— Wetlands for Sustainable Life —PROCEEDINGS

Edited by

Yukihiro Shimatani, Yoshihiro Natori, Reiko Nakamura
Published by

Asian Wetland Symposium 2017 Executive Committee

March 2018

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8th Asian Wetland Symposium 2017 Proceedings
Edited by
Yukihiro Shimatani
Yoshihiro Natori
Reiko Nakamura
Published by
Asian Wetland Symposium 2017 Executive Committee© Asian Wetland Symposium 2017 Executive Committee, 2018
The views expressed in the proceedings do not necessarily represent those of
AWS2017 organizers.
This publication may be produced in whole or in part and in any form for educationalor non-profit purposes with appropriate credit given to the published authors.

Contact:
Asian Wetland Symposium 2017 Executive Committee Secretariat
c/o Wetlands International Japan
2F Jono Building 2, 17-1 Nihonbashi-Odenmacho, Chuo-ku,
Tokyo 103-0011, Japan
tel: +81-3-5614-2150 fax: +81-3-6806-4187
E-mail: info@aws2017.org
http://aws2017.org/

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Organization of AWS2017
Title
8th Asian Wetland Symposium (AWS2017) —Wetlands for Sustainable Life—Date
7–11 November 2017
Venue
Hotel Grande Hagakure, Saga, Japan
Organizers
Ministry of the Environment of Japan
Wetlands International Japan
Ramsar Center Japan
Japan Wetland Society
Co-organizers
Saga Prefecture
Kumamoto Prefecture
Saga City
Kashima City
Arao City
Ramsar Regional Center - East Asia
International Lake Environment Committee Foundation
Wetland Link International Asia
Supporters
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan
Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan
Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism of Japan
Collaborators
Ramsar Convention Secretariat
UNEP Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific
IUCN Asia Regional Office
Keidanren Committee on Nature Conservation
Domestic Committee for Ramsar Sites related Municipalities in Japan
Youth Ramsar Japan
Institute of Decision Science for a Sustainable Society of Kyushu University
Sponsors
Sekisui Chemical Co.Ltd.
Sompo Japan Nipponkoa Insurance Inc.
Maple Tours Travel Agency
INTEM Consulting, Inc.
TOKEN C. E. E Consultants Co., Ltd.
CTI Engineering Co. Ltd.
Asia Air Survey Co., Ltd.
Civil Engineering & Eco-Technology Consultants
Oriental Consultants Global
Mitsui & Co.
Maeda Corporation
IDEA Consultants Inc.
Nippon Koei Co. Ltd.
ANA HOLDINGS INC.
APRIL International Enterprise Pte Ltd
Sumitomo Forestry Co., Ltd.
KITAJIMA Co., Ltd.
Madonoume Co., Ltd.
Grant Programs
Keidanren Nature Conservation FundJapan Foundation Asia Center Grant Program for Enhancing People-to-People Exchange

4Asian Wetland Symposium 2017 Executive Commttee:
Yukihiro Shimatani (Kyushu University / Japan Wetland Society, Japan)
Yoshihiro Natori (Wetlands International Japan, Japan)
Motokazu Ando (Ramsar Center Japan, Japan)
Masaru Horikami (Ministry of the Environment, Japan)
Gunji Aramaki (Local Organizing Committee, Japan)
International Steering Committee:
Ajit Pattnaik (Wetland International South Asia, India)
Bishnu Bhandari (Nepal Wetland Society, Nepal)
Chen Kelin (Wetlands International – China, China)
Chris Rostron (Wetland Link International, UK)
Gea-Jae Joo (Pusan National University, Korea)
Gunji Aramaki (Local Organizing Committee, Japan)
Hiroji Isozaki (Sophia University, Japan)
Kazuaki Hoshino (Kagoshima University, Japan)
Lew Young (Ramsar Convention Secretariat, Switzerland)
Masaru Horikami (Ministry of the Environment, Japan)
Mashhor Mansor (Universiti Sains Malaysia, Malaysia)
Motokazu Ando (Ramsar Center Japan, Japan)
Naoya Furuta (IUCN Japan Liaison Office / Taisho University, Japan)
Reiko Nakamura (Ramsar Center Japan, Japan)
Sanowar Hossain (Bangladesh POUSH, Bangladesh)
Sansanee Choowaew (Mahidol University, Thailand)
Seung-Oh Suh (Ramsar Regional Center – East Asia, Korea)
Yoshihiro Natori (Wetlands International Japan, Japan)
Yuki Arai (Japan Wetland Society, Japan)
Yukihiro Shimatani (Japan Wetland Society / Kyushu University, Japan)

Asian Wetland Symposium 2017 Executive Committee Secretariat
Chief of Secretariat:

Emiko Nagakura

Deputy Chief:

Reiko Nakamura

c/o Wetlands International Japan
2F Jono Building 2, 17-1 Nihonbashi-Odenmacho, Chuo-ku,
Tokyo 103-0011, Japan
tel: +81-3-5614-2150 fax: +81-3-6806-4187
E-mail: info@aws2017.org
http://aws2017.org/

Introduction

5

Yukihiro Shimatani
President, Asian Wetland Symposium 2017 Executive Committee
The Asian Wetland Symposium (AWS) 2017 with a theme“Wetlands for Sustainable Life” was held in Saga, Japan from 7
to 11 November 2017. The organizers were the Ministry of theEnvironment of Japan, Wetlands International Japan, Ramsar
Center Japan, and Japan Wetland Society. The co-organizers
were Saga Prefecture, Kumamoto Prefecture, Saga City, Kashima
City, Arao City, Ramsar Regional Center – East Asia, International
Lake Environment Committee Foundation, and Wetland Link
International Asia. There were approximately 470 participants
including about 150 overseas participants from 27 predominantly Asian countries and regions.
This book compiles the results of the symposium.
Following the first AWS that was held in Otsu and Kushiro,
Japan in October 1992, the symposium has been held in Malaysia, India, Vietnam, China, and Cambodia, and this AWS Saga
2017 was the 8th meeting of the symposium. Also, the year 2017
marks the 25th anniversary of the first AWS.
The first AWS was co-organized by NGOs and the governmentof Japan. It was an epoch-making experiment at that time. The
NGO Ramsar Center Japan planned to organize a symposium inorder to increase the number of Contracting Parities to the Ramsar
Convention in Asia. The Environment Agency (Now the Ministry of
the Environment) invited 5th Meeting of the Conference of theContracting Parties (COP5) of the Convention held in Kushiro, 1993
and planned the Pre-COP5 Meeting in 1992. Therefore, the Secretary General of the Convention recommended that the Environment Agency and Ramsar Center Japan jointly organize thesymposium.
A Conference of the Contracting Parties (COP) is an intergovernmental meeting. Compared with COP, AWS is a regional
forum that provides opportunities to diverse target groups suchas policymakers, managers, NGOs, donors, promoters, academicians, researchers, practitioners and students, to share andlearn knowledge, wisdom and practical experience on conservation, sustainable management and wise use of wetlands in Asia.
Its usefulness was also recognized in the Resolution IX.19: “Theimportance of the regional wetland symposia in effectively
implementing the Ramsar Convention” and it endorsed the continuation of the periodic Asian Wetland Symposia.
In the past 25 years, the number of Ramsar Sites was increased
from 9 to 50 in Japan. The number of NGOs engaging with conservation of local wetlands and their biodiversity has been increased.
There is progress in activities by municipalities related to Ramsar
Sites in Japan.The wetland environmental education targeting thenext generation was also implemented, and on the academic side
the Japan Wetlands Society was established. In Asia, the numberof the Contracting Parties to the Ramsar Convention was increased
from 11 countries to 33 countries, and collaboration among parties
is also progressing.
On the other hand, conservation and wise use of wetlands, participation of relevant stakeholders, and concrete planning andmanagement have not achieved sufficient results. In addition,issues such as climate change, sea level rise, intensification ofnatural disasters, etc.: which were not well recognized 25 years
ago, became a big problem. The function of wetlands to contributeto disaster risk reduction has been drawing attention.
Based on this background, the overall objective of AWS 2017

was to review achievements, practices, progress, and challenges
related to conservation and wise use of wetlands in Asia in thepast quarter century, and consider what should be done: looking
towards the next quarter century and beyond, to mainstream
conservation and wise use of wetlands in order to contribute to
the Ramsar Strategic Plan 2016 – 2024, the Aichi Biodiversity
Targets and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
In nine sessions, a total of 68 oral presentations and questions
and answer sessions were held. There were also 109 presentations in total in the poster sessions, and those poster presentations were conducted interactively and with active involvementby participants. Topics of sessions were as follows: Wetlands andDisaster Risk Reduction / Climate Change, Wetlands and Policy /Changes / International Cooperation, Wetlands and Use of Natural
Resources / Agriculture / Fisheries / Food Security, Urban Wetlands / Wetland City / Natural Infrastructure, Wetlands and Youth,
Wetlands and Sustainable Tourism, Wetlands and Culture, Wetlands and CEPA (Communication, Capacity building, Education,
Participation and Awareness) / ESD (Education for Sustainable
Development), and Wetlands and Biodiversity / Restoration /Reintroduction.v
In the afternoon of the first day, "Ariake Sea Session" had 9
presentations on how the nature and people around the Ariake
Sea are related and people received benefits from the sea. In
addition, the Mayors Roundtable was held among three local city
mayors with tidal flats Ramsar Sites along the Ariake Sea and theSuncheon City Mayor of the Republic of Korea.
Three field visits of the Saga course, Kashima course, andArao course were held on the third day.
In the afternoon on the fourth day, the "Saga Statement" wasadopted after discussions with the participants. On 11th November, a public symposium was held and AWS 2017 was closed. Inorder to avoid the Saga Statement becoming too long, the text
describes only the most important points of all sessions, and thepoints discussed at each session were included in the Annex.
The results of AWS 2017 including the Saga statement were
input to the Ramsar Pre-COP13 Asia Regional Meeting held in Sri
Lanka in February 2018, and will be input to the COP13 to be heldin Dubai in October 2018.
The Japan Wetland Society, which is in the 10th year since its
establishment, became an organizer as an initiative to start international efforts, and it was an opportunity for the academic
society to gain good experience. Also, it seems that it was a goodexperience for the youth to train themselves to plan and organize
the "Wetlands and Youth" session to cultivate young people whowill be responsible for the next generation. In addition, the cooperation among the three municipalities and stakeholders ofRamsar Sites along the Ariake Sea, Higashiyoka-higata, Hizen
Kashima-higata, and Arao-higata were further strengthened.
Finally, AWS 2017 became very fruitful, in large part throughthe local cooperation with Saga Prefecture, Saga City, Kashima
City, Arao City, Kyushu University, Saga University, and several
NGOs. They are members of the Local Organizing Committee andworked together with the Executive Committee. I would like toexpress my sincere gratitude for their hard work and hospitality.

Saga Statement

6

Asian Wetland Symposium
Saga, Japan
7 to 11 November 2017
Introduction
1. RECOGNIZING the 25 years of Asian Wetland Symposiums (AWS) held in Japan, Malaysia, India, Vietnam, China,
and Cambodia, that have contributed to understanding wetlands in Asia, influencing national and international
wetland policies and plans, and promoting conservation and wise use of wetlands. Additionally ACKNOWLEDGING
the statements from the previous seven AWS and the publication of the history of the AWS in the period 1992–2017;
2. ACKNOWLEDGING the importance of AWS 2017 in Saga City, Japan from 7th to 11th November, with the theme“Wetlands for Sustainable Life”, with the overall objective to review achievements, practices, progress, and challenges faced related to conservation of wetlands in Asia and consider what should be done to mainstream conservation and wise use of wetlands. The AWS hosted 470 participants from 27 countries and regions;
3. NOTING Saga City faces the Ariake Sea, Kyushu encompassing the tidal flats i.e. Arao-higata, Hizen Kashima-higata,
Higashiyoka-higata, that have been designated as Ramsar Sites, where the water systems provide valuable ecosystem services and have been traditionally used by local people, leading to the adoption of the Saga Water Statement(Saga Mizu Sengen) in 2003;
4. RECOGNIZING the increasing severe impacts of disasters being accelerated by climate change, and the fact that Asia
is the most disaster prone region in the world, and the damage caused by floods that occurred very recently in northern Kyushu in July 2017;
5. RECALLING the Aichi Biodiversity Targets, the Sendai Framework on Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030, Sustainable
Development Goals and other relevant international treaties such as the Convention on Wetlands, the Convention on
Biological Diversity and the Paris Agreement of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change;
6. AWARE OF the keynote presentations, nine oral sessions and field visits to the Ariake Sea and important tidal flatsincluding Ramsar Sites. Innovative sessions at the AWS included Ariake Sea Session, Youth Session, Mayor’s Roundtable, Participatory Poster Sessions, which were highlighted as that accelerated proactive communication among
different stakeholders and generations; and7. RECOGNIZING the usefulness of interactive and participatory poster sessions not only to promote effective peer-learning that can overcome barriers among various generations, stakeholders, cultures and academic backgrounds, butalso to support future actions on the ground.
We, the participants of this symposium, declare as follows;
1. Enhance Networking and Collaboration among wetland sites
We affirm the recommendation of the Mayor’s Roundtable on the importance of cooperation and collaboration (local,
national and international) between Ramsar Sites and other wetlands with common characteristics and context foreffective conservation and wise use inspired by champions at each site, and informed by both good and poor practices.
2. Ensure a Holistic Approach to Conserve Coastal Wetland Ecosystems
We have learned from the history and ongoing research of Ariake Sea including the serious damages caused by large
scale developments at other coastal sites across the region, we must take a holistic approach at landscape level. We
also need to work at appropriate scales to conserve, restore coastal wetland ecosystems throughout Asia.
3. Implement Ecosystem-based Disaster Risk Reduction (Eco-DRR)
We recognize the importance of Eco-DRR actions on the ground by combining with traditional practices and scientificknowledge, quantifying its effectiveness through research, and pursue its incorporation into policies, legal frameworks
or administrative measures at national and local levels.
4. Conserve and Revive Urban Wetlands
We recognize the important role of urban as well as peri-urban wetlands in providing ecosystem services and insustaining and re-establishing the connection between humans and nature. Therefore we call for urban wetlands to beincorporated into urban land use planning and legal frameworks, CEPA for urban decision makers, private developers
to be encouraged to adopt good practices so that they can be conserved and restored as healthy ecosystems.
5. Encourage Responsible Wetland Tourism
We highlight that conserving wetland ecosystems can serve as the foundation for successful implementation of
responsible tourism (e.g. Suncheon Bay (R.O. Korea) and Chilika Lake (India)), which can be a model to achieve economic development and wetland conservation.

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6. Enhance Local Production Initiatives in Wetlands
We learn from many best practices introduced by various participants, e.g. by appropriate branding such as Ramsar
Logo, which demonstrate that sustainable agriculture, fishery or forestry could not only revitalize local communities by
providing added-values to local economies, but also maintain and rehabilitate wetlands.
7. Ensure Youth Leadership in Wetland Conservation
We recognize the capacity of youth to exchange ideas between various stakeholders, build networks, andactively
participate in various wetland conservation actions. We expect youth leadership to enable the AWS to continue its vital
contribution to effective wetlands management.
8. Deliver CEPA Programs that lead to Direct Conservation Actions
We acknowledge the importance of structured, targeted and long-term approach supported by sustainable financeand skilled staff to deliver CEPA program which leads to positive conservation outcomes on the ground. We need toreplicate and disseminate those good practice across the region through existing structures and partnerships.
We urge all Contracting Parties to the Convention on Wetlands, organizations, participants and concerned citizens tobuild upon the first 25 years of the AWS to ensure the AWS continues to fill its vital role into the future.
Lastly, thanking the Government of Japan, Saga Prefecture, Kumamoto Prefecture and Saga City, Kashima City, Arao
City, Ramsar Regional Center-East Asia and all sponsors and supporters for their generosity and hospitality in successfully hosting the Asian Wetland Symposium in Saga, from 7th to 11th November 2017.
And that the organizers seek the support and assistance of the Government of Japan to convey this statement to theforthcoming Asian Regional Meeting on the Convention on Wetlands, the 13th Meeting of the Conference of the Contracting Parties to the Convention to be held in Dubai in October 2018.
Saga, 10 November 2017Annex
The Saga Statement highlights the most significant messages extracted from all the sessions of the AWS 2017. This
Annex illustrates the key discussion points and specific examples that are not included in the Saga Statement, but areconsidered to be particularly important.
Ariake Sea (including Field Visits)
1. Tidal flats (“Higata” in Japanese) nurture not only numerous living organisms but also a variety of culture that wasborn through wise use of wetlands. In order to pursue a truly sustainable society, we must make efforts to hand overboth rich biodiversity and the culture derived from tidal flats to our future generations.
2. Three courses of field visits, namely the Saga Course, Kashima Course and Arao Course were organized in andaround the three Ramsar Sites in Ariake Sea. In Saga Course, we recognized the potential of attractive eco-tourism
program in Saga, where tourists can enjoy and learn about wetlands comprehensively, not only on the ecosystemsof river and tidal flats, but also on wise use and cultural values of wetlands. In Kashima Course, we acknowledgedthat wetlands play an important role in purifying water, realizing the growth of Sake (Japanese rice wine) industry,
which now serves as a main pillar of the local community’s economy. In Arao course, we understood that we should
not rely on a single income source from tourism alone; it is better to pursue multiple income sources for a moresustainable economy. Since Ariake Sea is blessed with rich wetland products such as crabs, fish and seaweeds, combining tourism with such wetland based industries would enable the region to promote sustainable economic development. Another important finding was that a traditional land reclamation method used in Japan for four hundredyears may serve as a low cost and an environmentally-friendly technique, compared to the modern technology.
Wetlands and Disaster Risk Reduction / Climate Change
1. Recognizing the increasing impacts of disasters accelerated by climate change particularly in the Asian region, andconfirming the wetland’s huge potential for ecosystem-based disaster risk reduction (Eco-DRR) and climate change
mitigation and adaptation, we should further strengthen international partnerships to promote sharing of knowledge(including scientific, traditional, local knowledge and good/poor practices).

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2. Recognizing the huge carbon stock of mangroves and sea grass beds (i.e. Blue Carbon), peatlands and soil, we
should further promote research and effective countermeasures to reduce the carbon emissions from wetlands andwatersheds. Check dams that may prevent soil erosion, and prevention of peatland fire through introduction ofnon-burning agriculture techniques were discussed as some of the countermeasures for climate change mitigation.
3. Recognizing the rapid change of the socio-economic and environmental status of each region, local self-governanceshould be strengthened to enable community-based adaptive management. In order to strengthen local self-governance, we should provide sufficient opportunities for the local, vulnerable communities to participate in decision
making processes (e.g. develop village action plans) through effective facilitation.
Wetlands and Policy / Change / International Cooperation
1. Recognizing the fact that a significant number of wetlands in the Asia-Pacific is transboundary, we recommend thatmonitoring data should be shared through an international network, and such data should be effectively utilized in
identifying the issues and in promoting collaborative actions for wetland conservation through regional and international cooperation in the Asia-Pacific.
2. Learning from the experience of conserving Black-faced Spoonbills, usage of attractive and/or daily accessible tools(e.g. fashion goods and social networking services) is recommended to connect various stakeholders in different
generations, which can form a basis of regional and international cooperation.
Wetlands and Use of Natural Resources / Agriculture / Fisheries / Food Security
1. Recognizing the increasing impacts of climate change on the livelihoods of vulnerable communities, we recommend
to develop and disseminate climate-resilient sustainable agriculture/fisheries techniques (e.g. water saving agriculture) throughout the Asia-Pacific region.
2. The experience of the Locally Managed Marine Areas (LMMA) in Fiji is considered as a form of Satoumi. Community-driven wetland management based on traditional governance systems involving traditional knowledge, customary tenure and resource access, traditional decision making processes, traditional social networks are capable ofenhancing pride, ownership, adaptive capacity, and collective community efforts in sustainably managing the wetlands.
3. Learning from the good practices in producing the White Stork’s Rice, more efforts should be made to develop andextend techniques that can restore wildlife habitats in the landscapes of agriculture/fisheries (e.g. maintaining water
for a longer period in rice paddies).
Urban Wetlands / Wetland City / Natural Infrastructure
All the key messages from this session were included in the Saga Statement.
Wetlands and Youth
1. We, the youth, should make further efforts in conducting a wide variety of attractive activities such as singing,
dancing, cooking, drawing, making exhibits in festivals etc. particularly in public institutions including schools, community centers, hospitals, nursing homes, etc. in order to promote CEPA among people with low environmental
awareness.
2. We, the youth recognize the necessity to brush up our knowledge and skills in order to make more contributions in
the future. We would like to make further efforts not only to obtain scientific knowledge but also to train our communication / presentation / facilitation skills from professionals through actively participating in volunteer activities orinternships related to wetland conservation.
Wetlands and Sustainable Tourism
1. Based on the past experiences, we learned that local communities with abundant knowledge on local natural
resources have a potential to play a significant role in alleviating the negative impacts of tourisms on natural ecosystems. Involvement of local communities should therefore be further promoted in order to pursue responsible
tourism.
2. Recalling the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, we recommend to provide tourists with on-the-site experience atwetland sites (e.g. enjoying food directly harvested from wetlands), so that the connection between tourists andwetlands will become stronger, and the tourists’ motivation toward wetland conservation and wise use will beenhanced.
3. Entry fees, Crab Banks (increasing crab population and utilize the crabs as tourism resources) and utilization of
payment for ecosystem services are considered as good practices to simultaneously realize wetland conservationand income generation through sustainable tourism. In addition, appropriate regulatory control and environmental
monitoring should also be conducted to ensure responsible tourism.
4. Recognizing the fact that the correct definition of “sustainable tourism” under the World Tourism Organization is not
being utilized properly, more efforts should be made to disseminate the proper definition.

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Wetlands and Culture
1. Cultures do not derive from unused and forgotten wetlands. Since wetland cultures need many years to develop,
having wetland culture is a synonym that wetland has been wisely used.
2. Among the major ecosystem services (functions for provision, control and culture), it should be noted that provisionfunction including supply of food, water, housing, clothes are all deeply connected with culture.
3. Wetlands have site-specific, symbolic values for local people. These values have potential to serve as the most powerful driving force for wetland conservation from a bottom-up approach.
4. Not only nature with limitation of seasonality, but also culture is an indispensable part of sustainable tourism toinvite more visitors.
5. To clarify the characteristics of Asian wetland cultures, comparison with those of other regions would be beneficial
in the next step.
Wetlands and CEPA / Education for Sustainable Development
1. Wetland centers are places where people and wildlife interact and when any activity related to communication,
capacity building, education, participation, and awareness (CEPA) occurs that contribute to wetland conservation.
The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands recognizes wetland centers as key places for learning about the conservation
and wise use of wetlands through CEPA interventions, and as catalysts for activities that support the implementationof the Fourth Ramsar Strategic Plan 2016-2024 (Ramsar COP12 Resolution XII.9). Wetland centers are important vehicles that convey messages and encourage behavior change and actions for wetland advocates and stakeholders.
2. Wetland centers can maximize their impact by joining a network of wetland centers. Through the network, expertise,resources, experience and best practices are shared among the members of the network. Wetland centers can belinked at the sub-national, national and international levels. Wetland Link International (WLI) is a global network of
wetland centers that supports the development of new and enhancement of existing wetland centers. WLI - Asia
facilitates the coordination among members in Asia. The Ramsar Regional Center - East Asia (RRC-EA) currently acts
as the Secretariat of WLI-Asia.
Wetlands and Biodiversity / Restoration / Reintroduction
1. Confirming the research outcomes that indicate a higher productivity in sites with higher biodiversity, we recognizethat maintaining ecosystem services derived from biodiversity can serve as the foundation for improved agriculture
and fisheries practices in the long run.
2. Learning from the experiences of Nakaumi Lake, movements by local communities can play a key role in preventing
negative impacts from development projects, and promoting designation of wetlands as Ramsar Sites. However,
due to lack of coordination among stakeholders, community-based management alone is not sufficient to prevent
wetland degradation. Comprehensive strategy combining political, economic, social and technological approach
would be necessary to conserve wetlands in the long term.

10Program (6–11 November 2017)
6 (Mon) November
9:00 – 18:00

6th Wetland Link Internatioanl-Asia Conference

Flower Hall C (2nd Floor)

14:00 – 18:00

On-site registration of AWS2017

In front of Flower Hall (2nd Floor)

7 (Tue) November
8:30 –
9:30

On-site registration

Entrance Lobby (1st Floor)

Opening of AWS2017

9:30 – 10:00

10:00 – 11:40
10:00 – 10:25

Opening Ceremony
Plenary keynote presentations
The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands towards the Sustainable Development Goals
Lew Young, Senior Regional Advisor for Asia – Oceania, the Ramsar Convention Secretariat

10:25 – 10:50

Conservation Strategy on Wetlands and Biodiversity of Japan

Naohisa Okuda, Biodiversity Policy Division, Nature Conservation Bureau, Ministry of the Environment, Japan
10:50 – 11:15

Flower Hall
(2nd Floor)

The 25th Anniversary of AWS and the Prospects for the Next 25 Years
Hiroji Isozaki, Visiting Professor of Sophia University

11:15 – 11:40

Restoration of Chilika Lake: A Journey from Montreux Record to Ramsar Wetland
Conservation Award, and the Way forward
Ajit K. Pattnaik, Vice President, Wetlands International South Asia

11:40 – 13:30

Lunch Break

12:00 – 13:00

Side Event: Commemorating 25th Anniversary of Asian Wetland Symposium
Organizer: Ramsar Center Japan

13:30 – 16:00

Ariake Sea Session
Convener: Gunji Aramaki / Yasuhisa Henmi / Yuichi Hayami

Flower Hall
(2nd Floor)

Characteristics of the Marine Environment in Ariake Sea
Yuichi Hayami, Saga University

Animals and Plants in Tidal Flat of Ariake Sea
Yasuhisa Henmi, Kumamoto University

Reproduction of Mudskippers: Aerial Embryos Developing in a Mudflat Burrow
Atsushi Ishimatsu, Nagasaki University

Wild Birds in Ariake Sea (Past, Present, and Future)
Akiyuki Miyahara, Wild Bird Society of Japan, Saga
13:30 – 16:00

Toward Restoration of Ariake Sea by Means of an Integrated Studies “CoHHO”
Collaborated with Its Relevant Social Movement “The Sea is Longing for the Forest”
Masaru Tanaka, Kyoto University

Flower Hall
(2nd Floor)

Efforts toward Revitalization and Creation of Ariake Sea
Yoshiyuki Kawakami, Ariake Bay Rehabilitation Organization

Traditional Fisheries of Ariake Sea

Kango Nakao, MAE-UMI Citizens’ Association, independent photographer

Festival and Culture in Ariake Sea Coastal Area

Gunji Aramaki, Specified Nonprofit Corporation, Ariakekai Gururin Net

The History of Nori Farming in Tokyo Bay and Trial to Pass Down It to Later Generation
Fumihiro Koyama, Nori no furusato kai (Omori Nori Museum)

16:00 – 16:10
16:10 – 16:15

Introduction of National Geographic Society – Asia

Jay Lee, National Geographic Society – Asia

Introduction of Nagao Natural Environment Foundation and Its Research Grant

Tomoko Oizumi, Nagao Natural Environment Foundation

16:15 – 16:40

Break

16:40 – 18:10

Mayors Roundtable: Conservation and Wise Use of the Ramsar Sites
Coordinator: Yukihiro Shimatani

16:40 – 18:10

Presentation by Toshihiko Asada, Mayor of Arao City
Presentation by Hisatoshi Higuchi, Mayor of Kashima City
Presentation by Yasumori Mikuriya, Deputy Mayor of Saga City
Presentation by Choong Hoon Cho, Mayor of Suncheon City, Korea
Discussion

18:10 – 18:30

Break

18:30 – 20:30

Welcome Reception

Flower Hall
(2nd Floor)

Harmony Hall (1st Floor)

8 (Wed) November
8:30 –

On-site registration

9:00 – 11:30

Session 1: Wetlands and Disaster Risk Reduction / Climate Change

9:00 – 9:25

Keynote: The Role of Wetlands for Disaster Risk Reduction
Naoya Furuta, Taisho University / IUCNIn front of
Flower Hall (2nd Floor)
Flower Hall B and C(2nd Floor)

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9:25 – 9:40

Carbon Retention in Sediment by Check Dams in Phayao Province, Thailand
Chotiwut Techakijvej, Chiang Mai University

9:40 – 9:55

Evaluating the Impacts of Hydrological Variations on Carbon Fluxes in TropicalPeatlands
Chandrashekhar Deshmukh, Asia Pacific Resources International Limited (APRIL)

9:55 – 10:10

Lessons Learned in Building Community Resilience: 100 Villages on the Bank of 3rdLargest River System of Peninsula of India in 5 years
Saswata Kumar Mohapatra, NET – COAST

10:10 – 10:25

Impact of Climate Change on the Wetlands of Bangladesh
Sanowar Hossain, Bangladesh POUSH

10:25 – 10:40

Reducing Fire on Peatlands in Indonesia – Experiences and Lessons Learnt from anInternational Cooperation Project in West Kalimantan,Indonesia

Flower Hall B and C(2nd Floor)

Yuki Arai, University of Tokyo / Japan Wetlands Society
10:40 – 10:55

Interventions for Wetland Conservation in the Pampanga River Basin and Candaba
Wetlands, Philippines
Minerva J Martinez, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Philippines

10:55 – 11:10

Huge Water Channel Construction Project with Nature and Human Friendly Approachin the Sendai River
Kiyofumi Kobayashi, Kyushu University Graduate School of Engineering

11:10 – 11:25

Wetlands for a Disaster Resilient Asia: Legal Agenda
Amado Jr. Samala Tolentino, Ramsar Center Japan

9:00 – 11:30
9:00 – 9:25

Session 2: Wetlands and Policy / Changes / International Cooperation
Keynote: China’s New National Policy on the System of Wetland Conservation and
Restoration
Yan Fang, State Forestry Administration, China

9:25 – 9:40

Ramsar COP as a Turning Point of Awareness and the Present Activities: Some Cases
to Promote Local Awareness through International Collaboration and Understanding
Impressing with the Concept of Wise Use
Yoshikatsu Kikuchi, Kushiro International Wetland Centre

9:40 – 9:55

Spoon – billed Sandpiper Conservation in the Internationally Importance Wetland Gulf
of Mottama
Pyae Phyo Aung, Biodiversity And Nature Conservation Association (BANCA)

9:55 – 10:10

The Montreux Record under the Ramsar Convention: An Eeffective Mechanism for
Promoting State Party Compliance?

Flower Hall A(2nd Floor)

Evan Hamman, Queensland University of Technology
10:10 – 10:25

The Establishment of Southeast Asian Limnological Society Network SEAL – Net
Mashhor Mansor, Universiti Sains Malaysia

10:25 – 10:40

Team SPOON: Creating Connection of People and Nature for Sustainable Society andEast Asia Peace
Akane Tokorodani, Tokyo Institute of Technology and Team SPOON

10:40 – 10:55

Yellow Sea Region Coordinated Waterbird Survey
Kelin Chen, Wetlands International – China

10:55 – 11:10

Opportunities to Promote Cooperation on the Conservation and Wise Use of Wetlands
between Asia and the PacificSolongo Khurelbaatar, Ramsar Convention on Wetlands

11:30 – 13:30
11:30 – 12:00
11:30 – 13:30

Lunch BreakCore time for Poster Session I*During this core time, each poster presenter is required to stand at the front of his/her poster to explain to anddiscuss with the audience

Symphony Hall
(2nd Floor)

Session 5 -1: Wetlands and Youth – Part 1
Keynote: The Environmental Activities of Youth Ramsar Japan (YRJ), NGO Organizedby Students Ranging from Junior High School Students to Graduate Students
Takuma Satoh, Youth Ramsar Japan

Fundamental Study on Conservation and Restoration of River Estuaries Habitat Classification of Estuary and Their Transitions since 1900s
Atsushi Tanabe, Kumamoto University

The Value of Wetlands and What We Students Should Do for It — Take Hengshuihu
Wetlands for Example
Yiqing Hu, Wetlands International-China
11:30 – 13:30

Ariake Room
(3rd floor)

My Observation of Satus of Wetland

Wenling Kou, Beijing University Affiliated High School

Obligation to the Wetland Conservation of the Youth
Ruichen Zhang, Beijing No� 14 High School

The Youth Frontier Transforming Waste to Wealth – A Case of Novel Efforts by Young
Entrepreneurs towards the Struggle for Depolluting the Holy River Ganges
Sreeya Patnaik, Xavier Institute of Management

Can youth help wetlands?

Fumi Kasahara and Ibuki Kurumatuka, Osaki Ikimono club

CEPA activities of Taishi High School Science Club
Takahiro Fukushima, Kumamoto Prefectural Taishi High School3

12
Activities of Yonago Waterbird Sanctuary Jr.Ranger Club to Foster Mind for Protecting
Wonderful Our Local Nature to the Next Generation
Hiromi Hayashi, Yonago waterbird sanctuary, Ranger Club

Youth-in-Action for Ecosystem-based Disaster Risk Reduction (Eco-DRR) andEcosystem-based Adaptation (EbA)

11:30 – 13:30

Darry Shel Malla Estorba, Society for the Conservation of Philippine Wetlands, Inc

The Study of Grey Water Footprint of Inorganic-Rice Cultivation for The Lower Central Plain
Management in Thailand: Case Study in Nakhonchaisi District, Nakhon pathom Province

Ariake Room
(3rd floor)

Nichakant Kerdnamchai, Mahidol University

River Continuum Concept and Ecological Health Monitoring of Loei River, NorthEastern Thailand
Thanayaporn Katesuja, Chiang Mai University

12:00 – 13:00

12:00 – 13:00
13:30 – 15:30
13:30 – 13:55

Side Event: Population Decline of Migratory Waterbirds and Habitat Changes –Shorebirds as Indicators
Organizers: EAAFP Secretariat / Ramsar Network Japan / BirdLife International Tokyo
Side Event: Why Otters Are Recovering Elsewhere in the World?
Organizers: Otter Research Group Japan / Ramsar Center Japan

Flower Hall A(2nd Floor)
Flower Hall B and C(2nd Floor)

Session 3: Wetlands and Use of Natural Resources / Agriculture / Fisheries /Food Security
Keynote: Living in Harmony with Nature
Muneharu Nakagai, Toyooka City

13:55 – 14:10

Lake Urmia Restoration via Local Community Participation in Sustainable Agriculture
Neda Asad Falsafi Zadeh, Iran Department of Environment

14:10 – 14:25

Response of Freshwater Farmers to the Environmental Changes: a Case Study of Thailand
Suvaluck Satumanatpan, Mahidol University

14:25 – 14:40

National Reclamation Project and “Ariake Sea Disaster”: “Open – gate Survey” for the
Harmony of Healthy Fishery and Agriculture

Flower Hall B and C(2nd Floor)

Tamotsu Sugenami, The Ariake Sea Network of Fishermen and Citizens
14:40 – 14:55

Locally Managed Marine Areas (LMMAs) – A Pathway to Holistic and Integrated Island
Management and Sustainable Development: A Fiji Case Example
Alifereti Tawake, Network International, Fiji

14:55 – 15:10

New Forest Commons towards Solving the Underuse of Satoyama from Fishers’
Initiatives in Japan
Shimpei Iwasaki, Fukuoka Women’s University

13:30 – 15:30
13:30 – 13:55

Session 4: Urban Wetlands / Wetland City / Natural Infrastructure
Keynote: Urban Wetlands and Governance Challenges in the Two Indian Mega Cities ofChennai and Bengaluru
Sandhya Chandrasekharan, Centre for Biodiversity Policy and Law CEBPOL of the National Biodiversity Authority

13:55 – 14:10

Making a Wooden Footbridge Connecting Nature and People in an Artificial Wetland
Akihiko Higuchi, Kyushu University

14:25 – 14:40

Conservation of Karang Mumus River and Swamps di North Samarinda: Efforts by
Clean Karang Mumus River Movement and Stakeholders’ Responses
Martinus Nanang, Mulawarman University

14:40 – 14:55

Flower Hall A(2nd Floor)

Horseshoe Crab Habitat Conservation and Coastal Zone Management in Japan
Satoquo Seino, Kyushu University

14:55 – 15:10

Urban Wetlands and Mosquito Born Disease Problem in Chiang Mai, Thailand
Panida Rahong, Chiang Mai University

15:10 – 15:25

Wetland Services for Elementary Urban Planning: Perspective from Bangladesh
Abu Jubayer, Local Government Engineering Department (LGED)

15:30 – 16:00
16:00 – 18:00

16:00 – 18:00
16:00 – 16:25

Break
Session 5-2: Wetlands and Youth – Part 2
Discussion based session among young particpants on the theme of “What kind ofactivities can youth do for the conservation and wise use of wetlands in the future?”
Session 6: Wetlands and Sustainable Tourism
Keynote: Entry Fees for Environmental Services in Community Based Ecotourism: An
Experience from Bishazaari Wetland of Nepal
Maheshwar Dhakal, Ministry of Forests and Soil Conservation, Nepal

16:25 – 16:40

To Bring Awareness of Appreciation for the Culture & Environment by Providing Low
Impact Activities that Promote Conservation & Preservation through Socially Responsible
and Environmentally Sensitive Interaction with People, Landscape and Ecosystems

Flower Hall B and C(2nd Floor)

Flower Hall A(2nd Floor)

Kasimiro Talemaivatuwiri Taukeinikoro, Rivers Fiji Ltd
16:40 – 16:55

Promoting the Implementation of Environmental Treaties for Sustainable Tourism:
In the Light of the Ramsar Convention
Shiina Suzuki, Sophia University Graduate School of Global Environment

16:55 – 17:10

Biodiversity Value of Meinmahla Kyun Wildlife Sanctuary Ramsar Site and Developmentof Ecotourism for the Communities
Zau Lunn, Fauna & Flora International – Myanmar

17:10 – 17:25

Initiative by the Reformed Bird Hunters of Mangalajodi Marsh, Chilika Lake, India for
Successful Conservation of Biodiversity and Sustainable Tourism
Ajit Kumar Pattnaik, Wetlands International South Asia

17:25 – 17:40

Integration of Visits to Crab Banks in Sustainable Tourism
Sansanee Choowaew, Mahidol University

Flower Hall A(2nd Floor)

13
18:00 – 18:30
18:00 – 18:30
18:30 – 20:30
18:30 – 18:55

BreakCore Time for Poster Session II*During this core time, each poster presenter is required to stand at the front of his/her poster to explain to anddiscuss with the audience

Symphony Hall
(2nd Floor)

Session 7: Wetlands and Culture
Ketonte: Wetland Culture in Conservation: Meaning, Concept & Application
Bishnu B. Bhandari, Nepal Wetlands Society

18:55 – 19:10

Bio – cultural Diversity and Flood Control in the Kameoka Basin Floodplain
Katsue Fukamachi, Kyoto University

19:10 – 19:25

People’s Perception towards Wetland Culture

Flower Hall A(2nd Floor)

Puspa Lal Pokhrel, Tribhuvan University
19:25 – 19:40

Influence of Wetland in the Culture of Bangladesh
Tapas Ranjan Chakraborty, Jahangirnagar University

18:30 – 19:30

Side Event: Learning about Wetlands through Wetland Education Centers
Organizer: Ramsar Regional Center -East Asia (RRC-EA)

Flower Hall B and C(2nd Floor)

9 (Thu) November: Filed visits
8:00 – 18:30

Arao Course

7:45

Getting together at the entrance hall of Hotel Grande Hagakure

8:00

Bus starting from the hotel (punctually) – 9:40 Isahaya Reclamation Project Site – 11:20 Port Taira – (by ferry) – 12:50 Port
Nagasu -13:10 Lunch at Hotel Verde – 14:30 Manda-ko Miike Mining Herigtage – 16:00 Arao -higata Ramsar Site – 18:30
Hotel Grande Hagakure

8:30 – 17:00

Saga Course

8:15

Getting together at the entrance hall of Hotel Grande Hagakure

8:30

Bus starting from the hotel (punctually) – 8:50 Saga Eco Plaza – 10:15 Saga Water History Museium - 11:30 Lunch at a local
restaurant – 12:15 Higashiyoka-higata Ramsar Site – 14:20 Mietsu Naval Dock Heritage Site – Saga Baloon Museum – 17:00
Hotel Grande Hagakure

9:00 – 17:00

Kashima Course

8:45

Getting together at the entrance hall of Hotel Grande Hagakure

9:00

Bus starting from the hotel (punctually) – 10:00 Hizen Kashima-higata Ramsar Site – 11:20 Yutoku Inari Shrine and Lunch –13:30 Hamayado Historical Walk – 15:00 Michi no Eki and Higata Museum Center – 17:00 Hotel Grande Hagakure

10 (Fri) November
8:30 –

On-site registration

9:00 – 11:30

Session 8: Wetlands and CEPA (Communication, Capacity building, Education,
Participation and Awareness) / ESD (Education for Sustainable Development)

9:00 – 9:25

In front of
Flower Hall (2nd Floor)

Keynote: Localizing ESD Best Practice for Wetland Conservation- From Mai Po Nature
Reserve to South China Region
Lydia Lee, WWF-Hong Kong

9:25 – 9:40

Building Capacity of the Local Communities Towards Conservation and Wise Use of
Wetlands through CEPA Approach in Eastern Part of India
Durga Prasad Dash, Pallishree

9:40 – 9:55

Penang Seagrass Project – An Environmental Education Project to Encourage
Volunteerism & Field Educatio
Hong Jing Ng, Nature Classroom, Malaysia

9:55 – 10:10

Flower Hall B and C(2nd Floor)

How to Promote Flyway-wide Activities and Involve Key National Stakeholders
Tomoko Ichikawa, East Asian-Australasian Flyway Partnership

10:10 – 10:25

Adventure Time in Shezi Island, Tamsui River: Explore Our Hometown
Szu Ting Hsu, Guandu Nature Park

10:25 – 10:40

Efforts and Challenges for Coastal Stability and Conservation with Proper Natural
Resources Management in Sundarbans Region, Bangladesh
Hideki Sato, Japan Environmental Education Forum (JEEF)

10:40 – 10:55

BioBlitz in Hong Kong: Best Practice Sharing in Wetlands CEPA
Jenna Ho Marris, Tai Tam Tuk Eco Education Centre

10:55 – 11:10

Development of Wetland School in China
Xiuzhi Yang, Wetlands International-China

9:00 – 11:30
9:00 – 9:25

Session 9: Wetlands and Biodiversity / Restoration / Reintroduction
Keynote: Present status and future prospects of the nature restoration in coastallagoon Lake Nakaumi, Japan
Hidenobu Kunii, The Nature Restoration Committee of Lake Nakaumi

9:25 – 9:40

Flower Hall B and C(2nd Floor)

Flower Hall A(2nd Floor)

Haor of Bangladesh and Present Scenario
Md Golam Rabbi, Nature Conservation Society

9:40 – 9:55

Threats to the Biodiversity Rich Henoko/Oura bay – Ramsar Candidate Site
Mariko Abe, The Nature Conservation Society of Japan

Flower Hall A(2nd Floor)

14
9:55 – 10:10

Introduction to Configuration Concept of Aquatic Acrophytes in Lake Ecological
Restoration - An Example of Ecological Restoration in Gonghu Bay
Li Yan Qi, Research Association of Wuxi Wetland Protection and Construction

10:10 – 10:25

Anthropogenic Decline of the Mudflat-Specific Fauna and Flora in Japan: Significanceof the Restoration of the Estuary in Isahaya Bay in the Ariake Sea
Masanori Sato, Kagoshima University

10:25 – 10:40

Re-establishment of the Eurasian Otter in South Korea

Flower Hall A(2nd Floor)

Sungwon Hong, Pusan National University
10:40 – 10:55

Securing Management Measures of Wild Deer in Kushiro Marsh, the First Ramsar Site in Japan
Satoshi Kobayashi, Kushiro Public University

10:55 – 11:10

Linking Wetland Bird Ecology with Human Activities in Multiple-Use Wetlands in India
Shivona Suneel Bhojwani, Wildlife Conservation Society-India

11:30 – 13:30
11:30 – 12:00
13:30 – 16:30
13:30 – 14:15

Lunch BreakCore Time for Poster Session III*During this core time, each poster presenter is required to stand at the front of his/her poster to explain to anddiscuss with the audience

Symphony Hall
(2nd Floor)

Plenary Session
Summary of Sessions

Moderator: Emiko Nagakura

14:15 – 15:30

Discussion on Saga Statement

15:30 – 16:00

Break

16:00 – 16:30

Closing CeremonyAwarding Ceremony for AWS2017 Poster Award
Adoption of Saga Statement

16:30

Closing of AWS2017

Flower Hall A and B(2nd Floor)

Flower Hall A and B(2nd Floor)

11 (Sat) November
10:00 – 12:30

Public Symposium in Saga

The symposium aims at sharing the outputs of AWS2017 with local citizens including children
and youth activity involved in conservation of wetlands along the Ariale Sea coast.

Higashiyoka Cultural Hall*Working language of this public symposium is Japanese

Poster Session
8 (Wed) November
9:00 – 12:00
11:30 – 12:00

Poster Session I
Core Time*During this core time, each poster presenter is required to stand at the front of his/her poster to explain to anddiscuss with the audience

Presenters of Poster Session I
Jitendriya Naik (India) / Xin Qian (China) / Zheng Zang (Cnina) / Maria Retchie Pagliawan (Philippines)/ Yukio Nagahama (Japan) / Kengo Kurata (Japan) / Misuzu Aoki (Japan) / Ranjana UK Piyadasa (SriLanka) / Tapas Ranjan Chakraborty (Bangladesh) / Choon Beng How (Singapore) / Teruki Hamada (Japan)/ Fumiko Taura (Japan) / Prava Pandey (Nepal) / Yasuhiko Takeshita (Japan) / Eriko Takeuchi (Japan) /Eldar Rustamov (Kazakhstan) / Kimihiko Maekawa (Japan) / Kunihito Otonari (Japan) / Naoki Fujii (Japan)/ Miho Hiruma (Japan) / Yuji Morimoto (Japan) / Liangzhong Chen (China) / Md Golam Rabbi (Bangladesh)/ Asaduzzaman Miah (Bangladesh) / Wardi Kasinath (India) / Hye-Ji Oh (Korea) / Shigeya Nagayama(Japan) / Rika Fukumoto (Japan) / Natsumi Shimada (Japan) / Ryoichi Watanabe (Japan) / Toshihisa
Asano (Japan) / Nobumichi Kurosawa (Japan) / Masayuki Takada (Japan)
13:30 – 18:30
18:00 – 18:30

Symphony Hall
(2nd Floor)

Poster Session II
Core Time*During this core time, each poster presenter is required to stand at the front of his/her poster to explain to anddiscuss with the audience

Presenters of Poster Session II
Kiyofumi Kobayashi (Japan) / Muneyuki Nakaji (Japan) / Neda Asad Falsafi Zadeh (Iran) / Hiroshi
Tomida (Japan) / Takuji Arai (Japan) / Yoshiyasu Fujimura (Japan) / Muzzalifah Abd Hamid (Malaysia) /Haramaini Arifin (Malaysia) / Tatsuya Shibahara (Japan) / Soichi Okayama (Japan) / Chotika Ya-anan(Thailand) / Chindanai Jaitamart (Thailand) / Thakdanai Paotajai (Thailand) / Anastasia Volkova (Russia)/ Yuki Ozaki (Japan) / Haruki Kume (Japan) / Taiyou Kiyota (Japan) / Takuma Ezoe (Japan) / Takahiro
Araragi (Japan) / Gea-Jae Joo (Korea) / Joy M. Navarro (Philippines) / Yi-Fen Jan (China [Taiwan]) / Amy
M. Lecciones (Philippines) / Eui-Jeong Ko (Korea) / Shigekazu Ichiki (Japan) / Masumi Kimoto (Japan) /Kantaro Tabiraki (Japan) / Hiroshi Matsuura (Japan) / Naoki Fujii (Japan) / Siti Norasikin Ismail (Malaysia)/ László Bozó (Hungary) / Po-Hsiu Kuo (China [Taiwan]) / Tomoko Minagawa (Japan) / Takio Sano (Japan)/ Rasuna Mishima (Japan) / Sakura Maesaki (Japan) / Takuya Ishibashi (Japan) / Takuma Ono (Japan) /Min Thiha Zaw (Myanmar)

Symphony Hall
(2nd Floor)15
10 (Fri) November
9:00 – 12:00
11:30 – 12:00

Poster Session III
Core Time*During this core time, each poster presenter is required to stand at the front of his/her poster to explain to anddiscuss with the audience

Presenters of Poster Session III
Jun Teramura (Japan) / Ji Yoon Kim (Korea) / Daria Mathew Abullah (Malaysia) / Minoru Kashiwagi(Japan) / Hisashi Takahashi (Japan) / Masayuki Kurechi (Japan) / Norichika Matsuo (Japan) / Kyohei
Takizawa (Japan) / Tomoki Takebayashi (Japan) / Satya Prakash Mehra (India) / Takehisa Yamakita(Japan) / Hiroki Mori (Japan) / Yun Yun Wong (Malaysia) / Injun Son (Korea) / Geng Shuyuan (Japan) /Hironori Hayashi (Japan) / Takashi Shimoyamada (Japan) / Acharya Chinmaya Mishra (India) / Irina
Ivanovna Volkova (Russia) / Pin-Hsiu Lisa Chou (China [Taiwan]) / Prayitno Goenarto (Indonesia) /Muhammad Iqbal (Indonesia) / Lucita Jasmin (Indonesia) / Wing-Sun Chow (China [Hong Kong]) / Sivasothi
N. (Singapore) / Kana Takeyama (Japan) / Kazuki Kanno (Japan) / Kengo Saito (Japan) / Jinen Kita (Japan) /Hiroki Iyooka (Japan) / Masao Nagasaka (Japan) / Mitsuhiro Aizu (Japan) / Takehiro Watanabe (Japan) /Kiwamu Kawaguchi (Japan) / Yuuko Iizuka (Japan)

Symphony Hall
(2nd Floor)

Side Event
7 (Tue) November
12:00 – 13:00

Commemorating of the 25th Anniversary of Asian Wetland Symposium

Ramsar Center JapanThe Special Side Event on the Silver Jubilee Celebration of AWS including a presentation of reviewing report onachievement of AWS titled “Commemorating the 25thAnniversary of Asian Wetland Symposium”and a panel
discussion by several key participants who have continoutsly supported the organization of AWS since 1992.

Flower Hall
(2nd Floor)

8 (Wed) November
12:00 – 13:00

Population Decline of Migratory Waterbirds and Habitat Changes – Shorebirds as
Indicators

EAAFP Secretariat / Ramsar Network Japan / BirdLife International TokyoJapanese wetlands, especially tidal flats, act as significant staging sites for migratory waterbirds of the East
Asian-Australasian Flyway.The purpose of this side event is to set an opportunity to share the past and current
situation of tidal flats, humans and migratory birds in Japan among different age groups and stakeholders fromdifferent regions and countries. It also aims to discuss how we can work together to save existing coastal
wetlands in Asia.

12:00 – 13:00

Why otters are recovering elsewhere in the world?

Otter Research Group Japan / Ramsar Center JapanThe Japanese otter has been red-listed as extinct since 2012. In February 2017, however, an otter was photographed
at Tsushima Island, Japan. In Korea, distribution of the Eurasian otter is steadily expanding even in urban
environments. In Singapore, during these five years, the smooth-coated otter has settled in modern urban areas andco-existing peacefully with human. Why this wetlands ambassador started to recover elsewhere in the world?

18:30 – 19:30

Flower Hall A(2nd Floor)

Flower Hall B and C(2nd Floor)

Learning about Wetlands through Wetland Education Centers

Ramsar Regional Center – East Asia (RRC-EA)

Not many people are aware of the benefits that wetlands offer. Wetlands provide services in the form of water
filtration and flood protection, inter alia, and also serve as habitat for a variety of flora and fauna. Thus, raising theawareness of the general public on this topic is important and needs to be carried out through effective ways.
Wetland education centers provide a platform to promote and maximize learning about wetlands.
This side event intends to highlight good practices being applied by selected wetland education centers in Asia thatare members of Wetland Link International (WLI).

Flower Hall B and C(2nd Floor)

Contents

16

Keynote Presentation
The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands towards the sustainable development, Lew Young����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 22
Conservation strategy on wetlands and biodiversity of Japan, Naohisa Okuda������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 26
The 25th anniversary of AWS and the prospects for the next 25 years, Hiroji Isozaki�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 27
Restoration of Chilika Lake: a journey from Montreux Record to Ramsar Wetland Conservation Award, and the way forward, Ajit K. Pattnaik��������������� 29

Ariake Sea Session
Animals and plants in tidal flat of Ariake Sea, Yasuhisa Henmi���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 32
The history of nori farming in Tokyo Bay and trial to pass it down to later generation, Fumihiro Koyama���������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 34
Characteristics of the marine environment in Ariake Sea, Yuichi Hayami���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 36
Reproduction of mudskippers: Aerial embryos developing in a mudflat burrow, Atsushi Ishimatsu�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 36
Wild birds in Ariake sea (past, present, and future), Akiyuki Miyahara��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 37
Toward restoration of Ariake Sea by means of integrated studies “CoHHO” collaborated with its relevant social movement“The Sea is Longing for the Forest”, Masaru Tanaka������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 37
Efforts toward revitalization and creation of Ariake Sea, Yoshiyuki Kawakami�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 38
Traditional fisheries of Ariake Sea, Kango Nakao��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 38
Festival and culture in Ariake Sea coastal area, Gunji Aramaki��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 39

Session 1: Wetlands and Disaster Risk Reduction / Climate Change
The role of wetlands for disaster risk reduction, Naoya Furuta���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 42
Carbon Retention in Sediment by Check Dams in Phayao Province, Thailand, Chotiwut Techakijvej, Jaroon Jakmunee, Chitchol Phalaraksh������������������������� 44
Lessons learned in building community resilience: 100 villages on the bank of 3rd largest river system of Peninsula of India in 5 years,
Saswata Kumar Mohapatra������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 46
Impact of climate change on the wetlands of Bangladesh, Sanowar Hossain�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 48
Reducing fire on peatlands through community participation: An experiences from West Kalimantan, Indonesia, Yuki Arai���������������������������������������������� 52
Interventions for wetland conservation in the Pampanga River Basin and Candaba wetlands,
Joy M. Navarro, Minerva J. Martinez, Lea Ivy O. Manzanero, Daniel S.Torres����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 54
Wetlands for a disaster resilient Asia: Legal agenda, Amado S. Tolentino Jr. ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 56
Evaluating the impacts of hydrological variations on carbon fluxes in tropical peatlands,
Chandrashekhar Deshmukh, Dony Julius, Nardi, Adly Firma��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 58
Huge water channel construction project with nature and human friendly approach in the Sendai River,
Kiyofumi Kobayashi, Horonori Hayashi, Yukihiro Shimatani���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 58

Session 2: Wetlands and Policy / Changes / International Cooperation
China’s new national strategy on of wetland conservation and restoration, Fang Yan����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 60
The Montreux Record under the Ramsar Convention: A valuable tool for securing compliance?, Evan Hammam, Tess Van Geelen������������������������������������� 62
Yellow Sea region coordinated waterbird survey, Chen Qi, Chen Kelin, Yang Xiuzhi������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 66
Opportunities to promote cooperation on the conservation and wise use of wetlands between Asia and the Pacific, Solongo Khurelbaatar������������������� 68
Ramsar COP as a turning point of awareness and the present activities: Some cases to promote local awareness throughinternational collaboration and understanding impressing with the concept of wise use, Yoshikatsu Kikuchi���������������������������������������������������������������� 71
Spoon-billed Sandpiper conservation in the internationally importance wetland Gulf of Mottama, Pyae Phyo Aung�������������������������������������������������������������� 71
The establishment of Southeast Asian Limnological Society Network (SEAL-Net),
Mashhor Mansor, Luki, S., Wan Maznah, W. O., Muzzalifah, A. H., Siti Norasikin, I.������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 72
Team SPOON: Creating connection of people and nature for sustainable society and East Asia peace,
Akane Tokorodani, Akihumi Shimada, Dai Machida, Masato Dohi����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 72

Session 3: Wetlands and Use of Natural Resources / Agriculture / Fisheries / Food Security
Living in Harmony with Nature, Muneharu Nakagai������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 74
Lake Urmia restoration via local community participation in sustainable agriculture,
Neda Asad Falsafi Zadeh, Abolfazl Abesht, Mehri Asnaashari, Hamid Soltani���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 78
New forest commons towards solving the underuse of Satoyama from fishers’ initiatives in Japan, Shimpei Iwasaki������������������������������������������������������������ 81
Response of freshwater farmers to the environmental changes: A case study of Thailand,
Suvaluck Satumanatpan, Kamalaporn Kanongdate, Chumlong Arunlertaree, Anawach Saithong, Poonyawee Srisantear, Thiyada Piyawondnara������������������������ 84
Locally Managed Marine Areas (LMMAs) - a pathway to holistic and integrated island management and sustainable development:
A Fiji case example, Alifereti Tawake, Margie Tabunakawai, Jovy Cleof, Hugh Govan, Saimoni Waibuta, Roko Sau Josefa Cinavilakeba�������������������������������� 84
National reclamation project and “Ariake Sea disaster”: “Open-gate survey” for the harmony of healthy fishery and agriculture,
Tamotsu Sugenami�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 85

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Session 4: Urban Wetlands / Wetland City / Natural Infrastructure
Urban wetlands and governance challenges in the two Indian mega cities of Chennai and Bengaluru, Sandhya Chandrasekharan������������������������������������ 88
Making a wooden footbridge connecting nature and people in an artificial wetland, Akihiko Higuchi, Kazuhiko Ito����������������������������������������������������������������� 92
Conservation of Karang Mumus river and swamps in North Samarinda: Efforts by “Clean Karang Mumus River Movement” andstakeholders’ responses, Martinus Nanang���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 94
Horseshoe Crab habitat conservation and coastal zone management in Japan, Satoquo Seino������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 96
Urban wetlands and mosquito born disease problem in Chiang Mai, Thailand,
Panida Rahong, Chotiwut Techakivej, Nattawut Sareein, Yoen Jae Bae, Chitchol Phalaraksh���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 97
Wetland services for elementary urban planning: Perspective from Bangladesh, Abu Jubayer, Md. Sanowar Hossain, Md. Badrul Alam������������������������������ 99

Session 5: Wetlands and YouthThe environmental activities of Youth Ramsar Japan (YRJ), NGO organized by students ranging fromjunior high school students to graduate students, Takuma Satoh, Tatsuya Togari, Atsushi Tnabe, Kohaku Hida, Karin Ishii, Yuma Sato���������������������������� 104
Fundamental study on conservation and restoration of river estuaries habitat - Classification of estuary and their transitions since 1900s -,Atsushi Tanabe, Tomoko Minagawa��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 106
CEPA activities of Taishi High School Science Club,
Takahiro Fukushima, Kazuki Sakai, Kouki Ishibashi, Fuuta Takasaki, Towaki Ide, Haruki Kume, Taiyou Kiyota, Yukito Yoshimoto�������������������������������������������������� 108
Activities of Yonago Waterbird Sanctuary Jr. Ranger Club to foster mind for protecting wonderful our local nature to the next generation,
Hiromi Hayashi������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 111
Youth-in-Action for ecosystem-based disaster risk reduction (Eco-DRR) and ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA),
Darry Shel M. Estorba, Amy M. Lecciones, Aaron Julius M. Lecciones, Zenaida M. Ugat, Jose Carlo H. Quintos������������������������������������������������������������������������� 113
River continuum concept and ecological health monitoring of Loei River, North-Eastern Thailand,
Thanayaporn Katesuja, Panida Rahong, Chotiwut Techakijvej, Atinut Joredol, Rungnapa Tagun, Tatporn Kunpradid, Chitchol Phalaralsh����������������������������������� 115
The value of wetlands and what we students should do for it - Take Hengshuihu wetlands for example, Yiqing Huw��������������������������������������������������������� 117
My observation of status of wetland, Wenling Kou���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 117
Obligation to the wetland conservation of the youth, Ruichen Zhang���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 118
The youth frontier transforming waste to wealth – A case of novel efforts by young entrepreneurs towards the struggle fordepolluting the holy River Ganges, Sreeya Patnaik�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 118
Can youth help wetlands?, Fumi Kasahara, Ibuki Kurumatuka������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 119
The study of grey water footprint of inorganic-rice cultivation for the lower central plain management in Thailand:
Case Study in Nakhonchaisi District, Nakhon pathom Province, Nichakant Kerdnamchai, Werachat Chatpanyacharoen������������������������������������������������� 119

Session 6: Wetlands and Sustainable Tourism
Promoting the implementation of environmental treaties for sustainable tourism: In the light of the Ramsar Convention, Shiina Suzuki������������������������� 122
Integration of visits to crab banks in sustainable tourism, Sansanee Choowaew�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 124
Initiative by the reformed bird hunters of Mangalajodi Marsh, Chilika Lake, India for successful conservation of
biodiversity and sustainable tourism, Ajit Kumar Pattnaik�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 126
Entry fees for environmental services in community based ecotourism: An experience from Bishazaari Wetland of Nepal,
Maheshwar Dhakal, Chiranjivi Prasad Pokhrel, Satosh Bhattarai���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 127
To bring awareness of appreciation for the culture & environment by providing low impact activities that promote conservation & preservation
through socially responsible and environmentally sensitive interaction with people, landscape and ecosystems,
Kasimiro T. Taukeinikoro, Kelly Bricker, Nate Bricker������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 127
Biodiversity value of Meinmahla Kyun Wildlife Sanctuary Ramsar Site and development of ecotourism for the communities, Zau Lunn����������������������� 128

Session 7: Wetlands and Culture
Wetland culture in conservation: Its meaning, concept & application, Bishnu B. Bhandari�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 130
Bio-cultural diversity and flood control in the Kameoka Basin floodplain, Katsue Fukamachi���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 132
Influence of wetland in the culture of Bangladesh, Tapas Ranjan Chakraborty������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 134
People’s perception towards wetland culture: A case study of Dhimal Community, Nepal, Puspa Lal Pokhrel����������������������������������������������������������������������� 136

Session 8: Wetlands and CEPA (Communication, Capacity building, Education, Participation, Awareness) / ESD (Education for Sustainable Development)
Building capacity of the local communities towards conservation and wise use of wetlands through
CEPA approach in Eastern part of India, Durga Prasad Dash���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 142
Penang seagrass project – An environmental education project to encourage volunteerism & field education, Ng Hong Jing, Wong Yun Yun��������������� 145
How to promote Flyway-wide activities and involve key national stakeholders, Tomoko Ichikawa, Eugene Cheah, Minjae Baek������������������������������������������� 147
Adventure Time in Stezi Island, Tamsui River: Explore our hometown, Szu-Ting Hsu, Iris Hung, Clare Wang, Nelson Chen������������������������������������������������������ 149
Efforts and challenges for coastal stability and conservation with proper natural resources management in Sundarbans Region, Bangladesh,
Hideki Sato, Md. Maksudur Rahman�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 151
Development of wetland school in China, Xiuzhi Yang, Kelin Chen��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 153
BioBlitz in Hong Kong: Best practice sharing in wetlands CEPA, Jenna Ho Marris, Shaun Martin, Man Yi (Bel) Li�������������������������������������������������������������������� 155
Localizing ESD best practice for wetland conservation- From Mai Po Nature Reserve to South China Region, Lydia Pang, Yamme Leung����������������������� 155

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Session 9: Wetlands and Biodiversity / Restoration / Reintroduction
Present status and future prospects of the nature restoration in coastal lagoon Lake Nakaumi, Japan, Hidenobu Kunii���������������������������������������������������� 158
Haors in Bangladesh and present scenario, Md Golam Rabbi��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 160
Threats to the biodiversity rich Henoko/Oura bay: Ramsar candidate site, Mariko Abe, Chihiro Tsujimura, Tomoko Shimura�������������������������������������������������� 162
Anthropogenic decline of the mudflat-specific fauna and flora in Japan: Significance of the restoration of
the estuary in Isahaya Bay in the Ariake Sea, Masanori Sato������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 164
Securing management measures of wild deer in Kushiro Marsh, the first Ramsar Site in Japan,
Satoshi Kobayashi, T. Yoshida, H.Uehara, H. Takafumi, M. Sarashina, H.Uno, Y. Inatomi, T. Shimaura, Y. Osa, M. Ueno��������������������������������������������������������������� 168
Introduction to configuration concept of aquatic acrophytes in lake ecological restoration An example of ecological restoration in Gonghu Bay, LiYan Qi, Zhongren Xiong, Hongxing Zhang�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 170
Re-establishment of the Eurasian otter in South Korea, Sungwon Hong, Young Min Kim, Jieun Choi, Eun Song Jeong, Yuno Do, Gea-Jae Joo������������������������ 170
Linking wetland bird ecology with human activities in multiple-use wetlands in India, Shivona Bhojwani, K. S. Gopi Sundar, Jagdish Krishnaswarmy������� 171

Poster Session I
JICA technical cooperation project for biodiversity conservation through implementation of the Papua New Guinea policy on protected area,
Yukio Nagahama, Koji Asano������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 174
Wetland conservation action by government and NGOs in Bangladesh and future course of action, Tapas Ranjan Chakraborty, Sanowar Hossain������������ 176
Study on flood control effect of rainwater tank with small hole and creation of wetland habitat in urban area, Teruki Hamada���������������������������������������� 178
A case study of rainwater society initiative projects that promotes de-centralized water management system, Fumiko Taura, Yukihiro Shmatani,
Sampei Yamashita, Ryoichi Watanabe, Mayumi Fukunaga, Toshiyuki Moriyama, Tomoko Minagawa, Tomoyasu Yoshitomi�������������������������������������������������������� 180
Preparation of lake conservation management plan for sustainable tourism in Gaidahawa Lake, lowland Nepal,
Prava Pandey, Lanka Bahadur Shahi��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 184
Registration of Ramsar site of Higashiyoka Higata and change in regional culture, Yasuhiko Takeshita���������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 187
Study of evaluation of traditional dry-stone revetment, Eriko Takeuchi, Ginji Oishi, Hironori Hayashi, Yukihiro Shikmatani���������������������������������������������������������� 189
KODOMO Ramsar in Tsurui Villege, Kunihito Otonari�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 190
The progress of environmental education in Kashima City, Yuji Morimoto, Sayaka Nakamura������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 192
Reasonability of cyclic floodplain rejuvenation for biodiversity and flood management in Japanese lowland rivers,
Shigeya Nagayama, Morihiro Harada, Shiro Sagawa, Yuichi Kayaba����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 194
Protection and utilization of Japanese Giant Salamander Andrias japonicus in Toyosaka district, Higashi-Hiroshima City,
Asano Toshihisa, Shimizu Norio��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 196
Red-crowned Cranes in Japan: Is it possible for them to be independent?, Nobumichi Kurosawa�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 198
Integrated evaluation of biodiversity in tidal flat in Tokyo Bay, Masayuki Takada, Yoshio Mishima, Takahiro Ota, Hiroyuki Oguma������������������������������������������� 200
Adaptive actions by the community to resolve various issues of climate change in the wetlands along the coast of Bay of Bengal, Odisha, India,
Jitendriya Naik������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 202
Effect of policy change and human activity on vegetation pattern and biodiversity conservation in coastal wetlands:
A case study in Yancheng, China, Zheng Zang, Xinqung Zo, Qiaochu Song, Yulong Yao, Dongju Zhang���������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 202
The seabirds of Tubbataha amidst change, Maria Retchie Pagliawan, Angelique Songco, Arne Jensen, Segundo Conales Jr.,
Noel Bundal, Rowell Alarcon, Cresencio Caranay Jr.������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 203
Recent environmental changes and benthic community response in Lake Nakaumi and the Honjo area, Japan,
Kengo Kurata, Koji Seto, Keiko Yamaguchi, Ryisuke Shinohara, Takeshi Sonoda����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 203
Our approaches on the monitoring of wetlands' biodiversity for environmental conservation,
Misuzu Aoki, Syou Kato, Taiki Ito, Tomomi Yamashita, Ken-ich Yokoi����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 204
Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, Choon Beng How������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 204
Wetlands in Central Asia: Raising awareness about their values in local communities in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Turkmenistan,
Zhanel Karina, Eldar Rustamov����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 205
Roles of resident researchers to promote adaptive fisheries: Lessons learned from Lake Saroma, Japan, Kimihiko Maekawa����������������������������������������� 205
Science communication about the Hizen-Kashima coast, Naokoi Fujii, Yasihiro Nakamura, Mamoru Nagaike, Kenji Yoshino, Yuichi Hayami�������������������������� 206
Development of an environmental education program on tidal flat, Miho Hiruma, Misuzu Aoki������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 206
Where is the future of our wetland? It lies in the hand of our youth, Liangzhong Chen���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 207
Community based management of marine biodiversity in Bay of Bengal, Asaduzzaman Miah��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 207
Community led biodiversity conservation in Rushikulya estuary, India, Wardi Kasinath������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 208
Species and functional diversities of zooplankton in shallow water bodies and its application as ecological indicator,
Hye-Ji Oh, Geung-Hwan La, Eun-Jin Han, Kwang-Hyeon Changm, Hyun-Woo Kim������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 208
Comparison of the photosynthetic responses to temperature and irradiance of two edible brown algae,
Cladosiphon okamuranus from Amami Islands and Cladosiphon umezakii from Takeno, Honshu Island, Japan,
Rika Fukumoto, Iris Ann G. Borlongan, Gregory N. Nishihara, Hikaru Endo, Ryuta Terada��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 209
The effect of irradiance and temperature on the photosynthesis of a temperate seagrass, Zostera marina (Zosteraceae) from
Kagoshima, Japan, as the southern end of its distribution in the western Pacific,
Natsumi Shimada, Gregory N. Nishihara, Hikaru Endo, Ryuta Terada����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 209
Field observation study on the effect of Fe-Fulvic acid silica complex material aiming at the NAGASU Tidal Flat restoration,
Ryoichi Watanabe, Teruki Hamada, Koreyoshi Yamasaki, Masahiro Koga, Yoshiaki Koga��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 210

19
Poster Session II
Establishment of Monitoring Program in Iranian Wetland Ecosystems, Yosefali Ahmadi, Mehri Asna-Ashari, Abolfazl Abesht����������������������������������������������� 212
Sustainable use of natural resources for community livelihoods in the Setiu Wetlands, Terengganu, Malaysia,
Haramaini Arifin, Daria Mathew, Muhammad Zaid Nasir, Nur Syhirah Wahab, Dhiya Shafiqah Rodzuan�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 213
The roles and actions of the wetland centre of Yatsu-higata Tidal Flat, a wetland in the city that experienced
massive urban development in the inner area of Tokyo Bay, Tatsuya Shibahara������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 215
Evaluation of infiltration characteristic of amended soil by long term observation under natural rainfall for establishing
runoff reduction technology, Soichi Okayama, Rei Itsukushima, Yohei Ogahara, Yukihiro Shimatani��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 217
Diversity and distribution of Macroalgae in Chiang Mai, Thailand, Chindanai Jaitamart, Rungnapa Tagun, Tatporn Kunpradid������������������������������������������������ 219
Diversity of Macroalgae and benthic diatom in upstream of Mae Chaem River, Kalayaniwathana District, Chiang Mai, Thailand,
Thakdanai Paotajai, Rungnapa Tagun, Tatporn Kunpradid����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 221
Project of the visit center on peatlands – Young view from Siberia, Volkova A.I.������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 223
Comparison of CEPA activities and base facilities in Peru and Japan, Yuki Ozaki����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 225
Growth and burrows of the Japanese mud shrimp (Upogebia major) in the Arao tidal flat, Haruki Kume. Towaki Ide, Chihiro Fukushima,
Syoya Oobuchi, Sinnosuke Harada, Taiyou Kiyota, Yukito Yoshimoto, Ryuki Wada, Fumiko Koyama, Horoshi Matsuura��������������������������������������������������������������� 227
Benthos of the Arao tidal flat, its list and specimen,
Taiyou Kiyota, Yukito Yoshimoto, Towaki Ide, Haruki Kume, Ryouki Wada, Natsuko Kobayashi, Hiroshi Matuura������������������������������������������������������������������������� 229
The tideland which was left in the city “HIRAKATA-Bay”, Takuma Ezoe, Noah Honda, Kokoro Nakayama���������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 231
Activities of Shisei Junior High School Biology Club - Our hometown builds on the beautiful tidal lands, levees and canals,
Takahiro Araragi , Riro Ozaki, Chika Nakao, Emi Omagari, Toru Koga, Mao Eguch��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 235
Using art in engaging and enabling the public to act to conserve wetlands, Yi-fen Jan, Chin-Ling Wu, Shih-Hung Chen�������������������������������������������������������� 237
Increasing capacity of local communities to implement wetland conservation and Eco- DRR and EbA activities inthe Laguna de Bay Region and Marikina-Pasig River Watershed, Amy M. Lecciones, Wilhelmina C. Ricamunda,
Zenaida M. Ugat, Aaron J. M. Lecciones, Jose Carlo H. Quintos, Darry Shel M. Estorba���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 239
Ramsar Biwa-Kids Ambassador project, Shigekazu Ichiki, Kana Hatta, Ryo Onoue, Daisuke Nakamura, Yumiko Nomura, Munetsugu Kawashima�������������������� 242
The effectiveness of simple questions during nature observation for promoting development of self-expression,
A suggestion for ESD through nature conservation, Masumi Kimoto, Hideharu Masuda����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 244
How can a senior high school biology teacher contribute to CEPA activities at the Arao Tideland, Hiroshi Matsuura���������������������������������������������������������� 247
Habitat use of Siberian warbler species at a stopover site in far east Russia, László Bozó, Wieland Heim, Tibor Csörgő�������������������������������������������������������� 249
Post-Project appraisal of urban wetland restoration: A case of mangrove restoration project in Jhongdou Wetlands Park,
Kaohsiung City, southern Taiwan, Po-Hsiu Kuo, Hsiao-Wen Wang������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 251
Landscape design and the evaluation of the artificial wetland at the Nishinotani Dry Dam Reservoir in Kagoshima, Japan,
Tomoko Minagawa, Yukihiro Shimatani, Hironori Hayashi, Atsushi Tanabe������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 253
Practice of nature restoration in Sarobetsu Mire, Takio Sano, Akitaka Iwata, Boyo Ota, Tomoya Miyahara��������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 255
Temporal and spatial variability of macrobenthic fauna in the high intertidal mud flat of the Ariake Bay,
Sakura Maesaki, Masumi Koriyama, Atsushi Nakamura, Takuya Ishibashi�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 257
Evaluation of burrowing pattern and burrow structures of crabs in the muddy tidal flat of the Ariake Bay,
Takuya Ishibashi, Masumi Koriyama, Sakura Maesaki, Maho Yamaguchi, Atushi Nakamura, Haruka Ueki������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 259
The transition of river morphology and minor restoration in Kamisaigo river, Takuma Ohno, Hironori Hayashi, Yukihiro Shimatani����������������������������������������� 261
Practice of rebirth of the Tora area in a special emergency project to cope with severe disasters,
Kiyofumi Kobayashi, Hironori Hayashi, Yukihiro Shimatani��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 265
Study on river improvement technology in high gradient river using masonry groin for environmental conservation,
Muneyuki Nakaji, Rei Itsukushima, Yukihiro Shikmatani������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 265
Should we go alone, if we want to go fast? Should we go together, if we want to go far? A discussion of sustainable cooperative efforts
among registered and non-registered wetlands, Hiroshi Tomida, Eiji Sawada���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 266
Develop and startup ESD activities for rehabilitation of mangrove forests in Malaysia, Takuji Arai����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 266
Continuable hydrological monitoring with high data availability, Yoshiyasu Fujimura, Yoshiki Yamamoto����������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 267
Water Quality of Malaysian Tropical Reservoir Associated with Aquaculture Activities,
Muzzalifah Abd Hamid, Harith Mokhlas, Siti Norasikin Ismail, Mashhor Mansor���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 267
The Study of Grey Water Footprint of Organic-Rice Cultivation for The Lower Central Plain management in Thailand:
Case Study in Nakhonchaisi District, Nakhon pathom Province, Chotika Ya-anan, Werachat Chatpanyacharoen������������������������������������������������������������� 268
Valuation of village ponds as cultural landscape component in India, Gea-Jae Joo, Yuno Do, Ji Yoon Kim������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 268
Building capacities for wetland ecosystem-based disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation in the Philippines,
Joy M. Navarro, Amy M. Lecciones, Dolores Nuevas������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 269
Distribution and growth of Pectinatella magnifica (Leidy, 1851) in four large rivers, South Korea,
Eui-Jeong Ko, Jeong-Soo Gim, Hyo-Gyeom Kim, Hyunbin Jo, Hyun-Woo Kim, Gea-Jae Joo���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 269
The role and process of wetlands education through environmental education and ESD in Japan, Kantaro Tabiraki���������������������������������������������������������� 270
Collaborative activities around the Hizen- Kashima Area: MAE-UMI Citizens’ Association Activities,
Yasuhiro Nakamura, Sakuji Higuchi, Naoki Fujii�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 270
The massive noxious Golden Apple Snail Pomacea canaliculata Populations were wiped during rainy season;
A case study on Chenderoh Reservoir, Perak, Malaysia, Siti Noraskin Ismail, Nurul Izzati Abdul Wahab, Muzzalifah Abd Hamid, Mashhor Mansor������ 271
Aster tripolium (sea aster) and greening of the sea wall in Tokyo Bay, Noboru Kuramoto, Rasuna Mishima, Hisako Okada, Tim Gardiner������������������������������ 271
An assessment of species diversity and abundance of waterbirds in Gulf of Mottama Wetland, Myanmar, Min Thiha Zaw���������������������������������������������� 272

20
Poster Session III
Possibility as ECO-DRR of the Japanese traditional water management system, Jun Teramura, Yukihiro Shimatani�������������������������������������������������������������� 274
Response of biotic components after hydrological intervention in the tropical lagoon, Chilika Lake,Ji Yoon Kim, YunoDo, Gu-Yeon Kim, Gea-Jae Joo, Ajit K.Pattnaik, Krupasindhu Bhatta, Gurdeep Rastogi������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 277
Setiu Wetlands, Malaysia: Assessing changes in landscape condition and building, a case for improved management,
Daria Mathew Abdullah, Haramaini Arifin, Muhammad Zaid Nasir, Nur Syahirah Wahab�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 279
Shorebirds and threatened Spoon-billed Sandpiper in Kyushu and Ariake tidal flats - Trends and importance of conservation,
Minoru Kashiwagi, Takurou Hattori, Shigeki Takano, Kimiko Kouno, Sayaka Nakamura, Nobuhiro Hashimoto������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 281
Social innovation for biodiversity preservation in marsh around Kahokugata-Lagoon: Vegetable cultivation for establishing a sound material-cycle
society “Suzume-Yasai”, and rice cultivation by cooperation in a Farmers and NPO “Ikimono-Genki-Mai”, Hisashi Takahashi�������������������������������� 283
RiceBED Project, for mainstreaming biodiversity in rice paddies by networking people of various sectors in Japan and overseas,
Masayuki Kurechi, Minoru Kashiwagi������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 285
The “Wise Use” of green infrastructure: Community-based revitalization of urban wetland in Gowanus Canal, New York City,
Kyohei Takizawa, Yukihiro Shimatani, Satoquo Seino, Taku Watanabe�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 286
Onga River reconstruction project: East side high-water channel design to balance the flood control and people-friendly open space,
Tomoki Takebayashi, Akihiko Higuchi, Fumiko Taura������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 288
Cultural ecosystem services of temperate coastal areas of Japan: Uses of taidal flats, sandy beaches, and rocky/coral areas, Takehisa Yamakita���� 290
The Seletar Kids Art Education Project – A project to document the wetland jewels of Malaysia, Wong Yun Yun, Ng Hong Jing��������������������������������������� 294
Community based management of beach litter in Itoshima Peninsula, Fukuoka, Japan, Shuyuan Geng, Satoquo Seino, Mitsuhiro Aizu������������������������������ 296
Development of ESD program focusing on conservation ecology of Suaeda japonica Makino (Chenopodiacea), a threatened wetland halophyte,
Takashi Shimoyamada, Satoquo Seino����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 300
Peat accumulating mountain wetlands of South Siberia: biodiversity and ecosystem services, Volkova I. I.������������������������������������������������������������������������� 302
Habitat restoration: Bringing back the brackish water in Guandu Nature Park, Pin-Hsiu Chou, Tsai Fu Yeh, Lan-Feng Fan, Hway-Lian Hsieh������������������������ 304
Biodiversity of the Kampar peninsula, Prayitno Goenarto, Donny Gunaryadi������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 307
Status of White Winged Duck in Kampar peninsula, Muhammad Iqbal������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 309
Wetland Conservation in the Mai Po Inner Deep Bay Ramsar Site, Wing-Sun Chow������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 311
Effect of the artificial tidal flat restoration on benthos and fish habitat in urban canal area,
Kana Takeyama, Katsuhiko Tanaka, Hiroshi Kohno, Kota Nakase, Katsumi Ishibashi���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 313
A study on the present condition and transition of habitats of freshwater mussels in the Kikuchi River,Kengo Saito, Hironori Hayashi, Hiroyuki Otubo, Yukihiro Shimatani������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 315
Analyses and counter measures on the severe damages to the ecosystem of the Awase Tideland area of Okinawa Island,
southwest Japan by a dredging and reclamation project, Kita, Jinen, Maekawa Seiji, Kamyeyama, Norikazu����������������������������������������������������������������� 317
The effects of river modification to the spawning habitat of Ice Goby (Leucopsarion petersii), Hiroki Iyooka������������������������������������������������������������������������ 321
The influence of agricultural activities on water chemistry and aquatic biota in the freshwater springs of Uchinada Dune, Japan,
Masao Nagasaka, Morihiro Takano, Haruo Fukuhara, Hisashi Takahashi����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 323
New fish fauna inventory and survey techniques for marine protected area planning: Environmental DNA metabarcoding,
Mitsuhiro Aizu, Satoquo Seino, Tetsuya Sado, Masaki Miya������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 325
The environmental conservation in Yatsu wildlife protection area, Kiwamu Kawaguchi, Sohei Ikeda, Shuji Kanda, Aya Genseki, Yoshihiro Natori���������������� 327
What is the rainwater underground harvesting tank “Tametotto”?, Shinji Kawano��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 329
Wetland and sustainable tourism Higashimatsushima version, Hiroki Mori���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 329
Valuation of village ponds as cultural landscape component in India: Preliminary study,
Injun Son, Hogyeum Joo, Gu-Yeon Kim, Ji Yoon Kim, Yuno Do��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 330
Fundamental research on residents’ water use and consciousness related to river environment,
Hironori Hayashi, Masahiro Fujioka, Yukihiro Shimatani������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 330
Community based migratory bird conservation at Mangalazodi in Chilika Lagoon Rasmar Site, India, Acharya Chinmaya Mishra�������������������������������������� 331
Big business & big wetlands, Can they thrive together?, Lucita Jasmin����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 331
The return of the smooth-coated otter to Singapore: distribution, growth, public perception and conservation management,
Shivasothi N., Meryl Theng, Max Khoo���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 332
High genetic diversity of Cottus pollux middle-egg type in Kyushu Island and related river topography, Kazuki Kanno, Norio Onikura������������������������������� 332
Corn and cameras: wildlife management issues in restoring the migration of Red-Crowned Cranes in Hokkaido, Japan,
Takehiro Watanabe, Takeshi Ito��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 333
Sustainable forest management for soil and water resourse under SGEC certification, Yuuko Iizuka������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 333

Side Event
Commemorating the 25th Anniversary of Asian Wetland Symposium,
Bishnu B. Bhandari, Hiroji Isozaki, Motokazu Ando, Reiko Nakamura����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 336
Population Decline of Migratory Waterbirds and Habitat Changes – Shorebirds as Indicators,
Tomoko Ichikawa, Mika Yasuda, Toshimitsu Nuka, Toshifumi Moriya���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 344

21

Keynote Presentation

22

Keynote Presentation

The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands towards
the Sustainable Development Goals
Lew Young
Secretariat, Ramsar Convention on Wetlands

INTRODUCTION
Today, water is becoming an increasingly important part ofour lives, with governments working to ensure that there issufficient quantity and quality for households, farms andindustry to use. A lack of water causes droughts and too muchwater at the wrong time causes floods. In fact, some 90% of
natural disasters are water-related with the majority being in
Asia due to the regions many river basins, flood plains andhigh densities of people in disaster-prone areas (UNISDR-CRED 2015).
As water availability becomes more unpredictable and unevenly distributed due climate change, it also becomes anincreasingly valuable resource. Water users are trying to store
or extract as much as they can from sources such as rivers fortheir own uses, without consideration of the needs of those
downstream. This results in tensions between countries alongtransboundary river basins, e.g. the Tigris-Euphrates River
Basin and Mekong River Basin, between provinces, e.g.
around Lake Urmia (I.R. Iran) and at the site level, such asaround the Azraq Oasis (Jordan) with local people illegallyconstruct wells.
Water is stored and delivered by wetlands which can be
defined simply as natural ecosystems where water meets
land, on a permanent, seasonal or temporary basis. The wise(or sustainable) use of wetlands will help to ensure a regularsupple of water as well as maintaining the range of services
and benefits that they provide.
WHY ARE WETLANDS IMPORTANT?
Wetlands can be found from the mountain to the coast, andinclude rivers, marshes, lakes, reservoirs, rice fields, fish
ponds, mangroves, tidal flats and coral reefs.
They provide a range of important ecosystem services forpeople and the environment, including 1), provisioning services such as food and water 2), regulating services such as
regulation of floods, drought, atmospheric carbon storage
and disease 3), supporting services such as soil formation andnutrient cycling and 4), cultural services such as recreational,
spiritual, religious, and other nonmaterial benefits (Millennium Ecosystem Assessment 2005).
Economic value of wetlands
A study by Costanza et al (2014) on the economic value ofdifferent ecosystem types found that wetlands, especiallycoastal wetlands, have a higher value than either forests,
woodlands or grasslands. For example, tidal marshes andmangroves were estimated to be worth around $194,000/ha/
year for their service in storm protection, erosion control andwaste treatment. Coral reefs were valued higher, at $352,000/
ha/year due to their values for storm protection, erosion
control and recreation.
Wetlands are important carbon stores
Wetlands have been found to be effective in carbon sequestration, taking carbon form the atmosphere and storing it, so
mitigating the impacts from climate change.

Coastal wetlands, such as mangroves, tidal flats and sea
grass beds are known as ‘blue carbon ecosystems’ because of
their important carbon storage. It has been calculated that the
average annual carbon sequestration rate for mangroves
averages between 6 to 8 Mg CO2e/ha (tons of CO2 equivalent
per hectare) which is about two to four times greater than thatfound in mature tropical forests.
Similarly for seagrass beds, they account for less than 0.2%of the world’s oceans but they sequester approximately 10%of the carbon buried in ocean sediment annually (27.4Tg ofcarbon per year). Per hectare, seagrasses can store up to twice
as much carbon than terrestrial forests (The Blue Carbon Initiative 2018).
Peatlands are another wetland type that is an important
carbon store. Although only covering some 3% of the Earth’s
surface, they can accumulate as much as twice the amount ofcarbon stored by all the world’s forests (Biello 2009).
… BUT WETLANDS ARE BEING LOST
It has only been in recent decades that there has bene
growing awareness about the important services that wetlands provide. In the past, wetlands were considered aswasteland that can be reclaimed or converted for other uses.
As a result, it has been estimated the world has lost 64-71% %of its wetlands since 1900, with the rate of loss of coastal andinland natural wetlands being particularly high (Davidson2014). The rate of loss of wetlands in Asia is particularly highdue to the high pressure on land for development. For
example, some 50-80% of the tidal flats around the Yellow Sea
have been reclaimed for coastal development in the past 50
years (Murray et al. 2015).
As wetlands are lost, then the wetland species that depend
upon them are also lost. In the case of the Yellow Sea, the lossof the tidal flats is said to caused annual declines of up to 8%
per year of seven out of ten taxa of shorebirds studied thatused the Yellow Sea as a migration stopover site and which
winter in Australia (Studds et al. 2017).
In general, the loss of wetlands has affected wetland species
overall. From 1970 to 2012, WWF calculated that the abundance of freshwater species populations declined by 81%, at
an average annual rate of 3.9% mainly due to habitat loss anddegradation (WWF 2016).
THE RAMSAR CONVENTION ON WETLANDS
Concern about the loss of wetlands was first raised inEurope in the 1960s and as a result, a group of countries andconservationists began to work to find a way to conserve
these habitats. They began to hold a series of international
meeting to look into the problem and this culminated with ameeting in February 1971, at the Iranian coastal town ofRamsar by the Caspian Sea. There, they agreed on the text of
the Convention on Wetlands which was signed by 18 countries
and the Convention came into force in 1975. Today, the Ramsar
Convention has 169 Contracting Parties, with 34 in Asia andeight in Oceania.
The founders of the Ramsar Convention were forward thinkers for their time since in the Convention text, they recognized
the range of services that wetlands provided by stating that

23“… wetlands constitute a resource of great economic, cultural, scientific, and recreational value, the loss of which
would be irreparable…”.They also used the phrase ‘wise use’and stated that Contracting Parties “… shall formulate andimplement their planning so as to promote … as far as possible the wise use of wetlands in their territory.” The term ‘wise
use’ is now synonymous with the term ‘sustainable use’ andhas at its heart the conservation and sustainable use of wetlands and their resources, for the benefit of people and nature.
The concept of the wise, or sustainable use of the world’s wetlands has since been further built into the work of the Convention through the Mission Statement developed in 1996 at the
6th Meeting of the Conference of the Contracting Parties(COP6). This is to promote:
Conservation and wise use of all wetlands through local
and national actions and international cooperation, as a contribution towards achieving sustainable development
throughout the world
Thus the linkage between the wise use of wetlands and sustainable development was made and continues today in thework of the Convention.
The wise use of wetlands is now one of the three ‘pillars’ of
the Ramsar Convention with the other two being the designation of wetlands as Wetlands of International Importance(‘Ramsar Site’) and to ensure their conservation, and international cooperation for shared wetlands and wetland species(Ramsar Convention 2016).
WETLANDS OF INTERNATIONAL IMPORTANCE (RAMSARSITES)At the time of writing, Ramsar Contracting Parties have designated 2,293 Ramsar Sites worldwide, covering an area ofsome 225 million hectares, equivalent to an area larger than
Algeria. In Asia, there are currently 319 (14%) Ramsar Sites,with China (49) and Japan (50) having the most number ofSites.
Ecosystem services provided by Asia’s Ramsar Sites
Wetlands are designated as Ramsar Sites based on a seriesof nine criteria which are based on the representative or
uniqueness of the wetland being designated and the biodiversity importance of the site. However, when Contacting Parties
designate these sites, they also recognize the importance ofthe site for the other ecosystem services that they provide.
Information on the world’s Ramsar Sites and the ecosystemservices they provide can be found on the Convention’s
Ramsar Site Information Service (SIS) website (https://rsis.
ramsar.org/).
Cultural services are the most commonly reported service
provided by Ramsar Sites in Asia. These include the services
for recreation and tourism (71% of Sites), for scientific researchand education (69%) and for their spiritual and inspiration
values (50%).
Provisioning services are also recognized, such as in providing food for people (51%), wetland related non-food products(51%) and freshwater (49%). The most commonly reported
regulating services was in hazard reduction (54%). Therefore,
Ramsar Sites should not be seen as being sites to be managed
mainly for biodiversity conservation but also, they should bemanaged to maintain the services that they provide to people
living in and around the wetland. In addition, indigenous
peoples and local communities should be involved in thedesignation and management of Ramsar Sites and thatRamsar Site managers are monitoring the condition of theirSites, that they should also consider the socio-economic
status of the people inside the Site (Ramsar Convention 2015).
If the Mission of the Ramsar Convention is the conservation
and wise use of wetlands as a contribution towards sustainable development, then so should the management of Ramsar
Site. In fact, Ramsar Sites could be managed as model sites
for sustainable development.
WETLAND CONSERVATION AND THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALSIn September 2015, the United Nations adopted the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), officially known as“Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable
Development”. This is a set of 17 Global Goals” covering abroad range of social and economic development issues forboth ‘developed’ and ‘developing’ countries.
The conservation and wise use of wetland has an importantrole to play in achieving many of the SDGs and this is discussed below.
SDG1 No Poverty / SDG2 Zero Hunger
It is estimated that 44 million people are engaged in fishing
and aquaculture to generate income and to provide food fortheir families. Fish provide 2.9 billion people with 15% of theirprotein and rice is the staple diet for around 3.5 billion people.
SDG4 Quality Education
Promoting greater awareness of the importance of wetlands
across all sectors of society is one of the key activities under
the wise use of wetlands. Many Ramsar Sites and other wetlands have established community education and awarenessprograms, including the construction of facilities such asboardwalks and education centres for visitors.
SDG5 Gender Equality
In Africa, it is estimated that 90% of the work of gather woodand water is done by women and that women and girls spend
up to six hours each day collecting water. Therefore, the efficient management of wetlands will allow water sources to be
more accessible and so make water collection easier, so
allowing time for other productive activities, e.g. education,
farming etc.
SDG6 Clean Water and Sanitation
Although wetlands provide water and nutrition for people,
they can also be sources of disease-causing microorganisms
and invertebrates that can threaten human health. In fact,water-related diseases kill a child every eight seconds, and are
responsible for 80% of all illnesses and deaths in the developing world. It is therefore important to maintain our wetlands ina good condition, particularly for the health of those people
who live close and are dependent or exposed to them. Safe
water, sanitation and personal hygiene (WASH) are crucial
preconditions for the prevention of disease transmission.
SDG8 Decent Work and Economic Growth
It is estimated that half of all international tourists travel towetlands, especially to the coast and spending around US$
925 billion per year. Such on wetland-related tourism cansometimes be key to the economy of a region which otherwise may have few other opportunities for revenue generation and employment. In the Everglades (USA), in the United

24
States, this amounts to around US$ 450 million in direct andindirect expenditures by tourists and from employment in the
tourism sector (Ramsar Convention - WTO 2012).
Coral reef tourism is particularly valuable. It has been calculated that some 30% of the world’s coral reefs are of value fortourism, with a total value of nearly US$36 billion (Spalding et
al 2017).
However, tourism needs to be carefully planned so as tominimize any impact on local communities and the environment but also, to ensure that local communities receive ashare of the benefits from the tourism.
SDG3 Good Health and Well-Being for people / SDG11 Sustainable Cities and Communities
In 1950, some 30% of the world’s population was calculated
to have been living in urban areas. By 2014, this percentage
had increased to 54% and by 2050, it is estimated that thepercentage further increase to 66% (UNDESA 2014). Apartfrom living, studying and working in a faster paced and stressful environment, people are also losing touch with nature andthe countryside.
There is growing evidence to show the importance of urban
parks and wetlands in reducing air pollution, noise, chronic
stress and increase physical activity. This reduces the healthrisks and promotes the health of city dwellers (WHO 2016).
Such areas can also play an importance role in nature education, bringing the natural environment close to students andthe community.These area includeYatsu-higata (Tokyo, Japan)
and Bang-pu (Bangkok, Thailand).
The importance of providing urban wetland areas for recreation and education is especially developed in China which
presently has 58 National Urban Wetland Parks (managed by
the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development) and
836 National Wetland Parks (managed by the State Forestry
Administration).

These are just some examples of how the conservation andwise use of wetlands can contribute towards achievement of
the sustainable development goals and therefore, the Missionof the Ramsar Convention. A more detailed analysis would be
useful.
MAINSTREAMING WETLAND CONSERVATION INTO
NATIONAL POLICIESWithin the past decade, governments around the world
have adopted a number of global commitments on environmental conservation and sustainable development. In manycases, the conservation and wise use of wetlands can contribute towards achievement of these commitments, goals andtargets.
Strategic Plan for Biodiversity
The first of these is the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 20112020, including the 20 Aichi Biodiversity Targets which wereagreed in 2010. For example, under Target 5, countries are
expected to at least halve the rate of loss of all natural habitats
by 2020 and where feasible brought close to zero, as well as
significantly reducing habitat degradation and fragmentation.
Countries are also expected to prepare National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plans (NBSAPs) which outline theiractions to achieve the Targets. According to China’s NBSAP(2010), one of the country’s priorities is to “strengthen the conservation of the coastal wetlands of Bohai Sea and the tidal
flat wetlands of the Yellow Sea”.The DPRK’s NBSAP (2007) has
identified a number of wetlands along the west coast for priority action for ecosystem conservation while the ROK’s
National Biodiversity Strategy (2014) mentions “implementing and monitoring the restoration project of tidal flats” and“increasing supports for tidal flat ecological park, tidal flat
eco-center and visiting routes of tidal flat” as outcomes fromprevious NBSAPs.

SDG13 Climate Change
Sustainable Development Goals
The role of wetlands, especially peatlands and blue carbon
ecosystems in carbon storage and climate change mitigation
has been discussed above already. However, wetlands also
have an important role to play in climate change adaptation.
For example, the high altitude Ruoergai marshes on the
Tibetan plateau (China) helps to regulate the flow of the Yellow
River, by reducing the impacts from extreme rainfall and in
dry periods, slowly release water to downstream communities.
Coastal wetlands are also known for protecting coastal villages during storms. For example, 100m of mangroves can
reduce wave height by between 13% and 66% (McIvor 2012).
Similarly, coral reefs can reduce wave energy by an averageof 97% which is comparable to the benefits reported by artificial defenses such as breakwaters (Ferrario 2014). The conservation and restoration of mangrove and reef ecosystems
should be seen as a first line in coastal defense against storms.
SDG14 Life Below Water / SDG15 Life on Land
Coastal ecosystems, including mangroves, tidal flats, sea
grass beds and coral reefs, are one of the most biodiverse andproductive on the planet. They are also of significant economic
and social value (see above).
As for inland freshwater wetlands, although they only
covers about 0.8% of the Earth’s surface but they provide a
habitat for almost 10% of the world’s known species (WWF2016).

