Steller sea lion Eumetopias jubatus on sea ice, with the Shiretoko mountain
range in the background photo by ISII Eiji

4. Management
4a. Ownership
4b. Legal status

4d. Management authority
4e. Management level and contact information
f4. Agreed plans related to property
4g. Sources and levels of finance4h. Sources of expertise and training in conservation andmanagement techniques
4i. Visitor facilities and statistics
4j. Property management plan and objectives
4k. Staffing levels

Management

4c. Protective measures and implementation

4a. Ownership
National Forest, which is administered by the Forestry Agency, accounts
for 95 percent of the nominated site. In addition, the nominated site also
includes lands owned by the national government, Hokkaido prefecturalgovernment, municipalities and the private owners. The contact
addresses of the major landowners namely, the Forest Agency, Hokkaido
prefectural government, Shari town and Rausu town are listed insections 4d. and 4e.

4b. Legal status
The nominated site is appropriately protected according to national lawsand regulations. Table 4-1 indicates detailed information on theprotected areas such as the designation date and relevant regulation.
Each protected area is illustrated in Figures 4-1-a, 4-1-b, 4-1-c and 4-1-d.

Management

In order to maintain the value of the nominated site as a World NaturalHeritage for future generations, a comprehensive administration scheme
will be implemented for the entire site taking into account the objectivesof the various systems. The nominated site is divided into the following
two management classifications:i) The core area with little impact of human activities (Core area);ii) The area surrounding the Core area and acting as a buffer area
(Buffer area).
The Core area consists of the Onnebetsudake Wilderness Area, Special
Protection Zone of the Shiretoko National Park, Class I Special Zone ofthe Shiretoko National Park, Preservation Zone of the Shiretoko ForestEcosystem Reserve and Special Protection Area of Shiretoko National
Wildlife Protection Area. The total area of the Core area is 34,000 ha.
The Buffer area contains of the land surrounding the Core area and thesea area within one kilometer from the coastline (shoreline), consistingof Special Protection Zone of the Shiretoko National Park, Class I, II andIII Special Zones of the Shiretoko National Park, Ordinary Zone of theShiretoko National Park, Conservation and Utilization Zone of theShiretoko Forest Ecosystem Reserve and the Shiretoko National
Wildlife Protection Area. The total area of the Buffer area is 22,100 ha.
National Forests surrounding the internal buffer area of the nominatedsite, that are adjacent to the Conservation and Utilization Zone of theForest Ecosystem Reserve, will be managed properly to avoid any
drastic environmental change to the nominated site (Figure 4-2).
As described above, the nominated site including the surrounding area isappropriately conserved and a buffer area has been designated within
the site. As these measures are deemed sufficient to maintain the valueof the nominated site as a World Natural Heritage for future generations,
there are no additional buffer zones established around the nominatedsite.
632004 WORLD HERITAGE LIST NOMINATION ● JAPAN

Table 4-1 Designation of the protected areas in the nominated site
Protected area
(Date of designation)

Objective for thedesignation etc.

Restricted activities etc.

Onnebetsudake
Wilderness Area
(February 4, 1980):
1,900 haTo provide necessary
Permission of the Minister of the Environment is required for theprotection for virgin natural following activities (Article 17):environments without being 1) Constructing, reconstructing, or expanding buildings or otherinfluenced by humanstructures.
activities.
2) Making housing lots, clearing land, or changing the feature of
the land.
3) Mining minerals or extracting soil and stones.
4) Reclaiming the surface of water or reclaiming by drainage.
5) Causing increase or decrease in the water-level or quantity ofwater of rivers, lakes, marshes, swamps and wetlands etc.
6) Felling or damaging trees and bamboos.
7) Collecting or damaging plants, or collecting fallen leaves orbranches.
8) Planting trees and bamboos.
9) Capturing, killing or wounding animals, or collecting or
damaging their eggs.
10) Pasturing livestock.
11) Setting or making fire.
12) Accumulating or storing things in the open air.
13) Using horses, vehicles or power-driven vessels, or landing
airplanes.
14) Other activities specified in laws and regulations.

Shiretoko NationalPark(June 1, 1964):
46,000 ha (including
the sea area)

To protect the places ofscenic beauty as well as
promote its utilization asa resource for the health,recreation and culture ofthe people.

Management

Special Zone:(except Special
Protection Zone):
15,100 ha64

NatureConservation Law(June 22, 1972)

Permission of the Minister of the Environment is
Natural Parks Law
required for the following activities (Article 13):
(June 1, 1957)
1) Constructing, reconstructing or extending
structures.
2) Felling trees and bamboos.
3) Mining minerals or extracting soil and stones.
4) Causing increase or decrease in the waterlevel or quantity of water of rivers, lakes,marshes, swamps and wetlands etc.
5) Discharging polluted or waste water intodesignated lakes etc.
6) Putting up or setting up advertisements etc.
7) Accumulating or storing soil and stones orother designated items in the open air.
8) Reclaiming the surface of water or reclaiming
by drainage.
9) Clearing land or changing the feature of land.
10) Collecting or damaging the designatedplants etc.
11) Capturing the designated animals etc.
12) Changing the colors of roofs and walls etc.
13) Entering into designated wetlands etc.
14) Using horses, vehicles or power-driven
vessels, or landing airplanes.
15) Other activities specified in laws andregulations.

