important and rare species.
Protection of found habitat area (river) of Native Japanese Char (Salvelinus leucomaenis pluvius)

15. DEVELOPMENT FUNCTION:
15.1. Potential for fostering economic and human development which is socio-culturally andecologically sustainable:

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15.1.1 Describe how and why the area has potential to serve as a site of excellence/model region for
promoting sustainable development.
The Tadami area is a typical mountainous area in Japan, and like so many of these areas is especiallysuffering from depopulation and an aging population, decreased birthrate, and depopulation, with aconsequent rapid decline of industry. On the other hand, the Tadami area is an area where humans andnature have historically co-existed in a sustainable way based on the inherited natural environment,
natural resources (edible wild plants, mushrooms, firewood, etc.) and the traditional culture and life of
the residents who rely on such nature. This area will be an excellent model to promote sustainable
development, which is local development utilizing traditional culture and life relying on the primordial
value of this area such as the natural environment and natural resources as a means to solve theproblems faced by communities in mountainous areas.

15.1.2 How do you assess changes and successes (which objectives and by which indicator)?
Inheritance and development of traditional culture and industry are used as assessment indicators.
Specifically, they are a number of groups and participants to inherit traditional culture and production
volumes, income, and the employment population of industry.

15.2. If tourism is a major activity:
15.2.1 Describe the type(s) of tourism and the touristic facilities available. Summarize the main
touristic attractions in the proposed biosphere reserve and their location(s).
<Type of Tourism>
Mountain climbing (trekking)
Climbing of Tadami’s three famous mountains; Mt. Asakusadake, Mt. Aizu-Asahidake and Mt.
Gamoudake, and others; Mt. Onigatsura and Mt. Yougai. Such information as climbing routes isavailable at the Tadami Town Planning Association and Tadami Beech Center.
Recreational angling
Mountain stream fishing of Japanese Char (Salvelinus leucomaenis) and landlocked salmon(Oncorhynchus masou masou) in a basin of Tadami River and Ina River. The Ina and Ihoku Fishery
Cooperative Associations sell and manage the fishing licences.
Ecotour
The ecotourism industry has not yet fully established itself due to problems of preparedness to receive
visitors. Some ecotours of “The blessed forest” and “The healing forest” with forest guides andhistorical sites tours are conducted on a small scale. As lodging facilities for ecotours, there are School
Annex in the Forest Fuzawa, Youth Travel Village and guesthouses. Information on ecotours isavailable at the Tadami Town Planning Association and Tadami Beech Center.
Farming experience
Self-catering “Farm stays” offer visitors the opportunity to experience farming activities all while living
in a farmhouse. In addition, School Annex in the Forest Fuzawa located in typical mountainous areas in
the Fuzawa district, is a lodging facility and provides farming experiences. It is not only the center ofstay-type tourism, but also an exchange center for people from urban and mountainous areas, acting as amajor facilitator or visitors to involve themselves in the actual practicalities of local life and deepen
their understanding of local mountainous society.
Sport camping, education and training

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Some camping using the comfortable natural environment for sports and cultural activities, etc., isconducted, but, not on a large scale. In recent years, there has been some use as an environmental
education place for universities and educational institutes, and further development is expected.
Available facilities are the Museum of Japanese Beech and Rivers, Tadami, Youth Travel Village andSchool Annex in the Forest Fuzawa.
<Tourist facilities>
Museum of Japanese Beech and Rivers, Tadami
Memorial Museum of Tsugunosuke Kawai
Aizu Tadami Museum of Archaeological
School Annex in the Forest Fuzawa
Tagokura Dam, Lake Tagokura
Tadami Ski slopes
Youth Travel Village (Tadami Town)
Bracken Garden tourism (Gamou, Yoriiwa, Toshima and Shiozawa)
The hometown of Japanese char (Kurotani Shirasawa)
Fukasawa Hot spring

15.2.2 How many visitors come to the proposed biosphere reserve each year? (Distinguish between
single-day visitors and overnight guests, visitors only visiting the proposed biosphere reserve or only
passing on the way to another place). Is there an upward or downward trend, or a particular target?
The exact number is not known, however, about 200,000 people each year visit the Tadami BR proposed site for a day trip or overnight stayand tour. In recent years, the number has been declining. In 2011, the number of visitors seriously
dropped to about 150,000 people, due to the accident at Fukushima Daiichi (No.1) Nuclear Power Plant
of Tokyo Electric Power Company and the Niigata and Fukushima heavy rainfall disaster.

15.2.3 How are tourism activities currently managed?
They are mainly managed by the Promotion Exchange Group of Industry Development Section of
Tadami Town hall and Tadami Town Planning Association (General incorporated association).

15.2.4 Indicate possible positive and/or negative impacts of tourism at present or foreseen and how
they will be assessed (linked to section 14)?
<Future expected positive impact>
The number of people, who see, experience and study the ecosystem or scenery of nivation landforms
formed by heavy snowfall and a vegetation mosaic adapted to each topography which cannot be seen in
any other place, is expected to increase.
It is expected to further vitalize the local economy, by developing tourism as an industry utilizing the
local natural environment resources (selling of local products, ecotourism, etc.) based on international
valuation of the approaches to the tourism industry; by protecting and conserving the highly natural
ecosystem of deciduous broad-leaved forests located in one of the heaviest areas of snowfall in Japanand by utilizing the inherited traditional living, culture and industry along with those of the naturalenvironment.
<Future expected negative impact>
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There are some concerns such as the bad impact on the environment by over-use or garbage problems
caused by many visitors and the decrease and decay of resources by threatening the usage rules of
traditional natural resources.
<Assessment>
Increase or decrease of visitors

15.2.5 How will these impacts be managed, and by whom?
These impacts will be managed by the Kanto Regional Forest Office of the Forestry Agency, the Nature
Conservation Division of Fukushima Prefecture, Tadami Town hall measures, local industrial
associations (Tadami Town Commercial and Industrial Association, Forest owners' cooperative
association, Agricultural Cooperatives (JA) and Inland Fishery Cooperative) and local self-governing
community organizations.

15.3. Agricultural (including grazing) and other activities (including traditional and customary):
15.3.1 Describe the type of agricultural (including grazing) and other activities, area concerned andpeople involved (including men and women).
<Agriculture>
In the transition area proposed site, there are about 857 ha of cropland along the Tadami River and Ina
River systems; about 70% rice paddies and the remaining 30% general purpose fields. The main
agricultural products are rice, buckwheat and promotion products like tomatoes and flowering plants.
Among them, tomatoes are branded as “Nango Tomato.”
There are 780 farmers, of which 291 are self-supported farmers, 121 are full-time farmers and 368 arepart-time farmers (Statistical information of Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, 2007).
In addition to conventional agriculture, local residents are partially working on environmental
conservation type agriculture such as organic agriculture.
In the Tadami BR Proposed site, there are 80 Eco farmer-certified farmers (44 for rice, 21 for tomatoes,
15 for asparagus, 1 for soya beans, 3 for soaproot, 10 for gentian and 6 for calla), who have received
certification of the appropriate introduction plan (certified farmer) by submitting a “Plan for the
Introduction of Sustainable Agricultural Production Practices” to the prefectural governor, based on
Article 4 of the “Act on Promotion of Introduction of Sustainable Agricultural Production Practices(Sustainable Agricultural Law)”. Also, 2 agricultural products (rice) have been certified as speciallycultivated agricultural products (agricultural product using pesticide and chemical fertilizer 50% lower
than the normal amount) and 2 agricultural products (rice) have been applied for organic agricultural
products (as of July, 2013).
The Tadami BR proposed site is within the jurisdiction of JA Aizu-Minami, consisting of 3 towns and 1
village of Minami-Aizu county, Fukushima Prefecture.
<Traditional collection of edible wild plants and mushrooms>
Also, the Buffer Zone B proposed site and the transition area proposed site are important areas forcollecting edible wild plants, mushrooms and the gathering of firewood for local residents. Thesegathering activities are done using local traditional common practices and in a sustainable way.
Collected edible wild plants and mushrooms are utilized in three ways; self-consumption, private saleand as gifts. For edible wild plants, about 40% is for self-consumption, about 45% is for private sale andabout 15% is for gifts. For mushrooms, about 60% is for self-consumption, about 20% is for private saleand about 20% is for gifts (Sugimura, 2011).
In some districts of Tadami Town, an average of about 20% of everyday meals consist of edible wild
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plants and mushrooms (Tadami Beech Center, 2013).
<Traditional events>
Saotome Odori (dance) and Tata Kagura, traditional New Year performances to pray for bounteous
harvests in the year, have been inherited by the Local Preservation Society. Both are designated as a
Fukushima Prefecture Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property.

15.3.2 Indicate the possible positive and/or negative impacts of these activities on biosphere reserve
objectives (section 14).
Agriculture is mostly performed with consideration of the natural environment, so that fauna and flora ismaintained. In the future, the promotion of agriculture with greater consideration to the naturalenvironment, by increasing the number of certificated Eco Farmers, specially cultivated agricultural
products and organic agricultural products, is expected.
On the other hand, with an increasingly aging agricultural workforce, especially in rice cropping,farmland consolidation of rice paddy is undertaken for work efficiency and the reduction of production
costs, resulting in an increase of possible impact on fauna and flora which grow in the surrounding
environment. In addition, the number of abandoned cropland areas is expected to increase, so that it isnecessary to observe carefully the influence on the environment and fauna and flora.
Collecting of edible wild plants and mushrooms is traditional in the Tadami area and carried out in asustainable way. However, with depopulation and the aging population, the reduced frequency of
harvesting and any influence is unknown.

15.3.3 Which indicators are, or will be used to assess the state and its trends?
Trends of agricultural workers and agriculture production, numbers of certificated Eco Farmers, organic
agricultural products and specially cultivated agricultural products, and trends of the amounts ofcollected edible wild plants and mushrooms.

15.3.4 What actions are currently undertaken, and which measures will be applied to strengthen
positive impacts or reduce negative impacts on the biosphere reserve objectives?
Currently, strengthening of positive impact and reduction of negative impact are planned under theguidance of Tadami Beech Center and the Kanto Regional Forest Office of the Forestry Agency. In
future, in the Tadami BR Promotion Council (provisional name) established after BR registration,
concerned people will discuss, corporate and strengthen the measures.
Concerning edible wild plants and mushrooms, excessive harvesting is prevented by self-management oflocal settlements and utilization of the forest by people other than local residents is controlled.

15.4 Other types of activities positively or negatively contributing to local sustainable development,
including impact/influence of the biosphere reserve outside its boundaries.

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15.4.1 Describe the type of activities, area concerned and people involved (including men andwomen).
“Tadami nature-study meeting” (about 70 members), an organization for encouraging and building
community, conducts activities to become familiar with, study and understand the natural environment.
(HP of Tadami nature-study meeting: http://www.fukosya.com/manabu.htm)“Guides Association” organized by official guides of Tadami Town explain about nature to better theunderstanding of tourists and elementary and junior high school students who visit for outdoor study
through guided activities.
There is no active organization which has a negative impact in the Tadami BR proposed site.
School Annex in the Forest Fuzawa, utilization of the closed elementary branch school, provide
opportunities to be involved in the actual situation and understand the true richness of nature; also acts
as an interactive lodging facility.

15.4.2 Indicate the possible positive and/or negative impacts of these activities on biosphere reserve
objectives (section 14). Have some results already been achieved?
The activities of the “Tadami nature-study meeting” receive constant empathy and support from local
residents, greatly contribute to the protection and conservation of the local natural environment andprovide the policy on utilization of natural environment and resources in a sustainable way.
Nature guiding conducted by members of the “Guides Association” greatly contributes to tourists andchildren who participate in environmental education to understand the ecosystem and importance ofprotection and conservation as well as for local personnel training.
School Annex in the Forest Fuzawa is not only the center of stay-type tourism but also an exchange
center of people from urban and mountainous areas, playing a major role for visitors to be involved in
the actual situation and better understand local mountainous society.

15.4.3 What indicators are, or will be used to assess the state and its trends?
Assess by the number of organization and its participants, funding, etc.

15.4.4 What actions are currently undertaken, and which measures will be applied to strengthen
positive impacts or reducing negative ones on the biosphere reserve objectives?
To target sustainable local socioeconomic development by the BR, Tadami Town plans BR related
projects in advance of registration and appropriates budgets of the projects for regional activation.
These projects involve the branding of local special products, promotion service for inheritance oftraditional handicrafts and performing arts, preparation for introducing the Forest Certification System
for sustainable forest management, promotion of organic agriculture, guide training for ecotourism,townscape improvement, infrastructure improvement, etc.

15.5 Benefits of economic activities to local people:
Assessment and pride as a local community harmonized with nature
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Expansion of employment opportunities
Income growth
Convenience by infrastructure development
Tours to visit beautiful nature, green tourism, agriculture tourism, ecotourism, sport camping, forest
therapy, forest environment education, opening a variety of traditional cultures, visitors a variety ofevents, etc.
Economic activities involving selling local agricultural, forest and fishery products and production andsales of various processing products.
Sightseeing of the Tadami-line of the JR East Japan Railway Company
Visitors for photography and filming

15.5.1 For the activities described above, what income or benefits do local communities (including
men and women) derive directly from the site proposed as a biosphere reserve and how?
Natural resources such as edible wild plants and mushrooms, firewood, etc., are directly consumed by
local residents, as important food materials and fuel. At the same time, Osmund (Osmunda japonica),
brackens (Pteridium aquilinum) and mushrooms are sold as products to generate cash income.
Guide for ecotourism, stay of tourists in lodging facilities and sales of souvenir and fishing licenses also
provide cash income.
Security of agricultural water by abundant water resources and health promotion by clean air.

15.5.2 What indicators are used to measure such income or other benefits?
Statistical information of Tadami Town, the number of tourists and overnight guests, collected amountof edible wild plants and mushrooms are used as indicators.

15.6 Spiritual and cultural values and customary practices:(Provide an overview of values and practices, including cultural diversity).
15.6.1 Describe any cultural and spiritual values and customary practices including languages, rituals,
and traditional livelihoods. Are any of these endangered or declining?
<Rites and faith>
Yamairi (Photo 15-1)
On the morning of January 2nd, a family holds “Yamairi” in which the family makes a rope for eachfamily member, some families only make ropes for the men of the household, and then they offer theropes with thinly sliced rice-cakes to Yamanokami (Yamagami: God of the Mountain) before breakfast
to pray for safety in forestry work for the that year. In recent years, the number of people who offer“Yamairi” has reduced due to the aging population and decrease in the number of people who work in
the forest.
Onbe (Sainokami) (Photo 15-2)
During the Lunar New Year, a fire festival known as “Onbe (Sainokami; New Year’s bonfire)” is heldin each district of Tadami Town to pray for a bounteous harvest, sound health, the safety of family
members, and to exorcise demons and the like.
“Kobayashi Saotome Odori” and “Yanatori Daidai Kagura” (Fukushima Prefecture Important Intangible
Folk Cultural Property)
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Saotome Odori (dance) and Tata Kagura, traditional performances that started in the early Edo era topray for bounteous harvests in that year, have been inherited by the Local Preservation Society.
“Joho-ji Kannon Do (Joho Temple Kannon Hall)” (Fukushima Prefecture Important Intangible Folk
Cultural Property) and “Mokuzo Kannon Bosatsu-zazo” (Fukushima Prefecture Important Tangible Folk
Cultural Properties)
During the Edo era, Okurairi Sanjusan-kannon was placed and set up by local farmers of the MinamiAizu area. Among them, “Joho-ji Kannon Do” constructed during the Muromachi era is designated as a
National Important Tangible Folk Cultural Property and the “Mokuzo Kannon Bosatsu-zazo” enshrined
inside is designated as a Fukushima Prefecture Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property. The
inscription on the “Mokuzo Kannon Bosatsu-zazo” includes the year 1311, indicating that it is the oldest
historical artifact concerning the Kannon spiritual practice in this area. It is believed Kannon helps theprevention of crime and disaster, and also aids in child rearing.
Nikkusawa Kannon Do (Photo 15-3)
The principal image is a natural rock called “Kannon Iwa,” which is similar to Kannon. People pray forthe safety of their family and they also used to have religious faith in horses.
ScrollIn Tadami Town, from the Edo to Heisei eras, such traditional occupations as Kobiki (sawyer),Motoyama (craftsman who cuts and processes trees), Yamasaki (private Shinto senior priest), Banjo(carpenter), Boujutsu, Kyudo, Ogasawara-style Reihou, Sanpou, etc. were inherited by passing down ascroll (a kind of occupation license) through many generations. In recent years, this practice oftraditional folklore has nearly ended due to the change in the modern social economy and values.
Mitsuishi Shrine (Photo 15-4)
Mitsuishi Shrine is located at the foot of Mt. Yougai and the first, second and third rocks of themountain are revered as “Iwakura” (Dwelling place of a god). It is traditionally believed that as a god of
marriage wishes come true by tying a thread of floss silk and twisted-paper string or passing a votive
offering through holes in the rock, with the thumb and little finger.
<Language>
The language of Tadami Town is Japanese, but spoken in a form belonging to the Aizu Mountains
dialect-Western Region dialect (Tadami River and Ina river systems) of the Minai-Ouu dialect zone. The
language is slightly different compared to the cities, towns and villages using Western District dialect,and even in Tadami Town, it differs by district (Education Board of Tadami Town, 2002). These
dialects are thriving and used on a daily basis even today.
<Folklore>
The Tadami area is cut off by snow for about half a year from early winter to early spring. Children are
not able to go out to play and adults carry out indoor work during the long quiet agricultural season of
winter. Because of the shorter daytime and longer nights, family members stay together for long periodsof time gathered round the Irori (traditional hearth) or Kotatsu used for lighting and warmth at night. On
such occasions, children ask adults to tell traditional folktales and in this way, the regional folklore has
been passed down. The folklore of the Tadami area is common and general to Minami-Aizu County,
including the way of telling the stories. This indicates closed interchange and marriage between
settlements in the basin of the Ina River (Education Board of Tadami Town, 1996).

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Photo 15-1 Yamairi (Offered holy straw rope)
In the past, enough holy straw ropes used to be offered to cover the trunk circumference completely, but
nowadays the numbers have reduced considerably.

Photo 15-2 Onbe (Sainokami)
The style of the event has been simplified due to depopulation, an aging population and the decreasing
number of young people.