The conservation and wise use of wetlands is also relevant
to achievement of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs) that were adopted in 2015 under the 2030 Agenda for
Sustainable Development. This has been described above The
conservation and wise use of wetlands thus needs to be
included in the national strategies for sustainable development of the Yellow Sea countries which are in the process of
being prepared.
Nationally Determined Contributions
Lastly, under the Paris Agreement on climate change
adopted in 2015, governments are expected to draft national
plans (Nationally Determined Contributions) on steps theywould take to reduce their country’s carbon emissions andadapt to the impacts of climate change.
Wetlands have already been discussed above as being able
to play an important role in climate change mitigation throughcarbon storage. Some countries in their NDCs, have alreadyincluded the role of wetlands, such as peatlands (CIFOR 2017)and blue carbon ecosystems (Herr and Landis 2016). However,many countries have still not included wetlands in their NDCs.
SUMMARY
Wetlands comprise a diversity of water-related ecosystem
types that can be found from the mountain to the coast, andthey provide a range of important ecosystem services for25
people and the environment. Despite international mechanism such as the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands that promotes the conservation and wise use of wetlands, there is still
not enough awareness about the value of wetland at all levelsof society, from decision makers, private sector, media,
general public and local community members. As a result,valuable wetlands are still being lost and degraded.
In view of the fact that the conservation and wise use of wetlands provides a variety of services and benefit areas such as
biodiversity conservation, sustainable development andclimate change mitigation and adaptation. It is therefore important to mainstream wetlands into those other area of work ofgovernments, such as through inclusion in the NBSAPs,
national strategies for sustainable development, and NDCs.
REFERENCES
Biello, D. 2009. Peat and Repeat: Can Major Carbon Sinks Be Restored by
Rewetting the World’s Drained Bogs? Scientific American https://www.
scientificamerican.com/article/peat-and-repeat-rewetting-carbon-sinks/(accessed 26 January 2018)
CIFOR. 2017. Global momentum building on peatlands research for climatechange. Centre for International Forestry Research https://www.cifor.org/
press-releases/global-momentum-building-on-peatlands-research-for-climate-change/ (accessed 26 January 2018)
Costanza, R., de Groot, R., Sutton, P., van der Ploeg, S.,
Anderson, S.J., Kubiszewski, I., Farber, S. and R.K. Turner 2014. Changes in the
global value of ecosystem services. Global Environmental Change 26:152-158.
Davidson, N.C. 2014. How much wetland has the world lost? Long-term andrecent trends in global wetland area. Marine and Freshwater Research, 65:
934-941.
Ferrario, F., Beck, M.W., Storlazzi, C.D., Fiorenza Micheli, F., Shepard, C.C. and L.
Airoldi. 2014. The effectiveness of coral reefs for coastal hazard risk
reduction and adaptation. Nature Communications 5. https://www.nature.
com/articles/ncomms4794 (accessed 26 January 2018)
Herr, D. and Landis, E. 2016.. Coastal blue carbon ecosystems. Opportunities for
Nationally Determined Contributions. Policy Brief. Gland, Switzerland: IUCN
and Washington, DC, USA: TNC.
McIvor, A.L., Möller, I., Spencer, T. and Spalding. M. 2012. Reduction of windand swell waves by mangroves. Natural Coastal Protection Series: Report 1.
Cambridge Coastal Research Unit Working Paper 40. Published by The Nature
Conservancy and Wetlands International.
Millennium Ecosystem Assessment. 2005. Ecosystem and human well-being:
wetlands and water. Synthesis. World Resources Institute, Washington, DC.
Murray, N., Ma Z. and Fuller, R. 2015. Tidal flats of the Yellow Sea: A review of
ecosystem status and anthropogenic threats. Austral Ecology 40: 472-481.
Ramsar Convention. 2015. Evaluation of the management and conservation
effectiveness of Ramsar Sites. Resolution XII.15. 12th Meeting of theConference of the Parties to the Convention on Wetlands. Punta del Este,
Uruguay.
Ramsar Convention. 2016. An Introduction to the Convention on Wetlands.
Ramsar Convention Secretariat, Gland, Switzerland.
Ramsar Convention – World Tourism Association. 2012. Destination wetlands:
supporting sustainable tourism. Secretariat of the Ramsar Convention on
Wetlands, Gland, Switzerland, & World Tourism Organization (UNWTO),
Madrid, Spain.
Russi D., ten Brink P., Farmer A., Badura T., Coates D., Förster J., Kumar R. andDavidson N. 2013. The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity for Water
and Wetlands. IEEP, London and Brussels; Ramsar Secretariat, Gland.
Spalding, M., Burke, L., Ashpole, J.,Hutchison, J., and P. Ermgassen. Mapping
the global value and distribution of coral reef tourism. Marine Policy 82:
104-113.
Studds, C.E., Kendall, B.E., Murray, N.J., Wilson, H.B., Rogers, D.I., Clemens,
R.S., Gosbell, K., Hassell, C.J., Jessop, R., Melville, D.S., Milton, D.A.,
Minton, C.D.T., Possingham, H.P., Riegen, A.C., Straw, P., Eric J. Woehler, E.J.
and R.A. Fuller. 2017. Rapid population decline in migratory shorebirds relying
on Yellow Sea tidal mudflats as stopover sites. Nature Communications 8
https://www.nature.com/articles/ncomms14895 (accessed 26 January 2018)

The Blue Carbon Initiative
http://thebluecarboninitiative.org/blue-carbon/#mitigation (accessed 26
January 2018)
UNISDR-CRED. 2015. The Human Cost of Weather-Related Disasters 19952015. United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction/ Centre for Researchon the Epidemiology of Disasters. Geneva, Switzerland.
United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs. 2014. World
Urbanization Prospects: The 2014 Revision. Highlights (ST/ESA/SER.A/352).
WHO. 2016. Urban green spaces and health. WHO Regional Office for Europe.
Copenhagen, Denmark.
WWF. 2016. Living Planet Report 2016. Risk and resilience in a new era. WWF
International, Gland, Switzerland

26

Keynote Presentation

Conservation Strategy on Wetlands and Biodiversity of Japan (abstract)
Naohisa Okuda
Director, Biodiversity Policy Division, Nature Conservation Bureau, Ministry of the Environment, JapanAs the islands of Japan stretches from the subarctic to thesubtropics with its geographical features extending from thesouth to north, there are various types of wetlands. Japanesepeople have long lived in harmony with nature, so wetlands
are deeply rooted in our lives. However in the rapid economic
growth period from the 1950s to the first half of the 1970s,
many wetlands were converted into other land uses and theirarea had been significantly reduced.
In 1980, Japan joined the Ramsar Convention and KushiroShitsugen (Marsh) in Hokkaido was designated as the Japan’s
first wetland of international importance under the Convention. In 1987, Kushiro-Shitsugen was designated as a nationalpark, too. In the 1990s, the first Asian Wetlands Symposium in
Otsu and Kushiro (1992) as well as the 5th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP5) to the Ramsar Convention in
Kushiro (1993) were held in Japan. Consequently, it was
widely recognized in Japan that wetlands must be conserved
as a significant ecosystem.

In the 2000s, Japan and Republic of Korea jointly proposed
the Rice Paddy Resolution and it was adopted at the Ramsar
COP10 (2009) and endorsed at the CBD-COP10 (2010). In addition, the International Partnership on SATOYAMA Initiative
was launched based on a proposal by Japan during the CBDCOP10.Through these propositions, Japan has been sending amessage on the relationship between humans and wetlands
with the concept of “living in harmony with nature” to theWorld as a country of the Asian region.
Japan has made some progress in conservation of wetlands
while accumulating experience and knowledge on that, andthus we have 50 Ramsar wetlands in Japan now. However, wehave still a lot of issues to be tackled including new issues
such as problems caused by invasive alien species. Taking theopportunity of holding AWS2017 in Saga along the Ariake sea
which has a vast tidal flat, we hope that the measures for biodiversity conservation to tie humans and wetlands will befurther promoted, as manifested in the word “wise use”.

27

Keynote Presentation

The 25th Anniversary of AWS and the Prospects for the Next 25 Years
Hiroji Isozaki
Visiting Professor, Sophia University
Vice President, Ramsar Center Japan

1. Changes in 25 years
In these 25 years, the world witnessed great changes in
economy and society, as well as climate change and environmental disruption. In response to those changes, international
treaties on the nature and biodiversity, such as the Convention on Biodiversity (CBD) and the Ramsar Convention on
wetlands, have developed sets of principles, criteria, methods
and procedures for conservation and management of thenatural ecosystem. Those response efforts have greatly contributed to the improvement of conservation and management of biodiversity, and the Asian Wetland Symposium(AWS) has played a part in those response activities.
Slide 1-2

2. CBD and the Ramsar Convention
The Aichi Biodiversity Targets adopted at the 10th Meetingof the Conference of the Contracting Parties (COP) to CBD heldin 2010 in Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture, Japan, requires themainstreaming of biodiversity into broader national andglobal agendas, social and economic agendas, throughout
government and society, through communication, education
and awareness, appropriate incentive measures, and institutional changes. It is notable that the Aichi Target referred to“communication, education and awareness.”
Similarly the Ramsar Convention puts forward the mainstreaming of wetland, and requires to incorporate the conservation and wise use of wetland and their resources into
economic and resource development activities. The advocacyof mainstreaming of wetland is fairly reasonable, because theRamsar Convention covers a broad area as shown in Slides
1-2 and 1-4 above.
For the effective implementation of treaty provisions, CBD
and the Ramsar Convention attach importance to CEPA (communication, capacity building, education, participation andawareness), a part of which was mentioned in the AichiTargets.
Both Conventions have developed and adopted a series ofguidelines and handbooks on CEPA.

Slide 1-2 shows international treaties on environmental
conservation with their extent of coverage. Ramsar Convention, indicated as a green colored circle, covers a broad area
and occupies an important position in the legal framework forconservation of the nature and culture. Such broad coverageof the Ramsar Convention derives from a wide variety ofnatural functions performed and ecological services provided
by wetlands, as shown in Slide 1-4.
Slide 1-4

3. National laws in the Asian region
In these 25 years, environmental laws and administrationsof the countries in Asia have also made considerable progress. Some countries have the constitutions that contain provisions on environmental conservation. And some countries
have laws and regulations on pollution control, on nature protection, on natural resource utilization control, on environmental impact assessment, or environmental basic laws. Oneof a notable legal improvement is a law on environmental
public interest litigation, as enacted in China. In addition, aremarkable improvement, compared with 25 years ago, has
occurred in laws and regulations on empowerment and participation of local people and local community.
4. Roles and activities of AWS
AWS has gathered a wide range of stakeholders including
national and local governments, international organizations,the private sectors, NGOs, local communities, academia,
wetland managers, researchers, practitioners and others.
With such participants, it aims to build bridges between international society and local society, international treaty andnational/local law, and technical research and local practice,through support for necessary information and for a suitablelocal participation, paying a special attention to local languages.
Thus AWS has focused on local people from the viewpointof CEPA, because the conservation and wise use of wetlands
depends on active, well-informed and responsible participation of local residence. One of the satellite meetings of AWS
was held in 1995 at Narashino City, Chiba Prefecture, Japanand produced the Narashino Statement for active and28
informed participation by local people and community inwetland management that was translated into relevant local
languages of the Asian region. The Ramsar Resolution VII.8
adopted in 1999 referred to the Narashino Statement as one ofthe preceding regional contributions. Thus, AWS shows a partof the good examples of CEPA practice in the Ramsar regime.
In addition to the Resolution VII.8, AWS activities in generalcame into international recognition when the Resolution IX.19
was adopted in 2005, which encouraged all Asian countries togive full recognition to AWS as an effective forum, andrequested to facilitate the support to and participation in AWS.
Such contribution of AWS has been highlighted by the RamsarAwards. Five members of the Steering Committee of AWS
have been granted the Award: Mr. Ajit Pattnaik (Chilika Development Authority), India (2002), Ms. Reiko Nakamura, Japan(2005), Dr. Sansanee Choowaew, Thailand (2008), Prof. Tatsuichi Tsujii, Japan (2012) and Prof. Gea Jae Joo, South Korea(2015).
5. Statements adopted by AWS
Based on those research and study by experts and experiences reported by wetland managers, including questions,comments and discussions, each AWS has adopted statements or recommendations on actions to be taken and on
policy and law to be revised, in order to improve the status of
wetlands in Asia, addressed to relevant governments, organizations, local communities or international society. Having
reviewed those statements and recommendations, there arefound that some subjects have been repeatedly taken up. It
may be necessary and useful to repeat important recommendations addressed to relevant stakeholders. However, if
repeated and attained no improvement, that may be nonsensical and need to take another approach.
Actually, a similar review study was carried out by the
Ramsar Center Japan (RCJ) and presented at the Penang AWS
in 2001, which report was published. Following that report,
RCJ has completed another review study in 2017, based on
analysis and examination of each subject of statements,
whether it is improved or not improved. The 2017 review
report, “Commemorating the 25th Anniversary of Asian
Wetland Symposium” is published and distributed at the RCJ
lunch time side event on the first day of AWS 2017.

conservation of wetlands, both registered and not registered,through protected area management and to provide adequately for their wardening. Besides, Article 6-3 requires theContracting Parties to ensure that wetland managers shall be
informed of and they shall take into consideration relevant
COP recommendations. Thus, the Parties need to provide necessary legal framework, formulate plan, and to monitor,
observe, analyze, and take measures for the Ramsar sites
within their territory, and to give notice to wetland managers
on relevant recommendations adopted.
Slide 3-2

In addition, basic principles, criteria and procedures set out
by international society should be used as the basis for examination and judgement. Such principles, criteria and procedures include the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) andthose set out by the Ramsar Convention, as well as similar
ones set out by national laws and systems. SDGs are wellattained through effective wetland management, as shown in
Slide 3-2, because important and useful guidelines have beendeveloped by the Ramsar Convention. Concerning to thoseprinciples and management procedures developed by the
Ramsar Convention, each location and their mutual relation
can be indicated as shown in Slide 3-4.
Slide 3-4

6. Way forward: Next 25 years
It is reported that 64% of the world’s wetlands have disappeared in the last century. In the Asian region, as for a major
threat, about 60% of the Ramsar sites face the problem ofnatural system modifications.
Other problems faced are
exploitation of biological resources, pollution from the surrounding areas and intensive use for agriculture or for aquaculture.
Then, how to improve wetlands status in Asia? It needs toidentify main obstacles to the effective implementation of theRamsar Convention and to decide necessary counter measures to each obstacle. For that purpose, such measures should
be developed and judged based on relevant provisions of theRamsar Convention.
7. Useful Articles and principles
Regarding the conservation and wise use of the Ramsar
sites, Article 3-1 requires the Contracting Parties to formulate
and implement national plan, and Article 3-2 requires informing of the change of ecological character to the Secretariat.
Article 4-1 requires the Contracting Parties to promote theIt sure is CEPA on which the future AWS should base. For
effective CEPA operation, it is encouraged to utilize the Ramsar
resolutions VII.8 or XII.9 as a comparison sheet in order tocheck whether all necessary conditions are met.

29

Keynote Presentation

Restoration of Chilika Lake:
A Journey from Montreux Record to Ramsar Wetland
Conservation Award, and the Way forward
A.K.Pattnaik
Vice President, WISAThe Chilika lake is the largest brackish water lake situatedalong the east coast of India and the 1st Ramsar site of thecountry. The lake is a unique assemblage of marine; brackish
and freshwater eco-systems with estuarine characters. It is a
hotspot of biodiversity and a wintering ground for more than
one million migratory birds.The lake basin and coastal process
are integral factors determining the ecological integrity of thiscoastal wetland. The freshwater inflows drive the temporaland spatial salinity dynamics of the lake, which contributes tothe mosaic of aquatic habitats for different plant and animal
species, and the various life cycle requirements of these
species. It is primarily this dynamic salinity regime thatenables the lake to support high biodiversity and a productive
fishery. The highly productive ecosystem of Chilika lake sustains the livelihood of 0.2 million fishers and 0.8 million lakebasin community. The lake encountered a combination ofincreased siltation due to changes in the land use pattern anddegradation of the lake basin, as well as the partial closure of
the inlet connecting the sea during 1980-1999. The decrease insalinity caused proliferation of invasive species, increased turbidity, shrinkage of the water-spread area, loss of biodiversity,and drastic depletion of fishery resources. The plummetingfish production adversely affected the livelihood of the local
communities. Due to changes in its ecological character, it was
included in the Montreux Record, maintained by Ramsar
Bureau, in 1993.
In response to the action by the Ramsar Convention, Chilika
Development Authority (CDA) was created for the restorationof the lake based on the Ramsar Guidelines and wise use principles by the Government of Odisha. CDA initiated an integrated adaptive management process to address the complex
ecological and socio-economic issues of the Chilika lake basedon the Ramsar guidelines. There was an assessment of thecauses of degradation with the objective to identify appropriate and effective measures to restore the lake to its former
healthy state. CDA commissioned the services of premierinstitutes of the country to trace the root-cause of degradation
through targeted scientific studies and extensive stakeholders' and expert consultation.
Intensive studies of the coastal processes showed that the
tidal influx into the lake was adversely affected by the shoal
formation along the lead channel and continuous shifting of
the mouth due to littoral drift.This had been negatively impacting the natural recruitment of species through the mouth
opening to the sea. To address this problem based on theoutcome of the rigorous modelling, opening of a new mouth
was recommended. Before going for such significant majorintervention, CDA looked for cases where similar interventions are made for restoration of hydrological regime. During
this crucial moment, Ramsar Center Japan (RCJ) connected
CDA to Lake Saroma, Japan where similar intervention wasmade to re-connect the lake to the sea. With the exchange ofknowledge and expertise from Lake Saroma, CDA made astraight cut based on numerical model studies, bringing theinlet closer to the lake by 16 kilometers. After this intervention,
there has been a significant improvement of fishery resources
due to auto-recruitment, increase of the tidal and salinity flux

into the lake resulting in achieving desired salinity gradient,flushing out of sediment to the sea, the decrease of freshwater
invasive species, and overall improvement of lake ecosystemand biodiversity. It is a perfect example of how the restorationof a wetland with most appropriate strategy can not only
restore the ecological integrity of the wetland but also, cancontribute significantly towards the improvement of livelihood of the local community due to increase in the productivity. Strong indicators of improvement in the lake ecosystem
are the increase in population of the Irrawady dolphin, a flagship species, from 80 to 150, reappearance of the native fish
species,re-sighting of the limbless skink (Barkudia insularis),an endemic species, after 72 years of its discovery, reductionin the extent of invasive water hyacinth, and a significant
increase in the extent of ecologically valuable sea grassmeadows in the lake.
Ninety percent fin fish and shell fish of Chilika Lake maintain a phased life cycle and are migratory in nature, part oftheir life cycle takes place in the lake and the part in the sea.
The opening of the mouth facilitating successful breeding
migration and auto-recruitment of juveniles. This has resulted
in significant enhancement of the fish production from apaltry 2000 metric ton pre-restoration to 14000 metric ton
post restoration. The valuation of the enhanced fish production post restoration at the average weighted price stands at
16.19 million US$ per annum. In spite of significant improvement of the fish catch, it was observed that the economic conditions of the fishers were not improving. The fishers were
under severe debt trap and victims of overexploitation by themoney lenders. As a solution to this chronic problem, Primary
Fishermen Co-operative Societies were federated. A Central
Fishermen Co-operative Society was constituted, and Government provided institutional financing, which immensely benefited the fishers in getting out of the debt trap. Now their perannual family income is increased by more than 1000 US $.
The population of the Irrawaddy dolphin a flag ship species ofthe lake also increased due to increase of the prey base i.e.
fish. This created another vista of opportunity for the local
fishers by way of conducting tourist for dolphin watching.
CDA extended necessary support by way of the capacity
development of the fishers and created minimum visitors
amenities facilities at the gateways in to the lake. This has
immensely benefitted fishers from16 villages who haveadopted dolphin watching nature tourism, as a viable alternate livelihood. This is also helping in reducing pressure onlake fishery. For holistic management of the lake an integrated
lake basin management approach is adopted following the 6pillars principles, promoted by ILEC Foundation Japan. For
sustainable management of lake basin, the micro-watershed
is treated as the basic ecological functional unit. An innovative participatory micro-watershed management concept is
adopted with a “sustainable livelihood” approach for holistic
management of natural resources of lake basin. This resulted
in improvement of the soil moisture regime and increase in
the production of the agriculture crop, which is benefiting thelake basin communities. At the same time, due to arrest of the30silt by the effective soil conservation measures in the micro
watershed, silt flow in to the lake is also reduced significantly.
Considering the complex and dynamic ecosystem of thelake, a well-researched monitoring protocol is followed for
close monitoring of the lake ecosystem. To make it morerobust, sensors are deployed at strategic locations, for realtime monitoring of the lake water quality. A state-of-the art
wetland research and training center is developed for conducting research on lake ecosystem. In collaboration with the
Maryland University, USA an “ecosystem health report card”
is developed for critical assessment of the lake ecosystem anddissemination to the wide audience. The lake ecosystem issuccessfully restored and its resilience was also put to thetest, post severe cyclonic storm Phailin in 2013. The Lake
turned out to an entirely freshwater putting severe pressure
on the biodiversity and ecosystem. However, within six
months the ecosystem fully recovered, testifying it’s fantastic
resilience.
Management steps by CDA, are widely debated, researched
and implemented. This extensive consultative approach has
contributed significantly to the success of the management
actions undertaken. Another strong attribute of the restoration
initiative is “good governance” that encompasses ideal procedural aspects of planning and management as well as concepts of legitimacy, fairness, wisdom, acceptability,transparency and accountability. A broad understanding of
the physical, chemical and biological processes occurring;
long-term goals supported from the highest political level tothe local communities; and comprehensive, long-term plans.
The management philosophy of CDA is pragmatic and outcome-focused, implemented by innovative leadership and astrong and committed core team. The restoration initiatives
adopted derives its uniqueness from the building of strong
institution at multilevel, strong participation by local communities, linkage with various national and international institutions, and close monitoring and assessment of the lakeecosystem. The successful restoration of the lake demonstrates how investing in multiple knowledge base systems tobenefit from cutting edge science as well as traditional knowledge through participatory research, helps in connecting ecosystem to the communities and facilitate resource efficientand inclusive management. (informed stake holders translating outcome of research findings into practice). The empowerment of the fishers achieved through federation, to promoteresponsible fishery, community-based ecotourism and alternative livelihood. As a follow up of recommendation by
Ramsar advisory mission, a wetland research and training
center is established for dissemination of exemplary
good-practice case study of the application of the various
Ramsar guidelines, and the use of the Convention's tools andapproaches, to address complex site and catchment management issues. A long term comprehensive management plan is
also formulated based on Ramsar guidelines. The most important achievement of the steps taken by CDA for managementof the lake is the sustainability. Looking at the benefit from therestored lake the state government is providing funds for therecurring expenditure on long term basis.
It is an exemplary good-practice local action of the application of the various Ramsar guidelines, and the use of the Convention's tools and approaches, to address complex issues
with an ecosystem approach. It is also a perfect example of
how the restoration of a wetland with ecosystem approach
can not only result in ecological integrity of the wetland but
also, can contribute significantly towards the improvement of
livelihood of the local community. This local action is a gooddemonstration how various guidelines and tools of the Ramsar
convention have been successfully translated into action. In

particular, this example could assist the Convention to develop
further guidance in support of the whole ecosystem approach
to wetland management and provide an example of adaptive
management practices for wetlands as practised in Chilika
after restoration for achieving sustainability.
To accomplish the post-restoration sustainability a longterm integrated management plan outlining the management
strategy to identify the management objectives is formulated
based on the Ramsar guidelines in 2012. To promote responsible fishery and wise use of the lake resources extensive CEPA
activities were carried out in collaboration with local NGOs
and CBOs. Ramsar Center Japan provided significant support
for successful implementation of the CEPA activities both preand post-restoration phase. Experience from successful management of wetland has shown that devolving decision
making power over the use and management of natural
resources to local communities can yield tangible benefits
regarding livelihood and food security, new and more equitable power relationships (including for women) and better
environmental stewardship and sustainability. So, forpost-restoration sustainability steps were taken to securerights of the local communities to wetland resources, as wellas access to environmental information, markets, and decision-making, to enhance their capacity to do wise use of thewetland resources.
There are some management gaps which remains to be
bridged. There is an urgent need for regulation of resource
use to prevent overexploitation resulting in severe resource
depletion. A draft legislation is pending for quite some timewith the Government and is under their active consideration
for some time, for regulation of fishing in the lake ,whichneeds to be expedited. There is urgent need to completely
curb the illegal shrimp culture which is detrimental to the lakeecosystem.
The restoration strategy adopted by CDA derives its uniqueness from the firm participation by local communities, linkage
with various national and international institutions including
RCJ, and intensive monitoring and assessment of the system
and its global relevance. Chilika Lake was removed from theMontreux Record (first from Asia) in 2002, and Chilika Development Authority received the prestigious Ramsar Wetland
Conservation Award for the successful restoration of thewetland.

31

Ariake Sea Session

32

Ariake Sea Session

Animals and Plants in Tidal Flat of Ariake Sea
Yasuhisa Henmi
Center for Water Cycle, Marine Environment, and Disaster Management, Kumamoto University

The Ariake Sea (1,700 km2) is an enclosed bay located on thewest coast of the Kyushu, Japan (Fig. 1a) with large tidal
amplitudes of more than 6 m in the innermost areas during
spring tides. In the Ariake Sea, huge tidal flats (188 km2)
develop mainly in the estuarine areas of large rivers, andmany salt marshes (halophytic plant areas) are located in theupper intertidal zones of riverine and seashore areas (Henmi
et al., 2017).
Tidal flats in the Ariake Sea are very large and 5-7 km tidal
flats appear in spring low tides at the mouths of large rivers(e.g. Rokkaku-R, Chikugo-R, Yabe-R). Even though these tidal
flats - largely devoid of vegetation - initially look as if they had
no life, they are teeming with organisms (Miththapala, 2013).
Tidal flats support a large number of invertebrates, mainly
benthos such as crustaceans, bivalves, snails, worms,
seaweed and seagrass – most are important for food. In the
Ariake Sea, moreover, many salt marshes are located in theupper intertidal zones of estuarine and riverine areas. Salt
marshes are coastal ecosystems that dominate large areas ofintertidal zones in temperate regions, and are found mainly
along foreshores, lagoons, and tidal rivers where freshwater
mixes with seawater. Salt marshes form a transitional area
between aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems and raise many
peculiar species.
Tidal flats and salt marshes are important to coastal ecosystems as high biodiversity zone, sustaining zone of coastal
fisheries, nursery grounds for the juveniles of many marine
animals, transitional zones with high primary productivity,
enriching zone of coastal nutrients, buffers against wind andtidal current along the shoreline, nutrient and pollutant filters
between marine and freshwater ecosystems, and carbon sinkzone and cultural zone for recreation. The Ariake Sea is known
as “Houjo no Umi” (the Sea of Fertility) because of its highproductivity. Nori (edible seaweed of red algae, Pyropia yezoensis, mainly sold as a paper-thin, black, dried sheet) andAsari (Japanese littleneck clam, Ruditapes philippinarum) aremajor fishery products in the Ariake Sea.
Tidal flats and salt marshes in the Ariake Sea have very highbiodiversity and many endangered and endemic species
inhabit there (Japanese Association of Benthology 2012).
From 2002 to 2004, Ministry of the Environment Japan organized a benthos research project and many researchers surveyed benthic fauna at 157 tidal flats throughout Japan (Iijima,2007). In Kyushu, the survey at 38 tidal flats, including 13 tidal
flats in the Ariake Sea, were conducted (Fig. 1a), and the most
species was record in the Ariake Sea (average 88.3 species),
almost equal to that in Amami Island in the subtropical regionof Japan (Fig. 1b).
Different types of tidal flats are observed in various placesof the Ariake Sea, and animals and plants segregate habitats
mainly by the sediment type (soft mud - pebble). In the northern (inner) part of the Ariake Sea (Isahaya - Yanagawa region),
tidal flats are huge and composed of very fine mud (softbottom), and Mutsugoro (mudskipper, Boleophthalmus
pectinirostris), Sarubou (ark clam, Scapharca kagoshimensis),
Shiomaneki (mud fiddler crab, Tubuca arcuata), and Shichimenso (Chenopodiaceae plant, Suaeda japonica) etc. can beobserved. In the middle part (Arao - Uto region), many tidal

Fig. 1 A: Study sites in Kyushu in Iijima (2007), B: Average number of species per site
recorded in each sea area, with number of study sites in parentheses.

flats are middle-sized and mud-sandy, and Asari, Hamaguri(hard clam, Meretrix lusoria) and Hamamatsuna (Chenopodiaceae plant, Suaeda maritina) etc. can be observed. In thesouthern part (mouth of the bay: Shimabara Peninsula andAmakusa Islands), the substrate of most seashore is composed of stones (pebble, cobble and boulder) and bedrock,and small sandy tidal flats are found in inner parts of inlets,
and Mategai (razor clam, Solen strictus), Hakusen-shiomaneki(sand fiddler crab, Austruca lactea), and Hamasaji (autumn
statice, Limonium tetragonum) etc. can be observed. Many
dolphins(Minami-handoiruka,
Indo-Pacificbottlenose
dolphin, Tursiops aduncus), over 200 individuals, inhabit andforage for fish on the sea of Amakusa Islands.
In Ariake Sea, many animals and plants are continental
relicts, e.g. Oo-syamisengai (Lingula adamsi), Umi-maimai(air-breathing snail, Salinator takii), Haragukure-chigogani(dotillid crab, Ilyoplax deschampsi), Etu (Japanese grenadieranchovy, Coilia nasus), and Mutsugoro, and in the geologicalhistory of Japan, they have lived around ‘Old Yellow River’
20,000 years ago. Now, the same species are found along the
Yellow Sea, though the distribution of these species isrestricted to the Ariake and Yatsushiro seas in Japan. In the33present day, for example, Haragukure-chigogani (the small
mud crab) widely distributed on muddy tidal flats from Japan
to China, but it appear only on the innermost areas of the
Ariake Sea in Japan.
Like other coastal environments in the world, tidal flats in
the Ariake Sea face high levels of destruction, due mainly toanthropogenic activities. Also in Japan, most people lives incoastal regions, making coastlines highly vulnerable to humanimpacts. In addition, human activities affect tidal flats directly
and indirectly through grazing, dredging, development,
dumping of chemicals into water systems and overfishing. In
the Ariake Sea, fortunately, many healthy tidal flats and salt
marshes still persist with relatively high biodiversity, having
many endangered and endemic species (Japanese Association of Benthology 2012), unlike other regions in Japan. But
enough information is not available on the flora and faunathat inhabit tidal flats and salt marshes. To clarify the community structure in the salt marsh, and to conserve salt marsh
ecosystems, more detailed studies are required.
In the past three decades, fishery products in the Ariake Sea
have greatly declined. Nori product is unstable and Asariproduct suddenly decreased since 1980s. Moreover, unfortunately, other commercially important fishery species,
Hamaguri, Tairagi (pen shell, Atrina spp.), Agemaki (Chineserazor clam, Sinonovacula constricta), Haigai (granulated ark
clam, Tegillarca granosa), Kuruma-ebi (Japanese tiger prawn,
Marsupenaeus japonicus) etc., were also greatly decreased
and some of them become even endangered species. For
example, Kumamoto Prefecture is the largest in Japan in theamount of Hamaguri (Meretrix lusoria) production, and theestuarine area of the Midorikawa River is the largest production area. But the production is greatly decreased since 1980s.
The major causes of the decrease of Hamaguri resource arethought to be sand/gravel-digging in the river, construction of
dam and overfishing. The sand/gravel-digging and dam construction changed the bottom of river mouth from sand to
mud, which the Hamaguri juveniles dislike. Thus, the changeof coastal environment gives serious influences on animals
and plants in the coast areas.
Moreover, invasive alien species, Karamushiro (Nassarius
snail, Nassarius sinarus), Shimamenou-funegai (onyx slipper
snail, Crepidula onyx), Higata-ashi (saltmarsh cordgrass,
Spartina alterniflora) etc., represent a major threat to native
animals and plants in tidal flats and salt marshes in the Ariake
Sea. Finally, tidal flats are also exposed to the threat of a
global rise in sea levels. Because of the environmental
destruction like above, coastal biodiversity and the services toit underpins are greatly lost. Henmi (2017) suggested the following seven factors as the causes of coastal environment
degradation in the Ariake Sea: (1) land reclamation, (2)increase of mud content (sludging) in the sea-bottom causedby sand mining from river and sea, and by the construction ofdams containing erosion control dams, (3) inflow and accumulation of harmful chemicals and eutrophic materials, (4)appearance of anoxic water mass, (5) global climate change,
especially increases of water temperature during winter, (6)overfishing, and (7) loss of network system among local populations in benthos. Though it is not easy to remove these
aggravating factors, we must start what we can without amoment’s delay, e.g. discontinuation of land declamation and/or dissolution of overfishing (sustainable fisheries).
The Ariake Sea – it has many serious problems, but is really
wonderful area as ever, and you can find signs of recovery.

References
Henmi (2017) Biodiversity and threat in Ariake and Yatsushiro seas – focusing
on benthos in tidal flats and salt marshes. J. Japan Soc. Water Environment
40:163-166. (in Japanese)Henmi Y., Fuchimoto D. Kasahara Y. Shimanaga M. (2017) Community structuresof halophytic plants, gastropods and brachyurans in salt marshes in Ariake
and Yatsushiro seas of Japan. Plankton and Benthos Research 12: 224-237.
Iijima A (ed) (2007) The 7th Natuonal Survey on the Natural Environment. Tidal
beaches, sea weeds and coral reefs (Tidal beaches). Biodiversity Center ofJapan. Fijiyoshida, 235 pp. (in Japanese).
Japanese Association of Benthology (2012) Threatened animal of Japanesetidal flats: red data book of seashore benthos. Tokai University Press,
Kanagawa, 285 pp. (in Japanese)
Miththapala S (2013) Tidal flats (Vol. 5). IUCN.

34

Ariake Sea Session

The History of Nori Farming in Tokyo Bay and Trial to
Pass It Down to Later Generarion
Fumihiro Koyama
Omori Nori Museum (Nori no Furusato kai)

Nori is one of the most popular traditional foods in Japan.
It’s used for SUSHI roll, ONIGIRI and so on. It’s a kind of seaweeds. Ariake Sea is the main Nori-producing center at thepresent time. Tokyo Bay was once the main Nori-producing
center. But now, no one has the right to farm Nori in the innerpart of Tokyo Bay (Tokyo Prefecture). I introduce the history of
Nori farming in Tokyo Bay and trial to pass it down.
People have gathered wild Nori off rocks and sticks for thousands of years. Farming of Nori on the seaside of the innerpart of Tokyo became active around 300 years ago (especially
Omori area). Sticks of wood or bamboo were put up in shallow
waters in autumn. Nori farmers picked up Nori grown on the
sticks to make thin sheets like paper in winter. The area had
shallow sea, brackish water and gentle wave which were suitable for Nori growing. Omori became a major producing
center soon. Also, Nori farming technology spread across allover the country from there.
However, Nori farmers agreed to reclaim farming places,
and Nori farming in the inner part of Tokyo Bay was finishedin 1962. There were two main reasons, pollution and reclamation. Economic growth caused serious sea pollution. Reclamation was needed for economic growth. A local preservationgroup started collecting and preserving their tools soon.

Tokyo Bay in 1950

Current Tokyo Bay in 2017

1st floor, 2nd floor

1950’s aerial photograph

Most of shallow sea was reclaimed. 20% area in Tokyo Bay
was reclaimed. Wetland’s area decreased to 12.5%. (1950–
2017)
Nori farmers never forgot their lives which had been withthe sea. Although many years went by, Omori Nori Museum
was opened by Ota Ward government on April 6th 2008. With
thanks to passions of local people. Management of themuseum is entrusted to the NPO (Nori no Furusato kai).
The museum has more than 1,000 Nori manufacturing
tools, 881 of which were designated as the national important
properties of folk culture under the name of “Nori Manufacturing Tools of Omori and surrounding area”. Lots of different
tools including 13-meter-long nori boat are exhibited. It’s
located near the Haneda airport, and next to the regenerated
beach. 100,000 visitors come every year.
The museum has two main themes.
1. Local Nori manufacturing history
2. Importance of wetland (shallow sea)

We make our activities based on these.
And our activities consist of three elements.
1. History
2. Nature
3. Experience35
1. History
We explain about history, tools, and so on to the visitors.
Lots of elementary schools come for learning their local
history. Of course, all generations come.

2. Nature
The most important thing of nori farming is to understandthe function of wetland and sea. We need to learn them evennow. So we offer natural environmental programs about
fishes, benthos and so on.

Our goal is to pass down the local Nori history and theimportance of wetlands to later generation. And we’d like togive the later generation opportunities to think about the relationship between human and wetland. This leads to Wise Useof Wetlands.
Information

3. Experience
The museum’s most popular program is a hands-on eventthat offers visitors a chance to mold dried Nori in the old way.
Former Nori farmers teach us practically. It’s very valuable
because they’re over 80-year-old.
Experience is the most effective way to learn something.
The traditional way usually includes wisdom which is forgotten now.
We actually try to cultivate nori by using with bamboo sticks
and nets in the sea (regenerated beach) every winter. Our purposes are technical succession and reproduction of the former
sea scene.

36

Ariake Sea Session

Characteristics of the Marine Environment in Ariake Sea (abstract)
Yuichi Hayami
Saga University
Ariake Sea is a semi-enclosed embayment located in western
Kyushu. It has a length of 96 km, mean width of 18 km and mean
depth of 20 m. It has a large tidal amplitude up to 6 m of tidal
range in the bay head. Because of the shallow topography andlarge tidal amplitude, there are widespread of tidal flat which isabout 40% of the total tidal flat area in Japan. The Chikugo River
which is the biggest river in Kyushu discharges into the bay
head. The area northward of the line connecting Takesaki Islandand the Miike Port is called as the inner area of Ariake Sea. Highconcentration of suspended clay and silt in the Chikugo River
water, shallow depth and large tidal amplitude generate highturbidity in the inner area of Ariake Sea. Most of the tidal flats inthis area are soft mudflats. The typical ones are Higasiyoka-higata and Hizen Kashima-higata. Here “higata” means tidal flat.
On the other hand, there are sandy mud or sandy tidal flats
located along the eastern coast of Ariake Sea including Araohigata. Ariake Sea has unique biota; for example, Mutsugorou(goggle-eyed goby) and Etsu (grenadier anchovy). There are 23
species which distribute only in Ariake Sea in Japan. Most ofthem are mainly distributed in the inner area of Ariake Sea.
From October to April, many laver cultures are conducted in the
inner area of Ariake Sea using the shallow topography andabundant nutrient supply form the rivers and mudflats. It is thebiggest commercial fishing in Ariake Sea (About 99% of thegross fisheries production in Ariake Sea in Saga Prefecture).
However, many environmental and fisheries problems are
occurring in Ariake Sea now, e,g., the decrease of bivalves anddemersal fish, increase of red tide and the formation of thehypoxic water mass (oxygen depleted water) in summer. Morethan 30 years ago, the inner area of Ariake Sea was the biggest
production area of Tairagi (pen shell) in Japan. Its production
sometimes exceeded ten thousand t/year. But its population
size became very small now and its fishing has been closed for
5 years since 2012. In the sandy mud or sandy tidal flats, thedecrease of the production of Asari (manila clam) became aproblem. From the mid 70s to the early 80s the Asari production
in Ariake Sea exceeded 50 thousand t/year. It was a half of thetotal production in Japan. But it was less than 1 thousand t/year
in 2014. There are two types of red tide problems in Ariake Sea.
One is the toxic phytoplankton bloom in summer, e.g. Chattonella sp. The other one is the phytoplankton bloom mainly
diatoms in autumn and winter. Usually they are not toxic.
However, as the excess phytoplankton production consumes a
lot of nutrients in water, the discoloration of the cultured laver is
induced by the nutrient depletion. The formation of the hypoxic
water mass is a serious problem since it induces the decrease inbenthos and disappearance of fish. The bottom water in the
inner area of Ariake Sea easily became hypoxic from the 1970s
to the early 90s and the hypoxic water mass (less than 3 mg/L in
Dissolved Oxygen) formed every summer since 2004. The main
reasons for these problems remain unclear now. But many fishermen insist that the Isahaya Sea dike construction affected. In
1997, the inner 1/3 of Isahaya Bay was shut off by the dike and a
fresh water reservoir and reclaimed land were constructed.
Now the conflict related to the Isahaya dike construction becamea big social problem.

Reproduction of Mudskippers: Aerial Embryos Developing in a Mudſlat Burrow (abstract)
Atsushi Ishimatsu
Institute for East China Sea Research, Nagasaki University
Intertidal mudflats are highly productive ecosystems that
impose severe environmental challenges on their occupants due
to tidal oscillations and extreme shifts in habitat conditions.
Reproduction on mudflats requires protection of developing
eggs from thermal and salinity extremes, O2 shortage, dislodgement by currents, siltation and predation. Mudskippers are
air-breathing, amphibious fishes, and one of few vertebrates that
reside on mudflats. There are five species of mudskippers inJapan, and two in the Ariake Sea (Boleophthalmus pectinirostrisand Periophthalmus modestus). All the mudskippers so far
studied lay their eggs in mud burrows containing extremely
hypoxic water. If submerged in the water contained in theburrows, the eggs will perish within 48 hours due to suffocation.
Therefore, the question of how the eggs survive had been an
enigma to fish biologists.Through our 10-year field work in Saga,Japan, we found that the Japanese mudskipper Periophthalmus
modestus deposits its eggs on the walls of an air-filled chamberwithin its burrow. To ensure adequate O2 for egg development,
the burrow-guarding male mudskipper deposits mouthfuls offresh air into the egg chamber during each low tide. As a result,the O2 concentration of egg-chamber will become high enoughto satisfy O2 requirement of the developing embryos during thesubsequent high tide period, when the mudflat was covered bytidal water and the male did not add air. An artificial reduction of
egg-chamber O2 concentration revealed that the male sensed
the hypoxia and recovered the O2 concentration rapidly before
the next mudflat inundation. When egg development is complete, the male, on a nocturnal rising tide, removes the
egg-chamber air and releases it outside the burrow. This floods

the egg chamber and induces egg hatching. Video records
showed that flooding the chamber required the removal of an
average of 103±42 air gulps, which gave an almost exact volume
of total egg-chamber air (47ml) based on the buccal-branchialcapacity of P. modestus (0.46ml in an average-sized (2.6g) fish).
Thus, P. modestus has developed a reproductive strategy thatallows it to nurture eggs in this severe habitat rather thanmigrating away from the mudflat.
Data on the reproductive strategy of Boleophthalmus pectinirostrisis fragmentary, largely because of more complex and variableconfiguration of their burrows. Nonetheless, the measurementof redox potential indicated that the egg chamber is exposed tomuch higher O2 conditions than the other parts of the burrows.
Observations of burrow-guarding male and the laboratory
experiments of egg incubation in air and hypoxic water also
agree with the assumption that B. pectinirostris eggs develop in
air filled in an egg chamber.
The reproductive strategy of mudskippers requires that theeggs be specialized to develop in air and that the air-breathing
capacity of the egg-guarding male be integrated in a complex
behavioral repertoire that includes egg guarding, ferrying air toand from the egg chamber, and sensing O2 levels therein, all inconcert with the tidal cycle. Compared with the reproductivemodes of other fishes that spawn at the interface between air
and water, mudskippers have evolved the most sophisticated,but also the most energy demanding reproductive strategy,
which probably reflects the most formidable nature of theirhabitat.

37

Ariake Sea Session

Wild birds in Ariake Sea (past, present, and future) (abstract)
Akiyuki Miyahara
Wild Bird Society of Japan Saga
I’ve heard that a lot of Anas formosa flied above Ariake sea
flapping their wings before the war from the first branch chief ofWild Bird Society of Japan 25 years ago.
After that, there is the World War II, and recovery from the war,and rapid economic growth. During that, the coastlines in Japan
were concreted. The tild flats were 80,000 ha in 1945 but 51,433
in 2006, namely disappeared 36% in 60 years.
Now the tild flats that remain in Japan or 19,206 ha are in
Ariake sea. From this figure we can understand how importantthe tild flats in Ariake sea are. But in Ariake sea the sluice gate of
Isahaya bay was closed. Formally Isahaya by was the number
one landing zone. Now the number of Anas formosa landing
decreases. Anas formosa became rare bird.
The birds like Anas formosa continued to decrease but still alot of birds go through Ariake sea. Ariake sea is the place where
33% of shorebirds come to Japan. This figure is derived fromthe maximum number of individuals in the survey monitering-site 1000.
The site is consist of Core site (Arao Higata, Higasiyoka Higata,
Kasimasinkago Kaigan) and General site (Rokkaku-gawa Kako,
Hayatue-gawa Kako , Onoshima). The tild flats in Ariake sea isthe important one and in addition to shorebirds a various kindof birds (Ducks, Gulls, Herons) come there.
Chroicocephalus saundersi is the endangered specie, and
45% of the bird in Japan come to Ariake sea and pass the winter. 20% of Platalea minor and 71% of Tadorna tadorna use
there. A lot of Caldris alpine, Pluvialis squatarola, Charadrius
alexandrinus use there not as a stopping point but also as a
wintering spot.
38% of Caldris alpine 21% of Charadrius alexandrinus thatpass the winter in Japan use the tild flat of Ariake sea. Also
42%Numenius madagascarienisis and 36% of Limosa lapponica
supplement nutrition and pass there.
From these datas you can understand that Ariake sea is No.1.
Especially Higasiyoka Higata is remarkable. Higasiyoka Higat is
an indispensable place to birds.
The reason why a lot of birds come there is that there aremuch food for example, Bristle worms, Crustaceas, fishs andalso their foods microbes, plankton.
That Ariake sea is sick now.
Every time I hear about the reduction of fishery resources, I
am very sad.
We can not make the environment worse any further. Arao
Higata, Higasiyoka Kaigan, and kasima shingomori Kaigan(thewetlands of international importance that are protected) constitute only 5% of the entire Ariake sea. We must link to the future
to enjoy watching birds rest on this place, to arrest the deterioration of the environment. It is up to us enrich the sea and also
impoverish the sea.

Toward Restoration of Ariake Sea by Means of Integrated Studies“CoHHO” Collaborated with Its Relevant Social Movement“The Sea is Longing for the Forest” (abstract)
Masaru Tanaka
Kyoto University
The Ariake Sea previously showed the highest bioproductivity and biodiversity in Japanese coastal waters, being characterised by existence of many unique species of which distribution
is resricted there. However both trends have been lost in recent
years primarily due to accumulation of large-scale humanimpacts on the environment. Although there were many humanimpacts, following three problems appear to be the mostserious impacts on the Ariake Sea ecosysytem. 1) Disembarking
huge amount of sand from the bottom of the Chikugo River
which is the largest river inflowing to the Ariake Sea during thelater half of 20th century. 2) Chikugo Ohzeki construction in 1985
at the lower reach of the Chikugo river in order to supply drinking water for Fukuoka city. 3) 7km sea dyke construction in 1997
to reclamate the wide tidal flat area in the innermost part of
Isahaya bay.
Each of those human impacts on itself is serious, but we shouldmake sure of the essence common to these problems. That mustbe human-dividing land (forest) sysytem and sea system which
originally connect each other. We could easily undersatand thattidal flat which needs continuous supply of mud and sand fromland mainly by rivesrs; tidal flat appears to be deteriorated if its
contiuous supply was disturbed, causing resultnat reduction of
bio-purification ability by benthic organisms.
Japan has a unique natural strcucture characterised by combination od rich forest ecosystem with its coverage of 67 % andhighly diversified marine ecosystem which is connected bymore than 30 thousands rivers.This is recognised as positive
connectivity in which forest ecosystem enhances marine bioproductivity by suppling nutrients and minute elements.
However increased human population along riverside has
destroyed it and chaged to negative connectivity. This could be

typically found in Ariake Sea surrounded by many volcanic
mountains like Unzen, Tara, Seburi, Kuju and Aso. Present critical situation of Ariake Sea is derived from destroying the forest-sea connectivity during the last 50 years.
In 1989 oyster-culture fishermen initiated tree-planting activity in order to restore the coastal marine ecosystem under acatch-phrase“The sea is longing for the forest”in Kesennuma,
Miyagi prefecture. This grass-root social movement becomes tobe nation-wide movement and has recently been got attention
from ovesrseas countries as a Japanese wisdom. Followed thissocial movement (Mori-Umi movement), an integerated studies
covering from the forest to the ocean was proposed by Kyoto
University in 2003, being named as CoHHO studies (Connectivity of Hills, Humans and Oceans).
We have tryed to introduce the Mori-Umi movement and
CoHHO studies to Ariake Sea for restoration, particularly tidal
flat restoration since 2010. In order to disseminate the idea wehave hold annual symposium entitled “Ariake Sea restoration”
in Fukuoka, Oita, Saga and Kumamoto prefecture. Combinedwith idea dissemination we have established a non-profit organization to start practical tidal-flat restoration experiment. One of
the important our practices has been conducted in Tara, Saga
prefecture under collaboration fishermen, citizens and researchers since 2011. This experiment has been carried out using anenvironmental restoring substance named as Chilate Marine(CM) composed of iran, baboo chachole and chelate substance.
This will be done under collaboration of young and senior generations as well as collaboration of local and urban people.
Recent our particular concern is how we could invite school children into such field activities.

38

Ariake Sea Session

Eſſorts toward Revitalization and Creation of Ariake Sea (abstract)
Yoshiyuki Kawakami
Ariake Bay Rehabilitation Organization
The Specified Nonprofit Corporation, Ariake Sea Revitalization Organization was established with the aim of contributing
to the revitalization and creation of the Ariake Sea through“survey and research” and “NPO activities”, etc. mainly by university researchers in June 2005. Based on this, we have provided information widely through symposiums and lectures for
citizens, and have been thinking about Ariake Sea together. In
addition, we have also worked on the “Research Master Plan”
showing a roadmap for a future survey and a research for therevitalization of Ariake sea.
We submitted “urgent proposal leading to future of Ariake
Sea” to the related organizations of government and prefecture,
and also actively participated in the problem of opening the

Isahaya Bay reclamation project and strove for social contribution from scientific standpoint.
Today, we are gathering together with a common goal for“revitalizing and creating Ariake Sea”, and aiming to establish“Association to consider the revitalization and creation of Ariake
Sea and its coastal areas (tentative name)” composed by theadministration of government and Saga prefecture, fisheries,
researchers, NPO members etc. who cooperate toward this goal
and implement concrete efforts.
In addition, we will recruit technology seeds for revitalizing
Ariake Sea widely from all fields to discover new technology
seeds, and will hold a workshop for technological suggestion.
We will play a platform role for revitalization of Ariake Sea.

Traditional Fisheries of Ariake Sea (abstract)
Kango Nakao
MAE-UMI Citizens’ Association, independent photographer
At least until ca 1950s, there were many traditional fishingexisted in Ariake Sea. The numbers of the traditional fishingmethods were about 100 including fishing boat fisheries andfishing activities on the tidal flat. However, their numbers fell toabout one-half due to the degradation of marine environment
and the decrease of the fisheries resources. The examples of the
traditional fishing boat fisheries are the “Ankou-ami”, the“Umitake-neji” and the helmet diving fishing of pen shell. The
Ankou-ami fishing is conducted by a boat anchoring at the bay
head area off the river mouth. The Ankou-ami is a fixed bag net
with a width of about 20m which traps the fish and shrimp
flowing into it by strong tidal current. It still can be seen off themouths of the Hayatsue River and the Rokkaku River now. The
Umitake-neji is a fishing to catch the bivalve Barnea dilatata (inJapanese “Umitake”) which has long siphon and living in thebottom sediment using a long rod with an iron hock from afishing boat. Now this fishing has been closed because of thedecrease of the population. The helmet diving fishing of pen
shell (in Japanese “Tairagi”) is one of the typical fisheries in
Ariake Sea but the history of it was not so old. It started in the
Taisho era, at first by the divers form Jeju Island, Korea. Thisfishing is also closed now because of the decrease of population. The examples of the traditional fishing activities on the tidal
flat are the “Mutsukake”, the “Subokaki” and the “Takappo”.The
Mutsukake is a fishing of the goggle-eyed goby (in Japanese“Mutsugorou”). The Mutsukake fishermen sneaks up to a gog-

gle-eyed goby on the mudflat and catch it by whipping with along fishing rod. There are about 10 fishermen who are conducting the Mustukake in Hama, Kashima City and so on. The Subokaki is a fishing to catch the goby Odontamblyopus lacepedii(in Japanese “Warasubo”) in the mud using a rod with an ironhock. The Mutsukake and the Subokaki fishermen use the Oshiita to move on the mudflat. The Oshi-ita is just like a snowboard
or a wake board, but instead of zipping over snow or water, theyslide over mud. The Takappo is a fishing of the goggle-eyed goby
hiding in the burrow using traps made of bamboos or PVC pipes.
Other than them, there are fishing methods using setnets or
fishing weirs. The “Sukui”, also known as the “Ishihibi” is a stone
tidal weir. The Sukui fishing catch fish trapped in it using the sea
level change caused by the tide. In the Meiji era, there wereabout 200 Sukuis along the coasts of Ariake Sea. However, there
is only one is remaining now. It is located in Isahaya Bay anddesignated as a cultural property of Isahaya City. The otherfishing method which is under threat of disappearance is the
Takehaze. The Takehaze is the biggest setnet in Ariake Sea. It is a
V or W shaped structure with a length of about 200 m in one side
constructed with many bamboos and one or a few nets inshallow water. Just after the World War II, there were at least 100
Takehazes in Ariake Sea. But there are only one is remaining off
Omuta City now. The traditional fishing methods disappeared inthis 70 years after the World War II is more than 10.

39

Ariake Sea Session

Festival and Culture in Ariake Sea Coastal Area (abstract)
Gunji Aramaki
Specified Nonprofit Corporation, Ariakekai Gururin Net
Japanese people believe that “God” is inhabited in every
nature, such as the sun, moon, water, ocean, forest. OkinoshimaIsland and Munakata Taisha Shrine where registration was
decided to be a World Heritage this year, is celebrating the godof water and the famous Hurougu shrine, Koura Taisha shrine,
Yodohime shrine in this area are celebrating the gods of sea andwater.
“Hurougu Shrine Sea God Festival”, a festival that sets up an
altar on the tidal flat that the tide has drawn at low tides andprays for God the grace and peace of the sea, conveys the relation between the ocean and people. The “Umihiko Yamahiko
Legend” written in “Kojiki”, the oldest historical book in Japan,
can not be established unless the background difference is large
difference in the Ariake Sea. This strongly suggests that theorigin of Japanese courtroom was in the coastal area of Ariake
Sea.
150 years ago, the Saga clan was in charge of security atNagasaki Port which was opened to a foreign country in Japan.
The Saga clan who touched advanced Western science and technology had learned much from many foreigners and books andsucceeded in making cannon and steamship with their own
power. The former site of Mie Tsu Navy site which completed

the first steamship in Japan was registered as “World Modernization Heritage” together with “Manda pit” (coal mining) in
Arao City in 2015.
People in the coastal area of the Ariake Sea inherit the ancientfestivals and at the same time create new festivals such as the“Kashima Gatalympics” and “Hot-air Balloon Festival” anddeepen their relationship with nature. Kashima citizen came up
with the idea to compete on tideland to widely advertise theflats’ charm. Competitions are prepared such as how far you
can fly with the rope and how fast you can run on a thin platewith a bicycle not on the brake. The smiling face of muddy children in the “Kashima Goatalympics” shows that the mud
deposited in Ariake Sea is clean and fun.
Saga plain has a mild climate, paddy field where hot air
balloon can land, road runs horizontally and sideways. Thisnatural condition makes it possible to hold hot balloon competitions. In “Hot-air Balloon Festival”, people can feel that thedirection of the wind blowing in the Saga plain changes delicately because the balloon which can be steered only up anddown moves in different directions.
Let’s think about the festivals and culture people have raised
and inherited in the coastal area of the Ariake Sea.

40

41

Session 1
Wetlands and Disaster Risk Reduction / Climate Change

42

Session 1: Wetlands and Disaster Risk Reduction / Climate Change

The Role of Wetlands for Disaster Risk Reduction
Naoya Furuta
IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) / Taisho University

IUCN started to work on the issue of Disaster Risk Reduction
since 2004 when the Western Indian Ocean earthquake andtsunami occurred. After this tragic event, there were manyobservations reported that impacts of tsunami were significantly reduced in areas where natural defence such as mangrove forests or sand dunes existed. For example, one of thecoastal resort in Sri Lanka that was built behind the coastal
dunes and vegetation was not affected by the tsunami andonly 5 cm high of wave reached to the resort.
On the other hand in the close area to that, the whole coastal
resort was destroyed by the tsunami and 27 people lost theirlives. The reason for this tragedy was this resort destroyed
sand dunes and vegetation and was built in from of the sea tohave a good ocean view for the visitors. And Tsunami hit
directly to the resort. Based on these observation at the IndianWestern Indian Ocean Tsunami in 2004, IUCN experts in CEM(Commission on Ecosystem Management) started to discuss
the important role of ecosystem management for Disaster
Risk Reduction and coined the new term Ecosystem-based
Disaster Risk Reduction or Eco-DRR in short [1].
The number of disasters events have increased significantly
since 1980s, mainly those events due to either meteorological,hydrological or climatological reasons. Of course we would
immediately assume that this rise is due to climate change
impacts but the answer is also that there are more people
living in areas that are impacted by such hazard events, suchas coastal areas and river beds. And those areas are also
important for wetlands. Here we can see the very close
linkage between wetlands conservation and disaster risk
reduction. At the same time, in terms of distributions of thedisasters around the world Asia has been consistently themost affected region, followed by the Americas and Africa
from the view point of number of disaster events, disastermortality and economic loss caused by disasters.
We tend to use the term “natural disaster”. However it isquestioned by many experts recently as disaster is not anatural phenomenon. According to the UNISDR, a disaster isdefined as “a serious disruption of the functioning of a community or a society involving widespread human, material,
economic or environmental losses and impacts, which
exceeds the ability of the affected community or society tocope using its own resources” [2]. This means disaster is nota natural phenomenon by itself but rather the ability of humansociety to cope with matters.
Disaster risk refers to the potential disaster losses – in lives,
assets, livelihoods, etc. – which could occur to a particularcommunity or society over some specified future time period[2]. We often express risk in terms of three factors: hazard(cyclone, tsunami); vulnerability and exposure. It is important
to distinguish between these three elements as they requiredifferent sets of policies and remedies in order to reduce disaster risk. Thus it is important to stress that disaster risk
cannot only attribute to the hazard that is a natural phenomenon but more depends on vulnerability and exposer that

relate to human activities.
There is a growing recognition on Ecosystem-based Disaster Risk Reduction (Eco-DRR) in the past few years. Eco-DRR isdefined as “the sustainable management, conservation, andrestoration to reduce disaster risk, with the aim of achieving
sustainable and resilient development” [3].
In 2008, a global partnership of organizations called PEDRR(Partnership for Ecosystems and Disaster Risk Reduction) was
organized and has been jointly promoting Eco-DRR, collecting
relevant information and providing capacity development
since then [4]. Because of this joint efforts, in the past few
years Eco-DRR was successfully integrated into both conservation policy and DRR, Climate Change and Sustainable
Development frameworks.
For example, at the CBD COP12 in Korea in 2014, a decision
on Biodiversity and Climate Change and Disaster Risk Reduction was adopted with a support from the Government ofJapan and other countries. This decision gave a strong
mandate for the CBD secretariat and also IUCN to work on thisissue under the CBD process. Based on this decision, IUCN is
now implementing a capacity development project on
Eco-DRR at the global level called RELIEF kit (Resiliencethrough Investing in Ecosystems - knowledge, innovation andtransformation of risk management) funded by Japan Biodiversity Fund [5].
At the Sydney World Parks Congress in 2014, a series of sessions were devoted for the DRR and protected areas. And therole of protected areas for DRR was recognized in the outcome
document of the Sydney World Parks Congress for the firsttime in the history of the World Parks Congress. And at the
Ramsar COP12 in 2015, a decision on Wetlands and disasterrisk reduction was adopted with a strong support from thePhilippine government after the hurricane Hyen.
The 3rd World Conference on DRR took place in Sendai in2015 and adopted Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030. Ecosystem-based approaches were alsostrongly embedded into this strategy. The Paris Agreement on
Climate Change also recognized the role of ecosystemapproaches for climate change mitigation and adaptation andmany countries already incorporated ecosystem-based measures within their INDCs. There are also many entry points forecosystem approaches for the SDGs and investing in nature
based solutions for DRR can help achieve a number of thesegoals.
In the academic world, there has been also a growing evidence to support the role of Eco-DRR in major scientific journals in the past few years. And interestingly many of them arefocusing on coastal ecosystems that are closely linked to thewetlands [6][7][8][9][10][11][12]. Those studies argued theability of coral reefs to reduce wave energy, oyster reefs togrow in height for the rise etc. Sutton-Grier et.al. reviewed
various types of Eco-DRR approaches in the coastal areas and43compared pros and cons of different approaches – natural,
built and hybrid approaches and concluded that there is ahuge research potential for the hybrid approaches [13].
When we look at the practice, there is also an increasing
implementation practices on the ground by using Eco-DRR
approaches in various places around the world. For instance,
US experienced Hurricane Sandy in 2012 and it brought ahuge impacts in the north east coast of the USA such as New
York. The US federal government developed Hurricane Sandy
Rebuilding Strategy in 2013 and the Strategy integrates a lotof green approaches in it [14]. Based on this strategy, an innovative international competition called Rebuild by Design was
conducted and 10 final plans were selected [15]. All theseplans integrated ecosystem approaches.
Examples can also be found in other continents such as the
Room for the River project in the Netherlands that creates
more “rooms” for rivers including creating wetlands insteadof increasing the heights of the river banks to prepare for the
climate change in the future [16]. Another example in the
Netherlands called Building with Nature initiative led by aconsortium of private companies, research institutions, NGOsuch as Wetlands International and the government [17]. Thisinitiative has been testing a wide range of innovative coastalmanagement techniques in and outside of the Netherlands.
That includes mangrove restoration in Indonesia.
European Commission is also supporting this kind of innovative research and development activities through its Horizon
2020 research grant programme [18]. In developing countries,
also many initiative are underway such as Mangrove for the
Future that is a mangrove restoration initiative implemented
in various Asian countries initiated by IUCN [19]. Morerecently, a global initiative on mangrove restoration called
Global Mangrove Alliance was launched in collaboration with
CI, IUCN, TNC, WI and WWF. This initiative aims to expand
mangrove habitat 20% by 2030 globally [20].
With these active implementation on the ground based on
the similar concepts and terminology, IUCN recently coined
the concept called Nature-based Solutions to incorporate allthese similar ecosystem-based approaches to address various
challenges in our society [21].
In summary, there has been a rapid increasing recognition
on Eco-DRR at global and national policy in the past few years.
At the same time, scientific evidences and on-the-groundexperiences also being accumulated.
In this background, it is also recognized “Wetlands” has ahuge potential for Eco-DRR as the Climate Change proceeds.
Asian countries have common challenges and opportunities
for mutual leaning in this field.
References[1] Sudmeier-Rieux, Karen, Masundire, Hillary, Rizvi, Ali and Rietbergen, Simon(eds.) (2006) Ecosystems, Livelihoods and Disasters: An Integrated Approach
to Disaster Risk Management. Ecosystem Management Series No.004 Gland: IUCN, x, 57p. : ill.
[2] UNISDR (2009) UNISDR Terminology on Disaster Risk Reduction[3] Estrella M, Saalismaa N (2013) Ecosystem-based disaster risk reduction(Eco-DRR): an overview. In: Renaud, F.G., Sudmeier-Rieux, K., Estrella, M.,
Nehren, U. (Eds.), Ecosystem-Based Disaster Risk Reduction and Adaptationin Practice, Springer International Publishing Switzerland, 2016, XXII, p. 598[4] PEDRR website http://pedrr.org/ (accessed Dec 2017)[5] RELIEF kit website https://www.iucn.org/theme/ecosystem-management/

our-work/environment-and-disasters/relief-kit-project (accessed Dec 2017)[6] Cheong S-M., B. Silliman, P.P. Wong, B. van Wesenbeeck, C-K. Kim, and G.
Guannel. (2013) Coastal adaptation with ecological engineering. Nature
Climate Change 3:787-791[7] Temmerman, S., P. Meire, T.J. Bouma, P.M.J. Herman, T. Ysebaert and H.J. de
Vriend (2013) Ecosystem-based coastal defense in the face of global change.
Nature 504: 79-83[8] Timmerman, S. and M.L. Kirwan (2015) Building land with a rising sea.
Science 349(6248): 588-589[9] Martin, T.G. and E. M. Watson (2016) Intact ecosystems provide best defence
against climate change. Nature Climate Change 6: 122-124[10] K.B. Gedan, M.L. Kirwan. E. Wolanski. E.B. Barbier and B.R. Silliman (2011)
The present and future role of coastal wetland vegetation in protecting
shorelines: answering recent challenges to the paradigm. Climate Change
106: 7-29[11] B.W.Borsje, B.K. van Wesenbeeck, F. Dekker, P. Paalvast, T.J. Bouma, M.M.
van Katwijk and M.B. de Vries (2011) How ecological engineering can severin coastal protection. Ecological Engineering 37:113-122[12] F. Ferrario, M.W. Beck, C.D. Storlazzi, F. Micheli, C.C. Shepard and L. Airoldi(2014) The effectiveness of coastal reefs for coastal hazard risk reduction
and adaptation. Nature Communications 5:3794[13] A.E. Sutton-Grier, K. Wowk and H. Bamford (2015) Future of our coast: thepotential for natural and hybrid infrastructure to enhance the resilience ofour coastal communities, economies and ecosystems. Environmental
Science and Policy 51: 137-148[14] Hurricane Sandy Rebuilding Task Force. (2013) Hurricane Sandy Rebuilding
Strategy, Hurricane Sandy Rebuilding Task Force[15] Rebuild by Design. (2017) Hurricane Sandy Design Competition http://www.
rebuildbydesign.org/our-work/sandy-projects (accessed Dec 2017)[16] Room for the River website https://www.ruimtevoorderivier.nl/english/(accessed Dec 2017)[17] Building with Nature website https://www.ecoshape.org/en/ (accessed
Dec 2017)[18] Horizon 2020 website https://ec.europa.eu/programmes/horizon2020/(accessed 2017)[19] Mangrove for the Future website https://www.mangrovesforthefuture.org/(accessed Dec 2017)[20] Global Mangrove Alliance website http://www.mangrovealliance.org/(accessed Dec 2017)[21] Cohen-Shacham, E., Walters, G., Janzen, C. and Maginnis, S. (eds.) (2016).
Nature-based Solutions to address global societal challenges. Gland,
Switzerland: IUCN. xiii + 97pp.

44

Session 1: Wetlands and Disaster Risk Reduction / Climate Change

Carbon Retention in Sediment by Check Dams
in Phayao Province, Thailand
Chotiwut Techakijvej1, Jaroon Jakmunee2 and Chitchol Phalaraksh1,3*v
1Environmental Science Program, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, 50200, Thailand
2
Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, 50200, Thailand
3
Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, 50200, Thailand*Corresponding author, E-mail: chitcholp@gmail.com

Introduction
Human activities have an important influence in the global
climate change by using of fossil fuels and land use change
altered the global carbon cycle (IPCC, 2007). One of significant
factor in carbon cycle is soil that can reduce the atmospheric
CO2 by storage carbon from photosynthesized which is accumulated as soil organic carbon (SOC) (Tippayachan, 2006).
Soil erosion is one of the important process impacts on soil
carbon pool and global carbon cycle (Lal, 2003). This process
was accelerated by land use change such as deforestation,
overgrazing and non-sustainable agriculture (Zapata et al.,2003). In Thailand, the office of research and development forland management estimated the carbon losses from soil
water erosion about 10.07 - 11.20 million tons C/year this is thehighest carbon losses from soil compare to other process(Anuluxtipun et al., 2013).
To mitigate the negative environmental impacts of soil
erosion, many method of soil and water conservation, checkdams is one (Valentin et al., 2005). Over 150,000 check dams
in many types have been built in Thailand (1994 – 2007) forwater resource preservation, soil conservation, and development for the rural communities (Office of RDPB, 2007). Furthermore, check dams can store significant proportion of theeroded soil carbon along with the effects of sediment retention (Boix-Fayos et al., 2009; LÜ, 2012). This show the implications of check dams as functional landscape units for carbon
retention that effect to the terrestrial carbon cycling, however,is short of study in the present scientific literature.
Objective
1. To compare the potential of the sediment carbon retention
by each type of check dams.
2. To classify the carbon retention effectiveness in each subwatershed by using Integrative carbon retention effectiveness index (ICREI).
MethodStudy area
The data and samples was collected between June 2014 toApril 2015. Three sub-watersheds Nam Kham, Nam Pook and
Nam Sala were selected as the study areas in Pong District,Phayao Province, Thailand (Figure 1). In Nam Kham sub-watershed, there are two check dam types including ferro-concrete (1dam; sampling point: FR) and loose rock (3 dams; sampling
point: LR1, LR2 and LR3). Whereas in Nam Pook and Nam Sala
sub-watershed, there are one type of wooden pole check damsin each sub-watershed (sampling point: WP; WP1) (Figure 1).
Data collection and sampling
The data included watershed topography (total number ofcheck dams controlled, watershed areas, mean slope gradientand land use/land cover areas) and check dam characteristics(geographic locations, check dam types, check dam sizes (highand width), time of construct completion and areas (km2) ofwatershed that controlled by the check dams were collected.
The volume of sediments (m3) were estimated assuming by
the sediment wedge in the form of a prismatic channel with arectangular section (Castillo et al. 2007). The two replicate of
sediment samples was collected by core sampler from two

Figure 1

positions at front (close to the check dam wall) and end (at theend of the sediment wedge upstream).
Sample analysis
To calculate mass of carbon in sediment by using bulk densities were determined for all sediment samples. Samples
were dried for 24 hours at 110 oC. Aliquot samples were taken
in know volume (cm3) of plastic boxes and weighted then calculated to bulk sediment density (g cm−3).
To analyze organic carbon (g/kg), all sediment samples weredried, grounded and sieved at <0.5 mm. and determined by
Walkley-Black method.
Estimation of the carbon retention in sediment by checkdam was calculated as the product of bulk density (BD) of thesediments (tons/m3), average soil organic carbon content(SOC) in the deposited sediments (%) and volume of sedimentdeposited (SD) (m3) as equation below.
Carbon retention in sediment (tons) = BD × SOC × SD
Identify influencing factors to the check dam carbon retention, statistic correlations were detected between the amountsof carbon retention by check dams and the data including theheight, total volume, years after construction complete of checkdams as well as the watershed areas controlled by check dams.
Integrative carbon retention effectiveness index (ICREI)
equation (Lü, 2012) was used to considering the effectivenessof carbon retention by check dams at watershed- level.

45
Identify influencing factors to the check dam carbon retention at the watershed-level, land use types, number of checkdams in watershed areas and topographic characteristics
were analyzed.
Result and Discussion
Carbon retention by check dams
Check dams carbon retention in sediment were showed intable 1. The estimated amount of carbon retention by all checkdams equaled to be about 652.9 tons. The highest ability ofcheck dams to retained carbon was 263.7 tons of carbon in WP
check dam.
Table 1

Form correlation analysis between carbon retention andcheck dam characteristics. Dam volume was shown positive
correlations with carbon retention (0.893, p<0.01). Therefore,
the dam volume was the factors that most positive influenceon carbon retention in sediment. In the same direction of LÜ
et al. (2012) high of carbon retention amounts was found that
total volume of check dams is the most important factor for
carbon retention. Carbon retention and controlled watershed
was shown significantly positive correlation (0.816, p<0.05). In
the same result with Boix-Fayos et al. (2009), found that thehighest SOC buried in check dam sediments appears in thelargest catchment.
In this study, check dam types were not affect to the carbon
retention potential. However, %SOC showed high values infirst check dams position of stream or in upstream (LR1, LR3
and WP). In erosion process, most of SOC was losses by mineralization of C to CO2 in the transport process (Wang et al.,2014). This result can be concluded that upstream is suitable
position to build the check dams.
Carbon retention by check dams at the watershed-level
Carbon retention amount (CRA), carbon retention intensity(CRI) and mean carbon retention capacity (MCRC) data wereshow in figure 2.
Figure 2

The highest CRA (337.5 tons) and CRI (4.84 t km-2) were
found in Nan Kham sub watershed. Because, Nan Kham sub
watershed was got high in number of check dams in small sub
watershed. The highest MCRC was found in Nam Pook sub
watershed (262.9 tons). Because, Nam Pook sub watershed

was got high carbon retention but only one check dam. Nam
Sala sub watershed was got lowest CRA, CRI and MCRC.
Because, Nam Sala sub watershed was got low carbon retention and only one check dam.
CRA and CRI were detected to be positively correlated to thenumber and total volume of check dams as well as the urban
area ratio and agricultural area ratio, but correlated negatively
with mean slope, disturbed forest and forest area ratio area
ratio. Because the urban area accessibility to gullies and agricultural area implied high vulnerability to soil erosion (Wanget al., 2006). That cause of more carbon in sediment can transport to the stream and check dams.
The integrative carbon retention effectiveness index (ICREI)
to identify the check dam carbon retention potential at watershed scale. ICRE in 3 sub-watersheds were show in figure 3.
The highest integrative carbon retention effectiveness index(ICREI) was found in Nan Kham sub watershed (0.74). Becauseof Nam kham sub watershed was high a number of checkdams in small sub watershed lead to highest carbon storage
Nam Sala watershed area has only one small check dam leadto the resulting in the lowest ICREI.
Conclusion
The estimated amount of carbon retention by all checkdams equaled to be about 652.9 tons that equal around soilorganic carbon in 3.3 hectare of forests. From check dams
carbon retention result shown that check dams are multifunctional landscape units that can trap amount of carbon in sediments. The ICREI shown that check dams in Nam Kham and
Nam Pook sub watershed have effective to retain the carbon
in watershed. In contrast, Nam Sala sub watershed has lesseffective to retain the carbon. This can be used as important
decision for planning of new check dams in this sub watershed for more carbon retention capacity.
Reference
Anuluxtipun, Y., Phianphitak, P., Wanichsathian, S., Dumkhum, T. & Hongkul, N.
2013. Inventory of soil carbon loss from soil erosion of Thailand. Office of
Research and Development for Land Management.
Boix-Fayos, C., de Vente, J., Albaladejo, J. & MartÍnez-Menna, M. 2009. Soil
carbon erosion and stock as affected by land use changes at the catchment
scale in Mediterranean ecosystems. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment, 133, 75- 85.
Castillo, V. M., Mosch, W. M., Conesa García, C., Barberá , G. G., Navarro Cano,J. A. & Loópez Bermuúdez, F. 2007. Effectiveness and geomorphologicalimpacts of check dams for soil erosion control in a semi-arid Mediterranean
catchment: El Carcavo (Murcia, Spain). Catena, 70, 416–427.
IPCC, 2007. Climate Change 2007: Synthesis Report. In: Pachauri, R. K.,
Reisinger, A. (eds.). IPCC, Geneva, Switzerland, 104.
Lal, R. 2003. Soil erosion and the global carbon budget. Environment International, 29, 437-450.
LÜ, Y., Sun, R., Fu, B. & Wang, Y. 2012. Carbon retention by check dams:
Regional scale estimation. Ecological Engineering, 44, 139-146.
Office of Royal Development Projects Board 2007. Types of check dam (Second
edition), Bankok, Thailand.
Tippayachan, H. 2006. The determination of carbon loss by soil erosion andsediment transport processes in Mea Thang watershed, Rong Kwang district,Phrae province. Mahidol university.
Valentin, C., Poesen, J. & Li, Y. 2005. Gully erosion: impacts, factors and control.
Catena, 63, 132–153.
Wang, E., Xin, C., Williams, J. R. & Xu, C. 2006. Predicting soil erosion foralternative land uses. Journal of Environmental Quality, 35, 459–467.
Wang, X., Cammeraat, E. L. H., Romeijn, P. & Kalbitz, K. 2014. Soil organiccarbon redistribution by water erosion – the role of CO2 emissions for the
carbon budget. PLOS ONE, 9(5)e96299, 1-13.
Zapata, F. 2003. Handbook for the assessment of soil erosion and sedimentation
using environmental radionuclides. New York, Springer-Verlag.

46

Session 1: Wetlands and Disaster Risk Reduction / Climate Change

Lessons Learned in Building Community Resilience:
100 Villages on the Bank of 3rd Largest River System of Peninsulaof India in 5 Years
Saswata Kumar Mohapatra
NETCOAST/ SPANDAN, Odisha, India
River Mahanadi is the largest river system of State of Odisha
and the 3rd largest river system of peninsula of India. It drains
an area of around 141,600 square kilometers and has a total
course of 858 kilometers through 3 states of India. The communities living along the bank of the river are highly dependent on the river system. Each year the river brings flood which
affects the lives and livelihoods of these communities.
Project titled ‘Partner’s for Resilience (PfR)’ was launched in
the year 2011, with its primary focus on Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR), Ecosystem Restoration & Management (ERM) andClimate Change Adaptation (CCA) frameworks. The project
was lead by Wetland International South Asia through its New
Delhi Office. The other partner INGOs were CORD AID, Red
Cross Climate Centre and CARE, Netherlands. The project was
implemented in Odisha through NETCOAST, a network of
local NGOs working in different districts.
There was selection of 100 villages across the Mahanandi
river system of Odisha. Following Eco-system management
principles as the core strategy, these target villages were segregated in to 3 zones based on the landscape pattern and geographical locations, viz. i) Delta head zone, ii) Central zone andiii) Coastal zones.
Participatory Risk Analysis (PRA) was conducted in each of
those 100 villages. The analysis included among many othervariables, the village’s most evident problems, the extent ofvulnerabilities, the available human & financial resources andthe community capacities. This has final led to development of‘micro-plans for building resilience’ for each of the villages.
The activity plan thus prepared envisaged mobilization of
resources from Govt. and other local stakeholders of theareas. The key challenge of this process was the difference ofapproach of these stakeholders who did not traditionally work
together. Apart from measures to respond village specificissues, these plans also included some of the activities due to
its location in the respective zones, which ultimately influence
the ecosystems of the other two zones.
Followings are some of the lessons learned from the field as
the outcomes of the project.
1) Water logging issue mitigation (inlet -outlet clearing of thecanals/ drainage and other chocked water ways…): One successful example from the project is ‘finding out local solutions
to the issue of water logging’. The project has supported an
activity called ‘inlet/outlet clearing of Canal’ in the Central
Zone villages targeting the issue of ‘water logging’. This eventually reduced the water logging days in the crop fields which
was affecting across 113 acres of land in 12 villages, near River
Rajua at Kanas, Puri. This further contributed in the introduction of timely crop management in the zone. The de-siltationof the bed of the canal has helped to work as buffer for drainage of rain water to the river. At the same time, during thesummer, it helped excellently for irrigation of those crop
lands. Inspired by the success, Gopinathpur Grampanchayat
PRI members could mobilize resources from the Irrigation
Department for de-siltation & cleaning of another adjacentcanal, thus restoring another 108 acres of land. The direct
investment of Rs. 80,000 (INR) from the project could pulledanother investment of Rs.1,00,000 (INR) from Govt. This ultimately helped to gain Rs. 3, 00,000 (INR) of additional income
from their crop land per year and recharge of 3 village ponds
for fisher activities. This is one of the small but wonderfulpractical success stories.
2) Local Self Governance involvement- (Resilience agenda
carried forward…):- Another successful outcome of the project
was the “inclusion of Local Self Governance/ Panchayat Raj
Institution (PRI) systems” in the process. DRR/ ERM or CCA
has never been in the agenda for PRI. The village level plans
thus developed during this project were passed in the Pallisabha/ Gramsabha planning meetings with formal resolutions.
Thus these agendas are now carried forward to the PRI/ Local
Self Governance to take up further. Therefore, even the project
was ended in 2015 the actions/ activities are still ongoing.
3) Clearing of River Mouth (stagnant water get released to thesea and crop fields saved from saline water surges): This
worked for the Coastal zone villages. The youth volunteers
from the adjacent villages get together and used to go to clear
the water hyacinths and other obstacles on mouth areas,
which were hindering the passage and flow of river water tothe sea. The project successfully mobilized participation of thecommunities of all adjacent areas to resolve the issue jointly.
4) Introduction of stress tolerance variety of cropThe crop fields in different zones were facing issues likewater logging in the Central zone, salinity in the Coastal zone
and water scarcity in the Delta head zones. The project helped
bringing Scientists from the local Krushi Vigyan Kendra. Aftersoil & water testing, they recommended seeds. We facilitatedthe process further and results were successful. Viz. Swarna
Sub-1 for central zone, Sukha Samarat for Delta head zone.
5) Micro enterprise promotion for the women of the community as the alterative livelihood measures- pond pisciculture
promotion: The water bodies and the ponds were remained
unused for several reasons. The project facilitated bringing the
Fishery Scientists from the local Krushi Vigyan Kendra. Aftersoil and water testing, they recommended measures to renovate the ponds and advices on the fishing practice. We facilitated the process further. The final results are amazing.
Integrated Coastal Zone Management Project (ICZMP) has
extended further supports to make the processes sustainable
and gainful for the women.
6) Community disaster preparedness enhanced- Task Forcedeveloped and worked effectively: In the process of building
the capacity of the community towards disaster, the project
facilitated formation and training of Task Forces at different
villages. These youth Task Force volunteers have started
working effectively. Their responses to the last Phailin Cyclone
in 2013 and Hud-Hud Cyclone in 2014 has illustrated their relevance and the enhanced efficiencies.

477) Plantation to stop soil, embankment erosion, saline wind:
The project facilitated community participation in the processof restoration and growth of forests in and around the villages. Of course the plantation as a EMR measures used for
different purposes at different zones. But it has helped to meetthe objectives and communities are getting benefits from this.
Viz.- i) in the Delta head zones, the plantations were used tostop soil erosion, ii) in the Central Zone villages, it was used asa measure to stop embankment erosion, iii) in the Coastal
zones , it was used as a measure to stop saline wind flow fromthe sea coast.
8) Community managed Mangrove Forests as the natural
shield to cyclone: This was facilitated in the Coastal Zone villages. The communities are taking the stewardship of these
forests. There were further supports extended from ICZMP
project to scale up the activities further in those areas.

First line of water on the canal after de-siltation work

KVK recommend the advcanced finglings of Chandi breeds, Malisahi, Kanas, Dt. 2412-2013

9) Insurance promotion as the risk transfer mechanism: Insurance promotion has been carried out in all the zones. Both Life
and Asset insurance was promoted. Of course there are stillchallenges to cover all the assets under schemes. But the successful part of the story envisaged that the communities arenow self motivated to update insurances regularly with fisher
department. Women are taking more interest in this sphere.
The project during the last 5 years has left behind a group of
stakeholders with both the motivation and ability to work
together to promote practical approaches towards better community resilience building. Both the success and the failure
stories have left behind as foot prints. The documentation andsharing of such cases stories provides enormous inspirations
to mobilise other communities, Govt. departments and otherstakeholder’s joint initiatives to resolve issues locally andhaving impacts on a broader scale.

New crops, new hope for the farmers, Agrl. Officer testing the ground nuts, date- 2312-2013, Nuasahi Paschima, Kanas, Purwater passage clearing by women SHG members

48

Session 1: Wetlands and Disaster Risk Reduction / Climate Change

Impact of Climate Change on the Wetlands of Bangladesh
Sanowar Hossain
Bangladesh POUSH, 11/8 Iqbal Road, Block-A, Mohammadpur, Dhaka-1207, Bangladesh
Email: sanowarpoush@gmail.com

Abstract
Bangladesh is a land of wetlands, around 50% of the country
is occupied by different types of wetlands. Due to climatechange the wetland ecosystems area under treats. There arechanges in rainfall and seasonal calendar that interferes the
productivity of the wetlands. The inland wetlands which are
the breeding ground of fisheries and the habitat for resident
and migratory birds’ area being affected by extreme climate
events and morphological changes due to climate change.
Community has been working for climate action with different
adaptation practices. In the wetlands, the adaptive action by
the community in agriculture and natural resource management is both proactive and planned. The ecosystem based
adaptation is highly recommended action for the protection oflive and environment for the wetlands. The changes in the
agriculture and fisheries, the main occupation of the wetland
inhibitors of the country are significant. Community is practicing diversification of the agriculture. Short duration and earlyvarieties are more popular to cope with the extreme weather.
Climate smart agriculture is the main scope of adaptation
action in and agrarian community. The paddy cultivation inwetland ecosystem is causing a risk of over harvesting ofwater for the irrigation that has consequences on the biodiversity of the wetlands. The wetlands in north-east fold plain
basin are characterized to unique vegetation and the coastal
wetland area habitat for migratory waders and sandbar vegetation. Climate change consequence on those wetlands iscausing loss of vegetation which results fragmentation of thehabitat. The conservation action requires more attention on
the vegetation regeneration. Bangladesh POUSH along withthe communities in the coastal wetlands is working for participatory habitat development. For the climate action government has taken number of actions. The nationally determined
contribution has identified climate action which also works forthe environmental wellbeing of the wetland habitat. Technology, legislation, educational knowledge, action plan strategy,
conservation practices are required to manage wetlands.
Bangladesh now needs a comprehensive approaches, strategy and integrated system combining political, economic,
social, technological and institutional supports to address sustainable wetland conservation and the newly added crisis,climate change. To cope with the climate change in wetlands
knowledge management is an urgent. Climate change is areality and the community, development actors, practitioners
and policymakers need to work in a comprehensive way withthe knowledge from different intervention action taken andpracticed. Wetland protection and conservation plans require
identifying the climate impact and the vulnerability caused by
the climate change. Ecosystem based Adaptation is the best
option to make the wetland communities climate smart.
Introduction
Bangladesh lies between latitudes 20°34’N and 26°38’N andlongitudes 88°0l’E and 92°41’E. It is bounded by India in thewest and north, by India and Myanmar in the east, and by the
Bay of Bengal in the south. As the Himalaya is on the northand Bay of Bengal in the south the country has own many
rivers and tributaries. The total area of wetlands in Bangla-

desh has been variously estimated at between seven andeight million hectares, i.e. about 50% of the total land surface.
This includes at least 480,000 ha of permanent rivers andstreams, 610,000 ha of estuaries and mangrove swamps,
between 120,000 and 290,000 ha of haors, baors and beels,over 90,000 ha of large water storage reservoirs, 150,000180,000 ha of small tanks and fish ponds, 90,000-115,000 ha ofshrimp ponds, and some 5,770,000 ha of land which is seasonally inundated to a depth of 30 cm or more.
Fig: wetland map of Bangladesh

Wetlands of Bangladesh:
Wetlands
Open water body
RiversEstuaries andmangrove swamps
Beels and haors
Inundable
floodplains
Kaptai Lake
Closed water body
Ponds
Baors (Oxbow
Lakes)
Brackish-water
farms

Area (in Km2) Major climatic extremes
7,497
6,102
1,142
54,866
688

Mountain snowfields and glaciersmelting, sea level rise, subsidence,flood, riverbank erosion, drought,
salinity intrusion, flashflood, storm
surges, higher water temperatures,
precipitation anomalies, coastal
cyclones.

1,469
55
1,080

Rainfall scarcity, flood andinundation, storm surges, cyclone,soil erosion, salinity intrusion etc.

Wetland Biodiversity in Bangladesh:
Wetlands of Bangladesh are rich with biodiversity. Over 300
plant species, 400 vertebrate species, and 260 freshwater fish
species are dependent on wetlands of Bangladesh. Around 11
amphibians, 34 reptiles (6 turtles, 7 lizards and 21 snakes), 206
birds and 31 mammals occurs. Some wetlands of Bangladesh

49
are of national and international significance such as
Tanguar haor (Ramsar site and an Ecologically Critical Area),
Hakaluki haor (Ecologically Critical Area), Sundarbans (Ramsar
and UNESCO World Heritage Site and Ecologically CriticalArea), and St. Martin’s Coral Island (Ecologically Critical Area).
About two-thirds of people in Bangladesh depend on wetlands for a variety of purposes including water (drinking, irrigation), food production (agriculture, aquaculture), fishing,
livestock grazing, bird hunting, fire-/fuelwoods, medicinal
plants, wild food, honey, waterway transportation, harvestinggrasses and seaweeds, and tourism/recreational business.
Some poorest of the poor in the vicinity depend totally on the
goods and services of the wetland for livelihood.
Socio-economic values of wetland
Services
1. Provisioning
Food
Fresh water
Fiber and fuelBiochemical
Genetic materials

ExamplesProduction of fish, wild game, fruits andgrains.
Storage and retention of water for domestic,
industrial and agricultural uses.
Production of logs, fuel woods, peat, fodder.
Extraction of medicines and other materials
from biota.
Genes for resistance to plant pathogens,ornamental species etc.

2. Regulating
Climate regulation
Water regulation(hydrological flows)
Water purification andwaste treatment
Erosion regulation
Natural hazards
regulation
Pollination
3. Supporting
Soil formation
Nutrient cycle

Source of sink for greenhouse gases (footnote);
influence local and regional temperature,
precipitation, humidity, and other climatic
processes.
Ground water recharge/ discharge.
Retention, recovery and removal of excess
nutrients and other pollutants.
Retention of soil and sediments.
Flood control, storm protection.
Habitat for pollination.
Sediment retention and accommodation oforganic matter.
Storage, recycling-reduce-reuse, processing
and acquisition of nutrients.

Legislation on wetlands:
Bangladesh has ratified the 1971 Ramsar Convention (Convention on Wetlands of International Importance, especially as
Waterfowl Habitat) and designated two wetlands (Sundarbans
and Tanguar Haor), which has strengthened conservation
efforts there (and led to Tanguar being taken out of commercial leasing). The Convention addresses to protect the threatened wetlands, to improve resources, to conserve andenhance the wetlands.
The Bangladesh Environmental Conservation Act (1995)
established the Department of Environment (DoE) and specifies
a move towards ecosystem approaches and regulation ofdevelopments harmful to those ecosystems, particularly pollution control and mitigation and requirements for Environmental Impact Assessments. The Act includes provisions fordeclaring Ecologically Critical Areas (ECAs) to restrict potentially harmful activities in these areas. The Act recognizes the
Polluter pays principle as it puts the provision of compensation.
The Water Act, 2013 Another important Act named as Bangladesh Water Act, 2013 has been made for the improvement,
management, collection, distribution, usage, protection andpreservation of the water. The Act recognizes the significancefor managing all forms of water resources in the context ofnatural flow of surface water and recharge of groundwater.
The private landowners will be able to use the surface water
inside their property for all purposes in accordance with theAct. No individuals or organizations will be allowed to extract,
distribute, use, develop, protect, and conserve water

resources, nor will they be allowed to build any structure thatwould impede the natural flow of rivers and creeks. Conservation of wetlands as grazing ground and sanctuary of the
migratory birds has been given much importance while conservation of ponds as a source of pure drinking water in critical areas has been abandoned.
National Fisheries Strategy and Inland Capture Fisheries
Strategy (2006) set out a framework for community management of inland fisheries based on leasing at nominal rates,
widespread conservation measures, and precautionary development of aquaculture in floodplains.
The Jalmohal Management Policy (2009) allows for fisherorganizations to lease water bodies without competitive
bidding, and mentions sanctuaries and swamp forest. The
importance in the above instruments merely goes for the wetlands for fisheries, agriculture and the resources over there.
But the importance of keeping water bodies on earth is verymuch helpful for the ecological balance.
Climate Change Impact:
1. Cyclone intensity and frequency have been increased: The
intensity of the cyclone has increased; it is reported that
cyclone frequency in the coastal Bangladesh has increased
three times. The strength and number of major cyclones
may be increasing because of higher sea surface temperatures associated with global warming. The cyclone resulting storm surge by which the water in wetlands being
getting saline. The storm surge also creating water logging.
2. Salinity intuition: Salinity is penetrating far inland throughMeghna estuarine river system. An environmental terrible
circumstance caused by salinity intrusion is a major
problem in southwest coast. Huge lands are not cultivable
now. The shallow coastal aquifers have high salinity.
4. Changes in seasonal calendar: The characteristics of thetypical months and season have already been changed.
Three seasons exist instead of 6; summer and rainy season
becoming longer and the winter is significantly short.
5. 
Rainfall erratic: Though no significant changes in total
rainfall reported but short duration heavy rain has
increased. There is also no-rain situation.
Effect of climate vulnerabilities on wetlands:
ProblemFlash flood inHaor and Hill
area

Riverine
flooding is
uncertain

Causes• Rain the upstream has
increased significantly• Rainy season shiftedand became earlier
starting from mid-April
which now has shiftedfrom early April• Over rain is upstream• The catchment area of 3
major Bangladeshi
rivers is 11 times bigger
than Bangladesh• Siltation in rive bed• Frequent Storm surge in
Bay of Bangle

Effect• Loss of crops• Erosion• Loss of livelihoods• Increasing poverty• Loss of life andlivelihoods• Crop and culture
fisheries loss
• Environmental pollution

Less water inmonsoon• Control from up stream• Loss of biodiversity• No irrigation• Fish migration interfered• Seasonal poverty
resulting advance sale oflabourFrequent
cyclone andstorm surge• Sea temperature
increase• Loss of life andlivelihoods

Climate Change impacts of wetland ecology and biodiversity:• Increase in water temperature causing reduce of dissolved oxygen in water• Extreme flood and rainfall increase run-off of contamination of water

50• Flood causes loss and damage of property and lives• Loss /shift of natural breeding ground of fisheries andwildlife
Climate change impacts on livelihoods:
Breeding season of fish interfered → no egg
Flash flood → Crop loss
No seed in rice → Crop loss
Less cultivable land → Crop loss
More weed → Navigation interfered
Habitat loss → Biodiversity loss
Reduced working hours → Less earning
Climate change impacts on livelihoods:
Flooding → contamination of water → Toxicity
Flooding → more fertile water → over growth of vegetation
Temperature → water temperature → less dissolved Oxygen
Land erosion → land loss → less of swamp forest
Siltation → Habitat loss → Biodiversity loss
Impact of Climate Change on the Mangrove wetlands:
Climate change resulting in sea level rise would cause
severe environmental impact on the living resources including people and biodiversity in the affected areas. There are somany coast line associated islets and islands in the Bay of
Bengal in the southern part of Bangladesh, e.g. Sandwip ofChittagong, Shahpari and St. Martin of Teknaf, Kutubdia,
Moheshkhali and Sonadia of Cox’s Bazar and islands like
Nijhumdip, Char Kukrimukri, Char Dale, Char Fashon, etc ofPatuakhali, Barguna and Bhola districts. Thousands of poorand homeless people live in these areas. Sea level rising0.5-1m there will be catastrophic for these affected areas andpeople. Sundarbans, the biggest mangrove forest in the worldconsisting 6200km² of forest and riverine areas lies there. It
has been listed as World Heritage Site and is the most important ecosystem and protective natural barrier against thecalamities like tidal surge, cyclone etc. This gift of nature
would simply be submerged by the rising sea.
Community Adaptation Intervention:• Early varieties / crops cultivation• Floating cultivation• Dry seed bed• Diversification of livelihoods• Plantation to reduce flood and storm surge risk
Experience of Bangladesh POUSH in climate action incoastal Wetland:
Bangladesh POUSH undertakes interventions in sustainable
livelihood through participatory natural resource management, biodiversity conservation, participatory afforestation &nursery development, environmental education, humanresource development, partnership & gender development,
conservation of cultural heritage, research & publication that
contributing to the protection of coastal wetland and wetland
people from the adverse effect of climate change.
Biodiversity Conservation through Ecosystem based Adaptation Involving the Local community at Gorakghata, Maheshkhali of Cox’s Bazar was done with Japan Fund for Global
Environment (JFGE), Japan in association with RCJ, Japan.
The project aimed capacity building of the community on
adaptation to climate change. 200 families have been directly
benefited through different capacity building training andawareness building activities.
Homestead Planting in Coastal Villages to Mitigate the
Climate Change Impact was supported by Climate change

trust of Bangladesh government since 2013. The project isbeing implemented in the coast households of Moheshkhali.
A total of 200000 sampling planted at 20000 household withdifferent tree species in an around homestead.
Key lesson learnt in climate action for wetlands:
Bangladesh POUSH believes to make community managing own natural resource very specifically the coastal
resources planning and designing needs to be done by thecommunity. The geo-context particularly the state of disasterrisk is a vital for the project success and sustainability.
• Project design needs to be a community participatory
process allowing in-built flexibility and enable community based resource management institutions to respondto local situations. Government and donors need to givean enabling framework.
• More consideration should be given to post project sustainability at the design stage of project.
• Building capacity of communities, by means of organizing them in groups (any form) and imparting trainings byapplying participatory rapid appraisal (PRA) tools towards
enhancing understanding and ability to anticipate impactsof climate change and risks of disasters so that they may
safeguard their assets, diversify their economic activities
towards climate-/disaster-safe activities and they may
access goods and services to withstand shock and/or to
bounce back following shocks.
Action to cope with climate impact in wetlands• Involve local community in management (through PAPD)• Ensuring Access to existing resource and Investment• Explore scopes from exiting legislations rather thanhaving new law• Involve/Establish a community institution for monitoring• Making conservation/protection economically valuable tocommunity• Respecting and Integrating Indigenous Knowledge• Practice a culture of sharing benefit among the stakeholders• Mass awareness and education on the practiced management through significant number of tools/event• Ensure involvement of Government in every stage
Climate Change, an additional consideration of planningcoastal biodiversity conservation:
Bangladesh is the most vulnerable country to climatechange. Within the country, the coast is the most vulnerable
because of its location and livelihood pattern. The coast is in
topography very plain and is of sea level and the livelihood ismusty agrarian and costal fisheries based.
1. Cyclone intensity and frequency have been increased: The
intensity of the cyclone has increased; it is reported that
cyclone frequency in the coastal Bangladesh has
increased three times. The strength and number ofmajor cyclones may be increasing because of higher sea
surfacetemperaturesassociatedwithglobalwarming. Cyclone Sidr (November 2007) and Cyclone
Aila (May 2009) provide recent examples of devastatingstorm-surge in Bangladesh. In 2007, Cyclone Sidr, a10-year return period cyclone with an average wind speedof 223 km per hour resulted in 4,234 casualties and 55,282
injuries. Livelihoods of 8.9 million people were affected
and damages and losses from Cyclone Sidr totalled
US$1.67 billion. In 2009, Cyclone Aila, a 1.2-year return
period cyclone with an average wind speed of 95 lm perhour caused 190 deaths, 7,103 injuries and affected 3.9
million people. The estimated damage of assets from Aila

51
is US$270 million.
2. Salinity intuition: Salinity is penetrating far inlandthrough Meghna estuarine river system. An environmental terrible circumstance caused by salinity intrusion is amajor problem in southwest coast. Huge lands are notcultivable now. The shallow coastal aquifers have highsalinity.
4. Changes in seasonal calendar: The characteristics of thetypical months and season have already been changed.
Three seasons exist instead of 6; summer and rainyseason becoming longer and the winter is significantly
short.
5. 
Rainfall erratic: Though no significant changes in total
rainfall reported but short duration heavy rain has
increased. There is also no-rain situation.
6. Migration happening: Climate change is resulting hugemigration; it was reported that after the Aila around36,000 people has migrated to other urban areas including capital Dhaka from a a coastal sub-distinct Shyamnager Upazila. The scenario is same in every locality ofcoast.
Ecosystem based Adaptation in a coastal wetland:
Introduction of saline tolerant, energy efficient and water
conservation agriculture technologies and practices andbrackish water fisheries; the action research will pilot test
various technologies with economic, environmental andsocial comparison (with existing non-organic and input-intensive agricultural production).
Identified potential technologies area:• Salinity-tolerant crop varieties,• Early-harvesting crop varieties,• Rice-paddy,• Early warning system,• Reserving surface water,• Non-agronomy farming,• Aquifer management,• Zero tillage.
Figure: EbA action process followed by POUSH

Way forward:
To the Government of Bangladesh, NGOs, policymakers,planners and other interested parties it is important tomeasure and monitor present issues and to predict the future
impacts of climate change. Knowledge based participatory
plan can help the government and the development actors
identify the right climate action for the wetlands.

52

Session 1: Wetlands and Disaster Risk Reduction / Climate Change

Reducing Fire on Peatlands through Community Participation:
An Experience from West Kalimantan, Indonesia
Yuki Arai
Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo / Japan Wetland Society

1. Fire on Indonesia’s Tropical Peatlands
Tropical peatlands are considered to be one of the largest
reserves of terrestrial organic carbon on earth (Page et al. 2002).
Indonesia is known as a country with the largest share of tropical peatlands in the world (Page et al. 2010). Tropical peatlands
occur in areas where dead trees are not decomposed due toabundant rainfall. In such environment, because dead trees arealways kept under water, they are not easily decomposed, andthus they accumulate and form a storage of carbon. In someareas, the depth of peat can reach over twenty meters, whichmakes peatlands a huge carbon sink (Page et al. 2002).
However, due to government’s policies and private companies’ agriculture and forestry practices, huge areas of peatlands were drained and trees were cut down during the pastfew decades (Siegert et al. 2001). When peat swamp forests
are logged and drained, the ground water level drops; as aresult, peatlands become susceptible to fires (Takahashi et al.
2001). In order to develop oil palm and pulp plantations, large
areas of peatlands have been drained and burnt. In addition,
local farmers have a custom to burn the land in order toreduce pests and undesirable plants, and to improve productivity in a short term. Fire is a cheap, fast, and easy method forland clearing for agricultural purposes (Varkkey 2013). Whenfire is used on drained peatlands, these fires often burn out ofcontrol and expand to become huge fires on peatlands (Usupet al. 2004). Once huge fire occurs, peatlands releases anenormous amount of greenhouse gasses (GHG) into theatmosphere, making Indonesia one of the countries with thelargest GHG emissions in the world (Page et al. 2002).
2. “Village Facilitation Team Approach” for Reducing Fire on
Peatlands
In order to tackle the issue of GHG emissions from peatlands
in Indonesia, the Japan International Cooperation Agency(JICA) together with the Ministry of Environment and Forestryof Indonesia (MOEF) initiated a technical cooperation project
entitled the “Program of Community Development of Fires
Control in Peat Land Area” (FCP), which was implemented from2010-2015, mainly in the sixteen pilot villages in the Benkayang
and Kubu Raya District in the West Kalimantan Province.
The project’s major objective was to develop a community-based peatland fire prevention methodology. In order toachieve this goal, the project formulated a team of six
members called the “Village Facilitation Team” that mainly
consisted of district government officers, firefighters hired by
the MOEF, and village representatives who are mostly farmers.
In order to enable the team members to serve as facilitators,
the project provided an intensive facilitation training program
to the team members. The training was held in about two
weeks, and it had abundant opportunities not only for lecturesand group discussions, but also for field exercises in actual
villages. All the team members had to actually facilitate themeetings with farmers, where they trained their practicalcommunication and facilitation skills. In addition, the teammembers obtained knowledge and skills on land-use mapping
method, non-burning agriculture techniques, and policies andregulations on land burning. After receiving this training, theteam members who were trained to become facilitators,

visited the sixteen pilot villages, and facilitated the villagers’
meetings with an aim to reduce fire through a community-based approach.
Following is the typical process of the discussions heldamong the villagers and the facilitators. First, the facilitators
started the discussions with topics related to land use andlivelihoods. Usually, the facilitators asked the villagers tocreate a land use map, which is a map that illustrates the villagers’ agriculture/forestry practices and land ownership/land
use boundaries. Second, using those maps, the facilitators
had the villagers identify issues concerning land use practices, and let them discuss how they can improve the situation. For example in one village, villagers discussed how to
produce value-added products (e.g. banana cake) in order togenerate more income. During these discussions, there wereoccasions when villagers mentioned about usage of fire in
their agricultural practices. In such occasions, the facilitators
gradually shared information on the risks of fire usage. In fact,
there are some legal punishments against usage of fire; incase police finds out some villagers using fire, the villager canbe arrested and imposed a huge amount of penalty fee.
Though the facilitators never forced the villagers to stop using
fire, they gently shared the information for their reference.
When the villagers become aware of such legal punishments, villagers started to discuss how to cope with the risks
of using fire, perhaps because they wanted to avoid being
punished. In many cases, the top priority for villagers is theirlivelihood and income generation. Because fire used to be avery important part of their farming practices, it was not aneasy task for them to suddenly stop using fire. Thus, they had
to think about how they can simultaneously realize reductionof fire usage and livelihood improvement.
As a result, villagers come to request the facilitators (including district government officers with expertise in agriculture) to
provide some training for non-burning agriculture techniques.
When receiving requests from the villagers, district government officers (who are also facilitators) provided trainings on
non-burning agriculture (e.g. techniques to make organic fertilizers/pesticides, agriculture/forestry products that can growwell without usage of fire etc.), based on an expectation thatvillagers could substitute these techniques for usage of fire. In
addition, villagers in most pilot villages started to develop selfrules on fire usage, which eventually became official village
regulations. Thus, the villagers strived to prevent themselvesfrom receiving legal punishments, while they also tried tofigure out how to sustain their livelihoods.
Here are some of the examples of land use practices without
extensive land burning. Organic fertilizers/pesticides can beproduced easily with low cost, and they can improve productivity or reduce pests without using fire (Figure 1). Jabon(Anthocephalus spp.) is a fast-growing tree species that cangrow on peat soils, with high demand in the market as materials for furniture. Aloe can also grow on peat soils, and has ahigh potential for income generation (Figure 2). Recently inWest Kalimantan, aloe juice and aloe candies are becoming
popular souvenirs, and are sold in many souvenir shops.
These are some of the examples of farming practices that cangenerate income without extensive land burning practices.