Special Protection Permission of the Minister of the Environment is
Zone: 23,500
required for the following activities (Article 14):ha
In addition to the above
1) Damaging trees and bamboos.
2) Planting trees and bamboos.
3) Pasturing livestock.
4) Accumulating or storing things in the open air.
5) Setting or making fire.
6) Collecting or damaging plants, or collecting
fallen leaves or branches.
7) Capturing, killing or wounding animals, orcollecting or damaging their eggs.
8) Using horses, vehicles or power-driven vessels,or landing airplanes.
9) Other activities specified in laws andregulations.
Ordinary Zone:
7,400haDesignation law(promulgationdate)

Prior notification to the Minister of the Environmentis required for the following activities (Article 26):
1) Constructing, reconstructing or extending largescale structures.
2) Causing increase or decrease in the waterlevel or quantity of water of rivers, lakes,
marshes, swamps and wetlands etc.
3) Putting up or setting up advertisements etc.
4) Reclaiming the surface of water or reclaiming
by drainage.
5) Mining minerals or extracting soil and stones.*
6) Changing the feature of the land.
7) Changing the feature of the seabed.** applies only around the Marine Park Zone.

Protected area
(Date of designation)

Objective for thedesignation etc.

Restricted activities etc.

Designation law(promulgationdate)

Shiretoko Forest
Ecosystem Reserve(April 25, 1990):
35,500 ha

To preserve natural forests Preservation
In principle, the area is left to follow its naturalin virgin condition in order Zone: 25,800 ha course without human intervention. (Exceptionsto maintain a natural
include: activities necessary for public benefitenvironment of the forest
such as monitoring and academic research; relief
ecosystem, protect plants
activities against natural disasters; other activities
and animals, preserve
according to relevant laws and regulations.)
genetic resources, develop Conservation and Forest operation for wood production is notforest operation andUtilization Zone: allowed. (In planted forest areas, the forest canmanagement technique,9,600 habe managed to create and maintain a multiand promote scientificstoried forest). The area can also be utilized asresearch etc.
an educational resource or a recreational site

Law on theAdministration andManagement ofNational Forests(June 23, 1951)
National Forests
Administration andManagement Bylaw(January 21, 1999)

Shiretoko National
Wildlife ProtectionArea(November 1, 2001)(Initial designation:March 24, 1982):
43,200 ha

To protect wildlife by
Capturing wildlife is prohibited in the wildlife protection area. In the Wildlife Protection
prohibiting the capture of Special Protection Area, permission of the Minister of the Environment and Hunting Law
wildlife and the collection is required for the following activities (Article 29):
(July 12, 2002)of eggs, thereby ensuring 1) Construction, reconstruction and extension of structure.
their safe habitats as well 2) Reclamation of surface of water or land reclamation by drainage.
as conserve, manage and 3) Felling of trees or bamboo.
maintain environmental
4) Other activities designated in the government ordinance.*
conditions which support a * In the Designated Special Protection Area which is designateddiverse range of wildlife.
based on item 4 above, the following activities require permissionof the Minister of the Environment:1) Collecting plants etc.
2) Clearing by fire, other types of open fires.
3) Use of horses or vehicles.
4) Use of motor-powered boats.
5) Entering with dogs or other animals that may be threatening to thewildlife.
6) Wildlife observation activities by photographing etc.
7) Outdoor sports and other recreational activity.

National Endangered
SpeciesWhite-tailed eagle,
Steller's sea eagle,
Blakiston's fish-owl etc.

To protect endangered
Hunting, killing or damaging and transfer of organisms ofwildlife species in Japan
endangered species are prohibited. (Articles 9, 12 and 17)which are designated in
the government ordinanceaccording to the Law
for Conservation ofEndangered Species ofWild Fauna and Flora.

Law forConservationof EndangeredSpecies of Wild
Fauna and Flora(June 5, 1992)

Natural Monuments
White-tailed eagle(January 23, 1970)
Steller's sea eagle(January 23, 1970)
Blakiston's fish-owl(May 19, 1971)
Black woodpecker(May 12, 1965)
Vaciniina optilete
Knoch (May 2, 1967)

To protect animals, plants
and geological featuresand minerals which havea high scientific value inJapan.

Law for theProtection of Cultural
Properties(May 30, 1950)

An activity that would alter the existing state of the Natural
Monuments or act affecting the preservation thereof requires
permission from the Commissioner of the Agency for Cultural Affairs.
(Article 80)

The nominated site is the habitat for various wildlife including theSteller’s sea eagle Haliaeetus pelagicus, white-tailed eagle H. albicillaand Blakiston’s fish-owl Ketupa blakistoni blakistoni and some of these
species are protected by the Law for Conservation of Endangered
Species of Wild Fauna and Flora and the Law for the Protection ofCultural Properties.

65

Management

excluding any large-scale development.