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Photo 15-3 Nikkusawa Kannon Do

Photo 15-4 Mitsuishi Shrine

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15.6.2 Indicate activities aimed at identifying, safeguarding, promoting and/or revitalising suchvalues and practices.
Since 1989, the history and folklore of the Tadami area (historical sites, folk implements, folk tales,dialect and local place names, Kijishi, occupational scrolls, etc.) have been investigated, and detailed
information of the relationship between humans and nature in the Tadami area has been recorded, by the
Town History Editing Projects implemented by the Education Board (Refer Article 16.1.2).
Based on the “Development of new technology of culture information transmission,” the fourth group of
Kanagawa University 21st Century COE Program “Systematization of Non-written Cultural Materials
for the Study of Human Societies,” a database compilation of many aspects of folklore together withfolk implements of Tadami Town, were created and published in a website known as the “Tadami Town
Internet Eco-museum” (http://www.himoji.jp/tadami-item/).
Folklore studies have been conducted in the Ookura district of Tadami Town by Kanagawa University,
focusing on “ethnic changes after rapid economic growth.” (Edited by Sano, 2008)
Folklore is passed down by the “Tadami Town Folklore Meetings.”
Concerning weaving handiworks using natural materials like vines, weaving classes are held by the“Tadami Folkcraft Preservation Society,” “Asahi Silver Vine Handicrafts Club” and “Meiwa Folkcraft
Preservation Society” of the Tadami, Meiwa and Asahi districts. In addition, the weaving classes areheld by “Matatabi-ya,” which also coordinates sales of woven handiworks. In this way, the skills of
weaving are passed down (Photo 15-5).
Refer Article 15.6.1 for Kagura and Saotome Odori.

Photo 15-5 Weaving class held by the local community

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15.6.3 How should cultural values be integrated in the development process: elements of identity,
traditional knowledge, social organizations, etc.?
<Approaches by organizations>
The Tadami BR Preparation Liaison Council (provisional name), consisting of related administrative
organizations (the Kanto Regional Forest Office of the Forestry Agency, the Tohoku Regional
Environment Office of the Ministry of the Environment, Fukushima Prefecture, Hinoemata-village),
local industrial associations, local community groups, Electric Power Development Co., Ltd., theJapanese Coordinating Committee for MAB, etc., is established for the integral management andoperation of the Tadami BR proposed site, and the Secretariat is set up in Tadami Town.
Prior to registration of the Tadami BR, Tadami Town will set up a project team in the town hall, forlocal development centered on the Tadami BR, for realizing the purposes of the Tadami BR and for
promotion of the BR. This project team is responsible for examining administrative policies related to
the BR, also, planning and implementing the related projects.
For promoting the Tadami BR, the Resident Liaison Council, a voluntary organization consisting of
local residents and community organizations, is established. The Liaison Council suggests, requests anddoes voluntary activity to realize the BR.
These organizations work with policies to protect, utilize and develop the inherited and rich naturalenvironment and the local traditional culture and life which rely on nature.
<Individual and specific approaches>
Hunting
Birds and animals hunted under appropriate wild animal management are cooked and served on themenu at a restaurant in the Tadami BR proposed site. In addition, hunters are expected to be leaders forwild life preservation management.
Collecting of edible wild plants and mushrooms
Edible wild plants and mushrooms collected from the mountains are sold with branding, and separate
from farm products.
Fishery
While protecting the habitat area of the Native Japanese Char (Salvelinus leucomaenis pluvius) which
inhabit in a small number in a small stream of the Tadami BR proposed site, plans for regeneration of
the habitat and in the future, utilization as resources (food, fishing).
Weaving handiworks
Weaving skills are passed down by holding weaving classes, and also the sale of products.
Traditional performing arts (Saotome Odori, Kagura)
They are a tourist resource, and are performed for sightseeing tours and at a variety of events and also
passed down by the Preservation Society.

15.6.4 Specify whether any indicators are used to evaluate these activities. If yes, which ones andgive details.
(Examples of indicators: presence and number of formal and non-formal education programmes that transmit thesevalues and practices, number of revitalisation programmes in place, number of speakers of an endangered or minority
language).

Hunting
The number of hunting groups, participants and head counts of dead birds and animals
Collecting of edible wild plants and mushrooms
Settlements which do traditional collecting, the number of people, production amount and output
Weaving handiworks
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The number of weaving handiworks groups and classes
Traditional performing arts
The number of Preservation Society of Saotome Odori, participants and classes

16. LOGISTIC SUPPORT FUNCTION:
16.1 Research and monitoring:
16.1.1 Describe existing and planned research programmes and projects as well as monitoring
activities and the area(s) in which they are (will be) undertaken in order to address specific questions
related to biosphere reserve management and for the implementation of the management plan (pleaserefer to variables in Annex I).
<The Existing Research Program, Project, Monitoring Activities>(Natural sciences research)(1) “The Capital of Mother Nature”: An academic investigation research subsidy project]
Since 2012, Tadami Town started “‘The Capital of Mother Nature’: An academic investigation researchsubsidy project” to encourage researchers studying basic and applied research related to conservation,
regeneration and utilization of biological diversity in Tadami Town and for research related to utilization ofsustainable ecosystem services, for the purpose of promoting interchange with each research institute, storing
and utilizing research results and providing learning opportunities to the residents. Four universities in 2012
and 7 universities or groups in 2013 were selected for subsidized Investigation Research. Below is a list ofresearchers and research outlines that received subsidies in 2012.
Subsidized Investigation Research 1
1. Research theme
Renewal of vegetation after large scale disturbance (Niigata and Fukushima heavy rainfall disaster in July2011) in the mountainous riparian forest
2. Responsible organization
Niigata University Graduate School
3. Investigation items
Setting and measurement of 1.0 ha study area, tree census of the study area, survey of substrates and lightinside the forest, driftwood survey (tree type, central diameter, stem length, rotted degree, number of bud
flush, location), survey of seed dispersal situation of the study area, follow-up survey of survival of currentyear seedlings in a cubicle set up in the study area and survey of water and light environment
4. Purpose of investigation
To identify the influence of disturbance by large scale flooding occurring in 100 year cycles to the riparian
forest where the rare tree species, Salix hukaoana, grows.
5. Investigative method
1.0 ha study area was set up at the riparian forest of Ina River of Tadami river water system in Tadami Town
affected by the Niigata and Fukushima heavy rainfall disaster in July 2011. First of all, to understand thesituation of the riparian forest after the disturbance, tree census of the study area, substrates and driftwood.
Then, the microenvironment of any seedling outbreak site is measured along with a follow-up survey ofsurvival of seedlings, to understand the renewal situation of vegetation.
6. Investigative area
The transition area proposed site
Subsidized Investigation Research 2
1. Research theme
Tree distribution pattern in the area from river flow channel to a slope of heavy snowfall mountains
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2. Responsible organization
Yokohama National University Graduate School
3. Investigation items
Topographical survey, tree census, classifying particle size of the superficial sediment, measurement of soil
depth and measurements of snow depth and snow pressure
4. Purpose of investigation
The forest formed along the streams of the mountain is called riparian forest, where Japanese wing nut andJapanese horse chestnut are species forming the typical riparian forest on the Japan Sea side. However,Japanese wing nut and Japanese horse chestnut are not dominants in the entire area along the streams of themountain, and there are many locations where other tree species are dominant. In the Tadami area, beech
grows along the streams of the mountain in many places, indicating different vegetation from the typicalriparian forest reported by existing research. It is unclear what factors form such vegetation patterns or whatis the influence of characteristic snow coverage on this heavy snowfall area. Therefore, this study is toclarify the detailed distribution pattern of forest vegetation along with the streams of the heavy snowfall area
and any regulating factors.
5. Investigative method
In the Tadami River system, a tree distribution survey and environment survey are conducted by belt transect
and analysis of tree distribution patterns and environmental factors are made using statistical methods suchas GLM.
6. Investigative area
The Buffer Zone B and the transition area proposed site
Subsidized Investigation Research 3
1. Research theme
To determine the most favorable environment for beech to self-regenerate and dominate the other species in
the natural forest.
2. Responsible organization
University of Tokyo, Graduate school
3. Investigation items
Measurements of seedlings and the height of young trees and the annual growth of beech and other tree
species; carry out transplantation trials of seedlings of beech and evergreen coniferous forest.
4. Purpose of investigation
In cool-temperate zones, forests highly dominated by beech are commonly found. From the results of naturalforest practice, the conditions required for an even-aged forest of beech to be self-regenerating are becoming
clear. However, it is still not known why beech established its dominance in the first place. Thus, this study
was conducted to identify the environmental conditions where beech can renew itself and dominate otherspecies, with a focus on the differences in the tolerance of trees against destructive disturbance such asavalanches and landslides.
5. Investigative method
In the mountain area near Tadami Town where evergreen coniferous forest and beech trees are mixed, record
the type of topography where beech forest dominates the canopy. Set up five meter square quadrants in thearea where seedling and young beech trees with different dominance and topography of beech canopy grow,and measure the tree height and annual growth height of beech and seedling and young trees of other tree
species. Also, conduct transplantation trials to places outside where disturbance frequently occurs, tocompare the impact of disturbance on the branches and leaves of beech and evergreen coniferous forest.
6. Investigative area
The Buffer Zone B proposed site and the transition area proposed site
Subsidized Investigation Research 4
1. Research theme
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To study the wide-area distribution and growth situation of the population of Lilium rubellum in the Tadami
area.
2. Responsible organization
Tokyo Metropolitan University
3. Investigation items
Population survey: Measurement of life history stage, base diameter, height and the number of leaves of
Lilium rubellum
Environmental survey: Record of soil moisture content, intensity and vegetation
4. Purpose of investigation
The herbaceous plant group is not only useful for life by providing materials for food or clothes, but also
there are aspects of seasonal blooming that have affected the formation of the Japanese mindscape andemotional culture. The Tadami area is one of the areas with the heaviest snowfall in Japan, characterized by
the long utilization of mountains near villages, and also by the continuous large and highly natural deciduous
broad-leaved forests and rich flora of herbaceous plants surrounding the forest. Among the flora ofherbaceous plants, the appearance of foreign species is comparatively rare compared to other areas, and also
some native species which are facing extinction in other areas, such as Lilium rubellum, are found growing
abundantly. In recent years, some herbaceous plant species have been identified which are likely to become
endangered in the near future, caused by development of the mountains followed by an invasion of foreign
species, the dying out of human management of mountains near villages and village land, and also overcollection. Therefore, for the flora of herbaceous plants, it may be necessary for conservation to record not
only the number of growing species, but also their related habitat environment and individual frequency.
Lilium rubellum is comparatively seen in a large area of Tadami Town as a representative species of Tadami,
however, any knowledge of the actual survival situation in its natural environment is very poor. The purposeof this research is to clarify the distribution of Lilium rubellum in a variety of landscapes and its population
structure, which are essential information to help the conservation of Lilium rubellum.
5. Investigative method
Set up study areas of 10 to 50 square meters under different site conditions of Tadami Town where Lilium
rubellum is distributed, such as on grasslands, slopes and riparian shrub forests. Distribution, population
structure and the situation of blooming will be investigated in June, which is the flowering time of Lilium
rubellum. At the same time, set up a one square meter quadrant, and measure life history stages, basediameter, height and the number of leaves of every individual plant. In addition, measure and record the soil
moisture content, light intensity and vegetation of each study area.
6. Investigative area
The Buffer Zone B proposed site and the transition area proposed site(2) Investigation conducted in National Forests by the Forestry Agency
1. Research theme
Investigation of the Endangered Species of Wildlife Protection Management Strategy (Mountain Hawk Eagle,etc.)
2. Responsible organization
Minami-Aizu branch office of Aizu District Forest Office, the Kanto Regional Forest Office of the Forestry
Agency3. Investigation items
Investigation of habitat situation, nesting places and surrounding areas of the planned sites of birds classified
as National Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora species such as the Mountain Hawk Eagle.
4. Purpose of investigation
To focus on the birds, classified as National Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora species (MountainHawk Eagle, etc.), and living in the National Forest of Minai-Aizu district of Fukushima Prefecture. Carryout continuous and regular Investigation, so as to understand the habitat situation of selected species andconserve their habitat environment.
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5. Investigative method
In nesting sites and surrounding areas of the planned sites, which were confirmed in previous years by fieldstudies undertaken by researchers, set up observation fixed points to conduct fixed-point observation as wellas confirm nesting conditions of the surrounding areas of the planned sites.
6. Investigative area
The Buffer Zone B proposed site and the transition area proposed site.
(3) Investigation conducted in National Forests by the Forestry Agency-2
1. Research theme
Monitoring survey of the Natural Forests in the Forests Ecosystem Reserve and the Green Corridor of Aizu
district
2. Responsible organization
Forest Planning Division of the Kanto Regional Forest Office, Forestry Agency
3. Investigation items
Investigation for vicissitude of length of seedlings and young trees, preparation of section of vegetation andprojection of stem, illuminance survey, vegetation survey
4. Purpose of investigation
Gathering the fundamental data, such as succession process from secondary forests, methods to change theconiferous single-layer forests to the mixed coniferous-broadleaved forests and, and examination for making
progresses with technical knowledge and methods of maintain or restoration of nature, etc.
5. Investigative method
At the plots established in the planted forests and the natural forests, Conducting continuous and regularinvestigations at every year.
6. Investigative area
The Buffer Zone B and the transition area(4) Investigation conducted by the Tadami Beech Center
1. Research theme
Structures and dynamics of beech natural forest and secondary forest in the Tadami area
2. Responsible organization
The Tadami Beech Center
3. Investigation items
Investigation on community composition of forest stand, forest stand structure, renewal patterns anddynamics
4. Purpose of investigation
To accumulate basic information related to the conservation and restoration of beech forests, investigate thecomposition, structure and dynamics of the beech natural forest, which is distributed in low mountain areasof heavy snowfall areas, as well as s secondary forest formed after logging.
5. Investigative method
Set up 0.5 ha or 0.05 ha study areas in beech natural forests and a secondary forests, conduct tree census,
measure and record tree species names, diameter at breast height and height.
6. Investigative area
The Buffer Zone B proposed site.
(Humanities and social sciences research [population statistics, economic science, traditional knowledge,etc.])(1) Currently in Tadami Town, historical investigation and research into historical sites and ancient
documents are being carried out mainly by the Education Board of Tadami Town
Investigation of historical sites
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1. Name of the historical site and location
Kurotani Tateato (Inside Idojiri, Kurotani, Tadami Town)
2. Responsible organization
The Education Board of Tadami Town
3. Investigation items
Preservation of records of archaeological features and relics, analysis of silicic acid, pollen analysis, deadseed analysis, identification of tree species (excavated lacquer ware) and preservative treatment of wooden
artifacts.
4. Purpose of investigation
Kurotani Tateato is a ruin whose existence is confirmed in several historical documents as being from atleast the 1500s. This research is to conduct excavation for investigation and preservation of records, before
implementation of the “Naka-Asahi District” Management Unit Development infrastructure projects ofFukushima Prefecture.
5. Investigative method
With a study area of 3,250 m² including the Kurotani Tateato moat and area outside the moat, conduct
preservation and records of archeological features and relics, estimate the paleoenvironment by silicic acidand pollen analysis and the identification of plant species of excavated seed and lacquer ware.
6. Investigative area
The transition area proposed site.
(2) Research conducted by the Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute of the Incorporated
Administrative Agency
1. Study summary
To clarify empirically and theoretically, the interrelation between the development of rules, regulations andsocial relationships on common forest utilization and development of common forest management
performance, focused on several settlements of Tadami Town.
2. Research theme
Pleiotropic and systematic approaches related to transition into open commons
3. Responsible organization
The Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute of the Incorporated Administrative Agency, Iwate
Prefectural University, the University of Tokyo, Shibaura Institute of Technology and Rikkyo University
4. Investigation items
Rules of utilization and management of common forests of each settlement and their changes, social
relationships on each settlement and their changes, past usage conditions of common forests.
5. Purpose of investigation
As forest management by local residents is reaching its limit due to depopulation and an aging population,
which many semimountainous areas are suffering in Japan, it is necessary to determine rules and practices toprevent the decay of resources while accepting forest utilization by outsiders, in addition to local residents.
Clarify the interrelation between the development of rules and regulations on common forest and thedevelopment of actual usage conditions and practices, in Tadami Town where the development of a variety
of rules related to common forest utilization are seen.
6. Investigative method
Interviews, collecting information, reading of maps and photographs, field work, etc.
7. Investigative area
The transition area proposed site.
<Planned Research Programs, Projects, Monitoring activities>(Natural sciences research)
Investigation and research conducted by the Tadami Beech Center

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Concerning the dynamics of a variety of forest communities in Tadami Town, monitoring is planned tobetter understand the relation of natural disturbance and human disturbance and its impact (beech
natural forest, beech secondary forest, salamanders, death of Japanese Oaks, etc.)
Confirmation of habitat of Native Japanese Char (Salvelinus leucomaenis pluvius) which is facing
extinction in Tadami Town, and monitoring to understand population dynamics (outsourcing) areplanned.
Investigation conducted in National Forests by the Forestry Agency“Investigation of the Endangered Species of Wildlife Protection Management Strategy (Mountain Hawk
Eagle, etc.)” and “Monitoring study of national forests in the Forest Ecosystem Reserve and Green
Corridor” are planned to continue after the next fiscal year.
Basic research on the natural environment (the Forestry and Forest Products Research Instituteoutsourcing project)
Continuation of “The Capital of Mother Nature: An academic investigation research subsidy project”
As “The Capital of Mother Nature: An academic investigation research subsidy project” continues
investigation and research of basic and/or applied research related to conservation, regeneration and/or
utilization of biological diversity in the Tadami area, and for research related to the utilization ofsustainable ecosystem services studied by researchers is planned to be carried out.
(Humanities and social sciences research)
Research on buried cultural property
An exploratory excavation investigation of the Miyamae ruins is planned to be conducted along with themain government building of town hall is constructed. At Miyamae ruins, several ground stone axes andcylindrical beads (Kudadama) have been collected from the surface.

16.1.2 Summarize past research and monitoring activities related to biosphere reserve management(please refer to variables in Annex I).
(1) The Town History Editing Committee
Since April 1989, the Town History Editing Committee was implemented as the 30th anniversary project of
the town organization of Tadami Town, and has been gathering important basic information about Tadami
Town. In the natural sciences, comprehensive studies concerning the aspects of weather, topography andgeography, fauna and flora, and ecology of the Tadami area have been conducted. On the other hand, in thehumanities and social sciences, investigations related to history, folklore (historical sites, folk implements,
folk tales, dialect and local place names, Kijishi, occupational scrolls, etc.) of the Tadami area have been
conducted, and the relation between humans and nature studied and recorded. Especially in the investigationof folk implements, later the so-called “Tadami method” was carried out by the Tadami Town residents
themselves to record onto investigation cards the names of folk implements, their usage, donors, etc., andthen arrange all the exhibits as a collection. In 2003, a “Collection of Production Tools and Working Clothesof Aizu-Tadami,” 1,917 production tools, 416 working clothes – total 2,333 – which were used in the
traditional crafts and livelihoods of Tadami Town, all of which were investigated by the residents, were
designated as National Important Tangible Folk Cultural Assets in 2003.

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Table: List of Natural science books published by Tadami Town by the Town History Editing Committee
No.