53
Figure 1: Pepper Farm using
Organic Fertilizer (Sungai Jaga A
Village)

Figure 2: Aloe Farm on Peatland(Limbung Village)

As a result, the number of villagers who use fire was largely
reduced in most of the pilot villages. After project intervention, the number of local farmers who use fire on peatlands
reduced from 62.4% to 30.2% in the Benkayang District andfrom 69.7% to 41.3% in the Kubu Raya District (University of
Tanjungpura 2015). Although there are still villagers who did
not completely stop land burning practices, most villagers atleast introduced “controlled-burning” (using fire in a very
limited area just to produce minimum amount of ash to neutralize peat soil), which contributed to the reduction of fire asa whole. In April 2015, following these achievements, the project’s community-based peatland fire prevention approach
was officially adopted as a part of the national policy of theGovernment of Indonesia.
3. Why did Villagers Reduce Land Burning Practices?
Based on the semi-structured interviews conducted to fifty
project participants randomly selected from the four pilot villages that represent the socio-economic characteristics of theregion (Limbung Village, Rasau Jaya II Village, Sungai Jaga A
Village, and Sungai Duri Village), I would like to discuss why
villagers decided to change their behaviors and reduced theirland burning practices, although further research is necessary
to verify these assumptions.
First, the facilitators provided the villagers with opportunities to deepen understandings about the risks of using fire,particularly regarding the legal punishments including penalty
fee. Before, the majority of villagers did not even consider
land burning as an issue; it was just a part of their custom ordaily life. However, through the meetings with the facilitators,
more people come to recognize that land burning may cause
serious risks to themselves. This might have influenced thevillagers’ mindset and behaviors.
Second, I assume it was important that villagers themselves
discussed and developed village rules with their own initiatives. Literature suggests that sufficient participation in theprocess of rule-making is one of the important factors that
motivates people to comply with the rules and to take collective action (Sapkota et al. 2015). Since the villagers actively
joined or even initiated the discussions to develop the village
rules, I assume that they almost fully understood and agreed
with the contents of the rules. Thus, they had less difficulties infollowing the regulations.
Third, it can be inferred that mutual trust was strengthened
through the meetings with the facilitators. In many villages,

the meetings were organized two or three times a month, andthe meetings continued for one or two years. Through thesemeetings, villagers may have strengthened their trustworthy
relationships with the other villagers and facilitators, whichmight have promoted their collective action toward fire prevention. Since they had abundant opportunities to discuss
how to prevent fire, it would be a betrayal to the other villagers if they burn the land. The villagers may have tried to reduceusage of fire in order to maintain sound relationships with theother community members.
Fourth, clarification of land use boundaries might have also
contributed to reduce land burning. According to the literature,people tend to practice land burning when land use boundaries
are unclear, since it can be an effective way to claim their land
use rights (Rona et al. 2005). If nobody knows who owns theland, one can assert that the land belongs to him/her, by
burning and cultivating the land. In this project, land use
mapping activities have helped the villagers to clarify the land
use boundaries, which may have contributed to reduce villagers’ motivation to claim their rights through burning.
Last but not least, introduction of non-burning agriculture
techniques can be also considered as one of the factors that
helped the villagers to reduce fire usage. Since land burning
was an important part of farming practices for villagers tomaintain their livelihoods, it must not be easy to suddenly
quit usage of fire. Even though non-burning agriculture techniques might not be as easy as land burning, at least they
could provide an alternative approach to sustain their livingwith less usage of fire.
Although further research is recommended for verification,
the above points can be inferred as some of the major reasonsthat facilitated the villagers’ behavioral change, based on theinterviews and the existing literature.
References
Page Susan E, O’Neil Rieley John, Banks Christopher (2010) “Global andregional importance of the tropical peatland carbon pool” Global Change
Biology, 17 (2), 798.
Page Susan E, Siegert Florian, Rieley John O, Boehm Hans-Dieter V, Jaya Adi,
Limin Suwido (2002) “The amount of carbon released from peat and forest
fires in Indonesia during 1997” Nature, 420, 61-65.
Rona A Dennis, Judith Mayer, Grahame Applegate, Unna Chokkalingam,
Carol J. Pierce Colfer, Iwan Kurniawan, Henry Lachowski, Paul Maus,
Rizki Pandu Permana, Yayat Ruchiat, Fred Stolle, Suyanto, Thomas P. Tomich(2005) “Fire, People and Pixels: Linking Social Science and Remote Sensing
to Understand Underlying Causes and Impacts of Fires in Indonesia” Human
Ecology, Vol. 33, No. 4.
Sapkota LM, Rajendra Prasad Shrestha, Damien Jourdain, Ganesh P. Shivakoti(2015) “Factors Affecting Collective Action for Forest Fire Management: A
Comparative Study of Community Forest User Groups in Central Siwalik,
Nepal” Environmental Management, 55:171-186.
Siegert F, Ruecker G, Hinrichs A, Hoffmann AA (2001) “Increased damages fromfires in logged forests during droughts caused by El Niño” Nature, 414, 437-440.
Takahashi H, Shimada S, Ibie BF, Usup A, Yudha, Limin SH (2001) “Annual changeof water balance and drought index in a tropical peat swamp forest of Central
Kalimantan, Indonesia” In Peatlands for people: Natural Resource and Functions and Sustainable Management. Proceeding of the International Symposium on Tropical Peatland, 22-23 August 2001. Jakarta, Indonesia. BPPT and
Indonesia Peat Association. (Rieley JO and Page SE eds.) with Setiadi B. 63-67.
University of Tanjungpura (2015) “Final Report, Fifth Year’s Baseline Surveys.
Program of Community Development of Fires Control in Peat Land Area”
Pontianak, Indonesia.
Usup Aswin, Hashimoto Yoshihiro, Takahashi Hidenori, Hayasaka Hiroshi (2004)“Combustion and thermal characteristics of peat fire in tropical peatland inCentral Kalimantan, Indonesia” TROPICS, 14 (1), 1-19.
Varkkey H (2013) “Patronage politics, plantation fires and transboundary haze”
Environmental Hazards, 12, 3-4.

54

Session 1: Wetlands and Disaster Risk Reduction / Climate ChangeInterventions for Wetland Conservation in the Pampanga River Basinand Candaba Wetlands
Joy M. Navarro1, Minerva J. Martinez2, Lea Ivy O. Manzanero3 and Daniel S. Torres4
1
3

Biodiversity Management Bureau, Department of Environment and Natural Resources;

Philippine Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, Department of Finance; 4 Independent researcher

The Philippines is a megadiversity country with 7,000+
islands. Using evolutionary geology, species assemblages
and distribution patterns, there are at least sixteen (16) terrestrial and six (6) marine biogeographic regions (Ong et al.
2002). The Pampanga River Basin and Candaba Wetlands arelocated in the Luzon Biogeographic Province.
The Biodiversity Management Bureau of the Department ofEnvironment and Natural Resources (BMB-DENR, 2016) in its
Atlas of Philippine Inland Wetlands and Classified Caves,listed 314 inland wetlands, composed of 221 lakes, 9 peatlands and 14 marshes/swamps, including the Candaba marshland. The country has 2,487 rivers and river systems.
This paper focuses on the Candaba Wetlands which to date
has not yet been recognized for its international significance.
It is important to note that the 32,000 hectare Candaba Wetlands are a prominent feature within the Pampanga River
Basin. These wetlands include ponds, swamps, and marshes
with surrounding areas of seasonally alternating flooded
grasslands and arable lands on a vast alluvial plain.
The Candaba Wetlands are surrounded by the towns ofBacolor, Porac, Sta. Rita and Guagua. One of the barangays
located within the Candaba Wetlands is Sitio Simang,
Barangay Vizal San Pablo.
Exemplary values of the Candaba Wetlands include regulating ecosystem services, floodwater management and calamity mitigation. Supporting ecosystem services include
biodiversity while provisioning services include supply ofwater.
Although drying up from November to May, several rivers
overflow during the June to October wet season. The Candaba
wetlands function as a natural flood retention basin for theseoverflows.
One important exemplary value is the high abundance ofbirds, thus the Candaba Wetlands is designated as a bird
counting site hosting 122 species of birds with a total abundance reaching 10,000 waterfowl. Bird records since 1940 indicate there are about 54 resident bird species and about 68
migratory species.
One of us (Martinez) observed that the abundance andspecies richness has been declining due to land conversion
and climate change where the longer period of wet season
have forced the birds to move somewhere else. Additionally,
there are now more birds in Sasmuan, Pampanga and otherareas where fishponds are abundant (e.g. coastal areas).
Among the endangered species are the Streaked reed
warbler (Acrocephalus sorghophilus), Philippine duck (Anasluzonica), Black-faced spoonbill (Platalea minor), and previously, the near-threatened Spot-bill pelican (Pelecanus philippensis). Such avian diversity supports local and visiting
birdwatchers and nature lovers.
With its critical values for avian diversity and ecosystemservices, Candaba Wetlands was identified as a candidate site
to be included as an Important bird area and potential candidate Ramsar site in Asia under criteria 2, 4, 5 and 6 as well aspart of the East Asian-Australasian Flyway Site Network.
The Pampanga River Basin, in which the Candaba Wetlands
are located, has a catchment area of 10,434 square kilometers

covering the administrative provinces of Pampanga, Tarlac,
Nueva Ecija, and Bulacan. It is the 4th largest river basin in thePhilippines and the 2nd largest in Luzon Island, next to the
Cagayan River Basin. The longest channel within the Pampanga River Basin is the Pampanga River that spans of 265
km.
In terms of provisioning services, Pampanga River Basinhas the potential to supply 18.34 million cubic meters of water
per day. The dependable surface water supply of 8.91 million
cubic meters is used for industrial, commercial, domestic,
drinking water, hydro-electric power, and irrigation of 363,246
hectares. This irrigated land produced 62.8 million metric tonsof rice amounting to 16% of the Philippine total rice production for 2016.
However, the Pampanga River Basin is vulnerable toincreased rainfall, typhoon, flooding, siltation, and volcanic
eruption. Additionally, unplanned man-made structures
aggravate the flooding problem.
Large scale flooding is one of the main challenges. The Pampanga River Basin Flood Forecasting and Warning Center
reports that in the 12 years from 1994-2006, 43 floods occurredin the Pampanga River Basin. From 2003 to 2006, the series oftyphoons of increasing frequency and severity caused flood
damage to the surrounding provinces of Bulacan, Pampanga
and Nueva Ecija.
Taken together with increased rainfall due to climatechange, the flooding problem may worsen in future years.
Unplanned man-made structures used for industrial development, such as warehouses and reclamation of peripheral
areas, may alter natural flow of floods; in some cases, shifting
floodwaters to areas which are not usually flooded.
The interventions for the Candaba Wetlands conservation
include infrastructure and non-infrastructure approaches.
Over the past 25 years, numerous infrastructure-based
interventions have been constructed within the PampangaRiver Basin designed to address flooding. Examples of suchinfrastructure include: the Pantabangan Dam holding 2,996
million cubic meters, the Angat Dam holding 850 million cubic
meters, the San Luis levee, and the Candaba Floodway.
One of the major infrastructure-based interventions is the1993 JICA-funded Pampanga Delta Development Project(Phase 1) that constructed a 14-kilometer floodway from theriver mouth in Manila Bay to upriver Masantol resulting in an
increase of channel flow capacity from 500 to 4,300 cubic
meters per second.
The 1991 Mt. Pinatubo eruption deposited ashfall resulting
in shallower drainage networks. Voluminous sediments fromthe eruption blocked off river drainage systems feeding into
the Pampanga Delta.
Starting from earthen dikes to clear the 1995 lahar breakout,
the Php 900 million Megadike project constructed concreteriverbank armoring to prevent Pinatubo-eruption relatedmaterial from covering the towns of Bacolor, Porac, Sta. Rita,
and Guagua in Pampanga.
Non-infrastructure interventions include nature-based
approaches, land use policies, and community-based technologies.

55
An example of land use policy is the Sangguniang Bayan(SB) Resolution No. 51, series of 2004 which declared theentire Candaba town as a bird sanctuary, thereby banninghunting of all kinds of wild birds. A similar policy intervention
was the adoption by the Pampanga Mayors League of a province-wide campaign against illegal hunting of birds.
In support of SB Resolution 51, a privately-initiated 72-ha
Candaba Swamp Wildlife Reserve was established in Sitio
Simang, Barangay Vizal San Pablo. Migratory and endemic
birds flock and thrive in the Wildlife Reserve that has an Observatory Deck and a 4-kilometer perimeter-dike walk-trail.
However, since the Reserve is private property, one possible
risk is if the owner opts to sell, the new owner may decide notto continue the Wildlife Reserve status.
Another non-infrastructure Intervention is the Community-based Flood Forecasting and Warning System-Disaster Risk
Reduction. This was established by the Pampanga River Basin
Flood Forecasting and Warning Center. The system components involve monitoring tools, community members, andcommunication equipment to forecast floods and plan appropriate actions ahead of time.
After the very destructive 1972 flood, the Government ofJapan helped the Philippines form the pilot Flood Forecastingand Warning System (FFWS) for Pampanga River Basin in
1973. This office has effectively observed the hydrological situation in the Pampanga River Basin then gave flood forecasts
and warnings, thus saving many lives. Now this office isnamed as the Pampanga River Basin Flood Forecasting andWarning Center (also known as PRFFWC or PRBFFWC) under
the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical & Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) of the Department of Science& Technology (DOST).
Other non-infrastructure interventions are the adaptation
strategies to alternating flooding and dry season exhibited byrice cropping pattern and wild fish catch. The Philippine Food
Security Information System shows two rice crops in Pampanga; one in the dry season, another in the wet season. There
are two types of rice production, the irrigated and non-irrigated (rain-fed). The irrigated rice production is done bothduring the dry and wet season cropping times and constitute
96% of rice production in Pampanga.
On the other hand, rainfed rice is planted only once, i.e.
during the start of wet/flood season (June/July, 3rd Quarter)
then harvested after about 150 days in the end of the wet
season (October) or start of the dry season (November, 4th
Quarter). From 2008 to 2016, this synchronizes with the highcatches of wild carp and tilapia in the 3rd and 4th quarter.
There are many potential actions for the future, both interms of infrastructure and non-infrastructure interventions.
For the future, plans for flood mitigation include river
channel improvement along the downstream of PampangaRiver using science-based dredging. This includes the construction of flood retarding basins in the Candaba and San
Antonio swamps. However, more studies are needed to determine natural capacity to store floodwater.
Riparian stabilization by planting of native species will needstudies on the best species to stabilize the soil and produce
protective cover.
With its vulnerabilities and exemplary values, the Candaba
wetlands, in particular, and the Pampanga River Basin, in
general, could provide a perfect setting to showcase the multiple benefits of adopting ecosystem-based approaches to disaster risk reduction (DRR) and climate change adaptation(CCA).
In conclusion, a mix of infrastructure and non-infrastructureinterventions using ecosystem-based approaches will be necessary to maintain the unique biodiversity value, while taking

advantage of the wetland ecosystem services for communities to be able to mitigate disaster risks and adapt to theimpacts of the changing climate.
Finally, this paper hopes to encourage further discourse on
the conservation of the Candaba wetlands.

56

Session 1: Wetlands and Disaster Risk Reduction / Climate Change

Wetlands for a Disaster Resilient Asia: Legal Agenda
Amado S. Tolentino Jr.
Ramsar Center JapanThe 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami originating in an earthquake in the sea off Sumatra (Indonesia) devastated 12 countries including Indonesia, Thailand and Sri Lanka. As an
immediate response, AWS 2005 held in India, recommended
among others, “Prioritize the natural coastal defenses throughgreenbelt/coastal “bioshield” development………” In connection therewith, the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (2015) identified as one of four priorities the matter of“investing in disaster risk reduction for resilience.”
Not to be missed is the ASEAN Agreement on Disaster
Management and Emergency Response (AADMER), whichcame into force in 2009 with the intention of providing “effective regional mechanisms to mitigate impacts of natural disasters…..through concerted national efforts and intensified
regional cooperation.”In the light of scientific information that natural disasters
are projected to intensify in Asia, the AADMER mentioned
above could be utilized for disaster prevention and mitigation
purposes even if the Agreement leans heavily on disaster
preparedness, emergency response and rehabilitation, i.e.
faster movement of relief goods, better utilization of civilian
and military response, etc., In short, it could serve as thefoundation for Asia’s active role at disaster risk reduction byincorporating effective wetlands’ management strategies intheir legal agenda for climate change resilience.
Disaster risk reduction according to AADMER means “aframework of elements considered with the possibilities tominimize vulnerabilities and disaster risks to avoid, throughprevention or, to limit, through mitigation and preparedness,
the adverse impacts of hazards within the broad context ofsustainable development.” On the other hand, resilience
according to the UN Office for Disaster Reduction is the abilityof a system, community or a society exposed to natural disasters to resist, absorb, accommodate, adapt to, transform andrecover from the effects of that disaster.
In recent years, wetlands have been acknowledged to beamong the world’s most valuable ecosystems providing somuch benefits to people. As defense fortifications, wetlands,
particularly mangroves, proved excellent defenses against theonslaught of typhoons and tsunamis as proven by the earthquake occurrence mentioned above. Scientists explained theroots of vegetation in Asian mangroves and other forest wetlands helped to hold the sediments in place against the impact
of strong winds and waves.
AADMER is replete with provisions which could be used by
Asian countries in refuting the claims that while emergency
response is almost well attended to from the local to thenational government level, much remains to be done in regard
to (i) cooperation in developing and putting into effect solutions to reduce disaster impacts; (ii) development of strategies to identify, prevent or reduce disaster risks and losses;(iii) prevention and mitigation legislation, regulations, policies, plans, programs and strategies; and (iv) raising publicawareness about disaster prevention and mitigation.
Disaster Resilience in the Legal Agenda
In pursuance thereof, Asian countries could very well incorporate wetlands wise use and other innovative ways for dis-

aster risk reduction and build resilience in their legal system.
The legal agenda may include, but is not limited to:(1) P lanting of mangrove saplings in rules or regulations. The strategy of planting mangrove saplings could be acontinuing year-round activity in the long and extensive
coastlines of Asia pursuant to applicable laws on forestry or land use, i.e. implementing rules or regulations..
The same is true in regard to massive planting of highquality and commercially productive variety of bamboo
which could be introduced in riverbanks/river basins andlakeshores as a technique not only for protection but
also to preserve and rehabilitate fishwater sources andlakes and provide added source of income to people.
(2) R eforms in Building Codes.- Reforms in Building Codes
could be pursued as infrastructure solutions, by introducing a shift in disaster risk reduction approach throughbuild back better infrastructures, increasing buffer capacity of the wetland landscape to absorb shocks and longterm changes. This includes, but is not limited to, building better hurricane resilient houses with stable andstronger base; retro-fitting structures e.g. existing government buildings, for extra use as evacuation centers intimes of calamities. This presupposes sharing technology to come up with hurricane resilient houses and, ingeneral, improve critical infrastructures in coastal communities. This would necessitate amendment and strict
implementation of existing national building codes.
(3) Inclusion of climate adaptation projects in the national
budget or appropriations law.- Developing and financing
adaptation projects is an excellent way of building up a
country’s resilience to disasters. In this regard, adaptation means enhancing resilience, policies and programs
against the impacts of climate change. The Philippine
General Appropriations Act (2018) have calamity andenvironment provisions to make our budget a climate
budget with special provisions on adaptation such as
establishment of multi-hazard early warning system,
rain harvesting, seed banks, rooftop gardens and practice drills for response and preparedness. An Adaptation
Summit is planned next year to showcase best practices
and launch a mentoring process for small vulnerable
communities in the country.
(4) N ational Resilience Council.-In the Philippines, consolidation of resilience endeavors was adopted with therecent launch of a National Resilience Council (NRC) in
response to the Sendai Framework on Disaster Risk
Reduction call to align and integrate various endeavors(science and technology, CSOs, private sector(business), government) in strengthening disaster reduction
governance and investing in resilience, in effect integrating all resilience efforts on the same track.
With partnership among government, private sector,
CSOs and other organizations with clearly defined roles
in disaster response, recovery and rehabilitation, theNational Resilience Council is jointly chaired by the Secretary of National Defense and the representative of thebusiness (private) sector. Four vice-chairs were appointed

57
to represent science/academe, CSOs, government andthe private sector.
Aside from consolidating the resilience efforts in the
country, the NRC aims to localize the pre-existing andpotential exposure to vulnerability of the economy, environment and communities to disasters and to focus onbuilding needed capacities through multi-stakeholder
cooperation.
In close coordination with the Department (Ministry)of Local Governments, the NRC will look at developing a
Philippine Disaster Resilience Scoreboard for local governments and the Leadership Resiliency Program for the
local chief executives (LCE) and other local government
officials. All of this is designed to reward success andhelp participant cities adopt best global disaster risk
reduction and resilience practices. Capacity building
training will be required for LCEs and other officials. The
success of the resilience scoreboard will depend on how
the LCEs practice what they learn.
The first public-private partnership (PPP) for disaster
resilience was launched in the Philippines last October
2017. Dubbed Resilient Cities/Municipalities Leadership
Program for Local Chief Executives, it brings together for
the first time the government and big private businessfor disaster resilience. Big businesses like SM and Zuellig
Family Foundation along with Arise Philippines withSMs Mr Hans Sy, Disaster Risk Reduction Foundation of
Mr. Manny Pangilinan and Mr. Jaime Augusto Zobel de
Ayala, the Makati Business Club and the Philippine
Chamber of Commerce and Industry, to mention a few,
are actually giving time, effort and expertise in helping
communities with emergencies to save lives and protect
properties. As a leading Filipino environmentalist said,“There should be increased investment in disaster preparedness, conduct and sharing of risk assessment,
establishment of multi-hazard early warning system,
protection of ecosystems and mangrove reforestation,
among others.
(5) Innovative insurance program to boost disaster reduction management.-Last August 2017, a disaster risk insurance to help the Philippines better respond to losses
from climate and disaster risks was also launched withthe support of the World Bank. The program provides US$206 million in coverage against losses from severe
typhoons and earthquakes to national government
assets and to participating provinces.
Briefly, under the program, the Philippine Government
Service Insurance System (GSIS) provides the government
and the 25 participating provinces with disaster risk insurance. The World Bank acts as an intermediary to transfer GSISs
risk to a panel of international reinsurers e.g., Hanover RE,
Munich RE, Swiss RE, which were selected through a competitive bidding process.
The new insurance program illustrates how the World Bank
can leverage capital from the market to help governments
receive fast cash injections for emergency response and tosustain essential services in times of crisis empowering local
governments to more effectively assist their constituents.
The program bolsters the government efforts at resilienceby developing an innovate financial solution to mitigate thefinancial impacts of extreme climate and weather-related
events as well as major earthquakes.
Conclusion
Actually, disaster resilience maybe considered a breakthrough in the area of environmental law implementation
which from the beginning suffers from lack of implementation

or delayed or lingering implementation efforts. Take forexample the matter of control of air pollution caused by emission from motor vehicles. No one dies or immediately contracts lung disease with the inhalation of polluted air. Disasters
are different. Results are sudden deaths, physical injuries andloss or damage to properties. Disaster resilience is now aleading concern in the whole world and people should bemade aware of the immediacy of action against disasters.
It should always be borne in mind, however, that building adisaster resilient Asia needs partnerships among government,
private sector, CSOs, local government units (LGUs) and otherinstitutions with clearly defined roles not only in disaster
response but in disaster prevention, response, mitigation andadaptation as well, integrating in the process all resilienceendeavors on the same track. To begin with, a program on thevalues and functions of wetlands for disaster risk reduction
and onwards to consolidating resilience endeavors among
Asian countries on the same track could be embarked on. Disaster resilience is a matter that deserves priority along withfood security, poverty alleviation, population control, among
others.
Hopefully, the recommendation is realized soon because
Asia remains vulnerable to natural disasters. But throughmulti-stakeholder engagement, improvements can be madeat a much faster pace so the region can have its much needed
disaster resilient system.
References:“Asean: Better, faster, disaster reliefs ?” The Manila Times, 7 February 2015.
“Asean environment: Wetlands for disaster resilience,” The Manila Times, 27
May 2017.
“Bamboo to save Laguna Lake”, Manila Bulletin, 28 April 2017.
“Documentation by drones,” D+C, 07-08/2017.
May, 2017.
http://www.worldbank.org/en/news/press-release/2017/08/15/philippineslaunches-innovative-insurance-program-to-boost-natural-disaster-riskmanagement
http://www.manilatimes.net/first-ppp-disaster-resiliencelaunched/356535R(117692)“National Resilience Council,” The Philippine Star, 18 August 2017.
“Strategy for disaster risk reduction,” The Manila Times, 19 November 2013.
“Vulnerable coasts,” D+C, 05-06/2017.

58

Session 1: Wetlands and Disaster Risk Reduction / Climate Change

Evaluating the Impacts of Hydrological Variations
on Carbon Fluxes in Tropical Peatlands (abstract)
Chandrashekhar Deshmukh, Dony Julius, Nardi, Adly Firma
Asia Pacific Resources International Limited (APRIL)
Tropical peatlands are complex and poorly understood ecosystems with largely unknown biogeochemical and hydrological regimes. In these ecosystems, waterlogged-anaerobic
conditions slow down the decomposition of organic matter(OM) and favor their accumulation. Most of the tropical peatlands are typically ombrotrophic, where ground water table
generally follows rainfall pattern. Increased frequency andintensity of climate extremes like El Niño and land-use change
modify hydrology and thereby affecting biogeochemistry ofthese ecosystems. Over the last few decades, there have been
increasing efforts to investigate carbon dynamics and water
vapor fluxes in these ecosystems. Nevertheless, carbon andwater balances in these ecosystems are still subjected to large
uncertainties mainly due to the scarcity of the direct and continuous long-term measurements, particularly in Southeast Asia.
To improve assessment of the role of tropical peatlands inglobal carbon balance, there is a clear and urgent need for moremeasurements and a better understanding of carbon and waterbalances in these ecosystems.
In this context, we have established a long-term direct monitoring network to quantify net ecosystem exchanges of carbon
dioxide, methane and water vapor between the ecosystem andthe atmosphere at ecosystem level using Eddy Covariance (EC)technique. Direct micrometeorological methods like Eddy
Covariance (EC) provide measurements over large areas (typically more than few hectares), that can be analogous to ecosystem scale. Short and quasi-continuous integration intervals(e.g. 30 min), typical for the EC technique, are beneficial tocapture temporal variability related to biological and physicalprocesses underlying carbon and water vapor exchange.
Although several studies have reported EC measurements atseveral agricultural sites, the EC measurements of carbon andwater fluxes over tropical peatlands are lacking, particularly inSoutheast Asia.
In the context, we have installed EC towers in three major
ecosystems distinguished by land-use in tropical peatlands ofthe Kampar Peninsula of Sumatra, Indonesia; (1) plantation forestry (PF); (2) mixed land cover (ML) that includes partly burnt
degraded peatland forest and shrubland; and (3) restoration
forest (ER). The EC instruments are installed on top of the towers
at 43, 43 and 51 m above ground surface at the PF, ML and ER
sites respectively. This offers much larger flux footprint area ofmore than 200 ha. In addition, automated soil CO2 chambers areplaced directly onto the peat surface to measure CO2 emissions
resulting from microbial decomposition of peat soil. Moreover,rainfall, ground water table, soil moisture, soil temperature, net
solar radiation, photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), relative humidity, atmospheric pressure, wind direction and windspeed are being recorded at 30 min averages. Measurements
have been started at the PF and ML sites since September 2016
and at the ER site since May 2017. The outcomes of this project
shall allow a better estimation of regional carbon and waterbalance and help scientists and policymakers better understandhow hydrological variations due to climate change and land usechange affect carbon dynamics. This presentation will discuss
the sampling strategy and preliminary results.

Huge Water Channel Construction Project with Natureand Human Friendly Approach in the Sendai River (abstract)
1

Kiyofumi Kobayashi, 2Hironori Hayashi, 2Yukihiro Shimatani

Kyushu University Graduate School of Engineering, Daishin Co.,Ltd, 2Kyushu University Faculty of Engineering

1

In the Sendai River basin which flows in Kagoshima prefecture, there was recordable heavy rain mainly in the northernpart of the Satsuma region from July 19th to July 23th 2006.
Total rainfall for 5 days exceeded 1000 mm at rainfall observatory. In particular, the damage of Satsuma Town was enormous.
There were one person dead and three minor injuries, 214 completely destroyed buildings, 367 semi-collapsed buildings and232 inundated buildings. This flood damage was mainly caused
by unprecedented heavy rain. In the downstream part of theSatsuma Town Torai area, there was a narrowed section where
the river channel was curved large. It was pointed out that risingof the water level of this greatly curved river channel part is oneof the factors which caused the damage to be expanded.
On the other hand, similar floods had occurred in the area in
1972. As a result, the residents had a strong distrust againstriver administrators (MLIT: Ministry of Land, Infrastructure,transportation and Tourism). This project was accompanied by aremarkably large scale renovation that cuts waterways of about
250 m in extension, 65 m in average channel width and 700
thousand m3 of excavated sediment. In addition, the projectsite is adjacent to shopping districts and residential area in theSatsuma town. For this reason, we had to fully consider the
impact of river improvement project extending to an extensionof 2.0 km on the lives of the local residents. For that reason, it
was necessary to inherit the history and culture of the area, tomitigate the impact on natural landscapes and ecosystems, andto fully consider the utilization methods after the reconstructionin advance.
In this paper, we introduce the Sendai River improvement
project which was carried out by participating residents in thisTorai area. Specifically, the concept of planning
design, the landscape hydraulic model experiment used toevaluate the flood effect and the natural environment accompanying the division channel opening, the consensus formation
process with the local residents, the maintenance management
after the completion and the utilization. In the project site, floods
occurred two weeks after the completion of the channel construction, but the water level observation station supports thesafety of the region, such as a water level drop of 0.8 m is confirmed. Six years have elapsed after completion, flooding flows
repeatedly from 3 to 5 times each year into the channel, andnow a new wetland space that work as a habitat of aquaticorganisms is also created. In the construction section close to
the residential area, masonry bank protection utilizing construction generating rocks and a waterfront walking path incorporating universal design are in place. In view of the riverenvironment, riffle and pool habitats and vegetation which areimportant for aquatic organisms were restored. In the Torai area,
there are numerous regional event held by local residents andNPOs. Taking this opportunity, community development thatconnects the waterfront and daily lives of residents, tourism
projects of nature experience, etc. are actively undertaken in the
Sendai River basin.

59

Session 2
Wetlands and Policy / Changes / International Cooperation

60

Session 2: Wetlands and Policy / Changes / International Cooperation

China’s New National Strategy on Wetland Conservation
and Restoration
Fang Yan
Wetland Conservation and Management Office, State Forestry Administration, People’s Republic of China

The presentation addresses how Chinese government ismoving forward the role of wetlands in conservation and sustainable development, particular in recent 5 years.
According to the second national wetland inventory, thetotal wetland area in China is accounting for 5.58% of its territory, with a per-capita wetland of one fifth of the world averagelevel. From this perspective, the wetland in China is not richenough. In order to conserve such valuable nature asset,
China has established a relative sound wetland conservation
network. The network is mainly consisting of national parks,
nature reserves, supplemented by wetland parks as well asother forms of wetland protected areas. The national park is a
newly nature conservation method established last year, to
expect better fitting together with biodiversity conservationand sustainable use. By the end of 2016, China has establishedover 600 wetland nature reserves and more than 1,000
wetland parks, among of them, 49 RS were designated. By thecomparison of the first and second national wetland inventory, the area of protected wetlands achieved more than 13
percentage increase in the past decade indicates that Chinese
government has been taking action on the ground to accomplish realistic and practical conservation and wise use of wetlands for sustainable development.
As far as to the China’s wetland administrative system, governments at all levels dominate wetland conservation. There
are approximately 50,000 employees of government directly
engaged in wetland conservation and management, formulating a 3-level vertical administrative system. At the national
level, State Forestry Administration is the executive agency
for wetland management. However, wetland is a complicatedand comprehensive ecosystem, cannot be isolated from otherelements in terms of water, wildlife, and soil in nature. Similarity, the wetland management can never be separated fromother sectors that are responsible for water resource, agriculture, finance as well. Local level is divided into several levels
subject to China’s government administrative system. The
bottom is the site level. Majority sites have their own agencies
to manage site issues.
Despite of many years efforts and achieved a lot, China is
still facing some problems that the wetlands continue to be inserious trouble, and their capacity to deliver all benefits topeople is declining. The survey uncovered that the wetlandarea in China was decreasing about 340,000 ha each year
from 2003 to 2013, equivalent a medium size county in China.
The survey also sorted major threats and problems by the
degree of the impact on wetland degradation. The finding suggested that the management is the first cause, following bypollution, reclamation, infrastructural development, over-grazing, over-fishing, and the invasion of alien species. Although
the above following causes are common facing globally, stillin certain connection with the deficiency in the management.
Therefore, there is a need for China to further define what areconsidered to be key issues in the process of country’s development, and to identify in a strategic manner how to help
people meet the goals and objectives of “beauty China”.

Chinese government attached unprecedented high priority to
the ecological protection especially from 2012. Since then, aseries of national policies and strategy launched to strengthen
wetland conservation.
The most important strategy amongst is the Wetland Conservation and Restoration Programme, which was issued by
the State Council in last November. It was the first time that
Chinese top governors made a powerful decision on wetland
conservation, aiming to solve existing problems in the management aspects. The policy is and will be guiding China’s
wetland conservation in following years. The significance of
the implementation of the policy will benefit rather to China
itself but to the globe. The program includes seven areas interms of a general requirement and 6 support mechanisms.
The general requirement was proposed with a clear target. By
2020, the total wetland area should be kept no less than 53.6
million ha that is the current quantity of total wetland area in
China. In other words, the target is expected to conserve all
wetland identified by the national wetland inventory. In addition, an extra 200,000 ha area increase and half amount of
total wetland under the protection, integrated into the generalgoal as well.
To ensure the accomplishment of the general goal, 6 mechanisms addressed in the program that can split to more than
50 specific actions. The first is wetland classification management. Wetland in China is going to be classified into threeranks: national important wetlands (including Ramsar sites),
local important wetlands and general wetlands. The management of each rank is applied to the corresponding rules andstandards. For example, the national and local important wetlands theoretically are limited for use, while the general wetlands are utilizable but the compensation in advance. The
second is the accountability system. The central government
designates some regions with the most importance and weakness in ecological functions enclosing in the ecological protection redline, forbidden to be occupied or convert to otheruse. Furthermore, the central government defines the target
of wetland area to be conserved at national and provincial
levels, and implements target by levels as well. To be specifically, the central government decentralizes the total wetlandarea of the whole country to 31 provinces and then allocatedto 2800 counties as the beneath goal of the country. In thecase, the government at each level holds a specific number ofwetland areas to be maintained.
Apart from target on wetland area, by 2020, 80% majorrivers and lakes will reach the national standard of water
quality; no less than 35% coastline will maintain in nature
status, water bird population will not decrease. To achieve
above goals, a permanent reward and punishment mechanism established to monitor government officials taking
responsibilities for wetland conservation and management inand after their terms. The third one is related to wise use
wetland. China holds the concept of wetland for wise use
although always regarding conservation as the priority. The
program regulates how to use wetland in a sustainable way

61
by listing some activities prohibited to conduct in wetland. For
instance, to occupy wetlands or convert to other use without
approval, reclaim (convert), cut or blocks wetland water
sources permanently, and any actions tend to damage wetlands and their ecological services are in the list. The forthone-restoration is a core issue addressed by the program tohelp keep wetland no net loss and restore degraded wetland.
One solution is the compensation ahead of the occupation. As
for those wetlands that are approved to be occupied or converted to other uses, the land users should be responsible forthe restoration or rehabilitation with the same quantity andecological functions before used. In addition, some restoration projects funding by central and local governments, havebeen carried out in a pilot phase in China for a few years andwill be promoting nationwide as the requirement of the
program. The major such projects include converting farmland to wetland and the ecological benefit compensation. The
fifth mechanism related to the wetland monitoring and assessment, the third national wetland inventory could be the mostimportant technical support in this regard. The related preparation work will start next year. The survey may take 6 years to
be finalized. Of course, the monitoring and assessment on
wetland ecological status will be continuing conduct onnational and local wetland importance. The final one is thesafeguarding mechanism stressing multi sector collaboration,
legislation, sustainable funding, science and technical support,
and CEPA, is essential to secure the program performing welland I will not give further introduction.

62

Session 2: Wetlands and Policy / Changes / International Cooperation

The Montreux Record under the Ramsar Convention:
A Valuable Tool for Securing Compliance?
Evan Hamman, Tess Van Geelen
Dr Evan Hamman is a Lecturer at Queensland University of Technology (QUT) School of Law in Brisbane, Australia
Ms Tess Van Geelen is a Research Associate at QUT
Ms Van Geelen was recently awarded Australian Government funding to undertake environmental law research in China and Mongolia
Introduction
The world’s wetlands are in decline. In Asia, and South-East
Asia in particular, scientists estimate up to 50% of wetlands
have been lost over the last one hundred years.1 Much of thedegradation has been due to land reclamation, intensive agriculture, urban development and industrial pollution. Wetland
decline in China’s Yellow Sea region has been particularly catastrophic, despite the existence of over a dozen importantRamsar-Listed sites in both China and South Korea.2 With theescalation of the impacts of climate change, the changing ecological character of wetlands is emerging as a key concern for
decision-makers world-wide.
This paper presents the results of a mixed method analysisof the Montreux Record (MR) under the Ramsar Convention
on Wetlands of International importance – one of the main
tools for addressing the deterioration of sites. The MR isessentially a list of Ramsar sites which have undergone negative ecological change, due, for example, to excessive development, eutrophication or industrial pollution. The MR is
maintained as part of the Ramsar List. Importantly, states
must apply (i.e. give their consent) for the inclusion of theirsites on the MR. Such a requirement is unsurprising in international law, and is consistent with the principle of State Sovereignty which continues to permeate many aspects of global
environmental governance. This research has relevance forour understanding of compliance mechanisms under theRamsar Convention as well how states can use the tools ofRamsar to help restore their degraded sites.
MethodThe guiding research question in this study was:What is the value of the Montreux Record in terms of
securing compliance from States with the goals of theRamsar Convention?
The term ‘compliance’ is a broad and multi-faceted one, andthe substantive objectives of the Ramsar Convention (framework) are dynamic and open to debate.3 Nonetheless, it is suggested that valuable insights can be gained from this researchquestion which are relevant to scholars investigating theimplementation of the Ramsar Convention, as well as ‘voluntary’ non-compliance tools like the MR which also appear inother treaties.
The method adopted to answer the research question was
mixed.4 In mixed-method research, one or more approaches
to gathering data are combined.5 In this research we used abasic quantitative approach and coupled it with a common
1 N. C. Davidson, ‘How Much Wetland Has the World Lost? Long-Term and Recent Trends in
Global Wetland Area’ (2014) 65 Marine and Freshwater Research, pp. 934–41.
2 Murray, N. J., Clemens, R. S., Phinn, S. R., Possingham, H. P., & Fuller, R. A. (2014). Tracking
the rapid loss of tidal wetlands in the Yellow Sea. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment,
12(5), 267-272.
3 On compliance with international environmental law see for example Cameron, J., Werksman, J., & Roderick, P. (1998). Improving compliance with international environmental law;and Mitchell, R. B. (2003). International environmental agreements: a survey of their features,formation, and effects. Annual Review of Environment and Resources, 28(1), 429-461.
4 Creswell, J. W. (2014). A concise introduction to mixed methods research. Sage Publications.
5 See Hunter A., and Brewer J., ‘Multimethod research in sociology’ in Tashakkori, A., andTeddlie, C., (eds) Handbook of Mixed Methods in Social & Behavioural Research (Sage, 2003),
577

legal method known as ‘doctrinal research’ (essentially thecollection, analysis and critique of legal and quasi-legal
material). Quantitative research involves the collection ormanipulation of statistical data. It emphasizes ‘objective
measurements’ and the ‘mathematical or numerical analysisof data’ to help understand a phenomenon.6 Quantitative
research has benefit in piecing together large populations of
information with a view to making generalizations and‘comparisons across categories and over time.’7
In this research we compiled statistical data on sites which
had been included or removed from the MR by using theRamsar Sites Information Service (RSIS). RSIS currently hosts
information on 2,284 Ramsar sites covering 220,673,362 ha.8
RSIS also contains primary information on the 48 Ramsar
Sites which are currently listed on the MR (covering 3,414,295
ha). From RSIS we compiled a general picture of:• when sites had been added to the MR;• which states/regions had engaged with the MR;• the length of time sites had remained on the MR.
To further inform the research we looked at various Ramsar
Advisory Mission (RAM) reports which are available on the
Secretariat’s website. RAM reports were helpful in explaining
why some Ramsar sites had been added to or removed from
the MR.
For the doctrinal component of the research, we analyzed
legal and policy material related to Ramsar and the topics ofcompliance and international environmental law. Some of thismaterial included: COP decisions and Secretariat guidance
documents as well as the original Ramsar Convention text
itself.9 The doctrinal component of the research was useful formaking a connection between the statistical data from RSISand its normative relevance (or ‘compliance value’) under theConvention framework. The doctrinal component also allowed
the researchers to support the normative arguments as wellas inform a more general discussion about the MR included at
the end of this paper.
Coding and Analysis
The data in this study was analyzed using basic content
analysis. Content analysis is a quantitative research techniquethat has a long history in the social sciences and is increasingly applying to disciplines like the law.10 It involves extracting information from text-based sources and drawing
inferences about the significance, patterns and context of its

6 Babbie, Earl R. The Practice of Social Research. 12th ed. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Cengage,2010; Muijs, Daniel. Doing Quantitative Research in Education with SPSS. 2nd edition.
London: SAGE Publications, 2010.
7 Babbie, ibid; Brians, Craig Leonard et al. Empirical Political Analysis: Quantitative andQualitative Research Methods. 8th ed. Boston, MA: Longman, 2011; McNabb, David E.
Research Methods in Public Administration and Nonprofit Management: Quantitative andQualitative Approaches. 2nd ed. Armonk, NY: M.E. Sharpe, 2008; Singh, Kultar. Quantitative
Social Research Methods. Los Angeles, CA: Sage, 2007.
8 Ramsar Site Information Service (RSIS) <https://rsis.ramsar.org/>
9 For an example of guideline material see: Ramsar Secretariat, ‘Guidelines for operation of theMontreux Record’ (1996) <http://archive.ramsar.org/cda/en/ramsar-documents-montreux-guidelines-for-operation-20983/main/ramsar/1-31118%5E20983_4000_0__>
10 Neuendorf, K. A. (2016). The content analysis guidebook. Sage, xv.

63
use.11 A major component of content analysis is its ability toallow the researcher to summarize information rather thanreport all the detail of a statistical set.12 Analytical coding was
also used in this research. Analytical coding involves ‘thinking
up’ from the data and conducting a preliminary analysis at thesame time as patterns revealed themselves in the data.
Coding was done manually in this research and not with theassistance of any software. The practice of coding allows forthe extraction of general themes or ideas from the data andtheir respective grouping. For example, after reviewing the
RSIS and RAM reports, we collated ‘the reasons of MR listing’into 12 separate categories set out in the table below.

they are unwilling to use it as a mechanism for restoration.
The number of sites included on the MR by breakdown of geographical region are presented in the figure below.

In terms of the reasons for inclusion of sites on the MR, thevast majority of sites were included for agricultural and/or
other developmental concerns related to pollution and urban
sprawl. Over half of all sites, for example, were recorded on
the MR as a result of population stress, eutrophication (fromagricultural activities) or water loss (often also fromagricultural activities). The reasons for listing a site on the MR
are depicted in the figure below.

These categories appeared to us based on the text used in
the states original MR application documents (known as‘questionnaires’) and were validated on occasion by the RAM
reports and/or general media searches. In addition, we also
created further measures of the statistical data to determine:(1) where the sites were located (including the region – Asia,
Europe, North America etc.) and (2) how long sites remainedon the MR.
Results
There are currently 47 sites on the MR. A total of 80 sites
have been included since the MR was first established, and 33
of those have since been removed. Over half of all sites (42)were added to the MR in the first year of its creation (1990)
with an additional 23 sites added in 1993. After 1993, only 1 or
2 sites have been added each year, and not in all years. Amongthe sites that have been removed from the MR list, the averagetime spent on the MR is 9 years.
In terms of geographical regions and their use of the MR,
Europe appeared to be significantly overrepresented in thedata. In Asia and the Pacific (Oceania) region, where many of
the world’s wetland sites are now in steep decline, there has
been very little use of MR. This suggests many states either
don’t know about the MR mechanism, or, perhaps more likely,
11 Ibid., 17.
12 Ibid., 23.

In terms of the overall use of the MR over time the results
showed there was an initial spike of sites included on the listin the early 1990s when the MR was first established. Since
about 1993, however, far fewer states have seen value innominating their sites for inclusion on the MR. Our findings
correlate with recent statistics compiled by the Ramsar
Secretariat.13 The Ramsar Secretariat has made public its
concerns about the diminishing importance of the MR. It has,for example, recently highlighted the need to reinvigorate the
MR mechanism and align it with other state party reporting
obligations under the Convention, including the notification
obligations under article 3.2. The figure below shows thedeclining importance and use of the MR since the 1990s. It has
been reproduced from the Secretariat’s report, though ourfindings were identical.14
13 Ramsar Secretariat, Report of the Secretary General pursuant to Article 8.2 concerning theList of Wetlands of International Importance <http://www.ramsar.org/sites/default/files/
documents/library/cop12_doc07_article_8_2_report_e_0.pdf> at 8.
14 Ibid.

64

Discussion
The MR was first established at the Fourth Conference of
the Contracting Parties (COP4) in Montreux, Switzerland in
July 1990 although the list was not known formally as the MR
until 1993. Specifically, the MR was established by way ofrecommendation 4.8 of the COP.15 Formally, the MR was
intended to be a register of wetland sites on the List of Wetlands of International Importance (i.e. Ramsar sites) whereby:changes in ecological character have occurred, areoccurring, or are likely to occur as a result of technological developments, pollution or other human interference.16
The MR mirrors the obligations in article 3.2 of the Convention which requires states to report on those sites were haveundergone negative ecological change. Article 3.2 is, however,essentially a notification tool under the Ramsar framework.
There is no additional requirement to include article 3.2 sites
on the MR. In fact, there is a mismatch between those sites
which have been included on the MR and those Ramsar sites
which have been notified under article 3.2 of the Convention.
For example, out of the over 100 sites which have beenreported under article 3.2 of Ramsar, less than half appear on
the MR.17 This suggests that states are willing to report the negative ecological change at their sites, but not engage with the
public nature of an MR listing for the purposes of restoration.
Moreover, whilst the MR was initially established as ameans to collaborate and cooperate on wetland management,
the use of the MR has virtually halted in recent years. Our
research shows that no Ramsar site has been added to or
removed from the MR since 2010. This is despite the fact thatmany states continue to notify the Secretariat that they indeed
have Ramsar sites which are at ecological risk as required byarticle 3.2.18 Various non-state actors (environmental NGOs forexample) also notify the Secretariat from time to time ofchanges to the ecological value of Ramsar Sites in their jurisdictions.19
From this we might hypothesize that states are willing toreport at least some (but not all) of the declining values attheir Ramsar sites, but that the MR as a tool for addressing
declines has had withering importance. We are left with important governance questions:• Why might this be the case?
• What reasons could there be for states to resist engagement with the MR?
15 Ramsar Convention, Proceedings of the 6TH Meeting of the Conference of the Contracting
Parties (Brisbane, Australia, 19-27 March 1996), Resolution VI.1 < https://www.ramsar.org/
sites/default/files/documents/pdf/res/key_res_vi.01e.pdf>
16 Ramsar Secretariat, ‘The Montreux Record’ <http://ramsar.rgis.ch/cda/en/ramsar-documents-montreux/main/ramsar/1-31-118_4000_0__>
17 See Ramsar Secretariat, above n 13, at annex 4a.
18 Ibid., pp 4-5 and annex 4a and 4b.
19 Ibid., annex 4b.

• How and why do states view the MR in the way that theydo?
In the past, there have been relatively high profile and successful examples of states using the MR as a means for collaboration and support in wetland management. The Chilika
Lake Ramsar Site, for example in India (the largest lagoon inAsia), was first placed on the MR in the early 1990s. The site
was removed from the MR December 2001 after a successful
collaboration between the lake’s management and Japanesewetland conservation experts.20 In such a case the MR wasused as a positive rallying cry (or ‘alarm system’) for effective
collaborative restoration techniques. The Chilika Lake authority was also presented with a Ramsar achievement award fortheir efforts at the site. In another publicized example, Iran’s
Alagol, Ulmagol and Ajigol lake complex (1400ha) was placedon the MR in 1993 but removed in 2009 due to positive longterm conservation commitments by the Iranian Government.
The 2009 RAM for the site reported:[Success] has been achieved through the national andprovincial budgets of the [Government] and an increasingly high level of cooperation with other governmental
stakeholders, and with the local communities and NGOs.21
One possible reason for the increasingly low engagementwith the MR other states is that they may see the MR as ‘anaming and shaming list’, in a similar way that some countries
under the UNESCO World Heritage Convention can view theWorld Heritage In Danger List.22 Inclusion on the list for
wealthier states like Australia, the United States, Germany
and others might be seen as a form of additional accountability and shame for the domestic implementation arrangements
in place (or not in place). This however doesn’t explain the lackof engagement in the MR in the poorer regions of South East
Asia and central and South America. It is likely that states arelikely also to be weary of further reporting under Ramsar, andincreased instances of accountability from the Secretariat(and other states and NGOs) which can or might conflict with
their particular domestic circumstances. In any event, it is difficult to conclude that the MR is an effective non-compliancetool. Under the ‘Guidelines for Operation’ of the MR, it was
intended to be:
the principal tool of the [Ramsar] Convention for highlighting those sites where an adverse change in ecological character has occurred, is occurring, or is likely tooccur, and which are therefore in need of priority conservation attention.23
The data presented in this study contradicts this statement.
The principal tool seems to have become the article 3.2 notification which as noted above is applied twice as often as the
MR. Fortunately, the Secretariat appears to be aware of theincongruence between MR listings and article 3.2 obligations.
At COP 12 in Uruguay in 2015, for instance, the Secretariat
reported:
Since the Parties are not apparently deploying the [MR]as in the past, and no new entries have been registeredsince 2010, and only one Site has been cleared from theRecord for four years, the Secretariat intends to request
parties to provide information at each Standing Committee meeting on all open Article 3.2 files including [MRsites], so that there is more consistency of approach withall Sites that are at risk of loss of ecological character.24
Moreover, there are indications from the Fourth Ramsar
20 The results of that collaboration were presented at this symposium.
21 Report on the Ramsar Advisory Mission No. 60 (2009) <https://www.ramsar.org/sites/
default/files/documents/library/ram60e_iran_2009.pdf>, 1.
22 See for example Battini S., ‘The procedural side of legal globalization: The case of the World
Heritage Convention’ 2011 9(2) International Journal of Constitutional Law, pp. 340-368.
23 Ramsar Secretariat, n 9 above.
24 See Ramsar Secretariat, above n 13, at 6.

65
Strategic Plan (2016-2024) that the Ramsar administeringbodies seeks to further address this. The Strategic Plan
makes reference to the need to utilize the MR mechanism
to improve Ramsar Convention implementation issues atparticular sites.25 In addition, the Ramsar Scientific Review
Panel has been explicitly asked to examine the ‘utility ofthe [MR] as a tool for Ramsar Sites.’26 These are positive
moves, though they are likely to increase the administrative burden on states to not only report but to commit to
explicit restoration efforts at distinct sites.
Suggestions to improve the MR
From the preliminary results of this study we have developed
five broad points which we suggest might enhance theoperation of the MR:
In the absence of a unilateral determination of an MR listing
against a states’ wishes (as occurs, for example under theWorld Heritage Convention In Danger List) countries need tosee a positive value in the MR in terms of: financial assistance;technical expertise and/or future collaborations. Whilst a RAM
tends to follow an MR listing in about 60% of all instances (insome cases two RAMs), there also needs to be more robust
planning involving other states and non-states as to how thesite will be removed from the MR. The In Danger List under theWorld Heritage Convention, for example, is very clear about
what steps need to be followed including: (i) the requirement
for a ‘desired state of conservation for the [eventual] removalof the property from the List, and (ii) a programme for corrective measures.27
Successful cases studies like the Chilika Lake example(mentioned above) need to be further promoted to states forthe collaborative benefits MR listing can include. There havealso been several other states which have been successful atremoving MR-listed sites which could provide good casestudies for cross-promotion including; Italy (5 sites removed)and Greece, Algeria and the Ukraine (3 sites removed each).
Questions should be asked about what it was that occurred inthese states that made restoration – and the use of the MR –so effective, and how these lessons can be translated to othersites around the world. One suggestion is to have a mentoring,‘sister-system’ or buddying system between states in the hopeof extracting and sharing these valuable conservation lessons.
The MR data on RSIS needs to be improved to allow for
greater transparency in the reasons why sites are included
and removed from the MR. This can, of course, be problematic
as often the Ramsar Secretariat (under-funded as it is) is often
awaiting information from individual states on their sites.28
That said, the problems don’t simply exist in the amount of
information which is made available to the public. For
example, existing information on MR sites is often only
available in PDF format which makes research and analysis
time-consuming and inefficient. Supporting information on
the ongoing operation of the MR (i.e. formal decisions forinclusion) is also difficult to find. This is in contrast to theWorld Heritage Convention which publishes decisions on sites
added to the World Heritage In Danger List. It is no surprise,
therefore, that there is very little academic commentary
addressing the MR as a compliance tool. Most of the information which does exist tends to raise the MR in only passing
within the context of a general discussion of the operation of
25 Ramsar Convention, 4th Strategic Plan 2016-2024, <http://www.ramsar.org/sites/default/
files/documents/library/4th_strategic_plan_2016_2024_e.pdf>, p 6.
26 Ramsar Convention, ‘Scientific and Technical Review Panel (STRP) Work Plan 2016-2018<http://www.ramsar.org/sites/default/files/documents/library/strp_work_plan_2016_18_e.
pdf> p 8.
27 UNESCO World Heritage Centre, Operational Guidelines for the Implementation of theWorld Heritage Convention (2017), para 183.
28 See Ramsar Secretariat, above n 13, at 5.

the Ramsar Convention.29
As the Secretariat has recently suggested, the MR andarticle 3.2 obligations might be more tightly aligned. Reporting
duplication should be removed and MR could be upgraded to
become a mandatory consideration for all ‘changed sites’
which have been reported under article 3.2. This might beachieved by ‘nudging’ existing procedural requirements. For
example, the pro-forma document for existing national
reporting under article 3.1 (which occurs ‘triennially’) might beamended to prompt states as to why article 3.2 sites should
not be included on the MR as well. At this juncture, a dialogueof open communication could be established to enhancecollaboration between state and non-state stakeholders andto highlight the benefits of an MR listing. The identified
problems at sites could possibly be put ‘out for tender’ for the
global conservation community to resolve. Corporate,philanthropic and other epistemological support (universities,
research institutions etc.) could also be sought at this point.
As a final point, if the MR as a (non)-compliance tool is to beeffectively used, its status and reputation must be considerably
lifted. Non-compliance procedures under international law
are mostly about altering the behaviour of states so that theyalign with the rules of the regime. Where this cannot be done
through publishment and deterrence, it must be achieved
through incentives and collaboration. The brand of the MR
must therefore be reconsidered. This might include, forexample, the governing bodies of Ramsar taking time toconsider whether the MR is best positioned as a ‘naming andshaming tool’ a or an ‘alarm bell’.
Conclusion
The MR was established in the early 1990s as a means ofaddressing the declining ecological character of Ramsar sites.
Since that time, as this study shows, the MR has attracted
declining importance amongst states although the reasons
are not entirely clear. There are, in fact, several examples ofsuccessful case studies - that is, sites which have been added
to the MR and subsequently removed. However, for the mostpart, countries in Asia have declined to list their sites on the
MR despite clear scientific evidence of wetland decline.
Accordingly, questions remain over the real ‘compliancevalue’ of the MR including: Can the MR be better aligned withexisting article 3.2 reporting? And, can the MR process be reinvigorated so that states actually engage with it in a positive
way? This study has presented the results of a preliminary
analysis into the MR using both quantitative and doctrinal
methods. Further work is now needed on how and why states
view the MR in the way that they do.

29 See for example: C Finlayson, ‘Forty years of wetland conservation and wise use’ (2012)22(2) Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems: 139-143.

66

Session 2: Wetlands and Policy / Changes / International Cooperation

Yellow Sea Region Coordinated Waterbird Survey
Chen Qi1, Chen Kelin2,Yang Xiuzhi2
1

Beijing Biodiversity Conservation and Research Center, 2 Wetlands International-China

The Yellow Sea-Bohai Sea wetlands are amongst the mostimportant stopover areas for migratory waterbirds in theworld and are used by millions of waterbirds for feeding andresting during the both northward and southward migration
along the East Asian - Australasian Flyway (Barter et al. 2002,
Mac Kinnon et al. 2012). Waterbirds breeding in the Far East of
Russia and Alaska, Mongolia and northeast and northern
China migrate along the coastlines of the Yellow Sea - Bohai
Sea region to spend the northern winter in the Yangtze Riverfloodplains and southern China, while many others continue
their journeys to south to Southeast (and South) Asia, Australia and New Zealand where they spend the non-breeding
period. The coastal wetlands of the Yellow Sea also serve avery important purpose for shorebirds of the East Asian - Australasian Flyway, especially as the northern coast is the laststopover site for many species of shorebirds before they getto their breeding grounds (Melville et al 2016).
With support of the Ministry of the Environmental Protection of China and The State Forestry Administration, a Yellow
Sea Region (China site) Coordinated Waterbird Survey in April
2016 was organized jointly by the Wetlands International-China, The China Wildlife Conservation Association, The
Northeast Institute of Geography and Agricultural Ecology of
the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Beijing Biodiversity
Conservation and Research Center. Approximately 34 partners
from institutions related to environmental protection, forestry,
wetland reserves in the marine sector, wetland parks, universities and research institutes along the Yellow Sea Region(China site) worked together to undertake the survey. Altogether, 154 professional and technical personnel and volunteers along with international waterbird experts from
Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands participated in the survey. The survey was conductedfrom 18-24 April and lasted one whole week.
The total length of survey area stretches about 6500 km,
from the Yalu River estuary in the northeast (adjoining North
Korea), along the sea coast to south of the Yangtze Riverestuary, covering six provinces and municipalities including
Liaoning, Hebei, Tianjin, Shandong and Shanghai and Hangzhou bay in Zhejiang.The sites covered included 11 National
Nature Reserves, namely Liaoning Yalu River Estuary Wetland
National Nature Reserve, Liaoning Snake Island National
Nature Reserve, Liaoning Liaohe River Estuary National
Nature Reserve, Tianjin Beidagang National Nature Reserve,
Shandong Binzhou Beikedidao National Nature Reserve,
Shandong Chang Island National Nature Reserve, Shandong
Yellow River Delta National Nature Reserve, Jiangsu YanchengZhenqin National Nature Reserve, Jiangsu Dafeng Milu
National Nature Reserve, Shanghai Chongming Dongtan Bird
National Nature Reserve, Shanghai Jiuduansha National
Nature Reserve and Hebei Beidaihe National Wetland Park,and three unprotected wetlands, namely, Yingkou, Liaoning –Dalian, Jiangsu Rudong and Ningbo Hangzhou Bay. Many ofthese designated wetlands held over 20,000 waterbirds. Of
the three unprotected areas, Rudong and Ningbo Hangzhou
Bay also held around 20,000 waterbirds and would qualify as

wetlands of international importance in accordance of theRamsar Convention on Wetlands criterion 5 that states: “awetland should be considered internationally important if it
regularly supports 20,000 or more waterbirds”. All three sites
meet the staging criteria of international importance for the
East Asian – Australasian Flyway Site Network.
The survey recorded a total of nearly 80,7000 waterbirds of
119 species in 18 major sites along the Yellow Sea-Bohai
Region (China site). The count was dominated by shorebirds,
with about 656,830 recorded (81.4% of the total), followed by
54,727 (6.8%) gulls and terns, 22,999 (2.7%) swans, geese andducks, 17,114 (2.1%) herons (Ardeidae), 3560 (0.4%) coot andgallinules and 2990 (0.4%) other species, mainly cormorant,
grebes, ibis, spoonbill, stork, crane and pelican. Around 49,459(6.1%) waterbirds were not identified to species level.
Sixteen species on the “Chinese National Important Protected Wildlife List” of 2000 that is produced by the State Forestry Administration were recorded; Four species of the firstlevel: Oriental White Stork, Relict Gull, Siberian Crane, Redcrowned Crane and 12 species of the second level: Great
Crested Grebe, Dalmatian Pelican, Pelagic Cormorant, Chinese
Egret, White Spoonbill, Black-faced Spoonbill, Mute Swan,
Mandarin Duck, White-naped Crane, Little Curlew, Spotted
Greenshank and Caspian Tern.
According to the global IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2015), the survey recorded three Critically Endangered
species, namely Baer’s Pochard, Siberian Crane and Spoonbilled Sandpiper, six Endangered species: Oriental Stork,
Black-faced Spoonbill, Red-crowned Crane, Far Eastern
Curlew, Spotted Greenshank, and Great Knot, and seven Vulnerable species: Dalmatian Pelican, Chinese Egret, Swan
Goose, Common Pochard, White-naped Crane, Relict Gull andSaunders’s Gull. In addition, 11 Near Threatened species werereported, Falcated Teal, Ferruginous Duck, Eurasian Oystercatcher, Northern Lapwing, Black-tailed Godwit, Bar-tailed
Godwit, Eurasian Curlew, Red Knot, Red-necked Stint, Curlew
Sandpiper and Asian Dowitcher.
Fourteen survey sites have been found to meet the criteriaof wetlands of international importance in accordance of theRamsar Convention on Wetlands criterion 6 that states: ”if awetland regularly support 1% of the individuals of a waterbird
species or subspecies”, or staging site criterion of the East
Asian – Australasian Flyway Site Network that “a staging siteshould be considered internationally important if it regularly
supports 0.25% of individuals in a population of one species
or subspecies of waterbirds on migration.” The survey found a
total of 35 waterbird species reached these criteria of international importance.
Eight survey sites have been found to meet the criteria of
Wetlands of International Importance in accordance of theRamsar Convention on Wetlands Criterion 5 that states: ”if awetland regularly supports 20,000 or more waterbirds, thesite can be listed as a Ramsar wetland”.

67
The 2016 survey has recorded significantly larger number ofwaterbirds and additional species because of expanded coverage compared to the series of waterbird surveys undertaken
between 1995 and 2005 in the Yellow Sea-Bohai region by the
Wetlands International - China Office and which that served to
identify important areas for shorebirds (Barter et al. 2002).
With support of the Ministry of the Environmental Protection of China and The State Forestry Administration, the Yellow
Sea-Bohai Region Coordinated Waterbird Survey 2017 wasorganized jointly by the Wetlands International-China Office,China Wildlife Conservation Association, Northeast Instituteof Geography and Agricultural Ecology of the Chinese
Academy of Sciences and the Beijing Biodiversity Conservation and Research Center. The survey was conducted from
21-30 April 2017 and lasted 10 days.
The survey recorded a total of nearly 896,984 waterbirds of
118 species in 18 major sites along the Yellow Sea-Bohai
Region. The count was dominated by shorebirds, with about
730,842 recorded (81.48% of the total), followed by 87,778(9.79%) gulls and terns, 41,205 (4.59%) herons and bitterns(Ardeidae), 21,037 (2.35%) swans, geese and ducks, 6,666(0.74%) coots and gallinules, and 9,456 (1.05%) other species,
mainly cormorant, grebes, spoonbill, stork, crane. The largest
number of waterbird species recorded in the survey is Dunlin(199,430, 22.23%). The other nine species with the largest
number followed by Bar-tailed Godwit, Great Knot, Grey
Plover, Black-tailed Godwit, Red-necked Stint, Black-tailed
Gull, Far Eastern Curlew, Chinese Night Heron and EurasianCurlew. The total of these ten species is 630,739, accounting
for 70.32% of the total number of counting waterbirds.
According to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2015), the survey recorded three Critically Endangered
species, namely Baer’s Pochard, Siberian Crane and Spoonbilled Sandpiper, six Endangered species: Oriental Stork,
Black-faced Spoonbill, Red-crowned Crane, Far Eastern
Curlew, Spotted Greenshank, and Great Knot, and five Vulnerable species: Chinese Egret, Swan Goose, Common Pochard,
Relict Gull and Saunders’s Gull. In addition, 11 Near Threatened species were counted, Falcated Teal, Ferruginous Duck,
Eurasian Oystercatcher, Northern Lapwing, Blacktailed
Godwit, Bar-tailed Godwit, Eurasian Curlew, Red Knot, Rednecked Stint, Curlew Sandpiperand Asian Dowitcher.
Fifteen species on the “Chinese National Important Protected Wildlife List” of 2000 that is produced by the State Forestry Administration were recorded; Four species of the firstlevel: Oriental White Stork, Relict Gull, Siberian Crane, Redcrowned Crane and 11 species of the second level: Pelagic
Cormorant, Chinese Egret, White Spoonbill, Black-faced
Spoonbill, Common Crane, Mute Swan, Whooper Swan,
Tundra Swan, Greater White-fronted Goose Little Curlew,
Spotted Greenshank.
Compared with the results of the Yellow Sea-Bohai Region
Waterbird Survey in April 2016, the number of waterbird
recorded by this survey increased more than 90,000, andcounting species reduced one species. Compared with thesurvey in April 2016, fourteen species of waterbirds wereadded, namely Yellow Bittern, Whooper Swan, Tundra Swan,
Greater White-fronted Goose, Gadwall, Baikal Teal, Redcrested Pochard, Smew, Common Crane, Water Rail, Whitebreasted Water Hen, Temminck’s Stint, Pallas’s Gull andWhite-winged Tern. But there are fifteen species no recordedby this survey, including Black-necked Grebe, Dalmatian

Pelican, Greater Flamingo, Mandarin Duck, White-napped
Crane, Watercock, Painted Snipe, Ringed Plover, Long-billed
Ringed Plover, Oriental Plover, Asian Dowitcher, Little Stint,
Red-necked Phalarope, Black-legged Kittiwake and Roseate
Tern.
Nine wetlands have been found to meet the criteria of Wetlands of International Importance in accordance of the Ramsar
Convention on Wetlands Criterion 5. Sixteen wetlands havebeen found to meet the criteria of wetlands of international
importance in accordance of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands criterion 6 or staging site criterion of the East Asian –Australasian Flyway Site Network. The survey found a total of
40 waterbird species reached the international importance ofstandards.
The results of the 2016 and 2017 Yellow Sea-Bohai Region
Waterbird Coordinated Survey highlight that wetlands of
Yellow Sea Region（China site） remain crucially important for
migratory waterbirds during their northward migration.
However, the survey reinforces other recent studies that haveshown that the region is facing threats including severe degradation and loss of wetlands due to rapid economic development across the region (MacKinnon et al 2012, Melville et al.
2016). This is resulting in further loss of migratory waterbird
habitats that lead to loss of safe feeding and roosting areas forbirds that are of crucial importance during their migration.
In the new Chinese national strategy for strengthening theconstruction of an ecological civilization, it is particularly
urgent and extremely important to protect wetlands and theirbiodiversity in the Yellow Sea- Bohai region. This reinforces
the significance of the current surveys that Wetlands International has organized across the Yellow Sea-Bohai Region after
a gap of over a decade.
It is proposed by the organisers that such surveys need tobe carried out regularly during different seasons to monitor
the importance of these wetlands and to inform decisions fortheir improved management. The survey provided a unique
opportunity to identify conservation issues for waterbirds andwetlands in the Yellow Sea and offers recommendations asfollows: to strengthen policy system and capacity building on
wetland conservation; to continue increase survey scope inspace and time; strengthening water birds and their habitat
protection and management, priority should be given to
establishing natural reserves in areas that meet the criteria of
Wetlands of International Importance; to strengthen the scientific research on the protection and sustainable utilization ofcoastal wetlands; to reduce human disturbance; to enhance
the training on waterbird survey and monitoring; to guide relevant departments to make rational use of wetland resourcesby eco-tourism and birdwatching; to strengthen coordinatedprotection actions among the regions and departments of the
Yellow Sea-Bohai Region; to encourage and support international cooperation on waterbirds protection and research in
the Yellow Sea-Bohai Region; to regularly organize workshop
and training course on wetland and waterbirds in the region
to improve the ability on waterbirds protection of relevant
personnel at all levels; to conduct public awareness education
activities.

68

Session 2: Wetlands and Policy / Changes / International Cooperation

Opportunities to promote cooperation on the conservation andwise use of wetlands between Asia and the PacificSolongo Khurelbaatar
Regional Officer for Oceania, Secretariat of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands

The Pacific region comprises of 23 small island nations andterritories spreading across expansive seascapes. Out of 12
independent states, 6 are the Contracting Parties to theRamsar Convention on Wetlands (the Convention). Vanuatu isnearing the completion of the accession to the Convention.
With the exception of Papua New Guinea who joined the Convention in 1993 the Contracting Parties in the Pacific are relatively young members having completed their accessions
since 2003 (Table 1).
Table 1: The accession timeline by the 6 Contracting Parties in the Pacific region
Contracting Party

Year of accession

Papua New Guinea

1993

Republic of the Marshall Islands

2004

Palau

2003

Samoa

2005

Fiji

2006

Kiribati

2013

Although the Pacific region is isolated and significantly different from Asia in many aspects there are similarities hence
opportunities to promote cooperation on the conservation
and wise use of wetlands between the Pacific region and Asia,
in particular, with the long-standing members of the Convention in littoral regions of East and Southeast Asia that haveaccumulated a great deal of good practices and lessons learnt
in implementing the Ramsar Convention.
Coral reefs as a wetland type:One of the principal types of wetlands throughout the
Pacific region is coral reefs. Although the Convention’s definition of a term “wetland” includes areas of marsh, fen, peatland or water, whether natural or artificial, permanent or
temporary, with water that is static or flowing, fresh, brackishor salt, including areas of marine water the depth of which at
low tide does not exceed six meters (Ramsar Convention Secretariat 2016) typical wetland inventories tend to exclude coral
reefs as a type of wetlands unless they form an integral part ofa site containing more typical wetland habitats. This is evident
in the flagship publication of 1993, ‘A Directory of Wetlands in
Oceania’ that described many of the important wetlands
throughout the Pacific region including those likely to meetthe criteria for the Wetlands of International Importance(‘Ramsar Sites’) while intentionally excluding coral reefs andother exclusively marine ecosystems except in so far they
form an integral part of a site containing more typical wetland
habitats (Scott 1993). The subsequent efforts to develop
national directories of wetlands in the Pacific followed the suitand focused on the typical wetland habitats such as lakes,
rivers, marshes, mangroves, lagoons and tidal flats. However,there have been attempts to include coral reefs where theyoccur contiguous with or adjacent to existing important sites.
For example, many of the sites in the Directory of Wetlands in
Oceania (1993) which focus on mangroves have extensive
fringing-reef flats, patch-reefs and enclosed or surrounding
shallow marine lagoons. In the wetland directories for Palau(2014) and Vanuatu (2014), where appropriate, the boundaries

of such sites have been redefined to extend seawards andinclude these marine ecosystems (Michael & Jaensch 2014;
Kalfatak & Jaensch 2014). In some parts of the Pacific, thisapproach is consistent with customary ownership of land andresources which extends to the outer seaward edge of thereefs. It is also consistent with an integrated approach tocoastal zone management.
To strengthen its implementation in the Pacific, the Ramsar
Convention needs to re-brand the coral reefs as a type of
wetland and reinforce the vital connectivity of coral reefs withthe health other types of wetland such as mangroves, rivers
and streams, and tidal flats. One of the ways to do so is towork on the Coral Triangle. The ‘Coral Triangle’ is an area
encompassing over 10 million square kilometers of ocean andcoastal waters in Southeast Asia and the Pacific surrounding
Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines,
Timor Leste, and the Solomon Islands. The Coral Triangle comprises the highest coral diversity in the world (76% or 605 of
the 798 coral species recorded) and the highest diversity ofcoral reef fishes in the world (37% or 2228 of the 6000 coral
reef fish species recorded) (The Coral Triangle Atlas 2018).
Regarded as the global epicenter of marine biodiversity the
resources of the Coral Triangle directly sustain the lives ofmore than 120 million people living within this area, andbenefit millions more worldwide (Allen 2007, The Coral Triangle Atlas 2018).
The Coral Triangle as a global priority for conservation
attracts an array of conservation, fisheries and food security
initiatives. However, there still are opportunities for theRamsar Convention to complement the existing efforts with
its tools, mechanisms and guidelines, in particular, by promoting the integrated management of adjacent and/or interdependent wetland types (e.g. mangroves and coral reefs) along
the total coastline of 132,636 kilometres of the Coral Triangle.
This is particularly relevant for addressing the threats to theCoral Triangle that are caused by land-based activities such as
coastal development, pollution and sedimentation. In doing
so, the Ramsar Convention would build regional capacity andfoster closer cooperation among the Asia and Pacific countries within the Coral Triangle.
Moreover, the ‘wise use’ concept of the Convention that recognizes and strengthens the central role the local communities play in wetland resource management could be helpful inalleviating the threats to the Coral Triangle associated withoverfishing. There are opportunities for the Ramsar Convention to facilitate exchange of good practices and lessons learnt
in fisheries among the local communities in Asia and thePacific within the Coral Triangle.
By enabling close cooperation between the Coral Triangle
countries on the conservation and wise use of wetlands, theConvention would also have an opportunity to facilitate experience sharing among Asian countries such as the Philippines
or Indonesia who manage some of their coral reefs as Ramsar
Sites and Papua New Guinea where the existing Ramsar Sites

69
are primarily terrestrial wetlands. The Coral Triangle could
serve as an entry point to engage with and introduce to the
Solomon Islands and Timor Leste the Ramsar tools, mechanisms, and guidelines.

degradation continue worldwide. Wetland benefits are severely
under-recognized despite the provision of multiple ecosystem services the monetary value of which well exceeds that offorests, for example (Gardner et al, 2015; Russi et al. 2013).

Sustainable coastal fisheries and local communities:
The coastal areas of the Asia and the Pacific region arehighly overfished and the fish stocks depleted (Macusi et al.
2011 in UNEP 2016). Apart from overfishing, threats to coastal
fisheries include habitat degradation, pollution, invasive
species and climate change impact (UNEP 2016).

Wetland education and awareness-raising is one of theimplementing pillars of the Ramsar Convention’s work. The
Convention encourages the establishment of centers for promoting wetland education, recognizing their value in connecting people with nature and raising their awareness of wetland
values and sustainable lifestyles.

The indigenous peoples and local communities in the
Asia-Pacific Region hold rich indigenous and local knowledge,
customary laws and practices that have allowed them todevelop, over generations, sustainable ways to live withnature. However, this has been increasingly threatened in theface of population growth and economic pressures leading tooveruse hence degradation of ecosystems and their resources.
Many countries in Southeast and East Asia such as Japan,
Indonesia, Philippines, South Korea and Thailand have beenworking with local communities who are resource owners of
the biodiverse and important coastal wetlands to manage
their natural resources as Ramsar Sites. There are a total of 81
Ramsar Sites in Asia that are entirely or partly coastal ecosystems important for local livelihoods because of fisheries outof which 14 are in Japan, 8 in Thailand, 6 in Indonesia, 5 inSouth Korea and 4 in the Philippines (Ramsar Sites Information Service 2018). In addition, many case studies show indigenous and local values being integrated, adapted andenhanced with scientific knowledge and tools.
As a result, these countries have developed a great deal ofgood practices and lessons learnt on involving and empowering local communities so they take the initiatives to ensure thesustainable use of their resources in the long term without
outside help. The Ramsar Convention could facilitate stronger
forums to transfer good practices of engaging local communities in the sustainable use of coastal resources as well as theways to enhance traditional knowledge and practices throughthe application of science and innovation to the Pacific region.
This is particularly relevant as in most countries customary
ownership of the land (as well as adjacent coastal water andreefs) accounts for more than 80 per cent of the total land area
(AusAID 2008). Any intervention to regulate the use of natural
resources needs to have thorough consultation with andconsent from the resource owners.
There exist a number of efforts to promote community-based conservation of fisheries resources including Fiji
Locally Managed Marine Area Network and Reimaanlok
process in Marshall Islands. Therefore, the Ramsar Convention could strengthen these existing initiatives via transfer ofknowledge and successful initiatives to work with local communities from the countries in Asia where the coastal wetlands are the lifeline for local communities.
Another area of collaboration is helping the member statesin the Pacific designate important coastal wetlands under customary tenure as Ramsar Sites and support the effective management of the resources through appropriate local
community-led actions.
Wetland education centers and programmes
The global extent of wetlands is estimated to have declined
between 64-71% in the 20th century, and wetland losses andOut of the 9 Ramsar Sites in the Pacific, 4 have small buildings that are used or can be used as wetland education
centers. The visitor center at Upper Navua Ramsar Site in Fiji
serves primarily as a base for the rafting trips on the river.
There is a community resource center at Lake Kutubu Ramsar
Site in Papua New Guinea. The Lake Ngardok Ramsar Site in
Palau and the second Ramsar Site of Samoa, O Le Pupu Pue,
designated in 2017 have a visitor enter each. The Kiribati Environment Youth Club Education and Information Center on Kiritimati Island provides information on wetlands (National
Reports for Ramsar COP11 and COP12).
On the contrary, there are 30 wetland education centers inJapan, 29 in Thailand, 12 in South Korea, 11 in Indonesia and 5
in the Philippines (National Reports for Ramsar COP11 and
COP12).
While it might not be feasible to set up new wetland education centers in the Pacific region because of resource availability and remoteness of the Ramsar Sites the Ramsar Convention
could facilitate exchange of resources and activities on communication, education and public awareness (CEPA) among
the Parties in Asia and the Pacific. More specific opportunities
include supporting the existing centers and reinforcing their
CEPA programmes, helping the Parties in the Pacific develop
and publish education materials on the conservation of wetlands and facilitating study tours to wetland education centers
in Asia for the personnel working on wetlands in the Pacific. In
addition, the NGOs are well placed to carry out effective CEPA
programmes; hence the cooperation on wetland education
centers and CEPA programmes should be encouraged
between capable environmental NGOs in the two regions.
These are the examples of the areas of the Ramsar Convention’s implementation that could significantly benefit fromincreased collaboration and knowledge sharing between the
Ramsar Parties in the Pacific and littoral countries in Asia, inparticular, those in East and Southeast Asia. The collaboration
may take a bilateral form or a regional approach depending
on resource availability, geographical distance, and socio-political factors. Collaboration in other areas such as wetland
policy, designation and management of Ramsar Sites, wetlands and climate change impacts should be encouraged
among the interested countries in Asia and the Pacific too.
References:
Allen, G. R. (2008), Conservation hotspots of biodiversity and endemism for
Indo-Pacific coral reef fishes. Aquatic Conserv: Mar. Freshw. Ecosyst., 18:
541–556. doi:10.1002/aqc.880.
AusAID (2008), Making land work, the Australian Agency for International
Development, Canberra.
Gardner, R.C., Barchiesi, S., Beltrame, C., Finlayson,
C.M., Galewski, T., Harrison, I., Paganini, M., Perennou, C., Pritchard, D.E.,
Rosenqvist, A., and Walpole, M. (2015), State of the World’s Wetlands andtheir Services to People: A compilation of recent analyses, Ramsar Briefing

70Note no. 7, Gland, Switzerland: Ramsar Convention Secretariat.
Kalfatak, D. and Jaensch, R. (2014), Directory of Wetlands of Vanuatu – 2014,
Report to the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Program.
Michael, P. and Jaensch, R. (2014), Directory of Wetlands of Palau – 2014,
Report to the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Program.
Ramsar Convention Secretariat (2016), An Introduction to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, 7th ed. (previously The Ramsar Convention Manual), Gland,
Switzerland.
Ramsar Convention Secretariat, National Reports for Ramsar COP11 (2012) by
Papua New Guinea; for COP12 (2015) by Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Palau,
Samoa, retrieved on 5 January 2018 from https://www.ramsar.org/
search?f[0]=type%3Adocument&f[1]=field_document_
type%3A532&f[2]=field_tag_body_event%3A366&f[3]=field_tag_body_
event%3A415&search_api_views_fulltext= andhttps://www.ramsar.org/search?f[0]=type%3Adocument&f[1]=field_document_type%3A532&f[2]=field_tag_body_event%3A366&f[3]=field_tag_body_event%3A509&search_api_views_fulltext=
Ramsar Convention Secretariat (2018), Ramsar Sites Information Service,
retrieved on 5 January 2018 from https://rsis.ramsar.org/
Russi, D., ten Brink, P., Farmer, A., Badura, T., Coates, D., Förster, J., Kumar, R.
and Davidson, N. (2013), The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity for
Water and Wetlands, IEEP, London and Brussels; Ramsar Secretariat, Gland.
Scott, D. A. (ed.) (1993), A Directory of Wetlands in Oceania, IWRB, Slimbridge,
U.K. and AWB, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
The Coral Triangle Atlas (2018), About Coral Triangle, retrieved on 6 January
2018 from http://ctatlas.reefbase.org/coraltriangle.aspx
UNEP (2016), GEO-6 Regional Assessment for Asia and the Pacific, United
Nations Environment Programme, Nairobi, Kenya.

71

Session 2: Wetlands and Policy / Changes / International Cooperation

Ramsar COP as a Turning Point of Awareness and the Present Activities:
Some Cases to Promote Local Awareness through International Collaboration andUnderstanding Impressing with the Concept of Wise Use (abstract)
Yoshikatsu Kikuchi
Kushiro International Wetland Centre
Kushiro Shitsugen is Japan’s largest wetland. It was listed under
the Ramsar Convention in 1980 when the first COP of Ramsar washeld in Cagliari, Italy. Kushiro Shitsugen became the first Ramsarsite in Japan. But with the exception of some experts and administrations, people’s interest to the wetland was still limited.
Kushiro Shitsugen is located in the eastern part of Hokkaido.
The history of cultivation in this island was comparatively new,because after Meiji Restoration of 1868, the new government
placed great emphasis on Hokkaido’s economic development,
encouraging settlers to come from other other parts of Japan. But
the scale and speed of cultivation were fortunately not larger,
because of harsh environments and small population. So people
thought there would be no crisis by destruction of the environment in their abundant and inexhaustible land. So as in Kushiro
area. The wetland was left mostly untouched without large-scale
developments, but open seams on the fort of nature have been
growing as human behavior and the improvement of living standards has extended.
Kushiro Shitsugen has a rich habitat for a variety of precious
flora and fauna, including the Red-crowned Crane. After it waslisted as a national park of Japan in 1987,
Kushiro Shitsugen has known far and wide in the country, but it
was still not enough to draw many people’s interest to its eco-system. One of the reasons why wetlands didn’t contribute to raiseawareness to the importance of the wetlands in the past was that
local people have regarded the wetland as barren or useless land
from the old times of their ancestors.They preferred to live stayingout of wetlands and they had no intention to evaluate their land’svalue, the importance of wetlands.
In 1993, COP5 of Ramsar Convention was held in Kushiro. It was
the first Ramsar COP held in Asia. Many people worked andhosted the meeting as volunteers. A lot of NGOs and nature-related organizations and groups gathered from all over Japan andthey joined at the meeting and held many events. Then COP5
made them to recognize the important of wetlands in the area
after the meeting, and many of nature-related organizations andNGO groups went home with enthusiasm of their activities. The
time of COP5 in Kushiro turned to the turning point for many
people to move to the next phase for wetlands.
After Ramsar COP5, Kushiro International Wetland Centre(KIWC) was established with the support of local areas. It aims at
a network acting vigorously with members including national
government agencies, wetland-related local governments, local
universities and NGOs, experts and individuals. To enhance local
people’s awareness to nature and conservation of wetlands, wealways arrange lectures, tours, environmental surveys andvarious other events to communicate the appeal and share thesignificance of wetlands are very effective. We attach weight to thewise use of wetlands - a concept by which all wetlands are treatedas valuable local assets whose blessings are used to enrich people’s lives and passed on the wetland to future generations. We
actively promote international cooperation to advance the preservation and wise use of wetlands. Related work includes the organization of training programs (of JICA) and workshops fordeveloping countries and the dispatch of experts to such nations.
We also collect, exchange and provide up-to-date information on
wetland conservation and biodiversity, and works to extend its
international cooperative network. In the presentation I introduce
some cases of our attempts to enhance the awareness of local
people to conserve the environment being aware of international
collaboration.

Spoon-billed Sandpiper Conservation in
the Internationally Importance Wetland Gulf of Mottama (abstract)
Pyae Phyo Aung
Biodiversity And Nature Conservation Association (BANCA)
The Spoon-billed Sandpiper (Calidris pygmaea) is a long distance migrant, breeding in Russia and it regularly migrates morethan 8,000 km passing through 14 countries and wintering inSouth and South-east Asia, South along the East-Asian Australasian Flyway, including major staging posts in the Yellow Sea, withapproximately half of the global population is understood to
winter in Myanmar. This species is categorized as globally Critically Endangered on the Red List of the International Union for
the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), which is the highest categoryof extinction threat for any species still present in the wild. The
current population decline could lead to its extinction within adecade.The population is declining by 26% per year, with a global
population estimate of approximately 100 pairs. If the current
rate of decline continues then the species will be extinct within adecade. The Gulf of Mottama(GoM) is one of the most dynamic
estuaries and famous intertidal mudflat ecosystems in the world.
The Gulf is bell-shaped and has dynamic estuary ecosystems.
The Gulf is one of the world’s most important wintering areas forthe critically endangered Spoon-billed Sandpiper, hosting probably more than half of the remaining global population.
The local communities use the site for fishing, grazing,duck-rearing and paddy farming. However, the Gulf of Mottama
is a vulnerable and changing environment where communities
have lived by adapting to change over time. Surrounding thecoastal area of Gulf of Mottama has 180 villages in this area andnearly two hundred thousands of people live there. Their main
livelihood is fishing. The standard of their education is low andthe condition of their health is still poor. The gulf of Mottama will
be demarcated as one of the biggest Ramsar site in Asia. But due
the different administrative government structure, Northern partof Mottama Gulf was designated as fourth Ramsar site in 10 May
2017. The designation of this Ramsar site is of special significancebecause it is the first in Myanmar that is outside a legally-designated protected area. It therefore sets an important precedent for
Myanmar’s many other wetlands of global importance that merit
Ramsar status. The Gulf of Mottama is meets six out of nine
Ramsar criteria, a comparatively high proportion. On the other
hand, the Gulf of Mottama is suffering. Fish catch has declined by
50-90% over the past 10 years as a result of overfishing, often due
to use of illegal nets to harvest fish of all sizes, even juveniles.
Small-scale fisher folk are being forced to either look for work inother sectors or migrate. The local fishermen catch the fishexcessively by using drag nets which is also called wire mesh. So
the fish stock is rapidly depleting in this area. The local people
said that it has affected their livelihoods. Community involvement and management plan is crucial role for further sustainableof natural resources in Gulf of Mottama. Community-led Coastal
Management Gulf of Mottama Project is pioneer project inMyanmar for enhancing coastal wetlands conservation.

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Session 2: Wetlands and Policy / Changes / International Cooperation

The Establishment ofSoutheast Asian Limnological Society Network (SEAL-Net) (abstract)
Mashhor Mansor, Luki, S., Wan Maznah, W.O., Muzzalifah, A. H. and Siti Norasikin, I.
School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia
During the 16th World Lake Conference which was held at
Kartika Plaza Hotel, Bali, from 7th to 11th November 2016, theSoutheast Asian Limnological Society Network or SEAL-Net wasestablished. It should be noted that this historical event had
taken place on the 10th November 2016 with 30 participations
form various Asian countries. This is mainly due to a close political cooperation between the 10 ASEAN nations. The current
geopolitical situation in the 10 nations is encouraging andmoving fast in becoming the economic power in the global economic arena. Perhaps it is undeniable that the ASEAN nations
are not only rich in biodiversity, but also rich in freshwater ecosystems.
For example; the Mekong River which flows through sevencountries is the 12th longest river in the world and the 7th
longest in Asia, passing through China, Myanmar, Thailand, Lao
PDR, Cambodia and Vietnam. In addition there are several
unique lakes such as Tonle Sap, Cambodia, Moeyungyi Lake,
Myanmar, Toba and Matano Lakes in Indonesia. One of thewidely recorded species in this region is the Irrawaddy Dolphin(Orcaella brevirostris). The populations are also thrive in coastal
zones. Concurrently with the Bali declaration, the SEAL-Net was
official adapted and recognized. Among the items insert were
the sustainable usage of the river basins and lakes. The global
water systems from tropical countries should be widely recognized. The scientists are urged to establish a common platform
for sharing either globally or regionally.
International networking focusing on data requirement onriver basins and lakes management are encourage.Uniquecomplex issues facing nations should be addressed accordingly. The conference offered several solutions based on policies, scientific data gathering and crucial information wereheighted. Therefore, at this junction SEAL-Net is looking forward
for further international cooperation with other agencies allover the world. Perhaps the tropical ecoregion is relatively different from other ecoregions such the temperate and polarzones. Based on the cooperation between Universiti Sains
Malaysia (USM) and Lembaga Ilmu Pengetahuan Indonesia(LIPI), it is very encouraging and timely that a book entitled‘Lake Ecosystem & Services: Temengor Reservoir, Malaysia and
Selected Indonesia Lakes’ was published. Several issues on
Malaysian and Indonesian Lakes are addressed. This book offersa strong guideline for further studies in the lakes ecosystems ofIndonesia and Malaysia. It is interesting to note that Temengor
Reservoir was morphometry studied in detail. The bathymetry
mapping method based on acoustic findings was used in orderto obtain a model on the surface topography and bottom water.
This bathymetric survey apparently is the pioneer study on the
deep and dark zone of a tropic. To date, there are 22 university
networking among the universities in Mekong Delta. The cooperation between ASEAN universities, seems to be very encouraging. Most of the lakes in Myanmar, Thailand, Loa PDR,
Cambodia and Vietnam have been surveyed by this team. The
Limnological studies on deep lakes in Indonesia are initiated by
LIPI. Meanwhile, the USM team is focusing on the biodiversityof the lake ecosystem. The detail information could be surfed;
http:// www.sealnet.forum.org

Team SPOON: Creating Connection of People and Naturefor Sustainable Society and East Asia Peace (abstract)
Akane Tokorodani, Akihumi Shimada, Dai Machida, Masato Dohi
Tokyo Institute of Technology and Team SPOON
In wetlands, and especially tidelands, rich nature has fostered
diverse cultures. However, there is history that such rich nature
has been decreasing due to urbanization. At the same time, thisalso means that the relationship between the people and thewetland has been disappearing. On the other hand, there arestill many great wetlands around the world, and they havediverse cultures. Especially wetlands in East Asia have many
common aspects in its features and the relationship between
the people and the wetlands. In other words, cultivated culture
in a certain wetland would be a hint to solve other wetland
issues. In order to achieve conservation and wise use of wetlands, it is necessary to bridge the gap between people andnature, cities and nature that has been growing due to modernization, and cooperate with East Asian regions that havecommon climate and culture.
In this context, we are engaged in activities to build peaceful
foundations in East Asia by connecting people and nature, cities
and nature, and at the same time connecting people acrosscountries. This paper introduces our activities, Team SPOON.
Team SPOON is working with the Black-faced Spoonbill as asymbol of our activities. The Black-faced Spoonbill is an endangered species which are only about 3,900 birds around theworld, and it is a migratory bird across East Asia such as Taiwan,
Korea, Japan, and China. Some individuals of this bird are put afoot-ring to identify individuals for research, and Team SPOON
makes a ring which is the same design of this foot ring for visualizing the connection between people and the Black-faced
Spoonbill individuals. Additionally, Team SPOON is sending

daily news of the Black-faced Spoonbills (“Daily Black-faced
Spoonbill Times”) on Facebook or E-mail to our members.
In the daily news, we report observation data of the Blackfaced Spoonbill, and introduce the relationship people and theBlack-faced Spoonbill, people and wetlands such as mural
paintings and songs about the Black-faced Spoonbill, lifestyle
related to wetlands like fishery, sightseeing and foods, andevents related to the Black-faced Spoonbill held in various
places of its flyway. Since members can freely make comments
and questions on the daily news, not only does it connects
people with the Black-faced Spoonbill individuals, but plays therole of connecting people.
Team SPOON was established in January 2015. Currently,
SPOON members are 254 people, mostly living in urban areasof Japan. SPOON plans to extend these activities to East Asia
which is the flyway of the Black-faced Spoonbill. From June 26
to 30, 2017, we are going to visit Korea and spread these activities. Furthermore, we are going to research good examples ofculture and wisdom produced by the relationship between
people and wetlands in Korea, and plan to build a system thatpeople thinking about the Black-faced Spoonbill in various
regions can access and exchange such experiences. Throughthe Black-faced Spoonbill, people in East Asia are connectedacross countries to exchange the culture and wisdom cultivatedin various places of its flyway for preserving habitats and protecting local communities culturally and economically. It willcontribute to not only building diverse regions where people
and nature coexist but leading to peace in East Asia.

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Session 3
Wetlands and Use of Natural Resources / Agriculture / Fisheries / Food Security

Session 3: Wetlands and Use of Natural Resources / Agriculture / Fisheries / Food Security

74

Living in Harmony with Nature
Muneharu Nakagai
Toyooka City

I’ll tell you a story regarding the extinction and restorationof Oriental White Storks in Japan. The main stage of the story
is Toyooka.

The Maruyama River runs through the middle of Toyooka
city. The gradient of the river is very gentle, with an inclinationof only one ten-thousandth. These are paddy fields containing
water. The surface of the river is as beautiful and calm as a
mirror when there is no wind. However, there are challenges
to this gentle river. The gentle inclination means that once itgets flooded, the water is less like to withdraw.
In 2004, Toyooka was hit by Typhoon 23. The flooding of theriver caused severe damages in wide areas.

Over the years, the people in Toyooka have been sufferingfrom flooding. This landscape is inconvenient for humanbeings at times but it is the ideal habitat for the species thatlive in wetland-like environments like wetland.
A typical example is the Oriental White Stork. The stork is afully carnivorous big bird with a 2-meter wingspan. Wetlands
and paddy fields are its favorite feeding grounds. In the past,
the Oriental White Storks were common in Japanese

Satoyama. Satoyama is the area between mountain foothills
and arable flat lands. Storks made their nests on pine trees
and would eat the creatures in the paddy fields and the irrigation channels.

However, from the 19th century, the number of Storks
decreased drastically due to multiple factors. The first reason
was hunting. Secondly, during the Second World War, a lot ofpine trees were destroyed, causing the storks to lose theirhome. Thirdly, after the Second World War, the wetlands disappeared due to large river wall construction. Further, themodernization of agriculture cut off the Maruyama River fromthe irrigation channels and paddy fields reducing the numbersof living creatures. Finally, the use of chemical pesticide gavea final blow to the wild stock of this species. In 1971 when thelast wild Stork died, the Japanese Stork’s population in thewild became extinct.
A few years before this extinction, the Hyogo Prefectural
government and the Toyooka municipal government started
an ex-situ conservation program via artificial breeding.
Despite the people efforts, for 24years no chick hatched.
During this period criticisms and hopelessness spread.
However, people continued the artificial breeding. After a longstruggle, the first chick hatched in 1989. After this first chick,the number of storks in Toyooka kept on growing. Currently
there are 108 storks flying in Toyooka and 96 storks are undercaptive breeding.

75
Bringing back storks to the wild required enormous energy
and cost. And we are willing to pay this cost in the future as
well. Why should we pursue the reintroduction of storks?

We have three reasons; firstly, when we captured the wildstorks 52 years ago, we made a promise to the storks that wewill bring them back to the wild. We have to keep our promise
to them. Secondly, the global population of storks is onlyaround 3,000. In other words, it is on the verge of extinction.
We need to make a global contribution by conserving this bird
species. Thirdly, the most significant reason is that we need torestore a healthy environment which embraces a big carnivorous bird like the Oriental White Stork can live. The rich environment is not just beneficial for the bird but it is also
beneficial for humans as well.
Further our goal is not just to enrich our environment but
also our culture. Even if we enrich our environment, if there isnot culture to cherish this bird species, what is the point? Sounder the slogan of “Let’s bring back Storks to the sky of
Toyooka”, we aim to restore a rich culture as well as a richenvironment.
In order to achieve these goals, we have been working hard.
In 1999, Hyogo prefecture established “The Homeland for the
Oriental White Stork”.This facility, which is part of Hyogo Prefectural University, is a center for research as well as thecenter for implementation of the restoration of Oriental White
Storks. Moreover, the Toyooka Municipal government hasestablished “the Eco-museum Center for the Oriental White
Stork” in order to raise awareness. In this facility, citizens andvisitors can watch the birds from close by.
The Oriental White Stork stands at the top of the food chain.
So in order for this bird to survive, we need to restore a richwetland ecosystem. And the key to achieving this is in the
paddy fields, waterways, rivers and their network.
For example, in Toyooka, fallowed paddy fields are used as
biotopes. These paddy fields are watered all year-round withsome weed control measures. As the creatures increase inthese paddy fields, the feeding grounds for Storks increase as
well. There are currently 24 biotopes (12.6ha) in Toyooka city.
The other example is the “Stork-Friendly Farming” method.
In conventional farming method, the paddy fields are notwatered during winter. However, with this method, thefarmers need to water their paddy fields even during winter.
This is to increase the frog population which lays eggs in thewatered paddy fields from February to March. Also under theconventional farming in Toyooka, the paddy fields used to bedried in June. We now ask farmers to delay the drainage until
tadpoles grow their legs, and can escape. There are 407.1ha of
paddy fields that cultivate rice with “Stork-Friendly Farming”
method.
We are establishing fish ladders between paddy fields andwaterways. It allows fishes to pass through by reconnecting
the creeks and the rice paddies that were separated due to themodernization of agriculture. There are 141 fish ladders
installed in Toyooka.
In the Maruyama River, a wetland restoration project has
been implemented by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure,
Transportation and Tourism. So far, 66.5ha of land has been
converted into wetlands.
Thanks these efforts, Toyooka has experienced a historicalmoment in September 2005. We were able to release the Oriental White Storks to the wild. After 34 years, Storks cameback to the Japanese sky. In 2007, the first chicks hatched after
43 years of absence and flew out of their nest. In 2012, thethird generation of wild Storks hatched.
As an international recognition of these efforts, in 2012,“Lower Maruyama River and the surrounding rice paddies”
was recognized as part of Ramsar Wetland. There are many
visitors and researchers visiting this area leading to regional
regeneration.
Storks started to fly out of Toyooka and visit all over places
in Japan.

On March 18th 2014, a stork born in Toyooka was found inSouth Korea. The stork stopped over at Nagato City, the home
town of Japan’s prime-minister Shinzo Abe, having said
“Hello”, and then flew to South Korea. Afterward a summit
meeting of Japan, South Korea and the U.S. was held.
And now, we are moving on to the next step, enhancing
connections between the environment and the economy.
Many people believe that there’s a strong conflict between theenvironment and the economy. We strive to create a sustainable city, Toyooka Eco-Valley where activities for the conservation of the environment boost the local economy and viceversa. The keyword is “resonance” between the environment
and the economy.
10 years ago, Toyooka city invited a factory to product solar
batteries. Currently there is a strong demand to install solar
batteries to reduce CO2 emissions. The company is making agood profit. Toyooka has built a facility with Mega Solarpanels. We have been, also, supporting various environmentally friendly projects.
Of course the Agricultural sector in Toyooka is very important. The final blow to the Oriental White Storks came fromagricultural activities. So we have been promoting the “StorkFriendly Farming” method which does not depend on chemical pesticides and fertilizers. Currently there are 135ha of rice
paddy fields that conduct rice farming without any use ofchemical pesticides and fertilizers; as well as 272.1ha of rice
paddy fields that conduct rice farming with reduced use of

76
chemical pesticides and fertilizers. This rice is sold at a premiere price which is 70% to 200% higher than rice produced
under conventional farming method.

total the miscellaneous cost was 130,000 JPY. They raised
117,000 JPY from the general public and from selling recyclable cans. And the children had harvest. The rice was sent tochildren in Minami-Sanriku with the messages of encouragement.
Often, there is a great gap between thinking about doing
something and really doing it. Taking the first step is importantbut sometimes it is difficult to do. However, these children
were able to fill this gap and took the first step without hesitations. I am very proud of them.
But what about the difference between the 130,000 JPY theyneeded and the 117,000 JPY that they collected? The adults
gave them a discount.
Now let’s review the process of the reintroduction of storks
in Toyooka. Time is on the horizontal axis, from 1965 to 2016.
The number of storks has increased like this. Environment-Friendly Farming, Wetland Restoration, Human Resource
Development, Environment-Economy Development, andmany other activities. All these activities are part of the Stork
restoration process.

Through numerous efforts, many living things such as
frogs, fishes, insects, snakes and Oriental White Storks havereturned to the paddy fields. However, what we feel the mostproud about the positive change brought to the paddy fields ischildren. Children have returned to the paddy fields.
After Typhoon NO.23 hit, some students at Nitta school
formed a group which goal was to study the relationshipbetween humans and nature. They decided to learn more
about the stork friendly farming as well as the reintroduction
program.They discovered that the more the farming increases,
the better the environment becomes. But how could they
spread the farming?They started to think that maybe increased
consumption could do that. They went to a convenience store
near their school to try to convince the staff to use stork ricefor the rice balls sold at the store. Unfortunately, their dream
did not come true because the shop master did not have theauthority to take that decision.
But they did not give up. One day in 2007 some elementary
school students and junior-high school students visited myoffice to ask me to provide “Stork-Friendly rice” for school
lunches. They insisted that more consumption will lead tomore production. And increased production will make theenvironment better for both storks and humans. I was so surprised by their action and reasonable logic that I promised
them to do so. Now we provide the Stork-Friendly rice forschool lunches 5 times a week. The children’s action itself has
made the consumption of stork-friendly rice increased by
1.4million bowls, or 102t per year.
In 2011,there was a terrible earthquake and tsunami in the
Tohoku District. Students at Nitta elementary school gathered
other elementary schools that were cultivating rice. Fourteenelementary school came together and decided to send rice tothe area hit by the earthquake. But they did not know how andwhere they should send the rice to. So they came to my office
for advice. I was surprised again with their action and praised
them. But instead of giving them an advice, I told them to dosomething by themselves. There were things yet to be done.
For example, in order to send rice, there are shipment cost as
well as cost for rice bags. So I told them to raise fund to coverthese miscellaneous cost. So the children went to the shipping
company and asked the shipping cost, which was 30,000 JPY.
Then they visited the Agricultural association to check the costof bags, it was 30 JPY per bag leading to 100,000 JPY. So in

This is a photograph taken in Toyooka 57 years ago. It shows
the back of a female farmer who died 7 years ago at the age of99, seven Tajima cows and twelve storks. They are close toeach other. About 20 years ago, we searched for this lady andinterviewed her. During the interview she recalled “I’m notsure if it’s me from the back only. But it should be, because
the cow next to the figure was mine.” She didn’t mention thestorks, but continued to talk about the cows. In the end, shesaid, “We were rich at heart in those days.”

77This photograph is the symbol of what we have lost, andwhat we are going to restore. And this photograph, together
with that of the terrible flood in 2004, seems to pose us aquestion, “How should we live in harmony with nature?” We,in Toyooka want to find the answer to this question. Now,
12years after their reintroduction back into the wild, the storks
have established themselves as a part of Toyooka’s landscape
once again.

When we started the conservation and reintroduction ofstorks, there were so many different values among people in
Toyooka. However storks taught us that through dialogue andcommunication, we, can recognize each other’s differences,
we can create unity amongst us, and we can share the same
dream.

Session 3: Wetlands and Use of Natural Resources / Agriculture / Fisheries / Food Security

78

Lake Urmia Restoration via Local Community Participationin Sustainable Agriculture
Neda Asad Falsafi Zadeh, Abolfazl Abesht, Mehri Asnaashari, Hamid Soltani
Iran Department of Environment, Government of Japan, United Nations Development Program (UNDP)

Abstract:
With an area of 5000 km2, Lake Urmia (LU) is one of thelargest inland lakes situated in North West of Iran. This vast
hyper-saline lake which is a Ramsar Site, a UNESCO Biosphere
Reserve and a National Park, has for long contributed to thebiodiversity of the area, as well as livelihoods of local communities around it. There are more than 5 million inhabitants
living in the basin and drying of this Lake will have tremendous impacts on their daily livelihoods.
Over the past decade, Lake Urmia has been affected bysevere droughts and increasing pressures of over-extractionof water which have disturbed the inflow-outflow balance ofthe lake. Despite the fact that in the past two years, the situation of Lake Urmia has been stabilized to a certain level, but
the Lake still faces the threat of an irreversible drought where
the dimension of its impacts would gradually spread frombiodiversity to socioeconomic, affecting livelihood and healthof the surrounding communities. According to aforementioned points and considering the agriculture sector share ofwetland basin water resources, “modelling public participation in Lake Urmia restoration through establishment of sustainable agriculture” project is being implemented in pilot
villages of East and West Azerbaijan provinces from 2014 withthe aim of reduction in water consumption.
In 2014, the high-level arrangements between the governments of Iran and Japan led to allocation of one million USD
by the Government of Japan (GoJ) to address the issues of
the critically endangered LU. Therefore, the “Contribution to
Restoration of Lake Urmia via Local Community Participationin Sustainable Agriculture and Biodiversity Conservation”
project was added to Conservation of Iranian Wetlands Project
as a new outcome. Implementation of the first phase in 41
villages resulted in successful achievements in water saving,awareness raising and biodiversity conservation which led toallocation of two million USD to institutionalize the process in
41 villages and scaling it to 49 new pilots in three further years
until now.
The next phases of the project was developed based on thecapacity built and lessons learnt from the previous phases ofthe project and effectively contributed to restoration of LU
through local community and farmers engagement to bring
together the pieces of the puzzle (promotion of sustainableagriculture and effective reduction of water consumption at
farm level which would lead to increase of inflow to the lake,social mobilization and public awareness campaign, local
water network initiatives, alternative livelihood practices
aiming at water saving).
During implementation of the three phases, application of
Sustainable Agriculture Techniques in 90 villages has been
welcomed by more than 10000 local farmers, successfully
covering 30% of villages located in the LU ecological zone
encompassing 250 villages. The results of monitoring water
consumption at project pilots for autumn/spring crops andorchards has shown significant water saving (by an average of
39.5%) as well as 40% saving of chemical agricultural inputs(Fertilizers and Pesticides) in treatment farms as compared tocontrol farms.
During this period 200 local experts mainly in the form of

local cooperatives were employed and trained on socioeconomic as well as technical aspects of Sustainable Agriculture,
150,000 local communities were targeted in the awarenessraising campaign and 800 local communities were involved inapplying new tools and mechanisms as complementary elements of sustainable agriculture.
Introduction:
Iran is situated in a geographically unique area, with diverse
climatic conditions and rich biodiversity. This situation has
made 41 wetland types available in Iran out of a total of 42
which could be observed all over the world. Encompassing 24
Ramsar sites, Iran has got the highest number of wetlands designated in Ramsar Convention in the Middle East. But thesediverse resources are not immune to the pressures of over-exploitation and mismanagement, maximized by scarcity ofwater and climate change. Paired with non-sustainable development and massive agricultural schemes, these are the maincauses known to affect most of wetlands in Iran, and Lake
Urmia, the largest wetland of the country is not an exception.
During the last decade, considerable efforts have been
made to improve the management of wetlands across thecountry, recognizing that significant pressures arising fromhuman activities were degrading wetland resources. The conservation of Iranian wetlands Project (CIWP) is an example ofthese efforts focusing on ecosystem-based management andestablishment of integrated participatory management plansfor important wetlands, including Lake Urmia.
Conservation of Iranian Wetland Project
As mentioned above, conservation of Iranian wetlands
Project (CIWP) which was launched in 2005 with support of
United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the Global
Environment Facility (GEF) and Department of Environment(DoE) of Iran, is an example of efforts for improving wetlands
management in Iran which focuses on establishment of ecosystem management at local and national levels, appropriate
context for participation of stakeholders, and development
and implementation of management plans. These management plans are developed in a participatory process with theaim of synergy among development projects and conservation measures in wetlands’ basin, and determine the responsibilities of governmental and non-governmental organizations
in conservation of wetlands along with sustainable development in the basin. In this process besides considering theissues such as biodiversity conservation, local communities’
livelihood, awareness raising, management of water and soil
resources is specifically taken into account with the aim ofdetermining wetlands water right. Considering the agriculture
sector consumption of basin water resources (87%), modelingpublic participation and establishing sustainable agriculture(SA) in wetland areas via an intersectoral collaboration among
ministry of Jihad-Agriculture (MoJA), Local Water Management Authorities, DoE, Local NGOs, private sector and the
local community itself became one of CIWP major activities.

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Modeling Local Community Participation in Lake Urmia
Restoration
Capacity building and education are the main tools of participatory-development projects. As ecosystem approach hasa specific emphasis on engagement of all stakeholders, thistool makes the optimum participation of representatives fromother organizations and related stakeholders possible toachieve the goals. On the other hand, considering the different
potential and capacity of stakeholders, necessary training andcapacity building plan should be developed and implemented
for them. The following diagram illustrates different dimensions of participatory approach and its development.
The whole process is based on participation. During the last
3 years CIWP has done its best to move towards the ideal situation in the spectrum with highest level of participation.

LU basin follows below steps:
Project Management Structure
The project is supported by an Integrated Inter-sectoral
Structure which links farmers with local agricultural cooperatives, research centers, provincial administration officials andthe national coordination body (Figure 1). This structure provides an excellent cooperation platform for LU restoration
related stakeholders encompassing local communities andfarmers, NGOs, private sector, government organizations towork together synergically.

Diagram 1: Dimensions of participatory approach in participatory-development projects

As the main part of local communities’ livelihood depends
on the wetland and on the other hand allocation of wetland’swater right depends on agricultural activities, this participatory model has formed based on sustainable agriculture.
The Historical and Implementation Process of the Project
Results of a few SA pilots previously demonstrated by CIWP
and MoJA along with the first 2 phases of this project supported by Goverment of Japan, revealed that applying participatory SA techniques will not only increase the water
efficiency, but will also reduce the application of chemicalmaterials without compromising farmer’s net income. On theother hand the participatory approach of this project during
planning and implementation processes of the project indicates the importance of local communities’ involvement andsocial mobilization for restoration of the Lake.
The main outputs of the project were derived from the management objectives of LU Integrated Management Plan which
was developed by CIWP and adopted by the cabinet in 2008.
The mentioned management objectives are summarized
below:• Sustainable management of water resources and agricultural land use• To raise awareness on ecosystem services of the Lake andits Satellite Wetlands in order to enhance public participation in their management.
• Biodiversity conservation and sustainable use of wetland
resources.
The Process of Local Community Engagement in SA Practices
The project aims to revolutionize the behavior of local communities and farmers towards sustainable development
mainly in the area of agricultural practices. In this regard, SA
techniques are developed based on participatory approaches,bringing together farmers, agriculture research centers andprofessional facilitators aiming at water saving at farm levelto help meet part of the lake water rights without compromising farmers’ net income. Implementation of SA practices at“Contribution to Lake Urmia Restoration via local community participation in sustainable agriculture and biodiversity
conservation” project is implemented with collaboration of
Department of Environment (DoE) and Ministry of Jihad-Agriculture (MoJA) in East/West Azerbaijan as well as Conservation of Iranian Wetlands Project (CIWP) and other stakeholders.
Water authorities have also been involved in the project as
one of the key stakeholders in charge of management of water
resources with revival of traditional water management
groups at local level.
Location of Pilot Sites
The project is implemented in 12 focal areas with total
number of 90 pilots, out of which 62 are located in West and 28
in East Azerbaijan. The following map shows the location areaof pilot sites in East and West Azerbaijan.
The main agricultural crops covered in the project includes
but are not limited to wheat, barley, sugar beet, alfalfa, sunflower, vegetables apple, grapes, peach and apricot.

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Key achievements and activities-- Significant promotion of inter sectoral cooperation in
Lake Urmia Basin (Department of Environment, Jihad
Agriculture, Regional Water Authority, local NGOs andprivate sector)-- Promotion of social responsibility for restoration of Lake
Urmia-- More than 60 capacity building workshops were held forthe experts of Jihad Agriculture Organization and executive companies(or implementing partners)-- The experts of executive companies were trained throughparticipating in more than 60 training workshops-- More than 600 trust building workshops were conducted
at local level-- More than 250 participatory situation analysts workshops
were held for local communities at local level-- More than 120 introductory exhibitions on SA techniques
were conducted-- More than 8000 participatory action plans were developed at local level-- More than 50 technical/training workshops on introduction of SA techniques were conducted to Jihad Agriculture and executive companies’ expert-- Two documentary films on participation of local communities in establishment of SA and restoration of Lake
Urmia were produced-- More than 600 training posters in the villages and cities of
the region were distributed-- Capacity building workshops were held for clergies andreligious leaders to convey the message of religious
teachings on environmental protection to local communities-- 4 training manual with a circulation of 3000 copies were
published and disseminated at the villages of the region-- More than 4700 students and 380 teachers were trainedon the role of local communities in Lake Urmia restoration-- More than 500 rural women were trained on their role in
Lake Urmia restoration-- Number of local farmers involved = 10,000-- Resource persons local experts/farmers = 2000-- Irrigation water saved at farm level = 40%-- Agricultural chemical inputs (fertilizers and pesticides)
substituted by biological practices = 40%-- National/local implementing partners = 20-- National/local NGOs = 12-- Employment = 200 local expert

Session 3: Wetlands and Use of Natural Resources / Agriculture / Fisheries / Food Security

81

New Forest Commons Towards Solving the Underuse of Satoyama
from Fishers’ Initiatives in Japan
Shimpei Iwasaki
Department of Environmental Science, International College of Arts and Sciences, Fukuoka Women’s University

1. Backgrounds
Satoyama is commonly described as secondary forests
nearby human settlements, and represents the socio-ecological production landscape. It used to be fundamental to theenvironment, people and living organisms so that the local
people had been able to maintain the productiveness in its
biodiversity by themselves. Governing forests in Satoyama
can be referred to conventional forest commons where thelocal people used to maintain their own forests in a collective
manner. The ecosystem service from Satoyama covers not
only the forestry and agricultural sectors in the area but also
the fisheries sector even in coastal areas. Related to the fisheries, the soundness of Satoyama landscape is expected toplay significant roles in providing environmental functions
such as nutrient supply, and soil protection. Although the scientific relationship between forests and fish productivity has
not been sufficiently understood, fishers in many parts ofJapan had a special interest in environmental functions offorests. Historically, coastal forests which are surrounding byfishing grounds have been believed to contribute to stablefish production among the fishers in Japan. To maintain costa
forests sustainably, the fishers in specific areas of Japan initiated to preserve forests over the hundreds of years datingback to the 17th century at least, called as fish-breeding forestsor ‘Uo-tsuki-rin’ in Japanese.
Contrary to overuse of forest resources in the past, underuseof Satoyama have been widely occurred especially in the
depopulated areas of Japan. Stagnation of the forestry industry and aging of the population resulted in weakening roles offorests to act as a variety of environmental functions. Furthermore, farmers use chemical fertilizers instead of natural composts while people use gas and electricity instead of firewood.
These socio-economic changes accelerated the progress ofunderuse problem, thereby causing degradation of ecosystemservice even in coastal areas. In other words, the local people
faced with difficulties in governing their own forests in a collective manner. There is an urgent need to apply an integrated
approach to forest conservation with active participation ofvarious stakeholders in the modernized and aging society.
With this recognition, this paper presents a case of newforest commons towards solving the underuse of Satoyama
from fishers’ initiatives in Japan. The research highlights thehistorical process of new forest commons by the fishers’ initiatives and then summarizes the outputs and challenges offishers-based forest conservation at the regional and national
levels, in terms of places, contents of forest conservation,
planted tree species, and so on. Furthermore, the research
introduces an innovative case of fishers’ initiatives to copewith the underuse of Satoyama at the local level.
2. Historical Process of New Forest Commons by the Fishers’
Initiatives
As stated above, loss and deterioration of forests in
Satoyama have been widely occurred. As a consequence offorest degradation and its land conversion, there are growing
concerns about weakening roles of forests to maintain stablefish production among fishers in specific areas including Hokkaido region, Kesen-numa area, and Tenmei area.

In 1988, coordinated efforts of plantation activities havebeen done by the initiatives of Hokkaido Association of Fisheries Cooperatives Women’s Groups. The initiative was aimed toencourage more incentives of responsible coastal fisheries
within EEZ boundaries when 30th memorial foundation of thegroups was celebrated. Since then, fisher-wives (around 76
places per year) have continued to plant trees and maintainthem in a collective manner.
In Kesen-numa area of Miyagi prefecture, the fishers havestarted to plant trees since 1989. The initiative was originallytriggered by an opposition campaign against a dam construction project which would affect impacts to biological, chemical, and physical properties of rivers and coastal environments,
rather forest management itself. It attracted mass-media usingfishing boat flags indicating a good catch and a memorable
catch-phrased as ‘The sea is longing for the forest’, to make apublic appeal to other stakeholders for participation of plantation activities. Accordingly, the innovative approach has been
disseminated to other areas at the national level through the
mass-media.
In Tenmei area of Kumamoto prefecture, the fishers started
to plant trees in 1994. In those days, the fishers experienced
massive reduction of short-neck clams. It is likely that there
are several factors affecting the loss of fish catch. Out of them,
the fishers realized the loss of environmental functions from abare mountain causing soil erosion from upstream to downstream. To revitalize forest lands, the fishers initiated to plant
trees and maintain them in collaboration with citizen groups
and school children.
The above innovative efforts in three cases have contributed to the movement of fishers-based forest conservation
initiatives. In 1998 and 1999, national symposium and forumof the initiatives were implemented. Representatives of thefishers shared their experience and then recognized the significance of environmental functions of forests to fisheries
sector. Throughout these efforts, local and national policy
makers determined funding supports of the initiative acrossthe nation. Accordingly, the number of fishers-based forest
conservation initiatives has been increasing at the national
level. The historical process of the initiatives is shown in Fig.1.
Fig. 1 Historical Process of the Initiatives

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3. O
 utputs and Major Challenges of Fishers-Based Forest
Conservation Initiatives
Based on the above process, a large number of fishers-based forest conservation initiatives have been implemented across the nation. The research analyzed the data of
the initiatives from all fisheries cooperative societies during
the period from 2001 to 2012. The findings revealed that theinitiatives were reported in 539 areas of 39 prefectures out of
47 in Japan (see Fig. 2). Hokkaido is the most active region ofthese activities, amounting to 76 places per year. Main organizers of forest conservation activities vary from place to place,but 56% of the initiatives were hosted by fishers.
Fig. 2 Number of Annual Activities by the Initiatives

On the other hands, the research also revealed that some of
the initiatives stopped forest conservation activities. As forcontinuity ratio assuming that all initiatives continue toengage in the activities every year since the starting year, thecontinuity ratio was 48% on average (see Fig. 4). Some ofthem might not need to take care of well-grown planted trees
or plant trees because of ecological restoration. But the others
might face with difficulties in maintaining the forests or planting trees due to such constraints as shortage of budget andmanpower, maintenance of planted trees, and securing lands
for plantation. As for shortage of budget and manpower, aquestion asking who is in charge of planted trees will beoccurred. Without any care, planted trees might not be grownproperly so that the initiatives are meaningless towards
solving the underuse of Satoyama. In addition, securing lands
for plantation is one of major challenges to promote the initiatives. Some mountainous lands are owned by private.
Without any permissions from the land owner, the fishers
cannot plant trees. Many land owners stopped managing
their own forests. Some of them are inherited to their sons ordaughter living far areas. Sometimes, it is difficult for them toeven communicate with the land owners.
Fig. 4 Continuity Ratio of the Initiatives

The research identified 14 activities of the initiatives. Out ofthem, tree plantation was the highest activity. As the years
passed, however, the initiatives have been shifted from tree
plantation to forest maintenance activities including weeding,and cleaning off grounds. Indeed, the ratio of tree plantation
was changed from around 99% in 2001 to around 50% in 2012.
It is important to note that tree plantation with multi-tree
species at favorable habitat and fertilizable trees have been
put into practice. In particular, around 81% of planted tree
species was deciduous tree (see Fig. 3), in order to ensure soil
and nutrient enhancement, which is expected to contribute tostable fish production in the river and coastal environments.
Fig. 3 Types of Planted Tree Species by the Initiatives

4.Case Practice of Tokoro Fishery Cooperative Society, Hokkaido
Under the circumstances, this paper presents a case ofTokoro Fishery Cooperative Society, Hokkaido region, to tackle
with underuse of Satoyama. It is important to note that thesociety has experienced long history of fishers-based forest
conservation initiatives since 1961, compared to the coordinated efforts among fisher-wives across Hokkaido region. The
initiative was originally tied to enhancement of the land valueof real estates which were owned by the society. As the years
passed, however, the purpose of forest land acquisition andits management has shifted from economic to environmental
incentive. In those days, the fishers experienced severe environmental degradation caused by upstream water pollution
and deforestation from Satoyama. As a consequence, thewater retention and purification capability of the Satoyama
forests were seriously impaired. The fishers soon realized theneed for forest conservation so that forest replanting and conservation have taken place since then.
So far, Tokoro Fishery Cooperative Society achieved 7.53
million trees in around 350 ha. The society members were
engaged in not only participation of plantation activities, butalso provision of their own resources related to the fisheries
by building various collaboration with stakeholders. For
example, a tourism resort company set up a project regarding

83
tree plantation for the 50th anniversary of its foundation andproposed the activity to the society. The company invited children and their parents to join plantation activities while thesociety provided the site for plantation. After the trees wereplanted, participants moved to certain fishing ground to enjoy
digging shellfish. The fishing ground is strictly maintained by
the society, but only in the event, the participants are speciallyallowed to pick the shellfish in the ground as shown in Fig. 5.
It is good opportunity for them to learn the relationshipbetween forest and sea through the river. Afterwards, seafood
soup was provided to the participants with raw material assistance by the society.
Fig. 5 Recreational Clamming after Plantation

5. Towards New Forest Commons by the Fishers’ Initiatives
Putting them all together, the research highlighted the historical process of new forest commons by the fishers’ initiatives and identified major outputs and challenges of theactivities. As stated above, the initiatives have been widely
spread throughout the nation. The new forest commons aim
to promote multiple environmental functions of forests, rather
economic gain from forests. As the years passed, the fishers
are more required to engage in forest maintenance after plantation, resulting in increased activities of weeding, clearing off
grounds, and environmental maintenance. Related to it, there
are growing concerns about the initiatives from the viewpoints of maintenance of planted trees and securing lands forplantation. To tackle with these challenges, the case study ofTokoro Fisheries Cooperative Society showed that the fishers
explored building collaborative partnerships among thestakeholders by sharing the advantage of their own resources
to cover for each other’s weakness. Apart from participation offorest conservation, the fishers are able to play importantroles in facilitating forest governance with various stakeholders by taking full advantage of their own resources related to
the fisheries such as provision of food service and fishinggrounds. The fishers can serve as knowledge transfer as aninterpreter between forests and water (sea). Although the initiatives themselves cannot contribute to solving underuse of
Satoyama, building multi-level collaborative partnerships
among relevant stakeholders is expected to cope with thechallenge towards creation of robust new forest commons.

Session 3: Wetlands and Use of Natural Resources / Agriculture / Fisheries / Food Security

84

Response of Freshwater Farmers to the Eenvironmental Changes:
a Case Study of Thailand (abstract)
Suvaluck Satumanatpan, Kamalaporn Kanongdate, Chumlong Arunlertaree,
Anawach Saithong, Poonyawee Srisantear, Thiyada Piyawongnara
Faculty of Environment and Resource Studies, Mahidol University, Thailand
This paper examines factors influencing resilience among Thai
aquaculture-farmers in Nakhon Nayok Province located upstream of
the Bangpakong Watershed, the inner Gulf of Thailand. The area isdefined as freshwater ecosystem but often prone to seawater intrusion. With regard to the aquaculture practice in the study areas, themain two types identified are : 1) Polyculture – this could be morethan one species of freshwater fish or several fish species and thePacific white shrimp or the Pacific white shrimp and the Giant freshwater prawn in one pond; and 2) Monoculture – this could be thePacific white shrimp alone or one fish species in one pond. Generally,
several aquaculture types are found in the area; polyculture of freshwater fish (37.9%), monoculture freshwater fishes (27%), Pacific white
shrimp (24.3%), polyculture of freshwater fish and Pacific white
shrimp (20.45%), and polyculture of the Pacific white shrimp and theGiant freshwater prawn (18%). On one hand, culturing a selectedbrackish-species (the Pacific white shrimp) instead of freshwater fishin some areas becomes a strength of freshwater farmers’ adaptability
to the seawater intrusion. On the other hand, apparently, the vulnerability to seawater intrusion and rising water temperature in Nakhon
Nayok River during the dry seasons as well as droughts and floods
has adversely impact the aquaculture productivity.
Aquaculture-farmers were randomly sampling for 206 cases andsemi-structure face-to-face interviews was applied to the targets. The
results revealed that farmers have adaptability to the change of environments in several ways. Changing type of culture from single species-culture comprising the Pacific white shrimp to polyculture of
freshwater fish was reported as due to their higher resistance to diseases. Farmers also indicated that they adapted to the physical environment by enhancing farm-facilities. For instance, increasing pondheight, storing freshwater, providing shade on water surface, andtemporary avoiding culturing during severe environmental conditions. Response to deal with cost effectiveness, improving techniquesof cultural practice by adopting multi-species culture such as a polyculture between Pacific white shrimp and Giant freshwater prawn, as
well as between polyculture of freshwater fish and the Pacific white
shrimp, were also evident in the study area.
In addition to the environmental changes that reflect aquaculture-farmers’ resilience in the study areas, we first study measuring
how farmers generally response or perceive to the future decline ofaquaculture production. The results of principle component analysis
revealed that farmers’ perception to the future decline of aquaculture
production is determined by four key resilience components including: ability to obtain work elsewhere; ability to cope when there is achange; ability to compete; and ability to plan for survival. Based on
the results, we hypothesize that farmers’ background (such as age,education, years of aquaculture, income), climate change awareness,level of satisfaction with aquaculture, types of aquacultures, andfarmers’ membership in aquaculture association have influence on
farmers’ perception of resilience. The findings of this study will contribute to structuring programs appropriate to existing farmers’ characteristics, hence, enhancing the livelihood of aquaculture
sustainability in Thailand and similar locations. External forces that
may influence farmers responses to the changes have been discussed. Enhancing knowledge and stimulate important future
research about aspects of adaptability in aquaculture-farming communities specifically with regard to their impact on future policy strategies are suggested.

Locally Managed Marine Areas (LMMAs) – a pathway to holistic and integrated island
management and sustainable development: A Fiji case example (abstract)
Alifereti Tawake, 2Margie Tabunakawai, 1Jovy Cleof, 1Hugh Govan,
2
Saimoni Waibuta, 2Roko Sau Josefa Cinavilakeba

1,2LMMA Network International, 2Fiji LMMA Network

1

Coastal and wetland resources is the lifeblood and mainstay ofmost Pacific Island peoples livelihoods. However, its status have beendwindling rapidly over the last several decades. As a result, coastal
communities are facing challenges to food security and are increasignly more vulnerable to disasters and climate change impacts.
Creating locally managed marine areas (LMMA) is one such effort
to reverse this trend that utilises community based adaptive management (CBAM) process, based on progressive participatory community-driven approaches informed by marrying scientific and traditional
knowledge. Local marine management undertaken by communities
has often achieved benefits that may have eluded well funded andtop-down initiatives.
LMMAs in the Pacific have proliferated since 2000 motivating a
growing global movement based on a learning network of communities, managers and practitioners. The approaches are built on a uniquefeature of the region – customary tenure and resource access – andoften making use of traditional governance system. LMMAs in the
Pacific are implemented by over 1000 communities spanning 17 independent countries and territories, representing a unique global
achievement. Other examples also exist around the world. The spreadand endurance of LMMAs is attributable to communities’ perceptions
that benefits are very likely to be achieved and is a pathway toaddressing community aspirations and needs holistically such as
water sustainability, adaptation to climate change, improving income,food security and sustainable livelihoods. The main innovation thathas supported the proliferation of LMMAs is the operation of clusters
of communities supported by islands, regional, national and sub-national umbrellas or social networks. The LMMA Network International

includes Fiji, Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, Philippines, Palau and Federated States of Micronesia each of which havedeveloped affiliated national and provincial sub-networks.
In Fiji for example, the progress of scaling up LMMAs to national
level have reached 466 Fijian communities so far covering 79% ofFiji’s customary marine areas. Both empirical and experiential evidences on successes and challenges of LMMAs also resulted in an
improved household incomes by as much as 30%, fish catches
increased, communities adaptive capacity enhanced, knowledge andattitudes improved and a sense of ocean stewardship, ownership andpride being restored back into communities. LMMAs have also transformed decision making for customary marine areas from a more traditional, autocratic style to a more participatory and democratic
process of governance. In addition, social learning motivated by the
CBAM approach is clearly evident in the adaptive measures implemented by communities and in policies and legislation put in place by
provinces and the national government. In essence, Fiji through
FLMMA is taking leadership role globally on the promotion andimplementation of locally managed marine areas demonstrating thepower of collective community efforts if given the chance. Fiji LMMA
Network in ensuring Fish for the Future Generations! is committing toscale up its work to cover 100% effectively managed and governed
customary marine areas by 2025.
Key success and challenges facing LMMAs in other countries andtheir supportive social networks are also discussed. In essence,
LMMAs serve as building blocks for integrated island management
and sustainable development by communities.

Session 3: Wetlands and Use of Natural Resources / Agriculture / Fisheries / Food Security

85

National Reclamation Project and “Ariake Sea Disaster”:“Open-gate Survey” for the Harmony of Healthy Fishery and Agriculture (abstract)
Tamotsu Sugenami
The Ariake Sea Network of Fishermen and Citizens
1. Ariake Sea is one of the highest productivity and biodiversity sea area around Japan. Especially, Isahaya Bay was highly
important for spawning or growing up of fishes, so we called
Isahaya Bay, “the womb” of Ariake Sea. The wide and muddy
tidal flat of Isahaya Bay is also important for wintering or restingof migratory birds.
Japan has joined Ramsar Convention in 1980. From thesedays, Ariake Sea and Isahaya Bay has long been eligible for thecriteria of Ramsar site. Now, in Ariake Sea, there are three tidal
flat is listed as Ramsar site; Arao (Kumamoto pref. listed in2012), Hizen-kashima and Higashi-yoka (Saga pref. listed 2015).
However, we should have evaluated whole Ariake Sea ecosystem include not only now listed tidal flats, but also Isahaya Bay
and other area, and implement “wise use” of Ariake sea.
We think the National Isahaya Bay Reclamation Project is an
impediment to comprehensive evaluation and preservation of
Ariake Sea.
2. Isahaya Bay Reclamation Project started in 1989 and 7km
sea dike has completed in April 1997. The 3,550ha tidal frat andshallow sea was dried up and fresh water reservoir was createdby building the sea dike.
The impact of the Reclamation Project for environment andfishery is far above the estimation of EIA. The catch of fisherydeclined in 1990s, according with the construction of sea dike.
After the closing of sea dike in 1997, damage for the environment and fishery became clear. In December 2000, widespread
red tide prevailed over middle to northern part of Ariake Sea
seriously damaged seaweed vwater culture. Since then, in
Ariake Sea, the red tide frequently happens and massive fishkill because of poor oxygen water in bottom layer occurs almost
every year.

The construction of sea dike may have change the tidal
strength and direction, then stratification of sea water become
stronger. Researchers explain the reason of the situation andcall such structural crisis as “Ariake Sea Disaster”.
3. We, Ariake Sea Network of Fishermen and Citizens areorganized with approximately 600 fishermen from 4 prefectures
around Ariake Sea and over 100 citizens which includes many
scientists, lawyers and other expert from several fields. We areworking for the restoration of Ariake Sea seriously damaged by
Isahaya Bay Reclamation Project.
4. Now regarding Ariake / Isahaya issue, the focus is “opengate survey”. According to the court decision, Japanese government planed “open-gate survey”. In this survey, government
going to open the sluice gate to flow sea water with tidal
exchange into the reservoir which is made under the Reclamation Project for agricultural freshwater supply. The purpose of
the survey is to investigate the impact of construction of sea
dike and reservoir, This is one of the wetland restoration activities implementing in other countries.
5. Actually, some people around Isahaya Bay who care thenegative impact of “open- gate” don’t agree with the survey, thegovernment is going to give up to operate “open- gate”.
However we think “open-gate survey” after impact reduction
measures is reasonable and possible. We have been suggesting
to make round table discussion with farmers and residents who
have concern about the survey and cooperate to find out theway to ”open-gate” for the future in which not only the restoration of Ariake Sea ecosystem, but the restoration of local community and economy based on the harmony of healthy fisheryand agriculture.

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Session 4
Urban Wetlands / Wetland City / Natural Infrastructure88

Session 4: Urban Wetlands / Wetland City / Natural Infrastructure

Urban wetlands and Governance challenges
in the two Indian mega cities of Chennai and Bengaluru
Sandhya ChandrasekharanCentre for Biodiversity Policy and Law (CEBPOL), National Biodiversity Authority, Chennai, India

Copyright Disclaimer: Some parts of this article will appear as a chapter
in the forthcoming Springer publication Lifelong Learning and Educationin Healthy and Sustainable Cities under the title Using the IPBES Conceptual Framework to focus on governance, institutional arrangements anddrivers of biodiversity loss in two Indian cities by the same author. No
copyrights are violated.

The Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem
Services (IPBES) is unique for leveraging the importance of ecosystem services in relation to biodiversity (Diaz et al., 2015). One of theplatform’s key tools – the conceptual framework (depicted a little
later)– also helps to place governance at the centre of the discussion on what is happening to nature and nature’s benefits to people
across various geographical scales. The IPBES_CF is thus eminently
suited to examine the Convention for Biodiversity (CBD) theme ofCities and Biodiversity, with a focus on governance, in relation to
India’s many and burgeoning urban areas and the governance of
key ecosystems and their services within these areas.
This paper is the outcome of a larger CEBPOL study that
attempted to do just that, between 2015 and early 2017 in the southern Indian metropolises of Chennai and Bengaluru. These are
two-major cities which have population sizes of a few million
people. While geographically, both are in the south and less than
500km apart, they are part of two distinct bio-geographic zones.
India has 10 distinct bio-geographic zones (Rodgers and Panwar,
1988) and while Bengaluru is in the Deccan Peninsula, Chennai ispredominantly Coastal.(Figure 1)
Chennai, the capital city of the federal state of Tamilnadu is one ofthe oldest and the fourth largest city in the country. In existence asan urban centre for about 400 years, administrative restructuring in2011 led to the formation of an enlarged Chennai Metropolitan Area
(CMA). The extent of CMA is 1189 sq.km and which now extends
over three districts of the state. Population projections extrapolating from the 2011 census, estimate the population of the urban
agglomeration to have crossed 10mn in 2017.
Bengaluru is in comparison a relatively new entrant to India’s
league of large urban agglomerations. The capital of the state of
Karnataka, and world-renowned as India’s IT capital, its transformation from a pleasant cantonment town to the fifth largest city
through expansion, migration and population growth (8.4 million in2011), has been phenomenally rapid, and achieved in over just two
decades (Sudhira and Nagendra, 2013).
The key ecosystem service that has been the topic of considerable discussion in recent times in both cities pertains to the quality
and quantity of fresh water. The Chennai Metropolitan Area has over3500 waterbodies in the form of tanks and reservoirs (Janakarajancited in Laksmi, 2017), and Chennai city alone is reported to have
had 650 till a few decades ago, since reduced to only 30. It also has
two rivers – the Cooum and Adyar, and the artificially constructed
Buckingham Canal. The city gets an average rainfall of 140cm every
year, with recorded rainfall of less than 100cm (the anticipatedideal) having occurred only 5-6 times in the last few decades(Laksmi, 2017). As a city on the high-energy coast of the Bay of
Bengal, it is also no stranger to extreme climatic events (Jayaram,2015). From the Indian ocean tsunami in December 2004 to depression-induced heavy rains that caused flooding in the city in December 2015 and a super cyclone in December 2016, the city has seen it
all. Delving into the management of its ample waterbodies and thedenuded resilience that would otherwise be offered by its original
ecosystems presents an interesting case of the story behind a citythat is prone to both water stress and urban floods. The combined
capacity of the tanks and reservoirs is estimated to be 80 thousand
million cubic feet of water (80 tmcft), but their current capacity,

Figure 1: Chennai and Bengaluru in two of India’s distinct biogeographical zones

Source: Rodgers and Panwar, 1988

owing to poor maintenance and lack of periodic desilting is only 11
tmcft (Janakarajan cited in Laksmi, 2017). Nearly 300 tmcft of rainwater drained into the sea in the 2015 floods as a result (ibid),
leaving in its wake the world’s 8th most expensive natural disasterfor the year, estimated to have cost a USD 3 billion loss to theeconomy (article in the Business Standard, 11 Dec 2015) . New andpost facto regularised urban infrastructure came sharply under thescanner from sections of academia, media and civil society – a new
airport terminal on the floodplains of the River Adyar, a Mass Rapid
Transit System constructed almost wholly over the Buckingham
Canal and the erstwhile 50square kilometre Pallikaranai marshlands, an Information Technology (IT) corridor and engineering colleges constructed on waterbodies (Jayaram, 2015).
In Bengaluru, the story is not very different. A report by the Indian
Institute of Science (IISc) shows that between 1973 and 2013 there
has been an estimated 79% decrease in the total area of its manylakes and waterbodies, with over 50% of the area of lakes being
built-up in violation of existing laws, and local government agencies being implicated in the same (Sengupta, 2016). The matter was
discussed in the state legislature as well (ibid), but neither fixing of
responsibility nor remedial action has followed. The city too has witnessed a spate of waterlogging events after regular rainfall, andwater shortages and dependence, as in Chennai, on the growing
phenomena of private water markets, where private operators truckin water in tankers from peri-urban areas (Nelliyat, 2016).
The wetland transformation in both cities, as a result of area
being built-up, is well captured by the following maps.
Figure 2(a): Bengaluru – Waterbodies and landuse change due to built-up area expansionSource: Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore

89
Figure 2(b): Chennai – Water bodies and built-up areasSource: Care Earth Trust, Chennai

They indicate that landuse transformation by built infrastructure
and real estate housing is the main driver of ecosystem-level biodiversity loss that impacted urban wetlands. Also, review of literature
indicated the Solid Waste Management (SWM), or lack of it, wasalso implicated in a big way. These therefore became the points ofentry to examine drivers of biodiversity loss in the context of thisstudy and the work of related governance actors.
The Governance of Urban Wetlands– a mosaic of diverse actors
Governance has been accorded a central place in the IPBES_CF
schema, as the diagram that follows captures. It places nature at thebase, showing it to be the foundation of everything. Moving clockwise to the left, in the context of urban wetlands, nature’s benefits
to people do coverall the ecosystem services – provisioning ofwater and wetland related livelihoods, nurturing ecosystems andhabitats; regulating services in the water cycle - facilitating rainwater percolation, storm water retention and drainage; as well as cultural and recreational services such as in the form of temple ponds,
agricultural tanks and urban lakes. All this very much makes for thegood quality of life in urban centres, and in the face of these services being upset, quality of life also suffers. This diminished qualityof life if evidenced in Chennai and Bengaluru in the form of water
shortages in summer and waterlogging and sometimes urban
floods in the rainy season. It is in light of this fact that the central
box as per the CF becomes important to examine.
Figure 3: IPBES Conceptual FrameworkSource: www.ipbes.net

The questions I began with were: What exactly constitutes governance for biodiversity and ecosystem services in this context?
Does it effectively steward natures benefits for people and regulate
the drivers of biodiversity loss?
Governance has been referred to in various ways in key IPBES
decision documents (eg. Decision IPBES-2/4) notably, has the following references:
1. “Governance systems’’are referred to as one of the “driversof change’’, or an external factor that affects nature andnature’s benefits to people, as well as anthropogenic assets
and quality of life.
2. “Institutions and governance systems and other indirectdrivers” are the ways in which societies organize themselves, and the resulting influences on other components.’’
They are further described as “key levers for decision
making’’.
3. Governance is specifically highlighted in having a key role inrelation to anthropogenic drivers of change.
4. At the national and subnational levels, governance is taken
to mean “arrangements in ministries or laws that have effectively contributed to the protection, restoration and sustainable management of biodiversity’’.
5. Further, there is an assimilation and transfer of “good governance’’ rhetoric of mainstream development institutions
like the World Bank and UN agencies , in statements like
“Institutions and governance systems and other indirectdrivers at the root of the present crisis can be mobilized tohalt these negative trends….”
Point 2 above especially alludes to what is called the New Institutionalism in the literature on governance,in contrast to old school
Public Administration (PA), in that it chooses to conceptualise governance not just as what government does. It is instead, (also) the
quality of the relationship that government fosters and nurtureswith key stakeholders like citizen’s groups, NGOs and the private
sector.
Urban Wetland GovernanceIn relation to the thematic focus of the present paper on ‘Urban
Wetland Governance’,i)
The Government quadrant was conceptualised as a multi-layered and complex one, made up of several institutions
and actors. Besides examining relevant legislation and its
uptake, an attempt was made to understand the role ofvarious administrative and scientific agencies engaged in
the important task of ‘governing’ wetlands. The institutionalarchitecture and levels of awareness on biodiversity andecosystem services of key local-government service providers, as well as the synergy or lack thereof, within the local
administration of these cities. As the state capitals of theirrespective states in India’s federal structure, relevant state
government departments that have a presence in the cities,
were also covered. Another set of the ‘government actors’
were those with a CEPA role, such as India’s ENVIS centres.
ii) The Private Sector in relation to governance was studied in
the context of the real estate sector for residential buildings,
which is a key driver of wetland conversion to built-up land.
Governance of this largely private industry is being
attempted through voluntary certification and other soft
policy approaches which addresses only building characteristics at best, and not the ecosystem level impact of land-use
change.
iii) The role of voluntary organisations and citizens was also
documented through some of the issues discussed in relation to this actor in the available literature, and examples of
their interventions, where available.
Government in relation to Urban Wetlands
1) Legal Frameworks
Wetlands in India, in principle, are influenced by an array ofpolicy and legislative measures. These include those ranging
from the first generation of laws like The Indian Fisheries Act– 1897,The Indian Forest Act – 1927,Wildlife (Protection) Act –1972, 1991 which can be characterised as ‘anti-pollution’ acts,
to another generation of more-consciously Sustainable Development thinking incorporating acts, that covertly or overtly
value the ecosystem services of wetlands:ie-Environmental(Protection) Act – 1986, Coastal Zone Regulation Notification –1991, National Conservation Strategy and Policy Statement
on Environment and Development – 1992, National Policy
And Macro level Action Strategy on Biodiversity-1999,and
most recently, that Wetlands (Conservation and Management)
Rules, 2017 replacing the Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2010. India is also a signatory to the Ramsar

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Convention on Wetlands and the Convention of Biological
Diversity and has a dualist as distinct from monist approach tointernational law, requiring putting in place domestic laws thatmeet the mandates of international agreements. Changing
land use patterns in Chennai and Bengaluru, as captured in themaps, offer proof that these are often not effective.
2) Institutional architecture and levels of awareness, synergy orlack thereof
The study interviewed local urban-body functionaries and thoseof federal state forest departments with a presence and governancemandates within urban limits.
Most respondent from both cities, showed an awareness of wetlands and waterbodies as ecosystems that was most recently in thenews on account of either adverse impacts to these, or a disaster.
When asked to identify which ecosystems were present in their city,slightly over 70% of the respondents in Bengaluru opted for ‘wetlands’, and 100% of those in Chennai for ‘sea’. The second mostfrequently indicated response was ‘forests’ (47%) in Bengaluru and‘wetlands’ (40%) in Chennai. While this awareness was there, a
relational-understanding, or engagement with these ecosystems as
part of their work was not evident. To the question “According toyou, are the biodiversity and ecosystem services, within the city, a
key part of your work?’’, only 35% of the respondents in Bengaluru
and 40% of those in Chennai (out of a total of 27 respondents), said
“Yes, they form a core part’’, and here the bias of the response being
collected face-to-face by someone associated with an organisation
with a biodiversity-related mandate (though with the assurance that
it would be collated and reported anonymously) was also a threat to
the reliability of the answers. A similar percentage of respondents
also stated “Somewhat yes – but I deal with only one aspect – water,or plants or land etc’’. The latter indicates that ‘ecosystem thinking’is not pervasive within the formal institutional governance of cities.
Dumping in and around waterbodies and wetlands remains a
problem in both cities, as scientific management of solid waste
through segregation at source was not something that the local
governments were doing anything proactively about. The Solid
Waste Management Rules (2016) were cited as the reason by one
official for the same, on the grounds that the act puts the onus on
the ‘generator of the waste’ (ie: households) to separate it out into
various streams, and awareness had not been created for thesame*. When asked why his/her office could not create the awareness, the answer was predictably lack of funds. In the existing scenario, dumping was just accepted as a ‘given’ and wetlands more
often than not suffered the consequences.
The disjoint between sanctimonious statements made, whether
in national level laws/policy proclamations or urban local body plan
documents; and their ability to impact change on the ground isevident at the rate at which waterbodies have been compromised inboth cities. Statements like ‘Environment is crosscutting’ in an
urban local body master plan, completely contradict other parts ofthe very same document (as well as national laws) when for
instance, maps indicate that a wetland is earmarked to be completely built-up ‘lowland’. The reality of the ‘government’ withregard to the green and blue spaces of cities is that far from being
one homogeneous entity, it is a composite of entities, some ofwhich are even working at cross purposes with each other at times.
While Federal StateDepartments of Forests and the Departmentof Parks were concerned with protecting the green spaces and tree
cover in the precincts of the city, the departments that were concerned with ecosystem services / addressing negative impacts onthese and biodiversity were those governing SWM and those relating to water supply/sewerage and lake development. While theformer have a purview of ‘urban biodiversity’ and are informed intheir work by fairly clear mandates and legal and institutional structures that have a commitment to natural resource stewardship on
the whole, the latter were less likely to connect their mandates tohealthy ecosystems and the intrinsic value of these, but rather to
1 * This in spite of the fact that, the same act, under section (11) makes it the duty of theSecretary–in-charge, Urban Development in the States and Union territories, through theCommissioner or Director of Municipal Administration or Director of local bodies, to prepare astate policy and solid waste management strategy for the state or the union territory through a
consultative process, and ensure implementation of provisions of these rules by all local
authorities. Central government ministries for Environment and Urban Development have been
given the role of overseeing the same.

routine administrative requirements. Water supply and sewerage
as well as lake development, were considered technicist and mainly
engineering-related matters, where the focus, to take the instanceof lake development, was on the walk-way around the lake, thebund, and blocking (if possible, and often with an ambiguous recordof success) sewerage pipes being directed to the lakes. The biodiversity of lakes (whether in terms of fauna or fish or waterbirds) was
not being monitored, and it was not in the mandate of these departments to do so either.
The case of the Palikarnai marsh in Chennai is an example ofgovernment in reality, and contrary to the simplified IPBES schema,
being this compositeentity, sometimes working at cross-purposes.
The Pallikaranai wetland is currently a significantly diminished 50
square kilometre swamp with a known role in recharging the aquifers of the city. It’s current expanse of about 10% of its original sizeis the result of the Federal State forest department obtaining an
injunction to prevent dumping of waste – or in other words, countering the SWM practice of the urban local body (ULB): when thelaw, in theory, is for everyone and every department; but in reality
is violated from within government itself.
In 2007 a substantial portion of the marsh was declared as a
Reserve Foresttransferring administrative control from the ULB to
the federal state Department of Forest (Oppilli, 2009). In response toan appeal, the High Court had also appointed a high-level Committee to address the issue of dumping municipal solid waste on themarsh by the ULB (ibid).
3) Scientific and research organisations with the mandate of environmental protection
Besides legislation and the uneven levels of appreciation andadherence to this legislation within government departments, scientific and research organisations working to further the mandatesof environmental protection are a third aspect of ‘government’ withregard to environmental stewardship.The Environmental Information System with the acronym ENVIS is a unique network of institutions in this role in the Indian context. Realising the importance ofverifiable empirical evidence base and scientific support and expertise to guide and inform decision making, the Government of India,
in December, 1982, established ENVIS. ENVIS is a network of
research institutions and organisation actively engaged in work
relating to different subject areas of environment. Since environment is a broad-ranging, multi-disciplinary subject, a large numberof nodes, known as ENVIS Centres, have been linked through the
network to cover the broad subject areas of environment with a
Focal Point in the Ministry of Environment & Forests. (ENVIS also
has broader regional and international linkages – it is the designated National Focal Point (NFP) for INFOTERRA, a global environmental information network of the United Nations Environment
Programme (UNEP), and the Regional Service Centre (RSC) of INFOTERRA for the South Asia Sub-Region countries since 1985.) The
ENVIS node at the premier Indian Institute of Science, in Bengaluru
has been at the forefront of wetlands research in the city and nearby
biogeographic zones.They have been instrumental in activating
judicial activism through their research based ENVIS reports, andbridging the work of separate ministries such as those engaged
with Science and Technology, and Environment. In one instance, thefederal government of Karnataka state (of which Benguluru is thecapital) constituted an expert committee to rejuvenate Bellandur
and Varthur lakes in the city, including by addressing the issue of
wastewater influx (an issue violating several laws)mainly based onan IISc ENVIS report. Their work also informed the National Green
Tribunal penalizing violator of Bellandur-Agara wetland with a1.39
billion Indian Rupee penalty (personal communication, Dr. T.V. Ramachandra, IISc).
Real estate housing sector as a driver of wetland loss and the roleof private players
The growth of the real estate-housing sector is a concomitant to
the growth of the economy and demand for urban and semi-urban
accommodations, as well as an investment and wealth-creation
strategy given the strong cultural conditioning towards home (andincreasingly for the elite, dual and multiple home) ownership. It isalso a major driver, along with other sectors of the constructionindustry of land-use change in these cities. Both Bengaluru and91
Chennai figure in the list of ‘most favoured property destinations’,
with Bengaluru in the lead. The housing sector alone contributes 5-6
per cent to the country’s GDP, and is expected to witness a 60%
growth by 2050. This, inspite of the fact that most housing in the
projects of organised private developersis priced beyond the reachof the urban poor (Harish, 2016).
The Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation (MoHUPA),
defines ‘affordable housing’ as 5 times the annual income of ahousehold, and by that criteria, many people in India cannot afford
home ownership in cities, though government is attempting toaddress this issue through directives to the private builders. This
comes after a phase, in the preceding decades, when government
identified wetlands as wastelands and cheap land that were easily
available for social housing projects or slum upgradation efforts. In
Tamilnadu for instance, the federal state government housing
board declared many among 19 water bodies in and around Chennai
as ‘defunct’ to obtain clearance for social housing projects in the
1990s (Coelho and Raman, 2013).
The manner in which the real estate-housing sector’s impacts asa driver of biodiversity loss and ecosystem services are being governed and managed, become pertinent to examine. In the Indian
context, it also offers a case of private sector participation in governance. Existing public-private partnership initiatives like the Confederation of Indian-Industry’s- India Business and Biodiversity
Initiative (CII-IBBI) attempt to impact the nitty-gritties of construction. Governance of this sector amounts to by and large voluntary
certification and standards such as CII – India Green BusinessCouncil (IGBC) and The Energy and Resources Institute’s(TERI)
Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment (GRIHA).
On the field, the nature and size of actors in the sector is widely
varied, and reliable region/area/city-wise data on the sector on thewhole in relation to sustainability-supporting characteristics is notavailable. Building this data base in itself would be an importantfirst step in better governance.
Two builders out of ten contacted - a fairly small and niche developer in Bengaluru and a more established market leader in Chennai- came forward to open their operations and processes to thisresearcher’s investigations. The others who were contacted andadvertised ‘sustainability’ on their websites or advertising, declined
to participate, and this is noteworthy in itself.
Capping land use transformation in general requires addressing
the collusion of finance capital and the real estate sector, and thebehind-the-scenes process of land-bank creation within land-scarce
Indian cities that calls for much stronger governance than justencouraging good practices among builders. (Dr Saravanan from
Bonn University, Germany, and formerly of IIT, Madras broachedthis unaddressed topic of ‘Planned Chaos’ in his presentation at the“IGCS Exchange on Beyond Disasters in Chennai” organised in thewake of the December 2015 Chennai floods. His presentation was
based on two decades of research in a Western Indian city). ‘Greenbuildings’ can be only one element of a more comprehensive strategy that has more stringent policies for land transformation,
housing unit size (irrespective of ability to pay) and multiple homeownership.
4) NGOs and citizen-science
The Annual Survey of India’s City Systems (ASICS) 2016, which
examines city systems on the basis of several parameters including‘Urban capacities and resources’ and ‘Transparency, accountability
and participation’, reveals that Indian cities have a long road totravel in relation to internationally achieved standards on these. The
survey, conducted by aBengaluru-based NGO, argues on the basisof findings, that Indian cities need to strengthen their city systems
including quality of laws, policies and institutions to improve
service delivery. The literature on good governance in general advocates greater civic participation to address this issue.
Citizen activism in defence ofthe biodiversity and ecosystem services that need to be protected in urban is visible in pockets. Notable
academics have demonstrated commitment to their scholarly
engagements by matching it with efforts as practitioners and advocates. In Benguluru Harini Nagendra has been instrumental inmobilising neighbourhood watch and lake protection committees,
and Professor Janakarajan has been raising public awareness about
the vanishing water bodies of Chennai for over a decade. A large

number of schools, environmental clubs, volunteer groups and citizens forums do sporadically or more consistently engage with lakeclean-up’s and such.
Institutional structures that do have the mandate to take care of
biodiversity related matters – especially through better SWM andbetter protection of native biodiversity, besides being made moreaware and sensitised to the importance and scope of their role inrelation to biodiversity; need to be helped to partner with key stakeholders like citizens groups, NGOs and private sector, given the
sheer magnitude of their task; and the mismatch between their staff
numbers, capacity and resources of all kinds,and which has not
kept pace with the rapid expansion of urban agglomerations. City
level governance as a key partner for biodiversity governance,
requires reimagining several of the 20th century institutions andtheir manner of working. The greater autonomy, self-reliance anddynamic leadership in city regions like Curitiba and Johannesburg
in other BRICS countries like Brazil and South Africa,that are restructuring governance for greater city-level resilience and sustainable
development are worthy of study and possibly, emulation. In India,
the NGO Indian Institute of Human Settlements (IIHS) has been
empanelled as an agency of MoUD for capacity building under anurban renewal mission scheme launched in June 2015, the Atal
Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) andnew positions such as that of City Resilience Officers are being
created by Rockefeller Foundation’s 100 Resilient Cities Project andpiloted in Surat and Chennai (as recently as July 2017). These meritcareful study for the manner in which they do impact change on the
ground. Accountability as a governance partner needs to be sought
and elicited from these actors too. This seems to be a rather unexamined area in ‘good governance’ literature, and an emerging challenge for developing economies.
Conclusions and Recommendations
On the questions of: What exactly constitutes governance for biodiversity and ecosystem services in the context of Indian mega
cities? Does it effectively steward natures benefits for people andregulate the drivers of biodiversity loss? The following are the key
observations –1. The reality of ‘government’ with regard to the green and blue
spaces of cities is that it is far from being one homogeneous
entity (as the IPBES_CF depicts). It is a composite of entities,some of which are even working at cross purposes with eachother at times. This called for better CEPA (Communication,
Education and Participatory Action) for ULBs in the context
of urban wetlands, where the content itself needs to go
beyond the ‘why’ of conservation, to the ‘how’ that straddles
political-economy considerations and technical know-how.
2. Conservation and sustainable-use related legislation faces
uneven levels of appreciation and adherence from withingovernment departments. Scientific and research organisations working to further the mandates of environmental protection seem more successful, even if their scale of influenceand impact is limited, as an aspect of ‘government’ withregard to environmental stewardship.
3. Built environment as a driver of biodiversity loss needs amore comprehensive strategy to address. ‘Green buildings’
can be only one element of such a strategy that has more
stringent policies for land transformation, housing unit size
(irrespective of ability to pay) and multiple home ownership.
4. Accountability as a governance partner needs to be
demanded of NGOs too. This seems to be a rather unexamined area in ‘good governance’ literature, and is an emerging
challenge for developing economies for which more sharingof contextually-relevant (such as from other BRICS or South
Asian countries, for India) experiences and success stories
could be of help.
It is heartening that ‘Wetlands for Sustainable Urban Futures’ hasbeen chosen as the theme for next years’ Asian Wetland Symposium. It would hopefully serve to draw technical and financial assistance to the issues that this paper has attempted to highlight.
References
Available on request. Email the author at sandhya.chandrasekharan@gmail.com

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Session 4: Urban Wetlands / Wetland City / Natural Infrastructure

Making a Wooden Footbridge Connecting Nature and People
in an Artificial Wetland
Akihiko Higuchi1, Kazuhiko Ito2
1

Kyushu University, 2 TOKEN C. E. E. Consultants Co., Ltd.

The purpose of this paper is to report the epoch-making
process of realizing a twenty-five-meter-long wooden footbridge in Karatsu, Japan as a spatial and psychological connecter of Downtown Karatsu and Nishinohama, one thousand
meter-long artificial coast.
The bridge is also unique as one of the first examples of
newly introduced funding system that is structured by citizen’s contribution, municipal funding, and direct financial
support from the national government.
Originally, the footbridge was planed and proposed by
Karatsu Minatomachidukuri Konwakai, a local community
group that had been active in the past decade to promote revitalizing Karatsu’s waterfront. The organization argued that the
footbridge would dramatically improve citizen’s access to theartificial coast.
Many local citizens and organizations granted the value ofthe proposal, and donated about two million yen, one third of
the estimated total cost of the construction of the footbridge.
Another feature of this project is that the bridge construction was mostly done by local citizens rather than by subcontracting construction firms. A design team that includes theauthors and a local wood structure specialist carefully
designed the bridge in order that amateur weekend carpenters could assemble the bridge easily on the site with saws
and drills from their garages.
Regional forest were chosen for structural lumbers of thebridge from an ecological point of view. Sugi has been used
as a major shipbuilding material in Japan for its strong andflexible nature. In this regard, the bridge is a green infrastructure that is friendly to the natural environment. To enhancethe durability, a latest preservative treatment that was harmless to the nature was applied on lumbers.
Historically, numbers of social infrastructures, such as
bridges, ports and canals have been built by funding out fromlocal citizens’ pockets and their direct participation in the construction process, particularly in Edo period in Japan. Thiskind of civic contribution was called “Fushin” in Japanese. Karatsu’s footbridge could be regarded as a revival of
the Fushin concept in the 21st century.
The revival of Fushin concept in Karatsu is an irony to thecontemporary society that tends to believe that the social
infrastructure is supposed to be built and managed by thegovernment alone and the society has no responsibility on it.
It is also an alternative approach of vitalizing urban wetlandthat aids the local government that has been suffering fromserious financial difficulty in managing urban wetland due tothe long-lasting recession in Japan.
Thanks to the footbridge, the access to the coast is dramatically improved, and numbers of local citizens visit the precious coast through the bridge and enjoy experiencing thenature throughout the year. The city is now in charge of themaintenance work of the bridge. However, because of thelong life of the lumber, required maintenance work is very
limited. In addition, the simple shape and the texture of thebridge made of local Sugi lumbers fit well as a green infrastructure to the existing originally artificial but now ecologically natural wetland environment.
The authors and the volunteers who participated in assem-

bling the wooden bridge wish that the bridge will be loved
and supported by the local community for a long time.
Fig.1 Waterfront of Karatsu

Fig.2 Project site

Fig.3 Existing condition of the project sit

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Fig.4 Sugi trees near Karatsu downtown

Fig.5 Citizens building the wooden bridge

Fig.6 The completed wooden bridge

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Session 4: Urban Wetlands / Wetland City / Natural Infrastructure

Conservation of Karang Mumus River and Swamps in North Samarinda:
Efforts by “Clean Karang Mumus River Movement”
and Stakeholders’ Responses
Martinus Nanang
Department of Social Development, Mulawarman University
Background
Samarinda, one of the major cities of East Kalimantan Province in Indonesia, is located in lowland area. Its low altitudeand very high annual rainfall contribute to the frequent flooding every year; many are massive in scale. One of the main
factors contributing to the flooding is the reduction in the size
and number of river swamps in and around the city, mostly
due to conversion for housing areas. Karang Mumus River,which flows across the city and is badly degraded, urgently
needs to be restored and conserved along with the remaining
swampy areas as a part of the river ecosystem. The conservation is important as an effort to protect the riverine ecosystemand biodiversity, promote healthy environment and hopefully
better livelihood for local residents (e.g. ecotourism, production of rice and other wetland vegetation), and prevent the cityfrom further escalation of the environmental disaster.
It is a movement named Gerakan Memungut Sehelai
Sampah Sungai Karang Mumus (GMSS-SKM, literally Movement for Collecting a Piece of Garbage from Karang Mumus
River) that has initiated a civil society movement to clean the
Karang Mumus River and to restore and conserve the riverand its surroundings (river space). GMSS-SKM operates an
education center called Sekolah Sungai Karang Mumus (SeSuKaMu) or Karang Mumus River School. The movement projected and is struggling to get an area as large as 10 hectaresin the northern part of the city, the size it believes to be aminimum level necessary to be conserved for the benefit of
the entire city. The movement so far enjoys limited (yetgrowing) support from concerned academia and university
students and from the limited number of concerned city government officials as well as local residents. It continues to bevery active despite limitation and challenges it encounters.
Then the question is: How can the movement survive? How
can it achieve the conservation goals?
My presentation explores the GMSS-SKM perspective,
strategy and action and responses from related stakeholders
to its effort to restored and conserve the river and related surrounding swamps. To put it in a more operational way the particular objectives of the presentation were formulated asfollows: (1) To identify the scale of the river degradation as
perceived by GMSS-SKM. (2) To analyze the values perspective of GMSS-SKM vis-a-vis the government; (3) To describe
the strategy and action of GMSS-SKM, and how it interacts
with local authorities, academia, and local residents. (4) To
assess and analyze the main challenges of the effort to conserve the river and related swamps.

mining concessions.
It has frequent occasions of flooding. A heavy rain of 30
minutes is enough to create a chaotic traffic situation due tofloods.

Overview of Samarinda City
Samarinda is the capital city of East Kalimantan Province,
located at the bank of the giant Mahakam River. It has a low
altitude of 6 meters above sea level and many swampy areas.
Total population was 812.597 in 2015 with growth rate of
1,96%. The population is multi-ethnic and multi-religious. The
city is also the economic, education, and political center for
Eastern Kalimantan (covering the both East Kalimantan andNorth Kalimantan provinces). Economy relies on natural
resources (mostly coal mining); 70% of city area belong toEnvironmental value of the Government
Based on limited observation I got to know that the government (at least limited number of officials) appears to havemore teleological-instrumental view of nature. This view
values nature for its usefulness for human beings or that the
purpose of nature is for human benefit. Hence it is also calledutilitarian view, which holds that care about nature is tosupport egocentric interests of human beings. The government also has technocratic view of nature, a view that technology can solve ecological problems.

Research site [see map, figure 1]
The research took place along the working area of GMSSSKM, that is, about 15 km of the 34,7 km long Karang Mumus
river. It includes downtown and suburban areas. Such condition implies certain constraints to the restoration and conservation of the river ecosystem.
River and Swamps Degradation
Thousands of houses invade the river bed and riverine zone
for hundreds of years and new building continue to emerge.
Tons of various kinds of trash are disposed into the river(directly or indirectly). These include plastics, wood, leaves,grass, animal waste, animal internal organs, household trash,
dan many more. Huge loss of swamplands around the river
because they are claimed and filled with soil to build newhouses. Water contamination reaches level 4 which means it is
not safe for consumption. Ironically, however, raw material forcity water supply is taken from the river. Loss of river swamps
contributes to flooding to the entire area around the river.
Environmental value of GMSS-SKM
Value is an idea about what is good. Based on my interviews I believe that the GMSS-SKM movement holds a naturalist or eco-centric ide or view of nature. Naturalists believethat nature (here river ecosystem) has intrinsic values. Nature
is seen as a complex whole, where community of organisms
and its environment function as an ecological unit. Such unit
is called ecosystem. This is the view of deep ecology as coined
by Arne Naess in 1973.
Practical Implications of eco-centric values
For the movement naturalist view is a driver to oppose thebuilding of retaining wall along the river as retaining wallchanges river into a mere canal. They also oppose the planting
of non-endemic trees and plants along the river. To preventthe river from complete loss of its ecosystem, a special conservation zone is required (at least 10 ha, they sai d). For religiously faithful people, said the movement leader, being
religious should mean respect to such kind of nature. This isindeed is a critique of very religious minded population who
in fact have little care about the (riverine) environment.

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Practical Implications of teleological-instrumental view
Although it may not be the only reason, teleological-instrumental view of nature is believed to be a reason for why the
local government has shown very little care about the river
ecosystem. No comprehensive policy and strategy have been
issued, including delineation of river ecosystem. No serious
effort to stop claim of lands and swamplands around the river.
Building of retaining walls is an evidence of technocratic solution. So is the dredging the river as a solution to floods.
Strategy of GMSS-SKM
GMSS-SKM’s ultimate goal is the change in city population’s ecological views, that is, to be more ecologically oriented if not fully naturalist. Such change is beneficial for theentire city and can support restoration/ conservation of otherrivers and swamps as well. Immediate goal is restoration of
Karang Mumus River and swamps. Ecosystem Approach isthe framework for its action.

Final Remarks
A huge challenge lies ahead of the effort to restore and conserve Karang Mumus river ecosystem since it is already sobadly degraded. Views of the government and the mass which
are not environmental friendly need to be changed and it is
not easy to make such change.
Legal and authoritative support from the government isnecessary to achieve the restoration and conservation goal.
More involvement of local residents needs to be more actively
encouraged and facilitated.
As an effort to support the movement, my research will be
continued in order to gain more comprehensive understanding about socio-cultural factors accountable for people’s
behavior toward the river and its environment.

Figure 1. Map

River ecosystem [see Figure 3].
Restoring river ecosystem means:
Stop claim of land in and around the river. Stop building
new houses/building. Relocate residences in and near river
bed. They need 10 km2 area in North Samarinda as conservation zone.
Challenges to Ecosystem Approach
Physically the river ecosystem has been mostly occupied byhumans. Lack of support from the government. Social engineering: how take local residents to participate in the movement. Government’s view of river restoration is different fromthat of GMSS-SKM. The government prefers to constructretaining walls along the river.
Action
Early actions were considered crazy and futile by local residents. Misman (the leader and initiator) and friends started topick up trash from the river about 2 years ago. Yet the action
continues and receives growing recognition. A landmark
activity of the movement is “Sekolah Sungai Karang Mumus”(SeSuKaMu) or Karang Mumus River School. It is an informal
place to educate and disseminate view and knowledge about
river restoration and river ecosystem conservation. Many students and other stakeholders involved. Campaigning using
media and social media is also undertaken. Groups of school
and university students The school also manages a nursery ofendemic river vegetation to be planted along the river (even in
individual’s private land).
Participation of Stakeholders
Support from the public is growing: every week there aregroups of people (mostly students) either attend the riverschool or collect trash from the river. Coordinated support
from the government is considered insufficient. Very low levelof support from direct users (local residents) of the river:those who live in houses along the river.
Government Support
So far the movement enjoys personal support from the provincial Governor & City Mayor and other individual government officials. It gets also some support from Balai Besar
Wilayah Sungai Eastern Kalimantan, a government bodyaccountable for river issues. However, there is a lack of coordinated and strategic support as well as inadequate policy.
Some government officials even build rent house along theriver bank.

Figure 2. Retaining wall (photo)

Figure 3. River ecosystem

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Session 4: Urban Wetlands / Wetland City / Natural Infrastructure

Horseshoe Crab Habitat Conservation andCoastal Zone Management in Japan
Satoquo Seino
Ecological Engineering Laboratory, Department of Urban and Environmental Engineering,
Graduate School of Engineering, Kyushu University
Introduction
The Horseshoe Crab (HSC) in Japan (Tachypleus tridentatus) was designated an endangered species in the 1990s. After
World War II, recovery and economic growth pushed largescale coastal development including reclamation and dredging, inducing water and substrate pollution and habitat loss.
HSC habitat shrank to the western edge of its original extent,
and is now limited to northern Kyushu.
Interests of researchers have changed. Small beaches asspawning sites were examined. Micro conditions of spawningand embryo development were observed and measured.
Next, beach material grain size and distribution were examined.
Conditions in Moriye Bay, Oita included coarse sand (d50:
about 0.7mm) and lower silt and clay ratios (about 3%), which
ensures enough water circulation around eggs and embryoswith tidal changes.
Beach nourishment has been the standard method torestore sandy beach spawning sites, but it proved unsustainable due to erosion and siltation on restored beaches.
Beach morphology and sand transport and sedimentation
dynamism were re-examined.
Coastal engineering studies revealed the responses ofsandy beach development, and the knowledge was utilized forrestoration.
Beach nourishment without predictions of littoral sand flow
tended to fail.
Continual supply and adequate natural sand sieving are
essential to maintain sandy beaches. Specialists realized thatinvolving enough space to allow influences from waves, currents and other natural external forces is very effective formaintaining sand dynamism.
Awareness of zonation of the coastal zone was keen in thelate 1990s, because by 1993, about half of Japanese coasts
had become affected by artificial structures. The methodology
and philosophy of Japanese coastal public works were criticized by the public, especially naturalists and surfers.
Japanese land use policy was organized to protect the physical line of beaches from erosion and severe outer forces liketyphoons. Under the first version of the Seacoast Act, landscape and ecosystems were almost completely ignored. But
in 1999, this act was amended to open the door to nature conservation and public participation.
Furthermore, recognition of the importance of topographical continuity from sandy beaches to tidal flats to offshore
areas in HSC life history became shared among related sectors
and persons. Awareness expansion from point to line to plane
was popularized. This evolution of conservation methodology
migrated into coastal zone management perspectives.
Beach erosion was worsening and became a pressing
problem. Preservation of sandy beach topography demands
sufficient, continual supplies of sand flowing from the mountains and moving as littoral drift at the shore. Dams and weirs
disturb sand flow. Dredging river beds and coastal zones
induces erosion. HSC spawning beaches also suffer fromthese problems. Thus, not only coastal but watershed management became a hot issue.
Comprehensive sediment management was introduced tosectioned-off administrations.
HSC habitat conservation started with only small-scale
beach conditions, but evolved to acquire large-scale and longterm viewpoints which were understood conceptually andpromoted step-by-step.
If habitats for all stages of HSC life history are conserved,
coastal disasters may be lessened. Coastal geomorphology
like tidal flats and foreset slopes are known to have natural
disaster prevention functions.
HSC habitats are important buffer zones. Thus, in reconsidering coastal matters in the wake of tsunami damage HSC
habitat conservation can symbolize integrated coastal management, especially land use.
Conclusion
Ecological Restoration and Disaster Risk Reduction
SET BACK + Land Use Reconsideration demarcating theboundary of the protected zone to conserve the natural sandbar and salt marsh.
Dynamic SAND Management is necessary.
Ecosystem at the coast and river mouth must be respected.
• Consensus Building
with farming, industry...
Multi-sectoral Participation.
Acknowledgement
This study has been supported by Kyushu Regional Bureau- MILIT, Environment Study Promotion Fund S-13 - MOE, River
Improvement Fund. Field studies and researches are assisted
by Oita Prefecture, Kitsuki City, Fukuoka City and Imazu community. Many HSC colleague specialists, naturalists and students are collaborators.
References:
1) S.SEINO, T.UDA, Y.TSUCHIYA and K.TSUCHIYA (2004) Conservation history ofhorseshoe crab Tachypleus tridentatus and its spawning ground: a designated natural monument in Kasaoka Bay in Okayama Prefecture, Asian andPacific Coasts 2003,Proc. 2nd International Conf., paper 130, pp. 1-14
2) M.ISHIKAWA, S.SEINO and H. TOMIDA (2013) Improvement of a Horseshoe
Crab Spawning Site, Proceedings of the Global Congress on ICM: Lessons
Learned to Address New Challenges, Turkey, E. Özhan (Editor), Volume 1,
pp569-579.
3) N.FURUTA and S.SEINO (2016) Progress and Gaps in Eco-DRR Policy and
Implementation After the Great East Japan Earthquake, in Ecosystem-Based
Disaster Risk Reduction and Adaptation in Practice, Springer, pp.295-313.
4) S.SEINO, M.AIZU and K.YAMAUCHI (2017) Development Process of Local
Community Activities Focusing on Horseshoe Crab in Imazu Tidal Flat inFukuoka, Environmental System Research, Vol.27, pp.20-25

97

Session 4: Urban Wetlands / Wetland City / Natural Infrastructure

Urban Wetlands and Mosquito Born Disease Problem
in Chiang Mai, Thailand
Panida Rahong1, Chotiwut Techakijvej1, Nattawut Sareein2,
Yoen Jae Bae2 and Chitchol Phalaraksh1,3*2

1Environmental Science Program, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University Thailand
Division of Environmental Science and Ecological Engineering, College of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Korea University, Korea
3
Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Thailand* Corresponding author, E-mail: chitcholp@gmail.com

ABSTRACTSix observation sites were divided into 3 groups of habitats
include natural wetlands with low disturb areas, natural wetlands with high disturb and manmade wetland. Those habitats
were recorded water physicochemical data, habitat data, andpredator-prey data. Then, all of data were calculated the correlations between mosquito larva and other factors. The relation
between predator and mosquito in natural wetlands wereanalyzed. For the result Culex quinquefasciatus was the mostcommon species that found in manmade wetlands. Numberof mosquito data were given the negative correlation with dissolved oxygen and habitat quality score. In the natural wetlandwith low disturb, high diversity of predator and low number ofmosquito were found. But the result was different from thepredator and prey in natural wetlands with high disturb. Low
number of predator, Low diversity and high number of mosquito larva were found in high disturb and manmade wetland.
The predator that we found were classified in to two group 1)
Dissolved oxygen demand predator such as fish, dragonfly
larva (Odonata), diving beetle larva (Dytistidae), water scavenger beetles larva (Hydrophilidae) 2) Low dissolved oxygen
predator such as diving beetle (Dytistidae), water scavenger
beetles (Hydrophilidae), elephant mosquito (Toxorynchytessp.), Lutzia sp. mosquito. In addition, high water velocity fromrain storm was effected on the population of mosquito larva.

analyzing public health concerns (Cholera and Pellagra)
during an infectious disease era. They both recognized howsocial and biological changes could both interact to lead todisease. It is quite apparent that the identification of risk
factors will not be sufficient for epidemiologists to confront
some of the most pressing public health challenges of ourtime, such as those emanating from the HIV - AIDS pandemic,
social inequalities, and movements of and changes in populations (Bungum, 2005).
In Thailand, Ecology, habitat and natural enemies of mosquito were few studied. The city expansion and urbanization
plan were less concerning about the water and the disease. In
this work, the ecology of mosquito was studied in term of
their habitat, there enemies and the overpopulation problem
of mosquito. There are many small wetland, freshwater Lakes,
ponds, retention areas and paddy field in Chiang Mai, Thailand. After finished the research, Public education will be used
to promote the management wetland and natural enemy
method to reduced mosquito in sustainable way.

INTRODUCTION
Water is the most important resource for every living things.
On the other hands, water is the one of problem on human life
such as flood, storm, low quality of water and disease thatcoming with water. Mosquito borne disease also comes withwater also. Anthropogenic environmental alterations, urbanization, global warming and habitat change that lead to mosquito outbreak and may be contributing to the spread ofvector-borne diseases. Mosquito is one of the famous insects
group in the order Diptera. Over 3,520 mosquito species thatrecognized in the world and 459 species in Thailand (Rattanarithikul et al.,2011) Many species of mosquito were transmitted
serious disease-causing viruses or parasites.
Synthetic chemical insecticides were the main strategies forcontrol mosquito. However, insecticide resistance to chemical
insecticides is rising. Successful strategies to control mosquito borne disease require ecological dimensions of vector-borne disease research. The understanding of habitats,ecological role and mosquito position in food web should be
study. The relationship between predator and prey is an
important factor to be investigated in the relatively new fieldof eco-epidemiology, which includes aspects of both ecology
and epidemiology, the study of how diseases spread (Augeret al., 2009) eco-epidemiology is the conceptual approachcombining molecular, societal and population-based aspects
to study a health-related problem. John Snow and Joseph
Goldberger tried to use the eco - epidemiological thought inFigure1: A(green) natural wetland low disturbed, B(yellow) natural wetland with highdisturbed and C(red) man made wetland.

OBJECTIVE
To investigated the relation between the urbanization andmosquito outbreak in Chiang Mai city. The mosquito’s habitat
quality, number of mosquito and number of their predator
were evaluated.

METHODOLOGY
Study site
Six observation site around Chiang Mai city were chosenbase on fresh water habitat applied from Williams and Feltmate 1994. 1 natural canal and 1 natural pond were represented natural wetland with low disturb, 1 polluted natural
canal and 1 natural canal had been blocked by rod were represented natural canal with high disturbed and 2 concrete canalwere represented manmade canal (Figure 1)

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Data and sampling method
Samples were collected in dry season before the first rainconning in Chiang Mai (18th-19th May 2017). The physicochemical parameters including water temperature and pH
were measured using handheld CONSORT C933 equipment.
Dissolved oxygen (DO) was measured by the DO meter
EUTECH DO6+. Hydraulic characteristic, water depth andwater velocity were measured by measuring tape and velocity
meter respectively. Riparian and habitat characteristic (stream
bed, aquatic plant, deposits and stream bank) were scoredfollow by The National Institute of Water and AtmosphericResearch (NIWA) New Zealand (Biggs et al.,2002). Macroinvertebrates were collected by kick and pick method (Plafkin etal., 1989) from several habitats of each sampling site. Samples
were preserved in 70% ethanol prior to transport to laboratory. After the cleaning and sorting process, macroinvertebrate samples were identified to family level understereomicroscope.
Analysis
The environment data were used to calculate Habitat scorethat applied from NIWA organization New Zealand and collected DO value in each site. The macroinvertebrate and othermosquito predator were collected in qualitative sampling
method. Macroinvertebrate were identified and No. of individual predator and mosquito were count. Graph were plotted for
estimated the relative between each data.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
The highest habitat score were found in the low disturb
natural wetland, and lower in high natural wetland (Table 1)
because low disturb area covered by the riparian plant andaquatic plant that treated water and be the suitable habitat foraquatic organism. In the same result as Dosskey et al., 2010
research show the role of plant in term of chemical uptake,prevent erosion and increase water movement.
Table 1: The habitat score and biological data of each sampling site
site

Habitat Score
DO (mg/L)(NIWA)

Numberof family

predator(Individual)

Mosquito(Individual)

G1

34

6.2

15

12

0

G2

19

5.8

13

7

3

Y1

6

1.8

9

4

10

Y2

-12

0.2

4

1

6

R1

-12

0

2

1

12

R2

-15

3.6

4

3

23

Moreover the number of individual mosquito larva were
negative correlation between habitat score, dissolved oxygen(DO), Number of macroinvertebrate family and number of
predator. (Figure 2).
Figure 2: Habitat score compare with number of family, individual mosquito predator
and Individual mosquito larva

Figure 3: Mosquito predator that found in sampling area

From the correlation result was show the same direction of
the Dida et al., 2015 study that study about Presence and distribution of mosquito larvae predators and factors influencing
their abundance along the Mara River, Kenya and Tanzania.
Main factor that influence mosquito larva was dissolved
oxygen, water temperature, turbidity and their predator.
Therefore the mosquito predators were found in the samplingarea that has some characteristic for living in the same habitatof mosquito (Shaalan and Canyon, 2009)(Figure 3).
When the government sector open the water gate thenumber of mosquito were decreased as the same experimentof Greenway et al., in 2003 that investigated the mosquito
elimination method by using the water flowing type. Water
flow increased dissolved oxygen and improving water quality,
vegetation and aquatic organism community.
CONCLUSION
The highest number of mosquito larva was found inmanmade canals with high disturb. In this area should
increase dissolved oxygen in water, improving vegetation ofsetting stream restoration plan for sustainable management
and setting suitable area for mosquito natural enemies.
REFERENCES
Auger, P. et al. (2009). Effects of a disease affecting a predator on the dynamics
of a predator-prey system. Journal of Theoretical Biology 258 (3): 344-351.
Biggs, B.J.F., Kilroy, C., Mulcock, C.M.,Scarsbrook, M.R., Ogilvie, S.C. 2002:New
Zealand Stream Health Monitoring and Assessment Kit. Stream Monitoring
Manual. Version 2K – A tool for Kaitiaki. NIWA Technical Report 111-1. 190 p.
Bungum, Timothy J. “The Contributions of Two Public Health Pioneers: John
Snow and Joseph Goldberger,” Nevada Journal of Public Health.
2005;2(1),Article 3
Dida G.O, Gelder F.B, Anyona D.N, Abuom P.O, Onyuka J.O, Matano A.S, Adoka
S.O, Kanangire C.K, Owuor P.O, Ouma C, Ofulla A.V. Presence and distributionof mosquito larvae predators and factors influencing their abundance along
the Mara River, Kenya and Tanzania; Springerplus. 2015;20(4):136.
Dosskey, Michael G., Philippe Vidon, Noel P. Gurwick, Craig J. Allan, Tim P.
Duval, and Richard Lowrance, The Role of Riparian Vegetation in Protecting
and Improving Chemical Water Quality in Streams. Journal of the American
Water Resources Association (JAWRA) 2010. 1-18.
Greenway M1, Dale P, Chapman H. An assessment of mosquito breeding andcontrol in four surface flow wetlands in tropical-subtropical Australia.;Water
Sci Technol. 2003;48(5):249-56.
Plafkin, J.L., Barbour, M.T., Porter, K.D., Gross, S.K. and Hughes, R.M. 1989.
Rapid bioassessment protocols for use in streams and rivers: Benthic
macroinvertebrates and fish. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office ofWater Regulations and Standards, Washington, D.C. EPA 440-4-89-001.
Rattanarithikul R, Harbach RE, Harrison BA, Panthusiri P, Coleman RE, et al.
(2011) Illustrated keys to the mosquitoes of Thailand. VI. Tribe Aedini.
Southeast Asian J Trop Med Public Health 41 Suppl 1: 1–225.
Shaalan E.A, Canyon D.V. Aquatic insect predators and mosquito control. Trop
Biomed. 2009 Dec;26(3):223-61.
Williams, D.D.; Feltmate, B.W. Aquatic Insect; CAB International: Wallingford,
Oxford, UK, 1994;358.

99

Session 4: Urban Wetlands / Wetland City / Natural Infrastructure

Wetland Services for Elementary Urban Planning:
Perspective from Bangladesh
Abu Jubayer1, Md. Sanowar Hossain2 and Md. Badrul Alam3
Environmental Specialist, Local Government and Engineering Department (LGED), Dhaka, Bangladesh. Email: jubayer.buet.bd@gmail.com,
2
President, Bangladesh POUSH, 3Core Team Member, CCECR, Stamford University Bangladesh (SUB)

1

Abstract:
Municipal areas in Bangladesh are dependent on thewetland beyond their city limits, but also get benefit frominternal urban wetlands. Major planning of a municipal area isdepends on better drainage management plan. This paper isfocused on the benefits of wetlands in context of drainage
management and impact analysis of mismanagement ofurban wetlands. In context of Bangladesh major types of
wetland around the municipality are rivers, oxbow lakes, deadhand of river called beel, canal (manmade and natural), pond
and some large ditches are common. Due to the detail analysis 13 economically important municipal areas were selected.
Field visit with GPS tools, FGD and KII method were used for
scrutiny analysis of wetlands in the selected areas. The regularexercise of wetland benefits are attentive to manage consistent rain water surface runoff, storm water management,
drainage (primary, secondary and tertiary) management, continuous city household water supply as well as recreational
services. Demerits of wetland mismanagement includes water
logging (permanent and seasonal), environmental disruption,
draw down of ground water table in dry period, disruption ofhousehold water supply systems, seasonal economic losses
and recreational mega damages. The basic hindrance towetland conservation and management are focused likeillegal encroachments, city extension, unplanned city migration and lack of awareness are prime concerns. Like as drainage system continuation, fishing, grazing and other services
along with addressing the importance of wetland in urban
areas. By managing urban wetlands more important issues
are to resolve the water logging (seasonal and permanent)
program, urban household water supply, steady ground water
recharge and waste water passing as well as treatment arecommon every municipal area. On the other hand raising the
public awareness by co-management practices by different
stakeholder, monthly, half yearly and yearly campaign
program and institutional like school, college, university, local
government and NGO level program is effective for sustainability. Other local government initiatives kind of law enforcement and systematic announcement can plan a significant
role for wetland service continuity. Most of the KII interviewee(70%) result reflect that they need a wetland management
master plan according to national and international context
and rest of (30%) have large water bodies and they don’t haveany problem to manage urban services at present. It isrevealed that the locally generated wetland services have asubstantial impact on the quality-of-life in urban areas andshould be addressed in land-use planning.
Key Words: Urban Planning, Urban Wetlands, Land Use,
Municipal, Services
Introduction:
Urban wetlands are aquatic ecosystems with plants, animals
and soils that are adapted to wet conditions which often
require and can survive permanent or periodic inundation.
Water in wetlands can be still or flowing; it can be fresh, salty
or brackish. Wetlands do not have to be continuously wet;many wetlands in Bangladesh urban areas are remain dry for
years at a time. (Thompson and Balasinorwala, 2010). Municipal areas in Bangladesh are dependent on the wetland beyond

their city limits, but also get benefit from internal urban wetlands (Bolund and Hunhammar, 1999). But even if humanity is
increasingly urban, we are still as dependent on Nature as
before. Cities are, for example, dependent on the large hinterlands needed to provide input and take care of output fromthe city (Folke et al., 1997). Major planning of a municipal area
is depends on better drainage management plan. A majorityof the people of Bangladesh are critically dependent on wetlands. Policies, strategies, and management plans for sustainable use and conservation of wetlands of Bangladesh
must be based on solid knowledge and understanding of theirecological and socioeconomic functions and processes(Byomkesh et.al., 2008).
Study Area
In Bangladesh 322 number of municipal areas are locatedand some are economically significant. Due to the detail analysis 13 economically important municipal areas (Benapole,Bera, Charghat, Chuadanda, Chatak, Ishwardi, Joypurhat,
Kishorgong, Magura, Muktagaccha, Nilphamary, Nougaon
and Shahjadpur) in Bangladesh were selected. Different types
of wetland are playing important role and these areas arelocated with different districts in Bangladesh.
Methodology
Field visit with GPS tools, FGD and KII method were used
for scrutiny analysis of wetlands in the selected areas.
Direct Service of Urban Wetlands
Urban and peri-urban wetlands in Bangladesh provide avariety of benefits and services to the municipal. Most attractive services are classified into some portions like,
Ecological Services indicates to provide territory for plants
and animals, wetlands and associated vegetation can provide
a cooling effect to surrounding areas in summer and also
moderate strong winds. Near the wetlands vegetated areas
contribute to solving massive evaporation problem in several
ways. The soft ground of vegetated areas allows water to seepthrough and the vegetation takes up water and releases it into
the air through evapotranspiration.
Urban environmental services specifies wetlands provide
water storage, improve water quality and reduce pollution.
The regular exercise of wetland management benefits areattentive to manage regular rain water surface runoff, storm
water management, drainage (primary, secondary and tertiary) management.
Hazard management service insists of Wetlands also defend
against natural hazards, slowing floodwaters, decreasing therisk of fire and protecting against erosion of river banks andcoastlines.
Urban services, the built-up structure, with concrete andtarmac covering the ground, results in alterations of waterflow compared to an equivalent rural catchment. A higher
quantity of rainfall becomes surface-water run-off which
results in increased peak flood discharges and degraded water
quality through the pick-up of e.g. urban street pollutants(Haughton and Hunter, 1994). The impervious surfaces andhigh extraction of water cause the groundwater level of many
cities to decrease.

100
Aesthetic Services follows wetlands can also contribute to thewell-being of the civic by acting as urban green spaces which
provide aesthetic charm, landscape diversity and entertaining
prospects. They can also support to cultural heritage, spiritualvalues and day-to-day living of Native peoples. Additionally,
wetlands provide certainly accessible educational opportunities to learn about the environment.
Potential impacts of urban development on wetlands
Development in a developing country is must. Bangladesh
faces a rapid development in the last 20 years. Economic
growth is high in village, urban and peri-urban areas. The lossof wetlands are visible and their direct as well as indirect
impact suffers everyone. Major direct impact follows different
risks for human and nature.
Direct biodiversity habitat loss occurs from development ofroad, drainage systems, building, market and other unplanned
urbanizations. In addition land reclamation, roads, in-stream
dredging, etc also causing the direct loss of habitat of different
natural species. Due to the introduction of exotic species
weeds, pests, cultural fishes and domestic pets natural biodiversity is interrupted in a large range. Now-a-days the local
fish species are very rare and some of them extinct or red list.
Natural birds were available in the areas however now they
are not present at that level and some other change their areas
or extinct noticed by the local people.
Interrupting water cycle different types of altered water
regime (from dams/barriers, stream redirection, hard surfacing, water extraction, etc effect the regular water cycle for thewetland around the urban areas.
Pollution increasing indicates many types of wastes are
dumped in to the wetland directly. Like as every selectedurban areas have no solid waste management system andthey dump the solid waste of total areas into the wetland
directly. From garbage, sewage, oil and chemical spills, pesticides, airborne toxins, etc increasing the water pollution,
ground water pollution, odor pollution and ultimate environmental disruption ultimately.
Ecosystem modifications affected altered flood Inundation
occurs in some parts of the Pourashava due to localized stormthat is affecting the drainage system of the Pourashava andcreating a worse environment for the residents living in thoseareas.
Economic indirect loss demonstrate natural soil nutrients,
loss of natural water reservoirs and of their resultant benefits,
increase in the occurrence of flooding and degeneration of
wetland based ecosystems, occupations, socio-economic
institutions and cultures.
Urban lifestyle impact shows demerits of wetland mismanagement includes water logging (permanent and seasonal),
environmental disruption, seasonal economic losses and recreational mega damages. Urban wetland are threatened by
the process of increasing the density of buildings for urbanlife style radical changes.
Major Causes for Wetland Mismanagement
Causes from different development angle are the basic
barrier for wetland management system in Bangladesh. Major
sources shows from study view is represents
Illegal encroachments of wetlands from multi-level stakeholder like government, private, local people and others.
City extension for living, market development, institutional
expansions and other activities
Unplanned city migration for better living, job opportunity,
educational opportunity, natural hazards and modern township trends.
Industrial Impact also contain major causes for wetland man-agement. Their waste management and waste water is directly
involved with the wetland. So they are more powerful and use
wetlands for own business.
Lack of awareness among all level users of wetlands are thebasic hindrance to wetland conservation and management.
Different types of master plan like drainage master plan andurban master plan are under planning, however there is no
more wetland master plan is present in these municipal areas.
Most of the KII interviewee (70%) result reflect that they needa wetland management master plan according to national andinternational context and rest of (30%) have large water bodies
and they don’t have any problem to manage urban services atpresent.
Way-out to decision-makers
The following principles are recommended for decision-makers developing policies and planning for urban andperi-urban development that may impact on wetlands:•M aintain wetlands and the range of services they provide
as vital elements of the supporting infrastructure of towns
and cities.
•P romote the wise use of wetlands as a means of reachingsustainable urban and peri-urban communities.
•W here possible, avoid more degradation or loss of wetlands as a result of urban development or mitigate theimpacts. Any residual impacts should be suitably compensated for by balances such as wetland restoration.
• Co-management including traditional owners, in urban
and peri-urban spatial planning and wetland management
decisions. A co-management committee can perform into
the community and decision making procedures.
•C onsider the role of wetlands when planning urban protection from extreme events (such as fires and floods)
which are expected to increase under climate change scenarios.
Consideration for planners and developers
The following practical measures are recommended forurban developers and wetland managers:•P reserve wetlands – where possible, urban development
should avoid abolishing or degrading wetlands throughdrainage, infill, water diversion, pollution or the introduction of invasive species.
•R estore and build wetlands – wetlands should be restored
and/or created within urban areas as part of water management infrastructure. Ramsar Convention guidanceindicates that restoring existing wetlands should be prioritized ahead of creating new wetlands. However, constructed wetlands also play an important and valuable rolein water sensitive urban design.
•E mbrace the value of wetlands – the costs of wetland loss
and degradation and the value wetlands can add should
be taken into account when considering urban and infrastructure development.
•E ducate the community – interpretive materials and education programs can help ensure community understanding of the role of wetlands and their values for the wider
community.
•E ngage stakeholders – decisions on urban planning andwetland management should involve local communities,
including Indigenous people.
•U ndertake integrated planning – Urban wetland management should be integrated into the wider elements ofurban spatial planning and development and water
resource management expert. Urban development should
avoid wetland loss or incorporate spatial zoning to protect
wetland resources. Urban planning should explicitly

101
include wetlands as natural infrastructure for nature conservation, landscape planning and water management(storm water management, water supply and water treatment).
•D istinguish and address health and safety issues – wetlands can be associated with mosquito-borne diseases
and can pose a drowning risk to children. These issues
need to be addressed on a case by case basis. Natural wetlands near urban areas may require specific management
to reduce numbers of mosquitoes. Proper wetland management can be designed and managed to minimize mosquito populations.
Concluding Remarks
Urbanization and technological advancement has fostered
the conception of an urban society that is gradually disconnected and independent from wetlands. By understanding thevalue of wetlands, demarking the important wetland in urban
areas, raising the public awareness and better local government initiatives can input into wetlands and urban planning. It
is revealed that the locally generated wetland services have asubstantial impact on the quality-of-life in urban areas andshould be addressed in land-use planning.
References:
Bolund P a, Hunhammar S, (1999), Ecosystem services in urban areas, Ecological
Economics 29, 293–301, Elsiver.
Byomkesh T, Nakagoshi N, Shahedur R. M, (2008), State and management of
wetlands in Bangladesh, Landscape and Ecological Engineering, Springer.
Folke, C., Jansson, A., Larsson, J., Costanza, R., (1997), Ecosystem appropriationof cities. Ambio 26 (3), 167–172
Thompson P and Balasinorwala T., (2010), Wetland protection and restoration
increases yields, Bangladesh, available at: TEEBweb.org
Bangladesh Water Development Board http://www.bwdb.gov.bd/article.

102

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Session 5
Wetlands and Youth104

Session 5: Wetlands and YouthThe Environmental Activities of Youth Ramsar Japan (YRJ),NGO Organized by Students Ranging from
Junior High School Students to Graduate Students
Takuma Satoh, Tatsuya Togari, Atsushi Tanabe, Kohaku Hida, Karin Ishii, Yuma Sato
Youth Ramsar Japan
Youth Ramsar Japan (YRJ) is an NGO organized by young
people ranging from junior high school students to graduate
students. YRJ refers to young people as “Youth”. It was established in 2013.
Our purpose is to strengthen “CEPA” and “Wise Use” of theRamsar Convention. Our motto is that we are learning about
wetlands and planning and conducting the wetlands conservation activities by ourselves. YRJ consists of 38 members. Core
members of YRJ are youths who participated in the “KODOMO
Ramsar” Wetland Environmental Education program.
KODOMO Ramsar has been promoted by Ramsar Center
Japan (RCJ) since 2002. It targets elementary school students.
“KODOMO Ramsar” has greatly contributed to the wetland
conservation activities and network formation of elementary
school students. But, until now, there were few opportunities
for young people to make a network with people of the samegeneration. Also, young people did not have an opportunity to
conduct capacity building, awareness-rising and communication at the self-mobilization level. Young people are a target
group and important stakeholders according to the Ramsar
Convention’s Programme on CEPA 2016-2024.
So, we decided to establish YRJ for wetland activities byyouth.
YRJ has conducted the following activities: (1) “YouthRamsar CEPA Workshop (CEPA-WS) ”. The objective of thisactivity is to learn about wetlands and gain a wide perspective
through communication with other youths; (2) “YouthResearch Project (YRP)”. The objective of this activity is toresearch wetlands by youth and offer information on wetlands
to the public, (3) Participation and cooperation in environmental events for CEPA.
“Youth Ramsar CEPA-WS”- Activate to revitalize the community and grow youthYRJ promoted CEPA-WSs 7times during 2015-2017. To
further promote the conservation of wetlands, the CEPA-WSs
propose clues to arrange and solve problems each wetland
has from a unique perspective of youth through environmental active learning. These events to set up opportunities foryouths to conduct communication, and set up places to listen
and learn from experts about ESD • ESD-GAP (Global Action
Programme on Education for Sustainable Development),
interpretation of Ramsar Convention, CEPA etc. In addition, atthe preparation-level activity, the program leader participatesin the project planning, participates in meetings with local
administration and NGOs at the venue, discusses and createsan event. This is done for YRJ to continuously operate by ourselves, and by learning the process of building up the event, it
leads to the youth’s capacity building.
Characteristic of the CEPA-WS is deciding the theme ofwhat to learn each time the event is held.
1. ”The 1st Youth Ramsar Exchange Meeting in Fujimae tidal
flat” focused on Environmental Education. It was held at Aichi
prefecture in May 2015. The theme was “Environmental Education”. At this exchange meeting where 18 youths participated from 6 wetlands nationwide, we held an event to let thegeneral public know the attraction of the Fujimae tidal flat, the“Tideland Festival”, planned and prepared by themselves inadvance. In addition to participating in the activities, youth
participants also gave a lecture on environmental education
by inviting Mr. Sonoda Kawashima from Shiga University, an
expert on environmental education.
The 1st and 2nd WSs were called “Youth Ramsar Exchange
Meeting” and we renamed the events the “CEPA Workshop”
since the 3rd WSs.
2, “The 2nd Youth Ramsar Exchange Meeting in Lake Biwa”
focused on the Relationship between Lake-Biwa and Human
Beings. It was held at Shiga prefecture in September 2015. 11
youths from 3 wetlands nationwide participated. The theme
was “Relationship between Lake-Biwa and Human being”,
learning about the traditional food of Lake-Biwa “Lake fish
cuisine (Kokorin)”. The activity featured actual fishing of the
Biwa trout in Lake-Biwa, eating of the fish of the bough caught
in Lake-Biwa, In order to learn about alien species inhabiting
Lake-Biwa, we caught a bourogill and examined the contentsof the stomach, fried black bass and tasted it.
3, “The 3rd Youth Ramsar CEPA Workshop in Kabukuriuma
and its Surrounding Paddy Field” focused on Agriculture. It
was held at Miyagi prefecture in June 2016. The theme was“Agriculture”. 8 youths from 3 wetlands nationwide participated. We learned how agriculture, the environment andpeople are involved in paddy fields which are important secondary nature and wetlands. In order to realize the burden oflabor that is placed on farmers by the selection of agriculturalchemicals and the following the reduced agricultural chemical
farming law: activities which are considered to be naturally
good, youth entered the paddy fields and experienced weed
cutting. Local farmers talk about how much economic benefit
is received and how much labor burden is increased byorganic agriculture and reduced chemical fertilizer farming
agriculture, and how the aging and other serious problems offarmers have developed.
4, “The 4th Youth Ramsar CEPA Workshop in Hamatonbetsu”
focused on Tourism / Facilitation. It was held at Hokkai­
do inAugust 2016. 17 youths participated from 5 wetlands nationwide. The theme was “wetlands and sightseeing” and “facilitation”. In order to learn about the charm of wetlands utilized
as sightseeing resources and how to change people’s way ofengaging with people by being tourism resources, participants visited sightseeing spots that are actually related towetlands and talked to local people. We went gold dusting on
the Utho Tannai River, which is a sightseeing spot for gold
dust production, and we had a barbecue for dinner and ate
seafood such as local scallops and beef, etc. Then, we took alook at some programs of “KODOMO Ramsar” which washeld at the same time, and learned about the facilitation
method for elementary school children.
5, “The 5th Youth Ramsar CEPA Workshop in Toyooka”
focused on Tourism / Conservation of storks. It was held at
Hyogo in July 2017. In Toyooka, 3 youths participated from 3
wetlands from nationwide. At this exchange meeting welearned about conservation of the storks and the attraction of
Toyooka. Furthermore, we carried out weeding and waterway
maintenance as conservation work at wetlands that local
people are developing. In the evening, we held an exchange

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party with the local people and asked about the current problems that are concerned with the area and wetland conservation. Based on what I learned from this event, I made apresentation to local administrative personnel considering asightseeing plan based on wetlands.
6, “The 6th Youth Ramsar CEPA Workshop in Tsurui village”
focused on Staff training. It was held at Hokkaido in August
2017. 16 youths from 8 wetlands nationwide participated. The
theme was staff training. This meeting was held at the sametime as “KODOMO Ramsar“ organized by RCJ. “KODOMO
Ramsar” is an event for elementary school students and it wasan opportunity for youth to learn by seeing how to move as astaff and how to interact with children. Also, what I learned at
this event was held as a staff training for “KODOMO wetland
exchange” sponsored by YRJ to be held in November 2017.
While helping with catering and setting up the venue, I learned
how the staff attached to the group is in contact with children
and what kind of mental attitude.
7, “The 7th Youth Ramsar CEPA Workshop in Arao tideland”
focused on Event Management. YRJ planed and managed the“KODOMO Wetland Exchange Meeting in Arao Tideland”. It
was for elementary school students from November 3-5. This
event was planned and managed by only the “Youth” generation. 12 youths from 5 wetlands nationwide participated. The“KODOMO Wetland Exchange Meeting” was the first event forelementary school students organized by YRJ. It was a newchallenge to expand the framework of the exchange meeting
we had been targeting towards the youth generation and toorganize an exchange meeting where primary school students
can learn about wetlands. Youth was responsible for most of
the staff ranging from the facilitator to the team coordinators.
Children observed the Arao Tideland and created “Arao Tidal
newspaper” to publicize the charm of Arao Tideland. The
results were exhibited at the Asian Wetland Symposium heldfrom November 7th and many people were able to see it.
In addition, at the unofficial exchange meeting of adults andyouth that took place during the event, the opportunity wascreated to make a new partnership by strengthening the ties
at the Ramsar site in Kyushu. Through this incident, it was confirmed that the importance of youth playing an important role
to connect adults and elementary school students was significant. This new challenge was greatly successful.
As a result of being born through the CEPA workshop, theyoung people called ‘youth’ will reconfirm the tasks of theregion and the problems in wetland conservation, and youth
will enter into the region to revitalize the activities conducted
on regional issues. There was an effect made to build a
network. For example, in the workshop held in Toyooka City,by proposing a sightseeing plan, it is possible to cast thearea’s problems from the point of view of the youth, furthermore the program itself has yet to grow from the administrative perspective. There have been discussion that regionalsightseeing may be a possible area of cooperation with city
departments, for example. The Arao-City regional administration said that he wanted to hold “KODOMO Wetland Exchange
Meeting” on a continuous basis. This is the result of YRJ’s revitalization of regional and administrative activity and theresultant regional revitalization resulting from the efforts ofthese youths.
In Youth Research Project (YRP), YRJ members visit wetlands in Japan and find the treasures of wetlands and offer
wetlands information. YRP was started from last year. There
are various types of wetlands in various parts of Japan, andnumerous organizations are engaged in the conservation anddissemination of wetlands. However, there are few thingscomprehensively summarizing the attractiveness of thevarious areas centered on wetlands. So, we visited wetlands
in various places, and from the viewpoint of youth, throughsurveys, tours, experiences of wetlands, interviews withactive groups, survey of tourism resources in the area, summarizes their charm. Wetland posters have been created. In
addition to disseminating information on the YRJ website andposting it at environmental events, we spread information
about the appeal of wetlands to citizens.
Through CEPA-WSs, Youth generation have had opportunities to learn about wetlands and communicate with the samegeneration active in wetlands in Japan.
In YRP, we reviewed the values of wetlands from the perspective of Youth. The vision of the next generation of environmental managers is important.
Our activities were appreciated by the organizing committee of AWS2017. The 1st meeting of the international steeringcommittee of AWS 2017 was held at Suncheon, Korea on Feb
2017. At that time, the organizing committee decided that YRJ
will manage the “Wetland and Youth” session.
So literally “Wetlands and Youth” is the session for youth byus.