Author and Editor

Title

1

Tadami Town Town History Editing
Committee
Tadami Town Town History Editing
Committee
Education Board of Tadami Town,
Fukushima Prefecture

Tadami Town history document collection No. 4,“Nature of Aizu Tadami – Plants”
Tadami Town history document collection No. 4,“Nature of Aizu Tadami - climate, geology and animals”
Tadami Cultural Heritage survey report No. 9,“Academic research on forest vegetation and biological diversity of the Tadami area,
Fukushima Prefecture”
Tadami Town history Vol. 1, Overview 1,“Nature, the primitive, ancient, medieval and early modern times”
Tadami Cultural Heritage survey report No. 10,“2nd report of Academic research on forest vegetation and biological diversity of the
Tadami area, Fukushima Prefecture”
Tadami Cultural Heritage survey report No. 11,“Plants of Aizu Tadami”
Tadami Cultural Heritage survey report No. 12,“3rd report of Academic research on forest vegetation and biological diversity of the
Tadami area, Fukushima Prefecture”
Tadami Cultural Heritage survey report No. 14,“Biology and inheritance of rare tree species, Salix hukaoana, in the Tadami Riversystem of Fukushima Prefecture”

2
3

4
5

6
7

8

Tadami Town Town History Editing
Committee
Education Board of Tadami Town,
Fukushima Prefecture
Education Board of Tadami Town,
Fukushima Prefecture
Education Board of Tadami Town,
Fukushima Prefecture
Education Board of Tadami Town,
Fukushima Prefecture

Published
year
2001

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2001
2003

2004
2004

2004
2004

2005

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Table: List of Humanities and social sciences books published by Tadami Town for the Town History
Editing Committee
No.
1
2

3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13

14
15
16
17

Author and Editor
Tadami Town Town History Editing
Committee
Education Board of Tadami Town,
Fukushima Prefecture
Tadami Town Town History Editing
Committee
Education Board of Tadami Town,
Fukushima Prefecture
Tadami Town Town History Editing
Committee
Tadami Town Town History Editing
Committee
Tadami Town Town History Editing
Committee
Education Board of Tadami Town,
Fukushima Prefecture
Tadami Town Town History Editing
Committee
Tadami Town Town History Editing
Committee
Tadami Town Town History Editing
Committee
Tadami Town Town History Editing
Committee
Education Board of Tadami Town,
Fukushima Prefecture
Education Board of Tadami Town,
Fukushima Prefecture
Tadami Town Town History Editing
Committee
Education Board of Tadami Town,
Fukushima Prefecture
Education Board of Tadami Town,
Fukushima Prefecture18

Education Board of Tadami Town,
Fukushima Prefecture

19

Aizu architectural firm of Fukushima
Prefecture, Education Board of
Tadami Town, Fukushima Prefecture

Title
Tadam-town
history
document
collection
No.
1,“Diagram – Folk implements of Aizu Tadami”
Tadami Cultural Heritage survey report No. 4,“Kubota ruins - Excavation investigation report for establishment of TadamiMuseum of Archaeology”
TadamiTown
historyVol.
3“Ethnic”
Tadami
Cultural
HeritagesurveyreportNo.
5,“Tracks of Kijishi of Fuzawa, Oku-Aizu”
Tadami Town history Vol. 5, Materials 2“Modern times”
Tadami Town history Vol. 6, Materials 3“Present times”
TadamiTown
history
document
collectionNo.
2,“Folklore of Aizu Tadami”
Tadami
Cultural
HeritagesurveyreportNo.
6,“Diagram -The medieval castle ruin of Aizu Tadami”
TadamiTown
historyVol.
2,
Overview
2,“Modern and present times”
TadamiTown
history
document
collection
No.
3,“Development of electric power resources of the Oze and Tadami Rivers”
TadamiTown
historyVol.
4,
Materials
1“The primitive, ancient, medieval and early modern times”
TadamiTown
history
document
collection
No.
5,“Dialect and local place names of Aizu Tadami”
Tadami
Cultural
HeritagesurveyreportNo.
7,“A mountain castle in the Age of Civil Wars - archaeological features of Mizukubo
Castle”
Tadami
Cultural
HeritagesurveyreportNo.
8,“Occupation scrolls of Aizu-Tadami”
TadamiTown
history
Vol.
1,
Overview
1,“Nature, the primitive, ancient, medieval and early modern times”
Tadami
Cultural
HeritagesurveyreportNo.
13,“Collections of Production Tools and Working Clothes of Aizu-Tadami”
Tadami
Cultural
HeritagesurveyreportNo.
15,“Tadami Town ruins exploratory excavation investigation report – Arai Tateato,
Kurotani Tateato”
Tadami
Cultural
HeritagesurveyreportNo.
16,“Tadami Town ruins exploratory excavation investigation report – Shichijyukari
ruins”
Tadami
Cultural
HeritagesurveyreportNo.
17,“Shichijyukari ruins excavation investigation report – Excavation investigation
report due to large scale river improvement work on the Ina River”

Published
year
1991
1991

1992
1992
1994
1995
1995
1995
1997
1997
1999
2002
2002

2002
2004
2004
2009

2010

2012

(2) Research activities of Tadami Beech Center
Investigations related to the natural environment of Tadami Town, such as; the effect of the
Niigata/Fukushima heavy rainfall disaster of July 29, 2011 to the Tadami River system, the increase in thenumber of dead Japanese Oaks within the jurisdiction of Tadami Town, the forest structure and theformation process of the “pollarded beech forest” seen in Tadami Town, are conducted mainly by the
Tadami Beech Center. The Center publishes a “Tadami Town Field Guide Series” for town residents andvisitors to use as a guidebook while sightseeing in the natural environment of Tadami Town. In particular,
Inaba (2012) has records of the fresh water fish and amphibian species seen in Tadami Town. Also, theCenter publishes guidebooks for exhibitions held at the “Museum of Japanese Beech and Rivers, Tadami,”
focusing on the natural environment of Tadami Town and the traditional life and culture of the residents. The

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Center also made a “River map of Tadami Town” which was created by a survey of town residents toestablish the names of river areas in Tadami Town.
Table: List of literature, books and maps of Tadami Beech Center
No.

Author and Editor

Title

Published
year
2012

1

Satoshi Kikuchi and Wajiro
Suzuki

Genetic diversity and its conservation in the TadamiRiver basin, especially Salix hukaoana of Odosawa

2

Wajiro Suzuki and Kazuko
WatabeImpact of the Heavy rainfall disaster in July, 2011 to
Salix hukaoana forests of the Ina River basin

2012

3

Wajiro Suzuki and Kazuko
WatabeActual conditions of driftwood caused by Heavy rainfall
disaster (July 29) in Shionoki River

2012

4

Wajiro Suzuki and Satoshi
Kikuchi

Forest structure and formation process of “Pollarded
beech forests” seen in Tadami Town

2012

5

Wajiro Suzuki and Kazuko
WatabeDecay in the population of Japanese Oaks in the Tadami
area

2012

6

Tadami Beech Center

2012

7

Tadami Beech Center

8

Osamu Inaba

9

Tadami Beech Center10

Tadami Beech Center

11

Tadami Beech Center andFukoshaTadami field guide I - “Flowers on climbing routes –Flowers for a season from snow melt to early summer –44 species”
Tadami field guide II- “The big trees and giant trees of
Tadami Town”
Tadami field guide III – “Rivers and riparian lives of
Tadami”
Exhibition guide series I – “Enjoy foods from naturearound Tadami”
Exhibition guide series II – “Ecology and utilization ofvines”
River map of Tadami Town

Publication Magazine
The Bulletin of Tadami Beech
Center – Nature of Tadami –No. 1:7-11
The Bulletin of Tadami Beech
Center – Nature of Tadami –No. 1:12-18
The Bulletin of Tadami Beech
Center – Nature of Tadami –No. 1:19-24
The Bulletin of Tadami Beech
Center – Nature of Tadami –No. 1:25-31
The Bulletin of Tadami Beech
Center – Nature of Tadami –No. 1:32-39

2012
2012
2013
2012
2013

(3) National Survey on the Natural Environment
National Survey on the Natural Environment is a survey which has been conducted about every five years
since 1973 by the Ministry of the Environment, based on Article 4 of the Nature Conservation Law. Its
purpose is to understand the situation of the natural environment and any changes in Japan from a nationwide
point of view and to arrange basic documents to promote natural environmental conservation measures.
Investigations on the habitat situation of bats and on the distribution of forest vegetation such as beech in the
Tadami area were conducted to analyze and verify the relation between forest vegetation and the fauna that
depend on it.
Table: Report on Natural environment conservation basic research related to the Tadami area
No.

Author and Editor

Title

1

Fukushima Prefecture (The Ministry of
the Environment)

Report on the 7th National Survey on the Natural Environment, biologicaldiversity research and species diversity research (Fukushima Prefecture)

Published
year
2007

(4) [Investigation conducted in National Forests by the Forestry Agency]
1. Research on the primeval beech forest
This academic research was conducted to identify the concept of the forests, which should be retained for
future generations, such as the primeval beech forests and to identify actual forest ranges. Through theinvestigation the forest structure of beech natural forests, the concept of organize approaches to the primeval
beech natural forest was identified.
2. Monitoring study related to Natural Forests of the Aizu area
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Conducted fixed-point observation of sample area (inside of Buffer Zone B) set up in the planted and naturalforests of the Oku-Aizu Forest Ecosystem Reserve and Aizu-Sanchi Green Corridor. Basic information for
examination of the succession process from secondary forests and guidance methods for mixed coniferous broadleaved forests etc. were collected and considered.
3. Investigation of the Endangered Species Protection Management for the Strategy (Mountain Hawk Eagle,
etc.)
Focusing on birds living in the National Forest of the Minami-Aizu district of Fukushima Prefecture andclassified as National Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (Mountain Hawk Eagle, etc.), theinvestigations were conducted continuously and regularly to better understand the habitat situation of
selected species and conserve the habitat environment.
Table: List of literature of natural sciences research conducted in National Forests by the Forestry Agency
No.
1
2
3

Author and Editor

Title

Kanto Regional Forest Office of
the Forestry Agency
Kanto Regional Forest Office of
the Forestry Agency
Kanto Regional Forest Office of
the Forestry Agency

Research report on the primeval beech forest

Published
year
2005

Report on monitoring study related to the Natural Forest of the Aizu area

2005-2012

Investigation Report of Endangered Species Protection Management Strategy(Mountain Hawk Eagle, etc.)

2007-2012(5) [Investigation conducted by the Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute of the Incorporated
Administrative Agency](The Ministry of the Environment; Environmental research general promotion cost projects)
The objective of environmental research general promotion cost projects are to comprehensively promote
investigation, research and technological development from interdisciplinary and international points of view,by collecting all the works of researchers in several fields, and to conserve the environment for the creationof a sustainable society. Among these projects, the research group basis of the Forestry and Forest Products
Research Institute of the Incorporated Administrative Agency conducted a field survey across an area spreadfrom southwest Fukushima with a high natural forest rate to southeast Fukushima and the northern part ofIbaraki Prefecture with a high planted forest rate; its purpose was to develop comprehensive evaluation
methods for each evaluation index and economic standard, to help the effective utilization of a variety offorest ecosystem services in villages in the vicinity of mountains.
Table: List of literature of Humanities and social sciences research conducted by the Forestry and Forest
Products Research Institute of the Incorporated Administrative Agency
Study subject: Research on a comprehensive evaluation method of forest ecosystem services for villages inthe vicinity of mountains initiative.
No.
1
2
3
4

Author and Editor

Sub-theme

Kentaro Yoshida
Ken Sugimura
Kaoru Maeto
Hiroshi Tanaka and Kimiko Okabe

Economic evaluation of ecosystem services supplied by biological diversity
Analysis of Asian specific features on utilization of forest ecosystem services
Evaluation of ecosystem functions supplied to the agro-ecosystem from forests
Evaluation of changes in the ecosystem functions of forests by human activities.

Published
year
2011
2011
2011
2011

(6) [Research on folklore by Kanagawa University 21st Century COE Program, “Systematization of Nonwritten Cultural Materials for the Study of Human Societies” Research Promotion Committee
Based on the “Development of new technology of culture information transmission,” the fourth group of
Kanagawa University 21st Century COE Program “Systematization of Non-written Cultural Materials for the
Study of Human Societies,” along with the systematization of non-written materials, were implemented forthe purpose of (1) development of a system to transmit local culture and information in an integrated manner,
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and (2) development of training methods for a specialized curator (senior curator) to master the newtechnology. Especially for (2), a database compilation of many aspects of folklore together with folk
implements of Tadami Town, were created and published in a website known as the “Tadami Town Internet
Eco-museum” (http://www.himoji.jp/tadami-item/). This website presents the folklore of Tadami Town andgives overview images of Tadami Town, and the system helps to foster understanding of the local people andtheir livelihoods with computer images making the mountain village life of Tadami Town available on theinternet. In 2006, a symposium “Folk implements connect the world” was held in Tadami Town, Fukushima
Prefecture. At the 3rd International symposium “Memory of place, Memory of body – the new horizon of
non-written materials research” held under the same program was held in 2007. Discussions were held
exploring the possibilities of Internet Eco-museums using the example of “Tadami Town Internet Ecomuseum” (Edited by Kanagawa University 21st Century COE Program, “Systematization of Non-written
Cultural Materials for the Study of Human Societies” Research Promotion Committee, 2008)
Table: List of literature of humanities and social sciences research conducted by Kanagawa University 21stCentury COE Program, “Systematization of Non-written Cultural Materials for the Study of Human
Societies” Research Promotion Committee
No.

Author and Editor

Title

Published
year
2004

1

Kenji Sano

“Non-written materials” and the local community Preservation and practical use of Folk implements of
Tadami Town, Fukushima Prefecture -2Michiaki Kono

Tohoku district seen from the distribution of existing
farming tools

2005

3

Satoru Amino

Non-written materials and documentation

2005

4

Kenji Sano

Internet museum as a culture informationtransmission system – Focusing on cooperation with
the University and the local museum -

2006

5

Edited by the fourth group of“Systematization of Non-written
Cultural Materials for the Study of
Human Societies”

2008

6

Edited by Kanagawa University
21st Century COE Program,“Systematization of Non-written
Cultural Materials for the Study of
HumanSocieties”
Research
Promotion Committee

Report on study results of Kanagawa University 21stCentury COE Program, “Systematization of Nonwritten Cultural Materials for the Study of Human
Societies” - “Development of area informatics : theway to innovation of knowledge”
Report on study results of Kanagawa University 21stCentury COE Program, “Systematization of Nonwritten Cultural Materials for the Study of Human
Societies”
Development and results of non-written materials
studies - Research Project Summary Report -Publication Magazine
AnnualReport:“SystematizationofNonwritten Cultural Materials for
the Study of Human Societies
Vol. 1”
AnnualReport:“SystematizationofNonwritten Cultural Materials for
the Study of Human Societies
Vol.2”
AnnualReport:“SystematizationofNonwritten Cultural Materials for
the Study of Human Societies
Vol.2”
AnnualReport:“SystematizationofNonwritten Cultural Materials for
the Study of Human Societies
Vol.3”

2008

Table: List of symposiums conducted by Kanagawa University 21st Century COE Program, “Systematizationof Non-written Cultural Materials for the Study of Human Societies” Research Promotion CommitteeNo.
1
2Sponsor
Tadami Town, Fukushima Prefecture
Kanagawa University 21st Century COE Program,Kanagawa University 21st Century COE Program

Title of symposium
Folk implements connect the world – The connection between humans
and nature The Third International Symposium “Memory of place, Memory of body –the new horizon of non-written materials research”

Year

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2006
2008

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(7) Folklore studies by Kanagawa University
Based on the accumulated folklore studies of the Tadami area by Tadami Town Town History Editing
Committee and Kanagawa University 21st Century COE Program, “Systematization of Non-written Cultural
Materials for the Study of Human Societies” Research Promotion Committee, another folklore study was
conducted in the Ookura district of Tadami Town, and reported by focusing on “ethnic changes after rapid
economic growth.”
Edited by Kenji Sano (2008), Kanagawa University History and Folklore study report No. 6, “Folklore of
Ookura – Ookura, Tadami Town, Minami-Aizu, Fukushima Prefecture,” Graduate School of History &Folklore Studies, Kanagawa University Graduate School, p 227.
(8) Study by Utsunomiya University (Outsourcing project on settlement revitalization study utilizing theskills of college students of Fukushima Prefecture)
In depopulated mountainous areas in Fukushima Prefecture where further depopulation and an aging
population are of grave concern, the Local Promotion Division, Planning & Coordination Department,
Fukushima Prefecture conducted a project whereby college students visit settlements to regenerate and train
the “regional potential” of settlements for revitalization and development of the local area by utilizing“power and knowledge from the outside” such as new perspectives, ability to respond, special skills or
knowledge which college students possess. This project also helps to maintain and strengthen the original
local “inner power,” such as the relationship between residents, mutual aid and community, local
characteristic traditional cultures or customs, and the beautiful and rich diversity of nature and scenery.
Utsunomiya University conducted an interview in the Fuzawa district of Tadami Town and presented aregional activation plan.
Table: List of study reports conducted by Utsunomiya UniversityNo.
1

Author and Editor
Ito et al.

2

Komagata et al.

Title
Report on outsourcing project on settlement revitalization study
utilizing the skills of college students, 2010 “Fuzawa – The way
for development”
Report on outsourcing project on settlement revitalization study
utilizing the skills of college students, 2011, “Connect a smile –from the present to the future, from Fuzawa to Fukushima”

Published year
2010

2011

(9) Other natural sciences research
Kashimura (1969) studied natural forest vegetation in the down-stream basin of the Tadami River for
research on plants. Sugita (1988) investigated the relationship between distribution of plant communities andenvironmental factors (especially snow depth) at Mt. Asakusadake, which has one of the heaviest snowfalls
in Japan. Suzuki et al. (2006) studied distribution of the rare tree species, Salix hukaoana, composition andstructure of the riparian forest, in the Tadami River system where the fifth largest autogenesis ground of
Salix hukaoana was found in 2003. In recent years, community groups of Tadami Town, “Tadami naturestudy meeting,” conducted investigations on the distribution and group conditions of Salix hukaoana in the
Tadami River system (2012) and growing conditions of the rare species Lilium rubellum (2012).
Concerning insects, Tsunoda (2010) has been recording insect species seen in Tadami Town. The study
group of the Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute of the Incorporated Administrative Agency
investigates the difference between the secondary forest and the primeval forest, from the perspective ofhabitat of biota, by collecting, comparing and considering the flower visiting insects, bumblebees andPidonia beetles found in the forests of Tadami Town, (Takihisa, et al. 2012).

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Table: List of literature of natural sciences research conducted in the Tadami BR proposed site
No.