Total 73 people/times participated in our CEPA-WSs.
Interviewed farmers in 3rd CEPA-WS

Elementary students made Newspaper in “KODOMO Wetlands Exchange Meeting in Arao Tideland”

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Session 5: Wetlands and YouthFundamental Study on Conservation
and Restoration of River Estuaries Habitat– Classification of Estuary and Their Transitions since 1900s –Atsushi Tanabe1, Tomoko Minagawa2
1

Graduate School of Science and Technology, Kumamoto University, 2 Faculty of Advanced Science and Technology, Kumamoto University

Background
Estuaries are places wherein fresh water and seawater
combine, creating a unique environment for many creaturesthat thrive in sand bars and tidal flats1). However, birds, suchas shorebirds and the great reed warblers, and benthic organisms have been decreasing2,3) because of the estuary reclamation efforts after the Meiji era4).
The conservation and restoration of estuary habitats arepromoted in Japan5). However, it is necessary to understandthe characteristics of each habitat and the relation among habitats when conservation and restoration are conducted. The
main estuary habitats are sandbars and tidal flats; these arefurther classified into river mouth sandbars, lagoons, andriver mouth tidal flats6,7). However, the conservation and restoration studies have focused on the topography of estuaries
and not on the living organisms inhabiting the estuaries. Furthermore, considering the developments in the areas surrounding estuaries, other studies have focused on factors
such as loss and extension of habitats and past conditions.
The goal of conservation and restoration should be based on
all these factors. The Environment Agency4) has identified theloss of 100 m of tidal flats across the country. However, thehabitat composition in estuaries has not been studied. In estuaries, birds are more important than small organisms because
birds are predators and affect the ecosystems in the samemanner as large fish, and as birds move within wide area, it
becomes an index of conservation and restoration of wholeestuary area8). Nevertheless, our understanding of the avian
communities in estuaries is limited.
PurposeThis study focuses on the avian communities, thereby
aiming to improve the large-scale conservation and restoration efforts of estuaries. The habitat composition of estuariesin ​​Japan is examined to identify the historical changes and therelation between estuary types and bird communities arestudied. Next, the effect of the decrease in estuary areas on
the avian population is studied.
Methods
1. Target rivers
We investigated the estuary areas (1-km upstream anddownstream from the estuary) of 107 first-class rivers inJapan, excluding the Akawa and Arakawa rivers, which wereartificially created in the 1930s.
2. (1) Estuary classification
The classification of estuaries is based on topographic maps
(111 maps, 1:50,000 scale), published by the Dainippon land
surveying department between 1890 and 1914. From themaps, sandbars are identified by beach map symbol and crossthe river, and tidal flats are identified by map symbols of tidal
flat (Fig.1). Furthermore, the sandbars were used to outline
the lagoons. Tidal flats were found in river channels and offshore.
(2) Historical changes
To comprehend the historical changes, the maps createdaround 1900 and 2000 were compared at the same 1:50,000

scale. The latter maps are published by the Geospatial Information authority of Japan.
3. Avian communities
The relation between estuary types and bird communities
was analyzed. nMDS analysis was performed using thenational census on the river environmental bird data10), presence or absence of 103 species in five rivers from 2006 to2014.
Results and Discussion
1. (1) Estuary classification
The estuary habitats are divided into A) river mouth sandbars (43 rivers), B) river mouth sandbars + tidal flats (river
channel) (7 rivers), C) river mouth sandbars + tidal flats (river
channel and offshore) (12 rivers), D) lagoons (5 rivers), E)
lagoons + tidal flats (river channels) (2 rivers), F) tidal flats(river channel) (3 rivers), G) tidal flats (river channel and offshore) (26 rivers), and H) no sandbars and tidal flats (9 rivers)(Table, Fig.2). Type A are the rivers flowing into the Japan Sea
and the Tohoku region at the Pacific Ocean, type B are therivers in southern Shikoku and Kyusyu and Niigata, type C are
the rivers near bays, type D are the rivers in inner bays close
to urban areas, type E are those in southern Shikoku andKyusyu, type F are near urban areas of the rivers facing theinner bay, and type G are the rivers facing the inner Tokyo Bay,Ise Bay, Seto Inland Sea, and Ariake Sea(Fig.3).
(2) Historical changes
Comparing the estuary areas between 1900 and 2000, typeA decreased to 15 rivers and 2.44 km2, type B decreased tothree and 1.73 km2, type C decreased to four rivers and 6.32
km2, type D decreased to three rivers and 0.90 km2, type E
comprises two rivers and 0.83 km2, type F comprises threerivers and 0.16 km2, and type G decreased to 11 rivers and18.77 km2. Type B, D, and E, including lagoons and river
channel tidal flats, disappeared in 65% of the rivers and thetotal area also decreased by 83%. The decrease is caused bylarge-scale land filling in the 1970s. The average area of eachriver also decreased to approximately 60%; thus, the area ofthe estuary habitats in 2000 was smaller than that in 1900.
2. Avian communities
We assessed the habitats of 57 rivers belonging to type A, B,
C, D, and G in 2000. The average number of bird species bytype is 44.1 species (±18.1) in type A (n = 28), 36.0 species(±7.6) in type B (n = 4), 49.4 species (±4.8) in type C (n = 8), 31.0
species (±5) in type D (n = 2), and 34.5 species (±8.8) in type G(n = 15). Shorebirds and herons are the common species
found in all types. The highest number of bird species were
found in type C, followed by type G (including shorebirds andwaterfowls) and type A (including bunting and kingfisher). In
the nMDS analysis, the distance between type A and type G is
the highest, types B and C are in the middle, and types D and
A overlap. The differences in habitats and the positions ofsandbars and tidal flats are well reflected in types B, C, and G
and can be used to evaluate the number of bird species ineach type. Type C has the highest biological diversity becauseof the presence of both river mouth sandbars and tidal flats;

107
and the highest decrease in bird species because of the 65%
decrease in estuary habitats between 1900 and 2000. The disappearance of estuary habitats affects species, such as thelittle ringed plover, great reed warbler, and Chinese little
bittern. Therefore, the conservation and restoration of rivers
that inhabit these species are important. Type D areas havedifferent bird communities than type A, but no changes wereseen within the 100-year period. However, lagoons are separated from the ocean by estuary sandbars and any decrease intype D lagoons may affect species, such as shrike and blackbrowed reed warbler.
SummaryThis study aimed at defining the basic steps in the conservation and restoration of estuary areas. In Japan, the firstclass riverine estuaries around 1900 was divided into seventypes (A–G) based on habitat types. From 1900 to 2000, sandbars and tidal flats disappeared in approximately 40% of therivers, particularly, types D and F. In addition, the bird communities in every estuary area in 2000 were different. In particular, because of the high decrease in type D (lagoons) and typeF (tidal flats in river channels), it is suggested that the numberof birds in these habitats have also decreased.
References
1) Kikuchi, T.: Ecological characteristics of tidal flat ecosystem and importanceof its conservation. Jpn. J. Ecol., vol. 43, PP. 223–235, 1993.
2) Nature Conservation Bureau, Environment Agency and Marine Parks Centerof Japan: The report of marine biotic environment survey in the 4th National
Survey on the Natural Environment, vol.1 Tidal Flats, 1994.
3) Delany, S. and D. Scott.: Waterbird population estimates. 3rd Ed. Wetlands
International Global Series, 12, Wetlands International, 2002.
4) Ando, H. and Kawai, T.: Data analysis of habitat environment of benthos in
the coastal sea of Tokyo. Annu. Rep. Tokyo Metrop. Res. Inst. Environ. Prot,
PP. 77–84, 2007.
5) Mukai, H.: Restoration project for tidal flats and seagrass bed: The critique.
Chikyu Kankyo, vol. 16, PP. 53–60, 2011.
6) Onuma, K., Endou, M. and Amano, K.: Analysis of channel bed morphology
and distribution of tidal flats in riverine estuaries. J. Jpn. Soc. Civ. Eng. Ser.
B1 (Hydraulic Eng.), vol. 68, No.4, PP.1207–1212, 2012.
7) Takeda, I.: Terminology of coastal sand bars and formative processes of abay-mouth bar. Bull. Kyoto Univ. Educ., PP. 79–89, 2007.
8) Arakida, H., Mitsuhashi, H., Kamada, M. and Koyama, K.: Mapping thepotential distribution of shorebirds in Japan: The importance of landscape-level coastal geomorphology. Aquat. Conserv. Mar. Freshw. Ecosyst.,
vol. 21, PP. 553–563, 2011.
9) Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, National census on
the river environmental, http://mizukoku.nilim.go.jp/ksnkankyo/
10) Dainippon land surveying department, Topographic map pattern, 1900

Fig. 1 Map symbols of beach and tidal flat10)

Table: Combination of sandbar and tideland and number of points for each typeType
A: River mouth bar Type

Location

No. of site

SandbarTidal flat

River mouth
sandbar×

1900 2000
43

28

B: River mouth sandbar +River mouthRiver channel 7
Tidal flat (river channel) Type sandbar

4

C: River mouth sandbar +Tidal flat (river channel andoffshore) typeRiver mouth River channel
12sandbarand offshore

8

D: Lagoon type

Lagoon×

52

E: Lagoon + Tidal flat (river
channel) type

LagoonRiver channel 20

F: Tidal flat (river channel)
type×River channel 30

G: Tidal flat (river channel
and offshore) type×River channel
26
and offshore

15

H: No sandbar and tidal flattype

×

Fig.2: No. of sites in 1900 and 2000

Fig.3: Types in Japan

×

9

49

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Session 5: Wetlands and Youth

CEPA Activities of Taishi High School Science Club
Takahiro Fukushima, Kazuki Sakai, Kouki Ishibashi, Fuuta Takasaki, Towaki Ide,
Haruki Kume, Taiyou Kiyota, Yukito Yoshimoto
TAISHI HIGH SCHOOL SCIENCE CLUBFirst of all, I will talk about scientific research. We callbenthos as benthic organisms. We have recorded the temperature of the Arao tidal flat. We have investigated the relation
between benthic organisms and temperature. In addition,
since we went to Suncheon Bay in Korea, we would like torefer to research and outreach activities.

This graph shows the temperature change in summer andwinter. The vertical axis shows the temperature, the blue
graph shows the air, the red graph shows the surface, and theyellow graph shows the sediment. As you can see in thissummer and winter the temperature above the surface isreversed. I found out that the tideland is quite harsh environment.

There are many of living benthos in the Arao tidal flat.
Next, it is outreach activity. The science club has been doing
various activities so far. I will introduce some of the activities
from now.
First of all, it is education.

Every year we invite elementary school students in Arao
City to the school, observe benthos and demonstrate science
experiments.

This picture seems to be identifying the living things withthe children we participated in the tideland observation
meeting.

This is a temperature measuring device. Eight small temperature measuring devices were attached to PVC pipes, holes
were drilled in tidal flats, and devices were embedded inthem. This is the state that it was installed.

Then, Ms. Yamashita of Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University
visited us and we learned social science.
Next is participation.

This is a part of benthos of the Arao tidal flats. Majac it’s —Japanese Mud shrimp which is a fish in Arao City, clams, Yubi
Naga Hon Yadokari it’s hermit crab, Yamato osagani it’s one of
crab andAramsiro these are a very large number of creatures.

109
At the cultural festival, we exhibited tideland creatures,
opened a mini aquarium, sold Majadok with majac’s tempura
in bread and introduced Arao tidal flats.

This picture is taken when I participated in the bird watchingof the Japan Wild Bird meeting. With this bird watching, we
could observe many birds. After that I picked up garbage andcleaned the coast.

This is the scene where we are receiving TV interviews. And
we appealed the importance of Arao tidal flat on TV at the Mizunokuni high school student forum.
Next, it is volunteer activity.

This photo is taken at the time of participating in the Arao
tidal flat observation meeting. I collected various living things.

This picture is taken when we participated as an assistant to
the tidal flat observation society.

I participated in the 7th Ariake Sea Revitalization Symposium. I made a presentation on the importance of Arao tideland and the science club research presentation, and letparticipants eat Majac in tempura.
Next, it is about awareness activities.

And this is what participated in the coastal cleaning volunteer. I cleaned the coast for wild birds and tideland creatures.
Lastly it is a future prospect.
1 We will tell the importance of the Arao tideland to students.

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2 Furthermore, we will study biodiversity of the Arao tidal
flat.

3 We will cooperate in the exhibition materials of the Waterfowl and Wetland Center.

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Session 5: Wetlands and YouthActivities of Yonago Waterbird Sanctuary Jr.Ranger Club toFoster Mind for Protecting Wonderful Our Local Nature
to the Next Generation
Hiromi Hayashi
Yonago Waterbird Sanctuary Jr.Ranger Club, Yonago city, Tottori prefecture
Yonago Waterbird Sanctuary Jr.Ranger Club(Below JRC)is a
volunteer club composed of junior high and high school students working in Yonago Waterbird Sanctuary in Yonago city,Tottori prefecture with 19 members.
Pic.1 Member of Jr, Ranger Club

However due to landfill construction that began in earnest in
1970’s,its environment was greatlly impaired.And the Tundra
Swans that lost their roost one after another got into a form
escape to the place the current Yonago Waterbird Sanctuarywith shallow water which was made during the reclamation
work.However the Yonago citizen who saw situation carriedout conservation activities,and as a result,the paradise of
Tundra Swans of Lake Nakaumi was to be left as Yonago
Waterbird Sanctuary.
And finally, this valuable paradise of Tundra Swans was regPic.3 Landfill of Lake Nakaumi

We are active once a month, and the contentof the activities
will be decided by ourselves inthe discussion done in April.Its
content is various,including water quality survey,habitat
survey of Great Reed Warbler, making islands for waterbirds,exchange between wetlands, etc.And all these activiities are
based on the desire to protect the environmental surrounding
the Yonago Waterbird Sanctuary.
Pic.2 Maintenancce of habitats for waterbirds

istered in the wetland of the Ramsar Convention in 2005, andthe world recognized the importance as wetland.
Now, Lake Nakaumi where the Yonago Waterbird Sanctuary is
located, it is known by many people as the most southernmigratory place in Japan for Tundra Swans and also it is wonderful environmental place where many kinds of ducks representing Common Pochard will fly more than 20,000 regulary
every year.And many observers come to observe the appearance of wild birds flying to this wonderful environment every
year.More recently,as a place to learn environment,many
schools have come to visit.
Pic.4 Ceremony for Ramsar Convention certificate

The chance for the formation was that the children who
graduated from Ramsar club acting as elementary school student’s club gathered and wanted to continue activities related
to environmental activities in the suburbs of Lake Nakaumi
since then.Then we continue the activities, it will be the ninth
year in this year. Children who were active earlier have alreadygraduated from this club,going to university,becoming amember of society. Some members are married and buid
their families too.And again this year, members with the same
thought are participating one after another.
Lake Nakaumi including Yonago Waterbird Sanctuary was
the rich brackish lake boasting the fifith largest in Japan.

112
JRC aims to foster a mind to care for local nature by doing
activities related to wonderful natural environmental of Lake
Nakaumi. What experienced when people were children will
never be forgotten even after becoming adults. Because thebody is remembering.
We think that we want to increase such are friends as many
people as possible who will be able to connect this wonderfulnature to the next generation when they became adults. And
what is the necessary activity for that? While thinking about it,
we will cooperate with my colleagues and continue the activities of JRC in the future.
Pic.5 Scenery from the Yonago Waterbird Sanctuary

In this session, I will introduce you the activities of JRC likethis. And by thinking with our colleagues who have the sameideas spreading all over the world, I hope that we can learn
better environmental preservation ways and tell local colleagues when l come back to the Lake Nakaumi. I’d like to talkabout the wetlands subjects and environmental with thefriends of various regions.

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Session 5: Wetlands and Youth

Youth-in-Action for Ecosystem-based Disaster Risk Reduction(Eco-DRR) and Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA)
Darry Shel M. Estorba, Amy M. Lecciones, Aaron Julius M. Lecciones,
Zenaida M. Ugat, Jose Carlo H. Quintos
Society for the Conservation of Philippine Wetlands, Inc
Laguna de Bay is the country’s largest lake and one of thebiggest inland water body in Southeast Asia where around
100 rivers and streams drain water into the lake. Conservationof Laguna de Bay and its resources has been a long-standing
advocacy of government and civil society organizations
including the Society for the Conservation of Philippine Wetlands, Inc. (SCPW). In 2003, the SCPW, in partnership with
the Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA), and Unilever,Philippines embarked on a Youth Ecological Camp to provide
an experiential learning venue for lake conservation for HighSchool Students in the Laguna de Bay lakeshore towns. In
2013, the United Nations World Food Programme (UN-WFP)
as part of its umbrella program on “Disaster Preparedness
and Response Programme” (Building Resilience Against Disasters and Climate Change), recognized the merits of Youth
Ecological Camp (YEC) as a vehicle for teaching High School
students about disaster risk reduction and preparedness andits link to the integrity of ecosystems, particularly wetlands. It
should be noted that more often than not, wetlands are areas
where disasters can occur frequently, especially when people
are vulnerable and exposed to or are located in places likecoastal areas, along rivers, lakes, and in floodplains. The
SCPW believes that the long-term program for disaster preparedness should include taking care of the natural environment particularly wetlands because these specific ecosystems
provide a natural hedge to climate change impacts. Amongthe ecosystem services provided by wetlands are water
storage to prevent flooding, physical barriers against wave
action such as mangroves, and provision of food and livelihood. Recognizing the interlinkages and taking advantage of
the Youth Ecological Camp as a platform for engaging theYouth on Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM)
and disaster preparedness, the UN-WFP and the SCPW
worked together to develop a curriculum that would deliver
this message to the Youth.
The YEC is a 3-day live in curriculum that incorporates concepts on environmental protection and wetlands conservationin relation to disaster risk preparedness and climate change
adaptation and mitigation in the local context of a municipality. It employs experiential learning methods and approaches
such as knowledge sharing sessions, field exposure visits,role playing, workshops, action planning, games and otheractivities that make it interactive and full of fun. Moreover, the
Eco Campers get actual training in presentation and resource
mobilization skills. The curriculum is designed for High SchoolStudents, preferably those in 8th and 9th Grade with good
leadership potential. The preferred number of participants isfrom 25 to 35. There should also be a good mix of male andfemale participants. One or two high school teachers that will
act as chaperones should also be invited as required by the
Department of Education (DepEd).
There are two (2) themes in conducting the Youth EcologicalCamp. First is the original curriculum that focuses on wetlands conservation. The second one is the enhanced curriculum that integrates environmental conservation and
Ecosystem-based Adaptation including disaster preparedness

and climate change adaptation and mitigation.
The objectives of the Youth Ecological Camp vary based on
the theme. For the conservation oriented curriculum, theobjectives are:
• To learn about the basic ecological principles and how itapplies to wetland conservation;• To understand issues behind the environmental status ofa wetland including the pressures and problems besetting it;• To apply basic wetland conservation concepts in identifying practical solutions that they can implement at theirlevel; and• To appreciate the value of camaraderie and partnerships
in working towards wetland conservation.
In addition to the above objectives, Theme 2 which integrates Ecosystem-based Adaptation, Disaster Risk Reduction
and Management (DRRM) and preparedness and other
Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation (CCAM) aspects
aims to:• Create a venue where the provincial and municipal government can involve the youth sector and other actors at
the community level in Disaster preparedness andresponse and climate change adaptation activities;• Involve local governments, schools, and other actors in
effectively engaging the youth in CCAM, DRRM, and otherinitiatives;• Educate the youth on climate change and how this phenomenon may affect the municipalities and their wetlands, and how these problems can be mitigated or
altogether avoided; and• Empower the youth to take a more active role in disasterrisk reduction and preparedness, and climate change
adaptation.
The first day of the camp is a learning session where
resource persons are invited to provide simple technical lectures to share knowledge to the Eco Campers about basic ecological principles, ecological waste management, and DRRM
and CCAM, among others. A local resource person from the
Local Government Unit (LGU), usually the Municipal Planningand Development Coordinator (MPDC) is also invited to talkabout the environmental profile of the municipality/ The camp
includes a field exposure trip entails rapid wetland profilingand assessment employing methods and activities such as
water quality measurements, species identification, and landuse observation. For theme 2, the field exposure activities iscalled “Disaster Town Watching”, where the Eco Campers visit
the most vulnerable village and practice mapping of hazards,
capacities, risks, and vulnerabilities. This will be the basis forcrafting their school-based or community-based projects thatthey will eventually implement. On the evening of the secondday, a Talents Night is held to make the camp a fun experience,
integrating the learnings they have acquired through a creative way that showcase their talents. The third day is devoted

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to action planning and reporting, and a simple graduation ceremony attended by the LGU representatives and school officials.
It is worthy to mention that prior to the Camp, selectedteachers are trained on how to conduct the Eco Camp toensure that the youth will continuously have a pool of trainers
who can pass the learning to other sectors of the community.
Recently, the SCPW has produced also a Youth EcologicalCamp training manual, a guide for conducting the SCPW
Youth Ecological Camps for individuals and organization who
would like to conduct the Eco Camp specifically designed forHigh School Students.
Learning does not end at the actual camp but is in fact practiced through implementation of municipal or school-based
projects and activities that the Eco Campers craft during planning sessions. After the Eco Camp, the Action Plan and pilot
projects or activities are presented by the youth teams in a
Community Meeting to solicit the support of the community
and their schools in the implementation of the projects of the
Eco Campers. With this, the Eco Campers also get actual
training in presentation and resource mobilization skills.
Among the accomplishments of the Eco Campers include
conduct of municipal and school-based Eco Camp, clean-up ofrivers and canals back-to-back with information campaigns,
Sachet Recovery Project, solid waste management projects,
community lake monitoring, and other Communication, Education, Participation, and Education (CEPA) activities. The EcoCampers also raise funds to support the implementation of
their initiatives through various innovative means such as
selling personalized and environmentally-themed water tumblers to reduce the use of PET bottles, selling other recyclable
materials such as used paper, and many more. These accomplishments, learning, and experiences are being shared by the
Youth in the CLEAR Youth Network (CYN) Congress. The CYN
Congress is the annual gathering of the CLEAR Youth Network
represented by Eco Camp graduates and their groups thatwere formed in their schools and/or communities as a resultof the training camp. Aside from reporting accomplishments,
planning of yearly activities is also being conducted in the
CYN Congress. Moreover, this event is also a platform forlearning so that the youth network will continuously beequipped with new knowledge and practice in lake conservation. It is the mechanism for sustaining the efforts and theactive membership of the CLEAR Youth Network. The Congress includes eighteen (18) sets of campers from three (3)provinces which are Laguna, Rizal, and Metro Manila covering
the following cities and municipalities: Muntinlupa, Taguig,
Pateros, Tanay, Angono, Binangonan, Los Baños, Pangil,
Lumban, San Pablo, Siniloan, San Pedro, Sta. Rosa, Mabitac,
Rizal, Pila, Morong, Calauan, and Cardona.
This YEC curriculum has been tested as an effective tool forincreasing the awareness of the youth in wetlands conservation for the past ten years, and lately, on disaster risk reduction and management, ecosystem-based adaptation, andother climate change-related issues. It has empowered theyouth to become an important community actor in wetland
conservation and disaster risk reduction, management, andpreparedness.
So far, the results of YEC have been outstanding. In morethan a decade of conducting YEC, the growing number of the
youth continuously doing actions for wetlands conservation
branched out with more projects and activities that also aided
multi-sectoral involvement and partnership in their schools

and communities. To date, 19 Eco Camps have been conducted
directly benefitting more than 500 students and almost 100
high schools (see table below) around Laguna de Bay.
Year

No. of Participants No. of Schools

No. of Camps

2003

15

4

1

2004

20

6

1

2005

38

9

1

2006

44

16

2

2008

24

5

1

2009

115

20

4

2010

79

19

3

2012

25

4

1

2014

105

9

3

2016

20

2

1

2017

24

3

1

Total

509

97

19

The number of students participating in the activities has
expanded to more than a thousand and has been organized
into a Youth Network. Truly, the YEC is an effective instrument
towards engaging youth for the wise of wetlands in the Philippines.

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Session 5: Wetlands and YouthRiver Continuum Concept and Ecological Health Monitoringof Loei River, North-Eastern Thailand
Thanayaporn Katesuja1, Panida Rahong1, Chotiwut Techakijvej1, Atinut Joradol2,
Rungnapa Tagun2, Tatporn Kunpradid2 and Chitchol Phalaraksh1,3
Environment Science Program, Faculty of science, Chiang Mai University
Department of Biology, Faculty of science, Chiang Mai Rajabhat University
3
Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University

1
2

Introduction
Nowadays, wetlands or water bodies in the world are being
threatened by multi-stressor such as human activities, agriculture, and industry. By those activities, load of organic andinorganic pollution has released to aquatic ecosystem andlead to cause water pollution. As the results of this, the biodiversity of macroinvertebrate or aquatic animals are lost or
decrease in those natural. So many the local species are risk
to go extinct before they are identified and cataloged to conserve in the further.
Loei province is one of important province in Thailand. Dueto it located among natural environment as well as the intensive industry such as mineral mine and agricultural products.
Therefore, the natural areas on Loei province it have interesting about conservation of nature and organism. And very
important factor on conservation is cultivating good moral
traits to people and youths.
Consequently, educating the public specially the young on
the importance of conservation is the main aim of this project.
For share skills, traditional knowledge, techniques andmethods, good practices and examples of failures of conservation and wise use of wetlands in Asia.
Objective
To monitor the Ecological Health of the Loei River under theRiver Continuum Concept (RCC).
Report and exchange the results to the local communities
and youths regarding the impact of various activities throughworkshops for rising of environmental conservation andawareness in the Loei River watershed area.
Material/Method
Chemical, Physical and Biological data
1. We were selected 10 study sites along Loei River.
2. The physical and chemical analysis were obtained in thisstudy such as
Chemical Parameters–– pH–– Water temperature–– Air temperature–– Dissolve solid oxygen (DO)–– Biological oxygen demand (BOD)–– Nutrients (Phosphate, Nitrate-Nitrogen, Ammonia)
Physical Parameters–– Velocity–– Conductivity–– Total dissolve solid (TDS)–– Turbidity–– Lux/Light–– Substrate
3. The bio-indicators (macroinvertebrate) were collectedalong river and keep in cool box to identify in family levelin the laboratory.
4. The chemical, physical and biological parameters wereanalyzed and interpreted to the results about water quality

along Loei River and the river continuum concept (RCC).
5. Report will send to the government and the people who
involve this project as well as the people who interested
and living in Loei province. The workshop was set to share
the result data to the local communities regarding theimpact of various activities through workshops.
Workshop
1. We set the workshop where located near Loei River (Loei
Rajabhat University) and prepare the data or knowledge
to share the people on Loei province.
2. Then we announced the workshop who are interested or
involved the workshop such as teacher or students. By
this seminar we are extrapolate the number of people ofattendees around 70 people more.
3. The main aims of this workshop are to explain anddescribe about background and signification of the
project. The workshop has separated into two parts, thefirst part is explaining and describing background. The
second part is question and answer between advisoryboard and attendees. So, this part is very important,because this part is to make us to know about the problem
and understanding of local people.
4. The last, we have given the questionnaire to attendees forassessment about satisfaction of this seminar for improveand development the seminar on the next time.
5. After seminar we have a special sessiontime to share skill
or give the suggestion about how to check water quality
monitor by bio-indicator or chemical and physical parameters with simple method.
Result
RCC and Water Quality parts
The RCC based on functional feeding group from macroinvertebrate in 10 study sites along the Loei River from upstream
to downstream showed that it followed the RCC theory. From
the results of project, it is followed RCC theory about FFGs.
The percentile of FFGs on upstream is 49% collectors, 34%grazers, 10% predators and 7% shredders. On midstream percentile of FFGs is 53% collectors, 33% grazers, 11% predatorsand 3% shredders. And downstream is 86% collectors, 7%grazers, 6% predators and 1% shredders.
The water quality of 10 study sited revealed that there aremoderate level based on chemical, physical parameters andbiological parameters. In addition, the result of some studysite effected from land-use by human activity. Mostly of
impact is agriculture. Agriculture is cause of pollution fromsoil erosion. The nutrients is ingredient in fertilizer, it will flow
into the river with rain or water surface. When those nutrient
occur to accumulate in the river more, it will risk become to
Eutrophication.
WorkshopWorkshop for local communities, organization and youth
regarding the impact of various activities. The number of116
attendees were 92 peoples. Mostly attendees were youths
from education agency. Youths have interested about bio-indicator for bring to study in the further. Also, Government agencies and private sector, there are interested about impact fromindustry. They are ask the question to advisory board in Q&A
part. Accordingly shown about awareness of attendees andyouths. This respond it make us that they need to conservation and they still to love and cherish with Loei River of their.
Conclusion
1. The Ecological Health of Loei River was in the moderatelevel with impact of land-use.
2. From the workshop, local communities and youths wereactive and interested in river health with rising of environmental awareness activities are needed from the local
government and University.
Reference
Rosi-Marshall, E.J., Vallis, K.L., Baxter, C.V., Davis, J.M., 2016. Retesting a
prediction of the River Continuum Concept: Autochthonous versus allochthonousresources in the diets of invertebrates, Idaho. Freshwater Science 35,
no. 2 (June 2016): 534-543.
Bae, M.-J.a., Park, Y.-S., 2016. Responses of the functional diversity of benthic
macroinvertebrates to floods and droughts in small streams with different
flow permanence, Korea. Inland Waters. Volume 6 no.3 (2016): 461-475.
MaCaffertyu. W.P. Aquatic Entomology. USA:Science Books International, Lnc,
1981.
S.E. Mustow. (2002). Biological monitoring of rivers in Thailand: use andadaptation of the BMWP score. White Young Green Environmental, Arndale
Court, Headingley, Leeds LS6 2UJ, U.K.
Wiliams, D.D. and B.W. Feltmate. (1992). Aquatic insect, Redwood Press Ltd,
Melksham, U.K.

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Session 5: Wetlands and YouthThe Value of Wetlands and What We Students Should Do for It—Take Hengshuihu Wetlands for Example (abstract)
Yiqing Hu
Wetlands International-China
The importance of Wetlands in the lives and survival of many
species of wa-terfowl, as well as humans, are greatly overlooked. When I first viewed a wetland I was ten. Apart from it’slack of civilization and apparent vacancy, nothing else reallystuck in my memory. The young me was unable to grasp theimportance and crucial role that the wetlands played in the conservation of certain species. Last summer, I was able to visit
Hengshuihu wetland reserve in Hebei during an internship withWWF China. The feeling and impression of wetlands was totallydifferent from that of eight years ago. On the surface, the wetlands were just tall blades of grass standing in waist-deep water,
with the occasional clearing with a few ducks wallowing in it.
However, by taking a stick and parting the grass at the water’ssurface, my guide and overseer showed me an entirely new
way of looking at this ecological marvel. This time, what we (mydirector and me) saw was not the empty, hollow world on thesurface, but a refined ecosystem, overflowing with the quiet
energy of life and possibility.
I also learned the sad part of the story—that these alcoves ofhidden wonder and life were receding—how they were being
demolished in the path of human industrialization. Upon that, I
asked myself, and beseech you to ask yourselves: Do we nothave enough factories already? Enough sources to pollute ourwater, poison our air, corrode our soil? Can we pause in ourrelentless pursuit of domination and glory, simply because weneed some place, some time, to take a break? I realized the press-

ing need for me to take actions after coming back to the city.
• Made presentations at class meeting and association events
to raise my peer student awareness and also argue with them
the true values of wetlands.
• Reused water for multiple purposes at home, and passed onsuch knowledge to a larger community for water saving.
• Became very outspoken and advocated about wetland protection.
However, my actions for conservation alone were not sufficient to raise public awareness, but, as in the wetlands, a dropof water can cause a ripple, and that ripple can grow.
At end of my presentation, two suggestions were made forconservation. One is that relate governments should formulate
sound policies and provide sufficient funds to wetlands conservation, while international organizations contribute to technicalassistance. Second, more researches should be conducted forwaterfowl diet.
Therefore, different food should be prepared at various stop
points along the flyways. Finally, I also call for environmental
protection. Mother earth is our host, and we are simply organisms living in or on it. If we begin to destroy our host, much likeviruses in a human body, our host will react accordingly to
expunge us. Either the virus kills the host, or the host kills thevirus. No matter what, in the end, the virus dies. In order for oursurvival, and the survival of our future generations, please—
don’t hurt our earth.

My Observation of Status of Wetland (abstract)
Wenling Kou
Beijing University Affiliated High School
My hometown is in Inner Mongolia, China. Every year, I go
back to my hometown and visited beautiful wetlands there. I
think that what makes the grassland so beautiful is because of it
has a lots of lakes and zigzag rivers moisten it. When I was a tiny
little girl, the definition of wetland in my mind is simply water andland mixed together. But when I grown up, I found that wetlandis may not just a place, but an important ecosystem. There’s a lotsof different kind of bird inhabited there. Through my observation,
I found that there are thousands of birds inhabit in Inner Mongolia wetlands in Spring and Autumn. So teacher told us that thewetland also called as “The cradle ofbiodiversity.”
I grown up in Inner Mongolia where famous with vast andbeautiful grassland of thousands of wetlands. I’ve seen changesof some of the wetland reduced the size and water level islowered, and some of the beautiful birds reduced the population compared with what I saw in my childhood, thus it really
impressed me greatly. Then I decided to do some observation
under the guidance of my parent and teachers in the school.
Through my field observation, I found that there are less birds
and some of the wetland and riverside covered with garbage
and plastic bags. I feel sad and would like tofind out the threats
to wetlands in my hometown by observing the wetland during
weekend and school vacations with the help of my parent andinterview local people in and around the wetland. I found thatthe main problems that threat the wetlands are as follows:
1. Objectively, the Nino phenomenon leads global warming.
(I have the analysis of the temperature in a wetland nature
reserve, It’s a broken line graph and I can show in my PPT).
2. Artificial factor:
1) Large area of land reclamation (Not just only wetlands, butalso grassland).
2) Over grazing. The amount of livestock in the natural prairie isincreasing in recent years by local herdsmen;
3) Mining activities;4) The construction of the industrial plant, wastewater is discharged into nearby rivers and wetland without proper treatment;5) Urbanization takes up wetlands6) There may be lack of proper coordination in different government offices involved with the utilization and management of
wetland resources;7) Conservation of wetlands outside the nature reserve aresome what ignored.
(All of the following will be supported by examples and data
and all of the data is my own personal interview of local people).
Every year, when I goes back to my hometown, the first thing
I am going to do is always cleaning the garbage on the wetland,
and talked to local people to explain the importance of protecting wetlands. But I think I should do more, I have some idea
about how to do more to protect wetlands by our teenage:
1) Increase the awareness of the publicby informing them theimportant functions of wetland played for daily life of human
livelihood;2) We will make wetland information connectivity through theInternet.
3) Publicizing the relevant laws and regulations of the protection of the wetlands and strengthening the enforcement.
I believe that when I grow older, I will have more insight ofwetlands and I hope I can do more to protect wetlands to makethe world a Better place to live!

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Session 5: Wetlands and YouthObligation to the Wetland Conservation of the Youth (abstract)
Ruichen Zhang
Beijing No. 14 High School
It is a great honor to be here to talk about the significance ofprotecting the extinct wildlife. My name is Zhang Ruichen. I am astudent of Beijing No.14 High School and passionate about fieldresearch, which I regard as lifelong ambition.
I’ve taken part in field researches for 6 times, and have been to
many places with the teenage field research expedition teams.
Monitoring ecosystem of Tonle Sap Lake was my first experience
about such activities. For the first time I felt the difficulties ofdoing fieldwork, and appallingly, the living condition was worse
than I had thought.
One year later, since I accumulate more knowledge and experience, I decided to go to Peruvian Amazon rainforest (flooded
forest) in order to assist local scientists there, as Amazon is my
dream land since I’m a little kid. During the filed research volunteer expedition I spent on Amazon River, I finally learnt how to
co-operate with others as a whole team, and on the other hand I
tried to help the scientists as much as I could, also simultaneously
learn the knowledge as much as possible. During this expedition,
I first seriously consider the field research as my future job.
Last summer, I went to Alaska and it’s really a magical place.
The indigenous plants the animals and the environment reallyinfluenced me from inside to the outside. As we travel along the
Dalton high way, we ran into a number of animals and also saw
large oil pipes along the whole state, which worries me since theplace is supposed to be a habitat of these animals. I wonder what
would happen to the place when we don’t need these pipes any
more. It is nearly impossible to remove these pipes. There is little
we can do if the oil leaks out and causes a catastrophic outcome.

We also find some proof that our planet is getting warmer andwarmer. It was the first time that I realized that how powerful thenature is and how tiny the human are.
If I have to describe the condition of the wildlife protection, I
would say it is pessimistic. Dozen of species are dying out every
day as result of human activities. For example, the Northern
White Rhinoceros is announced to be functional extinction in
May 2016. There are less than 30 individual harbor porpoises surviving in this planet. All of these is associated with human illegal
capture activities. In another word, monetary motivation.
Some one may disagree with me because you may know that
our ancestors, the homo sapiens, also caused massive wildlife
extinction. Their action is due to their lack of knowledge and thehunting instinct. But in 21 century, we already know the the consequence if we don’t protect those amazing creature which havethe same right to live on the planet like every human beings.
Some of us slaughter them for huge profit and most of us do nothave the consciousness to protect the animals let alone put efforts
to change the situation. To make things worse, as a high school
student, I know that most school do not pay much attention tosuch subjects which educate young generation the right concept
and conduct to protect the ecosystem. Nowadays majority of students can do nothing but shout out slogans. That is why I believe
popularization teenagers’ environmental education is vital.
It is only by doing so that our planet can be a better place forhuman being. It is never too late to save what we still have.
Extinction is not eternal.

The Youth Frontier Transforming Waste to Wealth – A Case of Novel Eſſorts by
Young Entrepreneurs towards the Struggle for Depolluting the Holy River Ganges (abstract)
Sreeya Patnaik
Xavier Institute of Management, Bhubaneswar
Wetlands are among the most productive ecosystems on theplanet, providing an array of ecosystem services that are vital forsurvival and wellbeing, hence forming a web of life. Today, therate of loss and deterioration of wetlands is a matter of concern
for all regions of the world. According to Wetlands International,
wetlands are on the “front- line” as development pressuresincrease everywhere. This is likely to intensify in the coming
decades due to increased global demand for land and water. The
need of the hour is the willingness to make significant contributions to help prevent wetland loss and achieve effective restoration. Inculcating ideas about the importance of wetlands inyoung minds goes a long way in creating huge differences.
Instilling into the students minds, the complexities and consequences of continued unprecedented loss of wetlands shallrender deep understanding and collaborative efforts. This will
not only encourage them to act as ambassadors for wetland
conservation and restoration, but to share their views andknowledge with others in their communities. Today, the motivated youth are becoming responsible environmental stewards
through their participation in wetland restoration. It is heartening to see a surge in startup companies driven by young entrepreneurs coming up with innovative ideas for successful wetland
restoration. The inspiring endeavor of one such budding young
entrepreneur to clean River Ganges is quite commendable. The
Ganges, the third largest river in the world in terms of water
discharge into sea, is India’s holiest river and is deep seated inIndian culture and ethos. It supports the livelihood of more thana massive 500 million and cradles some of the rarest species on
the planet including the critically endangered, Gangetic dolphin.
Unfortunately, this vibrant River is now considered as the fifth
most polluted river in the world, gasping for life. Over the years,

the Government of India has been investing in cleaning andrestoring the river that serves as a labyrinth of life.
However, this is an onerous task that calls for substantial collaborative efforts over time for its success. Recently, two
26-year-old entrepreneurs have emerged with their innovativeand creative solutions to join hands with Government to clean
up 80 million tons of floral waste dumped every year in to theriver every year by devotees, which is posing serious eutrophication problems. Their startup company “Help Us Green”, currently collects about 9.5 tons per month and converts thesewastes to wealth. They not only remove the floral waste fromthe River but process them, to produce incense sticks andmanures, while providing employment opportunities for 1,200
rural families at the same time. Inspired by the success, they
now plan to scale up the collection and processing of flower
waste to 15-20 tons per month by 2019. They are also working
on expanding their product line to more products to make theeffort more credible and replicable. This case demonstrates asustainable innovative solution to the restoration of an important wetland ecosystem. There are many other inspiring storiesof thriving endeavors towards the Ganges restoration, which
truly highlight how the youth are emerging to be the future
guardians of our wetlands. Today the youth have been doing
wonders through their contribution to wetland and environmental conservation.
Whether we talk about pollution, waste management or
eco-tourism, they seem to have solutions for all. With the prodigious growth of urbanization and water scarcity in developing
countries like India, these startups can become a much-neededpanacea for successful wetland restoration.

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Session 5: Wetlands and YouthCan Youth Help Wetlands? (abstract)
Fumi Kasahara, Ibuki Kurumatuka
Osaki Ikimono club
We were working in Osaki city, Miyagi prefecture. There are 3
Ramsar Convention wetlands in Miyagi prefecture. 2 of them are
in Osaki city.
Osaki city has many natural environments such as about
20,000 rice field and vast forest.
We belonged Osaki Ikimono Club.
It belonged to about 200 members, and went to the wetlands
and the river and forest ,rice field in the city and was learning
about the creatures once a month.
When we are studying plants, we pick and deep-fry edible
plants. These experiences were very precious.
We presented what we learned to people living in prefecturesother than Miyagi as well as people living abroad and exchange
opinions on the matter. We went to many Japanese regions suchas Tokyo University and Fujimae mudflat in Aichi prefecture.
The places we went abroad include Thailand and South Korea.
We were surprised to learn that some species that are rare in
Japan are sometimes common in other countries. In someplaces abroad, building man-made roads and water channels
are forbidden to protect the ecosystem. I was amazed by theirstrong mindset to protect the ecosystem.
We are doing activities to make biotope near the rice field. We
want to increase the number of creatures living around paddy
fields and want to help. So we started making biotope. The
beginning of that was one of the plans we thought at the work-

shop held in Toyooka city was the idea of making a biotope.
Before making a biotope, we first discussed what shape abiotope would be. After that, we decided the shape based on our
opinion and started to create it. The place to make first grew
grass, so we started digging after mowing. Digging the rice
paddy under the scorching sun was difficult.
In biotope, we are doing creatures research. It was a glad tosee that the types found each time we surveyed increased.
Through making biotopes, I felt that human power is necessary to protect paddy fields and creatures living there. In orderto protect paddy fields, I think it is important to investigate andunderstand the present condition of the rice paddy now. Actually digging the rice paddies and conducting surveys allowed us
to feel the rice field closer than ever. I began to think with a senseof realization that we should seriously think about the idea about
the environment that was only finished with knowledge. Because
rice field is an important place to connect nature with us.
I live on a remote island called Ama in Shimane prefecture.
The people of Ama do rice field work, but not many people areinterested in learning about animals. Furthermore, there are notmany people who are researching the animals in Ama, so there
are still many things to do. Thus, I want to utilize what I learnedat the damp grounds in Miyagi and present what I learned to the
local people of Ama. I want to be able to inform people of theimportance of the ecosystem.

The Study of Grey Water Footprint of Inorganic-Rice Cultivation for
The Lower Central Plain Management in Thailand:
Case Study in Nakhonchaisi District, Nakhon pathom Province (abstract)
Nichakant Kerdnamchai, Werachat Chatpanyacharoen
Faculty of Environment and Resource Studies, Mahidol University
The lower central plain of Thailand is one of the plain areasthat suitable for rice cultivation because of the suitability ofgeography and the productivity of water body. The area used forrice cultivation is approximately 381,856.8 hectares. It is thethird or 14.50% of land used in Thailand. (Rice Department, Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, Thailand, 2016-2017)
By the rice cultivation, there are many factors that important
for ri growth. One of the essential factors is the plant nutrition
which is from natur or the form of fertilizer. A popular type of
fertilizer in Thailand is chemic fertilizer. The trend of using them isincreasing every year because ri cultivation is required more loadof chemical fertilizers than other plan cultivation. Used chemicalfertilizer and pesticide are estimated around 312. 375 kilograms/
hectare (Department of Agriculture in Thailand). The informatiofrom Rice Department, Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperativesof Thailan has been shown that imported chemical fertilizers
since 2005-2009 added u to 3.3, 3.5, 4.3, 3.7 and 3.8 million tons,
respectively. Rice cultivation is one the most agricultural activities that occurred in the lower central plain. Henc there is much
more load of pollutants contaminated in the water and drain into
the natural water body and widely effect on the area.
This study focuses on the quantity of water, especially thegrey wat footprint of inorganic-rice cultivation. The grey water
footprint is one of wat footprint types. It is defined as the amountof fresh water required to assimila pollutants to meet specificwater quality standard before released to th environment(A.Y.Hoekstra and A.K. Chapagain, 2011). The study area of th
research is located in Nakhonchaisi district, Nakhon pathom
province which the part of the Thailand’s lower central plain.
First of all, the water samples in this area were collected 3
times related to land preparation phase, the first vegetative
phase (15-20 days of rice growth), and the second vegetative
phase (50-60 days of rice growth), respectively.
Then, all of the water samples were analyzed the concentration of Nitrate-Nitrogen (NO3) at the laboratory. The Nitrate-Nitrogen concentration and some information that asking fromthe farmer about the amount of chemical fertilizer used in thecultivation area are 61.125 ton/hectare have been used for the
calculation of grey water footprint. After the calculation, theresult shows that the calculation of grey water footprint of the
inorganic rice cultivation is 193.08 m3/ton which is rather higher
than the standard of Thailand’s grey water footprint that is 116
m3/ ton (A.Y. Hoekstra and A.K. Chapagain, 2010). It shows thatchemical fertilizers applied have an effect on the grey water
footprint. If the rate of using chemical fertilizer for rice cultivation is rather high, the grey water footprint will increase. Itmeans that the volume of fresh water that used to dilute pollutants is also increasing. By the result, the grey water footprint
can be used as the indicator for managing water resources in
the lower central plain of Thailand to achieve sustainable water
management.

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Session 6
Wetlands and Sustainable Tourism

122

Session 6: Wetlands and Sustainable Tourism

Promoting the Implementation of Environmental Treaties
for Sustainable Tourism: In the Light of the Ramsar Convention
Shiina Suzuki
Post-Doctoral Fellow, Sophia University Graduate School of Global Environment

The presenter is post-doctoral fellow of Sophia University
in Tokyo, Japan. The research field is international environmental law and one of the research theme is related to effective implementation of environmental treaties, including theConvention on Wetlands of International Importance Especially as Waterfowl Habitat (hereinafter, Ramsar Convention).
My presentation focuses on how the Ramsar Convention
recognize and organize “tourism”, especially under the “sustainable tourism” in relation to wetland conservation, fromlegal aspects.
1. Introduction“Tourism” plays a role of promoting economic growth
employment creation, poverty eradication, environmental
conservation and mutual understanding, and ultimately it isexpected to be effective in multiple fields as a tool leading topeace. International Society has been working and struggle
with issues related on tourism for a long time. Interest in
tourism in the international community can be seen in theInternational Union of Official Travel Organizations (IUOTO)
established in 1925 to promote international cooperation in
the tourism sector. IUOTO was reorganized into the World
Tourism Organization in 1975 and became one of the organization of United Nations (UNWTO) in 2003.
Recently, while many international agreements on environmental issues have been concluded, there has been growinginterest in the relationship between “wetlands” and “sustainable tourism”.
For example, the UN approved the adoption of 2002 as the“International Year of Ecotourism” and 2017 as “InternationalYear of Sustainable Tourism for Development”. In 2015 theFourth Strategic Plan adopted at 12th of Conference of theContracting Parties to the Ramsar Convention mentioned
tourism as one of the sustainable elements for the wise use of
all wetlands.
In addition, at the 69th General Assembly of the United
Nations in 2017, resolution 69/233 on promoting sustainable
tourism, including ecotourism, eradicating poverty and promoting environmental protection was adopted. The resolution
recognized the importance of international tourism andrecalled the theme of International year of 2017 and pointed
out sustainable tourism will contribute to strength world
peace.
Furthermore, the World Travel Tourism Council (WTTC)elected Okavango Delta (Ramsar Site in Botswana) as a Destination Award as a case of sustainable tourism in 2017. The
reason of election, WTTC evaluated the fact that the Ramsar
Site had guaranteed the maximum profit to the local people
and at the same time kept it to the minimum impact.
2. Current Situation of International Environmental Treaties
There are no treaties directly targeting tourism. However, infact, tourism is also an indispensable element to consider
environmental problems. For that reason, some environmental treaties have articles related to tourism under the international environmental law.
In order to materialize the article, the related guidelines are
adopted by using terms such as “tourism”, “ecotourism”, “rec-reation” and so on to achieve compatibility between tourism
projects and environmental conservation. When applying theguidelines, it requires the four elements such as (1)nature, (2)economy, (3)society, and (4)culture to be in an appropriatebalance.
3. Tourism in Ramsar Convention
The Ramsar Convention covers all the four elements(natural, economic, social and cultural) targets for wetlands
and plays a role in connecting the local community and its
outsiders, people who are not belong to local community. For
example, government, companies, travelers, researchers andso on. It is necessary to consider the four elements of wetlands integrally rather than grasping each factor individually.
The effect of combining all the elements, will create uniquevalues of the area, which is necessary factor for sustainable
tourism. In order to maintain its value, it is necessary toemphasize the role of the community.
Such recognition can be found in European regional conventions such as the European Landscape Convention and the Faro
Convention, which promotes a wider understanding of heritageand its relationship to communities and society. However,recently not only environmental treaties, but also national conservation laws in each country are paying attention.
4. The Role of Local Community
In order to maintain unique wetland value for sustainable
tourism, it is necessary to emphasize the role of the local community. For example, there is a relationship with the status of
wetlands in tourism. If the wetland is Ramsar Site, the necessary conservation management based on the Convention will
be carried out under the domestic laws of each country.
Even for the unregistered wetlands sites, the State shall
implement necessary conservation management according to
the Convention as well. However, if there are tourism activities that cause wetland ecosystems to be adversely affected atunregistered wetlands sites, conservation management by
the government may not be handled successfully.
In such a case, the opinions and experiences of local community, who knows what kinds of tourism activities will
adversely affect wetland ecosystem is indispensable not only
for wetland conservation but also for sustainable tourism(please refer to fig.1). Specifically, it will be possible to propose
and pointed out from the local community to the governmentof that country that appropriate regulatory control should be
carried out. This action of local community will build momentum to bring the government to make decisions to change thepriority order of actions that they should take promptly, andleads to start various procedures for taking proper measures(please refer to fig.2).
From this aspect, the local community will play a role inleading to more desirable way of tourism. Regarding the pointthat participation of the local community also contributes tothe tourism field, the Ramsar Convention responded and realized under the mechanism of “Communication, Education,
Participation, Awareness”.
As described above, in order to carry out sustainable
tourism, it is indispensable to comprehensively grasp aspects

123of wetlands to be tourism resources and also participatory
wetland management based on local communities is essential.
5. Effective Scheme for Sustainable Tourism
For sustainable tourism, the Ramsar Convention required
to the State to give satisfaction to visitors through local special
products, scenery which can be only seen in the area or experiences that can only be done in the local place. As previously
stated, the active involvement and strengthening of diverse
actors including the local community is indispensable, but
only the active participation of local people is not enough. The
sustainable tourism will need some support from economic
aspect as well. Regarding this point, how to make effective
use of local products and add the unique value to the local
area? Talking about local products, the static products (eg.
scenery, landscapes) and the dynamic products (eg. local vegetables, beverage) can be considered. Regarding the former, it
is expected that it will raise valuable natural and culturalvalues by designating it as Ramsar Site or a protected area
under domestic law. In Regard to the latter, geographical indication (GI) externally shows the unique value to the local area
is one of effective schemes for dynamic products that boost
sustainable tourism.
In the case that the GI is permitted under the domestic law,
GI is trademarked based on traditional agricultural products
and manufacturing methods and related ecological, environmental and traditional knowledge, and it is expected to
produce added value. Therefore, the GI has the economic
expansion effect, strengthening the production base of local
producers and expanding profits, contributing to improvement of living environment of the local community.
However, some issues remain about GI, a question of how
to treat products that are GI marked for sustainable tourism.
For example, traditional products, such as local foodstuff
like vegetable including GI, clearly shows sacrifice environmental, cultural and economic values as added value andbecome one of the elements to purposes of tourism. In such acase, it is possible to positively make a GI and to sell at places
other than the local (please refer to fig3/right side). On theother hand, there is a way to increase the number of visitorsby allowing GI items can be purchased only in that area
(please refer to fig3/left side). Which GI utilization is much suitable for sustainable tourism under the Ramsar Convention?
In this point, since the sustainable tourism what Ramsar
Convention is supposed to include “bringing beneficial experiences to visitors”, the latter, which the unique value to the
products and tourist areas including GI as one thing, isregarded to be more appropriate to maintain sustainable
tourism.
6. Conclusion
From the above, this presentation focused on how theRamsar Convention recognize and organize “sustainable
tourism” in relation to wetland conservation from legal
aspects. There are two main points. The first point is active
participation of local communities are indispensable for
implementing sustainable tourism. Specially, when the government could not take wetland conservation measures
promptly in case of wetland destruction caused by visitors,
the experience of local communities will play important role.
It will be possible for the local community to propose government for demanding appropriate regulatory control should bedone by the government of that country.
The second point is a way to create added value of the area
and increase the number of visitors by allowing GI items canbe purchased only in that area will be much suitable for sustainable tourism under the Ramsar Convention. It should be

noted that, although not elaborated in detail this time, even if
the GI is not accepted by domestic laws, by taking advantageof the local community’s best knowledge of the use of local
products, it is possible to draw out the characteristics of local
products, and it will lead to add some value to the product. It
can be expected to obtain the similar effect as GI. For sustainable tourism, the way of showing the local items attractively
makes similar effect to GI. As you know, local people are thebest people who knows how to treat their own unique local
items appropriately. They know how the local items, such as
traditional local vegetables, should be cooked in delicious
way. Even in Japan there are some cases, for example Lotus
root in Nagasaki, which is not GI item but showing the local
items attractively using the word “Miracle” or “Rare” (“Maboroshi” in Japanese) to describe the outsiders the Lotus root
can only be bought in the area and show it high scarcity value.
fig1. Outline of relationship among Ramsar
Convention, Tourism activities and Local
community.

fig2. The essential role of Local Community to boost sustainable tourism.

fig3. The suitable ways of using GI item to create suitable tourism.

g*Acknowledgement
This study was supported by MEXT Sophia Research Branding Project.

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Session 6: Wetlands and Sustainable Tourism

Integration of Visits to Crab Banks in Sustainable Tourism
Sansanee Choowaew
Wetlands Management Research and Training Center, Faculty of Environment and Resource Studies, Mahidol University

Crab bank is not a new approach, but has been practiced inmany countries in Asia for several decades. This paper provides basic information about crab banks being operated byseveral coastal communities in Thailand; introduces somegood case examples where visits to crab banks have been integrated in mainstream tourism programs; highlights potential
contribution of crab bank visits to sustainable tourism; andsuggests some other local livelihood activities which may beof visitors’ interest and can be also added in tourism programs.
In Thailand, crabs, especially blue swimming crabs and mud
crabs, are economic species important for local and national
economy. Crab products are one of the important exports.
Almost 100% of crab products are derived from natural
capture. Along both sides of Thailand’s coastline, the Bay of
Bengal and the Gulf of Thailand, the decline in fertility ofaquatic resources is of great concern. Total catch of blue swimming crabs 43,871 tons in 2000 sharply reduced to 28,296 tons
in 2011. Besides the decreased fertility and amount of total
catch, the average size of crabs caught was much smaller,
reducing from 14 cm to only 8 cm. Major causes of problems
are over-harvesting, commercial catch due to higher price ofand market demand for egg-bearing crabs, and use of highly
effective fishing gears such as collapsible crab traps, crab gillnets, and drag and push nets which can catch crabs of all sizes
in large amount at one time.
The crab bank approach was introduced to the eastern coastal
fishery communities along the Gulf of Thailand in the late 1970s
and to the coastal provinces along the Bay of Bengal in the late1980s. Since 2002, many crab banks have been established andare now being operated by many coastal communities in morethan 13 coastal provinces and become widely well-known forblue swimming crab and mud crab conservation.
Most of crab banks are established and managed by local
fishing communities with support from public and private
sectors. All crab banks have common aims. Major purposes
are restoring and increasing crab population, ensuring thefuture fertile crab stock, improving crab fisheries and increasing income from crab harvesting. To achieve those common
aims, various different techniques and tools have been developed to be used for crab hatcheries, raising and fattening tosuit different localities. Crab banks may be operated at different scales and sizes – from small, medium, to large. Designs
and patterns of crab banks may be different, depending on
locations, sizes, number of members, and availability ofbudgets. Different crab banks may use different methods andmay have different conditions of agreements, rules and guidelines for crab bank members to follow.
In the most natural and effective method, when crab fishers
catch egg-bearing crabs, they mark their names or symbols on
crabs and release those crabs back to the sea. There will be norecapture, no selling, no buying for those crabs having names
or symbols on, leaving them to spawn naturally in the sea andbaby crabs grow in the sea, maintaining natural crab stock.
For the so-called crab banks, egg-bearing crabs are collected and donated by crab bank members, and raised inhatcheries of different types, designs and sizes such as floating nets, baskets, pens and cages, tanks and ponds. One
female crab may lay 200,000 – 1,000,000 eggs depending on

the crab size. After spawning or releasing eggs or brushingeggs off, mother crabs are returned to donors or sold, and theincome is used by the crab bank for operating expenses, crab
feeds, system maintenance, and common funds for crab bankmembers. New crabs hatch and baby crabs are raised, fed,
and allowed to float back or released back to the sea. Survival
rate is around 40 – 60 %. The increase in the juvenile crab population and crab catch rates was reported after crab bank
implementation at several sites.
Crab banks have drawn attention of both domestic andforeign visitors. Several crab banks become tourist destinations and are included in tourism programs. Visits to crab
banks are promoted by the Tourism Authority of Thailand andProvincial Offices. As part of public relation and tourism promotion activities, there is collaboration between relevant
sectors, agencies, and local communities to organize study
visits and technical trainings for specific and various groupsof visitors, such as journalists, government officials and staffs,
school children and youth, leaders and representatives of
local communities inside and outside Thailand.
Some good case examples where visits to crab banks havebeen integrated in mainstream tourism programs are as
follows.
The Fish Home and Crab Bank Learning Center, Bangsrakao
Sub-District, Laem Singh District, Chanthaburi Province, hasbeen established since 1999. At this Learning Center, there areregular visits of individuals and groups of visitors and tourists
such as school children and teachers, community leaders andmembers, academics and researchers, media and press, andgeneral public. The East Asia Department, Ministry of Foreign
Affairs of Thailand ever brought the officials and staffs to visit
this Crab Bank Learning Center to learn and to release crabs
back to the sea. This Learning Center has developed learning
curriculum and offers 2 days technical trainings for those whoare interested in crab bank establishment and livelihoods offisher folks. Visitors can gain at least 7 learning contents
including (a) fish home; (b) crab bank; (c) local traditional
fishing methods; (d) traditional processes and methods forpreservation of aquatic resources; (e) local medicinal plants
and herbs; (f) reed matting and handicrafts; and (g) sufficiency
economy practices. Here, visitors and local communities haveopportunities to share knowledge and exchange experience incrab conservation, crab raising and fattening. Local experts,
crab banks leaders and members are resource persons andlocal guides. Local communities take part in community-based
ecotourism management, integrating crab bank visits andother various livelihood activities in tourism programs. A
2-days/1-night study visit and experience sharing costs 600
THB/student from schools and universities and 800 THB/
person for general public. This cost covers hands-on practicalexperience, home-stay accommodation and meals.
Crab Bank at Kung Krabaen Bay Royal Development Study
Center, Klong Khud Sub-District, Tha Mai District, Chanthaburi
Province is a popular tourist destination. Many representativesof local communities inside and outside Thailand pay visits tothe crab bank at this Study Center for knowledge transfer andexperience sharing. Kung Krabaen Bay, a unique-shape bay ofthe eastern coast of the Gulf of Thailand, used to face with

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severe problems of continuously deteriorated coastal ecosystems and natural resources. After the Royal Initiative in 1981,
the Royal Development Study Center was established and thefertility of ecosystems has been restored. Blue swimming crab,
an economic species, has been under threats due to over-intensive harvesting. Crab conservation group and crab bank were
established in 2004, under the leadership of active community
leaders with collaboration and support from local fisher folks
and Kung Krabaen Bay Royal Development Study Center. The
purposes of crab bank are to increase crab population, raiseawareness of fishers and villagers, and serve as a learning anddemonstration site for fishers, villagers and the general public.
Due to the high cost of electricity and electricity instability,
sometimes baby crabs in hatcheries lack of oxygen and died.
With the initial financial support from the Energy Conservation
Promotion Fund, crab bank here uses solar cells (1,500 Watts) inorder to save energy and cost for aerators in crab hatcheries
and to ensure the survival of crabs being raised. Electricity costsaving is around 29,500 THB/year (approx. 33 THB = 1 USD).
More importantly, the survival rate of the hatched baby crabs
increased and more crabs from hatcheries are released back tothe sea maintaining more natural crab stock and bringing moreincome and better livelihoods from coastal crab fisheries. Thismodel has been shared with and transferred to other fishingcommunities at other localities in Thailand. The Study Center is
a popular visiting site for local and foreign visitors. Educational
materials have been developed and distributed for knowledgetransfer. Contents include life cycle, biology and ecology ofcrabs, economic values, importance of and needs for crab
banks, crab bank operation and management.
The Crab Bank and Sunthorn Phu Local Fishery Association,
Rayong Province, is another site where visitors, tourists, andnearby fishing community members often come to learn andshare experience about crab bank operation. The Sunthorn
Phu Local Fishery Association was established in 1974 aiming
at the conservation of aquatic resources. Due to the increaseof crab fisheries, commercial catch of egg-bearing crabs, andthe decline of crab fertility, in 1979 traditional fisher folks consulted among themselves, discussed with Fishery Department
officers, and decided that crab bank must be established.
Common agreement was set up. Crab fishers who caught
egg-bearing crabs must donate some mother crabs to the
crab bank. Mother crabs are raised in ponds for 1-2 days until
eggs are released. After hatching, baby crabs are raised andreleased back to the sea. Mother crabs are sold and income
returns to the crab bank for assisting crab bank members inneeds. More than 20 crab catching boats participated as crabbank members. During the crab bank operation, more than
8,000 mother crabs were deposited in the crab bank. On
average, a mother crab released 100,000 – 200,000 eggs. Crabbank members estimated that at the lowest rate of survival of
only 2 – 3 %, crab population in the sea would increase by
several millions. This estimation was confirmed by theincrease in crab catching rate of 5 – 10 kg/day/boat. At themarket price of 150 – 250 kg, crab fishers earned good income
for their families and have better livelihoods. Awareness andparticipation of local communities in sustainable coastal
resource use, conservation and restoration of aquatic
resources, responsible fisheries, food security, and strengthof community-based management capacity has been raisedand developed.
In addition to the 3 crab banks described above, many study
visits and study tours have been organized for specific andvarious groups of visitors and tourists at several other sites.
For example, a trip to visit the crab bank of fishery community
at Ko Teab Village, Pathiu District, Chumphon Province wasorganized by Chumphon Provincial Office in collaboration

with the Tourism Authority of Thailand, for 30 journalists in
Chumphon and other provinces as part of public relation andtourism promotion activities.
Crab banks have the potential contribution to sustainable
tourism in various aspects. Crab banks offer attractive ecotourism and educational resources and are included in many
coastal tourism programs. Visitors and local communities
have opportunities to share knowledge and exchange experience in crab conservation, crab raising and fattening. Local
experts, crab banks leaders and members serve as resource
persons and local guides. Educational materials in various
forms including demonstration models, leaflets and posters
have been developed and distributed for knowledge transfer.
Visitors and tourists, not only benefit from knowledge andlife experience sharing gained from locally developed methods
in crab conservation, crab raising and fattening, but also experience local livelihoods and life style from home-stays andenjoy several delicious Thai dishes cooked from fresh crabs.
Several groups of domestic and foreign fishing community
leaders and members visiting crab banks in Thailand haveshown their interest and impression, found the trips wereknowledgeable and useful, and indicated that they would
apply the crab bank concept and techniques for crab raising,fattening, natural stock replenishing back home.
Meanwhile, local stakeholders benefits from knowledge
sharing with visitors and their livelihoods is enhanced via theopportunity to improve source of income stemmed from theirown biodiversity conservation awareness and efforts. Local
communities operating crab banks take part in community-based tourism management, offering the Thai ways of hospitality. Crab bank tourism increases job opportunities andimprove sources of income. A trip to a crab bank costs 700
THB/visitor/day – 2,500 THB/visitor/3 days, covering expenses
for speedboat (400 THB/visitor), fresh crab (450 – 600 THB/
visitor/meal), and home-stay accommodation.
Awareness and participation of visitors, tourists, practitioners, local communities, and public at large has been raisedand developed leading to local collective efforts and actions
for more sustainable community-based coastal resource conservation and management.
Benefits to visitors, local communities, and the overall ecosystems are based on local stakeholders’ own awareness andefforts in biodiversity conservation. Crab bank tourism complies with the definition of ‘sustainable tourism’ – tourism thatmeets economic and social needs while maintaining cultural
integrity, essential ecological processes, biodiversity and life
support systems. Crab bank tourism also complies with the‘sufficiency economy’ philosophy of His Majesty the late King
Rama XI of Thailand.
Besides crab bank visits, other local livelihood activities
such as rice farming, organic vegetable and fruit farming,
animal raising, fisheries, aquaculture, and many others canform agro-tourism. Local wisdom, expertise, life experience,
traditions, culture can form health tourism and sport tourism.
All these forms of tourism, if are combined, added on, or integrated into the mainstream tourism programs may be ofinterest of both domestic and international visitors and tourists, increase values to their tourism activities, and can help
enhance sustainable tourism, local livelihoods and sufficiency
economy.
References & Further Readings :Johl, A. 2013. Crab Banks : a Literature Review. Bangkok, Thailand : IUCN. 23 pp.
http://www.bangsrakao.go.th/default.php?modules=project&data=detail&did=9
http://www.fisheries.go.th/cf-kung_krabaen/index_1.html
https://www.thairath.co.th/content/348038
http://www.phtnet.org/news56/view-news.asp?nID=120

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Session 6: Wetlands and Sustainable Tourism

Initiative by the Reformed Bird Hunters of Mangalajodi Marsh,
Chilika Lake, India for Successful Conservation of Biodiversity
and Sustainable Tourism
Ajit Kumar Pattnaik
Vice President, Wetlands International South Asia
Undoubtedly, the sustainable tourism can make a significant contribution to the conservation and maintenance of biodiversity. But, in reality, the success stories are few and are
generally isolated covering individual species or relatively
small areas of habitats. Successful case studies making comprehensive contribution to conservation of biodiversity onvast geographic areas are rarely found. Nevertheless, a few
isolated initiatives taken up by the local communities andindividuals showcased herein strongly demonstrate how theiractions have led to a win-win situation resulting in successfulconservation of biodiversity, adoption of sustainable tourism
models and provision of viable livelihood opportunities. Initiative by villagers of Managalajodi located along the fringe ofChilika lake, India is one of such outstanding few example.
Mangalajodi marshes on the Northern fringes of Chilika
Lake, a Ramsar site in India, is an excellent habitat for bothresident and migratory birds. It has been designated as an
Important Bird & Biodiversity Area (IBA). Mangalajodi marsh
supports 97 species of water birds and 33 wetland dependent
birds that includes 30 species which breed here. Black-tailed
godwit Limosa limosa, (near threated as per IUCN Red list) is
the flagship species of the marsh. Mangalajodi witnessed aremarkable journey from the indiscriminate poaching of birds
to a responsible ecotourism site, steered by the local reformed
bird hunters. Once known as an infamous poacher’s heaven,
Mangalajodi is now transformed in to an endless source offascination for those, with the inclination to enjoy and appreciate the nature and biodiversity. In early 1990s, local communities used to indiscriminately hunt, eat and sell the meat andeggs of birds and had adopted it as a means of livelihood. 80
defiant professional bird hunters used to rule the area till 1997.
With long persuasion of Wild Orissa, a local NGO and Chilika
Development Authority(CDA), these reformed bird huntersabandoned poaching and adopted eco-tourism as a means of
livelihood. They use non-mechanized small boats with ore, toconduct the tourist in Mangalajodi marshes. Now their earnings are much better than what they used to get out poaching.
Most importantly now they live with dignity and left behind
their bad image of poachers.
On observing the impact, the Chilka Development Authority
adopted a direct action programmes with the Samiti to accelerate change. Membership of the Mahavir Pakshi Surakshya
Samiti , grew from 9 to about 25. It holds regular meetings
within the Samiti as well as with forest staff of their wildlife
range, wildlife warden, water resources department, Chilika
Development Authority, on various issues. They co-ordinate
meetings with visiting scientists and biologists and also
educate school children who take excursions to the bird
breeding habitats.
The CDA supported capacity development training, provided binoculars & bird books to local guides and createdminimum infrastructure for tourists. For safeguarding themarshes from pollution and disturbances to avian fauna,these reformed bird hunters used small non-mechanizedboats with ore to conduct tourists. Most importantly themembers can identify the birds with all precession. The
income from support activities also enhanced income of thevillagers. They realized that the protection of the biodiversity

creates a sustainable livelihood. They joined hands with theForest Department in protecting the area and apprehended
poachers.
The case demonstrates how the reformed poachers canplay a key role in containing poaching and conservation of
biodiversity and create employment opportunity sustainably.
The indicator of success has been the increase in bird population from a meagre, 4277 in 90s to 0.15 million in 2016 due tosuccessful protection by the communities. Amazingly it has
emerged as one of the best site for the wildlife photography.
The average annual income of the local communities
increased by 1000 US $ and migration out of the village insearch of employment is also significantly reduced. To takethis initiative to the next level, Indian Grameen Services(IGS)a NGO facilitated the constitution of Mangalajodi Ecotourism
Trust (MET) in 2010. IGS in collaboration with MET developed
cottages, dormitories and tented accommodation with dining
facility, interpretation centre cum souvenir shop for the
eco-tourist which are run by the local communities. For marketing and dissemination of information a website “mangalajodiecotourism.com” is developed. A conservation team
involving the boatmen & guides is constituted within MET. The
marsh is divided into six zones for regular patrolling and conducting the tourists. During patrolling and birding tours, theyalso keep a watch on the nesting sites and ensure that the area
remain undisturbed.
Mahavir Pakshi Surakhya Samiti, has been the first community based initiative, which could achieve major success not
only in containing poaching and conservation of biodiversity
but promotion of responsible tourism. The community now
clearly understand the connect between biodiversity & livelihood, which is key for sustainability. It is an excellent example,
how community led initiative to conserve biodiversity cancreate huge opportunity for sustainable tourism and create
livelihood opportunity for the communities.

127

Session 6: Wetlands and Sustainable Tourism

Entry Fees for Environmental Services in Community Based Ecotourism:
An Experience from Bishazaari Wetland of Nepal (abstract)1

Maheshwar Dhakal, 2 Chiranjivi Prasad Pokhrel, 2 Satosh Bhattarai
1

Ministry of Forests and Soil Conservation, 2 National Trusts for Nature Conservation

Wetlands are the most attractive destination to national and international visitors to observe natural beauty, photography, jungle safari
and many others. Wetlands productive ecosystems and produce provisioning, regulating, cultural and supporting services and their importance are wider than other ecosystem. Ramsar listed wetlands haveadditional values as these sites are combination of social, economical,
ecological and cultural services of international importance.
The Bis Hazaari Lake is located in the Chitwan district, adjoining with
Chitwan National Park, the oldest national park of Nepal, listed in the
Ramsar site in 2003. The local communities largely for irrigation purposes use the wetland water. This wetland provides a habitat to mega
fauna like tiger, rhino and elephant, and many national and international
tourists visit to the site to observe these species on annually basis.
This paper aims to explore the community-based ecotourism initiatedby the local communities at Bis Hazaari Lake in Nepal.Though the Chitwan
National Park has a long history of ecotourism, the local communities of
Bis Hazaari wetland initiated an separate entry fee to both national andinternational tourists. The entry fee is collected in the community fundfirst and used for lake cleaning, security of the tourists, development ofobservation site, development of foot trail and many others.
As assessment of entry fees, follow of visitors based on the seasonsand their main attractions and activities were performed. An interaction
with local community members and government officials were madeon collection of entry fees as a part of environmental services and its
impact on wetland conservation activities. The biodiversity profile andwater quality observations are also performed during the study.
After an initiation of entry fee and its use in ecotourism activities, theincome and livelihoods of local communities is gradually improved.
The job employment opportunities in terms of nature guide, driver, andhotel entrepreneurs are constantly increasing. The National trust for
Nature Conservation together with national park authority is provided
training and exposure visits to local communities as apart of capacity
building activities of ecotourism. Bird watching and jungle drive are themajor tourism activities. Similarly, jungle walk along with nature guideis the most attractive activity to the area. The private sector is equally
benefited from the wetland conservation activities. In the meantime,
allocation of some government funding together with buffer zone
activities is observed crux to sustain the ecotourism activities. Higher
level of government ownership is in spiral to local communities toincrease their participation. However, security of tourists from the wildlife attack is another serious concern to promote the ecotourism activities win the areas. Promotion and advertisement of the site could be
another factor to increase the visitors number in the following days.
Further study is suggested to understand the satisfaction of the visitors
as their satisfaction is fundamental to increase the park entry fees. The
coordination with local government agencies, private entrepreneurs,
civil society organizations like non-profit organization are equallyimportant and recommended for a long term and sustainable community based ecotourism in and around the wetland area.

To Bring Awareness of Appreciation for the Culture & Environment by Providing Low
Impact Activities that Promote Conservation & Preservation through Socially Responsible andEnvironmentally Sensitive Interaction with People, Landscape and Ecosystems (abstract)
Kasimiro T. Taukeinikoro, Kelly Bricker, Nate Bricker
Rivers Fiji Ltd.
The Upper Navua Conservation Area (UNCA) is the first and only
Ramsar Site in Fiji (Ramsar Site no.615). The Upper Navua River cuts anarrow gorge in the central highlands of Viti Levu, the main island of
Fiji - the gorge itself is some 75 meters deep and 5 to 25 meters wide.
The Ramsar Convention is an intergovernmental treaty and international cooperation it has however, approve to ratify the UNCA as a
Ramsar Site despite being owned privately duwe to its importance inthe conservation of one of the three largest drainage ecosystems in Fiji.
The UNCA Ramsar Site is 615 hectares and covers 200 meters oneither side of the Navua River. It is the home to local and different
endangered and vulnerable species of birds, reptiles, freshwater fishes
and flora which are endemic to the Upper Navua and Fiji as a whole. A
freshwater goby species is altogether new to science and is in the identification and naming process. Fiji has 17 endemic species of birds and
15 are found in Viti Levu and also found in the UNCA. Notable are thevulnerable pink-billed parrotfinch (Erythrura kleinschmidti), Kadavu
parrot (Prosopeia splendens) and black- throated shrikebill (Clytorhynchus nigrogularis); near threatened masked shining parrot (Prosopeia
personata); and endemic giant forest honey eater (Gymnomyza viridis)
etc. The endangered Fiji banded iguana (Brachylophus bulabula) andendangered endemic sago palm (Metroxylon vitiense) are also foundin the UNCA. The UNCA plays a critical and vital part in the conservation of biodiversity in Fiji and wider Pacific region. It is indeed a fragile
ecosystem that must be handled with absolute care and any unscrupulous management could see the destruction of the environment andthe extinction of our very own wildlife.
Rivers Fiji is an ecotourism and rafting venture operating in Fiji
since 1996. It aims at combining the protection of the wetlands and theassociated ecosystem with sustainable tourism. The company provides the local landowning units financial benefits with minimal

impact to the environment. The essence of the company’s operation isbased on its vision which is “To enhance visitors and indigenous
peoples awareness of appreciation for the culture and environment by
providing activities that promote conservation & preservation throughsocially responsible and environmentally sensitive interaction withpeople, landscape and ecosystems which makes the Fijian Highlands
so distinct and unique.” Furthermore, the company operates on “leave
no trace policy” which means that the impact is bare minimum that
visitors never leave visible behind.
In its bid to actively advocate, promote conservation and the preservation of the UNCA Rivers Fiji continues to visit communities and carryout awareness programmes on environment protection among local
communities and in schools. It offers river trips to local villages andschools, and carry out community discussions whenever possible.
Every year Rivers Fiji gives cash prizes for drawing competitions,
essays and poster making to local schools on topics of conservationand protection the environment.
Rivers Fiji’s positive contribution to the environment has impelled
the Department of Environment (DOE; Ramsar Administrative Authority) to allow the company to sit in the National Wetlands Steering
Committee and the Protected Area Committee which the DOE is thesecretariat of.
Currently the landowning units profits from lease monies, and 10%
of Rivers Fiji annual gross revenue as payment of land-use fees. Furthermore, Rivers Fiji assists the remote villages through free transportation, free medical evacuation and coordinating community medical
clinics. Rivers Fiji continues to search for other low impact recreational, socioeconomic activities which directly and comprehensively
contribute to the conservation of Fiji’s natural resources and enhance
the livelihood of the landowners.

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Session 6: Wetlands and Sustainable Tourism

Biodiversity Value of Meinmahla Kyun Wildlife Sanctuary Ramsar Site
and Development of Ecotourism for the Communities (abstract)
Zau LunnFauna & Flora International-Myanmar
Meinmahla Kyun Wildlife Sanctuary Ramsar Site, situated in
the Ayeyarwaddy Delta Region at the rivermouth of Ayeyarwaddy River of Myanmar is designated as wetland of international importance on 2nd. February 2017 because of its prominantbiodiversity values of about 190 species of birds including resident and migratory birds, non-avian species including mammals
and mangrove species. The area of Ramsar site is about 50000
hectares including wildlife sanctuary and surrounding water
bodies and islands. Wildlife Sanctuary is covered by mangrove
forest and surrounded by Bogalay River in the east and Kadon
kani River in the west. NgamannThaung and Kadon galay islands
situated in the southern part of the Ramsat Site are important
habitats for turtle nesting and migratory bird wintering grounds.
Because of importance of biodiversity value and habitat, Meinmahla Kyun was announced in 1889 as Reserved Forest anf designated in 1994 as Wildlife Sanctuary anf declared as ASEAN
Heritage Park in 2013. According to IUCN list, 13 bird species are
threatened species including spoonbilled sandpiper. Among 29
species of mangrove, IUCN global critically endangered species,
Sonneratia griffithii and global endangered species, Heritiera
fomes can be found in the Ramsar site. 53 types of medicinal
plants and 7 kinds of orchid species are surviving in the wildlife
sanctuary. Among the mammal species, wild boar, otter, crab
eating macaque, wild dog, wild cat are recorded. Irrawaddy
dolphin can be seen in the surrounding water bodies. About 100
species of fish, 12 prawn and shrimp species and 9 crab species
are recorded around the wildlife sanctuary. The site is only onestrong hold area of estuarine crocodile, crocodylus porosus in

Myanmar.
The important sacred site for the fishers communities, U ShinGyi nat shrine and historic pagoda namely Myauk Tayar is alsosituated on the island. Because of good habitat for spawn andnursery ground for the aquatic organisms, the Ramsar site isalso supporting daily income of local communities for fishingand crab trapping around the Ramsar site. Because of goodfishing ground, many migrant fishers come and settle tempirarily and fish in the surrounding water bodies. The impoverishment of local communities, some impacts are being happened
such as illegal logging in the wildlife sanctuary.To reduce impacts
to the Ramsar site, development of livelihood in collaboration
with local communities and concerned government departments is very important for the sustainability of biodiversity
values, sustainability of livelihood of local communities andmanagement of the Ramsar site. If there is no alternative livelihood develpment option for the local communities, to maintainbiodiversity values will be difficult. The site is good potential forthe development of ecosystem based tourism because of biodiversity value and accessibilty and included in the plan of development of ecotourism sites in the forest department. For theattraction of tourist, not only biodiversity values, but also daily
livelihood of fishers communities is interested product. Kayaking trips can be arranged in the tributaties of wildlife sanctuary.
Therefore, development of ecotourism is very important forthe sustainability of biodiversity values of the site and livelihoodof local communities and that will support to the sustainable
management of Meinmahla Kyun Ramsar Site.

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Session 7
Wetlands and Culture130

Session 7: Wetlands and Culture

Wetland Culture in Conservation: Its Meaning,
Concept & Application
Bishnu B. Bhandari
Nepal Wetlands Society

The primary objective of the paper is to make conceptual
clarity on the concept and the meaning of wetland culture in
the wise use of wetlands. It also attempts to identify some ofits concrete and measurable contribution to the conservationof wetlands and associated resources on the ground. In orderto address these issues, the paper has been structured aroundthe following two questions.
1. After all, what do we understand by the phrase “wetland
culture”? How is it different from the widely used phrase“culture of wise use”? Why we attach so much importanceto wetland culture?
2. What are the existing activities that have led to the positive
as well as negative contribution to wetland conservation?
Background: Culture has been frequently used for different
purposes, at different times and at different places. It is also aloosely used term. When said loosely, it means imprecise andgeneralized. In other words, it is neither specific, nor exact. In
order to avoid the confusion over the use of the word “culture”,
we are talking here only about the phrase “wetland culture”.
Therefore, in the article we are dealing only with current
behaviors (knowledge, belief, attitude, norms & values, heritage, secular activities, traditional customs). Under no circumstance, are we concerned here with fine arts (music, taste,
literature, abstract art, painting, sculpture & poetry), exclusive, popular & privileged cultures and civilization, refined
culture, abstract arts, fossil culture, archaeological importanceand so forth.
Meaning and concept: Culture means many things to many
people and varies from place to place. In reality, it suffersfrom the lack of a common view. For example, in the contextof Asian tradition, it is not uncommon to see examples of degradation in which some people favor conservation or restoration while other favor wise use. Still another group favor for
education while some do not care about it at all. All these boil
down to the point that there is a lack of consensus on theissue. Subsequently, there is no cooperation on the ground.
This is because of variation in the way of life. Thus, is can besaid that culture is a composite concept which can be elucidated by the following examples.
1. Banana is a good sign in Hindu culture. They use banana
in all religious activities. But In Indonesia, Pontianaks (evilspirits) are said to live in the BANANA tree. If you want toprotect yourself from one of these supernatural beings,
you must thread a needle with red string and stick it into
the banana tree (Pontianaks: The Blood Sucking Female
Vampires of Southeast Asia. Available at http://www.cvltnation.com/pontianak-the-blood-sucking-female-vampires-of-southeast-asia/. Retrieved on 10 October 2017).
2. In South Asia, the big tree is considered the abode ofghost while it reified in Hindu culture. In Brunei, an oldtree near a Field Studies Center is reported to have housed
400 species of insects.
Human actions produce culture. So, any human action that
occurs repeatedly over time is called culture. J. B. Chitamber(1972) in his book titled Introductory Rural Sociology. New

Delhi: Wiley Eastern Limited articulates that a human actionthat has been occurring in a wetland for a long time and usedby the members of a society becomes culture and that is what
we call culture. Therefore, we can say that
1. Culture is the patterns of learned behaviors and theirproducts.
2. Culture is always dynamic or changing.
3. Culture includes products of learned behaviors (attitudes,
values, knowledge, materials objects and so forth).
4. Culture is learned & shared by the members of the society.
5. Culture is transmitted among its members.
Therefore, man makes culture and culture makes a man.
The lifestyles transmitted & developed by the people in a specific wetland area is called wetland culture. In order to further
elucidate the point, the author has adopted here the definition
given by Sasagawa et al. (2015). And it includes the “culture ofconservation & restoration,” “culture of wise us” & “culture of
CEPA”. This has been presented in a schematic framework,
which is a conceptual framework for Wetland Culture.
People are generally confused with these terms; therefore,
we would like to put emphasis here that wetland culture
includes all the culture of wise use, culture of conservation &restoration, culture of education”. No need to be confused.

The culture that occurs in and around a wetland site iscalled “wetland culture”. The paper takes into consideration
only the existing knowledge, religious belief, attitude, practice, norms & values, heritage, secular (non-religious) activities and traditional customs. Thus, wetland culture may
contribute to both negative as well as positive conservation of
the wetland site and associated resources. On the other hand,the “culture of wise use” and “culture of conservation” giverise to the meaning of only positive contribution to the conservation, management and sustainable development of wetlands and associated resources.
Therefore, the phrase “wetland culture” conceptually differsfrom the phrases “culture of wise use” and “culture of conservation” but intercept with each other as long as the former
makes positive contribution to the conservation and sustainable utilization of wetland resources (Source: Sasagawa, Koichi;
Natori Yoshihiro; Joo Gea-Jae; Chen Kelin; Sansanee
Choowaew; Sasaki Miki edited Wetland Culture in East Asia: A
Lasting Legacy of Skills, Knowledge and Wisdom (2015); published by Wetlands International Japan) .

131catchment and (2) rice farming like making terraces usingstone wall, annually maintaining these terraces to stabilize
soils. Below are the some of the examples of the existing
culture of a wetland.
1. Urban wetland: Gahana Pokhari is one of the oldest ponds
in Kathmandu, Nepal. Its water is used for humans (personal
sanitation), animals and fire extinguishing. In the Pokhari, afestival is held once in a year in Nepali New Year. The activities
include carrying the Chariot of Goddess Tuladevi for the searchof the lost jewelry, worship, religious bath and even swim.
Now this Pokhari is protected only for this reason. Otherwise,
it would have, long ago, succumbed to encroachment, roadwidening & others. This tradition is the key to the conservationof the Pokhari, a human-made wetland.

Culture is the way of life, lifestyle & livelihood. This can beauthenticated by this very example of rice. One dozen stylesof rice preparation exist in Nepal. For example, Pulau, rice,
latte, Roti, Khir, dahi chamal, Khatte and Lawa and so forth.
There exists links between human action, culture & wetland
loss (See Chart below). Because of this relationship, a wetland
has to be always dealt with holistically, never in isolation. The
term “holistically” implies both natural & cultural dimensions.
Natural dimension means physical characteristics, adaptation,
population, lifecycle, distribution, habitat, ecology, species,
food habit, behaviors, reproductive behaviors, etc. Culturaldimension means human activities such as protection fromadverse conditions, management, uses, care, raising, treating
animals from disease, consumption, etc. In fact, these two
perspectives are just like the two sides of a coin. One can't
move ahead without the others.
Importance of Wetland Culture: Wetland culture is importantbecause it catalyzes the conservation of wetlands as follows.
1. Creates social and spiritual energy and enthusiasm,
2. Strengthens the identity of the communities living about
and around wetlands,
3. Attracts visitors, provide local income and contribute to
local economy & conservation.

2. Rural wetland: Rural wetlands (or ponds) provide multiple
uses in rural areas. They are used for domestic purposes, personal sanitation, fire extinguishing, irrigation & fisheries.
Local community do collective fishing, collective cleaning andremoving invasive plants annually, fixing its boundaries andwater areas when water dries. They also worship the water
deity, Barun or Naga as symbolized by a vertical pole in thecenter of a pond. Rural wetlands are common in the Terai of
Nepal.

3. High altitude wetland: Gosainkunda is a high altitude lake
located at 4381 m. Almost 40,000 pilgrims thong there to takesacred bath. After the bath the lake is immediately cleaned.
The lake is protected only for its sacredness. Now people haverealized that it has biological importance such as breeding
ground of the bar-headed goose & habitat of an endangered
species, the Red Panda,.

Example of cultural practices: The existing cultural practices
contribute both positively and negatively to the conservation,
management and sustainable development of wetlands andassociated resources. A few of representative examples are
mentioned below.
1. Those practices providing negative contribution to conservation include (1) dredging up of river, (2) inappropriate
methods electrification and even poisoning virtually kill every
aquatic species available there, (3) religious bathing anddumping of religious remains including idols in wetlands atthe end of the festival and (4) Overfishing is worse than wethought. These are the examples of the non-judicious use of
wetland culture. Because injudicious use threatens fish stock
killing everything there meaning the loss of biologicalresources, depriving the fishermen of their daily bread &butter, making them without jobs affecting the children withmalnourishment and consequently, all this leads to crimes inthe society.
2. Those providing positive contribution are (1) sacred pond
and people’s collective work for protecting its sources at

4. Confluence of Superstition & Conservation: Kukurmara, aplace in Assam, India is the safe heaven for Dolphin. According to the Telegraph Newspaper in 1991, a resident of Kukurmara had allegedly killed a Gangetic dolphin in the Kulsi riverand upon returning home, he found his son dead under mysterious circumstances. The news had spread like wildfire andsince then, the area had become a safe haven for the Gangetic
dolphin- a species listed in the IUCN red list. Local fishermen
and sand miners are very careful not to harm the dolphin
while fishing. (Source: Confluence of Superstition & Conservation. Available at https://www.telegraphindia.com/1111027/
jsp/northeast/story_14670945.jsp. Retrieved on 15 October
2017).

132

Session 7: Wetlands and Culture

Bio-cultural Diversity and Flood Control
in the Kameoka Basin Floodplain
Katsue Fukamachi
Kyoto University

The Kameoka Basin is located in the floodplain that lies atthe entrance of the Hozu Gorge of the Katsura River in
Kameoka City, Kyoto. The river flows from upstream areas in
the northern mountains to Arashiyama in Kyoto and then on
to Osaka Bay (Fig. 1). Under heavy rain, the area is subject tofloods when the increased flow of the river hits the narrowbottleneck of the Hozu Gorge, and water flows back and overflows the upstream riverbanks. To counter the flood risk, local
people have developed a number of flood control techniques
over time. These include the construction of a sunken bridgethat can serve during floods, or of intermittent openings in theriverbank through which part of the floodwater can be
deflected.
The Hozu area, a place where people have always been
making a living based on the close link between village, farmland, woodlands, and the river. The farmland has traditionallyserved as a flood-retarding basin, while the woodland has
been serving as a source of water supply. Land use is closely
linked to the local topography. Traditional villages have madegood use of the local topography to protect themselves
against floods. Villages are built on elevated terraces. Homes
are surrounded by stonewalls, and bamboo is planted aroundvillages, which is effective to keep off floods.
The floodplain is used as farmland. Here, water drains well,and the soil is fertile. The land is used in spring to plant rice.
After the rice harvest in autumn, it is then used to plant wheat.
Wheat from this area has come to be known as ‘Hozu wheat.’
Villagers maintain rice paddies both in areas next to the river,which are flood-prone, and on terraces that cannot be reached
by floods. In this way, they make sure that rice can be harvested at least in one place. After having lived for centuries
with both the threat of floods and the blessings of nature, thelocal people have contributed to the formation of a culturallandscape that is uniquely interconnected with the local riverenvironment.
In the Hozu area of the Katsura River, there are many waterside features such as flats, rapids, and deep pools. Together
with fluvial lagoons and links to the adjacent rice paddies,
they form a diverse water environment, which has become an
ideal habitat for many freshwater fish species. The habitat has
become a major freshwater fish habitat even on a national
scale. Approximately thirty fish species are found, including
namazu or catfish, koi or carp, and dojo or loach. In spring,around the time when irrigation water is let into the paddies,
the river fishing season starts. Fish such as ayu, haya, funaand unagi or eel are caught using fish baskets and eel traps as
fishing tools. The fish are grilled, or dried on skewers and usedas preserved food, or used to make fish stock. The riverside isalso an important place where local children can play at thewaterside and catch fish, thus getting in touch with nature.
Among fish species in the rivers and floodplain of Hozu, alarge number of endangered fish species such as ayumodoki(Fig. 2), ichimonjidanago and hotokedojo have been confirmed. In the past, ayumodoki were widely distributed in Lake
Biwa and in the Yodogawa river system. Today, however, there
are only two habitats where they can still be found- one is the
Hozu area, and the other habitat is in rivers of Okayama Prefecture. Ayumodoki (Parabotia curta) are designated by the

Ministry of the Environment of Japan as a Critically Endangered species or IA in the Japanese ranking system. They aredesignated as a national treasure and protected species by
the Ministry of Culture, and also figure on the Red List of theInternational Union for Conservation of Nature as a CriticallyEndangered Species.
Ayumodoki young fish mostly feed on plankton or algae.
When they grow larger, they feed on small benthic organisms.
Then, between June and September, they enter areas that are
temporarily under water due to water increase in the river ordue to irrigation of the rice paddies. Here, the fish spawn. As astrategy to conserve the species, it is necessary to conserve
shoreline protective stonewalls in rivers and other waterways
to provide grown fish a place to hide, to create trails that facilitate entrance of the fish to the temporary water area where
they can spawn, and to construct sideways through whichyoung fish can enter waterways.
Conservation activities are carried out at the local level andby professionals, and administrative policies are implemented
by the city, the prefecture and the state. New developments inflood control technology are put to use. For example, theoperation of rubber dams allows the formation of a water-covered area that can serve as a spawn ground (Fig. 3). Cooperation with the local farming community is very important. Local
cooperation is also needed to deal with invasive species suchas black bass, which cause serious damage since they prey on
ayumodoki fish. Counter-measures are carried out in cooperation with the local scientific educational center and with theenvironmental education section at schools.
While urbanization has spread all over the Kansai area, thewetland environment of Hozu at the riverside of the Katsura
River has up to now mostly preserved its locally uniqueculture and ecological system. The area is highly valued forhaving preserved its culture and biodiversity. Even though,lifestyles and the way local people make a living have changed.
The number of people who are still involved in farming or forestry has drastically shrunk. Urbanization is advancing, andthere are public projects aimed at improving flood security:
the riverbed is excavated, and the riverbanks are raised.
Since the year 2010, significant changes have occurred inlocal land use, and the farmland located on the northern sideof Kameoka Station has newly been designated for housingdevelopment. In 2017, Kyoto Prefecture decided to build asoccer stadium in the area. Fig. 4 shows the area as it is today.
The ground is raised, and land rezoning takes place. The designated area includes rice paddies that are part of the habitatof the critically endangered ayumodoki fish. Activities andclaims by citizens and professionals who fear that this projectwill damage flood security and disrupt the conservation ofendangered species are still going on.
Already during the planning stage in 2013, a committee ofenvironmental specialists was established with the task to
study issues concerning the conservation of the ayumodoki
species. The committee pointed out that it was important tomaintain and continue farming the rice paddies, to improve
wintering conditions, and to create new locations for reproduction. It also emphasized the importance of conservation
activities by the local community or a conservation group.

133
Today, the wetland environment of the Hozu area at the riverside of the Katsura River is at a crossroads: Will it become akey location representing the biocultural diversity of Japan?
Or will this unique cultural landscape and ecology be lost tourbanization and more public projects?
While we must be open to the changes of our time, we mustalso strive to find ways so that we do not lose the essence ofthe traditional wisdom, techniques and systems that havebrought about today’s precious natural features and the sustainable relationship between people and nature.
Our reaction to today’s changes should not be uniform,
rushed, or complacent. Instead, it will be good to listen to
local people who actually experienced natural disasters, andto find closely fitted measures that can be carefully woven into
nature based on scientific knowledge.