Author and Editor

Title

1

The
NatureConservation Society ofJapan
Hisashi Sugita

Academic
research
reportof
Echigosanzan-Tadami Quasi-nationalPark
Environmental factors and their effects
on the distribution of plant communities
in Mt. Asakusa, a mountain with deep
snow: with special relation to thegrowth form of fagus crenata: I.
Relationship between snow depth andthe distribution pattern of plantcommunities
Floristic composition and standstructure of riparian forests in the
Tadami River basin and the ecologicaldistribution of an endangered tree,
Salix hukaoana
List of insects of Tadami Town
Growing conditions of Lilium rubellum
and its conservation in Tadami Town

2

3

WajiroSuzuki
Satoshi Kikuchi

4
5

Wataru Tsunoda
YutakaTakahara,
Kazuko Watabe andTakahide Kurosawa
Tadaminature-study
meeting

11

and

12

Osamu Inaba

13

KASHIMURA
Toshimichi

14

Suzuki Wajiro, Kikuchi
SatoshiRare tree species, Salix hukaoana, in
the Tadami River system of Fukushima
Prefecture – Report on Its distribution
and group conditions Tadami field guide III – “Rivers andriparian lives of Tadami”
Ecological study of the natural forest
vegetation in the snowy region along
the lower Tadami valley
Ecology and conservation of anendangered willow, Salix hukaoana.

Published
year
1968

Publication Magazine
Research report of the Nature
Conservation Society of Japan, No. 34

1988

Bulletin of Japanese Journal
Ecology 38 (3): 217-227.

2006

Japanese Journal of Conservation
Ecology 11 (2): 85-93.

2010
2012

of

Bulletin of Nature of Tadami – Tadami
Beech CenterNo. 1:2-6.

2012

2012
1969

2008

Ecological Review 17 (3):153-170,
Mount Hakkoda Botanical Laboratory,
Tohoku University
Sakio H, Tamura T (eds) Ecology ofriparian forests in Japan: disturbance,life history, and regeneration. Springer,
Tokyo, p.281-297

16.1.3 Indicate what research infrastructure is available in the proposed biosphere reserve, and whatrole the biosphere reserve will play in supporting such infrastructure.
In 2007, “Tadami Beech Center” was launched as a core organization for realizing the 6th Tadami Town
development promotion plan.
The main purposes of Tadami Beech Center are;(1) Protect and conserve the rich natural environment and wildlife of the Tadami area and pass it onto
the next generation,(2) Investigate and research the natural environment and wildlife of Tadami, as well as the traditional
life and culture of the residents, which is deeply connected to nature, and to clarify the actual situation,(3) Exhibit and explain the documents and information accumulated by investigation and research at
the adjunct museum (Museum of Japanese Beech and Rivers, Tadami),(4) Utilize as a place for environmental education and training and(5) Widely provide information related to the natural environment and traditional culture of Tadami
Town and promote personal exchanges inside and outside the town.
The major activities are;(1) Conservation of the natural environment and protection of wildlife,(2) In addition to its own basic research of the natural environment and wildlife of Tadami Town,
strengthen cooperation with universities and research institutes through “‘The Capital of Mother

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Nature’: An academic investigation research subsidy project” and centralize Tadami Town for
academic investigation and research,(3) Collect information related to the natural environment of the Tadami area, exhibit and explain at
the “Museum of Japanese Beech and Rivers, Tadami” (Photo 16-1, 16-2),(4) Host lectures and nature observation meetings, invite and provide lecturers for events aiming toobtain support from residents and visitors concerning the importance of valuing and protecting thenatural environment and wildlife of the Tadami area and its utilization, (Photo 16-3, 16-4) and(5) Positively supply and transmit information concerning the natural environment of Tadami Town
and information concerning the protection, conservation and utilization of nature, through the Beech
Center homepage, newsletters, bulletins, etc.; simultaneously the Center sponsors or hosts a variety ofevents.
Registration of the BR strongly supports the purposes and activities of the Tadami Beech Center.
The number of research staff is currently three.

Photo 16-1 Museum of Japanese Beech and Rivers, Tadami

Photo 16-2 Display inside the “Museum of Japanese
Beech and Rivers, Tadami”

Photo 16-3 A Beech Center lecture(Causes and countermeasures to prevent the death ofJapanese Oaks)

Photo 16-4 Nature observation meetings of the
Beech Center (Walk in the Beech forest)16.2 Education for sustainable development and public awareness:
16.2.1 Describe existing and planned activities, indicating the target group(s) and numbers of people
involved (as “teachers” and “students”) and the area concerned.
The Education Board of Tadami Town conducts “Home town Tadami - personnel training lectures,” totrain personnel to support regional development in a great variety of ways, through their extensive
knowledge of basic and academic approaches and who can correspond to new issues.
The Education Board of Tadami Town promotes “Tadami interesting study,” a learning activity
presenting local resources such as nature, history, culture, tradition, industry, etc., of Tadami Town as
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the learning target for children and adults to learn and better understand the region, resulting in therediscovery of local values and creation of the region.
As part of the ESD, plan to participate ProSPER-Net project of the United Nations University andreceive students as candidates for field practice.
Until registration of the Tadami BR proposed site, as BR related projects of Tadami Town, there areplans to hold training courses for nature observation instructors of the Nature Conservation Society ofJapan (NACS-J) mainly for Tadami Town residents to train as nature observation instructors. Natureobservation instructors trained by the courses are expected to educate the Tadami Town residents aboutprotection of the natural environment through nature observation in the Tadami BR proposed site.
To promote organic agriculture; there are plans to conduct lectures by inviting lecturers from the Japan
Organic Agriculture Association.
To realize and promote the sustainable operation of forests; use of the Forest Certification System andits educational training are planned.
One of the elementary schools of Tadami Town will apply for registration to the “UNESCO Associated
Schools Project Network” in 2013. In this elementary school, students make visits to natural sites,
cultural and traditional events of the town during their classes on life environmental or comprehensive
studies, to learn from people who are familiar with such subjects. This activity helps the cultural
exchange among local residents and leads to a deeper understanding of the nature and culture of Tadami
Town, while utilizing familiar “humans, things and events” of the Tadami Town area. Other educational
institutions located in Tadami Town will also apply for registration after the year of 2013.

16.2.2 What facilities and financial resources are (or will be) available for these activities?
<Facilities>
Museum of Japanese Beech and Rivers, Tadami
School Annex in the Forest Fuzawa
Aizu Tadami Museum of Archaeological
Memorial Museum of Kawai Tsuginosuke
Each district center (Three facilities of Tadami, Asahi and Meiwa in total)
Elementary schools, junior high schools and high schools<Financial base>Self-sponsored funds of Tadami Town and assessed contributions of related organs

16.3 Contribution to the World Network of Biosphere Reserves:
16.3.1 How will the proposed biosphere reserve contribute to the World Network of Biosphere
Reserves, its Regional and Thematic Networks?
It will contribute by supplying information from investigation and research and/or local development,
receiving researchers and holding symposiums.

16.3.2 What are the expected benefits of international cooperation for the biosphere reserve?
The expected benefits are information exchange of new knowledge related to protection andconservation methods of the natural environment, investigation and research, and local development,
and personal and social exchange.

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16.4 Internal and external communication channels and media used by the biosphere reserve:
16.4.1 Is (will) there (be) a biosphere reserve website? If yes, what is its URL?
Currently there is no website, however, it is planned to launch a website shortly.

16.4.2 Is (will) there (be) an electronic newsletter? If yes, how often will it be published?
Currently there is no electronic newsletter, however, it is planned to launch a newsletter shortly.

16.4.3 Does (will) the biosphere reserve belong to a social network (Facebook, Twitter, etc.)?
Currently it is not registered in any social network (Facebook, Twitter, etc.), however, it is planned toregister.

17. GOVERNANCE, BIOSPHERE RESERVE MANAGEMENT AND COORDINATION:[Describe the following characteristics in the prospective that the site is being designated.]

17.1 Management and coordination structure:
17.1.1 What is the legal status of the biosphere reserve?
Refer Article 4.4.

17.1.2 What is the legal status of the core area(s) and the buffer zone(s)?
Basically refer Article 4.4.
<Core area>
The proposed core area is accord with the Preservation Zone of the Oku-Aizu Forest Ecosystem Reservebased on the Law on the Administration and Management of National Forests, where the area isbasically left to natural turnover without human action. Most of the proposed core area is surrounded by
the Conservation and Utilization Zone of the Oku-Aizu Forest Ecosystem Reserve based on the Law on
the Administration and Management of National Forests, where no forest management operation forwoods production is conducted, and the Special Protection Zone of the Echigosanzan-Tadami Quasinational Park based on the Natural Park Act, where any human work activities such as the cutting oftrees and bamboos and any extended new construction is restricted. Moreover in the Oku -Aizu Forest
Ecosystem Reserve and “Aizu-Sanchi Green Corridor,” monitoring surveys are conducted to moreaccurately understand its situation, and to conserve and manage appropriately in the future. Based on theabove framework, there is very little possibility of negative impact by human activity in the proposedcore area.
<Buffer Zone A proposed site>
The Buffer Zone A proposed site is accord with the Special Protection Zone of the EchigosanzanTadami Quasi-national Park based on the Natural Park Act as well as the Conservation and Utilization
Zone of the Oku-Aizu Forest Ecosystem Reserve based on the Law on the Administration andManagement of National Forests, where such human activities as the cutting of trees or bamboos andany extended new construction are restricted.
In the Conservation and Utilization Zone of the Oku-Aizu Forest Ecosystem Reserve based on the Law
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on the Administration and Management of National Forests including the Buffer Zone A proposed site,
it acts as a buffer to protect the Preservation Zone from direct influence from outside by conducting noforest management operation for wood production based on the setting policy concerning the OkuAizu Forest Ecosystem Reserve.
<Buffer Zone B proposed site>
In the Conservation and Utilization Zone of the Oku-Aizu Forest Ecosystem Reserve based on the Lawon the Administration and Management of National Forests, having the majority of Buffer Zone B
proposed site, it acts as a buffer to protect the Preservation Zone from direct influence from outside by
conducting no forest management operation for wood production based on the setting policy concerning
the Oku-Aizu Forest Ecosystem Reserve. However, in the Conservation and Utilization Zone, the forest
management operations to make the planted forests to the natural forests in the future.
The Aizu-Sanchi Green Corridor, designated for the purpose of maintenance and improvement of
biological diversity based on the Law on the Administration and Management of National Forests,
encourages appropriate forest management with consideration to the habitat environment of rare wild
animals and provides places for education concerning the forest environment, according to the
management policy of the Aizu-Sanchi Green Corridor.
The Protected Forest “Hometown Forest” based on the Law on the Administration and Management of
National Forests is conserved as significant forest in cooperation with the local community andpositively utilized to contributes to rural local development through activities such as naturalsightseeing, therapeutic walk in the forests, and forest recreation based on the regional historical andcultural background.
Eco tours by local guides are carried out in “Megumino-Mori”; designated as the Protected Forest“Hometown Forest” based on the Law on the Administration and Management of National Forests.
Regarding the National Forests, sustainable forest administration and management is carried out
according to The Fourth Aizu Forest Planning Area Regional Administration and Management Plan
based on the Law on the Administration and Management of National Forests. Especially, in the
National Forests adjacent to the Oku-Aizu Forest Ecosystem Reserve; no forest management
operations that will rapidly change the environment inside the Forest Ecosystem Reserve will be
carried out and the operations will be handled sensitively.
In the Class I Special Zones and Class II Special Zones of Echigosanzan-Tadami Quasi-national Park
based on the Natural Park Act, human work activities such as cutting down trees and bamboos, newconstruction, reconstruction, and extension of structures are restricted.
In the Buffer Zone B proposed site, common practices such as collecting edible wild plants andmushrooms are traditionally carried out by local residents in a sustainable way and appropriately
carried out under “The System of National Forest Permitted to Use of Local Dwellers” based on the
Law on the Administration and Management of National Forests.
In the town forests, the forests are managed with consideration of the conservation of biologicaldiversity by the Tadami Town Forest Improvement Plan based on the Forest Law.

17.1.3 Which administrative authorities have competence for each zone of the biosphere reserve(core area(s), buffer zone(s), transition area(s))?
<Core area proposed site>
The Kanto Regional Forest Office of the Forestry Agency, Fukushima Prefecture and the Ministry of theEnvironment<Buffer Zone A proposed site>

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The Kanto Regional Forest Office of the Forestry Agency, Fukushima Prefecture and the Ministry of theEnvironment<Buffer Zone B proposed site>
The Kanto Regional Forest Office of the Forestry Agency, the Ministry of the Environment, Fukushima
Prefecture and Tadami Town
<Transition area proposed site>
The Kanto Regional Forest Office of the Forestry Agency, the Ministry of the Environment, Fukushima
Prefecture and Tadami Town

17.1.4. Clarify the respective competence of each of these authorities. Make a distinction between
each zone if necessary and mention any decentralized authority.
<Core area proposed site>
The Kanto Regional Forest Office of the Forestry Agency (Administration and Management of National
Forests based on the Law on the Administration and Management of National Forests), Fukushima
Prefecture (Management of the Quasi-national Park based on the Natural Park Act) and the Ministry of theEnvironment (Designation of the Quasi-national Park based on the Natural Park Act, etc.)<Buffer Zone A proposed site>
The Kanto Regional Forest Office of the Forestry Agency (Administration and Management of National
Forests based on the Law on the Administration and Management of National Forests), Fukushima
Prefecture (Management of the Quasi-national Park based on the Natural Park Act) and the Ministry of theEnvironment (Designation of the Quasi-national Park based on the Natural Park Act, etc.)<Buffer Zone B proposed site>
The Kanto Regional Forest Office of the Forestry Agency (Administration and Management of National
Forests based on the Law on the Administration and Management of National Forests), Fukushima
Prefecture (Management of the Quasi-national Park based on the Natural Park Act), Tadami Town
(Management of town forest Tadami Town bylaws), and the Ministry of the Environment (Designation of
the Quasi-national Park based on the Natural Park Act, etc.)<Transition area proposed site>
The Kanto Regional Forest Office of the Forestry Agency (Administration and Management of National
Forests based on the Law on the Administration and Management of National Forests), Fukushima
Prefecture (prefectural government) and Tadami Town (Management of town forest Tadami Town bylaws,
town goverment.)

17.1.5 Indicate the main land tenure (ownership) for each zone.
<Core area proposed site>
The Kanto Regional Forest Office of the Forestry Agency<Buffer Zone A proposed site>
The Kanto Regional Forest Office of the Forestry Agency

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<Buffer Zone B proposed site>
The Kanto Regional Forest Office of the Forestry Agency, Tadami Town and the Electric Power
Development Co. Ltd.
<Transition area proposed site>
The Kanto Regional Forest Office of the Forestry Agency, Fukushima Prefecture, Tadami Town and theElectric Power Development Co. Ltd., Others

17.1.6 Is there a single manager/coordinator of the biosphere reserve or are several people in chargeof managing it? If one manager/coordinator, who designates and employs him/her (national
authorities, environmental administrative agency, local authorities)?
The Kanto Regional Forest Office of the Forestry Agency, Fukushima Prefecture and Tadami Town will
act as the administrators of the BR area, based on the each authorities mentioned above (17.1.4).
Operation and management of the BR will be adjusted and conducted by the Council which will beorganized after registration of the BR mainly by Tadami Town.

17.1.7 Are there consultative advisory or decision-making bodies (e.g., scientific council, general
assembly of inhabitants of the reserve) for each zone or for the whole biosphere reserve?
o If yes, describe their composition, role and competence, and the frequency of their meetings.
Refer Article 4.6.1.

17.1.8 Has a coordination structure been established specifically for the biosphere reserve?
o If yes, describe in detail its functioning, composition and the relative proportion of eachgroup in this structure, its role and competence.
o Is this coordination structure autonomous or is it under the authority of local or central
government, or of the manager/coordinator of the biosphere reserve?
Currently, no specific adjustment system for the BR has been established, however, the BR Promotion
Council consisting of the BR related administrative organizations, industrial associations and local
community groups are planned to be organized soon after the BR registration is completed. The Council
will be operated by a round table method where the members can discuss on an equal footing. The
Secretariat of the Council will be the responsibility of Tadami Town.

17.1.9 How is the management/coordination adapted to the local situation?
This is an agenda item after establishing the BR Promotion Council.

17.1.10 Is there a procedure for evaluating and monitoring the effectiveness of the management?
Currently there is no procedure, however in the future, internal and external evaluation monitoring
systems are planned to be installed.
UNESCO - Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme - Biosphere reserve nomination form - January 201311017.2 Conflicts within the biosphere reserve:
17.2.1 Describe any important conflicts regarding the access or the use of natural resources in thearea considered (and precise period if accurate). If the biosphere reserve has contributed topreventing or resolving some of these conflicts, explain what has been resolved or prevented, andhow this was achieved for each zone.
In the Tadami BR proposed site, there is no conflict as natural resources are utilized in a sustainableway.

17.2.2 If there are any conflicts in competence among the different administrative authorities in the
management of the biosphere reserve, describe these.
Maintenance and management are properly carried out between administrative offices.

17.2.3 Explain the means used to resolve these conflicts, and their effectiveness.
Same as Article 17.2.1.
Discussion and adjustment between administrative offices resolve any conflict appropriately.

17.3 Representation, participation and consultation of local communities:
17.3.1 At what stages in the existence of a biosphere reserve have local people been involved: designof the biosphere reserve, drawing up of the management/cooperation plan, implementation of theplan, day to day management of the biosphere reserve? Give some specific examples.
In December 2011, a study committee made up of members with experience or academic standing andtown residents, was established for branding “The Capital of Mother Nature,” and nine proposals wereintroduced. Among them, a framework for the BR system was proposed to realize the branding.
In May 2012, Tadami Town established the study committee of the Tadami BR consisting of people ofexperience or academic standing and town residents to hold monthly regular meetings from May toAugust, to discuss policy and proposals concerning area-setting related to the application for a
Biosphere Reserve (Photo 17-1).
In September 2012, Tadami Town held a meeting to explain to local residents a summary of the BR andproposals on setting up the BR proposed site which was reported at previous committees, in three
districts, Tadami, Asahi and Meiwa.
In November 2012, Tadami Town held a Biosphere Reserve Local Symposium for Tadami Town
residents. In the symposium, the residents attended lectures related to the BR and given by people ofexperience or academic standing, and also people from the Aya BR, an advanced BR area. Discussions
concerning the utilization of the Tadami Town BR were held with the lecturers to deepen theunderstanding of the BR among town residents and promote the registration of the Tadami BR.
The Tadami BR Preparation Liaison Council (provisional name), consisting of related administrative
organizations (the Kanto Regional Forest Office of the Forestry Agency, the Tohoku Regional
Environment Office of the Ministry of the Environment, Fukushima Prefecture, Hinoemata-village),
local industrial associations, local community groups, Electric Power Development Co., Ltd., theJapanese Coordinating Committee for MAB, etc., is established for the integral management and
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operation of the BR proposed site, and the Secretariat is set up in Tadami Town. The Council will set up
an expert committee made up of people of experience or academic standing, as an organization to offer
advice on matters concerning the appropriate management and operation of the BR.
Prior to registration of the Tadami BR, Tadami Town will set up a project team in the town hall, forlocal development centered on the Tadami BR, for realizing the purposes of the Tadami BR and for
promotion of the BR. This project team is responsible for examining and implementing administrative
policies related to the BR, and plans related to projects.
For realizing the purposes of the Tadami BR, the Resident Liaison Council, a voluntary organizationconsisting of local residents and community organizations, is established. The Liaison Council suggests,
requests and does voluntary activity to realize the BR.

Photo 17-1 Biosphere Reserve Local Symposium “The future of Tadami created by the BR”(Photo of Panel Discussion between lecturers and the residents)

17.3.2 Describe how the local people (including women and indigenous communities) have been,
and/or are represented in the planning and management of the biosphere reserve (e.g., assembly ofrepresentatives, consultative groups).
The Tadami BR study committee examined policies and proposals on area-setting related to applicationof the Tadami BR proposed site; the town residents (including representatives of women’s groups ineach district) participated in the discussions.
In the Tadami BR Promotion Council (provisional name), residents’ representatives participate andensure their point of view is sufficiently represented. The Tadami BR Promotion Resident Liaison
Council (provisional name) (Photo 17-1), an organization to promote the BR at the town residents level,also works as a cooperative organization of the Tadami BR Promotion Council.

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17.3.3 Describe the specific situation of young people in the proposed biosphere reserve (e.g.,potential impacts of the biosphere reserve on youth, consideration of their interests and needs,
incentives to encourage them to participate actively in the governance system of the biospherereserve).
While depopulation in the Tadami BR proposed site has proceeded over the past decades, it is essential
to help encourage the settlement of young people to maintain and develop the local community. It is
expected to play a role as a center for regional vitalization utilizing natural resources and traditional
culture and livelihoods which rely on the sustainable management of nature.
The number of young people who have urban values is increasing. However, opportunities for the rerecognition of the values of the Tadami BR proposed site to be passed on to the next generation, (values
which are different from urban values), and protection and development of the area will be generated byregistration of the Tadami BR proposed site as a BR, along with the international-wide recognition ofnatural resources, traditional cultures and livelihoods relying on nature and the promotion of related
projects.
The project team which promotes BR related projects in the town-hall is organized by young peoplebasis.
Young people will participate in the Tadami BR Promotion Resident Liaison Council (provisionalname), organized to promote the BR at the town resident level.

17.3.4 What form does this representation take (e.g., companies, associations, environmental
associations, trade unions)?
Agricultural cooperative, Women’s associations, Commercial and industrial associations, Forest owners'
cooperative association, Fishery cooperative, self-governing organizations, local community groups,
NPOs

17.3.5 Are there procedures for integrating the representative body of local communities (e.g.,financial, election of representatives, traditional authorities)?
The representatives of local industrial associations, community groups and self-governing organizations
constitute the BR Promotion Council.

17.3.6 How long-lived are consultation mechanisms (permanent assembly, consultation on specificprojects)? Make a complete description of this consultation. What are the roles of involved
stakeholders compared to the role of the biosphere reserve?
In Tadami Town, 27 settlements have resident self-governing organizations to discuss and resolve theissues of the district. As experienced persons elders of the community give advice on historical practices,and their opinions are treated with respect.

17.3.7 What consultation mechanisms have been used, and who has been involved? Are they forspecific purposes or long-term? What impacts have they had on decision-making processes(decisional, consultative or merely to inform the population)?

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While developing proposals for the BR area-setting and its zoning issues were raised, mainly about
whether to keep or change certain common customs. Through discussion the importance of respecting
the conventional and traditional land use practices was understood, and this provided a platform to movethe setting of proposals forward.

17.3.8 Do women participate in community organizations and decision-making processes? Are theirinterests and needs given equal consideration? What incentives or programmes are in place toencourage their representation and participation (e.g.: was(were) a “gender impact assessment(s)”carried out)?
Women’s associations are organized in three districts, Tadami, Asahi and Meiwa, and their opinions arerespected and reflected in the local community.

17.4. The management/cooperation plan/policy:
17.4.1 Is there a management/cooperation plan/policy for the biosphere reserve as a whole?
The MAB working group of the Japanese National Commission for UNESCO of the Ministry of
Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology has given guidelines for the establishment of BRs
in Japan.
The Tadami BR proposed site is formed at the Tadami BR Promotion Council (provisional name)organized after the BR registration.

17.4.2 Which actors are involved in preparing the management/cooperation plan? How are they
involved?
Concerning the Tadami BR Promotion Council (provisional name), the participants will include the
Kanto Regional Forest Office of the Forestry Agency, the Tohoku Regional Environment Office of the
Ministry of the Environment, Fukushima Prefecture, Tadami Town, Hinoemata-village, representativesof the town residents (from the Tadami BR Promotion Resident Liaison Council (provisional name)),Electric Power Development Co., Ltd. and the Japanese Coordinating Committee for MAB. The numberof members will be about 12.

17.4.3 Do local authorities formally adopt the management/cooperation plan? Are local authorities
making reference to it in other policies and/or plans? If so, please provide details.
The BR management and operation plan is expected to be developed through discussion between
Fukushima Prefecture, Tadami Town and Hinoemata-village. In the measures, it is specified by
Fukushima Prefecture and Tadami Town that the BR will play a significant role in the conservation of
the local natural environment and local development.

17.4.4 What is the duration of the management/cooperation plan? How often is it revised orrenegotiated?
It is a 10-year plan, and will be revised every 5 years.
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17.4.5 Describe the contents of the management/cooperation plan. Does it consist of detailed
measures or detailed guidelines? Give some examples of measures or guidelines advocated by theplan? (Enclose a copy).
The Tadami BR proposed area is a rich natural environment, with a long history of sustainableutilization of natural resources based on traditional common practices, along with an inherited
traditional culture grown out of a background of this environment and resources. The management andoperation plan is expected to be designed for the purpose of local development and revitalization, tomaintain and develop those local communities who are part of a modern society and yet are co-existingwith nature, and for the protection and conservation of a valuable natural environment and biologicaldiversity.
The plan consists of BR related projects centered upon Tadami Town, along with the purposes of theBR; the protection and conservation of the natural environment, investigation and research, personnel
training and sustainable socioeconomic development (local development). Detailed information for eachrelated project is as follows.
(1) Protection and conservation of the natural environment
1. Holding a training course of natural observation instructors and assistants given by the Nature
Conservation Society of Japan.
Purpose: For training personnel who will practice and spread the protection and conservation of nature in
the Tadami BR proposed area. The “Natural Observation Instructors Training Course” will be held
mainly for Tadami Town residents, and will train “Nature observation instructors” to be a practitioner ofnature protection education and also act as a volunteer leader to protect local nature and create a groupthat values nature by holding nature observation meetings sponsored by the Nature Conservation Societyof Japan, a Public Interest Incorporated Foundation. Participants are expected to play a role as nature
protection observers in the area in the future, by holding nature observation meetings for nature
protection inside the Tadami BR proposed area and spreading the concepts of nature protection.
2. Conservation of wetlands
Purpose: In general, rare plants and animals inhabit the wetlands. The Oosone wetlands located in the
Yanatori district of Tadami Town was designated as a Natural Monument of Tadami Town in 1986,
however later, it was left as it was and proper protection and conservation have not been carried out,
resulting in the rotting of the wooden footpath set in the wetland. In addition, its existence is not utilized
sufficiently as an important local resource. Therefore, the utilization of the wetlands as a local resource
will be promoted by removing the wooden footpath and setting up surrounding walkways and preparing
platforms, for better protection and conservation of the wetland.
3. Maintenance of “The Nature Observation Forest”
Purpose: Tadami Town announced “The Capital of Mother Nature,” for promoting the town plan with asymbol of the deciduous broad-leaved forests represented by beech forests, and to disseminate
information and activities. Among them, walking in the beech forest is promoted, and in fact, many
people from outside the town visit to take walks. However, on other hand, “The Blessed Forest” and“The Healing Forest” which were arranged along the main existing walking paths are difficult to accessfrom the center of the town and the routes are not easy to walk without proper equipment and hiking
experience. In addition, it is necessary to enhance the recognition of town residents concerning theirlocal forests. Therefore, forests which are comparatively easy to access from the main roads of the town,
but are not beech forests and yet are still characteristic of Tadami Town, have been set up for visitors tovisit and utilize. The initiative is known as “The Forest of Nature Observation” and they are easy to
explore freely with only light equipment. At the same time, recognition of the forest by town’s people

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will be enhanced, as the residents of local settlements will maintain and manage the forest by themselves
under the guidance of the Beech Center.
Place: Fukui (Beech (Fagus crenata) forest), Sugisawa (Salix hukaoana forest), Narato (Salix hukaoana
forest), Managawa (Pollarded Beech (Fagus crenata) forest), Kurosawa (Pollarded Konara Oak(Quercus serrata) forest), Yanatori (Beech (Fagus crenata) forest), Narato (Beech (Fagus crenata)forest)(2) Academic investigation and research, personnel training
1. Improvement of “The Capital of Mother Nature”: An academic investigation research subsidy project(continued since 2012)
Purpose: This project supports investigation and research, symposiums, etc., related to events or
problems existing in the town, such as conservation, regeneration and utilization of biological diversity
in Tadami Town, utilization of sustainable ecosystem services and the regeneration of nature. The
purposes of this project are to promote the town plan to appreciate nature in accordance with the 6th
Tadami Town development promotion plan (2006), to promote establishment of branding “The Capitalof Mother Nature” for revitalization and recovery from the Niigata and Fukushima heavy rainfall disasterin July 2011, to improve educational opportunities for the residents, enhance exchanges with research
institutes and to store and utilize the research results.
2. Implementation of natural environment basic research* Research themes will be decided after examination with an outsourcing research institute, or theForestry and Forest Products Research Institute; there are also plans to conduct research related to hillslope vegetation in the Tadami area, which has not been conducted to date.
3. Registration to the “UNESCO Associated Schools Project Network”
Purpose: In 1953, the UNESCO School Associated Schools Project Network (ASPnet) was started to put
into practice the principles of the Constitution of UNESCO in schools, as a community to conduct andmaintain comparative research on experimental trials of education for international understanding. The
year 2013 is its 60th anniversary and approximately 9,000 schools in over 180 countries have joined as
members of ASPnet. In Japan, as of September 2012, 519 kindergartens, elementary schools, junior highschools, high schools and teacher colleges are participating in this network. Also in Japan, a school
approved to join ASPnet is known as a UNESCO school. UNESCO schools exchange with schools
around the world by utilizing the organization’s global network, for the purpose of developing andexpanding new education contents or methods that young people can manage for several global problems,by sharing information or experiences between students and teachers. The Ministry of Education,
Culture, Sports, Science and Technology and Japanese National Commission for UNESCO place
UNESCO schools as a promotion base of ESD (Education for Sustainable Development). Therefore, theregistration of the educational institutes of Tadami Town as UNESCO schools is expected to be utilized
as a place for personnel training to practice the principles of the Biosphere Reserve, with such support as
sending lecturers and teaching materials (books) to educational institutes.
(3) Local development
1. Fish reproduction projects
Purpose: In Tadami Town, selectively bred and cultivated Japanese char (Salvelinus leucomaenis
pluvius) have been released in large numbers into the rivers since the 1970s, causing the disappearance
from many places of the native Japanese char (Salvelinus leucomaenis pluvius). To protect native species,
protection of the local population and its habitat is required. The challenges are for Tadami Town toprotect the local population and its habitat and/or regenerate the native Japanese char (Salvelinus
leucomaenis pluvius), as a symbol of actualizing the co-existence of humans and nature. In the future,
after proliferation, projects contributing to industrial development through resource utilizations, such asprocessing, game fishing, etc, will be implemented. In 2013, the habitat of the native Japanese char

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(Salvelinus leucomaenis pluvius) will be studied and basic documents prepared for the protection andregeneration of their habitat and utilization of resources which will be conducted after 2013.
2. Forest management by the Forest Certification System
Purpose: In the Tadami Town, seecondary forests of deciduous broad-leaved trees used as firewood
forests and planted forests of Japanese cedar (Cryptmeria japonica) and Japanese larch (Larix
kaempferi), the result of expanded afforestation after the Second World War, are recently not so muchused as resources. This is a result wood prices, the aging of forest owners, and the spread of petroleum
fuel heaters, etc. On the other hand, in the Biosphere Reserve that practices the co-existence of humans
and the natural environment, sustainable utilization is required along with the protection andconservation of the forest inside the area. For the registration of the Biosphere Reserve and town plan
after the BR registration, it is necessary to promote sustainable utilization of the forests by once again
reconsidering the forests as valuable resource. Towards that end, in the public and private forests, forest
management by the Forest Certification System will introduce measurable sustainable utilization andconservation by the award of the certification mark on woods produced from appropriately managed
forests.
In urban areas, there is a movement to use environmentally-friendly woods due to global warming, and incertain wards in Tokyo, as a part of the prevention measures against global warming, building owners are
required to include a certain amount of woods when constructing buildings of more than a certain total
floor area. The forest of the Tadami area will also obtain forest certification to guarantee
environmentally-friendly woods, thus targeting the promotion of wood use, forest improvement andexchange with the people of urban areas by utilizing such systems of urban area in the future.
This year, classroom lectures and advanced area inspection for Forest Management Certification will be
conducted to study and understand the forest development needed for Forest Certification by the parties
concerned in the Tadami BR proposed site and surrounding forest.
3. Local products (Support on the passing down of knowledge and selling of edible wild plants andweaving handiworks of Osmund (Osmunda japonica) and Bracken (Pteridium aquilinum), honey andfrozen mochi)
Purpose: To utilize sustainable local resources and promote socioeconomic development along with thetraditions and culture of the local community; the passing down of the technical knowledge of traditional
products, quality improvement and production of packaging or sales promotion tools of traditional
products utilizing the rich natural environment and natural resources of the Tadami area will besupported, for those people who are involved in the technological traditions, development and sales
among the town. Traditional products are Dried Osmund (Osmunda japonica) collected from themountain, Dried Bracken (Pteridium aquilinum), weaving handiworks, honey from the Japanese honeybee (Apis cerana japonica) and frozen mochi. These are sustainable resources collected from the naturalenvironment of the Tadami area, and are truly authentic with distinct local characteristics – traditional
products and skills that have been passed down from generation to generation. Supporting these products
will symbolically enhance the understanding of town residents concerning the town development by the
Biosphere Reserve.
4. Collection, organization and publication of documents related to the Tagokura settlement
Purpose: The Tagokura settlement was submerged in the dam lake created in response to the power
development needed to revitalize Japan after the Second World War. In the ensuing years, the dam lakehas brought many benefits to Tadami Town and it is not too much to say that the Tadami Town of today
owes its life to the sacrifice of the Tagokura settlement. It is said that the life of the Tagokura settlement
was productive and wealthy, making full use of the rich resources from mountains and rivers, but
unfortunately in just a few short decades much valuable documentation has been scattered and lost. To
restore the areas collective history and memory and record the cultural value of the Tagokura settlement
and its historically significant role and sacrifice in the creation of Tadami Town, the collection,organization and publication, both inside and outside the town, of documents telling the story of the
Tagokura settlement will be conducted.
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5. Promotion of Ecotourism (training of town–official nature guides)
Purpose: Ecotourism is a regional-wide effort to put across region-specific attractions such as the naturalenvironment or historical culture to tourists; this requires an understanding of its value and importancewhich is then finally connected to its conservation. Local residents also re-recognize the value of theirown resources by explaining such local resources to visitors and tourists, resulting in the increasing
appreciation of the originality of local sightseeing which connects not only just to simple activation, butalso the local community itself seems to be activated by a series of such efforts carried out in their local
area (HP of the Ministry of the Environment). This approach is the same as the purpose of the Biosphere
Reserve, the co-existence of protection and conservation of the natural environment and humansocioeconomic activity, so it is greatly significant to conduct ecotourism inside the Biosphere Reserve.
Tadami Town announced “The Capital of Mother Nature,” and has already promoted Ecotourism as oneof the aspects of tourism in the town, however, it has not yet been fully established due to problems ofpreparedness to receive visitors. Therefore, the training of ecotour guides will be conducted for thefurther promotion of ecotourism.
Reference: URL of the Ministry of the Environment HP
http://www.env.go.jp/nature/ecotourism/try-ecotourism/about/index.html
6. Restoration of landscape in the Ina River basin (especially, improvement of the forest surrounding theprefectural road on the right bank)Purpose: The Planted Forests of Japanese cedar (Cryptmeria japonica) and Japanese larch (Larix
kaempferi) were planted in the expanded afforestation after the Second World War. Because of decline
in the price of domestic woods which was influenced by imported woods, the forest improvement in theprivate forests had been made neglect. On the other hand, the mountainous riparian forest consisting of
the rare tree species, Salix hukaoana and Salix spp., are seen from the prefectural road which runs on theright bank of the Ina River in Tadami Town, and the mountains of nivation landforms and mosaic
vegetation that are characteristic of the Tadami area are seen on the other side, providing Tadami Town
with two unique types of landscape. However in fact, there are some private forests of planted trees
along the prefectural road, in need of forest improvement and these block the view of the beautiful
verdant landscapes. The current situation is one of under-utilized forest resources and also blighted
landscape resources. Therefore, the improvement of the private forests surrounding the prefectural road,especially on the right bank of Ina River basin, will be conducted as well as improvement of thelandscape will be conducted.

17.4.6 Indicate how this management/cooperation addresses the objectives of the proposed biospherereserve (as described in section 13.1).
As described in section 13.1

17.4.7 Is the plan binding? Is it based on a consensus?
The plan will be decided based on a consensus of the BR Promotion Council (provisional name). Its
contents should be respected; however, there is no legal binding obligation.

17.4.8 Which authorities are in charge of the implementation of the plan, especially in the bufferzone(s) and the transition area(s)? Please provide evidence of the role of these authorities.
Management and operation of the Tadami BR will be carried out by the Tadami BR Promotion Council(provisional name) centering on Tadami Town.
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Concerning the Buffer Zone A andB proposed site, the Kanto Regional Forest Office of the Forestry
Agency administrates and manages National Forest and Fukushima Prefecture manages the Quasinational Park.
Concerning the transition area proposed site, management will be carried out by the Tadami Town
project team and the Tadami Beech Center.

17.4.9 Which factors impede or help its implementation (e.g.: reluctance of local people, conflicts
between different levels of decision-making).
There are no factors which impede the implementation. The BR Promotion Resident Liaison Council is
a positive factor promoting its implementation.

17.4.10 Is the biosphere reserve integrated in regional/national strategies? Vice versa, how are thelocal/municipal plans integrated in the planning of the biosphere reserve?
The Oku-Aizu Forest Ecosystem Reserve setting policy based on the Law on the Administration andManagement of National Forests.
Park Plans of the Echigosanzan-Tadami Quasi-national Park based on the Natural Park Act.
In the “National Biodiversity Strategy 2012-2020 (2012)” which is a basic plan related to conservationof biological diversity and sustainable utilization based on regulation of the Basic Act on Biodiversity,
examination of the development of new measures utilizing the BR structure is focused on strengthening
the benefits gained from biological diversity and ecosystem services through the conservation andrecovery of ecosystems as aimed at by each country.
The BR system will be utilized as a practical framework to promote the 6th Tadami Town development
promotion plan (2006).