Fig1

Fig3

Fig2

Fig4

134

Session 7: Wetlands and Culture

Influence of Wetland in the Culture of Bangladesh
Tapas Ranjan Chakraborty
PhD Fellow, Department of Environmental Sciences, Jahangirnagar University, Saver, Dhaka-1342, Bangladesh
Email: tchakraborty@oxfam.org.uk

Introduction
Culture is interactive result of ecosystem. Bangladesh is aland of wetlands; here cultural practices have influence of
wetland. Presence of wetland is common in native songs of
Bangladesh. The Bhatiali is the song of wetland. In the proverbs of Bangladesh presence of wetlands is very common andmostly because of the rapid changing character of it. Good
number of names of people, place and institution are also
after the name of rivers and other wetlands. Based on current
and wave character of the wetlands the gender of the wetland
is identified and it has reflection on the name of that wetland.
The festivals are very season specific in Bengal culture andare mostly representing of the changing characters of the wetlands. The Hindu and other aborigine culture have god andgoddess for the wetlands, the carrier of those god and goddess
are wetland species. The communities who are living on
fishing believe some traditional norms which have conservation value. In the Medir Haor areas of eastern part of Bangladesh 11 wetland species were found conserved because of thecultural believes. Sacred wetlands and land sacred due toadjustment holy wetlands are helping conservation of biodiversity; around 70 species of biodiversity were recorded fromthe sacred wetlands of the Medir Haor area. One third of theidentified festivals of the country are related to wetlands;
almost all the cultural ritual has use of wetlands. There is cultural acknowledgement and religious worship of wetland biodiversity. In the folk rhyme, folk song and folk ritual of thestudy area the presence of the local wetlands and rivers wasfound moreover common. Folk medicine of the wetland areas
has the use of almost every floating weed and in chant thedescription of the hazards. The material culture and folk technology of the wetland basin is based on the aquatic biodiversity and are source of livelihood a significant number ofinhibitors. The folk festival, belief and superstation of thefisher and the boatman are distinctly different from others;
even in some cases the occupational influence is dominant
than religious practice. There are sports that are for the celebration of livelihoods of wetlands. The bangle literature is
extremely influenced by wetland and livelihoods in this ecosystem; many renowned novels and films are based on thelife and livelihoods of wetland community. The character ofwater in wetlands is also a sign of weather and disasterassumption; climate change and environmental degradation
are interfering the accuracy of the traditional knowledge.
Some cultural practices also create pollution and over harvesting; also the folk food is a risk to the ecosystem because
in some seasons they are over harvested. Wetland influences
the folk language. Because to environmental degradation andother challenges wetlands are under threats. The community
has been deviated from many norms, economic and social
aspects have created many shifting from the norms andbelieves. Process and the customary way of the transformation of traditional knowledge is interfered.
Wetland in the daily life of a Bangladeshi
Bangladesh lies between latitudes 20°34’N and 26°38’N andlongitudes 88°01’E and 92°41’E, lying between Himalaya andBay of Bangle. The country has a very long history of humansettlement, agriculture and water body.
Wetlands in Bangladesh include a wide variety of habitats
such as rivers and lakes, mangroves, coral reefs and cost.
There are many types of lakes in the country; beel, Haor andbaor are large types of lake. Bangladesh wetlands have a wide
range of ecological, socio-cultural, economic and commercial
importance and values through their natural processes andfunctions which are known to provide a large range of benefits
including provision of food, fiber, fuel, biochemical, flood
control, ground water replenishment, shoreline stabilizationand storm protection, sediment and nutrient retention export,
climate change mitigation, water purification, support to biodiversity, recreation and cultural values.
The song, poem, proverbs, tells, story, novel, and film havepresence of wetlands; many of them have are describing thewetland and many others using wetlands analogy and metaphor. The form of song ‘Bhatiali’ means song of low land. The
boatmen sign the songs when on the boat. To fit will the wave
action the vocal sound of the song has vibration and mostly
the sentences are end with a long word. Many famous novels
and films, like Tital Akti Nadir Name (Titas, is a name of river)is based on life and livelihoods of fisher community. Wetland
places very important role during the liberation war of thecountry. Presence of river and large wetland made many communities inaccessible by the Pakistani Armies; that made thepresence of wetland a must in the novels, drama, cinema, etc.
on the independence of Bangladesh.
The diet of a Bangladeshi is made of the biodiversity ofwetland. Rice and fish is the main food of Bangladeshi. The
food habit of Bangladeshi is described as ‘mache vateche Bangalee’ meaning is Bangladeshies are made of rice and fish.
There are many food festivals where many fishes or aquatic
weeds are the main target item.
Boat race, swimming, etc. are common in monsoon. There
are many Folktales festivals and religious festival for the wetlands. In the beel basin of the country there is warship on
crocodile. Workshop of Tiger is common all over the country.
Those are not associated with any religious form of worship.
A group of people collect rice and other vegetables and moneyfrom door to door signing songs on tiger and a have picnics.
Once Tiger and crocodile was common in whole the country,
but now limited in the Sundarbans mangrove forests only.
Folk festival related to wetlands:• Holy water day fair: The day when all rivers treated asholly as Ganges• Torch of flower of Elephant Plan
• Cutting water and then feel sorry: Symbolic to the tensionof the parents of bride. The parents cat water with a knife
and treat water with flower and foods. It’s a Hindu folk.
• Boat Race: Both in rural and urban form.
• Eating different herbs in the year ending: Literature referthat it was done to know the weather the next year.
• Crocodile worship: In the south west beel basin close to
the Sundarbans

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Religion in wetland and influence by wetland
In the religious minorities of Bangladesh, specifically the
Hindus and other indigenous community worship wetland
and wetland creatures. Biodiversity associated with different
God and Goddess are treat as sacred and protected. Worshipof those Goddess in other symbols is also common.
Water Goddess Ganga: Worship of net as symbol of Ganga
is also common.
Goddess of snake: Its very common in the Haor and Beelbasin. The goddess Bishari is also worshiped in form of mud
pot having snakes around.
Sacred Plants and Animals and associateed Goddess:
Animal / Plant

God/Goddess/ Folk faithDolphin/ Crocodile

Ganga

Cobra

Monasha

Water Lily

Mariguli

Lotus

Durga/ Buddha

Water herb

Garoi

Bhat flower

Protect House

Water hyacinth

Krishna

Behula Laxmindar: Behula continues to fascinate theBengali mind. She is often seen as the archetypal Bengali
woman, full of love and courage. Behula is regarded as the
epitome of a loving and loyal wife in the Bengali culture
Logos: Wetland and wetland biodiversity are widely noted
in different symbols, signs, and logos. Cattle Egret is symbolof Bangladesh national airline. Bangladesh Police has boat intheir logo, symbol of two major political parties of Bangladesh
are boat and paddy. Many Public Universities have wetland
sign in their logos. Jahangirnagar University has Water Lily
flower, Chittagong University has Sampan, a traditional Boat.
National Anthem: the national anthem of Bangladesh has
described the beauty of wetlands and also noted the sessionalchanges occurred in the wetland ecosystem.
Intangible cultural heritage of Bangladesh
Two of five Intangible cultural heritages of Bangladesh areof wetland origin, the Hilsha fish and Sital Pati. Wetland biodiversity specifically fish, aquatic weed and wave are common
pattern for the Jamdani Shari. In the Mangol Shobhajatra fish
are taken as symbol of good lack.
Hilsha (2017): National Fish of Bangladesh
Mangal Shobhajatra (2016): New year day rally.
Jamdani (2013) is a vividly patterned, sheer cotton fabric,
traditionally woven on a handloom by craftspeople andapprentices around Dhaka.
Baul Song (2005): Baul poetry, music, song and dance are
devoted to finding humankind’s relationship to God, and toachieving spiritual liberation.
Sital Pati (2017): A traditional handcrafted mat produced in
the low-lying villages of Sylhet, north-east Bangladesh. The artof making shital pati, which is weaved together with strips ofa green cane known as “Murta”, is one of the country’s traditional practices and practiced generation after generation.

Study Area and Methodology
The assess the influence of wetlands in culture a study was
conducted in the Medir Haor, under Nasirnagar sub-district ofBrahmanbaria district. Medir Hoar is one of small haor in
Bangladesh. Following are information collection methodologies:• Community Consolation: Four consultations were conducted with the community• Focus Group Discussions: Two FGDs (Fisher #1, Elderly
People #1)• Festival Calendar• Key Informant Interview: Four knowledgeable individuals
were interviewed.
• Review of literature (District Gazette)
Findings
Norms and believes• Gangetic Dolphin is the carrier of the river goddess Ganga• Killing of birds with chick is sin• Killing the bird brain-fever is sin as the bird cry for sickwife
• Eating fry of snake-head fishes is not right• Spotted snake-head is holly fish
• Turtle is forbidden for Muslims• Spider has protected Prophet, and the water spiders arealso good• Skink are the aunty of snakes• Fish is sign of good news
• No fishing in full moon and no moon
Tradition with local biodiversity
Many traditional things were found made from wetland biodiversity. Dhaincha, Sesbania sp. is used to made tradional
crowns and ornaments used in marriage ceremony and otherceremony. Schumannianthus dichotoma is used to make themat, Sital Pati. Nokshi Kantha is a type of embroidered quilt.
The stitch arts in a nakshi kantha was found mostly thewetland creatures and life in a wetland. The wave and floating
herbs are found very common. Alpona refers to colourful
motifs, sacred art or painting done with hands and paint which
is mainly a paste of rice and flour on auspicious occasionsin Bengal. It was found that fish was a must character in thealponas. The fish is also believed as sign of good luck.
Sacred Wetlands and Grove:
Sacred wetlands are associated habitat are free from harvesting. The Anudpurer Mora, is an isolated land from thevillage, during the monsoon this village mound traded as
island. The number of major plants and wildlife found in thisplace is 70 plus.
Dulkandi, is a holy tree locale in the middle of the wetland.
During monsoon, it is the only habitat of snake, lizards andbats.
Conclusion:
Rapid urbanization is causing shifting or drying of wetlands.
For many reasons people are losing their norms and believe.
Documentation of those traditions and re-aware the community in many cases become urgent. The customary way ofknowledge transfer is not enough now as there is a significant
gap between the generations causes by the information technology and other technologies.
Scientific analysis of the ecological and economics valuesof the norms and believes on the wetlands can help community understand the importance and create a drive of re-learning and practice them.

136

Session 7: Wetlands and Culture

People’s Perception towards Wetland Culture:
A Case Study of Dhimal Community, Nepal
Puspa Lal Pokhrel
Tribhuvan University, Kirtipur Kathmandu, Nepal

Abstract
Dhimal is an indigenous community of Nepal, whose lifestyle is dependent on wetland. A large number of Dhimal are
traditional inhabitants of wetland dominated Jungle area inthe vicinity of a popular urban center of Tarai known as Damak.
This paper attempts to highlight the linkage between wetlands and cultural practices of Dhimal in Eastern Tarai, Nepal.
Likewise, their perceptions towards the wetland have also
been studied. Damak was colonized by the Dhimal and Meche
community during the 1860s to clear the Jungle. Dhimal communities have unique wetland related culture, rites and rituals.
Their culture and way of life have been threatened after the
1950s when Nepal Malaria Eradication Organization wasestablished. Before 1950 pestilence malaria was prevalent in
Damak municipality. During that period the people of mountain and hilly region of Eastern Nepal did not dare to colonize
Damak by clearing the jungle for cultivation. Until 1965,
Damak was opulent and extremely rich in wetlands and wetlands resources. Sufficiency of wetland resources and way oflife of Dhimal community had been delightful. In recent years
their cultural practices are falling at risk due to shrinking anddisappearances of wetlands.

According to census of Nepal, 2011 total number of Dhimal
population is 26,298, which constitutes 0.099 percentage ofthe total population. Among them, 6572 population are settled
in urban area. Remaining populations of 19726 are shelteredin rural area (CBS 2011). They are following nature religion(Prakriti Dharma). In other words, they are worshippers ofnature who believes in supernatural powers.

Introduction
Wetlands are the most productive ecosystem on the earth
surface. From the beginning of the civilization wetlands
resources have been providing a source of income and economic activities for human beings. The indigenous communities of developing countries like Nepal still live close towetlands and rely on them to meet their needs (Pokhrel,2017). Wetlands provide habitat for several species of floraand fauna living within different ecosystems. Human culture
is guided by physical environment and surrounding natural
resources. Natural resources provided economic activities forthe local community, which gives various cultures to thepeople of different climatic region of the world. Wetlands havebeen and continue to be part of many human cultures in theworld. The peoples who live in proximity to wetlands and theirculture is linked to them as wetlanders (Coles and Coles,
1989). Distinctive environments influence the behavior andculture of people who live there (Hardesty, 1977; Moran, 1989).
A wetland culture is an identifiable human group (either
extant or historic) living in a wetland dominated geographic
region and using wetland materials for a substantial portionof food supply, shelter materials, fuel or other critical resources(Kiviat, 1991)
Nepal is a small and landlocked country, rising in Asia,
which is rich in cultural diversity. Nepal has an outstanding
position in the world. Dhimal cast is categorized under themarginalized indigenous groups of Nepal. The Dhimal represents one of the oldest indigenous groups of Eastern Tarai.
They have smallest population in our country. They have separate identity, unique language, peculiar dress and culture.
They lie mainly in the Jhapa Morang and Sunsari Districts of
Nepal. They have their own distinct identity and way of life.
They have been sustaining wetland environment since ancienttime. According to Malley (1907), Dhimal habitats is themarshy tract, formerly covered by dense malarious Jungle.

Before the establishment of Nepal Malaria Eradication
Organization the fertile lands of Jhapa and Morang were popularly known and considered as “Kala Pani” a “deadly” malaria
ridden zone where mountain people would definitely & easily
die if they remain there for long time in summer seasons.
According to Oldfield 1981, the Tarai region of Eastern Nepal,
Jhapa and Morang were reported to be “extremely swampy
with its pestilent climate, the most malarious and unhealthy
districts”. Damak also lies in this Malarial Environment. During
the time, hilly people feared the malaria and painful and cruelenvironmental condition of Tarai. While the Tarai indigenous
community, Dhimals were surviving the malaria. Jhapa andMorang were ancestral territories of Dhimal community andwere “hyper endemic of malaria” until 1950’s .
Earlier than the Nepal Malaria Eradication Organization (6December, 1958), malaria was prevalent in the lowlands ofEastern Tarai, Jhapa and Morang districts. Malaria was thethreat for the people who wished to settle in the Tarai. Becauseof the terrible and life threatening disease of malaria, thepeople who lived in Mountain and Hilly Region did not dare toestablish colony in Tarai through forest land reclamation. Till
mid of 1960s outsiders did not dare to exploit the dense forest
land of Tarai, because of the presence of the epidemic malaria
disease. According to various scholars, Dhimal were nomadic
people at the beginning who used to hunt and gather animals
and fish for their daily life. Afterwards, there was scarcity ofland to hunt animals; they began to settle in specific areas.
According to old generation Dhimal people; Rajarani of Northern Morang is the ancient and original settlements of Dhimalcommunity. Before 1981, Dhimal community were concentrated mainly in 14 Village Panchayats of Morang and 13
Village Panchayats of Jhapa. Among them, ancient settlements of Morang District are Haraicha, Kaseni, Dangihat,
Bahuni, Keraun, Bayarban, Belbari, Urlabari, Amardaha,
Rajghat, Letang, Madhumalla, Babiyabirta, Gobindapur

Table 1: Trends of Dhimal population in Eastern Tarai
Population
sourceof Dhimal

S.no

year

1

1921

505 Record of British Sub-continent

2

1952

5671

3

1961

8188 census report HMG

4

1972

10016 Members of the Folk-Life Study Team 1972/73

5

1981

13000 Key Informants

6

1991

16781 CBS 1991

7

2001

19537 CBS 2001

8

2011

26298 CBS 2011

Nepal Government on the basis of MotherTongueField Survey 2017

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Village Panchayats. Likewise, antique Dhimal’s habitation of
Jhapa are Damak, Gauradaha, Topgachhi, Parakhopi,
Anarmani, Sanishware, Dhaijan, Duhagadhi, Shantinagar,
Nakalbanda, Bahundangi, Jyamirgadhi, Dhulabari Village
Panchayats. Dhimal communitty still like to live in traditional
villages’ mainly compact settlement where 15–30 houses
accumulated together. Majority of Dhimal community enjoyedthatched roofed houses. According to rural local elders,
thatched roofs are sustainable and environmental friendly credentials. They provide excellent insulation, keeping houses
warm in winter season and cool in summer season. Among
the Village Panchayats of Jhapa and Morang, Damak Village
panchayat was populated and inhabited mainly by Dhimalcommunities before 1958. According to the old generation
people of Dhimal, malaria was the most serious healthproblem affecting roughly 20% of the households of this area.
Popular imagination before 1950 of Tarai as Kalapani and Kala
Banjar (barren land) may have been drawn from the history as
a malarial environment of Tarai. Dhimal community transformed these outwardly “deadly place or lethal and pernicious places” into their home. Dhimal community imbued
Damak with their common cultural histories and identities.
They made Damak a habitable dwelling place for all today’s
dense cultural landscapes. Now, Dhimal population reached
4980 in Damak Municipality.
Damak municipality is situated in the Eastern part of Jhapa
district of Nepal. Total area of this municipality is 75.3 square
kilometer (7513 hectares). It is located between two rivers
Ratuwa in the East and Mawa in the West. Damak lies in Subtropical climatic zone. There are 10 wards including the largest
tea garden in the Jhapa Districts.The municipality lies between
98- 232 meter above the sea level.
Methodology
The study has covered the 71 households of surroundingarea of Dakini Kharkhare wetland. The wetland was divided
into two zones- one within 1 km around the wetland andanother of 3 km. Sample size was determined on the basis ofstatistical norms. According to the rule of thumb, if the size ofsample is 30 or more, the distribution becomes normal andstatistical test can be performed (Daniel & Terrel, 1995). Following the rule a quota sampling of 35 households in eachzone was randomly used for household survey. The study areaof 3 km around the wetland was determined by the help ofTopographical Map 1991. Purposive sampling technique has
been used for qualitative data collection. Households for theinterview were selected by the lottery method. Data were collected from different map, Aerial Photo, Census Report, andBooklets. Data was analyzed and filtered as per need of thestudy. Sometimes, secondary data were supplemented byprimary data in conventional and meta form, which is directlycollected from field observations, household survey and interviews. Topographical Map Sheet 72 N/ 10, 1959, prepared by
Surveyor General of India was used to find out the settlement
pattern of Dhimal during the 1950s. Specific objective of thestudy is to assess the status of wetland related culture andperception of Dhimal communities.
Wetland Related Culture of Dhimal Community
Based on hearsay, the Dhimal castes worship the goddess
Shaliwerang and Kaliwerang since immemorial. They believethat the goddess owner own their home. It is believed that by
the end of mother sovereignty the goddess took shelter at thehomes of Dhimal castes. During the period of shelter, thegoddess was satisfied and happy with their support and devotion. The Dhimals were blessed by Shaliwerang goddess forthe success on getting large quantity of fish during fishing.

Likewise, the goddess Kaliwerang Devi also blessed the
Dhimals for enough prey during the hunt and furthers noshortage of hunting. In addition, the goddess blessed them topreserve the wetlands rather than misusing them further. The
epithet of goddess during the ancient period denotes that theEastern Region of Terai is rich in wetlands, wetlands ecosystem, and aquatic biodiversity. Likewise, Dhimal community isfound to be fully dependent on food, nourishing element, andeconomic activities on wetlands resources. The customs,
rituals and cultures of Dhimals is based on wetlands andaquatic resources. The Dhimals state that they worship wetlands since the ancient to the present time, during the occasion of Ashare Puja (Dhangdhange fair) and Tihar (national
festivals of Nepal or, Festival of lights). Dhangdhange fair is
important festival of Dhimal which is celebrated during April,
May,June and July (began 14 April Nepali New year and end
Mid-July Asar month in Nepali Calander). This fair is celebrated in the local and regional level of Jhapa and Morang indifferent times and worship wetlands. During the Dhangdhange fair wetlands is worshiped from Tista River to Sapta
Koshi River. Local level fairs were concentrated near small
wetlands.
The places for bathing of Dhimals were near streams, rivers,
ponds and lakes. They were made shallow well at the bank ofwetlands. They call it as Chileghate in their Language. During
1970s, most of the Dhimal household members were bathed
in Chileghate (bank of wetlands). Dhimal community has been
enjoying in subtropical monsoon climatic region, therefore
bathing became their daily activity. Women and children’s
used to bath and wash clothes on Chileghate before 40 years
ago. On the other hand, male and boys used to swim on
Holies, ponds and lakes. During the hot season of March andApril, they used to swim on wetlands likewise, fishing wastheir hobby. At present, bathing place of wetlands (Chileghate) is seen only in few places. They worship wetland as aholy place. Therefore they cremated dead body in the bank ofwetlands.
Table 1: Changing Pattern of Bathing Place (Chileghate) or Swimming
S.No year

Households Bathing
and swimming on
wetland (Chileghate)

Time of the Year

1

1970

71

all year round

2

1980

62

all year round

3

1990

39

all year round

4

2000

19

all year round

5

2010

11

only on rainy days

6

2010

6

Only on rainy days

Source: Household Survey 2017

Table 2 shows that till 1971 whole family of Dhimal used tobath on wetlands. Every decade wetlands have been shrinking
and their bathing activities also changed. During the period of
1970s there was favorable condition for their daily life
In the past, they use to go for excretion in open places
downstream of Chileghate (Bathing places of wetlands). Now
majority households have toilet. Dhimal communities were
economically, socially, culturally and religiously depended on
wetland environment from ancient time. There are many typesof matrimony system in the Dhimal society in Damak municipality. They are Supari Bibaha (marriage by offering a betelnut), marriage by force, marriage by elopement and Magi
Bibaha (Arranged marriage). Betel nut marriage and marriage
by force were common till 1960s. Now days, these two typesof marriage ceremony are completely abrogated by Dhimalsociety. They celebrated marriage ceremonies for one week till
1973 (2030 B. S). On behalf of bridegroom, on last day of mar-

138
riage ceremony, neighbors go to wetlands for fishing andreturned back with cooked fish as well as they request theguest to take fish with beaten rice, roasted gain and alcohol ,after that the guests are seen off. This traditional culture clearlyshows how the relation of Dhimal people is connected withwetland environment. Now these rites and rituals are forgotten by the new generations, due to depletion of fish fauna,shrinking and disappearing wetlands.
Table 3: Decreasing trends of wetland areas in Damak Municipality
S. N. year

Wetland covered
area (area in square
kilometer)

Total area ofmunicipality (areain square kilometer)

1

1959

44.03

75.3

2

1981

41.47

75.3

3

2016

9.05

75.3

Source: Topographical Map Sheet No 72 N/10, Survey of India Offices 1959, Land utilization
map, 1982 and Google earth 2016

Wetlands are dynamic in terms of the area and shape.
Change in wetlands area between 1954 and 2016 is given in
Table 3. Total area of wetland has decreased drastically during
the period of 60 years. During the 1950s, 58.67 percent of thetotal area was under wetlands. Now, 12 percent of the total
areas are occupied by wetlands environment. The decrease isabout between 1954 and 2016. Per year 8.1 percent wetlandarea has decreased. The shrinking and disappearing of wetlands has several consequences in fish population. Some
species of fish have disappeared. The attributes of wetlands
around this urban area have changed, which has changed theeconomic activities, cultures and food habit of native Dhimalcommunities. Till 1981 Dhimal people never used to go to the
kitchen for lunch or dinner without fish and other edible
aquatic fauna. This food habit is still in practice but in lesser
extent. Dhimal people prefer fishing, bathing, and enjoying
the beauty of wetlands. If they capture more fishes, then the
middle and rich family dry or smoke them whereas the poorfamily surplus capture goes to the local market.

cast were least in numbers. Since 1954 to 1981 the populationof Dhimal has been increased at a faster rate. Then population
growth rate has been decreasing. During the 1991 to 2011
Dhimal family migrated outside the municipality.
From 1975, wetlands have been filling and registered ingovernment records as personal property, which is the major
reason of shrinking and disappearing of wetlands environment. Similarly, human settlements densely concentrated
upwards to the wetlands, which have created pollution of
wetland water. Due to polluted water swimming and bathing
habit in wetlands is being lost. Old age people, who has beenbathing and swimming in Chileghate and wetlands, are suffering from skin diseases.
Food habits of Dhimal communities are also based on
wetland resources. Most of Dhimal community has been
domiciling on wetlands environment since beginning of their
origin. Therefore, the environment determined their test on
wetland resources. They prefer to collect different species offishes, shells, snails, crabs and aquatic birds in their kitchen.
Till 1970s, most households of Dhimal had cooked varieties offishes in their meal. Fish fry, fish gravy and pickle of Sidhra
fish were common in their lunch and dinner. During the mid of
1970s, there were limited fish market in surroundings of
Damak Municipality. Money was scarce in majority of Dhimal
people. But food grains were enough with the households.
Fishmonger family who were under the poverty
line,
exchanged fish with rice to support their family. During the1970s, 36 households had exchanged fish with rice with thelandlords, money lender and wealthy person. Surplus fishes
were dried and stored for winter. Every roof and courtyard of
Dhimal households was covered with Chelangi (fish drying
equipment). New visitors would easily identify the habitationof Dhimal community due to the smell of dry fish from a distance. Wetland cultures show cultural behavior, habit andreligious observance that are adaptive and suitable in wetland
environments. Following are the scenery of cultural practices:
Plate1: Fishing by hand nets and Groping

Table 4: Trends of Dhimal Population in Damak Municipality
S.no

Year

Households

Total Population

Remarkable sources

1

1954

305

1925

Aerial Photo 1954,
Topographical Map 1959

2

1961

392

2744

KIS and FGD

3

1971

602

4214

KIS and FGD

4

1981

678

4900

KIS and FGD

5

1991

700

4962

KIS and FGD

6

2001

690

50015

KIS and FGD

7

2011

687

4980

Office of Damak
Municipality 2017

Field Survey 2074

Table 4 shows the trends of households and population of
Dhimal caste. According to old generation of Dhimal community and Key informants Damak was settled by Dhimal andMeche community during the 1860s to clear the vast dense
forest. Till 1950 few patch of forest land was cleared for cultivation. Dhimal community concentrated these limited patchesof land. Administrators of Jimidari and Patuwari system hadlong made efforts to settle the area of Damak by people forland reclamation. But endemic prevalence of malaria had discouraged the settlement pattern of Damak. Only Dhimal were
surviving that lethal environment. According to Aerial Photograph on March 1954 (2011 BS) there were 416 houses thattime. Among them 305 houses were Dhimal communities,
remaining households were Kumal, Satar, and Rajbangsi, hilly

Plate 2: Children are swimming on Dalki covered (Paspalidium puctatum) wetlands

139
Plate 3: The researcher is also involved in fishingrich in fish fauna and other edible aquatic life all-round theyear where they are surviving and enjoying.
Findings and Conclusion
Findings: All the available resources and raw materials thatthe Dhimal ethnic group use in their life cycle rituals and they
offer to the deities are obtained from wetland and the wetland
environment. Such culture and rituals have been establishedas the real culture of Dhimals. In this way the Dhimal, wetlands and Dhimal cultures are integral to each other.

Plate 4: Banner of Ashare Puja

Plate 5: Beating Drum in Ashare Puja

Above Images Plate 1 - 5 shows the real situation of Dhimal
ethnic groups towards the wetlands environment. Dhimalcommunity is a female dominated ethnic group. So, they are
free to walk and do the work and their role is also supreme intheir family. The images clearly show that all the household
members are involved in fishing. School and college girls of
Dhimal society are also engaged in capturing fish. Nature ofresource harvesting is pastime fishing. They made the fish
selling income as private money (Pewa) and used the money
to lend to others.
Perception of Dhimal Community on Wetlands
Wetlands are identified and classified by the native community, based on soils types, hydrology, abundance of fauna andfloral species. Native communities recognize swamps,
marshes, oxbow lake, pond, lake, jheel and bogs as wetlands.
Cattail marshes, toad rush swamps, Dalki Ghari (Paspalidium
punctatum), muddy area and sweet flag areas are common
images brought to mind by the term “wetland” for many,
indigenous communities.
Dhimal community has a feeling that the areas characterized by the presence of cattail and toad rush marshes, Dalki
Ghari, Holi, frequent inundation, grassy area, shallow water
above the surface for a sufficient period of time (6-9 months)
are wetlands. Dola is a word (in Dhimal language), which
denotes to the permanent water logged area. For them it is theplace where men can drawn up to neck height, impossible toplant paddy plough by yoke of oxen (Bhasland) and remains
water constant. They take such kinds of swampy paddy fields,
small ponds, Holi as wetland where they find Lesser Adjutant
and enough waterfowls. It is that type of muddy land, which isConclusion: Whenever we observe the ancient settlement
pattern of the Dhimal Community, their settlement seems to
be settled at and around the wetlands areas. Their custom,
culture, rites and rituals and economic activities are alsostrongly related with wetland environment and wetland
resources. If we want to conserve their original fundamental
culture, custom, rites, rituals and food habit, we must stop
people from encroaching private and public wetlands. The
encroached wetlands after 1971 AD must be snatched by the
local level executive and it must be under local level control.
The modified wetlands by filling them with soil and sand byland traders must be banned as soon as possible. As wetlands
are the boons given by the nature, they must be utilized publicly for the maximum human welfare. This study shows wetlands as shrinking and disappearing, their daily life and culture
have also been changing in the same way in the same ratio.
Wetland cultures (the collective practices of wetland surroundings native community) evince cultural behavior, habit
and religious observance that are adaptive and suitable inwetland environments. The Dhimal community of Damak(Jhapa) seems to be much more concerned than other communities regarding wetland conservation against degradation
ad disappearing conditions of wetlands and aquatic biodiversity. Therefore for the entire conservation of the wetlands, itsconserving responsibility must be given to the concerned
Dhimal community.
References
Bista Dor Bahadur 1980. People of Nepal. Kathmandu: Ratna Pustak Bhandar.
Coles, B. and Coles, J. (1989) People of the wetlands: Bogs, bodies andlake-dwellers, Thames and Hudson, New York, New York, U.S.A., 215p.
Hardesty, D. L. (1977). Ecological anthropology. New York: John Wiley.
Kiviat, E. (1991) Wetland human ecology. PhD thesis, Union Institute, Cincinnati,
Ohio, U.S.A., 180p.
Kiviat Erik (2014). Adaptation of Human Cultures to Wetland Environments. 2nd
International Conference “Water resources and wetlands”
September 11-13, 2014 Tulcea (Romania). Annandale, New York1989 Adaptation and Maladaptah in Newly Settled Areas. In The Human
Ecology of TrooicaJ Land SetUement in Latin America. 0. Schumann and W.
Partridge, ed. Pp. 2&. Boulder, CO: Weshriew Press
O’Malley LSS (1907). Bengal District Gazetteers: Darjeeling. Reprint 1999, New
Delhi: Logos Press.
Oldfield, H. Ambrose. (1880). Sketches from Nipal, historical and descriptive,
with anecdotes of the court life and wild sports of the country in the time ofMaharaja Jang Bahadur, G. C. B. London: W. H. Allen.
Pokhrel, P. L. (2017). Wetlands of Jhapa and Morang Districts: A Study ofStatus, Dynamics, Utilization and People’s Perception. Unpublished Doctoral
Dissertation. Faculty of Arts. Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, Nepal.
Regmi Risikesh Raj 1991. The Dhimals: Miraculous Migrants of Himal (AnAnthropological Study of a Nepalese Ethnic Group). Jaipur: Nirala Publication.
Rai Janak (2013). Malaria, Tarai Adivasi and the Landlord State in the 19th
Century Nepal:Historical Ethnographic Analysis. Dhaulagiri Journal of
Sociology and Anthropology .Vol. 7, 2013 pp 87-112
Risley Herbert Hope 1891. The Tribes and Castes of Bengal (vol-1). Reprint 1998.
Calcutta: Firma KLM Pvt. Ltd.

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141

Session 8
Wetlands and CEPA

(Communication, Capacity building, Education, Participation, Awareness) /ESD(Education for Sustainable Development)

142

Session 8: W etlands and CEPA / ESD

Building Capacity of the Local Communities Towards Conservationand Wise Use of Wetlands through CEPA Approachin Eastern part of India
Durga Prasad DashPALLISHREE
Bhitarkanika and Chilika lagoon are two important Ramsar
sites along Bay of Bengal in the State of Odisha, India having
international importance. It has increased vulnerabilities due toanthropogenic pressures and local issues. Along with theseimportant wetlands, there are other national wetlands such as
Ansupa in Cuttack District, Kanjia in Khordha, Haripur lake in
Ganjam, Bahuda estuary in Ganjam District of Odisha as wellas Srikakulam District in Andhra Pradesh, Devi River mouth inPuri District, Odisha, India where PALLISHREE has undertaken
different conservation and wise use activities as a part of CEPA
approach. Rapid declining of bio-diversity is occurring due tothe high scale silting up in wetlands, detrimental practice of fish
catch using different nets, massive deforestation in the catchments and very fast shifting of sea mouth. Apart from these,
indiscriminate uses of chemical fertilizer and pesticides in the
agricultural fields latter drains into the wetlands and thus polluting the water. Illegal construction of shrimp ponds has been
increased by demolishing the existing mangrove forests andrice fields by the local community. Dumping garbage, plastics
including industrial waste and urban sewage water into thewetlands are the other causes of increased pollutions.
PALLISHREE has mobilized financial support to undertake
activities through CEPA approach to address the issues, since
the last two decades. Japan based support agencies such as
JFGE, KNCF, NALAPO, TOYOTA, AEON and JWF and Ramsar
Center Japan has played important role in extending both technical and financial support to implement various programmes.
There was a phase when PALLSIHREE has to face.
financial challenges in continuing its work with the same
approach in the same thrust areas, while the other contemporary NGOs has shifted their focus to other issues, which waseasy to raise funds for their NGOs at that point of time. But
PALLISHREE continued on CEPA as its core focus areas ofwork. As a result, PALLISHREE got recognition as a state level
resource NGO in the sphere of CEPA. Later on, it organized apioneer network called as NET-COAST involving other local
NGOs and Conservationists in the east coast of India.
PALLISHREE has promoted 52 Centers of Environmental
Awareness & Education in the local schools. Further it has
facilitated building capacity of its students, teachers and otherstakeholders. These centers have been acting as the focal
points. The messages have been passed by the students totheir families and further percolated to the respective communities. The role of women and its participation in the conservation activities has always been given paramount importancein the CEPA approach.

The stakeholders could understand the necessity of conservation of mangrove forests in their area through experiencesharing and exposures. The stakeholders have started planting
mangroves on the shoreline of the rivers to control erosion.
Fifty hectors of mangrove plantation has also been generated
in this area. The villagers have also been motivated to regenerate degraded forests through participation. The programme iseffective for free watch and ward to save the plants from thelocal cattle damage as a share of contribution to the project.
The demand of mangrove forest creation has been increasingin the locality and people have started planting mangroves intheir own lands. Now a day the shoreline of river Hansua iscausing massive erosion due to the effect of climate change
and causing havoc among the stakeholders. So the local villagers including students have planted Nalia grass (Myriostachyawightiana) and mangroves which is a ecosystem-based solution to the problem. Nalia grass is an economically viablegrass used in making handicrafts and household articles as alivelihood for the local people. Apart from the 30 hectors ofland has been planted in 72 schools and temple campus involving students and teachers in the project area.

The organization used to carry out several fieldbased activities involving different stakeholders under CEPA approach.
Some of are as follows.
Communication: Publication of Books on birds, fishes, plants
and eco-system in general. The other communication materials are posters, booklets, leaflets and news letter. A quarterly
newsletter in local language namely UPAKULA has been published and circulated among the local schools, women groups,
youth leaders, natural leaders, Government officials, etc. andthe materials for the newsletter have also been generated
through experience sharing with them. It has a very good
impact as a people’s voice in the community as the different
case studies, innovative ideas, bio-diversity conservation, andlocal climate change related issues and the coping mechanism etc. is communicated. Apart from these the wall paintings displays the local issues and its solutions in pictorial
form. Wall paintings have played a major role in raisingawareness among the local people. Wall paintings are found143
to be very powerful tool of communication, which attracts theattention of people to the present sensitive issues of climatechange. Thrust has been given on the visuals as the colorful
painting with very small and catchy slogans. Specific themes
depicting climate change education have been painted atprominent and strategic places to generate awareness among
the villagers.
Followings are the activities facilitated by PALLISHREE in its
CEPA programme in the State of Odisha, India.
Capacity building: Organising various training programmes
for the students, women and community leaders. Workshops
were also organizing involving different stakeholders, community members and local NGOs/ CBOs periodically. Women
SHG members were the integral participants in all these workshops. Besides, it also organise nature camps, through theschool children and local youth members get organized tolearn about nature/ ecosystems and environment.

Education: Class room education has been provided to thestudents regarding conservation and wise use of wetlands.
The facilitator used to provide sessions four times in eachweek. The curriculum of SUPW (Social Useful ProductiveWork) periods was redesigned based on the CEPA programmein these schools. In each targeted school an environmental
and education center has been established. The school authority has donated one room for this opening of center in theirschool. It is a learning center for the students as well as community at large. The following activities are being organized in
the center for education and creation of awareness.
The students preserve different species of fish, crab &prawn and kept for display in this center.
The students collect of water & soil samples, seed, different
feathers of birds, scales of small creatures from the wetlands
and display in the center.
They do water quality monitoring & bird watching in wetlands and record them.
The students prepare and display different models on rainwater harvesting, soil conservation methods, conservation of
wetland and its watershed etc.
They prepare plant nursery and also planting them in theschool and community land.
This center organizes Student rally on environment related
issues in the community.
Celebration of different Days like World Environment Day,
World Wetlands Day, World Earth Day, World Water Day by thestudents in the center.
A news letter is also published quarterly.

After orientation, the students could maintain Bio Diversity
Register & Climate Change Register in the center.
Resource Books, posters, leaflets and booklets are being
printed and distributed by the students. These were also available in the center in the library.
Environmental related Audio songs are also prepared inlocal language and spread among the community.
National Environment Awareness Campaign is being organized every year by the support of Government.
The herbal garden & plantations are being organised in theschool campus by the enter.
Training programmes for the stakeholders are being organized on energy saving lifestyle every year.
Participation: Demonstration activities were carried out inthese schools providing ample opportunity for participation ofdeferent stakeholders. At the community level local fishermen
were involved in a similar process. Organic agriculture practice is one of the key components which has played as thepreventive and mitigate adaptive measures in climate change
scenario. Fortysix women (two from each SHG) have goneunder TOT programme and they again imparted training toother 321 members of 23 numbers of women SHGs in 23 villages. They have been practicing organic agriculture throughproduction of preparing compost from water hyacinth, otherwastes and bio-mass. Sixty hectors of land have been cultivated by adopting organic agriculture and fetching a good
economy.
Short term fish culture practice in the paddy fields havebeen demonstrated by the community as demonstrations. It is
an innovative activity of the project and some villagers comeforward to adopt it as pilot basis. This activity is both environment friendly and provision of livelihood support to the rural
poor farmers. It has already been replicated in other villages
by the community. It has become an additional income to thefarmers as rice and fish is being cultivated in same land withsame time. Stress tolerant rice varieties such as Lunishree forsaline, Sahabhagi for drought and Swarna Sub-1 for flood
registrant have been introduced to be resilient in disaster condition.
The villages existing in and around the wetland are withpoor communication due to existence of creeks. Mangroves
plantation has been organized by the local community in boththe sides of the river and creeks.
The electricity is very expensive and risky for use for which
all villages are not connected with electricity. A training programme has been organized to build the capacity of using
solar energy as an alternative. The participants trained andconvinced on the use of alternative energy sources based
upon the present climate change scenario. So use of solar
energy is widely accepted. Solar lanterns are used by thecommunity and found very useful for the people in home andfor the students in study.
Two hundred families have used efficient and smokelessoven as a pilot use in three villages. The activity has become
very popular as it protects the women from health hazards byemitting from smokes. This programme is very effective forits popularity as environment friendly which saves plants asless fuel is necessary for this special type of oven and at thesame time free from pollution.
Workshops have been organised with an aim to build thecapacity of the stakeholders in the community, to enhance thestakeholder’s
Knowledge, Attitude & Practice of energy
saving life style.
The stakeholders were effectively linked with the communities to develop adaptation plans. It has a big impact over thecommunity on behavioral change based upon the climatechange adaptive educations. As a result, the villagers are144
using the available fresh water and waste water judiciously.
They have taken steps to manage the rain water in a saline
basin through various conservation technologies.
Awareness: We have been organising street play, such as“Daskathia” & “Ghodanach” which are different forms of thelocal traditional and cultural street play with song, dancewith music. It is amusing, interesting, exciting and at thesame time educative. This tool is used to communicate themessages of climate change education blended with entertainment to the audience. The advantage of this street play isthat it can be performed at any public place. The script of thestreet play has covered the root-cause of the climate change
issues of the wetlands, conservation measures, education on
environment and the wise use of natural resources. A seriesof Dasakathia & Ghodanach (Folk Dances) have been organized in the community with the participation of School children.
Sometimes a special type of mobile stage was made on the
top of a van for stage show at public places. The other celebrations such as World Environment Day and World Wetlands Day
in which competitions have been organised among the students in local schools of Bhitarkanika & Chilika for writing
essay & painting on different themes based upon climatechange. The best performers have been selected and awarded
with Prizes and certificates in World Wetlands Day (WWD)
function every year. This is one of the best way of creation
awareness among the students in large number.
World Wetlands Day (WWD) has been organized every yearon 2nd February to sensitise the community as well as students and teachers on wetland conservation and wise use. The
community takes participation in this function every and raise
the local issues on wetland functions and management attheir level every year in this meeting.
Other activities are also organized among Students such as
rally, painting and essay writing on wetland conservation andissues in the schools.

In order to build the capacity of the key stakeholders of thecommunity, the stakeholders has been imparted training bywhich they have been well trained on preventive, mitigate,community readiness, individual survivability including
eco-system management based upon the present climatechange scenario. The risk of disaster has been reduced significantly as no casualty in the severe cyclonic storms. This is the
success indicator of this activity in the project area.

145

Session 8: W etlands and CEPA / ESD

Penang Seagrass Project – An Environmental Education Projectto Encourage Volunteerism & Field Education
Ng Hong Jing, Wong Yun Yun
Nature Classroom, Malaysia

Most Malaysians do not aware of ‘seagrass bed’, which isone of the most important tropical marine ecosystems. This
near-shore ecosystem helps stabilising sediment, preventing
coastal erosion, sustaining high fisheries productivity [1] aswell as to work as biological indicator of environmental health[2]. The seagrass bed enhances the diversity and served as
feeding and/or breeding ground for threatened species suchas sea turtles, dugongs and seahorses [3].
The second largest seagrass bed (Figure 1) of Penisular
Malaysia is unfortunately included in the Penang Structure
Plan in year 2007 as reclaimable land [4]. To date, there are scientists, researchers and environmentalists spoke out tosupport the idea of turning the seagrass bed into a protectedmarine park, instead of sacrificing for mass development [5].
However, lack of public awareness and involvement is always
a challenge in handling nature and environmental related
issue. Many locals do not know the existence of this natural
system nearby their homeland.
Therefore, in order to promote public awareness of thePenang’s seagrass bed, we initiated Penang Seagrass Project(PSP, www.facebook.com/penangseagrass/), which is an interest group established under the financial support from EcoPeace Leadership Centre (EPLC, http://www.eplc.asia/, based
at Kangwon National University, South Korea), an organization which help to set up human resources network and leadership training in environmental field.
Since November 2014, we worked with different parties to
educate general public, especially younger generation,
through volunteer training, site survey & documentation andpublic education. We averagely conduct 2 field trips (Figure 2)
to seagrass bed per month and had organised several successful public events at Penang State of Malaysia. Besides,

Fig1

using the photos and data provided by volunteers and students, we managed to publish a handbook - Biodiversity ofPenang’s Seagrass Bed in July 2015 which served as a guide toorganisms that thrive at Penang’s seagrass bed (Figure 3).
In September 2016, PSP as the only representative from
Malaysia, had secured a second phase funding from EPLC due
to our outstanding performance and achievements. Whilecontinuing our efforts in conducting exhibitions and expeditions, we reached a new milestone where we assisted 2 education institutions in Malaysia to form “Seagrass Action Team”(Figure 4). The action team from INTI International College
Penang had carried out a two days seagrass awareness campaign (21st - 22nd February 2017) in the school and support
the WWF Earth Hour official event (25th Mar 2017). Other
recent events include the Talk and Exhibition of Penang’s
Coastal Ecosystem in Aug 2017 & International Green Carnivalin Sept 2017.
During the AWS Saga 2017, we shared our experience on thesetting up the environmental education project for local communities, involving local schools, teachers and students involunteering wetland education & conservation as well as creating awareness among general public in an effective way.
1.	 Bell, J. D. & Pollard, D. A. (1989) Ecology Of Fish Assemblages And Fisheries
Associated With Seagrasses. Biology of Seagrasses, Amsterdam: Elsevier, 565-609.
2.	 Dennison, W. C., Orth, R. J., Moore, K. A. & Stevenson, J. C. (1993) Assessing Water
Quality With Submerged Aquatic Vegetation. Bioscience, 43, 86–94
3.	 Choo, C. K., Sainol, A. S. & Wong, Y. Y. (2006) Seagrass and macrobenthic invertebrates composition at the Merambong Shoal, Johor. KUSTEM 5th Annual Seminar on
Sustainability Science and Management, Kuala Terengganu, Malaysia.
4.	 Chiam, C. S. & Tan, Royce (2014) Precious Marine Bounty. The Star. George Town,
March 4. Available: http://www.thestar.com.my/News/Community/2014/ 03 /04/
Precious-marine-bounty/
5.	 10. The Star (2014) Protect seagrass bed, urges marine biologist [Online]. Available:
http://www.thestar.com.my/News/Community/2014/03/05/Protect-seagrass-bed-urges-marine-biologist/ [Accessed: 5 March 2014].

146
Fig2

Fig3

Fig4

147

Session 8: W etlands and CEPA / ESD

How to Promote Flyway-wide Activities andInvolve Key National Stakeholders
Tomoko Ichikawa, Eugene Cheah, Minjae Baek
East Asian-Australasian Flyway Partnership

World Migratory Bird Day
The World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD, 10 May, Figure. 1) isan annual global campaign to raise awareness on the conservation of migratory birds. It is organised by two international
wildlife treaties administered by the United Nations Environment Programme – the Convention on the Conservation ofMigratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS) and the African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbird Agreement (AEWA). The East
Asian-Australasian Flyway Partnership (EAAFP) has been oneof the main WMBD partners since its launch in 2006, and has
been supporting the implementation of WMBD in the East
Asian-Australasian Flyway (EAAF).

5. Developing materials together with National Focal
Points to grow their ownership for WMBD;
6. Communicating with National Focal Point and relevant
national NGOs to together promote a national partnership;
7. Providing small grants to encourage the planning ofannual WMBD events;
8. Creating Flyway-wide activities that can be applied
easily at Flyway Network Sites and visitor centres;
9. Utilizing the growing readership of EAAFP’s newsletterand Social Networking Services to disseminate messages.

East Asian-Australasian Flyway
The EAAF is one of the nine major flyways in the world. It
stretches from Alaska and Russian Far East, southwards
through East Asia and Southeast Asia, to Australia and New
Zealand. In this Flyway, habitat loss and degradation are
threatening the survival of many migratory waterbird species.
The key to reversing this trend is prompt and cooperative
actions to raise awareness and the prioritization of waterbird
conservation. However, the Flyway includes 22 countries withvarious social, cultural and economic backgrounds. Also,
there are 17 official languages that makes hard to communicate and share information among the countries.

The WMBD celebration provided opportunities for the conservation leaders to further proceed the conservation activities. The events organised across the Flyway include lectures,
exhibitions, contests, discussions, training workshops, media
programmes, and field trips. The target audiences include not
only local communities and students, but also government
officers and media crews.
Some activities were unique to match their social needs,
culture and backgrounds. In Bangladesh, the government
held a rally with hundreds of participants. In Cambodia, theMinistry of the Environment wrapped their office building
with awareness raising banners. An NGO in Myanmar produced a leaflet about EAAF for the first time as a part of their
WMBD promotion materials. In Mongolia, students expressed
their interest in drawing and traditional craft making. The Secretariat has been encouraging the event organisers to makesimple reports to share with other countries to inspire eachother through EAAFP website.

World Migratory Bird Day implementation in EAAFEAAFP is providing a framework for international cooperation for the conservation of migratory waterbirds and theirhabitats. The World Migratory Bird Day has been playing animportant role for EAAFP’s Partners and colleagues to join inand disseminate our messages of conservation, engage withstakeholders, and promote the partnership within each nation.
The EAAFP Secretariat has gathered details of the events conducted in the EAAF from the WMBD’s global campaign
website, EAAFP’s website, and from emails that the EAAFPSecretariat has received. There is, however, some data that the
Secretariat could not obtain, especially from events held in
the early years, but in general, the number of WMBD events
conducted in the EAAF has been increasing along with thenumbers of the countries joining the WMBD in the last ten
years.
In the past ten years, eighteen countries have organised
activities, involving around 26,000 individuals (Table. 1), a
figure that does not include indirect beneficiaries such as consumers of radio/TV programmes, visitors to exhibitions,people passing by the rallies, etc.
The EAAFP Secretariat has been promoting WMBD by providing and improving Flyway-wide WMBD support in a
number of ways:
1. Developing a special webpage to act as an online platform to share information across the Flyway;
2. Developing and providing EAAF specialised materials
including flyers and video clips;
3. Providing materials such as posters and flyers invarious languages to help overcome language barriers;
4. Collecting and sharing WMBD event ideas to inspire
Partners and relevant organisations;

Key factors to promote WMBD in EAAF
Through interviews, it was found that materials in local languages were especially welcomed by the Focal Points andNGOs (Figure. 2). Recently many Focal Points and NGOs are
helping the translation of the yearly themes – which the Secretariat translated in 2014 when for the first time the Secretariat started providing various language versions of the WMBD
poster (Table. 2).
Small grants for funding especially for developing countries
have been shown to encourage implementers to plan eventsand actions. It started in 2014, and a few countries plannedand conducted national celebration events using this grant asseed money.
Through such attempts, the Secretariat has discoveredsome key factors that help implementation at the national
level.
1. Active participation and willingness of Focal Points;
2. Good national partnership and key national NGOs thatcan support the implementation;
3. Suitable methods and timing in each country.
Further challenges
However, there are some issues that make it difficult forsome countries and organisations to either join WMBD or continue activities.

148
1. No birds are visiting the area in May (e.g. Southeast
Asian countries);
2. Materials are developed a little bit late to plan something on the local level in advance.
Even there are not many migratory waterbirds in May, theNGOs in Indonesia are still actively trying to promote awareness raising. Also, agencies in Malaysia celebrated the WMBD
in other season when many migratory waterbirds were in
their country. These could be examples for such countries. As
to the timing, it may require some time to be solved – securing a stable funding for the WMBD to start preparation is thekey.
Conclusion
The World Migratory Bird Day campaing is a good opportunity to raise awareness and promote the conservation of the
migratory waterbirds and their habitats in the East Asian-Australasian Flyway. By communicating with stakeholders anddeveloping methods to engage and mobilise various actors
on a regional scale, the EAAFP Secretariat has been promoting the WMBD in the region. The Secretariat would like toencourage suggestions to further expand and ensure the continuity of WMBD in the EAAF.
For more information, visit EAAFP’s website at
http://www.eaaflyway.net/our-activities/wmbd/.
Figure.1 World Migratory Bird Day logo

Figure.2 Example of the local language version of WMBD poster

Table.1 Number of the WMBD events and participant

Number ofthe
Number ofcountries
national
where
event
WMBD
organised
events wereorganised
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017

1
2
1
2
8
8
4
13
11
8
13
13

1
7
6

Number of
eventsorganised

Minimum
number ofparticipants

1
2
1
2
8
23
34
38
43
38
43
47

13
NA
NA
26
NA
95
1520
922
1772
9428
5922
5846

Table 2
Number of languages
Bangladesh (Bengali)
China (Chinese)
Cambodia (Khmer)
Indonesia (BI)Japan (Japanese)
Malaysia (BM)Mongolia (Mongolian)
Myanmar (Burmese)
Philippines (Filipino)
RoK (Korean)
Russia (Russian)Thailand (Thai)
Vietnam (Vietnamese)

2013
1

2014
2015
2016
2017
12
13
12
12
Task Force FP, NGO FP, NGO
FP, NGO
Secretariat Friend
FriendFriend
FP
FP
FP
FP
NGO
NGO, FP
Secretariat FP
FP
FP
Secretariat FP
FP
FP, NGO
FriendNGO, FP NGO, FP
NGO, FPFPFPFPFP, NGOFP, IGO
Secretariat Secretariat Secretariat FP
NA
FP
FP
Sec
NA
FriendNGO
NGO, FP
FriendFP
FP*Gray colour indicates that the local language version of the WMBD poster was designed by
the FP or NGOs in the country, not by the EAAFP Secretariat. (FP= Focal Point, INGO = Inter-governmental organisation, Friend = Secretariat members’ personal connections, NA = No available
sources to track)149

Session 8: W etlands and CEPA / ESD

Adventure Time in Shezi Island, Tamsui River:
Explore Our Hometown
Szu-Ting Hsu1*, Iris Hung2, Clare Wang1, Nelson Chen1
1

Guandu Nature Park, 2 Bamboo Curtain Studio

In October 2016, Guandu Nature Park (GD Park) collaborated
with Bamboo Curtain Studio (Bamboo Studio), took the kids
whom living in Shezi Island to discover their homeland withdifferent eyes. This project incorporates environmental education and art education. We lead children use the scientific way
to discover the nature in their homeland, and using the artistic
way to tell a story about their hope.GD Park, Bamboo Studio,
Shezi Island are three beautiful sites where are located in
Tamsui River watershed. But this beautiful watershed is faceon much pressure on city develop, and polluted by manyfactors, like wastewaters from factory or ordinary householdwater. Many people living in this watershed, felt they should
protect their “nature” environment. But how to protect?
Where needs to protect? Is their homeland being natural environment? Most people do not know. So, we plane this project
to call for their heart to rediscover their hometown, and link
the beautiful memory between old and young people to love
their hometown again. Find the way to protect.
We want to improve an ideal “Nature is everywhere, we did
not discover it”. Many people fell we have to go mountain, go
ocean, go forest to reach nature. But we don’t know we canreach Nature nearby our home, so hope we can use thisproject to improve these ideals. This project combine Environmental Education and art. We lead children use the scientific
way to discover the nature in their home land and using theartistic way to tell a story about their hope.
About the environmental part. we use the fore step for thisproject: observation, Knowledge, Awareness, and action
through this project. Therefore, we use part of activities from
Project WET. Let students know what is water and water play
an important role with our life.
Because in this live with water is their traditional. But now
they leave water along.

Figure 1. This is the draw from grandma’s memories.

past. First lessen, they receive a mail from 1963, he is also anelementary school student. He tells them the past environment. He is also living nearby the river, his family fishing in
the river, plant rice, vegetable, eat clam in the wetland. He
hopes who receive this mail, can tell him the future shezi. So,
we tell students what can we do for receive mail, we can draw
some map and write a letter for him, to tell him, the newest
situation in Sheri. And tell he something news. This is lesson 1.
Every observation will be followed by an artistic creation.
So, we use art to build our map in lesson 2. This lesson isteaching by an Indonesia artists team, Ketemu. They use thenatural material and the waste from Shezi, to lead children to
draw a big map together. In this lesson, they draw many thing
they notice, like water gap, common reed, bus station, dogs,
cats, old house, chicken.
Figure 2. Children’s map.

After Environmental Education, every observation will befollowed by an artistic creation. Through Art to reach theirheart. Change observation to felling and ideals.
Combine this two education ways, we wanted reach five
objective• Rediscover their hometown,• Find water in their life.
• Observe the wetland nearby school• Find anything they want to protect or change.
• Act
Before these lesson, we visited the wetland, elders and the
local community group to understand Sheri. The first stationis the wetland. Shezi have a long levee divided river andpeople, let people away from river. Many people never go thewetland nearby their home. Then we visit elders to under theold Shezi. Most of them is local people, the specialist is a
grandma. She is 90 years old,
She said, when she was a child, she always went to thewetland to catch fish, clam, plant vegetable. She shared her
painting to her stories.
After this visiting, we planning a mail to student from theLesson 3-4, we guided the children to understand theirhometown from different perspectives by taking them toobserve the local soil, we go to wetland, to observe wetland
soil color, Tough soil, deep a pitfall trap to catch crabs or someinvertebrate. And collecting natural objects and learning how
to create a blue-print using natural elements. Then lesson 5 we
think what is nature or un natural together.
Lesson 1 to 5 is first step, observation their hometown.
Lesson 6-9 is Knowledge, Awareness, and Action. Lesson 6 is
thinking what they like or unlike. They like the park, the bird,

150
Figure 3 Their bule-print.

the soil, their school, their home. But they don’t like factory,
garbage, the dog it will bite people and leave many poop on
the ground. What can we do for keep we like, and change we
don’t like. All of them are care about the garbage problem.
There is many garbage in mangrove, it is floe by tide. We want
to change this situation. So, we started discuss what should
we do for this problem. They have many ideals, like they wantpick up the garbage which is in river. We decided write a letterto the town councilmen (he also an associate director of ocean
university), tell him we want to observe the Tamsui River.
because there is our hometown. and ask him to help us.
Figure4. Children like water birds living in wetland.

After this project, we started another project in high school,
this school also in Shezi.This is a three years program, we
hope through this program to discover shezi, from young toold. To listen the difference between every stage.
If you want to know more about this project
You can visit this website: http://www.guandu-natureart.tw ;or see more in this video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y396Q9kQjm0

151

Session 8: W etlands and CEPA / ESD

Efforts and Challenges for Coastal Stability andConservation with Proper Natural Resources Management in
Sundarbans Region, Bangladesh
1
1

Hideki Sato, 2 Md. Maksudur Rahman

Japan Environmental Education Forum (JEEF), 2 Bangladesh Environment and Development Society (BEDS)

In this symposium, we made a presentation on the activities
and suggested the future directions for creating community
development with natural symbiosis in Sundarbans, Bangladesh, through the outcomes of efforts and challenges about
for five years having been implemented by BEDS and JEEF.
The Sundarbans is the single largest mangrove forest in theworld, lies on the delta of the Ganges, Brahmaputra andMeghna rivers on the Bay of Bengal. A total area is 10,000
km2, 60% of the property lies in Bangladesh and the rest in
India. Sundarbans in Bangladesh is the UNESCO declared
Natural World Heritage as well as RAMASAR Wetland site.
Sundarbans mangrove flagship ecosystem in Bangladesh is
the natural safeguard for protecting from natural disasters
and livelihood support by providing rich fishing resources for3.2 million climate vulnerable coastal people. It is the home ofvarious types of species including many rare and endangered
flora and fauna such as the critically endangered Royal Bengal
Tiger, estuarine crocodile, turtle, dolphin, wild birds, etc. Mostof the local people living near Sundarbans are obviously
dependent on the nature blessings such as fish, shrimp,
honey, tree fruits by producing the rich mangrove forest andwetland on the SATOUMI. However, it is considered that the
mangrove forests in this region has been reducing year after
year because of human interference by over-exploiting mangrove resources.
In these circumstances, we have to consider two main problems of the Sundarbans coastal communities;(1) Insufficient of biodiversity conservation education for
local people and lack of proper natural resources management due to the unsustainable and overexploitation of its’
resources by forest dwellers.
(2) Difficulties in making earnings due to the poverty and lackof alternative livelihood scopes in the limited life environment.
Bangladesh Environment and Development Society (BEDS),
and Japan Environmental Education Forum (JEEF) have taken
initiatives to mitigate those problems by living good harmony
with nature, creating community based organization for
ensuring local participation in nature conservation and livelihood improvement, starting from January 2013.
Especially, we have conducted the following main activities
focused on the viewpoints of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) We also have involved multi-stakeholders suchas Ministry of Education, Ministry of Environment Forest,
Khulna University, Travel companies, IUCN, public elementaryand secondary schools, communities, etc.;(1) Activity-Nature Environment Conservation
1) Capacity buildings and human resource development on
biodiversity conservation to elementary school students,
parents and teachers through developing educational
materials on Sundarbans nature environment, etc.
2) Conservation awareness program along coastal andwetland regions including dolphin and turtle, targeting
fishermen, primary and secondary students, etc.
3) Participatory tree planning like mangrove and Moringa,
drawing contest on the topic of Sundarbans biodiversity, targeting at fishermen, eco-clubs in schools, etc.

(2) Family gardening efforts for improving nourishment andintroduction of improved cooking stove by fishermen, etc.
(3) Challenges on developing and selling Non-Timber Forest
Product (NTFP) of natural honey by honey collectors, mangrove pickle by fishermen.
(4) Challenges on developing community-based eco-tourism
in Sundarbans through the capacity buildings of the local
people.
(5) Holding the multi-stakeholder meetings for building thecollaborative networks and exchanging opinions with
community people to support Sundarbans effectively.
The main goal of any activities is to conserve Sundarbans
mangrove biodiversity and to reduce society based poverty
through efforts for harmonizing between nature and humanbeings properly utilizing natural resources in the area, in orderto reduce unsustainable resources harvesting practice andenvironmental impact on mangrove regeneration process bycommunity people.
Through these activities, we found some useful lessons on
the Wetlands and CEPA / ESD to conduct proper natural
resources management from project sites in Sundarbans ofBangladesh:(1) Introduce approaches with comprehensive and multifaceted viewpoints such as nature environment conservation,living support, livelihood improvement, building collaborative network, etc.
(2) Involve multi-stakeholders like government, company,
community people (especially, social vulnerable people
such as children, females), university professors, school
teachers, NGO, etc.
(3) Provide the opportunities to conduct follow-up trainings
for community people continuously.
(4) Encourage community people’s initiative by introducing
experience-based training.
(5) Institutionalize local people such as cooperative society
and eco-club, etc. for sustainable nature environment andlivelihood improvement activities.
(6) Find local brand like natural blessings and activate theregion by making the most of it.
(7) Community planning and human resource developmentwith co-management of public and private sectors in Sundarbans.
(8) Submit activity reports containing recommendation withreal voice of local people after finishing any projects.
Based on some outcomes of our activities, we would like tocontribute to realize the following goals in near future.
(1) Vision 2021 is for Bangladesh to become a middle income
country where poverty will be completely eradicated by 2021.
(2) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
Finally, we would like to point out that the approach on“Wetlands and CEPA/ESD” are different between developed
and developing countries. That is, as we presented it this time,the economic poverty is one of the key issues in developing
countries, so we have to create any environmental friendly
activities which could directly linked to livelihood and life
improvement of local people. Just only environmental preservation efforts in any communities are not always sufficient to152raise people’s awareness on the wetland conservation. We
consider that it would lead the local people to have more theirownership and sustainability by combining with environmental conservation and livelihood & life improvement activities.

Card game on biodiversity

Mangrove tree plantation

Mangrove forest

Natural honey collection

Fishery

Production of mangrove fruit pickles

Drawing picture on Sundarbans by a child

Honey products

Mangrove fruit pickles products

153

Session 8: W etlands and CEPA / ESD

Development of Wetland School in China
Xiuzhi Yang, Kelin Chen
Wetlands International - China

Although wetlands are irreplaceable asset that provide
water and food for human being, they have often been sacrificed for industrial development. Low recognition of wetland
values in general public is one of the major reasons to this.
Nowadays, rapid development is resulting in significant
wetland loss and degradation in China, which is one of therising nations. As a fundamental solution to this problem,
environmental education is an urgent task there.
Wetlands International-China (WIC) has been practicing“wetland education” through international exchange events
etc. to increase wetland awareness for students and teachers
since 2002. Wetland School originated from “Asian Wetlands
Week - Children and Wetlands”, a regional awareness campaign especially targeted to children, initiated by Ramsar
Center Japan (RCJ). Since 2002, a Children and Teacher
Wetland Exchange Program-Japan/China/Korea on “Asian
Wetland Week (AWW) Celebration Event” has been organizedjointly by RCJ, Wetlands Korea (WK) and WI-China with thefinancial support by the Japan Fund for Global Environment(JFGE). The 1st and 2nd Asian Wetlands Week Celebration
events have been held in Japan and Korea respectively. In
Dec. 2004, the 3rd Asian Wetland Weeks (AWW) Celebration
Event was held in Dafeng, Jiangsu Province, China worked
together with Jiangsu Dafeng Milu National Nature Reserveand Dafeng No. 4 Middle School. During this event, the Dafeng
No. 4 Middle School was designated as “Wetland Experimental School” by WI-China. The first Wetland School establishedin China.
In order to further enhance awareness on wetland conservation among children and strengthen exchange information
on wetland education and establish the network of wetland
experiential school in the Northeast Asian region, a three-year
project “China, Japan, Korea Wetland School Programme:
Wetland Awareness Campaign for Children and Teachers inthree Nations” was approved and funded by JFGE in April
2005 organized by RCJ, Wetlands Korea, WI-China. Zhalong
National Nature Reserve, Lanzhou city and Poyang Lake
National Nature Reserve were selected as the potential projectsites and establishment of wetland experimental schools incooperation with the nature reserves and local schools by the
implementation of a 3-year project. On Aug. 1, 2005, during
the 4th Asian Wetland Week Celebration Event, Zhalong
Middle School in Qiqihaer City, Heilongjiang Province wasdesignated as Wetland Experimental School. From July 28th
to 30th 2006, the 5th Asian Wetland Week Celebration Eventheld in Lanzhou, Gansu Province. Lanzhou Shuicheyuan
Primary School was named as Wetland Experimental School.
On Dec. 25th 2007, during the 7th Asian Wetland Week Celebration Event, Jiangxi Nanchang Normal University Affiliation
Primary School was named as Wetland Experimental School.
A follow up 3 year project (2008-2010) were proposed to
JFGE with the project name of “Wetland School Network Programme Popularized in Asian Countries along the East
Asian-Australasian Waterbird Flyway”. In December 2008, awetland school exchange program -“the Eighth Asian Wetland

Week celebrations” was organized successfully by WI-China,
Japan, Thailand and Malaysia, RCJ, WK as well as Zhanjiang
Mangrove National Nature Reserve in Zhanjiang, Guangdong
Province. Total of more than 200 teachers, students andwetland managers from Malaysia, Japan, Thailand, South
Korea and China, as well as participants from research institutions, the nature reserve, non-governmental organizations,environmental education center, environmental volunteers
from 13 provinces and cities in China participated in thewetland school exchange program. A series of activities ,including opening ceremony of the wetland school program,seminar on the conservation and management of Mangrove,
wetlands schools and cultural exchanges from five countries,
planting friendship trees, visit Zhanjiang Wetland Education
Center and Study tour to Zhanjiang Mangrove Nature Reserveand Huguangyan wetland park. During the opening ceremony,
5 schools were named as Wetland Experimental School: Zhanjiang No. 1 Middle School, No. 20 Middle School, Tianjiabing
Middle School, Potou No. 1 Middle School, Jinshawan School.
In Nov. 2009, an exchange and training program on students and teachers from wetland schools in China for using
the education toolkit was organized during the 13th World
Lake Conference in Wuhan. During the program, two schools
from Wuhan city were established as wetland experimental
school: Wuhan Huazhongli Primary School and Honghu No. 1
Primary School. From Dec. 23 -27, Wetlands School Network
Exchange Event held in Krabi, Thailand. More than 100 teachers and students from China, Japan, Korea, Thailand andMalaysia participated in the event. Krabi Provincial Government and Krabi Environmental Department were local hosts.
Participants had study tour to Krabi Estuary, birdwatching andexchange and training workshop. Ammartpanichnukul Schoolin Krabi became Wetland School.
On Dec. 11th 2010, Wetland School Network Coordinate
Committee established in Dafeng during the wetland school
exchange. About 100 persons attended the program. Teachers’
training, field trip, workshop were organized. Dafeng Senior
Middle School and Dafeng No. 6 Primary School were named
as Wetland Experimental School.
From 15-19 of March, 2011, wetland school exchange event
was organized in Sandakan, Sabah, Malaysia. Participants discovered rainforests, got to know Orang-utans, visited villages
along mangrove rivers and knew the culture of Sungai People
and they also had great communications in workshops. On
Sep. 10th 2011, Liaoning Panjin Liaohe Oilfield Xinglongtai No.
1 Primary School was names as Wetland Experimental School.
From Oct. 8-10, 2011, Wetlands and Children Exchange for Sustainable Development held in Wuxi. Children read out a letteron the Opening Ceremony of Asian Wetland Symposium.
From 2012-2014, the 3-year-project “Promotion of Wetland
ESD (Education for Sustainable Development) in China focusing on Ramsar Sites and Wetland Parks through Capacity
Building for Teachers” was continued conducted supported
by JFGE.

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From Sep. 14-15 2012, the Wetland School Network Exchange
Meeting held in Wuzhong Ninxia Hui Autonomous Region
with support from Ningxia Wetland Conservation and Management and Wuzhong Yellow River National Wetland Park
from local. Participants from wetland schools, nature reserves,
wetland parks, governments, universities, NGOs were invited
to the workshop. Experts gave presentations for the workshop
and participants also exchange wetland education experiencein the workshop. A field study trip was organized to Wuzhong
Yellow River National Wetland Park.
2013 Wetland School Network Exchanges Event & Wetland
school 10 years ceremony was organized in Wuxi from 8th to
9th of December, 2013, together with Wuxi wetland society.
During the event, presentations were given by experts from
China, Japan and Korea on wetland education, cultures of
wetlands etc. Teachers exchanges and shared their knowledge
on wetland education. Participants also visited the primaryschool in Wuxi and Taihu lake. The draft of teacher’s guide book
was also discussed. In the opening ceremony, the two new
wetland schools, the Primary School affiliated to Wuxi Normal
University and Dafeng No.2 Primary School were awarded
and all wetland schools were given certification by WIC.
2014 Wetland School Network Exchange Event & Wetland
School Network Committee Annual Meeting was held on
December 25th to 27th in Shenzhen, Guangdong Provinceco-organized by Wetlands International-China and Shenzhen
Mingde Experimental School, Totally 75 participants attended
the event including staff from WIC, WIJ, officials from central,provincial and city level government, experts from China,
Japan and Korea and representative from wetland schools,
provincial and local NGOs, members from WSNCC, media
reporters, etc. Shenzhen Mingde Experimental School wasawarded as Wetland School on the opening ceremony.
On March 30th 2015, Fujian Quanzhou Huian No. 5 Middle
School was designated as Wetland Experimental School. On
March 24th 2016, Qingdao Shuyuanlu Primary School was
designated as Wetland Experimental School.
In July 2016, East Asia Youth Meeting for Wetland Conservation held in Ansan, South Korea. Teachers and students from
Wetland Schools attended the event and shared their experience on wetland education and conservation.
On Nov. 29th – Dec 1st, 2016, the Wetland School Network
exchange event held in Qingdao, Shandong. 16 of the 18
Wetland Experimental Schools updated to Wetland School,and 3 new wetland schools named, they are Anqing Shuangliansi Primary School, Hangzhou Liuxia Primary School, Wuhan
Qingfenlu Primary School. 2 Wetland Experimental Schools
were removed: Potou No. 1 Middle School in Zhanjiang andJiangxi Nanchang Normal University Affiliation Primary
School.
Through more than 10-year’s development, 19 schools havebeen named as Wetland School in China. These wetland
schools spreading over 10 provinces formed a Wetland School
Network and growing stronger. Depending on local wetland
nature reserves, they guide children and teachers step intoand enjoy hands-on experience at wetlands, and take anactive part in wetland exchange with wetland schools in East
Asia and Southeast Asia. A new wetland environmental education modal with Chinese characteristic has been initiallyformed.

The implementation of these projects effectively enlarged
the influence and demonstration effect of Wetland School in
China. We can see that we are making changes on wetland
conservation. More and more students and teachers know
wetland and they influenced the people around them. The
number of Wetland School and member of Wetland School
Network steady increased. Teacher’s capacity on wetland education enhanced through teacher’s training course andnational and international education experiences exchange.
More and more teaching materials developed and series of
wetland conservation and awareness activities conducted by
Wetland Schools. Government of different levels, education
sectors and schools pay more attention on wetland environmental education. The concept of Wetland ESD is acceptedand popular in China. Wetland School has become a famousbrand in China and plays a significant role to increase awareness on wetland conservation and wise use among teachersand children even the whole society in China.
From 2016 to 2017, in order to strengthen Wetland School
Network development, supported by Shenzhen OCT Hua Club
Ecological Environment Protection Foundation, WIC developed Wetland School Construction Guidebook and Wetland
School Management Measures. We hope 100 schools join
Wetland School Network and each province at least has 1
wetland school.

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Session 8: W etlands and CEPA / ESD

BioBlitz in Hong Kong: Best Practice Sharing in Wetlands CEPA (abstract)
Jenna Ho Marris, Shaun Martin, Man Yi (Bel) Li
Tai Tam Tuk Eco Education Centre
BioBlitz is a collaborative, open source, citizen science survey of all formsof life in a set area over a set time, popularised in the U.K. by Bristol Natural
History Consortium
as national BioBlitz coordinator. In 2015 the Hong Kong Environment andConservation Fund, Environmental Education and Community Action Projects sponsored Hong Kong’s first large scale 30 hour BioBlitz at Tai Tam Bay(Inner Harbour) SSSI, site of the last mangrove forest on Hong Kong island.
The authors wish to share achievements, practices, progress and challenges
towards better understanding of this CEPA tool adapted for Hong Kong andwider Asia regional contexts.
The author is a Hong Kong registered charity established in 2012 with theaim of educating to inspire action for sustainable development in Hong Kong
young people and a registered member of Wetland Link International (WLI)’s
network. The author’s wetland education programmes were initially developed for UNESCO Hong Kong’s Education for Sustainable Development
Learning Programme.
While there was considerable interest from schools and outdoor education providers, such approach was found unsatisfactory in terms of level andextent of engagement, as well as lack of long term follow up action. The
authors were inspired to try a BioBlitz as an exciting citizen science eventwith many collaborative partners as proven popular in the U. K., U.S. andelsewhere, such event was successfully concluded late October 2015.
In 30 continuous hours, approximately 300 participating students, teachers, volunteers, and expert naturalists recorded 680 species including two
rare endemic species of moth, first sighting of juvenile mangrove horseshoe
crabs on Hong Kong island, and first sighting of coral off Hong Kong island.
The event brought together 10 environmental NGOs collaborating for the

first time including WWF-Hong Kong, Ocean Park Conservation Foundation,
Conservancy Association, Hong Kong Birdwatching Society and others, with20 student groups from diverse schools, for many their first such scientificsurvey or field training. Surveys included coastal forest, wetland, intertidal,
and marine habitats. Thereafter, two university groups won funding andorganised BioBlitz events, and another NGO was awarded HK$34.8 million(approximately US$4.5 million) for revitalising a heritage building into a BioBlitz training centre expected to attract 16,000 students a year from 2019.
A condition of the funding was to not allow public participation beyond
pre-registered student groups and there were fears expressed during thefunding process, that encouraging unsupervised exploration in the survey
area would lead to injury and damage of wildlife and participants, that thelarge apparent number of species would confuse, that unscrupulous participants would decimate local wildlife, that many local species are toxic, poisonous or otherwise hazardous and other concerns.
In 2016 Hong Kong published its first Biodiversity Strategy and Action
Plan (BSAP) 2017-2020 fulfilling its obligations under the Convention on Biological Diversity with central aims to ensure public is aware of biodiversity
and its values, and also to support China’ National BSAP. Towards this aim
the Agricultural, Fisheries and Conservation Department of Hong Kong has
approved funding for the author to organise another BioBlitz which isplanned early November 2017.
In this context, the authors wish to explore BioBlitz as a tool for wider
wetland CEPA in Hong Kong and Asian contexts, in particular their collaborative structure, including learnings from the 2017 BioBlitz which it is hoped
will be the first coordinated Pearl River Delta BioBlitz.

Localizing ESD Best Practice for Wetland Conservation- from Mai Po Nature
Reserve to South China Region (abstract)
Lydia Pang, Yamme Leung
WWF-Hong Kong
WWF-Hong Kong has actively developed ESD programmes for Mai Po
Nature Reserve since 1983. Every year, over 10,000 studentsvisit the reserveand participated in immersiveeducationprogrammes, aim to enhance theirmotivations and skills to conserve wetland and natural resources in theirdaily life. Studentswere equippedsupportthewetland conservation management work, at the same time educators were trained to maximize theefficiency of our efforts on educating the next generation. Mainstreaming
ESD in the education system serves as a crucial further step to mobilize thecommunity towards a more sustainable lifestyle.
The experience gained from Hong Kongisreplicated in differentimportantwetland sites in China. The conservation management standard in thesesites is raised and public awareness increased. From year 2006 to 2017, WWFHong Kong hasestablished 5-yearscooperation projectswith three regionallyimportantprotected wetlandsin South Chinaregion. This article focuses on
the key achievements of the ESD works of the three projects. Lesson learnt
will be discussed during the presentation.
2005-2010 Zhangjiangkou National Mangrove Nature Reserve, Fujian
Province
The Reserve has the largest area of natural mangrove forest in Fujian
Province with a wide variety of wildlife and was designated as a Ramsar siteon 2 February 2008.
Achievements on ESD work:
Capacity building of reserve staff and educators: Through training courses
in Hong Kong and on-site training at local reserve, school teachers andreserve staff were trained on ESD and were aware of the importance of ESD.
Education programmedevelopment and implementation: Over 3,600 students from 11 localpartner schoolsparticipated in the educationactivities; an
ESD textbookwasalso publishedaseducationmaterial for secondaryschoolstudents.
Constructionofeducationfacilities: Educationcetnre, birdhideand educationaltrail wereconstructed to support the deliveryof reserve-based education programme.
2006-2012 Haifeng Bird Provincial Nature Reserve, Guangdong Province

Over 20,000 migratory waterbirds use the Reserve as a wintering site,
including rare birds such as Dalmatian Pelican, Purple Swamphen, Nordmann’s Greenshank and Black-faced Spoonbill. Haifeng wetlands was designated as a Ramsar site on 2nd February 2008.
Achievements on ESD work:
Masterplanning: Local educator and nature reserve staff developed an
ESD strategy which is incorporated into the five-year management plan, act
as guidance for the reserve on executing ESD work
Capacity building of reserve staff and educators: Through training courses,
school teachers and reserve staff were trained on ESD and were aware oftheimportanceof ESD.
Educationprogrammedevelopmentand implementation: Over 3,400 students from 6 localpartnerschools participated in the education activities;
small fund was distributed to partner schools for school-based environmental education work enhancement.
Constructionofeducation facilities: Education center and boardwalkwasestablished to support the deliveryofreserve-based education programme.
2012-2017 Minjiang Estuary National Nature Reserve, Fujian Province
The Reserve is home to over 50,000 waterbird individuals and 14 globallythreatened bird species, such as critically endangered Chinese Crested Tern
and Spoon-billed Sandpiper.
Achievements on ESD work:
Masterplanning: An ESD strategy was developed to act as guidance forthe reserve on ESD work, also to act as the directional document for the retrofitting work of the wetland museum.
Capacity building of reserve staff and educators: A working group wasestablished among local educators and reserve staff, a practical educational
pack was published with the endorsement of local education bureau to aid
the delivery of in-school environmental education in a city-wide level.
Educationprogrammedevelopmentandimplementation: Particulareducationstaff of the reservewas further equipped to design and deliver new
reserve-based activities with hands on and citizen science elements.

156

157

Session 9
Wetlands and Biodiversity / Restoration / Reintroduction

158

Session 9: W etlands and Biodiversity / Restoration / Reintroduction

Present Status and Future Prospects of the Nature Restorationin Coastal Lagoon Lake Nakaumi, Japan
Hidenobu Kunii
Nature Restoration Committee of Lake Nakaumi
114 Tenjin-machi, Matsue 690-0064, JapanIt may be a fate of estuarine and coastal lakes to suffer
numerous local and global environmental problems such as
eutrophication, land-reclamation, or the sea-level rise. Coastallagoon Lake Nakaumi, a fifth largest lake in Japan (85.7 km2),
was once a fertile lake with prosperous fishery products andextensive seagrass beds. However, this lagoon lake had been
suffered many detrimental effects by human activities, suchas sewage effluent, runoff of chemical fertilizers and herbicides, land reclamation, dredging, construction of lock gate
and dykes and so on, for more than 40 years since early 1960’s.
As a result, lake ecosystem had been deteriorated severely
and no significant catch had been reported.
In the year 2000, the land reclamation project in Lake
Nakaumi was officially discontinued, and shortly thereafter,
the desalination project was also terminated. Here we lookback the chronology of the Nakaumi reclamation and desalination project. The origin of the project can be traced the time
before the WWII. In the 1930’s, the Ohashi River connecting
Lake Shinji to Lake Nakaumi was dredged to assist flood
control in the River Hii system. As a result, higher saline water
moved up river, from Lake Nakaumi into Lake Shinji, and thewater of Lake Shinji became difficult to use for agriculture.
Significant damage to agriculture from irrigating saline water
triggered discussion of the desalination of lake water. After
defeat in WWII, the Japan’s national policy for the expansionof food production and industrial recovery led to a series oflarge land reclamation projects in various coastal areas.
Desalination of lake water adjacent to reclaimed areas wasthought to be essential for irrigation of the new farm lands. In
this context, the national project for reclamation and desalination of Lake Nakaumi was launched. Though the full scale
project started in 1963, the deficiency of food in Japan had
been alleviated and policy had changed to that of reducing
rice cultivation acreage. Additionally, severe deterioration ofwater quality had occurred in other reclamation project areas,
and local fishermen feared similar environmental problems
and launched a campaign to conserve the rich brackish water
fishery resources. The prevailing mood in the nation favoreda change in national policy that emphasized environment overeconomics. The Japanese economy entered a period of recession, and financial resources dropped to a critical level andthere was no other choice than to cancel several big projects
including the reclamation of Lake Nakaumi.
Lake Nakaumi and Lake Shinji survived as coastal lagoons.
But, there have been significant damages to the lake system,
and many environmental problems remained. In enclosed
water bodies such as lakes, reservoirs, inland seas, nutrientsand pollutants accumulate easily because of low water turnover rates. This accumulation of nutrients results in eutrophication and the explosive growth of phytoplankton. Eutrophication
gives rise to algal blooms, red tides, and blue tides, whichlead to anoxic water that is harmful to benthic animals andfish.
The president of Shimane Prefectural Government
expressed to designate the lakes for inclusion in the list of
wetlands of international importance in July 2003, and Lake
Nakaumi was soon after then registered as a 26th Ramsar sitein Japan together with its neighboring Lake Shinji in 2005.

The recent events concerning the restoration of Lake
Nakaumi are as follows;
2002: The New National Biodiversity Strategy was approved.
2003: The Promotion of Nature Restoration Project was
enforced.
2005: Inclusion in the list of wetlands of international
importance (Ramsar sites).
2006: NPO Nature Restoration Center was founded.
2007: Nakaumi Nature Restoration Committee was settled.
2008: ‘Comprehensive Plan for Nature Restoration of Lake
Nakaumi’ was developed.
2012: Implementation of Nature Restoration Project of Lake
Nakaumi started.
2017: Review and revision of the Implementation Plan for
Nature Restoration of Lake Nakaumi’.
The new national biodiversity strategy of Japan, which wasapproved on March 2002, proposed the promotion of nature
restoration projects in order to actively rehabilitate degradedenvironments. Nature restoration projects do not simply
mean to recreate the natural environment that has been
impaired by development, but rather are intended to recover
the resilience of local ecosystems, through the careful removalof human influences and the rehabilitation of nature. This
long-term project, incorporating good management planning
practices, such as adaptive management, fits well with therestoration of Lake Nakaumi in which severe alteration
occurred in the past.
To achieve the restoration of Lake Nakaumi, local non-profit
organization, named Nature Restoration Center, was established in March 2006 as a voluntary group for the purpose of
supporting restoration efforts in accordance with the Law for
the Promotion of Nature Restoration. The definitions and basic
principles of the Japanese Law for the promotion of Nature
Restoration are as follows; nature restoration in this Law
means the conservation, restoration or creation, and maintenance of the conditions of various ecosystems, with the participation of various actors in the community, including
concerned governmental agencies, concerned municipal governments, local residents, specified nonprofit corporations
and individuals with specialized knowledge of the naturalenvironment. Nature restoration shall be carried out appropriately for the purposes of maintaining and passing on a soundand bountiful natural environment to future generations, realizing a society in harmony with nature through the protectionof biodiversity, and contributing to the conservation of the
global environment. Nature restoration shall be carried out insuch a way that, even after a nature restoration project has
begun, the state of nature restoration is monitored, the monitoring results are assessed scientifically, and the assessment
results are reflected in the project.
Shortly after the foundation of the Center, the Nature Restoration Committee of Lake Nakaumi was launched in 2007 toact upon the Law for the Promotion of Nature Restoration, andthe Nature Restoration Committee of Lake Nakaumi drew up
the implementation plan for the nature restoration projects in
Lake Nakaumi in 2012.
In this plan, final goal of the project is stated as follows: We
restore the richer coastal lagoon ecosystem, and we recon-

159
struct the former natural environment and recycling system ofresources, under the slogan ‘revive richer friendly clean Lake
Nakaumi’. In addition, five centerpieces of restoration topromote the restoration projects are also stated in the comprehensive plan; (1) Restoration and conservation of lakeshore and coastal lagoon ecosystem, (2) environmental
restoration through the improvement of water and sedimentquality, (3) coexistence with waterfowl and wise use, (4) promotion of environmental education for the younger generation who shoulder the future, and (5) creation of sustainable
society.
The Nature Restoration Committee of Lake Nakaumi
addressed the following four main projects, (1) conservation
and restoration of seagrass beds, (2) removal and utilizationof sea weeds, (3) conservation and restoration of lakeshores,and (4) rehabilitation of depressed lake bottom resulted from
dredging. Five years have passed since the launching of thenature restoration projects and of these third and fourth projects were progressed satisfactory while first and second projects were not. Based on these results, the Nature Restoration
Committee of Lake Nakaumi is now drawing up the succeeding implementation plan which encourages not only the conservation of biodiversity but the utilization of ecosystemservices of Lake Nakaumi.

160

Session 9: W etlands and Biodiversity / Restoration / Reintroduction

Haors in Bangladesh and Present Scenario
Md Golam Rabbi
Joint Secretary, Nature Conservation Society, Bangladesh

Bangladesh is located in the transitional zone between theSouth and Southeast Asian flora and fauna biomes, which
contributed to its historically rich biological diversity. Bangladesh possesses enormous area of wetlands including rivers
and streams, freshwater lakes and marshes, haors, baors,beels, water storage reservoirs, fish ponds, flooded cultivatedfields and estuarine systems with extensive mangroveswamps. The haors, baors, beels and jheels are of fluvial
origin and are commonly identified as freshwater wetlands.
These freshwater wetlands occupy four landscape units-floodplains, freshwater marshes, lakes and swamp forests.
Bangladesh possess about 7-8 million hectares of wetlands
in different forms for instance, rivers and streams (480,000
hectares), estuarine and mangrove swamps (610,000 hectares), shallow lakes and marshes (120 000-290 000 ha), large
reservoirs (90,000ha), small ponds and tanks (150 000-180000 ha), shrimp ponds (90000-115000 ha) and seasonally submerged ﬂood plains (5,770,000 hectares) (Nishat, 1993). Haors
are bowl-shaped depressions between the natural levees of ariver subject to monsoon ﬂood every year, are mostly found in
the eastern region of the country. There are about 373 haors
comprising an area of about 858460 ha. dispersed of Sunamgonj, Sylhet, Moulvibazar, Hobigonj, Netrokona andKishoreganj district.
District

No of Haor Area of District(ha.)

Area of Haor(ha.)

% of Haor area
per District

Shunamgong

95

367,000

268,53173.17

Sylhet105

349,000

189,909

54.42

Hobigong

14263,700

109,514

41.53

Moulovibazar

03

279,900

47,602

17.01

Kishoregong

97273,100

133,943

49.05

Netrokona

52

274,400

79,345

28.92

Bramanbaria

07

192,000

29,616

15.37

Total

373

1999,800

858,460

42.93

Beels are comparatively large surface water bodies whichaccumulate surface runoff water through internal drainage
channels; these depressions are mostly topographic lows produced by erosions and are seen all over Bangladesh. There arethousands of beels of different sizes are present in Bangladesh for instance, Chalan beel, Chand Beel, Arial beel, Baikka
beel etc.
Baors are oxbow lakes, formed by dead arms of rivers, aresituated in the moribund delta of the Ganges in western partof the country. In Bangladesh, oxbow lakes are quite visible in
the older ﬂood plains. Locally, the feature is also known as
beel, baor, and jheel. Usually, oxbow lakes are deeply ﬂooded
during the monsoon, either through local rainfall and runoff
water or by river ﬂood. During the monsoon season oxbow
lakes act as local water reservoirs, and help to control the
local ﬂood level. In some areas, these lakes serve as valuable
sources of irrigation during the dry season.
Wetlands always support maximum number of life includ-ing wildlife, fisheries, aquatic plants and invertebrates. Mostof the wetland in Bangladesh possesses resources for migratory birds especially in the winter season. Around 400 speciesof migratory birds visited Bangladesh. Huge numbers of
migratory birds visit Hakaluki Haor, Hail Haor, Ramsagar andTangur Haor which is an important Ramsar site.
Tanguar Haor has outstanding conservation value, being anatural freshwater wetland in the country, seasonally harbouring up to 60,000 migratory waterfowl along with many
resident birds. Tanguar Haor resources especially reeds andswamps support birds and wildlife. Based on Nishat (1993),
Karim (1993), and NERP (1993a), it is estimated that a total of
141 fish species, 11 amphibians, 34 reptiles (6 turtles, 7 lizards
and 21 snakes), 206 birds and 31 mammals occur in Tanguar
Haor (Gieson and Rashid, 1997). A total of 12 butterfly species
have also been identified (DoZ, 1997) from Tanguar Haor.
However, the most recent survey (2011) of IUCN has recorded
19 species of mammals, 24 species of reptiles and 8 species ofamphibians in this wetland (Alam et al., 2012). Based on Karim(1993) and BNH (1997), it is estimated that a total of 200
wetland plant species occurred in Tanguar Haor. The mostrecent survey (2011) of IUCN has recorded 104 plant species
under 88 genera and 51 families in this wetland (Sobhan et al.,2012). But the floral and faunal diversity of Tanguar Haor isunder extensive threat because of unsustainable use ofresources.
158 species of wildlife were recorded from the Chanda beel;among them 7 amphibian, 21 reptiles, 111 birds and 19
mammal species (Chakraborty et. al., 2005); among the birds
19 were migratory species. Seven species of snails are foundin Chanda beel among them 2 has commercial importance(Khan et. al., 2005).
The rims of the lakes are used for winter (boro) rice cultivation. The ﬂooded fields in the monsoon became rich with minerals and are very fertile.There are also deepwater rice verities.
The deepwater rice has submergence toleration and elongation ability. At one time, undivided Bengal had about 15,000
varieties of cultivated rice but the germplasum of most ofthem is lost leaving only about 6,000 (Khan et. al.1994). Lakes
are the source of irrigation in winter. Almost every non-rice
crops in Bangladesh grow in winter.
A majority of the people of Bangladesh are critically dependent on wetlands. Wetlands play a crucial role in maintaining
the ecological balance of ecosystems. Wetland also provides
habitat for a variety of resident and migratory waterfowl, asignificant number of endangered species, and a large numberof commercially important species. Wetlands habitat of Bangladesh is under constant threat due to increase of population,
flash flood, intensive agriculture, overfishing, siltation, pollution, ill-planned infrastructures, lack of institutional coordination, lack of awareness, etc which play tremendous impacts on
both biotic and abiotic components of wetlands. Additionally,
industrialization as well as agriculture has resulted in serious
levels of pollution due to ineffective environmental policy and161
policy implementation. Climate change risks are consideredhigh in Bangladesh due to its limited land level elevation andits geographical location in a cyclone prone area. As a result
biodiversity is reducing, many species of flora and fauna arethreatened, wetlands-based ecosystem is degenerating, andthe living conditions of local people are deteriorating as livelihoods, socioeconomic institutions, and cultural values areaffected.
In order to balance human needs and wetlands conservation, a mainly community-based wetlands management
approach has been taken in Bangladesh, but this is not enoughto prevent the degradation of wetlands. Therefore, Bangladesh now needs a comprehensive strategy combining political, economic, social, and technological approaches to stop
further degradation of wetlands. Policies, strategies, and management plans for sustainable use and conservation of wetlands of Bangladesh must be based on solid knowledge andunderstanding of their ecological and socioeconomic functions and processes.

162

Session 9: W etlands and Biodiversity / Restoration / Reintroduction

Threats to the Biodiversity Rich Henoko/Oura bay:
Ramsar Candidate Site
Mariko Abe, Chihiro Tsujimura, Tomoko Shimura
The Nature Conservation Society of JapanThe Ryukyu Islands of Japan are located on the northern
limit of the coral reefs. Many places were lost by coastal
development however healthy coral reef ecosystem remains
around Henoko and Oura Bay, located in the northern part ofthe east coast of Okinawa Island.

Figure 1 The location of Henoko and Oura Bay.
The map of Okinawa Island (=Okinawa mainland) is shown.