17.4.11 Indicate the main source of the funding and the estimated yearly budget.
Main supply source of funds is a budget funded by Tadami Town. The annual approximate budget is 25
million yen to 50 million yen.

17.5 Conclusions:17.5.1 In your opinion, what will ensure that both the functioning of the biosphere reserve and thestructures in place will be satisfactory? Explain why and how, especially regarding the fulfillment of
the three functions of biosphere reserves (conservation, development, logistic) and the participationof local communities.
In the Tadami BR Proposed site, under the legal protection already in place, such as the Oku-Aizu
Forest Ecosystem Reserve based on the Law on the Administration and Management of National Forestsor the Echigosanzan-Tadami Quasi-national Park based on the Natural Park Act, a large primeval
natural environment with the characteristics of nivation landforms created by heavy snow and mosaic
vegetation has been protected and conserved and the traditional life and culture of the residents who relyon such a natural environment has been structured in a sustainable way. In addition, The Town History
Editing Committee has accepted outside research institutes, and a variety of investigation and research
conducted by the natural sciences and humanities and social sciences on the Tadami BR proposed site
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119have been conducted. Such information was disseminated from the Tadami Town Beech Center. In sucha context, it can be said that the Tadami BR proposed site was already demonstrating significant
elements of a BR and the existing regulations have functioned well. However on the other hand, in the
Tadami BR proposed site, the local community is suffering from the decline of industry, the decay ofthe local community and the weakening of the inherited connection between local residents and thenatural environment, due to the modern social economy and changing values; along with the
depopulation and aging population which many mountainous areas are suffering from in Japan, coupledwith the ever-increasing outflow of young people to urban areas.
Therefore, as well as activating the area, there is a requirement to tie the regionally inherited connection
between humans and nature, by ensuring a comprehensive understanding of the concepts of the BR
among the residents of the Tadami BR proposed site, and adapting the traditional life and culture of thepeople who rely on the inherited natural environment found in the proposed area into a modern social
economy with industrialization of the local economy.
As a method to fulfill such requirements, the establishment of the Tadami BR Promotion Council(provisional name) which manages the entire Tadami BR proposed site strengthens cooperation between
all concerned people, and along with the Tadami Town Hall project team takes the lead in implementing
the project under the basic policy of a town plan which utilizes, inherits and develops the naturalenvironment of the Tadami area based on the BR concepts, and the livings or traditions of the local
people who are reliant on nature. Also, the Tadami BR Promotion Council is established to promote the
BR at a grassroots level. The purposes of the BR are expected to be achieved by participation ofresidents in the above ways.
Especially, the transmission area carrying sustainable socioeconomic development (local development),(both the purpose and challenge of the Tadami BR proposed site), is carried out based on the BRconcepts centering on agriculture and forestry, the basic industries of the Tadami area. Current
agriculture and forestry have been generally carried out without disturbing the biological diversity of thearea and any effective utilization of resources will only take place with continuing care for the naturalenvironment. Concrete measures will involve the development of agriculture beginning with organic
agriculture with a minimum environmental load, and sustainable forestry under the Forest Certification
System. In addition, the natural environment of the Tadami area, with stay-type tourism to positively
invite tourists from the urban area and ecotourism are all promoted.
In the Tadami BR proposed site, the achievement of these initiatives will offer an excellent model of the
BR as an effective means for the local development of other mountainous areas which are sufferingfrom similar problems.

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18. SPECIAL DESIGNATIONS:[Special designations recognize the importance of particular sites in carrying out the functions important in a biospherereserve, such as conservation, monitoring, experimental research, and environmental education. These designations canhelp strengthen these functions where they exist or provide opportunities for developing them. Special designations may
apply to an entire proposed biosphere reserve or to a site included within. They are therefore complementary andreinforcing of the designation as a biosphere reserve. Check each designation that applies to the proposed biospherereserve and indicate its name]

Name:
(×)

None

()

UNESCO World Heritage Site()

RAMSAR Wetland Convention Site()

Other international/regional conservation conventions/directives (specify)()Long term monitoring site (specify)()Long Term Ecological Research (LTER site)()

Other (specify)

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19. SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS (to be submitted with nomination form):(1) Location and zonation map with coordinates[Provide the biosphere reserve’s standard geographical coordinates (all projected under WGS 84).
Provide a map on a topographic layer of the precise location and delimitation of the three zones of the biosphere reserve(Map(s) shall be provided in both paper and electronic copies). Shapefiles (also in WGS 84 projection system) used to
produce the map must also be attached to the electronic copy of the form. If applicable, also provide a link to access thismap on the internet (e.g. Google map, website).]LegendMountain summit
Government
office location

Kaneyama Town

Mt. Gamoudake

Prefecture
boundary

Boundary ofadministrative
district

River

BR boundary line

Mt. Asakusadake

Tadami Town
Showa Village

Uonuma City

Mt. Aizu-Asahidake

Hinoemata Village

Figure 19-1 Locality map of the Tadami BR proposed site (upper left: location of Fukushima Prefecture in
Japan, upper right: location of Tadami Town in Fukushima Prefecture, below: location of the Tadami BR
proposed site and surrounding cities, towns and villages)
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Aga Town

Sanjo City

Kaneyama Town

Mt. Gamoudake
Showa Village

Uonuma City
Mt. Asakusadake
Tadami Town

Mt. Aizu-Asahidake

Minami-Aizu Town

Hinoemata Village

Tadami Town hall

Tadami BR area

SummitCore area

River

Buffer Zone A

Boundary ofadministrative district

Buffer Zone B
Transition area

Figure 19-2 Area of the Tadami BR proposed site and zoning

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Sanjo CityAga Town

Nagaoka City

Sanjo City
Kaneyama Town

Kaneyama Town

Uonuma City
Tadami Town

Minami-Aizu Town

Uonuma City

Boundary line of the Biosphere Reserve
Special zone of the Echigosanzan-Tadami Quasi-national Park

Special Protection Zone of the Echigosanzan-Tadami
Quasi-national Park

Preservation Zone of the Oku-Aizu Forest Ecosystem
Reserve
Conservation and Utilization Zone of the Oku-Aizu
Forest Ecosystem Reserve
Other Protected Forests

Minakami Town
Katashina Town
Katashina Town

Green Corridor

Figure 19-3 Locations of the Oku-Aizu Forest Ecosystem Reserve and the Echigosanzan-Tadami Quasinational Park, etc.

UNESCO - Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme - Biosphere reserve nomination form - January 2013

124(2) Vegetation map or land cover map[A vegetation map or land cover map showing the principal habitats and land cover types of the proposed biospherereserve should be provided, if available].

Eco Park Boundary
Japanese chestnut- Japanese oak community
Sasa kurinensis-Fagion crenatae
Natural Shrub community
Evergreen coniferous forest planted forest
Sasa-bamboo natural grassland
Community where trees were felled
Abies mariesii community
Snowpatch grassland
Menziesia multiflora - Quercus mongolica var. undulatifolia community
Beech - Japanese oak community
Japanese arborvitae – Japanese white pine community

Figure 19-4 Vegetation map of surrounding areas of the Tadami BR proposed site (From Naturalenvironment GIS of the Ministry of the Environment)

UNESCO - Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme - Biosphere reserve nomination form - January 2013

125(3) List of legal documents (if possible with English, French or Spanish synthesis of its contents anda translation of its most relevant provisions)[List the principal legal documents authorizing the establishment and governing use and management of the proposed
biosphere reserve and any administrative area(s) they contain. Provide a copy of these documents.

(4) List of land use and management/cooperation plans[List existing land use and management/cooperation plans (with dates and reference numbers) for the administrativearea(s) included within the proposed biosphere reserve. Provide a copy of these documents. It is recommended to
produce English, French or Spanish synthesis of its contents and a translation of its most relevant provisions]

Law on the Administration and Management of National Forests (Act No. 246 of 1951, Latest revision:
2012)(The Forestry Agency) Rules for Designating Protected Forests (Notification of Director-General ofForestry Agency “Restructure and Expansion of Protected Forest”, 1989)(The Forestry Agency) Green Corridor Setting Rule (Notification of Director-General of Forest Agency“Setting of Green Corridors in National Forests”, 2000)(The Kanto Regional Forest Office of the Forestry Agency) Aizu Forest Planning Area Regional
Administration and Management Plan (Formulated in 2012, Latest revision: 2013)
Act on Protection of Cultural Properties (Act No. 214 of 1950, Latest revision: 2011), Naturalmonument designation (Japanese serow, Japanese dormouse, etc.)
Fishery Act (Act No. 267 of 1949, Latest revision: 2011) Fukushima Prefecture Inland Waters Fishing
Ground Management Commissions
Forest Law (Act No. 249 of 1951, Latest revision: 2012)(Fukushima Prefecture) Aizu Regional Forest Plan (Formulated in 2007, Latest revision: 2012)(Tadami Town) Tadami Town Forest Improvement Plan (Formulated in 2012)
Natural Park Act (Act No. 161 of 1957, Latest revision: 2013) (“Tadami Yamaizu Prefectural Natural
Park,” “Echigosanzan-Tadami Quasi-national Park” admitted)
Law for the Conservation of Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (Act No. 75 of 1992, Latest
revision: 2011)(Fukushima Prefecture) Fukushima Prefectural Natural Park Regulations (Enforced in 1958)(Fukushima Prefecture) Regulation for the Protection of Wild Fauna and Flora of Fukushima Prefecture(Enforced in 2005)
River Act (Act No. 167 of 1964, Latest revision: 2011)
Agricultural Land Act (Act No. 229 of 1954, Latest revision: 2011)
Act on Special Measures for Promotion for Independence for Underpopulated Areas (Act No. 15 of2000, Latest revision: 2012)
Mountain Villages Development Act (Act No. 64 of 1965, Latest revision: 2011)
Act on Special Measures concerning Countermeasures for Heavy Snowfall Areas (Act No, 73 of 1962,
Latest revision: 2012)(Tadami Town) Regulation for the protection and encouragement of natural scenery of Tadami Town
(Act No. 25 of 1999)(Tadami Town) The 6th Tadami Town development promotion plan (Formulated in 2006)(Tadami Town) Tadami Town Ordinance for the Protection of Cultural Properties (Act No. 13 of 1985,
Latest revision: 2007)
National Biodiversity Strategy 2012-2020 ~Road map for the realization of a rich natural harmonious
society~ (Cabinet decision in 2012)
Act on Promotion of Introduction of Sustainable Agricultural Production Practices (Act No, 110 of 1999,
Latest revision: 2011)(5) Species list (to be annexed)
UNESCO - Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme - Biosphere reserve nomination form - January 2013

126

[Provide a list of important species occurring within the proposed biosphere reserve, including common names, wherever
possible.]

Table 19-1 The fauna and flora of Tadami Town and categories as mentioned in the Red List of the Ministryof the Environment and the Fukushima Red Data Book.
Broad
category

Scientific nameCategory by Ministry of
the Environment

Cirsium aidzuense

Critically Endangered(CR)

Goodyera foliosa var.
maximowicziana
Dichocarpum nipponicum
Viola awagatakensis
Lespedeza tomentosa
Bistorta major var. japonica
Orchis graminifolia var.
graminifolia
Crypsinus veitchii
Calanthe discolor

Plants(vascularplants)Parnassia foliosa var.
japonica
Prenanthes tanakae
Diplazium nipponicum
Galeorchis cyclochila
Lespedeza juncea
Taxus cuspidata var. nana
Carex pyrenaica
Cephalanthera falcata
Geranium eriostemon var.
reiniiAmitostigma kinoshitae
Tephroseris flammea subsp.
glabrifolia
Oreorchis patens
Asarum megacalyx

Near Threatened (NT)Endangered(Vulnerable)
Endangered(Vulnerable)
Near Threatened (NT)Near Threatened (NT)Endangered(Vulnerable)

Endangered(Vulnerable)
Endangered(Vulnerable)

Near Threatened (NT)Fritillaria koidzumiana
Ribes maximowiczianum
Glaucidium palmatum
Lycopodium cryptomerinum
Lindernia antipoda
Dianthus superbus var.
speciosus
Rosa nipponensis Crepin
Prunella prunelliformis
Arnica mallotopus
Phyllodoce nipponica

Endangered(Vulnerable)The
numberofspeciesThe
number oftheEndangered
species

Ratio(%)

Category by
Fukushima Prefecture

OthersRare
Endangered(Vulnerable)
Near Threatened
Endangered(Vulnerable)
Endangered(Vulnerable)
Near Threatened
Endangered(Vulnerable)
Near Threatened
Endangered(Vulnerable)
Critically Endangered+ Endangered
Near Threatened
Near Threatened
Critically Endangered+ Endangered
Rare
Rare
Near Threatened
Near Threatened
Critically Endangered+ Endangered
Endangered(Vulnerable)
Endangered(Vulnerable)
Endangered(Vulnerable)
Endangered(Vulnerable)
Near Threatened
Critically Endangered+ Endangered
Near Threatened
Non-evaluation
Endangered(Vulnerable)
Rare
Critically Endangered+ Endangered
Rare
Rare
Rare

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127

Veronica tenella
Pogonia japonica
Anemone narcissiflora var.
nipponica
Primula cuneifolia var.
hakusanensis
Bupleurum nipponicum
Macropodium pterospermum
Epilobium fauriei
Schizocodon ilicifolius
Lilium rubellum
Iris gracilipes
Adonis ramosa
Sparganium erectum
Coptis trifoliolata

Rare
Near Threatened
Near Threatened

Near Threatened (NT)

Rare
Near Threatened
Near Threatened
Critically Endangered+ Endangered
Rare
Near Threatened

Near Threatened (NT)Near Threatened (NT)Endangered(Vulnerable)
Attention
Endangered(Vulnerable)
Near Threatened
Non-evaluation
Critically Endangered+ Endangered
Critically Endangered+ Endangered
Endangered(Vulnerable)
Endangered(Vulnerable)
Endangered(Vulnerable)

Near Threatened (NT)Crypsinus veitchii
Aconitum nipponicum
Sedum japonicum var.
senanense
Drosera rotundifolia
Astragalus reflexistipulus

Subtotal
Plants(moss
algae)
Subtotal
Plants(algae)Subtotal

Ribes ambiguum

Near Threatened (NT)

Paeonia japonica

Near Threatened (NT)Agrostis hideoi
Primula modesta
Salix hukaoana

Endangered (EN)

Ricciocarpos natans

Near Threatened (NT)

Batrachospermum
gelatinosum

Endangered(Vulnerable)

Rare
Endangered(Vulnerable)
19

Halcyon coromanda major
Aquila chrysaetos japonica

Endangered (EN)

Dendrocopos leucotos
stejnegeri
Accipiter gentilis fujiyamae

Near Threatened (NT)Aix galericulata

Aves

Fulica atra
Haliaeetus albicilla

Spizaetus nipalensis
orientalis
Turdus cardis
Muscicapa dauurica
Otus sunia japonicus

1,779

1.1%
Critically Endangered+ Endangered

1

241

0.4%

1

116

0.9%
Endangered(Vulnerable)
Critically Endangered+ Endangered
Rare
Critically Endangered+ Endangered

Data deficient(DD)
Endangered(Vulnerable)
Endangered (EN)

Rare
Endangered(Vulnerable)

National
NaturalMonument

Critically Endangered+ Endangered
Endangered(Vulnerable)
Endangered(Vulnerable)
Endangered(Vulnerable)

UNESCO - Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme - Biosphere reserve nomination form - January 2013

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Butastur indicus
Pericrocotus divaricatus
divaricatus
Lanius tigrinus
Accipiter gularis
Anas formosa
Emberiza sulphurata
Buteo japonicus
Accipiter nisus nisosimilis
Pernis apivorus orientalis
Falco peregrinus japonensis

Endangered(Vulnerable)
Endangered(Vulnerable)
Critically Endangered(CR)

Porzana fusca erythrothorax
Eurystomus orientalis
Pandion haliaetus haliaetus

Endangered (EN)Near Threatened (NT)Caprimulgus indicus jotaka

Near Threatened (NT)

Liobagrus reinii

Endangered(Vulnerable)
Threatened Local
Population (LP)Near Threatened (NT)Endangered(Vulnerable)
Near Threatened (NT)
Data Deficient (DD)
Data Deficient (DD)

Oncorhynchus masou masou
Misgurnus anguillicaudatus
Salvelinus
leucomaenis
pluvius
Tanakia lanceolata
Inversiunio jokohamensis
Pronodularia japanensis

Near Threatened (NT)Near Threatened (NT)

Cynops pyrrhogaster
Buergeria buergeri
Hynobius nigrescens
Rana rugosa
Hynobius lichenatus
Rana nigromaculata
Rhacophorus arboreus

Near Threatened (NT)17.5%
Near Threatened
Non-evaluation

Non-evaluation
Near Threatened

Near Threatened
6

144

4.2%

2

563

0.4%
Near Threatened
Rare
Near Threatened
Near Threatened
Near Threatened
Non-evaluation
Rare

Near Threatened (NT)Near Threatened (NT)Near Threatened (NT)Subtotal

4

22

18.2%

Dinodon orientale
Achalinus spinalis
Amphiesma vibakari

Rare
Non-evaluation
Rare

Subtotal

0
Myotis pruinosus
Eothenomys smithii
japonicus
Capricornis crispus

Mammals

97

Near Threatened (NT)Subtotal

ReptilesAttention
Near Threatened
Near Threatened
Endangered(Vulnerable)
Critically Endangered+ Endangered
Endangered(Vulnerable)
Near Threatened
Endangered(Vulnerable)
17

Cottus pollux
Lethenteron camtschaticum

Subtotal
Amphibians

Critically Endangered+ Endangered
Rare
Rare

Near Threatened (NT)Near Threatened (NT)Endangered(Vulnerable)
Near Threatened (NT)Tribolodon sachalinensis

Shellfish

Near Threatened

Endangered(Vulnerable)
Near Threatened (NT)Subtotal

Fish

Near Threatened

Murina ussuriensis
Macaca fuscata
Murina hilgendorfi
Mustela erminea nippon

Endangered (EN)Near Threatened (NT)

36

0.0%
Rare
Rare
Attention
Attention

National
NaturalMonument

Rare
Attention
Rare
Rare

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Pteromys momonga
Glirulus japonicus

Non-evaluation
Rare

Subtotal

2
Cicindela gemmata
Dytiscus marginalis czerskii
Dorcus hopei binodulus
Maculinea arionides
Elaphrus japonicas
Sasakia charonda
Luehdorfia japonica

Insects

34

5.9%

Near Threatened (NT)Endangered(Vulnerable)
Endangered(Vulnerable)
Near Threatened (NT)Kirinia fentoni

Near Threatened (NT)Endangered(Vulnerable)
Near Threatened (NT)Spindasis takanonis