The whole area of Henoko and Oura Bay are the regionswith high biodiversity which has been recognized as one of
the hot spots of biodiversity in the world. According to theenvironmental impact assessment report of the Ministry of
Defense, 5,334 species have been recorded from the coastal
waters, including 262 endangered species. In addition,
through subsequent surveys, undescribed species of a hugesea cucumber and many undescribed or unrecorded speciesof sponges, ctenophores, gorgonians, sea slugs, crabs and soon have been reported one after another.
Henoko and Oura Bay has the largest area of seagrass beds
around Okinawa Island.These are used by the dugong(Dugong dugon),Japan’s Natural Monument (Kasuya& Abe2014). The dugong is listed as “Critically Endangered” on the
Red List of the Ministry of the Environment and as “Vulnerable” on the IUCN Red List. The number of the dugong in
Okinawa has been declining to a critical point.
A massive stand of the blue coral (Heliopora coerulea) (50mlong, 30m wide and 14m high) was discovered in 2007 which
is listed as “Vulnerable” on the IUCN Red List.
The value of the biodiversity of Henoko and Oura Bay has
been recognized widely. THe Japanese Ministry of the Environment listed the area in its “Ecologically or Biologically Significant marine Areas identified by Japan”. It has also listed
Oura River and its estuary in the “Ecologically or BiologicallySignificant wetland Areas identified by Japan.” The Okinawa
prefectural government designates the coastal area of Henoko
and Oura Bay as “Assessment Rank I” (the highest) in its
Guidelines on the Conservation of the Natural Environment.
The Japanese Ministry of the Environment also listed the area
in its list of potential Ramsar Sites in 2010 as it recognized thatthe wetlands in the area meet the Convention criteria for wetlands of international importance, in 2014, 19 Japanese scien-tific and academic associations including the EcologicalSociety of Japan submitted the “Joint Petition by the 19
Society Groups calling for Environmental Conservation of theHighly Remarkable Biodiversity in Oura Bay, Okinawa” to thegovernment of Japan.
Currently a plan to landfill the area to build an US military
airfield base (Futenma Replacement Facility) is under way. The
project for 160ha reclamation requires 21 million cubic metersof soils and rocks, of which 17 million cubic meters would beexported from outside of Okinawa island which could be a
trigger to alien species problems; IUCN had given a recommendation to the government of Japan last year to strengthen
pathway management of alien species for the protection ofisland ecosystems. The process of the Environmental Impact
Assessment (EIA) was mired with many issues and problems.
The previous governor of Okinawa prefecture had given thelandfill permit to the business operator (Ministry of Defense,
Japan) in December 2013. However the present governor argues
opposite side of the base construction. He once canceled thelandfill permit, but he had to cancel his cancellation for the legal
reasons at the end of the last year. For the reason the reclamation project has officially started since April this year.
Now we are facing there three major problems.
1) The environmental impact by the concrete blocks
The first one is more than 400 blocks are buried in the sea
bottom of this area. These are made of concrete and used asanchor to make float stable, and size varies from 13 tons to 45
tons. The float is expanded to show the restricted area whereanti base citizen can not enter to protest. The usage of theblocks was not written in EIA documents and no assessment
for the environments was done. The blocks were placed to
avoid corals and seagrasses. However there are creatures
which live on rocks, sands, muddy places, so here we alreadyhave impacts to the environments.
Also it is possible that the topography would become flat byplacing massive blocks and the direction of the currents would
Figure 2 One of the blocks placed at the sea bottom to make the chain of the float stable(photo by Hajime Kanai)

163
Figure 3 The restricted area of Henoko reclamation

island ecosystems’ to the Government of Japan introductionof alien species beyond a distinct biogeographic region posesa risk of biological invasion even within national jurisdictions,especially across different climate, biogeological zones. Also
it states that Okinawa island as well as Aamami ooshima,
Tokunoshima is expected to register as World Natural Heritage in the near future, the importance of conservation ofnature would be higher.
Therefore urgent measures are needed to be taken before
we lose the richness of the irreplaceable coral reef ecosystemforever without many people being aware of its value.
Figure 4 Proposed locations of quarries for Henoko reclamation “proposed locations” of quarries

be changed (NACS-J,2009.,NACS-J 2012). These would leads
irreversible impacts to the environments.
2) Disappearance of dugongs
Currently it is confirmed that three dugongs live near
Okinawa Island, and they have been named Individual A, Individual B, and Individual C (Okinawa Defense Bureau, 2009). It
is known that individuals A and C regularly use the seagrassmeadow at Kayo, in the northern part of Henoko waters, andthat Individual C occasionally goes to Henoko’s OuraBay(Okinawa Defense Bureau, 2009). The “Revised Environmental
Impact Statement for the Project to Build a Futenma Air
Station Replacement Facility” states, “Individual C likely has abroad activity range, mainly using the seagrass meadow in
the Kayo area; presumably the possibility is small that it uses
the seagrass meadow offshore from the Henoko area.”
However, the recent survey results show that dugongs are
obviously using the marine area, the places in the restricted
area, frequently (NACS-J,2014). Although Kayo also has aseagrass meadow, owing to its small 8-ha size, it is likely thatthe young Individual C has expanded its habitat to this marine
area in search of a larger meadow. Henoko’s seagrass meadow
is the largest of those around Okinawa Island, with a size of
173 ha.
Since August 2014, Individual C has not used this area. Also
since March 2015 it stopped using Oura bay as well. We consider there is relationship between disappearance of dugong
and the process of the construction works, including pre construction works, and accompanied patrols. Since 2014 thenoise from the construction works and the patrol boats
notably become large.
3) Possible invasive alien species problem
To complete this construction 21miliion cubic meters ofsoils and rocks are required for reclamation. 17million ofwhich will be transported from outside of Okinawa island,wide range of South West part of Japan. And they will betransported to Henoko. It is difficult to avoid contamination ofalien species to rocks and soils at quarries. Argentine ant(Linepithema humile) contamination is reported in one of thequarries of Setouchi, also Brown widow spider(Latrodectus
geometricus) and Lance-leaved coreopsis(Coreopsis lanceolate) contamination is reported in another quarries of Amami
ooshima island. These are listed as the list of invasive alien
species in Japan of Ministry of Environment, Japan.
Having these knowledge, GOJ still plan to bring soils androcks from far locations. IUCN gave recommendation‘’Strengthening pathway management of alien species inReference:1)Okinawa Defense Bureau (2009). Revised Environmental Impact Statement for
the Project to Build a Futenma Air Station Replacement Facility2)The Nature Conservation Society of Japan (2014) The Facts which Came toLight after the Henoko Environmental Impact Assessment
http://www.nacsj.or.jp/archive/files/katsudo/henoko/pdf/new_fact_no5Eng.
pdf3)IUCN recommendation (2016) Strengthening pathway management of alien
species in island ecosystems
http://www.nacsj.or.jp/archive/2016/08/624/

164

Session 9: W etlands and Biodiversity / Restoration / Reintroduction

Anthropogenic Decline of the Mudflat-specific Fauna and Flora in Japan:
Significance of the Restoration of the Estuary
in Isahaya Bay in the Ariake Sea
Masanori Sato
Kagoshima University
1. Present situation of Japanese mudflats
Mudflats are mainly formed in the upper littoral zones inestuaries, especially in the innermost part of macro-tidal
embayments (upper reaches of estuaries), providing a habitatfor peculiar fauna and flora (Sato, 2017a, b).
Japan is favored geographically by semi-enclosed embayments with various scales of estuarine mudflats (Sato, 2010).
Therefore, the mudflats have traditionally been a rich sourceof food for people, such as bivalves and bottom-dwelling fish,
as evidenced by ancient shell mounds. However, estuarine
mudflats have been severely damaged by recent anthropogenic coastal developments such as land reclamation andsea-wall construction. About 40% of the total area of intertidal
ﬂats on the Japanese coasts were lost between 1945 and 2005
(Hanawa, 2006).
Consequently, the peculiar fauna and flora of estuarine
mudflats appear to have been extirpated in many embayments in Japan, and many traditional fishery products havediminished, as various traditional fishery methods have disappeared (Sato, 2010). At present, many mudflat-specificspecies are designated as endangered species, including the
major food species which typically make up part of the traditional Japanese diet (Japanese Association of Benthology,
2012; Ministry of the Environment, 2017).
2. Characteristics of the mudflats in the Ariake Sea
The Ariake Sea (1,700 km2 in total area, 20 m in average
depth) (Fig. 1) is a unique macrotidal embayment with amaximum tidal range of about 6 m in the innermost area,
whereas Japanese coasts are generally micro-tidal withranges of less than 2 m (Sakakura, 2004). In this embayment,
vast tidal ﬂats are formed on the northern (innermost) andeastern coasts, where the largest river in Kyushu (Chikugo-gawa) and several other large rivers ﬂow, also supplying
large amounts of sand and mud particles (Sato & Takita, 2000).
Yokoyama (2007) estimated that 76% of the total particles supplied to the Ariake Sea come from Chikugo-gawa River.
Mud particles deposited on the sea ﬂoor of the bay areeasily separated from sand particles and re-suspended into
the water column by strong tidal currents as floating mud particles. The floating mud particles are transported to the upper
littoral zones in a vertical direction, and to the upper reachesof the estuary in a horizontal direction by “ﬂood-ebb current
asymmetry” (Sakakura, 2004), and are also displaced counterclockwise by the Coriolis effect (Shimoyama & Nishida, 1999).
Consequently, extensive mudﬂats composed of silt or clay
particles are formed in an area from the innermost of the
Ariake Sea to Isahaya Bay, fringing the north and northwest
coasts of the embayment. Of the whole sediment particles
originated from the Chikugo-gawa River, the ﬁnest mud particles (clay) are transported farthest, into Isahaya Bay, producing the most typical soft mudﬂats there before the reclamation(Fujimagari & Makino, 2001).
The Ariake Sea has the greatest variety of mudflat-specificspecies (Sato & Takita, 2000). Lots of the mudflat-specificspecies are completely or almost completely restricted to the
Ariake Sea in Japan (Ariake Sea indigenous species), although
populations of the same or closely related species are distrib-

uted along Asian continental coasts, suggesting that they arecontinental relicts. The Ariake Sea is special in that the original
mudflat ecosystem and the traditional fishery have been wellpreserved, compared with other areas in Japan. With no social
attention to this aspect, however, vast mudﬂats in the innerpart of Isahaya Bay, covering up to 29 km2 at spring tides(Kyushu Agricultural Administration Ofﬁce, 1991), in the innerpart of Ariake Bay, were lost due to the enclosure of the inner
bay area (36 km2) by the construction of a 7-km dike in April
1997 (Fig. 2) (Sato & Takita, 2000; Sato & Koh, 2004; Sato, 2010,2017a, b).
3. Endangered species remaining in mudflats in the Ariake Sea
At least some of the species now restricted to the Ariake Sea
previously had a wide distribution in Japan. This has been well
documented in some bivalves. For example, Tegillarca
granosa (Japanese name: Hai-gai, vulnerable species, VU) was
once distributed widely, ranging from Kyushu to Hakodate, in
Hokkaido, about 6,000 years ago according to fossil records,
and living specimens were recorded in several embayments incentral and western Japan as recently as 100 years ago (Sato,
2000). However, at present, its distribution is limited to theinnermost part of Ariake Sea and additional small habitats in
the Shiranui Sea and Imari Bay in western Kyushu (Japanese
Association of Benthology, 2012). The dense population of thisspecies, inhabiting mudﬂats of Isahaya Bay, was recently extirpated by the reclamation project mentioned above (Fig. 3)(Sato, 2000; Sato & Koh, 2004).
Our recent examinations of old polychaete specimens
deposited in Japanese and European museums revealed thatthe distribution of Hediste japonica (Ariake-kawa-gokai,
endangered species, EN) formerly extended to central Japan,
including the Seto Inland Sea, Ise Bay, and Mikawa Bay atleast until 1969 (Fig. 4) (Sato & Nakashima, 2003; Sato & Sattmann, 2009; Sato M, unpublished data). However, all populations of H. japonica seem to have been extirpated throughout
Japan, except for in the inner part of the Ariake Sea.
Similar reduction of the distribution has also been suggested for the brachiopod known as a “living fossile”, Lingula
adamsi (Oo-shamisen-gai, critically endangered species, CR)(Ministry of the Environment, 2017), and a salt marsh plant,
Suaeda japonica (Shichimen-so, VU) (Jinno, 2000), both surviving only in the inner part of Ariake Sea in Japan at present.
The reclamation project in Isahaya Bay caused the loss ofthe most important habitat for many endangered mudflats-specific species (Sato, 2010).
4. High productivity of the mudflat ecosystem
Intertidal mudflats have the highest levels of primary production by benthic microalgae (mainly diatoms), because they
are rich in both nutrients and light; fine mud particles canadhere to large numbers of nutrient substances, and the widesurface of mudflats exposed to air around low tides canreceive the energy of sunlight efficiently, acting like hugesolar panels, so that the blooming of benthic diatoms is promoted on the surface of the mudflats (Fig. 5) (Sato, 2017a,b). The benthic diatoms and detritus deposited on the mudflats are fed on by various macrobenthis invertebrates, ﬁsh,165
and even shore birds. The macrobenthos are fed on by carnivores coming from outside of mudflats. Mudﬂat-speciﬁc
endangered species often attain extremely high densities andbiomasses in the Ariake Sea. For example, the maximum
density of a population of the bivalve Tegillarca granosa (3–5
cm in shell length) reached 73 ind. m-2 on mudﬂats in Isahaya
Bay at the time of its mass deaths due to the enclosure of the
Bay in 1997 (Sato, 2001, see Fig. 3). The maximum biomass ofa population of the polychaete Hediste japonica was recorded
at as much as 1kg m-2 in wet weight in an estuary of the Omuta-gawa River (Hanaﬁah et al., 2006).
Such large biomass of microbenthic invertebrates on
mudﬂats can support the lives of large numbers of carnivores
such as shore birds and bottom-dwelling ﬁsh. The highest
number of migratory shorebirds in Japan (13,500 individuals)
was recorded on the mudflats in Isahaya Bay in spring 1988,
before the enclosure of the mudflats (Hanawa & Takeishi,
2000).
Traditional local fisheries are also supported by high productivity in the mudflat ecosystem. For example, the estuarine mudflats play a key role for the larval settlement and thefollowing growth of the Japanese eel, Anguilla japonica (Nihon-unagi, EN, one of the most important fisheryresources in Japan), greatly contributing to maintainance ofthe natural populations of the eel (Kaifu, 2016). The eel feeds
on various macrobenthos on the mudflats (Kan et al., 2016).
Traditional eel fishing on the mudflats using various methods(e.g., using a Japanese eel fork “Unagi-kaki”) continues to thisday in the inner part of the Ariake Sea.
5. Conclusion
From a long-term viewpoint for the next generations, conservation and restoration of Japanese mudflats are desirable
in terms of the conservation of many endangered species
inhabiting mudflats and the traditional fisheries supported bythem. In particular, the restoration of the estuarine mudflats in
Isahaya Bay in the inner part of the Ariake Sea is highly desirable, because the inner part of the Ariake Sea is the lastremaining habitat in Japan for many endangered species,
which the traditional fisheries depend on.
If the tidal currents can be recovered within the regulating
reservoir, which was converted from lower estuarine mudflats
to a freshwater pond due to the enclosure of Isahaya Bay, theestuarine habitats for many endangered species have the propensity to be restored rapidly, leading to the recovery of thefunction of the mudflat ecosystem as a water-purifier andnursery ground in Isahaya Bay. Large-scale restoration is
expected to improve the recent poor environmental conditions for the traditional fisheries in the inner part of the Ariake
Sea.
6. References
Fujimagari, K., Makino, Y. 2001. Surface sediments of Isahaya Bay in Ariake Bay,
Japan. Bulletin of the Faculty of Education, Ibaraki University, Naturalscience 50: 1–19. (in Japanese)
Hanafiah, Z., Sato, M., Nakashima, H., Tosuji, H. 2006. Reproductive swarmingof sympatric nereidid polychaetes in an estuary of the Omuta-gawa River inKyushu, Japan, with special reference to simultaneous swarming of two
Hediste species. Zoological Science 23: 205–217.
Hanawa, S. 2006. Present situation and future of tidal flats in Japan. Global
Environmental Research 11: 235–244. (in Japanese)
Hanawa, S., Takeishi, M. 2000. Migratory birds. In: Life in Ariake Sea: Biodiversity in Tidal Flats and Estuaries (ed. Sato, M.). Kaiyu-sha, Tokyo, pp. 253–282.
(in Japanese)
Japanese Association of Benthology (ed.) 2012. Threatened Animal of Japanese
Tidal flats: Red Data Book of Seashore Benthos. Tokai University Press,
Hadano, 285 pp. (In Japanese)

Jinno, N. 2000. Salt-marsh plants—Suaeda japonica. In: Life in Ariake Sea:
Biodiversity in Tidal Flats and Estuaries (ed. Sato, M.). Kaiyu-sha, Tokyo, pp.
50–68. (in Japanese)
Kaifu, K. 2016. Conservation Ecology of Eel. Kyoritsushuppan, Tokyo, 153 pp. (inJapanese)
Kan, K., Sato, M., Nagasawa, K. 2016. Tidal-flat macrobenthos as diets of theJapanese eel Anguilla japonica in western Japan, with a note on theoccurrence of a parasitic nematode Heliconema anguillae in eel stomachs.
Zoological Science 33: 50–62.
Kyushu Agricultural Administration Office 1991. Environmental assessment
about the land-reclamation project in Isahaya Bay (partial modification).
Kyushu Agricultural Administration Office, Kumamoto. (in Japanese)
Ministry of the Environment 2017. The Japanese Red List of the Ministry of theEnvironment 2017. http://www.env. go.jp/press/files/jp/105449.pdf
Sakakura, N. 2004. Sedimentological review of tidal environment: toward
comprehension of tidal-flat environment in Japan. Fossils 76: 48–62. (inJapanese with English abstract)
Sato, M. 2010. Anthropogenic decline of the peculiar fauna of estuarine
mudflats in Japan. Plankton and Benthos Research 5 (Suppl.): 202–213.
Sato, M. 2017a. Significance of the restoration of the estuary in Isahaya Bay in
the Ariake Sea. Academia 162: 11–28. (in Japanese)
Sato, M. 2017b. The values of very soft mudflats in the Isahaya Bay in the
Ariake Sea, Kyushu, Japan. Environment and fisheries in the Ariake Sea 4:
7–12.
Sato, M., Koh, C-H. 2004. Biological richness of the Asian tidal flats and its
crisis by human impacts. In: Ecological Issues in a Changing World. Status,
Response and Strategy (eds. Hong, S-K., Lee, J.A,, Ihm, B-S., Farina, A., Son,
Y., Kim, E-S., Choe, J.C.). Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, pp.
135–155.
Sato, M., Nakashima, A. 2003. A review of Asian Hediste species complex(Nereididae, Polychaeta) with descriptions of two new species and aredescription of Hediste japonica (Izuka, 1908). Zoological Journal of theLinnean Society 137: 403–445.
Sato, M., Sattmann, H. 2009 Extirpation of Hediste japonica (Izuka, 1908)(Nereididae, Polychaeta) in central Japan, evidenced by a museum historicalcollection. Zoological Science 26: 369–372.
Sato, M., Takita, T. 2000. Fauna and general environments in Ariake Sea. In: Lifein Ariake Sea: Biodiversity in Tidal Flats and Estuaries (ed. Sato, M.).
Kaiyu-sha, Tokyo, pp. 10–35. (in Japanese)
Sato, S. 2000. Bivalves. In: Life in Ariake Sea: Biodiversity in Tidal Flats andEstuaries (ed. Sato, M.). Kaiyu-sha, Tokyo, pp. 150–183. (in Japanese)
Sato, S. 2001. Spatial distributions of bivalves and gastropods on the tidal mud
flat created by construction of a dike for reclamation of Isahaya Bay, western
Kyushu, Japan. Quaternary Res 40: 43–51. (in Japanese with English
abstract)
Sayama, M. 2007. In situ sediment denitrification rates at intertidal mudflat in
Ariake Sea. Aquabiology 29 (6): 544–561. (in Japanese)
Shimoyama, S., Nishida, I. 1999. Environmental changes during the last 10,000
years in North Kyushu, West Japan with special reference to shoreline
movements. Bulletin of the National Museum of Japanese History 81:
249–266.
Yokoyama, K. 2007. River basin sediment systems around the Ariake Sea.
Aquabiology 29 (6): 571–576. (in Japanese with English abstract)166
Fig.1. A map showing the distribution of tidal flats in the Ariake Sea in western
Kyushu in Japan. After Shimoyama & Nishida (1999). The range of tidal flats in Isahaya
Bay was modified based on the measurement at the low-tide mark of spring tides at
1983 by the Kyushu Agricultural Administration Office (1991).

Fig. 2. Reclamation project in Isahaya Bay. (Top) The land-reclamation project inprogress in Isahaya Bay in the Ariake Sea in Kyushu, photographed in July 2000. The
inner part of Isahaya Bay was completely closed by a 7-km dike (arrow) in 1997. The
original tidal flats were changed to dry land in the upper part (A) and to a regulating
reservoir in the lower part (B). After Sato (2010). (Middle) Map showing the inner partof present Isahaya Bay, with the lower edge of former mudflats of 2900 ha (dottedlines). Modified from an original figure by Shinichi Sato. Fresh water has been constantly discharged from the regulating reservoir to the sea through the two gates tokeep the elevation of the regulating reservoir as -1 m. (Bottom) Schematic diagram ofthe sectional view of the land reclamation. Average tidal range in spring tides is 5.4 m
here. After Sato (2017b).

Fig. 3. Mass deaths of the bivalve Tegillarca granosa inhabiting mudflats in the innerpart of Isahaya Bay in the Ariake Sea in August 1997 (4 months after enclosure of thesea by the dike construction). Photographed by Kenji Tominaga. After Sato & Takita(2000).

167
Fig. 4. Distribution of Hediste japonica in Japan. After Sato (2017b).

Fig. 5. Schematic diagram of the typical soft mudflats composed of fine mud particles at rising (top) andebbing (bottom) tides. After Sato (2017b).

168

Session 9: W etlands and Biodiversity / Restoration / Reintroduction

Securing Management Measures of Wild Deer in Kushiro Marsh,
the First Ramsar Site in Japan
Satoshi Kobayashi 1, T. Yoshida 2, H. Uehara 2, H. Takafumi 2, M. Sarashina 2,
H. Uno 3, Y. Inatomi 3, T. Shimamura 3, Y. Osa, M. Ueno 3
1

Kushiro Public University, 2 Rakuno Gakuen University, 3 Hokkaido Research Organization

1. The ongoing Wetland Restoration Projects in Kushiro Marsh
The Kushiro Marsh is the largest of remaining marsh areasin Japan. It is located in the eastern part of Hokkaido Island,
the northernmost major island of Japanese Archipelago.
When Japan joined the Ramsar Convention in 1980, Kushiro
Marsh was designated as the first Ramsar Site, followed by
the National Park designation in 1987. The National Park area
covers 28,788ha today and the Ramsar Site 7,863ha as thecore area of the Park. This year 2017 marks the 30th anniversary of the National Park designation of Kushiro Marsh.
Approximately 2,000 species of wild flora and fauna havebeen recorded in Kushiro Marsh, including some endangered
and rare species such as red-crowned crane (Grus japonensis)
and Siberian salamander (Salamandrella keyserlingii).
Following the introduction of the Law for the Promotion of
Nature Restoration in 2003, the Kushiro Wetland Restoration
Committee was established. Since the publicizing “the Overall
Plan for the Kushiro Marsh Nature Restoration” in early 2005,
various wetland restoration projects have been carried out inKushiro Marsh.
2. The Deer problem in Kushiro Marsh
However, there was no mention of wild deer (Cervus nippon
yesoensis) in ‘General Outlook of Kushiro Marsh’ as an introductory chapter of the overall plan although the front page ofthe similar chapter in its English version published in 2008
featured a photo of both deer and cranes. Again, no mentionof damage caused by wild deer in the chapter ‘Issues related
to Kushiro Marsh and local communities’ in the original Japanese version in 2005.
The crop damage together with forestry damage caused bywild deer has been the highest in the Kushiro sub-prefecture
among 14 sub-prefectures in Hokkaido Island. Therefore, local
government officers, farmers, hunters, people working for the
tourism industry and members of local conservation NGOs in
4 municipalities, namely Kushiro City, Kushiro Town, Shibecha
Town, and Tsurui Village, surrounding Kushiro Marsh, havebasically all agreed with there is a need to reduce the numberof wild deer even within the National Park.
The wild deer population seems to be increasing within the
National Park boundary, and our research team has confirmed
it.The increased deer population is then causing a new problem
for the rich diversity of Kushiro Marsh. For example, the Japanese Ministry of the Environment has confirmed that someendangered plant species has been damaged by wild deer.
3. The Deer research in Kushiro Marsh
Our research team, comprising of Rakuno Gakuen University near Sapporo, Hokkaido Research Organization andKushiro Public University, has carried out 3-year project tounderstand and analyze the situation on deer and ecosystem
in Kushiro Marsh.
Main objectives are:1) to estimate the number of wintering deer within Kushiro
Marsh; 2) to capture some deer for satellite-tracking tounderstand their daily and seasonal movements; and 3)
to collect opinions over wild deer management fromvarious local stakeholders in order to help future man-agement planning.
Our findings are as follows:
1) Some wild deer use the central area of Kushiro Marshand its surroundings thus considered to be residential,
but others move onto further away are as - migratory;2) The unprecedented concentration of wintering deer has
been recognized in some parts of Kushiro Marsh; and3) Introducing management measures of wild deer within
the National Park area is expected to contribute to controlling crop damages caused by wild deer in surrounding farmland.
Possible target areas for deer management have been identified, but it requires further examination to recognize whenand how management measures are to be carried out.
4. Conservation issues
On the other hand, consideration is necessary for someendangered species such as red-crowned cranes in thenational park area. Dialogues and exchanging information
with local conservation NGOs have been therefore initiated,with special focus on cranes and other endangered bird
species.
More intensified management measures of deer populationin Kushiro Marsh will be introduced in due course based upon
the results of the research project, and such measures will becertainly useful and provide further information for similar
problems in other Ramsar Sites and wetland protected areas.

5. Cases in U.K.
The research team invited a representative from the Royal
Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) to Hokkaido in 2015
to share their experiences in Ramsar Sites in U.K.
From the viewpoint of conserving wetland-dependent bird
species such as Marsh Harrier (Circus aeruginosus), Great
Bittern (Botaurus stellaris) and Bearded Tit (Panurus biarmicus), the management of red deer (Cervus elephus) has been
initiated by the Society in two Ramsar Sites successfully. One
is Leighton Moss (129ha) in northern England and the other is
Minsmere-Walberswick (2,019ha) in southeastern England.
The fact that a bird conservation organization has been
engaged in culling programs of wild deer so as to protect bird
habitats is an eye-opener for many conservationists in Hokkaido.

169
6. Opportunities with local stakeholders
In addition to the workshops to introduce case studies from
U.K., the research team has organized a series of workshops
and symposia in Sapporo, Kushiro, Shibecha and Tsurui toreport the progress on the research and to exchange opinions
on management issues. They have been very useful especially in collecting opinions from local stakeholders.

The MR is not a black list, it is the trigger for ‘let’s work
together’ approach. Table 1 shows the top 10 of the Ramsar
Contracting Parties with the largest number of Ramsar Sites
designation. These 10 CPs have designated amazing nearly800 Ramsar Sites, over one third of 2,200 Ramsar Sites all over
the world. It is not, however, clear weather only a few Ramsar
Sites actually have issues in their ecological characters.

2014 Initial stage
GPS tracking; Aerial surveys, research on vegetationcollecting information on stakeholders
Symposium in Kushiro to share information on issues andto collect opinions from local stakeholders

If you have similar problem with deer or other large animals
in and around wetland areas, please contact us for sharing
information :satoshi@kushiro-pu.ac.hp

2015 interim reportintroducing case studies from abroad (U.K.)

With grant fund made available for the research from 2014
to 2016 by the Japanese Ministry of the Environment: Project
number 4-1405
Photo 1. Tourists and a doe in Kushiro Marsh2016 Final report/recommendations
reporting workshops in Sapporo and Kushiro
7. Reconsidering people and wildlife
A Chinese delegation came to Kushiro this summer to study
the ongoing wetland restoration projects in Kushiro Marsh.
They found that distance between people and deer is too
close at one of major viewpoints in Kushiro Marsh.
Besides, the winter provisionization for endangered redcrowned cranes has made the distance between people andcranes closer as well.
8. Montreux Record Listing
Combining the ongoing wetland restoration program in
Kushiro Marsh for more than 10 years now, and the problem
caused by increasing deer within Kushiro Marsh, perhaps it istime to consider the Montreux Record (MR) Listing of Kushiro
Marsh together with some other Ramsar Sites in Japan.
Table 1. Top 10 Ramsar Contracting Parties designating the largest number of Ramsar
Sites, with their Montreux Record Sites.
CPs
1. U.K.
2. Mexico
3. Spain
4. Sweden
5. Australia
6. Norway
7. Italy
Netherlands
9. Algeria
Japan

Number of Ramsar Sites
174
142
74
68
65
63
54
54
50
50
794 Sites in total

MR Site
2
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0

Photo 3. A large group of deer in Kushiro City near Kushiro Marsh National Park

Photo 2. A young crane flying between cars near Kushiro Marsh170

Session 9: W etlands and Biodiversity / Restoration / Reintroduction

Introduction to Conſiguration Concept of Aquatic Acrophytes
in Lake Ecological Restoration—An Example of Ecological Restoration in Gonghu Bay (abstract)
Liyan Qi, Zhongren Xiong, Hongxing Zhang
Research Association of Wuxi Wetland Protection and Construction
Eutrophication is a serious problem in the ecological environmentof shallow lakes currently.Ecological restoration by using aquatic
macrophytes becomes a good method to solve this problem. This
research takes Gonghu Bay in Wuxi as an example, mainly discusses
the process of aquatic plant allocation in the process of ecologicalrestoration of shallow lake.We elucidate four stages of aquatic plant
restoration including basic ecological restoration-vegetation succession-system improvement and its operation and maintenance andtheir logical relationships.
Meanwhile we emphasize the advantages of functional plants at
different times.In order to provide some theoretical basis and practical guidance for the of aquatic plants in the ecological restoration ofshallow lake.
In recent decades, due to human disturbance of the eutrophicationof sewage, Strength increase of fishery and water division, manyaquatic vegetation degradation, lakes change gradually from thegrass type lakes to Algae type lake, aquatic plant is an important partof aquatic ecosystem community, and plays an important role in the
aspects of water pollution control, water conservation, water conservation, climate regulation and environment and so on.
The analysis of community configuration process of lake ecologicalrestoration of aquatic plants Indicate that: when using aquatic plants
to regulate the water ecological system structure, restore the structureand function of the lake ecosystem, enhance the buffering capacity ofanti external interference, it demands full knowledge of aquatic plant
performance, life habits and natural environment of lakes, and according to these conditions to formulate the corresponding configuration
method of aquatic plant communities; in the configuration process, itdemands comprehensive consideration of aquatic plants in ecologicaland economic benefits, so that the aquatic plants ecological restoration project can play a role in long-term.

Eutrophication is a serious problem in the ecological environmentof shallow lakes currently.Ecological restoration by using aquatic
macrophytes becomes a good method to solve this problem. This
research takes Gonghu Bay in Wuxi as an example, mainly discusses
the process of aquatic plant allocation in the process of ecologicalrestoration of shallow lake.We elucidate four stages of aquatic plant
restoration including basic ecological restoration-vegetation succession-system improvement and its operation and maintenance andtheir logical relationships.
Meanwhile we emphasize the advantages of functional plants at
different times.In order to provide some theoretical basis and practical guidance for the of aquatic plants in the ecological restoration ofshallow lake.
In recent decades, due to human disturbance of the eutrophicationof sewage, Strength increase of fishery and water division, manyaquatic vegetation degradation, lakes change gradually from thegrass type lakes to Algae type lake, aquatic plant is an important partof aquatic ecosystem community, and plays an important role in the
aspects of water pollution control, water conservation, water conservation, climate regulation and environment and so on.
The analysis of community configuration process of lake ecologicalrestoration of aquatic plants Indicate that: when using aquatic plants
to regulate the water ecological system structure, restore the structureand function of the lake ecosystem, enhance the buffering capacity ofanti external interference, it demands full knowledge of aquatic plant
performance, life habits and natural environment of lakes, and according to these conditions to formulate the corresponding configuration
method of aquatic plant communities; in the configuration process, itdemands comprehensive consideration of aquatic plants in ecologicaland economic benefits, so that the aquatic plants ecological restoration project can play a role in long-term.

Re-establishment of the Eurasian Otter in South Korea (abstract)
Sungwon Hong, Young Min Kim, Jieun Choi, Eun Song Jeong, Yuno Do, Gea-Jae Joo
Pusan National University
Urbanisation and associated anthropogenic impacts have reduced
the distribution of many native mammals globally. In South Korea,
where urbanisation and industrial development have been exceptionally rapid, the distribution of native Eurasian otters (Lutra lutra)
was severely reduced between the 1950s and the early 1980s.
However, we focused on the otter re-establishment based on
improved environment and public awareness. The government implemented a policy in the 1980s to promote the coexistence of nature
conservation and development. To mitigate the effects of river andstream pollution, the government has invested $1.5 billion (U.S.) todate, and since the 1960s, forest density has increased dramaticallyfrom 27.5 to 125.6 trees/ha. Firstly, we hypothesised that these two
distinct improvements in the environment could enable the distribution of otters to increase. Secondly, scientific research and publicawareness have both facilitated conservation efforts to restore otter
populations in South Korea, but how changing public attitudes to conservation have contributed to otter recovery is unknown. Finally, weapplied both diffusion kernel method and self-organizing map toanalyse the otter diffusion way between 2014 and 2017, more precisely. We collated data from five otter distribution studies from 1987
to 2010 and examined the relationship between changes in otter distribution and environmental variables (biological oxygen demand,
forested area and density, and percentile of national park area) across111 river basins. The otter distribution has increased from 29.7% to87.4% of river basins. In the early 1980s, otters occurred only on
islands, in remote farmlands, and mountainous areas, in addition to aremnant population near the capital city. After the average biologicaloxygen demand remarkably improved in the 1990s and establishingstrict law, water quality was an important factor affecting the otter
population. Later, afforestation became a more important factor influencing the otter population. However, the most important reasons forthe otter recovery were the implementation of effective conservation
laws and their enforcement in the late 1990s. Because historic newspaper articles can reveal such changes, we categorized the 5168
newspaper articles about otters from 1962 to 2010 into five topics(occurrence, ecotourism, conflict, research, and restoration) and geotagged any otter locations mentioned to a 15 x 15 km grid to comparewith the otter distribution established by five scientific surveys. Since
2000, the number of newspaper articles about conflicts between
otters and urban development, and the roles of otters in encouraging
eco-tourism have increased significantly. Using the diffusion kernel
estimation, population dispersals were separately identified according to geographic conditions in northern and southern areas. Bothpopulations were observed to disperse eastward although the survey
period was relatively short. Whereas the northern population in theupper basin of the Nakdong river decreased in densities and dispersal
area during the survey period, the southern population in the downstream area dispersed widely as the time progressed. The Geo-SOM
was applied to reveal associations between spraint densities andenvironmental factors. The northern populations were negatively
associated with anthropogenic factors (e.g., distance to residencearea) initially in 2014, but associations changed later to show highrelations to biotic factors (FAI, BMI, and canopy development) in 2016.
The results indicated a possibility of transition in niche preference,reflecting human intervention in the early period during the course ofotter population dispersal. In the southern populations, however,spraints were consistently associated with favourable landscape conditions and biotic factors through the survey period. The study suggested that niche preference could be diversely addressed depending
upon biological and environmental factors constrained by geographic
conditions where the populations reside for dispersal.

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Session 9: W etlands and Biodiversity / Restoration / Reintroduction

Linking Wetland Bird Ecology with Human Activities
in Multiple-Use Wetlands in India (abstract)1
1

Shivona Bhojwani, 2K.S Gopi Sundar, 3Jagdish Krishnaswamy

National Centre for Biological Sciences,Wildlife Conservation Society-India, Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment
2International Crane Foundation, Nature Conservation Foundation, 3Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment

A one-third decline in the coverage of natural wetlands in South
Asia has led to the loss of habitat for many wetland bird species. As
natural wetlands declines, the potential use of human made or modified wetlands by wetland birds, needs assessment. A number of such
wetlands in India are irrigation tanks embedded within agriculturallandscapes, being primarily built for irrigation. They are also usedheavily for domestic uses, freshwater aquaculture, and recreational
purposes. In spite of this, many wetland bird species, especiallywaterfowl use these wetlands, especially in the wintering season. A
few studies in South Asia have investigated responses of wetland
birds to management regimes in coastal wetlands or agriculturallandscapes. However, the conditions under which these “multiple-use” wetlands support water bird populations is not well studied.
For this purpose, we used aquatic vegetation as a predictor of bird
abundances at wetlands as it performs a dual role: a) plant communities are good indicators of eco-hydrological conditions at wetlands b)
birds associate closely with vegetation for foraging, roosting or
nesting purposes. We also chose to focus on the influence of aquaculture practices on birds as there could be different mechanisms bywhich they influence bird communities. First, a direct one, where we
expected negative influences of human activities on bird abundance.
Second, an indirect one, by which we expected management forexotic carp production to influence negatively aquatic vegetation
thereby influencing bird abundances. Conversely, we also gained
insights on mechanisms by which the ecology of the wetland influences carp production. The study was carried out in 19 agricultural
wetlands of Gondia district, Maharashtra, India. Using GIS softwareand field surveys, we selected wetlands of similar sizes (7 to 12 ha)located in paddy fields, on a gradient of overall wetland vegetation,

estimated coarsely before sampling. Birds were counted in eachwetland through the wintering season by two observers. We quantified submerged, surface and shore vegetation separately, using a
combination of methods. To understand the influence of fishing practices, key informant interviews, group discussions and frequent visits
to the sites were made. Bird species were parsed into a few guilds
based on their foraging habitat, feeding strategies, diet and size.
These guild abundances were used as responses in N-mixture models
with fishing and vegetation variables as predictors. We found that the
herbivorous guild comprising dabbling and diving ducks, Eurasian
Coots, and carnivorous bird guilds that included Egrets, Herons andLittle Cormorants, were positively associated with the biomass ofsubmerged vegetation, percent cover of sedges and Nymphaea sp. atthese sites. Importantly, these vegetation types were negatively influenced by occurrence desilting in the past ten years, a tank management practice, seasonality and prevalence of exotic carp culture.
Vegetation that positively influenced skulking birds like rallids, negatively influenced small shoreline waders like sandpipers and stints.
The data collected from interviews did not support the hypothesisthat disturbance negatively influences bird guild abundance. We also
found that aquaculture production was higher in sites that had greater
values for submerged vegetation and bird guild abundance, as compared to the other sites. Insights gained through perceptions of fishermen, based on interview surveys, corroborated with the overallfindings of the study. This study not only explores links between agricultural wetlands and bird conservation, but also the link between
their ecology and potential to provide ecosystem services. Thus, thisstudy has the potential to provide insights for future bird-friendly
management of agricultural wetlands.

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173

Poster Session I

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Poster Session I

JICA Technical Cooperation Project for Biodiversity
Conservation through Implementation of the Papua New Guinea
Policy on Protected Area
1

Yukio Nagahama, 2 Koji Asano

1

INTEM Consulting, Inc., 2 NIPPON KOEI CO., LTD.

Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is currently
implementing in partnership a biodiversity project with Conservation and Environment Protection Authority (CEPA),
Papua New Guinea (PNG) to build institutional capacity forprotected area management in PNG. CEPA-JICA project duration is from June 2016 to June 2020. One of the outcomes ofthis project is to develop a model for establishing a new
Marine Protected Area (MPA). Bootless Bay (see fig. 1) has
been selected as the site for establishing a new MPA becauseof its rich biodiversity, cultural significance for the local communities and its importance for the general publics.
CEPA-JICA Project is focusing on protecting the major
marine habitats, including mangrove forests, seagrass beds
and coral reefs, because these habitats support the rich biodiversity in Bootless Bay. Detailed GIS maps of the mangroves
including the other critical habitats in Bootless Bay weredeveloped by CEPA-JICA Project. Rapid Marine Biodiversity
Survey in Bootless Bay was done in late October to Novemberof 2016 to determine habitat distribution in Bootless Bay (seefig. 2). Three key threats were identified from this survey; 1.)
decline of fish resources, 2.) mangrove degradation, and 3.)
marine debris. The results were shared with stakeholders of
Bootless Bay. A roadmap to establish MPA in PNG was elaborated in December 2016, and shared with stakeholders of
Bootless Bay. In the roadmap, CEPA-JICA Project did situation
analysis, stakeholder analysis, problem and objective analysis. The roadmap concluded four targeted MPAs include thefollowing: 1.) Central Papua Conference Bautama Tahira Mangrove Conservation MPA. This MPA allows for zonation include
bird watching, boardwalks, mangrove conservation areas andeducation and research mangrove areas, 2.) University of
PNG (UPNG) Tahira Mangrove Conservation MPA. This project
allows for joint collaboration with UPNG for mangrove conservation, education and research, 3.) Motupore Island MPA.
This MPA allows for coral reef, sea grass and mangrove conservation for research and education purposes, and 4.) Aioro(Horse Shoe) Reef MPA. This project allows for coral reef conservation and sustainable management to allow for reef fish
species sustainability and coral reef conservation.
Bootless Bay Marine Conservation Initiative (BBMCI) was
formulated to establish MPA and to share information regarding activities within Bootless Bay. National government, local
government, NGO, local communities and private sectors
have participated to BBMCI (see fig. 3 & 4). By-law of BBMCI
was approved by the members and chairperson and vicechairperson were selected in April 2017.
From field observation and from reports by local NGO,
marine debris in Bootless Bay are increasing. Marine debris
can cause problems to marine habitats and animals, discourage tourists, and also hazardous to hygienic safety of local
communities. Coastal clean-up event under BBMCI wascarried out at Tubuseria Village water front in April 2017. Morethan one hundred peoples participated to the event and collected 200 plastic bags (50L) of debris in over an hour. Tubuseria community is more aware of solid waste and take up
responsibilities to manage waste.
From here on, CEPA-JICA Project will prepare MPA applica-tion form based on PNG PPA, consult with stakeholders, draft
MPA proposals, submit the proposal and prepare management plan of MPAs.

fig. 1 Marine coastal area map of Bootless Bay

fig. 2 Healthy corals in Bootless Bay

fig. 3 Logo of Bootless Bay Marine Conservation Initiative

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fig. 4 Banner of Bootless Bay Marine Conservation Initiative

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Poster Session I

Wetland Conservation Action by Government and NGOs in
Bangladesh and Future Course of Action
Tapas Ranjan Chakraborty 1, Sanowar Hossain 2
1.

PhD Fellow, Department of Environmental Sciences, Jahangirnagar University, Saver, Dhaka-1342, Bangladesh, Email: tchakraborty@oxfam.org.uk
2.
President, Bangladesh POUSH

Around 50% of the area of Bangladesh is wetlands; 13 typesof natural wetlands are found in the country. The socio-economic and cultural state of the country are wetland based, it isbelieved that all most all traditional livelihoods of the country
is wetland dependent. Natural resources of the wetlands were
harvested by the community as common property resources.
As there was over harvesting and rapid degradation of thewetland and its natural resources from 80s government anddevelopment actors started initiating the resource management intervention. For different wetlands some attempts weretaken, which can be classified in to two major types, (1) Disaster management action and (2) Biodiversity conservation
action. In most cases the planning process was participatory
and the implementation was done as project intervention.
Stakeholder diversity, local power structure and geo-limitations were the main challenges of participatory resource management of the wetland. The conservation interventions bygovernment and development organizations have createdmodel of community based management. In some projects
the population growth of species was around double. The
tools of Participatory Action Plan Development, Participatory
Capacity and Vulnerability Assessment and Community Risk
Assessment were participatory process of conversation planning and action. Beside the national Laws, the country is signatory of CBD, Ramsar, CITES, CMS, etc. Tanguar haor is oneof two Ramsar sites in Bangladesh. Every winter about 60
species of migratory birds visit Tanguar Haor. Climate change
is a threat to wetland and its natural resources, climate change
vulnerabilities are contributing to additional challenges ofnatural resource management of the wetlands. Action to copewith climate change was mostly on livelihood adaptation; forwetlands Ecosystem based Adaptation was recommended.
Rapid urbanization and habitat fragmentation are being
causing risk to resource management. In Bangladesh, many
wetlands are subject to trans-boundary management. Fifty-four rivers of the country are trans-boundary. Fish migration path is intercepted by embankment and other barriers incatchment and in up-stream. There are a few interventions forthe trans-boundary wetlands but major challenge is politicalcommitment. In order to address the human needs in thechanging climate and rapid urbanization community-based
adaptation and climate smart development are essential forevery wetland. Therefore, Bangladesh now needs a comprehensive strategy combining political, economic, social, andtechnological approaches considering environmental andclimate change adaptation challenges to manage the natural
resources in the wetlands. Climate change adaptation inwetland ecosystem should be incorporated into a system ofintegrated land and water use and, indeed, into the socioeconomic system of the country. Policies, strategies, and management plans for sustainable use and conservation of
wetlands of Bangladesh must be based on solid knowledge
and understanding of their ecological and socioeconomic
functions and processes and the newly added crisis.
Wetland Development Projects
The development projects in wetlands in Bangladesh canbe divided in to two major types:(1) Disaster Management: Project that are working on infrastructure development and aware community on disastermanagement. Community capacity building is a major component of those projects. Major projects are on flood andflush flood hazards.
(2) Biodiversity conservation: Those projects are on ecosystem management and or on specifies conservation. Conservation projects are mostly limited in the areas of ecologicallyimportant.
Major Assessment and planning tools used
The planning phase of projects by government and non-government actors are well participatory though during implementation phase significant gaps were found.
• Participatory Action Plan Development: Very common
tool for government initiated project planning. The
presence of the secondary stakeholders and scopefrom the policies and legislations are well defined.
• Participatory Capacity and Vulnerability Assessment:very popular tool among the non-government actors.
There are different forms of this tool. Mostly assessing
the capacity and changes of the community who are
direct beneficiaries of the implementation.
• Community Risk Assessment and Risk Reduction Action
Plan: Tool used by the local government authorities.
All most all the assessment and planning are following theadministrative unit as the area of intervention, but the challenges and opportunities are mostly ecosystem specific; very
specifically in a wetland country, planning needs to be basin
specific for the sustainability of intervention.
Conservation Challenges
In the wetlands of Bangladesh following are the main threat:• Climate Change• Urbanisation• Trans-boundary issues• Balance in ecosystem
Bangladesh is one of the most vulnerable countries to theimpacts of climate change. The people, resources base andvarious ecosystems are being impacted by multiple climate
hazards. Vulnerability denotes a set of conditions of people
that derive from the historical contexts and prevailing insocial, cultural, economic, environmental, political, and institutional contexts. The poor and women are disproportionately
impacted by climate variability and extreme events. Vulnerable groups are not only at risk because they are exposed toclimatic hazards, but as a result of marginality, of the everyday patterns of social life, their interactions and organizational
linkages, and their access to and control over resources. In
wetlands communities who are dependent on the wetlandcommon property resources are poor and marginalized. It isessential to understand how vulnerability is generated, how it
increases, and how it builds up through the interactive social
process and conditions. More importantly – how the natureand level of vulnerability differ across the social categories
due to their lack of capacity, knowledge and action.

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Policy Potential
Bangladesh has number of laws that helps the conservation
process of wetlands. Laws are on the rights of ecosystem andon people’s participation and right on from the conservation
action. Following are laws related to wetland conservation:• Acts Haor Development Board Ordinance1997,• Bangladesh Environmental Conservation Act 199,
• East Bengal Protection and Conservation of Fish Act
1950,• Bangladesh Wildlife (Preservation) (Amendment) Act
1974,• East Bengal State Acquisition and Tenancy Act 1950,
Land Reform Board Act 1989,• National Rural Development Policy 2001
There are treaties on Ramsar, Ganges water treaty 1996,
CITES, and CMS signed by the country. Bangladesh has toRamsar sites, the Tanguar Haor and the Sundarbans. There are
Ecologically Critical Areas, National Parks, and Sanctuaries toprotect important habitats and species.
To protect the fisheries resources there is harvesting ban,no fishing zone, and no Hilsa fishing days follows nationwide.
Response Capacity of Community
For the protection of wetland, the community needs to be
responsive. A responsive has well understanding on thevalues of wetland resources, cultural norms and conservation
ecology.There is potential scope of technology use and market
linkages for the betterment of the livelihoods. A responsive
community can bring their voices in the process of decision
making and their rights and entitlements are ensured in theprocess.

Ecosystem based action
The conservation action taken by taken by different stakeholders in the wetlands are as of the following types:• Habitat Restoration• Biodiversity Conservation• Erosion and siltation management• Minimum water for ecosystem balance• Policy and strategy• Technological capacity• Alternative livelihoods• Knowledge management• Public awarenessSustainability
For the sustainability of intervention understanding all thecurrent and emerging challenges and opportunities are themain requirement. In the wetlands of Bangladesh climatechange is a major factor that interferes the process of conservation and keeping number of uncertainty and emerging risk.
Because of the location of the country the water availability on

the wetlands are mostly dependent on the trans-boundary
diplomacy.
Future course of Action

To conserve the biodiversity of the wetlands in Bangladesh
livelihood improvement, protection of resources and sustainable management are the major action required to following
in chronology.

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Poster Session I

Study on Flood Control Effect of Rainwater Tank with Small Holeand Creation of Wetland Habitat in Urban Area
Teruki Hamada
Fukuoka University

1. Introduction
Generally in Japan, the traditional management of stormwater quickly into the sewer and discharging it to the river isdone, but in this urbanized area where the sewer has developed, the peak flow rate of the river is increased and urban
flood damage causing.
The method we propose temporarily shuts off from thesewer network and expects that peak flow of river and sewage
will decrease by shifting the time to release.
Also, the water discharged from the rain water tank will becaught and held in the rain garden and stormwater wetland
located downstream. These are expected to suppress the heatisland phenomenon, improve the landscape, create a wetland
habitats.
2. Previous studies
2.1 study area
The Hii River in the research field is a city river with anextension of about 13 km and a catchment area of 30km2 thatflows through the western part of Fukuoka city center. In
recent years urbanization of watersheds has progressed, andin 1976 residential land was 55%, but in 2006 it has increased
to about 65%. The remaining land use is 32% for forest and 3%
for agricultural land. Land use classification is shown in Fig.1
Fig.1 land use in the Hii River watershed

imental rainwater use housing (Photo1) completed in, Fukuoka
City in April 2012, to what extent are the effects of rainwater
utilization and urban flood damage deterrence in individual
housing In addition to checking the basic data for quantitatively grasping the effect of individual storing to achieve
watershed flood control, we have accumulated basic data. The
greatest feature of Experimental rainwater use housing is tostore all the rain that fell on the roof to suppress urban flood
damage. Fig.2 shows a tank layout of Experimental rainwater
use housing. The underground storage tank installed isdivided into three parts, the first is the underground tankwhich also serves as the foundation of the house, the volume
is about 17.3m3. The rainwater stored in this underground tankis used as water for toilets, baths, washing and garden watering. Here, rainwater at the beginning of saving contains a lotof impurities, so it is structured to cut initial rainwater. The
second is a tank buried under the parking lot and the volume
is about 22.5m3. When the underground tank under the house
becomes full, the overflowing rainwater flows into the tankunder the parking lot. This tank is a tank for temporarily storing
rainwater to suppress flood damage, and the stored rainwater
slowly penetrates into the underground system. The third tankis a biotope tank and the volume is about 2m3, and the rainwater accumulated in this tank is used for circulation of thebiotope in the garden. The total reservoir capacity of the tankis 41.8m3. In addition to the tank, there is a penetration bath in
the middle of the overflow pipe, and it is structured to penetrate underground also from there.
Photo1 appearance of Experimental rainwater use housing

Expansion of residential areas, which is a change in land
use in this basin, is also causing an increase in impermeable
areas such as improvement of roads, house roofs, and homeparking lots. In addition, expansion of the impermeable area
breaks the conventional water circulation process, decreasing
permeation of rainwater into the ground reduces the flow rate
at all times due to the decrease in the basal flow rate of theriver, and increases the flow rate at the time of flooding. Therefore, forestry and agricultural land are supposed to be preserved as a permeable area, and it is desirable to takemeasures at residential areas that account for 65% and the
majority of catchment area.
2.2 method by storage
In order to improve urban water circulation it is important toreturn the rainwater to the river or the atmosphere slowly.
Penetration and storage are cited as representative methods.
As for permeation, it is necessary to continue observation on
the relationship with the groundwater level for a longer time,
so we will describe here the method by storage.
2.3 Experimental rainwater use housing
In this research, based on the observation data in the exper-

Fig.2 Plan view of Experimental rainwater use housing

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Fig.3 water balance of Experimental rainwater use housing

For the total rainfall amount of 852 mm, the sum of theusage amount and the penetration amount is almost equal,
and it has been demonstrated that there is an outflow suppression effect.
2.4 Community flood control
Hii River suffered more than 400 flooded floods due toheavy rain with maximum hourly rainfall of 91 mm in 2009.
Therefore, we simulated how much damage could be suppressed if the number of houses with the same function as theExperimental rainwater use housing capable of storing 42 m3
was increased in the surrounding area. It was found that when
it was assumed that a facility capable of storing 42m3 of rainwater was installed in 19 houses at the most upstream end of
the catchment,the flow rate flowing into the sewer immediately downstream was able to be suppressed to about half.
The effect becomes less visible as it goes down to the downstream, but the outflow suppression effect can be expected. If
the residents were able to save water at home or in the area itturned out that it had the effect of preventing the flooding of
the area where they live.

Table1. Roof area and capacity of tank2) Rain garden
The area of the rain garden is 20 m2 and the condition
before construction is a pond covered with concrete. Also,
because the soil conditions are extremely low in infiltration
rate, concrete is not removed and roofgarden is assumed.
Similarly to the rainwater tank, it was assumed that theoutflow of 59 mm / h was permitted, the inflow and the rain
falling on the spot were temporarily stored as an area of 20 m
2 and a artificial soil thickness of 40 cm (assuming a effective
porosity value of 40%).
Photo2 Rain garden located downstream of the rain water storage tankFig.4 Analysis result of community flood control model

4. Flood control effect of rainwater tank
Since the rainwater tank has been installed and has notexperienced a full rainy season and there is not yet rainenough to cause flooding, the effect will be verified in the
future.Therefore, simulation was performed using rainfall
damaged in 2009. As a result, it is understood that there is theability to delay the occurrence time of peak flow rate by 1
hour.
Fig.6 Flood control effect of rainwater tank

3. Experimental facilities
The experimental facilities consists of rainwater tank, rain
garden, stormwater wetland. Installation of the rainwater tankcompleted in November of 2016, water level in the tank andrainfall are observed. stormwater wetland are under construction at present.
1) Rainwataer tank with small holeFig.5 Rainwataer tank with small hole

5. Creation of a wetland habitat
Creating a habitat is expected by catching rain temporarily
in the garden of the house without sending rain directly to thesewer.
Both the rain garden and stormwater wetland are currently
in the design stage, but we plan to carry out construction andconduct hydrological investigation such as flood period andfrequency. At the same time, we will select vegetation andaccumulate knowledge on the creation and maintenance ofurban wetland habitat.

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Poster Session I

A Case Study of Rainwater Society Initiative Projects that Promotes
De-Centralized Water Management System
Fumiko Taura*1, Yukihiro Shimatani*1, Sampei Yamashita*2, Ryoichi Watanabe*3,
Mayumi Fukunaga*4, Toshiyuki Moriyama*5, Tomoko Minagawa*6,Tomoyasu Yoshitomi*7
Kyushu University Faculty of Engineering, *2)Kyushu Sangyo University Faculty of Engineering, *3)Fukuoka University Faculty of Engineering,*4)Universityof Tokyo graduate school of Frontier Sciences, *5)Fukuoka Institute of Technology Faculty of Social and Environmental Studies, *6)Kumamoto University
Faculty of Advanced Science and Technology, *7)Tokyo Gakugei University Field Studies Institute for Environmental Education*1)

Introduction
Changes of land uses by rapid urbanization change the wayof rainwater discharge management system and cause anurban stormwater disaster.
On the other hand, the situation of the shortage of water bya drought climate and the natural disaster occurs frequently.
We often see the situation to be poor in water to use for life
and the restroom, because of the suspension of water supply
or the damage of the sewage system when an earthquake isgenerated once.
These are problems of a basic water management system.
The current water and wastewater management system isintensive and centralized. Vertically segmented administrative
system, like the section of the sewer, the river, the reservoir
and the agriculture, makes solution difficult.
Due to feature of the current rainwater management systemthat bury rainwater pipes into the ground shown in fig.1,
people cannot recognize how rainwater discharge throughtheir living environment. Therefore it makes difficult to evoke
people’s interest and understanding about the better rainwater management system. Originally, fig. 2 shows the Japanese
ancestors were conscious of the water circulation and organic
space of water and green.
In the meantime, de-centralized, self-sustained, and resilient water management sub-system that focuses on rainwater
harvesting, storage and infiltration, is visible and possible to
be maintained by various community members.
The challenge here is how to promote this sub-system byreliable element technologies of stormwater management
and by involving various stakeholders including local municipals, active community groups as well as other citizens.
Research objectives
The objective of this research is to report multi-faceted andmulti-layered projects that promote de-centralized water management system done by author’s group in Hii River watershed region. Not only for Hii River watershed, but otherregions should face the challenge of establishing sustainable
watermanagement system.
The authors group established a research group named“LRwS - Labs for Rainwater Society” in 2015. LRwS defines“Rainwater Society” as an organic regional society that under
the de-centralized water management system based on appropriate technology and moderate lifestyle shown in fig.3. “Rainwater Society” is a society in which the internal and external
Fig.3 The Rainwater Society

parts shown in fig.3 are resonated and fused or located in the
middle. In the Rainwater Society, multi-generational people
cooperate to store, infiltrate, and harvest rainwater andincrease green spaces at everywhere in a watershed region.
De-centralized water management system will be realized
as a result of cooperation of individual Rainwater Society.
In Europe and the United States, Green Infrastructure has
been introduced as a method of rainwater management
aimed at mitigating urban floods and suppressing outflow of
surface contamination sources[1]. Green Infrastructure effectiveness verification is being promoted from the recognition
that it is expensive to reconstruct pipeline as urban type flood
damage measures and alternative measures are necessary.
The Rainwater society is in common with the concept of GreenInfrastructure. In addition, it is thought to be a concept integrated with internal Japanese way of thinking.

Fig.1 Image of rainwater management system(Separated sewerage)

Fig.2 Rain falls from the sky to the sea.

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Research Processes
Focusing on water which feature is multi-faceted, LRwS
envisions Rainwater Society as a model of modern social
problem-solution method. For promoting Rainwater Society,
LRwS conducts multi-faceted and multi-layered activities
based on four goals; 1) to practice multi-generational co-creation, 2) to design sustainable region with the development ofelement technology of stormwater management, 3) to establish a community network that connects various stakeholders
relate to Rainwater Society, 4) to gather the threads of people’s story.
1) To practice multi-generational co-creation includes to findregion’s social problems, to work on problems, and toeducate and spread the concept of Rainwater Society
among people. (Opening Rainwater Center /Amamizu
rangers/ Environmental education/ Tea party)2) The development of element technology of stormwater
management includes to invent a rainwater tank thatcombines flood control function, and to invent a handy
tool to measure soil infiltration capability. Case studies of
implementing technology of rainwater runoff reduction
and harvesting based on building-types.
3) To establish a community network “Mizbering Hiikawa(Hii River)” includes an event named “Kampai (Cheers) bya river” and rainwater design workshops.
4) To gather the threads of people’s story and make pictorial map of memories

community, they started activities to cut off connection with
one sewage pipe of one downspout at one house (external).
LRws showed that about 20% of rainwater outflow suppression effect can be obtained from the property of detachedhouses by disconnecting one downspout. Through that activity, they realized the pleasure and importance of rainwater(internal), and the activities are getting more active. Besides
not only disconnecting the downspouts simply, they began toshow excitement trying to use rainwater with saving in theFig.4 Multi-faced and multi-layered activities

Fig.5 Multi-faceted and multi-layered activities

Fig. 4 and 5 show that LRwS have developed multi-faceted
and multi-layered activities on rainwater for various generations, residents from upstream to downstream, various stakeholders in Hii River (Fukuoka) shown in fig.6. Also at ZenpukujiRiver (Tokyo) and Machida city (Tokyo), we held workshopswith residents, and shared the concept of “Rainwater Society”
and exchanged opinions. By doing activities that encouragesensibility, we made people aware of in their daily lives.
In Fukuoka, there was a big flood along the Hii River in 2009.
The inland floods occurred mainly and it flooded on the floor
at 172 places. A citizen conference was launched with it as a
trigger[2]. It is the place where citizens have advanced steady
activities.
The Zenfukuji River flowing down Suginami Ward in Tokyo
is a place where urbanization is remarkable like the Hii River.
This area is a combined sewerage area.
Water pollution by CSO, Combined Sewer Overflow, is aproblem, and it is the place where neighboring elementaryand junior high school students, residents are mainly exploring ways to solve the problem.
Machida city, Tokyo, is a bed town and urbanization isremarkable. In recent years, construction of a large-scale rainwater storage facility is planned as a stormwater management
in residence area.
Method of introduction
Three different case studies were obtained in a multifaceted
and multilayered approach.
1. Inland floods occurring in the community is prevented bycommunity-wide behavior
Fig. 7 shows the diagram of process in this case. In a community in Machida City, Tokyo, a plan to build a large-scale
rainwater storage facility by public works was raised. And theresidents especially parents with children concerned about
deterioration of living environment due to construction. Alsoa lot of construction vehicles will pass through this area.
Therefore, we held workshops about Rainwater Society andGreen Infrastructure. In order to suppress the outflow in theFig.6 Research target places

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Fig.7 Diagram of process in Machida city

Fig.8 Excitement trying to use rainwaterpots and running water to the aquarium etc. shown in fig.8.
2. Rebuild the local community by Implementation the single
house with traditional way of rainwater harvesting and using.
Fig. 9 shows the diagram of the process in this case. Implementation examples at existing detached house. We embodied a passionate about the culture of the landlord (internal),
incorporating traditional water use using pots and barrels(external) shown in fig.10. Rain is stored to be used for footbath and watering to planting. In addition, rainwater wasallowed to infiltrate to the soil of the garden with high infiltration ability, and the effect of suppressing outflow was aimed.
Cooperation of various people in the area from the time of
construction, it became implementation by multi-generation
co-creation. The landlord opened the ground floor of thebuilding for the area and there was a community room and astudy meeting room about rainwater.
It became a place like exhibition hall where people canintroduce and experience the rainwater culture.
Various connections such as the landlord and the visitor, thepeople of the area, etc. are born through tea ceremonies andlearning societies, events, observation acceptance to be held.
Especially, it was very effective in fostering local communities. Before rebuilding, it was seen that those who had known
friends as greetings became able to cooperate with eachother, such as assisting the host at the event, cleaning thecommunity space, etc.

Fig.9 Diagram of process in existing detached house

3. It starts with small efforts and thoughts
1) The Apartment House
Fig. 11 shows the diagram of process. As the landlord of theapartment house participated in the network group “Mizbering Hiikawa”, the awareness of rainwater utilization increased(internal). The landlord began an effort to alter the apartment
house to a place full of water and green (external) and set upa rainwater tank in one room of the apartment. He also held
workshops for residents and call for participation shown in
fig.12.
Fig.10 Implementation example at existing detached house(Barrels/Pond/Rainwater footbath/Infiltration to the soil/Gardening)Fig.11 Diagram of process in the apartment house

Fig.12 Workshops about rainwater harvesting1832) The Junior High School
Fig. 13 shows the diagram of process. Workshops about rainwater and river management in 2016 were held with students
at Yusen Junior High School in the Hii River Basin and students
working at the Zenpukuji River Basin Tokyo. One student who
participated in the meeting made a proposal that “I want to
attach a rainwater tank to the school” and the idea developed
regular study meeting with some students. We held meetings
four times and studied about “Rainwater Society” and GreenInfrastructure shown in fig.14. In 2017, the student team planed“Rainwater Society” in school and how to suppress runoff
from this school’s area. Figure 15 is their plan that has manyideas of rainwater harvesting or storage. They made a presentation in front of all the students and have their plan know
widely. Also they started some Implementation in this school.
Individual activities are spreading gradually.

These outcomes were unexpected important results.
1) The concept of Rainwater Society is simple and easy tocommunicate.
2) Activities spread rapidly based on some opportunity. For
example, the enthusiasm of one person in the internalpart and the solution according to the challenges faced in
the external part.
3) The way of rainwater harvesting, storage and infiltration
has diversity and is pleasant. It have the charm of attracting people.
4) Sustainable activities are realized by resonating the internal and external parts.
Following subjects are needs to be continued; 1) continue to
conduct multi-faceted and multi-layered activities and verify
its effectiveness, 2) observe the support and circumstances of
the activities in the case studies.

Conclusions
The author concluded that multi-faceted and multi-layered
projects triggered that affected people in other watershedregion started their own activities of stormwater management
as well as a foundation of new citizen group in Hii River region.

Acknowledgement
This research is supported by the program of “Designing a
Sustainable Society through Intergenerational Co-creation”
from Research Institute of Science and Technology, RISTEXand Japan Science and Technology Agency, JST.

Fig.13 Diagram of process in the School

Fig.14 Workshops in the school

Fig.15 Plan of Rainwater School

References[1]Green Infrastructure Association, and Mitsubishi UFJ Research and Consulting. (2017). Green Infrastructure (Ketteiban! Green Infra), Tokyo.
[2] Shimatani, Y , Yamashita, S, et al. (2010). How Do We Advance the Integrated
Watershed Management for Flood Control and Living Environment Using
On-site Strom Water Storage System?. Advances in river engineering, 16,
17-22.

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Poster Session I

Preparation of Lake Conservation Management Planfor Sustainable Tourism in Gaidahawa Lake, Lowland Nepal
Prava Pandey, Lanka Bahadur Shahi
National Lake Conservation Development Committee, Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Nepal

Introduction
Gaidahawa Lake (GL) is a freshwater perennial water bodyof 28.5 ha with greater than 34560 ha basin area in Bishnupura, Rudrapur and Suryapura VDCs of Rupandehi district,
Nepal which is very close to the Lumbini World Heritage Site,
the birth place of the Lord Buddha.
Fig: Gaidahawa Lake, Rupendehi

The land inhabits a human population of 20,951 populations in 3,120 households (HH). Recent research found thatlake area has been subjected to the natural succession andencroachment by hill migrants of 80 households within 100 m
perimeter of lake with 4.7 as an average household’s size.
Senior citizens claim that water body GL used to be greaterthan 80 ha in the past.
Fig: Location map of Gaidahawa Lake

Lake Basin represents subtropical climate with 3 distinct
noticeable seasons such as hot/dry, monsoon and cool/dry.
There is no major drainage in core area, but Kanchan River thelargest medium size river in north east. Lake water is non-arsenic, slightly alkaline and coliform contaminated. All physical& chemical parameters are within reference of the National
Drinking Water Quality Standard and comply with prevailing
national guidelines for irrigation, aquaculture, livestock watering and recreation.
Gaidahawa Lake for Tourism Promotion
Gaidahawa Lake area is main attraction for domestic visitors as well as international visitors. Its closeness to theLumbini World Heritage, the birth place of Buddha, adds value
to be the high potential area for any visitors visiting to the
Heritage site to spend leisure moment in lake for recreation.
Blue Bull and community managed Vulture restaurant are
another visiting site for bird watching especially endangered

vulture, nature lovers as well as educational purposes in Gaidahawa Lake Basin Area (GLBA) which creates the visitors
higher in the area. Communities’ responded to interlink
tourism of Lumbini Heritage Site with this area.
Current situation in Gaidahawa Lake
Tourism infrastructure for access road, visitor center, cultural museum, recreational facilities (boating, picnic points,
hotels & restaurants, parking place etc.) and so on needs toestablish soon followed by capacity strengthening programs
to increase the visitors in the area.
However, ethnic barrier exists among upstream lake communities(mountain/hillmigrants) and downstream native
dweller, the Terai communities. An unseen disharmony among
them exists.VDC has leased out lake for fishery under individual contractual provision. Communities’ are urging for atransparent mechanism of such individual contract. Communities are also demanding resource sharing in fishery. Government has established underground water facilities for
irrigation in GLBA in 1995. By some reasons, full potential ofthis facility has not been utilized. Many loose groups are
involved in saving & credits but their strength is not fully
observed in shifting their livelihoods. Therefore to develop
Gaidahawa Lake having its potential fully used for overall conservation development of GLBA, National Lake Conservation
Development Committee (NLCDC) has initiated to prepare themanagement Plan for Sustainable Tourism in Gaidahawa Lake
Basin Area.
Management Plan for Sustainable Tourism Promotion
After the national, district and communities level consultations followed by assessment study and community planning
process, the management of Gaidahawa L ake have been prepared. This plan has explored activities in 4 components such
as Lake Basin Governance, Lake Basin Environment, Lake
Tourism & Livelihoods, and Lake Basin Management Capacity. Lake Basin Governance delivers semi-governmental institution to execute plan to restore Lake Basin Environment andLake Tourism and Livelihoods.
For all these, Lake Basin Management Capacity builds technical, managerial and financial strength of institution andcommunities to integrate basin environment to tourism, biodiversity and livelihoods.
Fig: Key theme of Gaidahawa Lake Basin Area

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The plan will implement 61 major activities and sub-activities
mostly within 10 years, and delivers 5 outcomes and 13 outputs.
1st outcome results 2 outputs which helps to keeps lake basingovernance. 2nd outcome delivers 2 outputs that appropriates
basin environment for biodiversity, tourism and livelihoods. 3rdoutcome delivers 4 outputs for tourism infrastructure facilities.
4th outcome provides natural resources based climate resilient
income opportunities to disadvantages groups and otherhouseholds, and places 4 microenterprises all following conservation codes including benefit sharing mechanism. 5th
outcome from 4 outputs brings different stakeholders for lake
conservation and participatory performance monitoring including 1 model school evolved in demonstrating lake awareness.
KeyActions and Outcomes in the Management Plan
1 Development of basic infrastructure for lake tourism promotion
1.1 Upgrade the condition of main access road to GL
Coordinate with DDC to improve main access road from theintersection of Bishunapura road to Pohawa and Gaidahwa up
to Thakurapur-Haraiya road (about 20 km), and Thakurapur toHariya road section (about 7 km). Both roads should be
2-laned, black-topped, and paved walkway with roadside plantation following conservation codes.
Fig: Site map plan of Gaidahawa Lake Basin Area

1.2 Establish entry fee & vehicle parking practices and guard
post
Practice entry fee collection at 2 points in Pohawa andRudrapur. A payable parking site for 150 large and small vehicles shall be arranged. Also develop 4 bed capacities of aguard house with facilities.
1.3 Construct foot-trail immediate to drain outside Zone
Aquatic (ZA)
2 m wide paved trail along 7 km perimeter of lake shall be
constructed following landscape gradient. A clean landscapegarden (with mat, shrub and tree flowers) shall be maintained
along both sides of trail having measures undertaken to minimize imposition of wildlife. Involvement of community groups
such as women group of community forests in gardening may
be a strategy to involve them in lake management and opportunity of reaping benefits from selling garden product.
1.4 Construct shed along foot-trail with drinking water andsanitation facilities
Fix wooden chairs & benches for resting, and build shed at
different sides along foot trail to refrain visitors from heat andrain. Ensure facilities for drinking water, toilets and waste disposal are must nearby shed (10 man capacities).
2 Development of vantage sites
2.1 Construct suspension bridge (decorative)
Construction of approx 75 m long suspension bridge at bot-tleneck site of lake will enhance lake beauty and access visitors to cross over lake. GLBMC shall approach to DDC for
survey, design and construction of such bridge.
2.2 Construct a view tower
Multistoried & multipurpose tower (view, coffee shop, rest
places) at in alliance with decorative bridge is worth for air
view on cost pay basis. Approach to DDC for survey, designand construction of such tower.
2.3Improve structures in existing martyrs’ park
Construct suspension bridge (decorative)
Construction of approx 75 m long suspension bridge at bottleneck site of lake will enhance lake beauty and access visitors to cross over lake. Gaidahawa Lake Basin Management
Committee shall approach to District Development Committee
for survey, design and construction of such bridge.
3 Development of recreational facilities
3.1 Allocate picnic zone outside ZA
Allocate picnic zone with 20 spots along fringes, loops andlaguna from bottleneck site of lake from south extending towest in a way encircling to lake till opposite of bottleneck innorth. Each picnic spot shall have payable 25 man capacity
hygienic shed for resting, cooking, drinking water, toiletry,and dish wash facilities. Such spots shall be strictly forbiddenfrom Lake Outlet (south) up to 500 m close to vulture habitatand martyr garden to maintain unpacked outlook of entry
front. Maintain notice board in each spot for ‘Do & not do’.
3.2 Provide boating recreational facilities and services
Create facilities such as boat house, boat parking for
10boats, boat trails and so on. Prepare guidelines and set
price for services provided that boating should not harm
‘Green Band’ along lakeshore.
3.3 Provide facilities and services for game fishing
Allow game fishing in selected places with guidelines andtariff.
3.4 Establish structure and facilities for a children park
Allocate playground in the northeast of swimming pool site
for children with basic structural facilities like play equipment,
Sea saw, swing, slipper etc..
3.5 Create facilities for swimming zone and services
Establish moderate facilities on pay basis for 20 man capacity swimming pool in a place in north of bottleneck site andsouth of bypass road to vulture restaurantfrom intersection of
Bishnupura-Gaidahawa road.
4 Educational, cultural and conferences facilities for youth andcommunities mobilization
4.1 Establish Lake Habitat Center
1st floor of Lake Habitat Center shall be furnished for 30 men
capacity twin bed facilities for those in study, training andworkshop. Other may use facilities in unoccupied seasons.
4.2 Establish lake education center
Allocate 1.5 ha land in east of children park, and construct a
2-story Lake Habitat Center. Half of ground floor of this building shall be used for lake information center including aquarium room, gift shop and 75 man capacities fully equipped 1
auditorium. Center shall provide services to document & disseminate lake information, meeting, training etc..
4.3 Establish a cultural museum
A section of ground floor of Lake Habitat Center shall be
used for a museum reflecting to local history and culture. Displays may include information on local food and cooking
utensils, garments, ornaments, ritual practices and festivals.
5 Tourism promotional activities
5.1 Display tourism promotional board
Post the compelling message of lake-tourism in display

186
boards at strategic sites in Butwal, Bhairahawa, airports in
Bhairahawa and Kathmandu.
5.2 Convene media campaign and promotional materials
Prepare promotional message in nutshell on lake tourism
and spread them from local & national media. Such materials
may include flyer, brochure, stickers, audiovisuals etc..
5.3 Develop and practice package tour
Coordinate to tour operators and institution like Nepal
Tourism Board, Hotel Association of Nepal, Chamber of Commerce etc. Based on coordination, undertake appropriate
steps for win-win package tour for GL with an advantage of
having Lumbini Heritage at close distance.

Of the total NRs. 1,172,922 about 3% is used for administrative and rest in to deliver outcomes and outputs i.e., >2% forlake basin governance, >32% for restoring basin environment
and >57% for creating tourism infrastructure which together
also enhances climate resilient livelihoods and contribute toemployment-centric and poverty reduction strategy of Government of Nepal.
Fig: NLCDC team with local people of Gaidahawa Lake

Fig: Evaluation and monitoring program

Acknowledgements
NLCDC highly acknowledges the CODEFUND and its teamfor the kind support to prepare this management plan.

Estimated Budget for the Management Plan
Total estimated cost for 10 years of implementation of thisplan is estimated as NRs. 1,172,922thousand. Of this, 74% offund is usable in the first 3 years especially for improving Lake
Basin environment, development of tourism infrastructure
and vantage sites that includes construction of multipurpose
building, recreational facilities and so on. The cost after 5
years is incurred due to administrative expenses in staff
salary, office operation and maintenance of structural intervention. Plan foresees indicators of financial sustainability
and livelihoods enhancement only from 4th year of implementation of the plan.
Fig: Budget estimated for Management Plan

187

Poster Session I

Registration of Ramsar Site of Higashiyoka Higata andChange in Regional Culture
Yasuhiko Takeshita
NPO Network of Regional Residents in the Ariake-Sea Coast, Saga-city, Japan

Visiting the bank at Daijugarami, Higashiyoka (Saga city,
Japan) at the beginning of November, you will be surprised tolook at Japn’s largest colony of the autumn colored Suaeda
japonica, a variety of halophyte called “Shichimennso” inJapanese, which spreads all over along the shore, and will
breathe in its beauty. On the Higashiyoka tidal flat of the
Ariake Sea spreading to the front, ducks rest feathers on theon water surface, while grey plovers, dunlins and greenshanksetc. flock in shallows. There are also black-faced spoonbills
that are threatened with extinction. As far as the eye can see,
there are birds at the water’s edge.
This scenery is a pride and proud of the residents in Higashiyoka town, and they are striving to connect the pride to thenext generation children. That strong feeling has realized theregistration of Ramsar site of the Higashiyoka tidal flats. The
fishermen who get foods at the Ariake Sea have known thevalue of the tidal flats. But for many citizens the sea was a“dirty” one, because it contains mud. What we want to convey
on this poster is that it is highly appreciated as the world
standard brand called Ramsar, so that the value of the tidal
flats, including people who thought it was a dirty sea, hasbeen established as a regional culture and the feeling is takenover to children. We had a lot of difficulties to reach to the goalof the registration of Ramsar site. We will explain here theprocess in detail.
Monitoring site 1000, Ministry of the Environment, Japan, isobserving the number of sandpipers and plovers coming overthat eat creatures at tidal flats, as an indicator the soundnessof the tidal flats: the large flying number of the sandpipers andthe plovers traveling from the Southern Hemisphere to theSiberian region of the Northern Hemisphere is regarded as anindicator that the ecosystem of the tidal flats is well maintained. As the Higashiyoka tidal flat is known as the area
where the largest number of sandpipers and plovers in Japanvisit, the momentum of trying to aim to register Ramsar site
increased in 2004. However, while there are people who areproud of having a lot of wild birds, some people anticipatedthe damage of the wild birds. The administrator (Saga prefecture) of the airport adjacent to the tidal flats, worried about themeasures to prevent the accidents caused by bird-collision
with airplanes. Wild birds, which eat seaweed sprouts harvested carefully, and pigeons, which dig down soybean
planted freshly, also annoyed fishermen and farmers.
It was the regional town-development council that demonstrated the power at that time. Taking a merge of municipalities, Higashiyoka town merged with Saga city in 2007. Afterthe merge, the residents felt a crisis that Higashiyoka will beswallowed into the big Saga city and will not have characteristics of the area. They quickly began to respond to the proposal of Ramsar site. In addition to learning the significanceof the registration, they actively contacted with the advancecities or towns in Ramsar sites, visiting there with the children.
Fortunately, the Higashioyoka tidal flat is a colonial area of“Shichimennso”. Taking the advantage of the Emperor
Showa’s visit, the area was maintained and was carefully nurtured by the regional society for protecting “Shichimenso”.
The momentum to make “Shichimenso” and Ramsar site
become the symbol of the regional area increased, and sym-

posiums and learning societies were often held. In responseto the regional thought that wishes the registration of Ramsar
site, Mayor of Saga city announced that it aimed to register
Ramsar site of the Higashiyoka tidal flats at the press conference of August 2013.
When we called the registration of Ramsar site, many of
those who worry about it opposed that birds would increase if
Ramsar site is registered. Certainly, the article of Ramsar contract states that countries to conclude the treaty will try toincrease the number of water birds. However, in the preamble, there is a condition “by wetland management”. It says tomanage wetlands and tidal flats and to increase water birds.
We are human beings who have compromised the functionof the tidal flats. The tidal flats were lost by large-scale reclamation. The soundness of the remaining tidal flat has been
impaired by our daily activities. Ramsar convention has beenconcluded from that reflection. Ramsar convention says to thecontracting parties that to manage properly the tidal lands
that is not well managed and to keep healthy tidal flats. The
rich fishing area of the Ariake Sea is being lost and people arehoping to rehabilitate it somehow. The spirit of the treaty isexactly the same as those of people who wish to rehabilitate
the Ariake Sea.
Fig. 1. Primary school students near the tidal flats of Higashiyoka made a woodblock
to commemorate the registration of Ramsar site in 2015. The theme is “future” where
people, birds and creatures at the tidal flats coexists. Children are holding hands withmudskippers and crabs. It is a large work of 180 cm x 90 cm.

188
The biggest change by the registration is the feelings of theregional residents. Regional volunteers have begun newactivities to make Ramsar site a symbol of the community-development. They held a learning society many times anddeepened the interaction with the people at Lake Nakaumi
Tottori prefecture and at Lake Shinjiko Shimane prefecture
which are advanced areas in Ramsar sites.
What changed mostly by the registration of a Ramsar site?
The Ariake Sea, especially the most inner part, is muddy sea
involving mud rolling up from the bottom. The muddy sea isoften thought as dirty one, but not, it is a soup for creators.
The registration as Ramsar site made opportunity to let know
the residents the wealth of the Higashiyoka higata.
The tidal flats of Higashiyoka and of Hizen Kashima wereregistered as Ramsar sites. Being added the previously registered Arao tidal flats three registered wetlands were born at
the Ariake Sea coast.
Construction of learning facilities is planned in each area. In
addition, periodical subscriptions in which the three regions
collaborate have also been published. In each area efforts
how to tell and how to leave to children are proceeded consciously, and the exchange of children in these areas is also
active. Three regional activities and collaboration are received
high praise from participants. In the Ariake Sea, attractive tidal
flats spread from point to line and face. The registration ofRamsar sites throughout the all Ariake Sea coast is also not a
dream. Migratory birds from the world teach us that all tidal
flats of Ariake Sea are precious wetlands. Figure 1 shows awood block made by children of Higashiyoka primary school.

189

Poster Session I

Study of Evaluation of Traditional Dry-stone Revetment
Eriko Takeuchi1, 2, Ginji Oishi1, Hironori Hayashi1, Yukihiro Shimatani1
Faculty of Engineering, Kyushu University 2CTI Engineering Co.,Ltd.

1

1 Introduction
This study aims to investigate the strength of the traditionalstone masonry revetment without concrete in river.
The dry-stone revetment, which is a traditional works’
method without using concrete, had been used for a long time
as a river bank protection in Japan until the concrete riverbank protection method and the mortal stone masonry revetment have been popularized. The dry-stone revetment is acombined structure of complex materials filled with smallstones behind large stones on the surface. Therefore, it does
not block the groundwater from the ground behind the riverbank protection, so it is known that plants grow abundantly
between stones and functions as a landscape or as a habitat
for living things.
However, it is not used as a river bank protection in recent
years, or it cannot use even if we want to use it, because skill
is necessary and there is no knowledge on strength, although
the dry-stone revetment has considerable strength. And furthermore, in recent years, examples of restoration of rivers
consolidated by concrete and examples of river improvement
considering the environment are increasing, so it is a problem
to clarify the strength of the traditional dry-stone revetment.
We reviewed the design guidelines and studies of stabilityof revetment in road and river field. There are no detailed
design standards for dry-stone revetment of rivers.
2 Methods
The hydraulic model tests are conducted to clarify dry-stone
revetment strength against the flow. Variables of this experiments were flow rate, method of stacking stones and with andwithout of the backfill.
We made the meandering channel with a width of 8 cm andan extension of 158 cm and used it for experiments.
We adopted two methods of stacking stones: the method ofstacking so that stones are engaged with each other, and themethod of stacking without considering engagement. And
experiments were conducted in cases with and without backfill for each stacking method.
We observed the deformation condition of dry-stone revetment while increasing the flow rate every minute from theminimum flow rate of 166 cm3/m.
3 Results
Case1: The method of stacking without considering engagement and without backfill. The dry-stone revetment collapsedby 1 minute 30 seconds after the water starts flowing because
the earth and sand behind the masonry was sucked out.
Case2: The method of stacking so that stones are engaged
with each other and without backfill. The dry-stone revetment
collapsed by 2 minute 30 seconds after the water starts flowing
because for a similar cause of Case1, the earth and sandbehind the masonry was sucked out.
Also, the bottom row of dry-stone revetment did not collapse if it was engaged with each other stacked. In the casewithout backfill, the earth and sand behind the masonry
flowed out, the masonry collapsed because the earth andsand behind could not support it. And the collapsed stone

remained in place without being flushed.
Case3: The method of stacking without considering engagement and with backfill. We confirmed that was sucked out theearth and sand behind the masonry and the stone of theconvex part flowed out by 8 minute 45 seconds after the water
starts flowing.
The way of collapse, unlike the case without backfill, themasonry stones flowed out downstream at once.
Case4: The method of stacking so that stones are engaged
with each other and with backfill. We confirmed that was
sucked out the earth and sand behind the masonry. But thedry-stone revetment did not collapse.
The flow velocity was 56 cm/s. Converting to actual size willbe 5.6 m/s.
4 Conclurion
In this experiment, it was confirmed that in case of using thebackfill, suction was suppressed, and the strength of the drystone revetment increased, and it was confirmed that it isharder to break by engaging stones. As the results of theexperiment, it is thought that the way of collapse of the revetment in the case of without backfill will be maintained until
the certain amount of earth and sand behind the revetment isdrawn out. The way of collapse of the revetment in the case ofwith backfill seems to be related to the level of river water andthe flow velocity, and the degree of penetration into theground behind.
We would like to continue our research to clarify the function of the traditional dry-stone revetment and aim to disseminate the dry-stone revetment as modern technology of river
revetment.
5 References
1) Ohokubo Morizou • Ohokubo sinnichi: Mystery of masonry and its explanation-Revision augmented version-Rikoutosho,2006
2) Suga Kyouzo:Suirimokeijikken, Hydraulic model experiment, Sankaido,1990
3) Japan Institute of Country-ology and Engineering: Revetment mechanicaldesign method, Sankaido,1999

190

Poster Session I

KODOMO Ramsar in Tsurui Village
Kunihito Otonari
KODOMO Ramsar in Tsurui Village Executive Committee

Tsurui is a village with a population of approximately 2,600,
located in the northwest of Kushiro Wetland in eastern Hokkaido, Japan.The name “Tsurui” means “cranes (Red-crowned
Crane) are there” and as its name suggests, Red-crowned
Cranes live in the village all year round. Numbers of species
live in Tsurui’s diverse environments including wetlands, hilly
area that serves as a catchment area for the wetland, and pastures for dairy farming, the main industry of this village. 2017is a year of milestone for this village because it is the 80th
anniversary of the establishment of the village and the 30th
anniversary of the designation of Kushiro Wetland as a
National Park. Celebrating these anniversaries, an event
named “KODOMO Ramsar in Tsurui Village” was held from 4
to 6 August 2017.

The wetlands the participants are engaged in

Red-crowned Crane

The participants took part in some activities in the naturesuch as walking in Kushiro Wetland and watching Red-crowned
Cranes. They also observed forestry work, dairy farming andcheese making. The young participants were encouraged tofind attractive profiles of Tsurui Village through those experiences and, based on their findings, they nominate “treasures”
they wish to preserve for the future.
Walking in Kushiro Wetland

KODOMO Ramsar is a series of programs for environmental
education and exchange between children, organized since2006, targeting the children engaged in activities in Ramsar
sites mainly in Japan. It has been organized by the Ramsar
Center Japan (in Tokyo) in partnership with other bodies suchas Wetlands International Japan and the municipalities andorganizations at the venue.
For the KODOMO Ramsar in Tsurui Village, an executive
committee was established to prepare and operate it, consisting mainly of local volunteers as well as Ramsar Center Japan,
Wetlands International Japan and Mr. Daisuke Nakamura who
would facilitate the children’s meeting. 36 children from 13
sites in Japan, including Kume-jima, Biwa-ko and Higashiyoka-Higata, took part in this program.
The participants including adults such as organizing staff and others

Watching Red-crowned Cranes

191Group shot in a pasture

local people were inspired by the perspectives of the children.
They started to see the advantages of the village in a new lightwhile gaining some hints for community vitalization. It is considered to be a task for local people to think about the wiseuse of local nature with Kushiro wetland in the center, andestablish a community in harmony with local features of
Tsurui village.

Presented the completed poster to the mayor of Tsurui Village

Visited a dairy farmCompleted poster of treasures in TsuruiGroup discussion

Young participants from Tsurui Village and members of the executive committee

After deliberate discussions, they chose 6 treasures ; “a will
to live together with plants and animals” “the source of life,
spring water” “Red-crowned Cranes saved by the villagers”“Kushiro wetland” “balanced relationship between people
and nature” “people protecting the nature and environment”.
They also composed a message that points out the beauty of
Tsurui village ; “Tsurui Village living with Red-crowned Cranes—the tradition of Tsurui protected by all of us, the future of
Tsurui created by all of us”. They integrated the message andthe treasures into a poster, which was presented to the mayorof the Village.
It could be said that this program contributed to enhance
the young participants’ curiosity and interest in nature throughvarious experiences as well as to promote their willingness
toward their engagements in each site. On the other hand,192

Poster Session I

The Progress of Environmental Education in Kashima City
Yuji Morimoto, Sayaka Nakamura
Ramsar Convention Promotion Office, Kashima City

Guide book for children
In Kashima City, we devised an environmental education
program that can be implemented in elementary schoolclasses so that children can know the importance of tideland.
In order to continue this program, cooperation of elementary
school teachers is essential. Having the teachers deepen
understanding of Ariake Sea will lead to children learning. We
thought that it would also be necessary to create a mechanism to make it easy for the teacher to teach.
So we tried to prepare a workbook to learn the environmental education program as a teaching material to help classes.

Let’s having experience into the tidal flats !
Children enter the tidal flat at the beginning as they are
bewildered but after a while it will be fun to be covered withmud. While playing, they find creatures and learn about biodiversity of tidal flats.

Program flow
1. Discuss what living things are in the tidal flats.
2. Go out to tidal flats and find creatures.
3. Experience the tidal flats, and observe what living things live.
4. Presentation of where living things were located.
5. Learn about creatures of the tidal flats at Kashima Mudflats
Observation Center and study whether they live outside the
Ariake Sea.

Let’s learn the Ramsar site with hand puppet!
Based on learning of rivers and tidal flats, we will learn
about the chain of life in Kashima. Water connect everything,both upstream to the mountains and downstream to the sea.
We explain this thing to children in an easy-to-understandmanner with hand puppet. While children have experienced
themselves, we also ask them to announce what they thought.

Program flow
1. Learn about the Ramsar Convention and study that there
are global efforts to conserve wetlands.
2. Learn about “Hizen Kashima-higata” and other ramsar sitesof the Ariake Sea.
3. Study endangered species inhabiting tidal flats and knowthat the tidal flats is a precious
Let’s learn the connection between river and sea !
By examining what living things live in the river, we canknow the water quality at that point.
Studying rivers near elementary school, we are familiar
with water and learn the clean of rivers.
The creatures collected are classified according to appearance.

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Let’s observe! wild birds in the tidal flats!
While observing birds at the Ramsar site “Hizen Kashima-higata”, we will learn biodiversity of tidal flats. A large number ofshorebird species such as Whimbrel and Dunlin and duck
species fly over to feed on the creatures in the tidal flats. Bird
species of conservation concern such as the Common
shelduck,Saunder’s gall and Black-faced spoonbill also fly
over to this tidal flats making it a major stopover and wintering habitat for migratory birds in Japan.

Flock of Whimbrels at the hizen-kashima higata
Children can notice that such migratory birds are coming toKashima for the first time. They can also learn about the ecosystem of the tidal flats from the relationship with wild birds.

Towards the future...
While there are Ariake Sea familiar, environmental education to learn it has not been done so far.
By learning based on experience activities, this program
makes contents that children can learn from what they felt. We
would like to improve this program further and to continuelearning at elementary school.

Worksheet for bird watching.Bingo game and illustration.
These are handmade by the kashima city office staff.
Children use these worksheets when birdwatching at hizenkashima higata every time.
Because it is difficult to proceed like this only at school, it isnecessary to create a mechanism that can support classes. We
would like to continue looking at Kashima’s unique environmental education and listening to opinions from various
people.
Logo of Ramsar site “hizenkashima-higata”

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Poster Session I

Reasonability of Cyclic Floodplain Rejuvenation for Biodiversity
and Flood Management in Japanese Lowland Rivers
1,2,3
1Shigeya Nagayama, 3 Morihiro Harada, 4 Shiro Sagawa, 5 Yuichi Kayaba

Aqua Restoration Research Center, Public Works Research Institute; 2 Civil Engineering and Eco-technology Consultants Co., Ltd.;
3River Basin Research Center, Gifu University; 4 Graduate School of Regional Resource Management, University of Hyogo;
5River Restoration Team, Public Works Research Institute

INTRODUCTION
The riverscape in Japan has changed significantly since the
Meiji era (1868–1912) when modern civil engineering technology was introduced from Europe (Nagayama et al. 2017a). The
floodplain, which was a broad wetland on the coastal alluvial
plain, has been disconnected from the main river channel due
to intensive levee construction from the Meiji to the Showa(1926–1989) periods. Since the 1980s, inter-levee floodplains
in many Japanese lowland rivers have been terrestrialized,with riparian forests established in the context of riverbed
degradation (Nakamura et al. 2017).
The inter-levee floodplain is artificial but is now recognized
as a rare habitat for a diverse range of aquatic organisms.
However, terrestrialization and riparian forest establishment
have led to a deterioration of inter-levee floodplain ecosystems and a decrease in flow discharge capacity. River managers have implemented tree removal and excavation ofterrestrialized floodplains to increase flow discharge capacity.
Excavation (flood channel excavation) is currently the primaryand most practical method for flood control in Japan and it
may support recovery of floodplain ecosystems due toincreases in inundation area and frequency. In this study, thishypothesis was examined through the recovery of freshwater
unionid mussels, which are potential indicator species offloodplain ecosystems (Negishi et al. 2013). To further theunderstanding of inter-levee floodplain conservation throughflood channel excavation, we examined the relationships
between mussel habitat (floodplain ponds naturally createdpost excavation) and the initial ground elevation and elapsed
time (max. 12 years) after excavation. This study is based on
the work of Nagayama et al. (2017b), which was published in
the Japanese journal Ecology and Civil Engineering.
METHODSThis study was conducted in the lowland Ibi River (32–39 km
from the river mouth) in central Japan (Fig. 1). The riverbed
slope was approximately 1/3,300. The excavation work was
implemented in the study area between 2000 and 2007 toincrease flow discharge capacity (as well as to determine how
initial excavation height affected the suppression of tree
establishment, although this aspect was not examined in thisstudy). Eleven excavation sites were selected, with different
initial ground heights and different time periods elapsed since
excavation. Drought, low, ordinary, and high water levels
were used as a measure of the initial excavation height. The
river managers did not expect the recovery of floodplain-dependent aquatic organisms. However, freshwater mussels
eventually colonized ponds, which were naturally created in
the excavation sites through flooding. Mussel surveys of 80
ponds were conducted in nine of the excavation sites in
December 2011. In all 11 excavation sites, cumulative sediment
depth and floodplain pond area were investigated based oncross-sectional profiles (2001, 2002, 2005, 2008, and 2013) andaerial photographs (2002, 2006, 2007, 2009, and 2012). Two
generalized linear mixed models (GLMM) were built, in which
the response variables were cumulative sediment depth (m)Fig. 1. Location of the Ibi River study segment in which the excavation sites werelocated. Modified from Nagayama et al. (2017b).

and pond area (m2); a generalized linear model (GLM) was
also built, in which the response variable was mussel abundance (CPUE: catch per unit effort, N/hour). The explanatory
variables used were initial excavation height and time elapsed(years) after excavation.
RESULTS and DISCUSSION
Both initial excavation height and elapsed time were influential factors on cumulative sediment depth (Fig. 2). Sediments continuously deposited over time after excavation anddeposition rates were lower in sites with lower initial excavation height (Fig. 2). These indicate that sediment deposition
rates correspond to initial excavation heights.
Pond area was influenced by elapsed time (Fig. 3). Pondarea increased until year eight or nine and decreased later
regardless of initial excavation heights (Fig. 3). After excavation, undulation of the ground surface formed through sediment deposition and was followed by pond formation.
However, pond area decreased over time, probably due tocontinued sediment deposition.
Mussel abundance was influenced by both initial excavation height and elapsed time (Fig. 4). Mussel abundance washigher in sites with lower excavation heights (but higher thandrought water level) (Fig. 4a), indicating that lower initial
excavation height (drought-ordinary water level) was effective
for mussel habitat formation. Mussel abundance increased
initially and then decreased, with a peak at five years after
excavation (Fig. 4b), indicating that “young” ponds canprovide habitat for mussels but “old” ponds lose this function
over time. Habitat deterioration was probably due to adecrease in inundation frequency (Negishi et al. 2012) and anincrease in litter supply from riparian trees (Nagayama et al.
2017) with continued sediment deposition.

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Fig. 2. Relationship between cumulative sediment depth and elapsed time. The models
according to initial excavation heights are indicated by solid lines. Modified from
Nagayama et al. (2017b).

Fig. 3. Relationship between pond area and elapsed time. Modified from Nagayama etal. (2017b).

In conclusion, mussel habitat (pond) and abundance temporarily increased in the excavation sites, but decreased with
continued sediment deposition. In addition, lower initial excavation height was effective for subsequent pond formationand mussel colonization. These results suggest that flood
channel excavation can be used for mussel conservation andfloodplain habitat creation if the excavation works are strategically planned. In the study river, we recommend that flood
channel excavation should be implemented so that excavation sites with lower initial height at five to nine years after
excavation always occur in a target river segment. This can be
performed following the concept of cyclic floodplain rejuvenation (e.g., Baptist et al. 2004), where excavation of re-terrestrialized sites with continued sedimentation is planned (Fig.
5). Moreover, cyclic floodplain excavation can contribute toboth the conservation of floodplain-dependent organisms,
such as mussels, and flood management, through increasing
flow discharge capacity. Therefore, this can provide a reasonable method for rejuvenation of many Japanese lowland
rivers, as well as foreign rivers that possess terrestrializedinter-levee floodplains and continued sediment deposition following excavation.
Acknowledgement
We are grateful for the support of the fund for the “River
Ecology Research Group of Japan” on the Kiso River and theRiver Fund in charge of the River Foundation, Japan.

Fig. 4. Relationships between mussel abundance (CPUE) and (a) excavation height and (b)elapsed time. Modified from Nagayama et al. (2017b).

References
Baptist M.J., Penning W.E., Duel H., Smits A.J.M., Geerling G.W., Van der Lee
G.E.M. & Van Alphen J.S.L. (2004) Assessment of the effects of cyclic floodplain rejuvenation on flood levels and biodiversity along the Rhine River. River
Research and Applications 20: 285–297.
Nagayama S., Harada M. & Kayaba Y. (2016) Distribution and microhabitats offreshwater mussels in waterbodies in the terrestrialized ﬂoodplains of alowland river. Limnology 17: 263–272.
Nagayama S., Tashiro T. & Kitamura J. (2017a) Inland water landscape: Structuraland functional changes in the ecosystem. In Labor Forces and Landscape Management – Japanese case studies -. Shimizu H., Kawaguchi N. & Takatori C.
(eds), pp.107–120. Springer, Singapore.
Nagayama S., Harada M., Sagawa S. & Kayaba Y. (2017b) Mussel habitat in
excavated flood-channels in the Ibi River with reference to initial groundheights and elapsed years. Ecology and Civil Engineering 19: 131–142. (In Japanese with English summary)Nakamura F., Seo J.I., Akasaka T. & Swanson F.J. (2017) Large wood, sediment,
and ﬂow regimes: Their interactions and temporal changes caused by humanimpacts in Japan. Geomorphology 279: 176–187.
Negishi J.N., Nagayama S., Kume M., Sagawa S., Kayaba Y. & Yamanaka Y.
(2013) Unionoid mussels as an indicator of ﬁsh communities: A conceptual
framework and empirical evidence. Ecological Indicators 24: 127–137.
Negishi J.N., Sagawa S., Kayaba Y., Sanada S., Kume M. & Miyashita T. (2012)
Mussel responses to ﬂood pulse frequency: the importance of local habitat.
Freshwater Biology 57: 1500–1511.

Fig. 5. Conceptual diagram of cyclic floodplain rejuvenation using flood channel
excavation in a specific site in a target river segment. Time elapsed following
excavation is shown in each photograph. Tree establishment and pond reduction (i.e.,terrestrialization) progress over time.

196

Poster Session I

Protection and Utilization of the Japanese Giant Salamander
Andrias japonicus in Toyosaka District, Higashi-Hiroshima City
Asano Toshihisa, Shimizu Norio
Hiroshima University

1. Japanese giant salamander Andrias japonicus
The giant salamander is the biggest amphibian in Japan as
it reaches a maximum length of 150 cm. It lives in an area thatspans from Gifu to Oita Prefecture; however, the largest populations inhabit the rural area of the Chugoku region (Fig. 1).
It eats fish, frogs, and crabs and can live more than 50 years in
captivity. The giant salamander breeds in a nest hole. Females
gather in the nest and lay eggs. After spawning, one male,called a “Nushi,” protects the eggs. After four or five months,
the larvae leave the nest. It is protected as one of Japan’snatural monuments; however, recently, this habitat has experienced serious deterioration due to artificial river and hybridization with alien Chinese giant salamander.

the weirs installed in the river. Division of the habitat also
leads to weight loss of adults because the feeding environment deteriorates.
Fig.3 Number of the salamanders by total length (TL)

Fig.1 The distribution of the giant salamanders and the study area

2. Study area: Toyosaka district, Higashi-Hiroshima city
Toyosaka district is located in the basin of the Mukunashi
river, which flows through the central part of the Hiroshima
prefecture. Due to declining population, this district has amarked rural environment; therefore, the aging population
faces serious issues (Fig.2).Toyosaka-cho merged with Higashi
Hiroshima City in 2005. Higashi Hiroshima City is an academic
and research center where the local universities, research
institutes, and enterprises are located. In the central part ofthis city urbanization is advancing and depopulation is prominent in the peripheral part of this city.
Fig.2 Transition of population in the Toyosaka district (1965–2015)

3. The giant salamander in Toyosaka district
About 60 salamanders have been found in this study site.
They breed every year using natural nests. Although there are
adults and larvae, the younger generation has not been found(Fig.3). The division of river channels by weirs is one of thebiggest problem in this site. It is thought that the larvae aredrained into paddy fields during irrigation and the downstream larvae cannot return because they are unable to climb

4. People in charge of protection activities
Since the 1960s, some residents in this district have been
involved in salamander conservation efforts. However, as
these residents have become older and some have died, it has
become difficult to continue with the conservation activities.
In addition, many of the younger residents are not as interested in the environment of the river or salamanders (Fig.4).
These rural residents in the Toyosaka district met, by chance,
the members of the nature conservation group that lives in
the urban area. As a result, the conservation activities spread,adding the Asa Zoo and Hiroshima University researchers andthe basic survey for the salamander conservation was
restarted in 2011 (Fig.5).
Fig.4 The residents’ indifference to salamander

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Fig.5 The network of stakeholders

5. Main events
The main activities from 2011 are as follows.
Before 2011: Protective activities are conducted by volunteers of the Toyosaka district
2011: The involvement of the academic and research community restarts the investigation
2012: Discovery of larvae and natural nests. Active publication of survey results. Establishment of a conservation group.
2013: Increase in survey participants and awareness of theriver environment problems.
2014: Holding the national convention. Environmental education at elementary school. Cooperation of local community
centers.
2015: Activities to help the larvae. Expansion of educational
activities. Various awards
2016: Workshop to reflect on the conservation activities(Fig.6)

Through the workshop, stakeholders confirmed the importance of 1) ecological understanding of the salamander and its
habitat, 2) improvement in the habitat environment, and 3)
promotion of the local people’s understanding regarding salamander conservation. Improving the river environment is themost important priority. However, local agreement andsupport is indispensable for the river environment improvement. It is also desirable to develop a protective facility forthin salamanders and larvae, and an isolation facility for the
hybrids.
(3) Promotion of the understanding of the local residents
Although the residents’ understanding of the giant salamander and its environmental challenges has progressed
through the activities and outreach in recent years, the residents’ interest in protecting salamanders is low. Aggressive
implementation of CEPA is desired.
(4) Visualization of the value of the Salamander as the regional
resource
Educational use of the salamander is advancing. In addition, it is desirable to raise the level of the residents’ interestin conservation by outlining the salamander as an opportunity
to develop the tourism industry. For example, an eco-museum
focusing on the salamander could be developed. As a starting
point, the projects that are currently being attempted needsupport— nature observation tours (Fig.7), the developmentof products related to salamander (Fig.8), and reuse of thepools of closed elementary schools for protection and exhibition space (Fig.9).
Fig.7 Nature observation tour

Fig.6 results of the workshop (2016)

Fig.8 Products related to the salamanders

6. Further action necessaryNow, this protection group is working by setting emphasisto the following four points. They are (1) Ecological understanding and evaluation of the salamander and its habitat, (2)Recognition of the role which each stakeholder should play,(3) Promotion of the understanding of the local residents, (4)Visualization of the value of the Salamander as the regional
resource.
(1) Ecological understanding and evaluation of the salamander and its habitat
The point of the current survey is to conduct an age assessment of the salamander left behind between the weirs, determine the destinations of the flushed larvae, and developmentof methods for protecting larvae.
(2) R ecognizing issues. Who should do what?

Fig.9 Pools of closed elementary schools that are expected to be reused for protection /exhibition

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Poster Session I

Red-crowned Cranes in Japan:
Is it Possible for Them to be Independent ?
Nobumichi Kurosawa
Kushiro Sarun Trust

Red-crowned Crane (Grus japonensis) is a species that represent wetlands in East Asia as an apex species in the foodchain in wetland. There are two separate populations in themainland (China and Russia) and Japan. The population in themainland is migratory and has approximately 1,300 individuals, while the population in Japan is non-migratory and has
approximately 1,750 individuals that live only in Hokkaido,
especially in eastern Hokkaido including Kushiro Wetland.
Red-crowned Cranes in Japan had been regarded to be
extinct in early 20th century due to hunting and habitat degradation, until a few dozen birds were found again in 1925 inKushiro Wetland. Thanks to the effective winter feeding by
local people since 1952, the population increased steadily. The
conservation efforts are evaluated highly to be worthy ofpraise.
However, as most of the wetland, ponds and rivers ineastern Hokkaido freeze during winter, it is difficult for the
cranes to find enough natural food to maintain their current
population. The feeding by local people and NGO is indispensable for crane’s survival. Currently the feeding is subsidized
by local and national government.
As a large population of cranes, sometimes as much as 200
to 300, gathers at each of the 3 main feeding sites in winter,
there is a concern over the outbreak of infectious diseases
such as bird flu among them. Moreover, due to the decreasing
wetland area including the Kushiro Wetland, the population
density is still high in the limited habitat even in summer. It
makes many of them obliged to live near people’s living
range. As a result, accidents to cranes, such as collision
against cars, trains and power lines, and damages by cranes
to agriculture are both increasing.
There are numbers of reports regarding the damages toagriculture, which include eating seeds and seedlings of maize
for livestock feed during sowing season, spoiling silage(stored fodder) by pecking its plastic wrapping, and intruding
into cattle shed to eat cattle feed or foul it with their feces.
Although cranes have started to disperse naturally to new
habitats nearby, the number is still limited. Various efforts areneeded to alleviate the concentration of crane population in
Kushiro and Nemuro area.
The present period of feeding by people for cranes is from
November to March. The Ministry of the Environment has
started a program to encourage their autonomous disperse by
reducing the period and amount of feeding. However, there isa high possibility that the cranes will depend on farm yards
even more.
If they disperse into other areas, it wouldn’t be a problem
while the number is small, but when the number increases,
new problems to agriculture, such as harming rice, vegetableand other crops, might arise before long. It will be necessary
to ensure not only good wetland environments for cranes but
also the consensus of local people around wetlands.
In Kushiro area, Wild Bird Society of Japan has been
engaged in works to restore natural winter feeding habitats byclear cutting overgrown shrubs along riversides and ditches
in pasture. The work is supported by many volunteers including local people. These new feeding habitats have been usedby many cranes.

Moreover, there are several movements in central Hokkaido
to promote cranes’ natural dispersion by preparing good habitats and/or restoring old habitats. In Mukawa Town, a pair of
crane has been breeding since 2011. The pair stay there all year
round without going to eastern Hokkaido for the winter. Local
people in the town organized a team for watching over cranes
to prevent human disturbances of crane breeding.
Also in Nagamuma Town, local people organized a groupaiming to restore a crane habitat in a new flood control basin
in an area called ‘Maizuru’, which means dancing cranes. The
name suggests that this area was a crane habitat. Because of
the warmer climate of both regions compared to Kushiro area,
they might become good wintering sites for cranes.
Since Red-crowned Crane is appreciated as an auspicious
bird in Japan, it is highly possible that the dispersed population is welcomed in each area. In order to live along withcranes, it should be an essential step to raise awareness of
local people as well as to promote wetland conservation andrestoration.

Fig1: Population of Red-crowned Crane

Fig2: Winter scene of feeding site near Kushiro wetland

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Fig3: Invasion to a cowshed (Photo by Tancho com.)

Fig4: Dispersion of Red-crowned Crane in Japan

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Poster Session I

Integrated Evaluation of Biodiversity in Tidal Flat in Tokyo Bay
Masayuki Takada1, Yoshio Mishima2, Takahiro Ota3, Hiroyuki Oguma2
1

Hosei University, 2 National Institute for Environmental Studies, 3 Nagasaki University

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to create biodiversity maps,that shows integrated evaluation by combining distribution
information of each taxon groups in coastal area in Tokyo Bay.
Study Site
Study site is “Sanbanze” tidal flat and shallow area, wheresone features are listed as follows;• Remain in Tokyo Bay where its 90% were lost (fig.1).
• So many migratory birds and clamming people.
• 1,800ha including 5,000m2 oyster reef.
• High productivity for fisherman.

and biomass tended to be higher near the land area.
It is presumed that the difference in properties of individual
tidal flats (such as mud type and sand type) is difficult to finddue to the location of the survey point, but the biodiversity was
shown to be both rich. It is also suggested that plankton is low
on the land side due to water purification effect of tidal flat.
Discussion - Is the integrated maps meaningful?
We provided these maps to conservation activity members
conducting on-site surveys of tidal flat, and interviewed thefollowing items.

Methods
By using the data of biological survey (2006, 2007, 2010)
conducted by Chiba prefecture for Sanbanze tidal flat (1800
ha) in Tokyo Bay, we tried to create maps on biodiversity oftidal flat by combining these data. The following seven data
were used.

1) Difference between maps and actual feeling
2) Relationship between people’s use and rich areas of biodiversity
3) Effect of maps on conservation and understanding thetidal flat, and dissemination of more effective map information• Bentos: “number of species” and “wet weight”• Fishes: “number of species” and “number of individuals”• Phytoplankton: “number of species” “total cell number”• Algae: “number of species”

As a result, the following was clarified as the effect of the
map information.