Near Threatened (NT)Leptalina unicolor
Haliplus japonicus
Hyphydrus japonicus
Cybister japonicus

Near Threatened (NT)
Data Deficient (DD)Near Threatened (NT)Endangered(Vulnerable)

Plebejus argus
Leptidea amurensis
Brenthis daphne rabdia

Near Threatened (NT)Endangered (EN)Endangered(Vulnerable)

Near Threatened

Rare
Near Threatened
Near Threatened
Attention
Near Threatened
Endangered(Vulnerable)
Endangered(Vulnerable)

Attention
Near Threatened
Endangered(Vulnerable)
Near Threatened

Enallagma boreale
circulatum
Subtotal
Literature

15
The Town History Editing
Committee (2001) “Nature of
Aizu-Tadami - climate,geology and animal (Tadami
Town History Document
Collection No. 4),” Tadami
Town, Fukushima Prefecture
The Town History Editing
Committee (2001), “Natureof Aizu-Tadami - Plants(Tadami Town History
Document Collection No.
4),” Tadami Town,
Fukushima Prefecture
List of insects of Tadami
Town, Wataru Tsunoda(2007),

National
NaturalMonument

358
The fourth
Red List, theMinistry oftheEnvironment(2012),
The fourth
Red List, theMinistry oftheEnvironment (2013)

4.2
Fukushima Red Databook I, Fukushima
Prefecture (2002),
Fukushima Red Databook II, Fukushima
Prefecture (2003)

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Table 19-2 Japanese endemic plants grown in Tadami Town (Vascular plants)
FamilyScientific nameHymenophyllaceae
Aspidiaceae

Locosteopsis orientalis var.
abbreviata
Dryopteris fructuosa

Blechnaceae

Blechnum amabile

Pinaceae

Cupressaceae
Cephalotaxaceae
Taxaceae

Salicaceae

Struthiopteris castanea
Struthiopteris niponica
Abies mariesii
Pinus parviflora var.
pentaphylla
Thuja standishii
Cephalotaxus harringtonia
var. nana
Taxus cuspidata var. nana
Torreya nucifera var.
radicans
Salix hukaoana
Salix future

Red
data
book
Category by the
Ministry oftheEnvironment

FamilyScientific name

Diapensiaceae

Schizocodon ilicifolius

Ericaceae

Menziesia multiflora
Phyllodoce nipponica
Vulnerable (VU)

Primulaceae

Rhododendron albrechtii
Rhododendron
brachycarpum
Rhododendron
degronianum
Rhododendron nudipes
subsp. niphophilum
Rhododendron nipponicum
Rhododendron trinerve
Vaccinium hirtum
Vaccinium yatabei
Primula japonica

Gentianaceae

Primula modesta
Gentiana makinoi

Asclepiadaceae
Rubiaceae

Gentiana scabra
Gentiana thunbergii f.
minorhrophyllidium crista-galli
Tylophora aristolochioides
Galium kikumugura

Salix vulpina

Fagaceae

Urticaceae
Polygonaceae

Caryophyllaceae
Magnoliaceae
Lauraceae

Ranunculaceae

Alnus fauriei
Betula corylifolia
Betula maximowicziana
Fagus crenata
Quercus mongolica var.
undulatifolia
Elatostema laeteviren
Reynoutria japonica var.
uzenensis
Rumex madaio
Silene gracillima
Magnolia obovata
Magnolia salicifolia
Lindera praecox var.
pubescens
Lindera umbellata var.
membranacea
Aconitum subcuneatum
Anemone narcissiflora var.
nipponica
Clematis apiifolia var.
biternata
Clematis stans
Clematis tosaensis
Coptis trifoliolata
Dichocarpum nipponicum
Ranunculus nipponicus
var. submerses
Thalictrum aquilegiifolium
Trautvetteria japonica

Schizocodon soldanelloides
var. magnus
Shortia uniflora var.
uniflora
Tripetaleia bracteata
Tripetaleia paniculata
Enkianthus campanulatus
Enkianthus subsessilis
Epigaea asiatica
Gaultheria adenothrix

Salix jessoensis

Betulaceae

Red data book Categoryby the Ministry of theEnvironment

Boraginaceae

Hedyotis lindleyana var.
glabraOmphalodes japonica
Trigonotis brevipes
Trigonotis guilielmii

Labiatae

Ajuga yesoensis
Chelonopsis moschata
Clinopodium macranthum
Rabdosia trichocarpa
Rabdosia umbrosa var.
excisinflexa
Leucosceptrum japonicum
Prunella prunelliformis

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131

FamilyScientific name

Aristolochiaceae

Asarum ikegamii
Heterotropa megacalyx

Paeoniaceae

Paeonia japonica

Glaucidiaceae
Theaceae

Glaucidium palmatum
Camellia japonica var.
decumbensHypericum kamtschaticum
var. hondoense

Clusiaceae

Brassicaceae

Hypericum
pseudopetiolatum
Cardamine appendiculata

Red
data
book
Category by the
Ministry oftheEnvironment

Near
(NT)
Near
(NT)

FamilyScrophulariaceae

Crassulaceae

Saxifragaceae

Hamamelis japonica var.
obtusata
Hylotelephium sordidum
Sedum japonicum var.
senanense
Astilbe microphylla
Astilbe odontophylla

Caprifoliaceae

Valerianaceae
Campanulaceae
Asteraceae

Cardiandra alternifolia
Chrysosplenium fauriei
Chrysosplenium grayanum
Deutzia crenata
Hydrangea involucrata
Hydrangea macrophyllavar. megacarpa
Mitella pauciflora

Rosaceae

Leguminosae

Euphorbiaceae
Daphniphyllaceae
Aceraceae

Parnassia foliosa var.
japonica
Philadelphus satsumi
Saxifraga fusca
Aria japonica
Prunus apetala var. pilosa
Filipendula auriculata
Malus tschonoskii
Prunus grayana
Astragalus reflexistipulus
Lespedeza homoloba
Lespedeza thunbergii var.
patensWisteria floribunda
Euphorbia sinanensis
Euphorbia sieboldiana
Daphniphyllum
macropodum var. humile
Acer palmatum var.
matsumurae
Acer distylum
Acer japonicum

Euphrasia insignis var.
japonica
Melampyrum laxum
Pedicularis nipponica
Pseudolysimachion
schmidtianum subsp.
Senanense
Veronicastrum japonicum

Cardamine niigatensis
Hamamelidaceae

Red data book Categoryby the Ministry of theEnvironment

Salvia lutescens var.
crenata
Salvia nipponica

Threatened
Threatened

Scientific name

Abelia spathulata var.
stenophylla
Sambucus racemosa var.
major
Viburnum sieboldii var.
obovatifolium
Weigela hortensis
Patrinia triloba
Campanula punctata var.
hondoensis
Anaphalis margaritacea
subsp. yedoensis
Arnica mallotopus
Artemisia monophylla
Aster iinumae
Aster ageratoides subsp.
OvatusAster viscidulus
Carpesium divaricatum var.
matsueiCirsium aidzuense

Critically Endangered(CR)

Cirsium borealinipponense

Liliaceae

Cirsium inundatum
Cirsium nipponicum
Cirsium yezoense
Pertya rigidula
Saussurea sagitta
Synurus pungens
Aletris foliata
Fritillaria koidzumiana
Hosta sieboldiana
Lilium auratum
Lilium rubellum
Narthecium asiaticum
Kinugasa japonica
Paris tetraphylla

Near Threatened (NT)Polygonatum lasianthum
Polygonatum macranthum
Polygonatum odoratum var.
thunbergii

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FamilyScientific name

Red
data
book
Category by the
Ministry oftheEnvironment

Acer micranthum
Acer maximowiczianum
Acer nipponicum
Acer mono var. glaucum
Acer mono var. mayrii
Acer rufinerve

Hippocastanaceae
Rhamnaceae

Acer sieboldianum
Acer tschonoskii
Aesculus turbinata
Berchemia longiracemosa

Tiliaceae

Berchemia racemosa
Rhamnus costata
Tilia maximowicziana

Thymelaeaceae

Daphne miyabeana
Galeola septentrionalis

Elaeagnaceae
Violaceae

Stachyuraceae
Cucurbitaceae
Cornaceae
Araliaceae

Elaeagnus multiflora var.
hortensis
Viola brevistipulata
Viola eizanensis
Viola faurieana var.
rhizomataViola rostrata
Viola vaginata
Stachyurus praecox var.
leucotrichus
Trichosanthes kirilowii
var. japonica
Aucuda japonica var.
borealis
Evodiopanax innovans

FamilyScientific name

Iridaceae
Poaceae

Smilacina viridiflora
Triantha japonica
Tricyrtis latifolia
Veratrum stamineum
Iris gracilipes
Agrostis hideoi

Bambusoideae

Anthoxanthum japonicum
Calamagrostis fauriei
Calamagrostis longiseta
Microstegium japonicum
var. boreale
Miscanthus intermedius
Muhlenbergia curviaristata
Sasa yahikoensis

AraceaeEndangered (EN)Cyperaceae

Arisaema amurense subsp.
robustumArisaema thunbergii subsp.
urashima
Carex aphyllopus

Carex miyabei
Carex filipes
Carex flabellata
Carex hondoensis
Carex incisa

Angelica acutiloba
Angelica sachalinensi
Bupleurum nipponicum
Chamaele decumbens
Tilingia holopetala

Near Threatened (NT)Endangered (EN)

Carex curvicollis
Carex dissitiflora
Carex multifolia

Acanthopanax
sciadophylloides
Oplopanax japonicus
Panax japonicus
Umbelliferae

Red data book Categoryby the Ministry of theEnvironment

Orchidaceae

Carex insaniae var.
insaniae
Carex insaniae var.
papillaticulmis
Carex kiotensis
Carex maximowiczii var.
levisaccus
Carex olivacea subsp.
confertiflora
Carex podogyna
Rhynchospora fauriei
Rhynchospora yasudana
Platanthera florentii

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(6) List of main bibliographic references (to be annexed)[Provide a list of the main publications and articles of relevance to the proposed biosphere reserve over the past 5-10
years].

(Natural sciences)No.

Publisher and Author

Title

1

Nature Conservation
Society of Japan

Academic research report of the
Echigosanzan-Tadami Quasi-national ParkKASHIMURA
Toshimichi

Ecological study of the natural forest
vegetation in the snowy region along thelower Tadami valley
Environmental factors and their effects on
the distribution of plant communities in Mt.
Asakusa, a mountain with deep snow: withspecial relation to the growth from of fagus
crenata: I. Relationship between snow depth
and distribution pattern of plant communities
Tadami Town History Document Collection
No. 4, “Nature of Aizu-Tadami – Plants”

1969

2

Tadami Town History Document Collection
No. 4, “Nature of Aizu-Tadami - climate,geology and animals”
Tadami Cultural Heritage Survey Report No.
9, “Scientific report on the forest vegetation
and biodiversity in Tadami District,
Fukushima Prefecture, Honshu, Japan”
Tadami Town History Vol. 1, Overview 1,“Nature, the primitive, ancient, medieval andearly modern times”
Tadami Cultural Heritage Survey Report No.
10, “Scientific report on the forest vegetation
and biodiversity in Tadami District,
Fukushima Prefecture, Honshu, Japan (2ndreport)”Tadami Cultural Heritage Survey Report No.
11, “Plants of Aizu-Tadami”

2001

Tadami Cultural Heritage Survey Report No.
12, “Scientific report on the forest vegetation
and biodiversity in Tadami District,
Fukushima Prefecture, Honshu, Japan (3rdreport)”Tadami Cultural Heritage Survey Report No.
14, “Biology and inheritance of rare tree
species, Salix hukaoana, in the Tadami Riversystem of Fukushima Prefecture”
Research report on the primeval beech forest

2004

Floristic composition and stand structure of
riparian forests in the Tadami River basin
and the ecological distribution of anendangered tree, Salix hukaoana
Reports on the 7th Natural environment
conservation basic research, biologicaldiversity research and species diversity
research (Fukushima Prefecture)

2006

Hisashi Sugita
3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

Tadami Town Town
History Editing
Committee
Tadami Town Town
History Editing
Committee
Education Board of
Tadami Town,
Fukushima Prefecture
Tadami Town Town
History Editing
Committee
Education Board of
Tadami Town,
Fukushima Prefecture

Education Board of
Tadami Town,
Fukushima Prefecture
Education Board of
Tadami Town,
Fukushima Prefecture

Education Board of
Tadami Town,
Fukushima Prefecture
Kanto Regional Forest
Office of the Forestry
AgencyWajiro Suzuki and
Satoshi Kikuchi

Fukushima Prefecture(The Ministry of theEnvironment)
Suzuki Wajiro,
Kikuchi Satoshi

Ecology and conservation of an endangered
willow, Salix hukaoana.

Published
Year
1968

1988

Publication Magazine
Research report of Nature
Conservation Society of Japan,
No. 34Ecological Review 17(3):153170, Mount Hakkoda BotanicalLaboratory, Tohoku University
Bulletin of the EcologicalSociety of Japan 38 (3): 217227.

2001

2003

2004

2004

2004

2005

2005

Japanese Journal ofConservation Ecology 11 (2):85-93.

2007

2008

Sakio H, Tamura T (eds)
Ecology of riparian forests inJapan: disturbance, life history,

UNESCO - Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme - Biosphere reserve nomination form - January 2013

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No.

Publisher and Author

Title

PublishedYear

Publication Magazine
and regeneration.
Springer, Tokyo, pp281-297

16
17

18

19

Wataru Tsunoda
Yutaka Takahara,
Kazuko Watabe andTakahide Kurosawa
Satoshi Kikuchi,
Wajiro Suzuki
Wajiro Suzuki and
Kazuko Watabe

List of insects of Tadami Town
Growing conditions of Lilium rubellum andits conservation in Tadami Town

2010
2012

Genetic diversity and its conservation in the
Tadami River basin, especially Salix
hukaoana of Odosawa
Influence of Heavy rainfall disaster in July,
2011 to the Salix hukaoana forest of the Ina
River basin

2012

2012

Wajiro Suzuki and
Kazuko Watabe

Actual conditions of driftwood caused by
Heavy rainfall disaster in Shionoki River

2012

20

Wajiro Suzuki and
Satoshi Kikuchi

22

Wajiro Suzuki and
Kazuko Watabe

Forest structure and formation process of“Pollarded beech forest” seen in Tadami
Town
Decay in population of Japanese Oaks in the
Tadami area

2012

21

Rare tree species, Salix hukaoana, in the
Tadami River system of Fukushima
Prefecture – Report on its distribution andgroup conditions Tadami Field Guide III – “Rivers andriparian lives of Tadami”
Evaluation of secondary forests as alternative
habitats to primary forests for flower-visiting
insects

2012

Tadami Field Guide I - “Flowers on climbing
routes – Flowers for a season from snow
melt to early summer – 44 species”
Tadami Field Guide II- “Big trees and giant
trees of Tadami Town”
Tadami Field Guide III – “Rivers andriparian lives of Tadami”
Exhibition Guide Series II – “Ecology andutilization of vines”
Report on monitoring study related to
Natural Forests of the Aizu area

2012

23

24

25

Tadami nature-study
meeting

Osamu Inaba
Hisatomo Taki,
Hiroshi Makihara,
Takeshi Matsumura,
Motohiro Hasegawa,Toshiya Matsuura,
Hiroshi Tanaka,
Shun’ichi Makino,
Kimiko Okabe
Tadami Beech Center

26
27
28
29
30

31

Tadami Beech Center
Osamu Inaba
Tadami Beech Center
Kanto Regional Forest
Office of the Forestry
AgencyKanto Regional Forest
Office of the Forestry
AgencyInvestigation report of Endangered Speciesof Wildlife Protection Management Strategy(mountain hawk eagle, etc.)

2012

The Bulletin of Nature of
Tadami - Tadami Beech CenterNo. 1:2-6.
The Bulletin of Tadami Beech
Center – Nature of Tadami –No. 1:7-11
The Bulletin of Tadami Beech
Center – Nature of Tadami –No. 1:12-18
The Bulletin of Tadami Beech
Center – Nature of Tadami –No. 1:19-24
The Bulletin of Tadami Beech
Center – Nature of Tadami –No. 1:25-31
The Bulletin of Tadami Beech
Center – Nature of Tadami –No. 1:32-39

2012
2012

Journal of Insect Conservation,
Springer, Online first

2012
2012
2012
2005-20122007-2012

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(Humanities and social sciences)
No.
1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17
18

Publisher and Author
Tadami Town Town
History Editing
Committee
Education Board of
Tadami Town,
Fukushima Prefecture

Tadami Town Town
History Editing
Committee
Education Board of
Tadami Town,
Fukushima Prefecture
Tadami Town Town
History Editing
Committee
Tadami Town Town
History Editing
Committee
Tadami Town Town
History Editing
Committee
Education Board of
Tadami Town,
Fukushima Prefecture
Tadami Town Town
History Editing
Committee
Tadami Town Town
History Editing
Committee
Tadami Town Town
History Editing
Committee
Tadami Town Folklore
Meetings
Tadami Town Town
History Editing
Committee
Education Board of
Tadami Town,
Fukushima Prefecture
Education Board of
Tadami Town,
Fukushima Prefecture
Tadami Town Town
History Editing
Committee
Education Board of
Tadami Town,
Fukushima Prefecture
Kenji Sano

Title
Tadami Town History Document
Collection No. 1, “Diagram - Folk
implements of Aizu-Tadami”
Tadami Cultural Heritage Survey
Report No. 4,“Kubota ruins - Excavation
investigation report forestablishment of Tadami Museumof Archaeology”
Tadami Town History Vol. 3“Ethnic”

Published Year
1991

Tadami Cultural Heritage Survey
Report No. 5, “Track of Kijishi of
Fuzawa, Oku-Aizu”
Tadami Town History Vol. 5,
Materials 2 “Modern time”

1992

Tadami Town History Vol. 6,
Materials 3 “Present time”

1995

Tadami Town History Document
Collection No. 2, “Folklore of
Aizu-Tadami”
Tadami Cultural Heritage Survey
Report No. 6, “Diagram -The
medieval Castle ruin of AizuTadami”
Tadami Town History Vol. 2,
Overview 2, “Modern and present
times”
Tadami Town History Document
Collection No. 3, “Developmentof electric power resources of theOze and Tadami River”
Tadami Town History Vol. 4,
Materials 1 “The primitive,
ancient, medieval and earlymodern times”
Once upon a time in Tadami:
Folklores of Tadami, Okuaizu
Tadami Town History Document
Collection No. 5, “Dialect andlocal place names of AizuTadami”
Tadami Cultural Heritage Survey
Report No. 7, “A Mountain Castle
in the Age of Civil Wars - Relicsof Mizukubo Castle”
Tadami Cultural Heritage Survey
Report No. 8, “Occupation scrollsof Aizu-Tadami”
Tadami Town History Vol. 1,
Overview 1, “Nature, theprimitive, ancient, medieval andearly modern times”
Tadami Cultural Heritage Survey
Report No. 13, “Collections of
production tools and working
clothes of Aizu-Tadami”.
“Non-written materials” and the1995

Publication Magazine

1991

1992

1994

1995

1997

1997

1999

1999
2002

2002

2002

2004

2004

2004

1st Annual Report of

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No.

Publisher and Author

Title
local community - Preservationand practical use of Folk
implements of Tadami Town,
Fukushima Prefecture -Published Year

Michiaki Kono

Tohoku district seen from the
distribution of existing farming
tools
Non-written materials anddocumentation

2005

Tohoku district seen from the
distribution of existing farming
toolsInternet museum as a cultural
information transmission system –Focusing on cooperation with the
University and the local museum -

2005

19
Satoru Amino
20
Michiaki Kono
21
Kenji Sano
22

23

24

Edited by Kenji Sano(2008), Graduate
School of History &Folklore Studies,
Kanagawa University
Graduate School
Edited by the 4th groupof “Systematization of
Non-written Cultural
Materials for the Studyof Human Societies”

26

Edited by Kanagawa
University 21st Century
COE Program,“Systematization of
Non-written Cultural
Materials for the Studyof Human Societies”
Research Promotion
Committee
Education Board of
Tadami Town,
Fukushima Prefecture27

Education Board of
Tadami Town,
Fukushima Prefecture

25

28

Toshihiko Hisano,
National Museum ofJapanese History
Ito et al.

29

30

Ito et al.

Kanagawa University History and
Folklore Study Report No. 6,“Folklore of Ookura – Ookura,
Tadami Town, Minami-Aizu,
Fukushima Prefecture”
Report on study results ofKanagawa University 21st Century
COE Program, “Systematizationof Non-written Cultural Materials
for the Study of Human Societies”- “Development of area
informatics : the way toinnovation of knowledge”
Report on study results ofKanagawa University 21st Century
COE Program, “Systematizationof Non-written Cultural Materials
for the Study of Human Societies”
Research Summary of“Systematization of Non-written
Cultural Materials for the Study of
Human Societies”
Tadami Cultural Heritage Survey
Report No. 15, “Tadami Town
Ruins exploratory excavation
investigation report – Arai
Tateato, Kurotani Tateato”
Tadami Cultural Heritage Survey
Report No. 16, “Tadami Town
Ruins exploratory excavation
investigation report –Shichijyukari ruins”

2005

2006

Publication Magazine“Systematization of Non-written
Cultural Materials for the Study of
Human Societies,” Kanagawa
University 21st Century COE
Program Research Promotion
Committee
Annual Report of “Systematizationof Non-written Cultural Materials for
the Study of Human Societies 2”
Annual Report of “Systematizationof Non-written Cultural Materials for
the Study of Human Societies 2”
Annual Report of “Systematizationof Non-written Cultural Materials for
the Study of Human Societies 2”
Annual Report of “Systematizationof Non-written Cultural Materials for
the Study of Human Societies 3”

2008

2008

2008

2009

2010

2010
Shugen Ryuzo-in Shogyo TensekiDocuments list
Report on an outsourcing project
on a settlement revitalization
study utilizing the power andskills of college students, 2010
“Fuzawa – The way fordevelopment”
Report on an outsourcing project
on a settlement revitalization

2010

2010

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No.

Publisher and Author

Kentaro Yoshida31
Ken Sugimura
32
Kaoru Maeto
33

34

Hiroshi Tanaka andKimiko Okabe
Komagata et al.

35

Komagata et al.

36

37

Aizu architectural firmof Fukushima
Prefecture, Education
Board of Tadami
Town, Fukushima
Prefecture
Tadami Beech Center

38
39

Tadami Beech Centerand Fukosha

Title
study utilizing the power andskills of college students, 2010
“Fuzawa – The way fordevelopment”
Economic evaluation of ecosystemservices supplied by biologicaldiversity
Analysis of Asian specific featureson the utilization of forest
ecosystem services
Evaluation of ecosystem functions
supplied to agro-ecosystems fromforests
Evaluation of changes inecosystem functions of forests byhuman activities.
Report on an outsourcing projecton settlement revitalization studies
utilizing the power and skills ofcollege students, 2011, “Connecta smile – from present to the
future, from Fuzawa to
Fukushima”
Report on outsourcing a projecton settlement revitalization studies
utilizing the power and skills ofcollege students, 2011, “Connecta smile – from present to the
future, from Fuzawa to
Fukushima”
Tadami Cultural Heritage Survey
Report No. 17, “Shichijyukari
Ruins excavational investigation
report – Excavational
investigation report due to large
scale riparian works of Ina River”
Exhibition guide series I – “Enjoy
foods from the nature foundaround Tadami”
River map of Tadami Town

Published Year

Publication Magazine

2011

2011

2011

2011

2011

2011

2012

2013

2013

(7) Original Endorsement letters according to paragraph 5(8) Further supporting documents.

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20. ADDRESSES:
20.1 Contact address of the proposed biosphere reserve:[Government agency, organization, or other entity (entities) to serve as the main contact and to whom all correspondence
within the World Network of Biosphere Reserves should be addressed.]

Name: Tadami Beech Center, Administration and Planning Division, Tadami Town Hall, Fukushima
Prefecture
Street or P.O. Box: 2590 Machishita, Tadami, Tadami-machi,
City with postal code: Minami-Aizu-gun, Fukushima 968-0421
Country: Japan
Telephone: +81-241-72-8355
E-mail: info-buna@amail.plala.or.jp
Web site: http://www.tadami-buna.jp/

20.2. Administering entity of the core area(s):Name: Forest Plannning Division Kanto Regional Forest Office, Forestry Agency
Street or P.O. Box: 4-16-25 Iwagami-cho,City with postal code: Maebashi-shi, Gunma 371-8508
Country: Japan
Telephone: +81-27-210-1265
E-mail: kanto_keikaku@rinya.maff.go.jp
Web site: http://www.rinya.maff.go.jp/kanto/
Name: Nature Conservation Division of Fukushima Prefecture
Street or P.O. Box: 2-16 Sugitsuma-cho,City with postal code: Fukushima-shi, Fukushima 960-8670
Country: Japan
Telephone: +81-24-521-7251
E-mail: shizen@pref.fukushima.lg.jp
Web site: http://wwwcms.pref.fukushima.jp/

20.3. Administering entity of the buffer zone(s):Name: Forest Plannning Division Kanto Regional Forest Office, Forestry Agency
Street or P.O. Box: 4-16-25 Iwagami-cho,City with postal code: Maebashi-shi, Gunma 371-8508
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Country: Japan
Telephone: +81-27-210-1265
E-mail: kanto_keikaku@rinya.maff.go.jp
Web site: http://www.rinya.maff.go.jp/kanto/
Name: Nature Conservation Division of Fukushima Prefecture
Street or P.O. Box: 2-16 Sugitsuma-cho,City with postal code: Fukushima-shi, Fukushima 960-8670
Country: Japan
Telephone: +81-24-521-7251
E-mail: shizen@pref.fukushima.lg.jp
Web site: http://wwwcms.pref.fukushima.jp/
Name: Tadami Beech Center, Administration and Planning Division, Tadami Town Hall, Fukushima
Prefecture
Street or P.O. Box: 2590 Machishita, Tadami, Tadami-machi,
City with postal code: Minami-Aizu-gun, Fukushima 968-0421
Country: Japan
Telephone: +81-241-72-8355
E-mail: info-buna@amail.plala.or.jp
Web site: http://www.tadami-buna.jp/

20.4. Administering entity of the transition area(s):Name: Forest Plannning Division Kanto Regional Forest Office, Forestry Agency
Street or P.O. Box: 4-16-25 Iwagami-cho,City with postal code: Maebashi-shi, Gunma 371-8508
Country: Japan
Telephone: +81-27-210-1265
E-mail: kanto_keikaku@rinya.maff.go.jp
Web site: http://www.rinya.maff.go.jp/kanto/
Name: Nature Conservation Division of Fukushima Prefecture
Street or P.O. Box: 2-16 Sugitsuma-cho,City with postal code: Fukushima-shi, Fukushima 960-8670
Country: Japan

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Telephone: +81-24-521-7251
E-mail: shizen@pref.fukushima.lg.jp
Web site: http://wwwcms.pref.fukushima.jp/
Name: Tadami Beech Center, Administration and Planning Division, Tadami Town Hall, Fukushima
Prefecture
Street or P.O. Box: 2590 Machishita, Tadami, Tadami-machi,
City with postal code: Minami-Aizu-gun, Fukushima 968-0421
Country: Japan
Telephone: +81-241-72-8355
E-mail: info-buna@amail.plala.or.jp
Web site: http://www.tadami-buna.jp/

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Annex I to the Biosphere Reserve Nomination Form, January 2013

MABnet Directory of Biosphere Reserves
1

Biosphere Reserve Description
Administrative details
Country: Japan
Name of BR: Tadami Biosphere Reserve: Tadami BR
Year designated: (to be completed by MAB Secretariat)(The year to be completed by the Secretariat)

Administrative authorities: (17.1.3)<Core area proposed site>
The Kanto Regional Forest Office of the Forestry Agency and Fukushima Prefecture<Buffer Zone A proposed site>
The Kanto Regional Forest Office of the Forestry Agency and Fukushima Prefecture<Buffer Zone B proposed site>
The Kanto Regional Forest Office of the Forestry Agency, the Ministry of the Environment, Fukushima
Prefecture and Tadami Town
<Transition area proposed site>
The Kanto Regional Forest Office of the Forestry Agency, the Ministry of the Environment, Fukushima
Prefecture and Tadami Town
Name Contact: (20.1)
Name of the organization: Tadami Beech Center
Contact address: (Including phone number, postal and email adresses) (20.1)
Address (postal code): 2590 Machishita, Tadami, Tadami-machi, Minami-Aizu-gun, Fukushima 968-0421,
Japan
Phone number: +81-241-72-8355
Fax number: +81-241-72-8356
Email: info-buna@amail.plala.or.jp
Related links: (web sites)
Web site: http://www.tadami-buna.jp/
Social networks: (16.4.3)•

Currently it is not registered in any social network (Facebook, Twitter, etc.), however, it will be registered.

1

To be posted on the MABnet once the nomination has been approved. The numbers refer to the relevant sections of
the nomination form.

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Description
General description: (Site characteristics in 11.1; human population in 10)
Approximately 25 lines

In the Tadami BR proposed site, mountains occupy most of the earth’s surface area except for the basins of
the Tadami River and its tributary, the Ina River. Especially in the southern and western areas, steep
massifs - Mt. Aizu Asahidake (1,624 m) and Mt. Asakusadake (1,586 m) – both with altitudes above 1,000
m are found. In the mountains of the southern part, ridges extend in a north-south direction, limiting the flow
direction of the Tadami River, Ina River and their major tributaries. Whereas in the northern area of the Ina
River basin, gently-sloping mountain ranges are found around Mt. Asakusadake with a constant altitude of
800 to 1,000 m. In those mountains, slopes are shaved off by avalanches, bedrocks are exposed, andsteep and complicated “nivation landforms” are formed, due to the geological characteristics of heavy
snowfall, the Tadami area has one of the heaviest snowfalls in Japan (annual average snow coverage inwinter is 2.5 m), and the green tuff bedrock with a comparatively fragile nature. In this complicatedtopography, a “mosaic vegetation” where plant communities grow by adapting to each habitat environment
is formed. The minimum altitude is 350 m at the Tadami River near the border of Tadami Town and
Kaneyama-town, and the maximum altitude is 1,819.9 m at Mt. Maruyamadake located at the border ofTadami Town and Hinoemata-village. The number of residents living in the area along the Tadami River and
Ina River, which is the transition proposed site is 4,695 (As of May 1, 2013).
Major ecosystem type: (14.1)
Cool-temperate deciduous broad-leaved forests (Nivation landform and mosaic vegetation)
Major habitats & land cover types: (11.6)
Cool-temperate deciduous broad-leaved forests (Nivation landform and mosaic vegetation)
Bioclimatic zone (11.5)
Entire proposed site belongs to the humid zone.
Location (latitude & longitude): (6.1)
Key points
LatitudeCentral point
37°17'8.6"
Northernmost point
37°28'11.5"
Southernmost point
37°06'17.0"
Westernmost point
37°14'13.1"
Easternmost extent
37°19'22.8"

Longitude139°20'45.3"
139 °21'45.0"
139°20'46.6"
139°09'52.3"
139°34'30.3"

Total Area (ha): (7)78,032 ha (only land)Core area(s): (7)3,557 ha (only land)
Buffer zone(s): (7)Buffer Zone A
8,380 ha (only land)
Buffer Zone B
42,953 ha (only land)
Transition area(s) : (7)23,142 ha (only land)
Different existing zonation: (7.4)
Protection Zone and Conservation and Utilization Zone of “Oku-Aizu Forest Ecosystem Reserve” basedon the Law on the Administration and Management of National Forests
Special Protection Zone, Class I Special Zone and Class II Special Zone of “Echigosanzan-Tadami
Quasi-national Park” based on the Natural Park Act
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Protected Forests “Hometown Forest” and “Aizu Mountains Green Corridor” based on the Law on the
Administration and Management of National Forests
Altitudinal range (metres above sea level): (11.2)
350 to 1819 m
Zonation map(s): (6.2)

Aga-town
Sanjyo-city

Kaneyama-town
Showa-village
Uonuma-city

Tadami-town

Minami-Aizu-town

Hinoemata-village

Core area

Buffer Zone B

Tadami BR area

Buffer Zone A

Transition areaRiver
Boundary ofadministrative district

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Main objectives of the biosphere reserve
Brief description (13.1)
Approximately 5 lines

In the Tadami area, the local community has developed historically by taking advantage of the rich naturalenvironment and utilizing a variety of natural sources through hunting and collecting. However, in recent
years, with depopulation and an aging population, these kinds of socioeconomics systems are now distorted
and local communities have fallen into decline. Therefore, regional independence and activation arepromoted by variedly utilizing the rich natural environment (snow, beech forest) and natural resources of thisarea, by inheriting the regional traditions, cultures and industries grown out of and developed from suchnatural resources.

Research
Brief description (16.1.1)
Approximately 5 lines

Tadami Beech Center originally conducts basic research such as investigation into the dynamics of beech
natural forests and secondary forest, and in addition, centralizes Tadami Town for academic investigation
and research, while coordinating with universities and research institutions concerned with the biologicaldiversity of the Tadami area, through a subsidized project that has been set up by Tadami Town.

Monitoring
Brief description (16.1.1)
Approximately 5 lines

The Tadami Beech Center conducts monitoring studies on beech natural forests, secondary forest and Salix
hukaoana forest. The Kanto Regional Forest Office of the Forestry Agency conducts forest monitoring of theForest Ecosystem Reserve and investigations into the habitat situation and nesting place of birds such as
the Mountain Hawk Eagle, which is designated as a endangered species of wild fauna and flora.

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Specific variables (fill in the table below and tick the relevant parameters)

Abiotic

Biodiversity

Abiotic factors

Afforestation/Reforestation

Acidic deposition/Atmospheric factors

Algae

Air quality

Alien and/or invasive species

Air temperature○

Amphibians

Climate, climatology

Arid and semi-arid systems

ContaminantsAutoecology

Drought

Beach/soft bottom systems

ErosionGeology
Geomorphology○○○

Benthos
Biodiversity aspects
Biogeography

Geophysics

Biology

Glaciology

Biotechnology

Global change

Birds

Groundwater

Boreal forest systems

Habitat issues

Breeding

Heavy metals

Coastal/marine systems

Hydrology○

Indicators
Meteorology

Community studies
Conservation○

Degraded areas

Monitoring/methodologies

Desertification○

Ecology

Pollution, pollutants

Ecosystem assessment

Soil

○
○

○
○
○
○
○
○

Dune systems

Physical oceanography
Siltation/sedimentation○○○

Coral reefs

Modeling
Nutrients○

Ecosystem functioning/structure
Ecosystem services

Speleology

Ecotones

Topography

Endemic species

Toxicology

Ethology

UV radiation

Evapotranspiration
Evolutionary studies/Palaeoecology
Fauna

○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○

Fires/fire ecology
Fishes
Flora
Forest systems
Freshwater systems
Fungi
Genetic resources

○
○
○
○
○
○

Genetically modified organisms
Home gardens
Indicators
Invertebrates
Island systems/studies
Lagoon systems

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146

Lichens
Mammals○○

Mangrove systems
Mediterranean type systems
Microorganisms○

Migrating populations
Modeling
Monitoring/methodologies○○

Mountain and highland systems
Natural and other resources
Natural medicinal products○○

Perturbations and resilience
Pests/Diseases
Phenology
Phytosociology/Succession
Plankton
Plants○○○○Polar systems
Pollination
Population genetics/dynamics
Productivity
Rare/Endangered species
ReptilesRestoration/Rehabilitation

○
○
○
○
○
○

Species (re) introduction
Species inventorying
Sub-tropical and temperate rainforest
systems
Taxonomy
Temperate forest systems
Temperate grassland systems

○
○
○
○

Tropical dry forest systems
Tropical grassland and savannah systems
Tropical humid forest systems
Tundra systems
Vegetation studies
Volcanic/Geothermal systems
Wetland systems
Wildlife

UNESCO - Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme - Biosphere reserve nomination form - January 2013

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○
○
○

147

Socio-economic
Agriculture/Other production systems
Agroforestry
Anthropological studies
Aquaculture
Archaeology
Bioprospecting
Capacity building
Cottage (home-based) industry
Cultural aspects
Demography
Economic studies
Economically important species
Energy production systems
Ethnology/traditional practices/knowledge
Firewood cutting
Fishery
Forestry
Human health
Human migration
Hunting
Indicators
Indicators of sustainability

Integrated monitoring
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○

Indigenous people's issues
Industry
Livelihood measures
Livestock and related impacts
Local participation
Micro-credits

Monitoring/methodologies
Natural hazards
Non-timber forest products

Carrying capacity
Climate change
Conflict analysis/resolution
Ecosystem approach
Education and public awareness
Environmental changes
Geographic Information System (GIS)
Impact and risk studies
Indicators
Indicators of environmental quality
Infrastructure development
Institutional and legal aspects
Integrated studies
Interdisciplinary studies
Land tenure
Land use/Land coverLandscape inventorying/monitoring
Management issues
Mapping
Modelling
Monitoring/methodologies
Planning and zoning measures

○
○
○
○
○

MiningModelling

Biogeochemical studies

Policy issues
Remote sensing
Rural systems
Sustainable development/use
Transboundary issues/measures
Urban systems

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Watershed studies/monitoring

Pastoralism
People-Nature relations○

Poverty
Quality economies/marketing
Recreation
Resource use
Role of women

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Sacred sites
Small business initiatives
Social/Socio-economic aspects
Stakeholders' interests
TourismTransports

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UNESCO - Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme - Biosphere reserve nomination form - January 2013○