In this study, we regarded total number of recorded species
as biodiversity, and average value of each survey as biomass.
The map was prepared from the point data of the survey
point by the following two methods.
1) Spatial interpolation by IDW method using geographic
information system
2) Estimate by multiple regression analysis from Pixel valueof satellite image (Landsat)
We mapped each of the above four classification groups,
seven parameters individually. Next, standardized so that the
maximum value became 1, and totaled in consideration ofdispersion, and created two integrated maps, which areshowing the number of species and the quantity of biomass.
Results
As a result (fig.2), the spatial interpolation method has ageometric shape, and in the method using the satellite image,a noise-like pattern was appeared due to delicate reflection
difference such as sea surface influence, but the following
common tendency It has been clarified.
1) The number of species and biomass in Fish tended to behigher as they were closer to the land.
2) The number of species in Benthos tended to be higher inthe direction closer to land, and the biomass showed an opposite tendency.
3) Plankton tended to be higher in both the number of
species and biomass, closer to the offshore area.
4) The number of species of algae tended to be higher in the
coast closer to the land.
5) The integrated maps roughly show the number of species

1) It can lead to conviction that the area is rich in biodiversity seeing his experience of conservation activities.
2) It can be used for checking information or correcting misunderstanding by his experience.
The former is a great motivation for the continuation of conservation activities and it also works effectively for disseminating information to others. The latter is an indispensableviewpoint for adaptive conservation management.
On the other hand, the trade-off between index integrationand information accuracy is a future task in terms of information disclosure and communication. Especially, according to
the purpose, it may be unnecessary to provide the details of
the information and uncertainty, and it is difficult for the public
to understand it. It is necessary to further consider a moredesirable expression method of map information through balancing these two factors.
Fig.1 Study site (Sanbanze Citizen survey group)

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Fig.2(1) Maps using GIS

Fig.2(2) Maps using satellite

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Poster Session I

Adaptive Actions by the Community to Resolve Various Issues of Climate Change in
the Wetlands Along the Coast of Bay of Bengal, Odisha, India (abstract)
Jitendriya Naik
NET-COAST
It was for the last 20 years, PALLISHREE has been performing
the role of an implementing NGO in thefield ofenvironmentthrougheducation and awareness building spheres. The local
problems due to Climate Change issues have been addressedby PALLISHREE. It has mobilized financial support to undertake
activities fromthe Japan based support agencies such as JFGE,
KNCF, NALAPO, TOYOTA, AEON and JWF in which Ramsar
Center Japan has played important role in extending technicalsupport in conceptualization as well as implementation of programmes. The programmes were implemented in more than180 coastal villages along Bay of Bengal in Odisha. The core
principle of the intervention was to build critical awareness ofthe community and also mobilization ofparticipation in theintervention. Thevillageswere facing Climate Change issues like
Sea Erosion, increased salinity over land and water, repeatedoccurrenceofnaturaldisasters and erratic rainfall. As aresult, thelocal communities were facing sever impacts in terms ofincreased risk over life and livelihood. This hasbeenfurtherresultedin the migrationof poor families.
PALLISHREE has been facilitating community adaptation to
the issue of climate change and its impact.
a) Land degradation: Construction of Cross and Counterbond,Gulleyplugging, check dams, grass planting and Mangrove
Plantation. Plantation in School, temple and community land.
b) Indiscriminateuseofchemicalsinagriculture:
Preparationofvermin-compost,useof cow dung, biological interventions,changing pattern in crop diversity and other serial cultivation
to increase nitrogen in the soil.
c) Adaptation to hazard by stress tolerant seed varieties: Conservation and use of indigenousseedsand otherflood,
droughtandsalinetolerantvarieties.
d) Erosion and accretion: Grass and Mangrove Plantation andpalli-shed have been initiated.
e) Flash flood/water logging: Awarenessbuilding to createes-

capes to allow flood water into the low land. Clearing ofoutlets and inlets ofdrainage system.
f) Hazards like:• Flood: Individualsurvivabilityandcommunity readiness, adaptationof flood resilient rice verity, pond renovation & rejuvenation
preparation of high raised platform, tube well, toilet & house.
• Cyclone: Mangrove plantation, reopening of sea mouth blockage, adaptation of saline resilient crop, facilitating the hydrological connectivity, sand dune vegetation.
•Drought: Rain water harvesting and Adaptation of drought
stress tolerant rice variety.
• As a result the organization strive to check the increasing trendof migration. For this the organizationpromotesmeasures suchasalternativelivelihood like Agriculture, Fishery, Eco-Tourism,
Fruit Plantation, Rice-fish culture,Silvo-culture, Poultry farming& Mushroom Cultivation, Sustainable life forest, sand dune
vegetation.
• Besides the organization also work in the following spheres so
as to make the adaptation process sustainable.
• Reducing the anthropogenic pressures over the wetland bydemolishing all detrimental practices.
• Awareness building to create ecosystem restoration by local
community.
• rohibition to use small mess size net and poaching of fish juvenile.
• Adoption of responsible fishery practices.
• Useofalternativesourceofgreen energysuch as useof solardevices and promotion.
•Training on energy saving lifestyle to the community andmanage solid wastes. For this PALLISHREE used to organize
awareness building activities through street play,wallpainting,poster, newsletter,booklet &leaflet.It also promotessimilarawareness generation activities in the schools targeting thestudents and teachers including local youth group and women.

Eſſect of Policy Change and Human Activity on Vegetation Pattern and Biodiversity
Conservation in Coastal Wetlands: A Case Study in Yancheng, China (abstract)1

Zheng Zang, 1Xinqing Zo, 2Qiaochu Song, 2Yulong Yao, 2Dongju Zhang
1
School of Geographic and Oceanographic Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing,
Key Laboratory of Coastal and Island Development, Ministry of Education, Nanjing
2
School of Geographic and Oceanographic Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing

Using the Yancheng National Nature Reserve of China as an
example, this study investigated the influence of vegetation
pattern in coastal wetlands vegetation responses to land-oceaninteractions. Remote sensing images were used to reproduce
the changes in wetland vegetation cover over the relevant years
since 1987. We explored the potential impact of policy changes
and human activities on vegetation restoration and biodiversity
conservation in coastal wetland. The results showed that during
the study period, the vegetation displayed a zonal distribution
pattern in parallel with the line of latitude, whereas the wetland
type changed from sea to land as bare mud flat, hosting Spartina alterniflora, Suaeda glauca, Phragmites australis, and constructed wetlands dominated by rice. At the landscape level, thenumber of patches, patch density, and mean nearest-neighbordistance gradually increased during the investigation period,
while the mean patch size gradually decreased in the
study
area. Human activity such as changes in land use patterns
resulted in the progressive development of vegetation patterns
toward fragmentation, and the non- zonality (intrazonality) distribution of vegetation became more obvious in coastal wetlands. To mitigate interference from human activity on coastal
wetlands, an adequate buffer zone should be reserved in coastal
wetlands on the basis of the zonal distribution of the vegetation.
This buffer zone will guarantee the connectivity of the landscape and the sustainability of policy, further allowing coastal
wetlands to play a positive role in global biodiversity conservation work.

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Poster Session I

The Seabirds of Tubbataha Amidst Change (abstract)
Maria Retchie Pagliawan*, Angelique Songco*, Arne Jensen**, Segundo Conales Jr*,
Noel Bundal*, Rowell Alarcon* and Cresencio Caranay Jr.*
Tubbataha Management Office, **Wild Bird Club of the Philippines*

The Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park (TRNP), located in the middle ofSulu Sea in the Philippines, is the last intact seabird habitat in the
country. Over a hundred species of birds have been recorded, of
which six are regular breeders. These are the Red-footed booby Sulasula, Brown booby Sula leucogaster, Sooty tern Onychoprion fuscatus, Great crested tern Thalasseus bergii, Brown noddy Anous stolidus and the Philippine endemic subspecies of Black noddy Anous
minutus worcesteri. Since 2004, the population of these species wasmonitored on a regular basis. This paper presents the results of the2017 seabird census, the changes in their population in the last 13
years, and the management interventions planned in order to conserve their population.
A total of 33,650 breeding seabirds were recorded in the park
during the census in May 2017. Bird Islet hosted the majority of the
population (28,280 adults), while South islet had to 5,370 adults. T.
bergii constituted more than half of the total count (17,126 adults), thehighest record for this species in the Park. The population of A. stolidus reached 2,670 adults, the highest record for this species since thebaseline counts in 1981. S. leucogaster colony continued to occupy
the middle of the Bird Islet, with 2,917 adults this year. The populationof O. fuscatus decreased to 5,098 adults from 8,555 last year. One
interesting occurrence this year was the early onset of egg-laying for
the O. fuscatus, which may have started in February, two months
earlier compared to previous years. These four species are
ground-breeders, constituting 82% of the population. This huge percentage of ground-breeders compared to the tree-nesters was likely
influenced by the continuous decline in the vegetation in the twoislets. The combined count for this year’s tree-nesters (S. sula and A.
minutus worcesteri) dropped to 5,797 adults compared to the 10,857
last year. This number is 50% less than the 5-year average count of
11,500 individuals of tree-nesters in the Park. This decline may be
attributed mainly to the huge drop in the population of the Philippine
endemic A. minutus worcesteri, which reached its lowest count (3,710
adults) since 2005 and is 54% less than its 10-year average of 8,000
adults. S. sula population is roughly 2,000 individuals, almost thesame as last year’s. Another highlight was the re- sighting of one
Masked booby Sula dactylatra, which was first observed last year
after a 21-year absence from the Park.
TRNP is being managed under a no-take policy. Despite management efforts to protect the Park and conserve its resources, the effects
of both anthropogenic and natural impacts seem inevitable. Bird mortality due to entanglement in fishing lines
were frequently
observed. Changes in climate and local weather patterns also seem toaffect the seabirds and their breeding phenology. In years whenextreme El Niño occurred, T. bergii, O. fuscatus and A. stolidus did not
return to Tubbataha to breed.
The loss of vegetation and the conflict in habitat use between the S.
Sula and A. minutus worcesteri may have led to the decrease in the
population of the latter. All these, coupled with the decrease in landarea of both islets due to erosion, may have significantly influenced
the seabird population in the Park. Management interventions to minimize the effects of these threats include regular clean-up and propagation of native plant species. Soft-engineering techniques are
currently being explored to minimize erosion in the islets.

Recent Environmental Changes and Benthic Community Response
in Lake Nakaumi and the Honjo Area, Japan (abstract)
Kengo Kurata, Koji Seto, 2Keiko Yamaguchi, 3Ryusuke Shinohara, 4Takeshi Sonoda

1

Estuary Research Center, Shimane University, 2Faculty of Life and Environmental Science, Shimane University,
Graduate School of Life and Environmental Science, Shimane University, 4Faculty of Bioindustry, Tokyo University of Agriculture
1

3

Recent environmental changes in Lake Nakaumi and the Honjo
area have been studied after the cancellation of a land reclamationand freshening project. Although there is a long-term monitoring
project ongoing to study the environmental changes occurring in
Lake Nakaumi and the Honjo area, this paper presents its current
status and summarizes the results obtained so far.
Lake Nakaumi, which flows out to the Japan Sea through the Sakai
Strait, is the fifth largest coastal brackish lake in Japan, with an areaof 86 km2. The halocline in the lake causes the lower layer to behypoxic during warmer months, restricting the distribution of benthic
invertebrates. The reclamation design for the Honjo area used surrounding dikes to separate the water column from Lake Nakaumi
since 1981. In 2002, the local government decided that Lake Nakaumi,
including the Honjo area, should remain a brackish water area; several
nature restoration projects were started. In 2006, researchers started
long-term monitoring projects to study the environmental changes
and the benthic community response in order to examine how thenature restoration projects proceeded.
Periodic monthly samplings revealed that the biomass of several
bivalve species in the Honjo area increased after the removal of thewestern dike, whereas those in Lake Nakaumi remained at similarlevels during the same periods. Data analysis performed from May
2006 to October 2010 indicated that some of the restoration projects
had indeed affected water circulation between the Honjo area andLake Nakaumi, and that the benthic community responded to theseenvironmental changes. The abundance of the polychaete Pectinaria
okudai increased after the partial removal of the eastern dike, indicat-

ing that the other restoration measure had influenced the recruitmentof benthic species at the stations near the dike opening. Monthly
samples taken in the field from November 2010 to December 2011
should be included in further discussions. Another surveys conductedin the predetermined years (2006, 2010, 2014, 2016) investigated thespatial distribution of environmental parameters and benthic invertebrates. Several studies had suggested that the Honjo area with surrounding dikes showed weak or no halocline and provided suitable
habitats for bivalves such as Arcuatula senhousia. However, the distribution of this species in the Honjo area was restricted to the shallower
zones in the summer 2006 samples.
After the partial removal of the eastern dike, surveys conducted in2010 and 2014 indicated either that relatively higher concentrations of
dissolved oxygen could be detected in the of lower layer water
samples, or that several bivalve species could be found in stations
near the dike opening. Seawater flowing into the Honjo area throughthe opening improved the bottom sediment habitats, but the range ofthis effect was apparently limited to adjacent areas. The results of the2016 survey indicated that the spatial distribution of benthic invertebrates in the summer showed restricted habitats both in Lake
Nakaumi and the Honjo area. Most of the habitats in Lake Nakaumi
and the Honjo area were below the halocline, resulting in severe
hypoxic conditions as evidenced by the dissolved oxygen concentrations. These summer conditions had also been reported in the lower
layer in Lake Nakaumi before the reclamation project, as well as inperiods before the nature restoration projects.

204

Poster Session I

Our Approaches on the Monitoring of Wetlands’ Biodiversity for
Environmental Conservation (abstract)
Misuzu Aoki, Syou Kato, Taiki Ito, Tomomi Yamashita and Ken-ich Yokoi
Wetlands International JapanThe rapid environmental deterioration of wetlands such as
lakes, mires, marshes, and tidal flats is a critical threat to theplants and animals that inhabit them. This problem is also affecting our lives because the activities of plants and animals in wetlands bring us various benefits: for example ecosystem services.
Therefore, it is very important to conserve the environments ofwetlands and to use them in a sustainable way (“wise use”). In
order to receive the wetlands’ benefits continuously in the future,gathering and accumulation of data on their biodiversity is astrong pre-requisite. Understanding the current condition of thewetlands is important for us, but it is difficult to say if we have thenecessary amount of relevant information.
Wetlands International Japan (WIJ) is conducting a wide rangeof activities and projects aimed at promoting the conservation of
wetlands and wise use of them. In particular, we are working togather and organize basic information on the biodiversity of wetlands and objectively comprehend the current state of wetlands.
In this presentation, we will introduce an in-progress monitoring
project that is aimed at obtaining basic information on the biodiversity of wetlands.
In 2003, The Ministry of the Environment of Japan launched along-term ecosystem monitoring project called “Monitoring
Sites 1000 Project,” based on the Second National Biodiversity
Strategy of Japan. This ongoing project aims to detect qualitativeor quantitative changes in various ecosystems, such as alpine
zones, forests, “satoyama,” inland waters, and coastal regions, in
the Japanese archipelago. This project is established at over 1000
investigation sites, and we will continue to conduct the survey fora period of 100 years.
As a part of this project, we are involved in ecosystem surveys
that cover the coastal regions (rocky shores, tidal flats, seagrassbeds, and algal beds) and the inland waters (lakes, mires, andmarshes), with the objective of biodiversity monitoring in thesewetlands. The surveys in coastal regions and inland waters havebeen conducted for about 10 years, using both qualitative andquantitative methods for assessing biodiversity. The dataobtained in the project are published on the webpage of the Ministry of the Environment Japan. It is expected to be used for analyzing long-term fluctuations of biota or flora in each of thestudied regions, and the elucidation of the factors behind such
fluctuations, as data accumulate in the future. In addition, novel
information on the invasion of alien species and on the occurrence of endangered species can be obtained. It is expected that
this data will be utilized for planning the conservation measures
undertaken by administrative organizations, such as preventive
measures for alien species, the protection of endangered species,
and assignment of red-list species. Furthermore, the part of dataobtained from the surveys in the coastal regions will be sharedthrough two global-scale database systems, the Ocean Biogeographic Information System (OBIS) and the Global Biodiversity
Information Facility (GBIF), to help elucidate the long-term fluctuations of biota and flora on a global scale. On the regional scale,the data on biota and flora are also used to meet the criteria forregistration with the Ramsar Convention, thus directly contributing to the conservation of wetlands.

Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve (abstract)
Choon Beng How
National Parks Board
Sungei Buloh was first opened as a Nature Park in 1993 and by
2002, 130 hectares were officially gazetted as a Nature Reserveand renamed Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve. In the same year, it
was recognised as a site of international importance for migratory birds and awarded a certificate by Wetlands International,
marking the reserve’s formal entry into the East Asian Australasian Shorebird Site Network. In 2003, Sungei Buloh Wetland
Reserve became Singapore’s first ASEAN Heritage Park.
Singapore’s National Parks Board (NParks) manages SBWR
with a multi-pronged approach - conservation, education,
research and nature-based recreation. While wetlands provide aplethora of ecosystem services, it is increasingly critical to focus
on socio-ecological aspect, with developmental pressures andthe rise of the green sustainability movement. People, remains
the foci of conservation success. NParks recognises the importance of effectively engaging different stakeholders which are key
to the long term conservation of the wetland reserve. It does sothrough a variety of programmes tailored specifically to eachgroup, including schools, non-governmental organisations andcorporate organisations.
Tucked away in the northwest corner of a highly-urbanised
island, SBWR has been fitted sensitively with boardwalks, trails
and bird-watching hides to bring city-dwellers closer to naturesensitively without disturbing wildlife. Information boards withspecies identification guides and explanatory diagrams complement trails for self-guided walks. Visitors may also choose to participate in guided walks by volunteers, prawn harvesting
demonstrations, photography and birdwatching workshops andnature camps for children.The activities organised for the generalpublic are designed to be highly interactive, and are aimed atfurther increasing awareness of the wetlands, the ecosystems
within and how the community can do their part to conservethem. Those who prefer to have to have a first-hand encounter
with the wetlands and do not mind getting their hands and feetdirty can volunteer in mangrove salvaging, habitat restoration,
coastal clean-ups and biodiversity surveys. Through engaging
activities like these, participants feel closer to nature and better
appreciate, thus grows a need to protect it. The team at SBWR is
supported strongly by a network of committed volunteers. somefo the volunteer actvities include leading guided walks, conducting workshops and contributing to wildlife surveys. The NParks
website and mailing list updates act as our portal for communicating and publicizing outreach activities and events to public
and volunteers.
In 2008 the draft Sungei Buloh Master Plan was unveiled,demarcating fringe areas around the Reserve that would help toreduce the pressure on it due to increased visitorship. This is inalignment with the Master Plan’s three strategic thrusts of ensuring a living wetland, encouraging bio-learning and enhancing thereserve as a destination with a difference. This new Sungei Buloh
extension with its nature trails and visitor centre is the result ofphase 2 of the Master Plan, and will allow visitors to continue
enjoying the wetlands while also allowing the existing parts ofSungei Buloh to be a more tranquil sanctuary for wildlife. The
new 31-hectare extension opened in 2015, harbouring rich mangrove and coastal forests, which are home to diverse species offauna such as crabs and mudskippers and complements the habitats in the wetland reserve. With the opening of the new visitor
centre, new programmes and guided walks are offered, increasing the suite of new outdoor recreational and educational options
to our visitors. It also hosts a new gallery, classrooms and laboratories, augmenting the programmes and interpretives throughout the reserve.

205

Poster Session I

Wetlands in Central Asia: Raising Awareness about Their Values in Local Communities
in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Turkmenistan (abstract)
Zhanel Karina, Eldar Rustamov
Ramsar Regional Initiative for Central Asia, Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia
Central Asia is a vast region with a diversity of wetland types
such as lakes, rivers, reservoirs and marshes that are unique intheir nature and provide important ecosystem services for bothhumans and the environment, in particular, in the arid zones.
Many of these ecosystems are under increasing pressure due tothe anthropogenic impacts, poor nature management andclimate change. As there is no comprehensive research on thecurrent status of the wetlands in Central Asia, application of themonitoring mechanisms is not always ensured and the countries lack effective management system for wetlands conservation and wise use, it is crucial to raise awareness about wetlandsin the region.
Enhancing awareness about wetland values at all levels aswell as conducting a regional inventory of wetlands and improving the management effectiveness are among priority activity
areas of the Ramsar Regional Initiative for Central Asia (RRICA). The new Ramsar regional initiative started its activity in2016 and currently has Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Turkmenistan as members. The Initiative aims to promote stronger cooperation and synergies within the Central Asian region toeffectively implement the Ramsar Convention and its Strategic
Plan at the national and regional levels.
Currently the project on the update on the status of wetlands
in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Turkmenistan by collection anddissemination of good practices for the conservation and sustainable use of wetlands by local communities is under realization within the RRI-CA activities. The specific objectives of the
project include a) raising awareness about the importance of

wetlands, and vital ecosystem services and other benefits they
provide; b) update of the information on the current status of
the selected wetlands in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and, Turkmenistan; c) collection of the examples of good practices by local
communities for the conservation and sustainable use of theirwetlands; d) organization of the site based World Wetlands Day
celebrations with the involvement of local communities. The
main output of the project will be a manual in local languages,
containing the updated information on the status of the selected
wetlands in each of the three target countries and the goodpractices for the conservation and sustainable use of wetlands
conducted by local communities. We believe that the implementation of this project will contribute to the realization of theRamsar plan on communication, capacity building, education,
participation and awareness on the regional level.
Since the representatives of the local communities play a keyrole in the management of local resources, they have direct
impact on wetland conservation and use. The work with local
communities is important in order to understand the benefits
that the local communities receive from the wetlands. Using
this bottom-up approach by working with local communities
who utilize wetlands services, is crucial for raising awarenessabout the value of wetlands and for ensuring involvement oflocal communities into the decision-making process and dissemination of knowledge.
The Ramsar Regional Initiative for Central Asia would like toexpress its gratitude to the Government of Japan for their financial support of the project.

Roles of Resident Researchers to Promote Adaptive Fisheries:
Lessons Learned from Lake Saroma, Japan (abstract)
1

Kimihiko Maekawa, 2Shimpei Iwasaki

INTEM Consulting,Inc., Department of Environmental Science, International College of Arts and Sciences, Fukuoka Women’s University

1

2

Many scholars increasingly put high emphasis on a significance ofadaptive management. Adaptive management as an approach takes
uncertainty into account and assumes that management knowledge
is inadequate, thus requiring experimentation and learning in an iterative process. Many traditional fishery systems faced with difficulties
in adapting to changes in the environment. The emerging challenges
require not only a given form of social control among resource users
but also promoting adaption of scientific technology
In general, academic researchers, who usually come from universities or research institutes, mainly aim to report their findings in scholarly journals, rather to directly find workable solutions to problems ofinterest to fishers in a local context. On the other hands, this presentation aims to shed light on “resident researchers ”as the key actor tocatalyze adaptive fisheries. The term resident researchers refer topersons the trans- disciplinary solution-oriented research by committing themselves as stakeholder in the local community (ILEK 2013).
In the case of Lake Saroma, the fishers have started to employedfull-time researchers since 1987. In those days, the fishers got anxious
about uncertainties of changing lake ecosystem and regional variability inherent in climate change, though they made great efforts on
fishing regulations such as setting allowance limit for scallops in1970’s. To promote stable fishery production, they sought to find workable solutions with active use of scientific expertise by employing resident researchers as their own staffs. Accordingly, the resident
researchers living with the fishers have been committed to implement
two activities.
First is research and development related to conditions of fisheryresources and the lake water ecosystem. The former includes measurements of growth of scallops or such a living things. The latterincludes water monitoring such as temperature, salinity, and so on.
Compared to academic researchers, it is important to note that resi-

dent researchers are not only engaged in the research activities but
also sharing the timely knowledge with the fishers by meetings, orface to face communication. In an urgent case that the fishers experienced difficulties in tackling with various environmental challenges,
they give the reports to the researchers immediately so that theunique system makes it easier to respond to the issues by taking fulladvantage of scientific technology and knowledge.
Second is to create a platform for boosting collaborative partnerships among the stakeholders especially outside researchers. Scallop
culture, which is one of the most important fishery production in Lake
Saroma, imposes heavy burdens on the lake environment. To evaluate
the conditions of environment, the resident researchers organized theEnvironment Monitoring Commission composed from several institutes and executed a holistic approach for the fishery management.
Each researcher investigated their own fields, and sharing/discussing
the results/knowledge once a year, in order to provide scientific information for decision making in the lake management. The resident
researchers can lead to better collaboration between fishers andoutside researchers as a catalyst by working for the interest of fishers.
The information gathered by resident researchers could be used forfishers and academic researchers. The presence of resident researchers is expected to develop a win-win situation for both of them.
Long-term commitments with the fishers can lead resident
researchers to choose samples, methods, questions, observations,and research designs that are required in resource management, enabling to respond to changes in the lake environment with a process oftrial and error. Long-term residency can allow the resident researchers to interpret concerns of the fishers and act in a leading role in thecoordination of adaptive fisheries development in strong collaboration with outside stakeholders. Their roles will be more appreciate in
the resource management debate toward wise use of wetlands.

206

Poster Session I

Science Communication about the Hizen-Kashima Coast (abstract)
1

Naoki Fujii, 2Yasuhiro Nakamura, 3Mamoru Nagaike 4Kenji Yoshino, 4Yuichi Hayami
Institute of Lowland and Marine Research, Saga University, 2Hizen-Kashima Tideland Observatory,
Kashima Lifelong Learning and Cultural Promoting Foundation, 4Institute of Lowland and Marine Research, Saga University
1

3

The Ariake Sea is a typical shallow water area with the largest
tidal area in Japan. In the past, it was a bountiful sea with manyshellfish and creatures such as mudskippers, the Green eel
goby, and the Grenadier anchovy. Recently, however, problems
such as dysoxic waters and red tide have occurred, reducing thecatch significantly. Therefore, other than the nori-seaweedindustry, the fishing industry has been stagnating in the Ariake
Sea area. According to a report from The Commission for theAssessment of Comprehensive Research on the Ariake Sea andthe Yatsushiro Sea, the environmental degradation in the Ariake
Sea has been caused by several complicated factors such as the
Isahaya Bay reclamation project and laver acid treatment. As aresult, conflicts have arisen around the coastal areas of the
Ariake Sea. To overcome these conflicts, it is important to focus
on ways to revitalize the Ariake Sea and its surrounding areas.
Therefore, marine scientific research is needed to provide theinformation needed to form consensus on the Ariake Sea regeneration. However, as the scientific explanations may be toocomplex for the local citizens, it is necessary to develop ascience based platform whereby these scientific results could
be explained to the local Ariake Sea public in simple terms
In 2012, a citizen’s science lecture course, held five to seventimes a year, was opened to train interpreters and increase thenumber of people (for example, eco tour coordinators) involved
in imparting scientific findings to the general public. The course
content covers Ariake Sea regional culture, tideland creatures, afishery tour, and food culture.

Originally, the course was organized by Saga University
alone; however, as cooperation in the region has deepened, thecourse is now being held in collaboration with local organizations. Because the course was aimed at training scientific interpreters, in 2011 and 2012, the lectures were similar to university
lessons, with the main content being ocean investigation
methods and tideland biological collection and identification.
However, as this content was academic and difficult to understand, there were few participants, with many courses having
less than 10 people. Therefore, the lifelong learning concept was
adopted and the content changed to focus on areas that weremore familiar to local citizens, such as the fishing industry andthe observation of coastal organisms. Further, rather than only
having classroom based lecture, experiential learning was also
included which included excursions and coastal explorations.
Even though this course has been conducted for five years
from 2011 (it was canceled in 2014), there has been little growthin the number of scientific interpreters. It is necessary, therefore, to organize an open science lecture to discuss the problems.
Nonetheless, the interest of citizens has expanded due to theregistration of the east Yakata Flats and Hizen Kajima Tideland
as a Ramsar wetland site. In addition, Kashima City Hall has
started to set up a course to train tour guides for the HizenKashima tidal flat. As expectations for scientific interpreters inthis area are expected to increase, we would like to continue thescience course.

Development of an Environmental Education Program on Tidal Flat (abstract)
Miho Hiruma, Misuzu Aoki
Wetlands International Japan
Tidal flats have many functions. These include water purification, helping the spawning and growth of fish, and supplying uswith food. In addition, we use tidal flats as a place for activities
such as fishing, nature observation and education. In otherwords, we gain various benefits from tidal flats.
However, many people cannot sufficiently recognize the benefits as being those obtained from tidal flats. One of reason thatcannot recognize of the benefits from tidal flats may be thatthey are becoming places that are mentally remote in our daily
lives. In other words, the ties between tidal flats and people are
weakening in modern times. In such circumstances, in order tohave people gain a greater recognition of the value of tidal flats,
the most important them is for there go to the tidal flats andexperiencing them using the five senses.
Wetlands International Japan works to educate the generalpublic concerning the value of tidal flats. As a first step, we thinkthat it is important for people living near tidal flats to learn
about them by enjoying and discovering there charm and value.
Especially, In order to ensure that tidal flats are conserved forthe future, we think that it is important to have the children who
are responsible for the next generation recognize the benefits
received from tidal flats. Thus, we started a project to create anenvironmental education program that utilizes tidal flats in 2016.
We chose Arao-higata located in the eastern side of the central
part of the Ariake Sea as the place of our activity. This project isbeing conducted with the cooperation of people in various positions such as staff of the local municipality (Arao City), fishermen, elementary school staff, NGOs and researchers.
In this project, we provide opportunities for children living
near the Arao-higata to go to the tidal flat, and also we offer
experiences of touching living things inhabiting tidal flats. Our

aim is to make an education program so that children will gain
an interest in tidal flats and recognize the importance of conservation of tidal flats through these experiences. In 2016, in orderto accurately grasp the biota in the Arao-higata, we conducted asurvey of biota in the tidal flat with researchers. We were able torecord 141 species of benthic animals. Based on the result of
this survey, we made the survey list named “List of Benthic
Animals of Arao-higata” which selected 50 major species ofbenthic animals. Additionally we attempted an education
program “Treasure hunt game of the benthic animals” using
the survey list. This program involved three steps. At first, thechildren spent time learning about tidal flats and the benthic
animals living there.
Second, in the field, we had the children search for the benthic
animals and capture them. Finally, we instructed the children to
check the names of the captured benthic animals by themselves.
Specifically, to make it possible for children to search for thebenthic animals by themselves, we taught the following threetechniques.
1. Take a lower visual line than normal
2. Search for them under stones and seaweed
3. Dig some holes
By searching for benthic animals using these three techniques, we attempted to provide some successful experiences
for children. Also, in order to maintain children’s interest in
searching for benthic animals, we attached scores to benthic
animals and created a sense of it being a game competing forpoints.
In the future, in order to continue the program, we plan todevelop teaching materials and to grow leaders who can explain
the differences and features of benthic animals.

207

Poster Session I

Where is the Future of Our Wetland? It Lies in the Hand of Our Youth (abstract)
Liangzhong Chen
Operation EarthAs the future of wetland worldwide is filled with uncertainties due
to excessivewater extraction, land conversion to agriculture andurbandevelopment, shoreline and waterfront development for industrialand othereconomic activities resulted by growing pressure ofhuman population.
One of the reasons of such situation, is our decision makers for
economic development may not fully aware the critical ecological
functions and roles to our future life and destiny of wildlife played bywetland. Thus to increase the awareness of wetland conservation
among generalpublic, especially among our teenage, is of great
importance.
The best way to publicize and educate general public and our
young generation is to organize them to join the monitoring and fieldresearch activities of conservation of wetland ecosystem.
On the otherhands, to sustain currentfield research and monitoring
activities for wetland conservation, need human resources and additional funding.
Operation Earth in past few years, mobilized teenage field research
volunteer expedition teams, to support monitoring and conservationof wetland ecosystem program by direct participation in following
research programs:
1. Amazon flooded rainforest in Peru;
2. Tonle Sap Lake of Cambodia;
3. Taihu Lake in Jiangsu Province, China,
4. Waterbirds Monitoring in the Yellow River Delta Area, Shandong,
China; and5. Ertix River Headwater area of Altay Mt., Xinjiang, China, etc.,
Thefieldresearchactivities for volunteers, must be inconjunction
with local field researchers of various wetland conservation research
project site, so as to really help the research program be sustained.
The methods of field research volunteers are not experts, they haveto be trained before participate in monitoring activities, thus theclassroom training is provided at the first day of the survey to grainknowledge of the participants on waterbird identification and counting techniques.
Survey team of field research volunteers aredivided into smallgroups to count individualwaterbird, nests and chicks at breeding colonies and feeding sites.
Our field research monitoring activities are include:
Waterbirds monitoring, to increase knowledge on waterbird identification and counting techniques, to understand population trend of
the key species of large waterbirds;
Fishsurvey, to assess the conservationprojectandparticipationof
the fisheries, Ecotourism and relevantauthorities. Fishery monitoringhas been conducted to define fish population and density in the corearea, to determine threats to fish by illegal fishing and records location of illegal fishing, number of fishers, gears and seasonal camping
and boats.
Caiman Survey, to understand population, behavior and threat of
caiman; Macaw survey;
Amazon Pink Dolphin Survey; Terrestrial transect survey of wildlife;
Surveyonlocalcommunityparticipatorymonitoring and conservation, to inform local community members that fishing in the core area
is prohibited. Interview with localresidentsand localauthority todefinepotential threats, problemsand suggestion to solve the problems.
These field research monitoring program supported by Operation
Earth field research volunteers, have achieved excellent result: fieldresearch and monitoring program of wetland is sustained, awareness of wetland conservation scientifically among general public,
especially among the young people, isgreatly increased and environmental stewardship is fostered among the teenage field research volunteers and their parent, which will certainly help the restoration andconserve ecological health of wetland in the future once theseteenage field research volunteers grown up and become decision
makers.

Community Based Management of Marine Biodiversity in Bay of Bengal (abstract)
Asaduzzaman Miah
Bangladesh POUSH
The Bay of Bengal is the largest bay in the world and a northern
extension of the Indian Ocean, positioned between India and Sri
Lanka in the west, Teknaf Peninsula of Bangladesh to the north, andMyanmar (Burma) and the northern part of the Malay Peninsula to theeast.Numerous large rive systems including the Ganges andIrrawaddy drain into it.Teknaf Peninsula is one of the longest sandy
beach ecosystems (80 km) in the world. It represents a transitional
ground for the fauna of the Indo- Himalayan and Indo-Malayan ecological sub-regions. Important habitats at the site include mangrove,mudflats, beaches and sand dunes, canals and lagoons and marine
habitat. Mangrove forest occurs in Teknaf peninsula both as naturalforest with planted stands and mostly distributed in the inter tidal
zones. The Teknaf peninsula mangroves supports the habitat of 161
different fisheries species. The beach of Shahporir Dwip in Teknaf peninsula is a suitable breeding ground for marine turtles.Globally threatened Olive ridley and green sea turtles (Cheloniamydas) are dominant
in mangrove vegetated areas of Shahporir Dwip, Hawksbill andLeather back turtle nests are rarely found.
Main threats to biodiversity at the site include the degradation ofsand dunes due to grazing, cutting of sand dune vegetation for fuelwood and industry; the conversion of dune, beach and mangrove
habitat to agriculture, aquaculture, tourism and small scale industry;
the harvesting of turtles and turtle eggs; post larvae collection of
shrimp and colossal loss of biodiversity, destructive fishing methods;
hunting of shorebirds; large scale shell collection; coastal erosion due
to shell removal; beach compaction by vehicles; pollution and landdegradation from boat discharges and ship breaking, agro-chemicals,

impact of coastal aquaculture on environment, natural disasters, sealevel rise, tourism and small industry etc.
Bangladesh POUSH has been implementing a project with thefinancial support of JFGE in association Ramsar Center Japan (RCJ)
to reduce the loss of juvenile and non-commercial species from thesea to ensure the ecosystem well being for the sustainability of the
Bay of Bengal resources. The project has been implementing in the
shore and the sea of the Teknaf peninsula. The fishers, fishing in thesea, is the main stakeholder of the project along with the administrative authority, local community, and tourist. The participatory protection of the juvenile of the commercially important species andnon-commercial by the fisher in marine fishing resulting ecologicalbalance of the sea ecosystem and the sea resource sustainability.
The project has been conserving the biodiversity of the marine ecosystem by reducing the volume of harvesting, minimizing the accidental harvest, and releasing the juveniles back in the habitat. The local
community specifically the fisher who harvest aquatic resources andthe farmer along with tourist who collect terrestrial resources ofmarine ecosystem have been making aware about the value of thebiodiversity and the practices of sustainable harvesting and conservation.The project has also been sensitizing, motivating and building up
knowledge and capacity of different stakeholders and community onpracticing biodiversity conservation in harvesting and diversificationof the livelihood option.Along with other conservation activities
marine turtle hatchery development, protection of different habitats
and introduction of safe fishing nets are initiated and the activities
have been creating an encouraging impact.

208

Poster Session I

Community Led Biodiversity Conservation in Rushikulya Estuary, India (abstract)
Wardi Kasinath
NET-COAST
Bio-diversity conservation has got essential for maintaining asecured and safe life and livelihood of the community in a given
geographical area. The Govt. agencies have clear cut mandates
towards these spheres. None of the developmental measures/
polices could be passed, if it has any contradiction towards thesurvival of the natural capital like wetlands or mangrove forestsof the area. The joint initiatives taken by the NGO namely PALLISHREE and CBO namely KISSAN could able to make such
mobilisation in 12 villages of Ganjam district of Odisha in conserving biodiversity.
Rushikulya River meets Bay of Bengal at Ganja in Ganjam District of Odisha. Olive Ridley Sea Turtle are arriving in millions
every year. Previously, there were no conservation activities
taken although this is the second largest mass nesting beach in
World. The eggs were destroyed by predators. Although theForest department has taken initiation now a days, but PALLISHREE, formed a CBO namely KISSAN “Kruma Iswaram
Sangham” (Turtle-God Association) during 2006. There are
mythological stories in Hindu that once God became a Turtle
and saved the Earth. So in order to bring emotion among thestakeholders, the local community had kept the name of the
CBO as “KISSAN”. It was a part of the project supported by KNCF,
Japan and technical support of RCJ, Japan. PALLISHREE
enhanced the capacity of the local community in Sea Turtle conservation and build partnership with Forest Department. The
local community is now taking all the responsibility till frommeting of the turtle to release of hatchlings to Bay of Bengal. So
they have been engaged from November to the next year June,almost 8 months in a year. Generally, they used to stop fishingin the sea from November to the next year April (6 months), tosafe guard the turtles from casualty. The catch of the fisherman
is very high during the rest of the 4 months.
Because the jelly fish in the coastal sea is eaten by the turtle
and make the netting favourable in fishing. Jellyfish always
create problem in fishing for the fishermen. Thus, the turtles are
the friend of the local fishermen.
Secondly, KISSAN has taken care of the mangroves plants
which have been planted by PALLISHREE. After the completionof project in the year 2008-09, the community as such KISSAN
has taken all responsibility of the mangroves forest. The management has got on an average of 60,000 INR by selling themangrove seeds annually. KISSAN is also raised mangroves
nursery and provided plants to others. This mangrove forest
played important role during the last cyclones “Phailin & HudHud” broke 2013 & 2014. The fish resources have been increasedin this area. So the community has shown interest to conserveand replicate it in other places.
KISSAN has promoted women SHG in different hamlets of 12
coastal villages. The members of the SHG are organised to takelead roles in conservation of mangrove plants and turtles eggs.
They could understand the importance of bio-diversity conservation in reduction of risk on their lives and livelihoods. Besides,
the participation effort has resulted in the promotion of special
youth Task Force in the area. KISSAN in support of PALLISHREE
to build the capacity of these youth volunteers in the ‘watch andmonitoring’ spheres. The process has attained sustainability
since it is now led and managed by the community. The NGO is
supporting these community groups in the spheres of coordination with other stakeholders like the Forest Department, Fisherydepartment and other private associations.

Species and Functional Diversities of Zooplankton in Shallow Water Bodies
and its Application as Ecological Indicator (abstract)1

Hye-Ji Oh, 2Geung-Hwan La, 2 Eun-Jin Han 1 Kwang-Hyeon Changm, 2 Hyun-Woo Kim
1Kyung Hee University, 2 Sunchon National University,Korea

Bio-diversity conservation has got essential for maintaining asecured and safe life and livelihood of the community in a given
geographical area. The Govt. agencies have clear cut mandates
towards these spheres. None of the developmental measures/
polices could be passed, if it has any contradiction towards thesurvival of the natural capital like wetlands or mangrove forestsof the area. The joint initiatives taken by the NGO namely PALLISHREE and CBO namely KISSAN could able to make such
mobilisation in 12 villages of Ganjam district of Odisha in conserving biodiversity.
Rushikulya River meets Bay of Bengal at Ganja in Ganjam District of Odisha. Olive Ridley Sea Turtle are arriving in millions
every year. Previously, there were no conservation activities
taken although this is the second largest mass nesting beach in
World. The eggs were destroyed by predators. Although theForest department has taken initiation now a days, but PALLISHREE, formed a CBO namely KISSAN “Kruma Iswaram
Sangham” (Turtle-God Association) during 2006. There are
mythological stories in Hindu that once God became a Turtle
and saved the Earth. So in order to bring emotion among thestakeholders, the local community had kept the name of the
CBO as “KISSAN”. It was a part of the project supported by KNCF,
Japan and technical support of RCJ, Japan. PALLISHREE
enhanced the capacity of the local community in Sea Turtle conservation and build partnership with Forest Department. The
local community is now taking all the responsibility till frommeting of the turtle to release of hatchlings to Bay of Bengal. So
they have been engaged from November to the next year June,almost 8 months in a year. Generally, they used to stop fishingin the sea from November to the next year April (6 months), tosafe guard the turtles from casualty. The catch of the fisherman
is very high during the rest of the 4 months.
Because the jelly fish in the coastal sea is eaten by the turtle
and make the netting favourable in fishing. Jellyfish always
create problem in fishing for the fishermen. Thus, the turtles are
the friend of the local fishermen.
Secondly, KISSAN has taken care of the mangroves plants
which have been planted by PALLISHREE. After the completionof project in the year 2008-09, the community as such KISSAN
has taken all responsibility of the mangroves forest. The management has got on an average of 60,000 INR by selling themangrove seeds annually. KISSAN is also raised mangroves
nursery and provided plants to others. This mangrove forest
played important role during the last cyclones “Phailin & HudHud” broke 2013 & 2014. The fish resources have been increasedin this area. So the community has shown interest to conserveand replicate it in other places.
KISSAN has promoted women SHG in different hamlets of 12
coastal villages. The members of the SHG are organised to takelead roles in conservation of mangrove plants and turtles eggs.
They could understand the importance of bio-diversity conservation in reduction of risk on their lives and livelihoods. Besides,
the participation effort has resulted in the promotion of special
youth Task Force in the area. KISSAN in support of PALLISHREE
to build the capacity of these youth volunteers in the ‘watch andmonitoring’ spheres. The process has attained sustainability
since it is now led and managed by the community. The NGO is
supporting these community groups in the spheres of coordination with other stakeholders like the Forest Department, Fisherydepartment and other private associations.

209

Poster Session I

Comparison of the Photosynthetic Responses to Temperature and Irradiance of
Two Edible Brown Algae, Cladosiphon okamuranus from Amami Islands andCladosiphon umezakii from Takeno, Honshu Island, Japan (abstract)
1

Rika Fukumoto, 2Iris Ann G. Borlongan, 3Gregory N. Nishihara, 1Hikaru Endo, 4Ryuta Terada
Faculty of Fisheries, Kagoshima University, Japan, 2United Graduate School of Agricultural Sciences, Kagoshima University, Japan,
3
Institute for East China Sea Research, Organization for Marine Science and Technology, Nagasaki University, Japan,
4
United Graduate School of Agricultural Sciences, Kagoshima University, Japan

1

Species of the brown macroalga Cladoshiphon (Chordariaceae;
Mozuku in Japanese) are found along the temperate and subtropicalcoasts of Japan, and are regarded as important edible resources. In
fact, the mariculture of Cladosiphon okamuranus has been widelypracticed in the subtropic Ryukyu archipelago including Amami
Islands, and has been one of the major industries that contribute to
the islands’ economy. Meanwhile, Cladosiphon umezakii has recently
been reported as new species from the temperate region of Honshu
Island, with a potential as new food resource. Although phylogenetically-related in the genus Cladosiphon, distribution of the two species
in Japan is completely different; hence their temperature and irradiance optima or tolerances for photosynthesis may be distinct. Knowledge on this aspect still remains insufficient. In the present study,
effects of temperature and irradiance on the photosynthesis of two
species of Cladosiphon, C. okamuranus (CO) from Yoron Island in
Amami Islands, Kagoshima Prefecture and C. umezakii (CU) from
Takeno, Hyogo Prefecture, Honshu Island were determined. Measurements of photosynthesis and dark respiration rates, and photochemical efficiencies on the sporophyte stage of these two species werecarried out by using optical dissolved oxygen sensors and thepulse-amplitude modulated (PAM) fluorometer. Results of the oxygenic gross photosynthesis and dark respiration experiments over atemperature range of 8–40 °C revealed the rise in gross photosynthesis rates with increasing temperature, and a sharp decline after reaching their peaks (GPmax = 10.59 µg O2 gfw-1 min-1 for CO; 10.41 µg O2
gfw-1 min-1 for CU) at 29.5 and 25.7 °C, respectively. Maximum quantum

yields (Fv/Fm) of C. okamuranus and C. umezakii after 48 h of exposure over a similar temperature range were relatively stable at low
temperatures, but dropped to 0 at 36 ºC and 32 ºC, respectively.
Although temperature optima for photosynthesis of the two species
partly overlap each other; C. okamuranus can tolerate relatively
higher temperatures than C. umezakii. The two species likewise
showed similar responses to light at 28 ºC, with comparable photosynthesis-irradiance (P–E) curve parameter estimates, and no reduction in photosynthetic activity and quantum yield of oxygenic
evolution up to 1,000 µmol photons m−2 s−1. Photoinhibition-recovery experiments at 8, 16 and 28 °C were also carried out on both
species. Their effective quantum yields (ΦPSII) after 6h of continuous
PAR exposures at 1,000 µmol photons m−2 s−1 under all temperature
treatments significantly decreased, and did not recover after 6h ofdark acclimation. Such irradiance level was high enough for the seaweeds to suffer from photodamage, regardless of temperature.
Whereas complete recovery in post-dark acclimation Fv/Fm
occurred for C. okamuranus exposed to 200 µmol photons m−2 s−1 at
28 °C, and for C. umezakii at 16 °C. Low temperature limitation may
account for the decreased photosynthetic activity of C. okamuranus,
while temperatures beyond the tolerable limits in C. umezakii may
cause its greater tendency for photodomage. Overall, this study
clearly showed the distinct temperature adaptations of the two
species, in relation to the temperatures in their respective habitats,which further explains their distribution in coastal waters of Japan.

The Eſſect of Irradiance and Temperature on The Photosynthesis ofa Temperate Seagrass, Zostera Marina (Zosteraceae) from Kagoshima, Japan,
as the Southern End of its Distribution in the Western Paciſic (abstract)1

2

Natsumi Shimada, 2Gregory N. Nishihara, 1Hikaru Endo, 3Ryuta Terada

1
Faculty of Fisheries, Kagoshima University, Japan
Institute for East China Sea Research, Organization for Marine Science and Technology, Nagasaki University, Japan
3
United Graduate School of Agricultural Sciences, Kagoshima University

Seagrasses (marine flowering plants / angiosperm) often form
dense assemblages and provide a number of functions within the
coastal ecosystem. Kagoshima Prefecture is located in the southernpart of Kyushu and northern part of Ryukyu Islands, and lies at theboundary between temperate and subtropical climates. Hence, morethan 10 species of temperate and subtropical seagrasses including
Zostera marina L. (Zosteraceae) are found in the region. Althoughannual in habit and cosmopolitan in distribution, temperate speciesof Z. marina in Kagoshima Bay seem to have an annual habit. They
disappear by the end of early summer; while newly germinated seedlings re-appear in autumn, and dominate seagrass beds in winter andearly spring. Seawater temperature rise, brought about by global
climate change has been a serious concern; its effect may influence
the continued survival of biological organisms, particularly of suchtemperate species at the southern end of its distribution. In thepresent study, we determined the effects of irradiance and temperature on the photosynthesis of Z. marina from Kagoshima Bay by field
and laboratory measurements. Measurements of photosynthesis anddark respiration rates, as well as maximum (Fv/Fm) and effective
quantum yields (ΦPSII) were carried out using optical dissolved
oxygen sensors and the pulse-amplitude modulated (PAM) fluorometer. In situ measurements of Z. marina population revealed a decline
in ΦPSII with increasing incident PAR, with minimum values occurring during noon to early afternoon. ΦPSII recovered by evening, indi-

cating dynamic photoinhibition. Results of in vitro photosynthesisirradiance (P–E) experiments showed that Z. marina did not undergophotoinhibitionat 24ºC, as net photosynthetic (NP) rates were saturated at Ek (i.e., at 154 mmol photons m–2 s–1), and remained stable up
to the highest irradiance level of 1000 μmol photons m−2 s−1. However,an occurrence of such was observed at 8°C, given the decline in NP
rates above Ek (134 µmol photons m-2 s-1). The response of oxygenic
gross photosynthesis (GP) rates over a temperature range of 8–40 °C
showed a gradual increase up to 32 ºC, and a decrease thereafter. Fv/
Fm of Z. marina exposed to a similar temperature range for 72 hours
were likewise evaluated. Values were relatively stable between 8 ºC
and 28 ºC after 24 hours, and eventually declined to almost 0 above 32ºC after 48 and 72 hours. Results of the photoinhibition-recovery
experiments (i.e., 12-hour PAR exposures at 200 and 1,000 µmol
photons m-2 s-1, and at 8 and 20 ºC) revealed larger depressions in
ΦPSII of samples exposed to 1,000 µmol photons m-2 s-1 under bothtemperature treatments. Fv/Fm of samples after 12 hours of darkacclimation were restored to initial values at 20 °C, but not at 8 °C.
Indeed, low temperature, in addition to high PAR stress, has enhanced
photoinhibition with greater risk of photodamage. This species is considered to be well-adapted to the current seawater temperatures in
Kagoshima (15 – 28 °C); however, summertime seawater temperature
at the study site is close to their tolerable limit, which could also influence its distribution at lower latitudes.

210

Poster Session I

Field Observation Study on the Eſſect of Fe-Fulvic Acid Silica Complex Material
Aiming at the NAGASU Tidal Flat Restoration (abstract)
1

Ryoichi Watanabe, 1Teruki Hamada, 1Koreyoshi Yamasaki, 2Masahiro Koga, 2Yoshiaki Koga
1

Fukuoka University, 2 Koyou Co.Ltd.

The NAGASU tidal flat that carried out this field experimentstudy is located at the middle site of Kyushu Island. The Ariake
Sea is a heavily closed sea water area, therefore tidal exchangewith the outside of the bay is not effective, and eutrophication
progresses by pollution load from land.
For these past several years, fish catches of the Manila Clam
Ruditapes hilippinarum decrease sharply in various places
throughout the all over Japan. The reasons for the decrease offish catches of the Manila Clam Ruditapes hilippinarum has not
yet become clear.
It is being explained what humic substance and Fe-Fulvic acidare important for tidal flat ecosystem. Since the dam reservoir
temporally stores river waters, those humic substance like
Fe-Fulvic acid trap in the lake of the dam bottom. And also, after
the 1960s, supply of the sand material from main rivers had
decreased sharply in the Ariake Sea coastal area.
The consequent decrease in the Fe-Fulvic acid and sand supply
to the sea is not advantageous to diatoms (siliceous and mostly
benign) in tidal flat ecosystems. Therefore, a lot of fine organic
rich suspended sediment such as silt and clay deposits on the
tidal flats surface. In the Ariake bay, annual catch yields of theManila Clam Ruditapes hilippinarum has been decreasing fromthe 1990s especially in Kumamoto and Fukuoka prefectures.
In this research, we observed the effect of Fe-Fulvic acid silica
complex material at NAGASU tidal flat.
We installed the Fe-Fulvic acid silica complex material in the
Nagasu tidal flat from July, 2014 and began observation. Thisobservation research has carried out once a month at the
NAGASU tidal flat from July, 2014. The observation contents are
the observation of the tidal flat surface altitude by the RTK surveying, the collection of the bivalve in the quadrat (50cm×50cm),
collection by the sampling core of the tidal flat surface layer. The
area that the Fe-Fulvic acid silica complex material into the tidal
flat, approximately 2,000 square meters. The Fe-Fulvic acid silica
complex material is enclosed in a biodegradable bag with sand.
The material is located into a a cross- woven lattice form within
2,000 square meters, and distance between the material isapproximately 5m. In addition, the contrast section that did not
spend the Fe-Fulvic acid silica complex material in the placeapproximately 100 meters away from the construction sectionthat spent the Fe-Fulvic acid silica complex material.
Observation Results from the monitoring survey showed
improvement in habitation of the Manila Clam Ruditapes hilippinarum and sediment quality, the restoration of the tidal flat
was confirmed. For example, the Manila Clam Ruditapes hilippinarum have sharply increased in the NAGASU tidal flat experimental area. Also diversity of bivalves and other benthic
organisms have increased in the tidal flat area, suggesting an
improvement of the habitat environment. Furthermore, analysisof the Fe-Fulvic acid silica complex material in the tidal flat suggested that suspension feeders such as bivalves have an important role in the water purification process of tidal flats. Therefore
increase in bivalve abundance will likely result in the improvement of water purification ability of the tidal flat area.

211

Poster Session II212

Poster Session II

Establishment of Monitoring Program in Iranian Wetland Ecosystems
Yosefali Ahmadi, Mehri Asna-Ashari, Abolfazl Abesht
Iran Department of Environment, United Nations Development Program (UNDP)

With the selection and application of the ecosystemapproach for protection, management and wise use of Iranian
wetland ecosystems, establishment of an integrated wetland
management plan with the participation of all stakeholders
has begun and, in cooperation with all the governmentalorganizations, NGOs and local communities, finalized in technical workshops and after numerous stakeholder meetings
the integrated plan established.
Part of the integrated wetland management plan is dedicated to the monitoring protocol. In this section, required
steps with details for monitoring of wetlands ecosystem are
specified in three sections of the biodiversity, water -soil andsocioeconomic. These details include monitoring parameters,suggested locations for establishment of stations, monitoring
and collecting data responsible, data storage locations andreporting times. The purpose of the preparing of the monitoring protocol is to raise awareness about the biological, physical and social conditions of the wetland and its catchment
area, helping the beneficiaries to better manage theseresources.
Conservation of Iranian Wetlands Project with the aim ofhelping to implement the integrated wetland management
plan and collecting important ecosystem data from wetlands
facing water quality problems has begun to design and set up
monitoring stations for water quality in wetlands.
The deployment of an online monitoring station in a wetland
depends on the objective of monitoring in a wetland. In fact,
the purpose of monitoring is to specify the type of station andits details. In addition, the costs associated with purchasing
the equipment’s needed and maintaining the stations, areanother important factor that greatly identifies the operationalframework.
After ensuring the financing of equipment and maintenancecosts of the station the ecosystem condition of the wetland,
according to the purpose, specifies the details and next stepsof the work. In fact, the purpose of the implementation of themonitoring protocol of the wetland integrated management
plan is to measure the basic parameters of the wetland ecosystem, which specifies how to work and select the parameters for subsequent studies.The next goal, which was followed,
was to access instantaneous and online data from the ecosystem of wetlands, which could at any time, acquire a realistic
picture of the remote conditions of the wetland. Hence, byselecting priority wetlands for monitoring the operationalframework was identified for installation of the platform.
In the first phase, two Choghakhor and Kanibarazan wetlands were selected. After field surveys and review of similar
experiences, the location of the stations and parameters
needed to be measured at different depths was selected andfinalized. The Choghakhor wetland with an area of about 2000
hectares is one of the wetland ecosystems with high habitat
values, with an average depth of about two meters. The station
is located on the northeast of the wetland and in depth ofabout 2 meters, the sensors is installed at three different
depth on the floating platform. The parameters are water temperature, EC and DO in three depths (water level sensor inwetland bed) and a sensor also collect weather data such astemperature, air pressure, and relative humidity and a digitalplatform send data online to the server.
In the Kanibarzan wetland, with the aim of identifying ofthermal stratification in the water column, installed thesensors of temperature, water level changes, EC and DO at
two depths (water level sensor in wetland bed) and also air
temperature, air pressure, and relative humidity parameters
on a fixed platform. Also, with the purpose of collecting moredata from other parts of the wetland, two satellite stations arelocated at two other points of the wetland, which collects temperature, water level changes and EC parameters.
In the second phase, based on the experiences of the firstphase pilot, it was attempted to set up monitoring stations in
Solduz and Nowroozlu wetlands, and now online monitoring
station of Solduz and offline monitoring station of Nowroozlu
wetland have been established. Solduz station includes temperature, water level changes, EC and DO at one depth andNowroozlu station includes water level changes, EC and DO
that all measure offline.
Location of monitoring pilot sites

Important points of the Iranian wetlands monitoring
program include the participation of NGOs in data collection
and the participation of universities and other research centersin analyzing data and helping to better management of theseecosystems.
In last step wetlands online monitoring databank for gathering and giving online availability to data users is under development and it provides a place for saving longtime online
data.

213

Poster Session II

Sustainable Use of Natural Resources for Community Livelihoodsin the Setiu Wetlands, Terengganu, Malaysia
Haramaini Arifin1, Daria Mathew2, Muhammad Zaid Nasir1,
Nur Syahirah Wahab1 & Dhiya Shafiqah Ridzuan1
WWF-Malaysia (Setiu Wetlands Field Office), Lot 10575, Kg. Pagar Besi, 21020 Batu Rakit, Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia
WWF-Malaysia (Peninsular Malaysia Office), No. 1, Jln PJS 5/28 A, Pusat Dagangan Petaling Jaya Selatan, 46150 Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia
12Introduction
The Setiu Wetlands or Tanah Bencah Setiu (in Malay) in
Terengganu is undeniably a jewel of Malaysia’s natural world.
Located within the administrative district of Setiu which isinhabited by 61,700 people, represents 5.4% of Terengganu’s
population, the Setiu Wetlands provide numerous ecosystemservices that are beneficial to the local population’s livelihood
and well-being. The reliance of local community has been
examined via a number of studies and in a recently concluded
high conservation value (HCV) assessment by WWF-Malaysia,
whereby the findings confirmed the community’s highdependency of natural resources from the wetlands. In thisassessment, there are 6 HCV Definitions (HCV 1 to HCV 6).
HCV 5 (Sites and resources fundamental for satisfying thebasic necessities of local communities or indigenous peoples(for example for livelihoods, health, nutrition, water), identified through engagement with these local communities orindigenous peoples) is deemed present meaning that community reliance on the natural resources or ecosystems formeeting their basic needs.
Location of assessment
Setiu Wetlands is located in Terengganu, northern part ofPeninsular Malaysia (See Figure 1). It is the largest natural
wetlands in the East Coast of Peninsular Malaysia with interconnected habitats between the sea and mountains. According to Proceeding Book of Setiu Wetlands Scientific Expedition
Seminar 2016 (2017), it has been found 161 species of bird, 49
species of butterflies, 36 species of reptiles, 29 species ofmammals, 2 species of freshwater turtles, 9 ecosystems and 5
riverine complexes. The present of all flora and fauna mentioned above make it a key area of importance for biodiversity.
Methodology
Field data was obtained by face-to-face interviews with local
communities. The questions asked were related to the usage
and benefits of natural resources in Setiu Wetlands in related
to their livelihood. The interviewees comprise of village heads,
religious head, oil palm farmers, fishermen, rubber tappers,
housewives, youths, caged farm aqua-culturists, representatives from women’s groups, and operators of cottage industries. In total, 66 individuals from 14 different villages wereinterviewed. Additionally, the interviewees were encouraged
to speak freely on relevant issues related to the area.
Findings
1) 	 Fisheries
The mangroves ecosystem serves as fish nursery ground
while the river and lagoon support freshwater and brackish
water fisheries. The loss or degradation of the wetlands would
cause serious implications by depriving the community of
their basic necessities in terms of their main source of protein
including mud crab (Scylla olivacea, S. tranquebarica and S.
paramamosain), blue swimming crab (Portunus pelagicus),
giant freshwater prawn (Macrobrachium rosenbergii) andmarine shrimp (Penaeus monodon and P. Merguensis). The
giant frehswater prawn was found at the riparian and upper-

river ecosystems (Setiu-Chalok-Bari river basin) as an important fishing ground (WWF, 2014).The local of Setiu are involvedin (i) aquaculture farming (cage culture and pond culture) andin their primary industry ; (ii) fishing. The local operate theircage culture in the Setiu lagoon on a fulltime basis. The
species of garoupa and barramundi are sold via middlemen
for the export market to Singapore and Taiwan. Meanwhile,
fishing as an important source of income. Most of the fish harvested by the fishermen are sold to middlemen or to the Fishermen’s Association who would in turn sell the catch to themarkets or to middlemen. The local produced food from thefish such as budu (fermented fish sauce), fish chips, dried
achovies and salted fish. It showed that it has become aculture for the local to eat fish which can be prepared invarious ways. The most popular fish dishes are fish fried inbatter, locally known as ikan celup tepung and fish sausage
known as kerepok lekor.
2) 	 Vegetation
The natural vegetation in the Setiu Wetlands are diverse,reflecting its range of habitats from coastal beach to mudflats, mangroves estuaries, back-mangroves, freshwater
swamp and dryland, scrub, to the hill dipterocarp forests.
Some examples of the natural vegetation are the morning
glory (Ipomoea pes-caprae), the casuarina (Casuarina equisetifolia), nipah (Nypa fruticans), gelam (Melaleuca cajuputi),
kercut (Lepironia articulata), nibong (Oncosperma tigillarium),
bakau minyak (Rhizophora apiculata) and tumu puteh (Bruguiera saxangula). The assessment has proved the existence of astrong link between economic incomes of the community
with cultural resources derived from the wetlands that is tied
to their traditional identify Lepironia articulata (Kercut) leaves
and Nypa fruticans (nipah) fronds are the raw materials used
to make traditional handicraft items. Kercut is a type of sedge
which is harvested from the wild, usually associated with thegelam (Melalueca cajuputi) forest. Making handicraft items
from this wetlands plant is a traditional form of art and isbeing kept alive to preserve a traditional culture as well as togenerate income to the weavers. Upon harvesting, kercut
leaves are made to undergo several stages of processing
before they are ready to be weaved by hand into handicraft
items such as bags, floor mats, coasters and other souvenir
items (See Figure 2). This initiative is headed by a group of
women mostly housewives called Women Enhancement
Society (KPW). The ladies involved see the kercut handicraft as
an avenue in which they can preserve their tradition andculture, while at the same time earn them extra money to supplement the household income and alleviate financial hardship. But over the years, there has been a reduction of kercut
plants and its habitat due to clearings for watermelon and oilpalm plantations. On the other hand, nipah is a mangroves
palm that occurs along the rivers and estuarine habitats. The
young nipah fronds are used to make handicraft called lekar.
Lekar handicraft (See Figure 2) is another traditional form ofart involving weaving where the spines of the nipah frond
woven together to make floor mats, kitchen accessories,
baskets, Malay wedding gift trays and lamp shades which aresold and contribute supplementary income to the community.

214
These two traditional items are part of the culture of the local
community and have existed for generations. Other than that,
Melalueca cajuputi which is known in Malaysia as Gelam isalso an important species in Setiu Wetlands. The local people
have been recognized its usefulness for a long time as supply
the poles, small scale charcoal industry and local honey (madugelam) harvested by the local communities. This forest is used
to be abundance but to date it reduced for wide scale aquaculture pond, silica mining and oil palm plantation.
Challenges
The Setiu district is one of the poorest districts in Terengganu thus there is great pressure and demand for economic
growth to generate higher revenue. This factor also forms thecatalyst for the government to implement social development
and poverty alleviation programs to make available more job
opportunities and income generating activities for the communities, often involving the allocation of natural and forested
areas for the poor to develop into agricultural smallholdings.
The prospects of faster and huge economic returns fromdevelopment are often perceived to outweigh the ecologicaland social benefits provided by wetlands ecosystems which
are usually not directly measurable. It is a challenge toconvince decision makers as well as the community themselves about the need to conserve the Setiu Wetlands in orderto sustain the livelihood and well-being of the communities.
WWF-Malaysia Strategy
One of WWF-Malaysia’s strategies for Setiu Wetlands is toempower the local community to support and participate inconservation efforts through conservation partnership with
community groups and Community Based Organizations(CBOs). Wetlands provide functions and services that positively affect the daily livelihoods of the local community.
Remarkably, the CBOs act as wetlands’ guardian and agent ofchange by promoting custodianship over wetlands andempowering the larger local communities to manage theirwetlands resources in a responsible and sustainable manner.
Since 2006, WWF-Malaysia has been working closely with the
CBOs in Setiu in a various community participatory activities
such as mangroves replanting, wetlands camp, community
surveys, participation in planning processes for development
and protected area planning, patrolling nesting beaches tocollect the Painted terrapin eggs and transfer to the hatchery
centre for incubation. Capacity building of the local community to undertake and drive conservation activities that may
also contribute supplemental livelihood benefits is emphasized as an integral aspect of the community engagement. It
is envisaged that through community stewardship, there isgreater possibility for ensuring the Setiu Wetlands remain
healthy, ecologically functioning and biologically diverse.

References
WWF-Malaysia (2014). Setiu Wetlands: The Hidden Gem of Terengganu.
Malaysia. WWF-Malaysia.
Daria Mathew, A., Muhammad Zaid, N., Norizan, M.M., and Wan Faridah
Akmal, W.J. (2017).
Prosiding Seminar Ekspedisi Saintifik Tanah Bencah Setiu 2016. “Menghubungkan
Sains Kepada Masyarakat”. WWF-Malaysia.

Figure 1: Location of assessment in Setiu Wetlands

Figure 2: Handicraft from kercut (left) and nipah (right)

215

Poster Session II

The Roles and Actions of the Wetland Centre of Yatsu-Higata Tidal Flat,
a Wetland in the City that Experienced Massive Urban Developmentin the Inner Area of Tokyo Bay
Tatsuya Shibahara
Yatsu-higata Nature Observation Centre, Yatsu-higata Wise Use Partners/Ecological Education Centre• What is Yatsu-higata
Yatsu-higata is located at the inner part of Tokyo Bay. It is
one of the precious remaining tidal flats that survived themassive reclamation at the bay. It is an important habitat for
shorebirds in the East Asian-Australasian Flyway. The area
was designated as a Ramsar site, and joined the EAAF Site
Network in 1996.
• About Yatsu-higata Nature Observation Center (YNOC)
It is a facility in Narashino City. The number of staff is 15 (5members have been involved in communication and education. About 140 citizens register as volunteers. And thenumber of people entering the centre is about 45,000 a year.
• Current situation of Tokyo Bay
Currently, 90% of the bay’s coast line is covered by artificial
seawalls.
The area is highly urbanized, and represents one of themost densely populated areas in Japan with 25% of the population living there.
• Current situation of Yatsu tidal flat
1. Decreasing the number of shorebirds
Comparing the number of shorebirds today to that of 30
years ago, the number of sandpipers has decreased to aquarter, and that of plovers has decreased to a tenth.
2. Adverse effects of mass production of ULVA
Around 20 years ago, mass production of Ulva sp. started tostand out. Nowadays, putrid smell spreads around the residential area during summer.
3. Adverse effects of mass production of Honbinosu Clams(Mercenaria mercenaria)
For about 15 years, the clams have prevailed, which originated in North America. The accumulation of the clams inhibits the water flow, and narrows the tide range.
• EFFORTS OFYATSU-HIGATA NATURE OBSERVATION CENTRE
1. Deciding the anniversary day of Ramsar designation andcelebrating it annually with events
The events are planned and managed by the YNOC withlocal citizens. Such anniversary and events provide opportunities to the citizens to participate in and reminds them of themost important conservation objectives; to promote conservation and wise use of Yatsu-higata.
2. Cooperative works for conservation and wise use of Yatsu-higata involving the wetland managers and citizens
In order to promote conservation Yatsu-higata, it is very
important to cooperate with Ministry of the Environment(MOE-J), the manager of the wetlands, Narashino City and
YNOC who plays a role for CEPA, and local residents, theplayers of the wise-use. The tasks can include discussing “howto use Ulva sp. and honbinosu clam as resources” to protect
the tidal flat by developing the good relationship between
local residents and the tidal flat, since there is no fishing or
agriculture activities in Yatsu-higata.

•Networking and promoting cooperative activities among
the institutions that are related to Tokyo Bay
1. Viewpoint of Tokyo Bay as an ecosystem
The other important point is “the connection with Tokyo
Bay”. A lot of migratory waterbirds that come to Yatsu-higata
also use scattered wetlands in innermost part of the bay. The
same applies to their preys like fish, benthos and plankton.
Tokyo Bay is one wetland ecosystem. To protect birds in Yatsu-higata, we should monitor and protect their habitat in thescale of the entire Tokyo Bay.
2. Collaboration among Tokyo Bay related facilities
The cooperation is important for CEPA. To protect the entire
Tokyo Bay, all related facilities need to cooperate to share
information and connect local residents and Tokyo Bay. In thesummer of 2017, six facilities located at the bay held an event
together.
• Summary• It is very hard to maintain the ecosystems in the highly-developed Tokyo Bay.
• There are a lot of people who are living without “linkages” with wetlands in urbanized areas. There is notmany opportunity to feel the benefit from ecosystem services. Thus, it is difficult for them to recognize the value of
wetlands.
• Remained wetlands in urban areas have a role to tackle
this situation. In addition, there is a necessity to develop
the conservation and management plan, and to recoverwetlands.
• Although there are lots of development pressures in
Asian countries, there are still lots of wetlands exist.
Therefore, it has a potential to protect wetlands andconduct developments that are harmonized with nature.

216

217

Poster Session II

Evaluation of Infiltration Characteristic of Amended Soilby Long Term Observation under Natural Rainfall for Establishing
Runoff Reduction Technology
Soichi Okayama 1), Rei Itsukushima 2), Yohei Ogahara 1), Yukihiro Shimatani 1)
1)

Department of Urban and Environmental Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyushu University, Japan2)
Department of Decision Science for sustainable Society, Kyushu University, Japan

1. Introduction
Flood disaster has frequently occurred in urban areas. The
cause is a decrease in the infiltration area due to urbanization,
and an increase in localized concentrated torrential rain due toclimate change. As a solution to this problem, law maintenance and introduction of rainwater storage facility have been
carried out. However, existing method are not sufficiently
popular due to problems such as cost. Therefore, it is indispensable to develop small, inexpensive, and easy technology
for flood reduction, such as rainwater tanks, rain gardens,
simple infiltration trenches, and so on.
In addition, since it is difficult to increase the infiltration area
in urban areas, it is effective to improve the infiltration performance of existing infiltration areas. In this research, we
focused on enhancing infiltration capacity of the compacted
bare land such as ground and park. To enhance infiltration
capacity of compacted soil at bare land, soil amendment
materials such as humus and bamboo chips have been mixed.
On the other hand, infiltration capacity of soil at bare landdecreases due to forming crusts at soil surface layer due to raindrop impact. It is reported that underground vegetation andlitter in artificial forests such as cypress are weakening theimpact of rain drops and inhibit the formation of crusts.
However, with regard to compacted bare ground in urban areas,no technology has been established for improving infiltration
capacity by suppressing crust formation on the surface layer.
Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the influence on flood
reduction of soil surface layer structure and soil amendment
materials for compacted soil.
2. Research method
We conducted infiltration experiment under natural rainfall
by observing surface runoff and measuring volumetric watercontent of soil for about four months (from September 2016
until January 2017).
We used two kinds of soil amendment materials; humus(Fig.1) and bamboo chips (Fig.2). These were mixed into decomposed granite at 30% rate. Also, three types of surface layer
structure was adopted; no surface structure, gravel mulching(Fig.3), and permeable soil paving material (Fig.4). The experimental pattern was six patterns, combining two kinds ofimproving materials and three kinds of surface layer structures. Two samples were used for each pattern, so 12 samples
were used in this experiment.
Fig.5 shows the experimental device. Improved soil is
350mm thick, and surface layer structure is 50mm thick.
Sensors (CS616 manufactured by Campbell Scientific) were
installed at 15cm and 30cm depth. These measured volumetricwater content every one minute. At the same time, the rainfall
intensity was measured every one minute by rain gauge (RG
3-M manufactured by Onset) installed near the experimental
devices. Improved soil was compacted by a hammer (weight:
2
10.5 kg, bottom area: 64 cm ).
3. Results
Fig.6 shows the changes of the volumetric water content (atFig.1 Humus

Fig.2 Bamboo chips

Fig.3 Gravel mulchingFig.4 permeable soil paving material

Fig.5 experimental device

a depth of 15 cm, the case of the bamboo tips and permeablesoil paving material). The volumetric water content changes
between 20% and 30%. Also, it rises immediately as rainfall
occurs, and decreases promptly after rainfall. During the nonrainy period, the volume moisture content gradually decreases
while repeating up and down about 1 to 2%.
Fig.7* shows the flooding level measured soon after the218
54.4mm rain. Surface runoff remarkably occurred in the caseof soils with no surface layer structure (Fig.8), and bamboo
chips coated with surface layer structure hardly flooded. Also,
the amount of surface runoff of humus mixing soil is larger
than that of bamboo chips mixing soil.
*The actual flooding volume of gravel mulching is smaller
than the numerical flooding volume.
4. Consideration
From Fig.7*, it is considered that surface layer structure prevents surface disturbance by raindrop and avoided thedecreasing of infiltration capacity. Also, infiltration capacity ofhumus is lower than that of bamboo chips under compaction
condition. This is because depression of void structure bycompaction caused the decreasing of infiltration capacity ofhumus mixing soil, whereas void structure of bamboo chips
mixing soil was maintained after compaction.
The gradual decrease of the volumetric water content
during the non-rainy period (Fig.6) is thought to be caused by
the water being sucked up toward the soil surface by evaporation. This is because the volumetric water content turns toincrease at the beginning of sunshine and turns to decrease atsunset.
5. Verification
We verified whether the influence of soil surface structureand soil amendment materials can be quantitatively evaluated from the volumetric water content. It is based on the ideathat total rainfall equals the sum of water content captured bysoil, flooding water, and penetrating water (Fig.9). Water
content captured by soil is Increase width of volumetric watercontent (average of 2 sensors) multiplied by soil thickness(350mm).
The amount of permeated water exceeds the amount ofwater captured by the soil in the case of rainfall event morethan 50mm. Permeation amount is more than 60% of total
rainfall amount. Water content captured by soil is less than
30% (Fig.10). Therefore, evaluation of penetration amount ismore important than that of volumetric water content.

Fig.6 changes of the volumetric water content

Fig.7 Flooding level (mm)Fig.8 Flooding situation

Fig.9 Water balance of total rainfall

6. Conclusion
Improvement of the surface layer structure is effective forsuppressing deterioration of infiltration capacity due to crust
formation.
Under compaction conditions, bamboo chips is considered
to be more effective than humus for reducing floods as soil
amendment material.
It is important to evaluate the infiltration performance by
the penetration amount, rather than by volumetric watercontent.
7. Future tasks
Compaction affects the infiltration capacity, so it is necessary to evaluate the influence of compaction degree on infiltration capacity. In addition, there is a possibility that soil
amendment materials such as humus and bamboo chips deteriorate over time. Therefore, we are going to continue thisexperiment and inspect the effect of aged deterioration on
infiltration capacity.

Fig.10 water content captured by soil relative to rainfall

219

Poster Session II

Diversity and Distribution of Macroalgae in Chiang Mai, Thailand
Chindanai Jaitamart, Rungnapa Tagun and Tatporn Kunpradid
Department of Biology, Faculty of Science and Technology,
Chiang Mai Rajabhat University, Chiang Mai Thailand, 50300

Introduction
Chiang Mai is largest province of northern Thailand. There islocated at a large plain called Chiang Mai - Lamphun basin.
This area is surrounded by forest and mountain range andhave the Ping River is a major river. Recently, Chiang Mai isthe largest province of northern and the most popular tourist
destination. Chiang Mai has changed dramatically. For
example, change the land use benefit for agriculture andtourism, increasing population, expanding community andurban areas. The natural resources and environment are also
impacted, such as degraded forest and water shortage due tothe increase in consumption, water quality worsens by thechemical and the discharge into the water. The impact is not
only presence as the physical and chemical properties but the
distribution of aquatic organisms. One of the impacted organisms in the river is the algae. Algae are the most important
producer in the aquatic ecosystem as a primary producer inthe functional feeding pathway. More than that, algae has agreat deal of usefulness to humens such as an agricultural,environmental science and local medicinal applications.
Cladophora sp. and Nostochopsis sp. Have been using asfood in Nan. Moreover, it can be used as medicinal applicationsuch as gastrointestinal disease, dermatitis and healthy and
Spirogyra sp. to prevent stomach ulcers. The algae are used inother purpose such as a recipe to making a mixture of cosmetics and supplements. The macroalgae are also using in environmental aspecs such as a bio-indicator and tools forenvironmental education activities.
However, the applications of the algae have not been fully
developed because of a lacking the knowledge, limited species
level identification and the ecological data. Hence, this study
aims to survey the diversity and distribution of macroalgaes
and its relationships with the various habitats and environmental conditions in Chiang Mai Province, northern Thailand
and processed the macroalgae hand book that could be use
as a study tools for the student and local people. This bookincluded the ecological data and development of the simple
method for monitoring the environmental conditions with aneasier communicated as pictures and symbols.
Objective
1. To survey the diversity and distribution of macroalgaes andits relationships with the various habitats and environmental conditions in Chiang Mai Province, northern Thailand.
2. To develop the macroalgae hand book that could be used asa study tools for the student and local people.
Methods
1. The samples were collected from 26 running and standing
reservoir sites from seven districts throughout the Chiang
Mai Province. The study was carried out from February to
November 2016.
2. The attached macroalgae that can be seen with the naked
eye were scraped as filaments, thalli, brown or green film
from the hard substratum as rock, cobbles, gravel, sand,branches of trees. Some may be found as a free floating
form on water surface.
3. Kept the samples in a 20-50 ml centrifuge tube, filled thereservoir water and preserved at 4-10 ° C to maintain conditions prior.
4. Analysis quality of water in sample sites by using Multi-Parameter analyzer for evaluate pH conductivity TDS (Total
dissolved solid) and Dissolved oxygen analyzer kit (Azide
Modification of lodometric Method).
5. Other environmental variables for further study in the laboratory.
6. Identified to species level under compound microscope byusing the books or relevant documents. The photo image
and monograph of macroalgae samples were processed
for making a macroalgae handbook.
Image 1: The 7 districts in Chiang Mai Province wer investigated in this study, Chiang
dao, Doi saket, Mae Rim, Mueang Chiang Mai, Hang Dong, Mae Wang and Kanlayaniwatthana.

Results
Thirty-three species of 20 twenty genera in four divisions
were found in this study. The Division Chlorophyta was themost dominate distribution (45%) followed by Division Cyanophyta(27%) , Division Rhodophyta (23%) and Division Charophyta (5%) respectively. The Spirogyra sp., Rhizoclonium sp.,
Cladophora sp., Phormidium sp., Compsopogon sp. andAudouinella sp. were a common species of the Chiang Mai
area.
The highest diversity of macroalgae were found at the old
traditional indigenous check dam “Fai Wang Hai”. Eight speciesof eight genera were found in this sites including Microspora
sp., Spirogyra sp., Tetraspora sp., Tetraspora cylindrical, Oscilla-

220
Image 2: Diversity and Distribution of Macroalgae

toria sp., Chaetophora elegans, Stigeoclonium flagelliforum
and Phormidium formosum. It was concluded that the distribution of macroalgae were depended on the appropriate substrate, environmental condition as the nutrients and the physicaland chemical properties, light intensity and conductivity.
Image 3: “Fai Wang Hai” the highest diversity site of macroalgae from this study

Image 5: Environmental education activity for The local people could conducted a basic
monitored and evaluated the water quality by themselves.

REFERENCES
Peerapornpisal, Y. 2015, Freshwater Algae in Thailand. Applied Algal ResearchLaboratory, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai.
Sorrachat Thiamdao. 2011. DIVERSITY OF EDIBLE FRESHWATER MACROALGAE
IN THAILAND DURING 2007-2008. Graduate school Chiang Mai University,
Chiang Mai, Thailand
Leelahakriengkrai, P. 2007. Diversity and usage of Macroalgae and Bentic
Diatoms to Monitor Water Quality of Ping River, Year 2004-2005. MS. Thesis,
Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand.
Peerapornpisal, Y., 2005, The Potential of Freshwater Macroalgae in Nan Riveras Food and Medicine in 2nd and 3rd year, Proceeding of The National
Conference on Algae and Plankton (NCAP), Biodiversity Research andTraining Program (BRT), Chiang Mai, Thailand.
Kunpradid, T. 2005. Diversity of Macroalgae and Bentic Diatoms and Their
Relationship with Nutrient Compounds in Ping and Nan Rivers. Ph.D. Thesis,
Department of Biology, Faculty of science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang
Mai, Thailand
Acknowledgment
The Centre of Biodiversity Research and Implementation forCommunity Chiang Mai Rajabhat University for support thisresearch.

This project was including the knowledge transferred to thecommunity such as student and local citizens. The Macroalgae
handbook were issued for communities including students,
teachers and the local people in the research areas along the
Chiang Mai province or the related areas. The handbook could
be used as a tools for environmental education activity that
The local people could conducted a basic monitored and evaluated the water quality by themselves.
Image 4: “Macroalgae hand book” simple tools for monitoring the environmental conditions byyouth and student and easier communicated with pictures and symbols.

221

Poster Session II

The Diversity of Macroalgae and Benthic Diatom in
Upstream of Mae Chaem River,
Kalayaniwathana District, Chiang Mai, Thailand
Thakdanai Paotajai, Rungnapa Tagun and Tatporn Kunpradid
Department of Biology, Faculty of Science and Technology,
Chiang Mai Rajabhat University, Chiang Mai Thailand, 50300

Abstract
Macroalgae and benthic diatom plays important rules inaquatic ecosystems as the producers that there are key components of food webs and related to the environmental condition in aquatic ecosystem. There are diverse, abundant andclosely linked to environmental factors as well as sensitive topollution and rapid response to external disturbance. The aimof this study is to survey the diversity and distribution of Macroalgae and benthic diatom in the upstream of Mae Chaem
River Kalayaniwathana District, Chiang Mai, Thailand. The Mae
Chaem River is an important tributary of The Ping River thatessential to the livelihoods of the Northern Thailand community. The sampling was carried out from December 2015 toJuly 2016. Four sampling stations of upstream of Mae Jam
River were selected and sampling once a season. Fourteen
species of eight genera in three divisions of macroalgae and62 species of eight genera of benthic diatom were found The
dominant species of macroalgae were Spirogyra sp.,Compsopogon sp.,Cladophora sp., Rhizocronium sp., Audonilla sp.,
Oscillatoria sp., Lyngbya sp. and Nostochopsis sp. and dominant species of benthic diatom were Cymbella tirgidula,
Navicula radiosafallax, Gomphonema parrulum var. Lagenula,Gomphonema clevei Fricke, Cymbella tirgidula, Coconeis placentula var. Lineata, Navicula viridula Ehrenberg. The diversity index ranged from 1.143 to 2.548 and the highest value
recorded at MJ1 in December 2015. The evenness index
ranged from 0.395 to 0.860 and the highest value recorded at
MJ3 in July 2016. The highest species richness was recorded
at MJ2 in December 2015 (29 species). The chemical and physical variable in each sampling sites were classified in the goodto moderate and moderate according to the water quality areclose to neutral as standard surface water of Thailand. Overall,
the water quality of Mae Chaem River Kalayaniwathana District based on AARL-PC Score method were revealed that thewater quality were oligotrophic-mesotrophic status. The dataof water quality and its relationship with the organism distribution was transferred to the community via the initiation ofwater quality monitoring groups including the researcher,local organization, students and teacher. The group activities
were develop the easy methods and planning for the local
bio-monitoring. The reflection from the local citizens was satisfied the local people either appropriate simple technique forphysical and chemical measurement or the organisms investigation as bio-indicator. Therefore, this method could be developed and used as the Environmental Education tool for otherarea especially, students and local citizen who lives nearby
creek and upstream of Northern Thailand
Introduction
Mae Cham River has originate and flowed through the Kanlayaniwattana district, the latest district, No.787 of Thailand.
This river is very important to the local people via direct andindirect use such as household consumption, agriculture, andfishing Currently the Kanlayanitwattna district are being
impacted from the over use of chemical substance. The local
people has used a numerous chemical pesticide and fertiliza-tion in the area and lead to accumulated in a land, water aswell as streambed. From the phenomenon, the ecology andriver health were strongly damage. The community was concerned about this issue but they need the simple methods andequipment for environmental impact monitored. The environmental impact can be studied on the various methods. Almostof the conventional methods are using physical and chemicalparameters. Those are needed a complicate equipment andcostly processes. However, the biological methods are thealternate with a lower budget. Microalgae and diatom, theecological producer could be used as water quality indicatorsin the river. Therefore, those organism are selected to investigate about the relationship between diversity and taxonomy
with the water quality (physical and chemical parameters).
Moreover, the development of the guideline documents of
bio-indicator (macroalgae and benthic diatom) in Mae CheamRiver will be established. The guideline could be used as atools for environment study or conserve in the Mae ChamRiver its self or the other river in Thailand.

Objective
To study Macroalgae and Diatoms diversity and its relationship with environment data in Mae Chaem River from different environment.
Methodology
Diatoms sampling
1. Sampling diatom samples from hard substrate (rock,
stem, branch that have a brownish colors mucilage).
2. Collected the sample by toothbrush.
3. Preserved with a Lugol’s Solution.
4. Separate the sediment from diatom sample (spin 2,500
rpm,15 minute)
5. The diatom samples will be boiled at 100 ºC with Conc.
Nitric acid. Then with 30% H2O2 for 15 min.
6. Prepare a permanent slide by drying on hot plate at 60 ºC.
7. Use a permount mounting media to preserve samples.
8. Diatom will be identified to species level.
Macroalgae partThe samples (mats, bush, linear, branch or mucilage thallus)
was collected randomly from specify streambed.The samples

222
were collected by forceps and kept in cool temperature (5-10ºC). Macrolage will be identified to species level.
ResultMicroalgae
The Spirogyra sp., Compsopogon sp., Cladophora sp.,
Rhizocronium sp., Audonilla sp., Oscillatoria sp., Lyngbya sp.
and Nostochopsis sp. were recorded as a dominant macroalgae species Divition Rhophyta 38%, Divition Chlorophyta
37%, Divition Cyanphyta 25% The dominant Divition of macroalgae were Divition Rhophyta.

Diatoms
The Cymbella tirgidula, Navicula radiosafallax, Gomphonema parrulum var. Lagenula, Gomphonema clevei Fricke,
Cymbella tirgidula, Coconeis placentula var. Lineata, Navicula viridula Ehrenberg were recorded as a dominant benthic
diatom species
Family Naviculaceae 69%, Family Platycepbala 2%, Family
Surirellaceae 1%, Family Achnanthaceae 4%, Family Bacillariaceae 1%, Family Cybellaceae 15%, Family Eunotiaceae 1%,
Family Fagilariaceae 7% The dominant Family of benthic
diatom were Family Naviculaceae.

erate and moderate status and oligo-mesotrophic and mesotrophic status on the term of nutrients value.
Community Participation
This project was including the knowledge transferred to the
local people such as student and local citizens. The data fromthis study were wed for workshop and start up a monitoringgroup. 60 student and 10 community leader were attend at aworkshop on the topic of “Water Quality Monitoring by biological index”.
The participants would learn about the sample collecting,monitoring and evaluating the water quality. After workshop
they will be learn how to monitor a water quality at their areaby themselves. By this activity, local people and students will
understanding about aquatic ecosystem, the importance ofwater and how to monitored the water quality, the relationship between physical, chemical and biological components
in streams/rivers and certainly, the monitoring group to createawareness of keeping water clean.
Reference
1. Barber, H.G and Hawh, E.Y. 1981 A Guide to the Morphology of the Diatom
Frustule. The Freshwater Biologycal Association. Sccientist Publication
2. Benavides, M.S. (1994). Algal Periphyton in Two Rivers in Costa Rica with
Specia l Reference to Diatoma Organic Pollution and Altitudinal Differentiation. Ph.D.Thesis., Innsbruck University.
3. Greenberg,A.E., Clescerri, L.S. and Eaton, A.D. 1992 Standard Methonds for
Examination of Warter and Wastewater. American Pulic Health Association(APHA), Washingto DC.
4. Rott, E., Pfister , P and Pipp, E. 1997. Use Diatoms for Environmental Monitoring. Institute fÜr batanik der Universitat lnnsbruck. Lnnsbruck
5. Entwisle, T.J. 1989. Macroalgae in Yarra river basin: Flora and Distribution.
Proceeding of The Royal of Victoria, 101, 1-76.
6. Kelly, M.G. and Haworth E.Y. 2002 Phylum bacillyariophyta. In john D.M.
Whitton B.A., Brook A.J. (Eds) The Fresh algae Flora of the British lsles: anldentfication Guide to Fresshwater Terrestrial algae. Cambrid University
Press, Cambridge
Acknowledgement
BRIC Chiang Mai Rajabhat University for support and help
all this project.

Conclusion
The distribution and diversity were different in each sampling site and related with their environmental condition.
Gomphonema clevei Fricke were indicate the mesotrophic
status and Cocconeis placentula var. Lineata and Gomphonema parvulum (Kützing) Grunow were indicate a mesotrophic-oligotrophic status. Some benthic diatom and macroalgae
were selected by using a statistical package. They could be
used us bio-indicator in Mae Cham River. The water quality
evaluation from the biological indicator were related with thephysical and chemical parameter. The overall water quality
base on the AARL-PC score (physical and chemical) revealed
that the water quality of Mae chaem river was good to mod-

223

Poster Session II

Project of the Visit Center on Peatlands – Young View from Siberia
Volkova A.I.
Tomsk State University, Tomsk, Russia

The West Siberian plain is known as the most paludified
area of the planet and is famous of its peatlands (peat accumulating mires). The peatlands cover more than 60% surface
area in some places like Tomsk region. The largest mire systemof the world – Great Vasyugan peatland system – is situated at
the territories of three regions at the West Siberian plain,mainly in Tomsk region, and covers, according to recent
space-image based evaluations, about 75 000 km2.
Only very limited public in Siberia knows that mires andpeatlands are important component of the landscape withspecial biodiversity and ecosystem services. Mires are widely
known as “aggressor” occupying such plentiful areas of valuable land. Wetland centers mission is to protect mires andpeatlands and to raising the awareness of wetland issues
through education, research, involvement, visitor activities.
We can recognize the history of paludification and peatlands development at the territory of Siberia from the beginning of Holocene – 10-12 thousand years ago. Since thosetime peatlands have accumulated carbon of plant remains
within peat deposits reaching now up to 11 m depth. Peatlands of the West Siberia vary on surface area, ecologicaltypes, topology, degree of the permafrost development at thepeat deposits, modern vegetation, genesis and evolution as
well as ecosystem services and anthropogenous impact. They
are vast, huge, enormous, and endless, especially from thebird’s eye view.
The goal of my work is to create a project of the peatland
visit center that could visually show the diversity of peatland
flora and fauna, ecosystems and communities, landscapesand functioning. The process of the development of the projectof the visitor center on peatland includes the following steps:
identification of target audience, conception development,
creation of the design project and the working project.
Wetland centers started to appear in Russia recently. There
are only few (3-4) wetland centers in Asian Russia (Siberia).
One of them has been created in Tomsk region on the base of
the oldest in Siberia mire science school. Since 2011, Wetland
Center of Tomsk State University is a link of the global networkof educational centers for wetlands – Wetland Link International, WLI. It aims the purposes of environmental educationand exists mainly as Internet resource. However, virtual information is not enough. We need places where people could
directly get to know the nature of the peatlands (Fig. 1).
Fig. 1 – Sketch of the main building of the wetland visit centerIn addition, people can observe the diversity and behaviorof birds from an enclosed space. Visitors will not only know

about the biodiversity, but also about the land use on peatlands. The internal exposition represented by information
stands showing the species of mammals, birds and insects
that live nearby, as well as plant species, most typical for peatlands, and birds migration map (Fig. 2). The voices of birds arechosen as the soundtrack.
Fig. 2 – Sketch of the visit center interior with
the installation showing the wetland birds

From the observation platform, equipped with binoculars,
everyone can get acquainted with the surrounding fauna andflora, without disturbing local inhabitants (Fig. 3).
Fig. 3_– Observation platform

Visit center on peatland can be used as for scientific purposes, so for the education of ordinary citizens. It would bepossible to show peatlands, which are considered a distinctive feature of our region, to foreign tourists, students and scientists. This will be a scientific enlightenment center with a
training area for thematic classes, where all information relating to the peatlands of Siberia will be presented, and an open
area for visitors with a viewing platform.
We need to show people that the peatland is not a gloomy
and dangerous swamp, but a beautiful place and a home formany representatives of the animal and plant world.
Acknowledgement. The Program of Academic Mobility ofTomsk State University supported the participation of theauthor at the AWS – 2017.

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225

Poster Session II

Comparison of CEPA Activities and Base Facilities in Peru and Japan
Yuki Ozaki
Ramsar Center Japan

Peru is located approximately in the middle of the continentof South America, bordering Ecuador, Brazil, Chile etc. withthe west side facing the Pacific Ocean. Peru is an extremely
diverse country. The country has 3 main regions according to
the traditional method of dividing the country by altitude:
coast, mountains, and jungle. Peru joined the Ramsar convention in 1992 and has 13 registered sites. The total land area is6,784,041ha, ranking third in Latin America. PARACAS wasregistered in 1992 as the first Ramsar site in Peru. The sandy
beach of Paracas an important resting place for migratory
birds. As part of the reserve is open as a beach, 250,000 people
a year visit for swimming and sightseeing. In recent years,
Tourism development and overfishing are taking place, threatening the ecosystem of the protected area. The need for CEPA
activities increased, and JICA dispatched volunteers for two
years in PARACAS.
This paper compares CEPA activities in Peru and Japan
from the viewpoint of base facilities. Its objective is to summarize common points and differences and contribute to
Asian CEPA activities.
#545 PARACAS (1992.3) / #615 YATSU-HIGATA (1993.6)
Area: 335,000ha / 40ha
Number of Staff: 25 people / 15 people
Number of Visitors per year : 250,000 people (for swimming,sightseeing, educational visit) / 40,000 people (for exercise,bird watching, volunteer activities, educational visit)
Access: 15 minutes by car from the major national highway /15 minutes on foot from the station
Volunteer System: Summer volunteer (3 months, live-in, 20
people, students), Weekend volunteer (4 people, students) /Registration system (100 people, 13 years old ~ senior citizen)
Center Structure: (900m2) Permanent exhibition, Theater
room, Bench, Walking Trail / (1750m2) Permanent exhibition,
Special exhibition, Food and drinking space, Multipurpose
space, Library, Bench, Walking trail
CEPA Activities: Delivery courses (irregular), Puppet theater /Nature observation tours, Center guides, Craft workshop, Picture-story show etc., Volunteer activities (27 groups: Newsletter editing, Data analysis, Carving etc.)• Common point: There is a visitor center, and it has a permanent exhibition. There is good access to town. Both havesucceeded in making use of volunteers as a solution to theshortage of staff.
• Differences: In the case of Paracas, there are few staff
members in charge of CEPA activities (Only one person at thevisitor center). There is no guide and no binoculars in theviewing space. Information has not been updated. The visitor’s staying time is short.
Compared with Japan, the Paracas center was not well utilized as a place for CEPA. Although it is a fine building, its
activities are hampered by having fewer personnel in chargeof CEPA.

On the other hand, it does succeed in playing the minimumrole. It accurately conveys the information of the site to many
people. There is also a toilet and a promenade.
In order to solve the above problem, I carried out activities
thinking about what few people with no space would be able
to do.
>Guide at the boardwalk (explanatory board and binocularsthat can be carried)>School Visit to nearby elementary schools (Developed
interpretation teaching materials on the theme of wildlife conservation)>We installed an information board outside the center andrenewed it every month.
CEPA activities can be raised in quality by creative ingenuity. However, to implement CEPA, both hardware and softwareare required. Also, it will not start unless you focus on involving people above everything else. Especially, it is important to
involve the young generation as volunteers.

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227

Poster Session II

Growth and Burrows of the Japanese mud shrimp (Upogebia major)
in the Arao Tidal Flat
Haruki Kume, Towaki Ide, Chihiro Fukushima, Syoya Oobuchi,
Sinnosuke Harada, Taiyou Kiyota, Yukito Yoshimoto, Ryuki Wada,
Fumiko Koyama, Hiroshi Matsuura
Kumamoto prefectural Taishi senior high school, Arao senior high school

Length of Shell

Population (n)1, Growth of Japanese mud shrimp“Majak”(Upogebia major)
We call the Japanese mud shrimp (Upogebia major) “Majak”.
We were interested in the ecology of famous Majak in the
Arao area. To study their growth and development we dug up
Majak over a 5month period of time and recorded their size.
Within 5months, growth of about 5mm and transfer of a newgeneration could be clearly confirmed.
Measurement of shell length

Population (n)Shell Lengh (mm)Length of Shell

Shell Lengh (mm)Population (n)34.2 mm for a 4year old male, 32.1mm for a 4year old female.
In Arao tidal flat, we could confirm individuals over 30 mm
in the spring season. So we supposed these individuals were
3year old.
(We think that spring individuals are 2year old.)

Population (n)Shell Lengh (mm)2, Burrows of Japanese mud shrimp“Majak”(Upogebia major)
We compared the data of the burrows which was surveyed
by Imamura and Miyazaki from the Arao tidal flat that were 80
cm in depth the data of the burrows from Tokyo Bay that 207.9
cm in depth (Kinosita, k., 2002). And it was obvious that theburrows from the Arao tidal flat were shallower.

Shell Lengh (mm)We also checked for the presence of plankton Majak affixed
to the Arao tidal flat sediment.
During the September to October period, we surveyed atspring tide, which comes every two weeks, and confirmedthat the Majak were growing about 5 mm on average and thata new generation of Majak was present.
In a business report by Kumamoto prefectural seaweed laboratory, reported in 1986, the size of Majak was recorded as
23.7mm for a 2year old male, 23.3mm for a 2year old female,
32.6mm for a 3year old male, 30.0mm for a 3year old female,

In order to confirm many burrows of the Arao tidal flat, wepoured resin into a quadrat of 25 cm × 25 cm, and also poured
resin into another hole which is a pair outside of the quadrat
to avoid resin leaks.

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A1 Burrow complete

B2 Burrow complete

In addition, we thought that Majak seem to block the burrow
even though the burrow continues. So we dug out the resin
which was set in the burrow and examined it after catching the
Majak. We caught Majak by the traditional method in the Arao
region. We put a calligraphy brush into the burrow. Then,
when the Majak came up to push out the brush, we pulled the
Majak out of the burrow.

With 7 each burrows and 4 tethered indicated by yellow C
gotten.
Others, although incomplete, became a three-way road
Resin type of nest with contact point between U-part andI-part.

F2.3.4.5.Burrows
Linking complete

On August 31st, 2015, we poured the resin into the burrows.
When we dug up the resin molds, we gathered many burrows
with a “Y” shape. We also found 4 small
connecting
tunnels
betweentheburrows. They were too small to bemade by Majak. When we connected theburrows, they made a labyrinth shape.
The 4 small connecting tunnels had adiameter of 5.6 to 12.6 mm.

3, Perspective
We will continue these investigations in the future. And,
despite the fact that many Majak are gathered every year due
to Majak fishing competitions and fishery.
We want to elucidate the mechanism of growth for Majak of
the Arao tidal flat.
In addition, just want to think about how many Majak weshould catch, to make it a steady catch every year.
And we would like to discuss the fact that the Majak burrows
extend oxygen conditions to deep places in the tidal flat.
We are exhibiting the resin mold of the Majak burrows.

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Poster Session II

Benthos of the Arao Tidal Flat, Its List and Specimen
Taiyou Kiyota, Yukito Yoshimoto, Towaki Ide, Haruki Kume, Ryouki Wada,
Natsuko Kobayashi, Hiroshi Matsuura
Kumamoto prefectural Taishi senior high school

1, List of Benthos of the Arao tidal flat that we could confirm

The Arao tidal flat became a Ramsar wetland site in 2012,
and this year will be the fifth anniversary. In the meantime, wehave continued the investigation of the Arao tidal flat.
Based on the survey method of Wetland International Japan(WIJ), we conducted 15 minute surveys of the Benthos on thesurface and by digging 15 holes. Furthermore, qualitative
investigations were also conducted.
We used pocket books published by WIJ, etc. to identify theorganisms collected. Creatures that could be confirmed werereleased on the spot and several individuals that could not be
confirmed outdoors were brought to school.
Also we brought typical shape samples back to school,soaked them in alcohol and made them into a preserved specimen. The results are summarized in the table.

From November 2012 until October 2013, 58 species wereconfirmed.
By October 2014, we were able to record 78 species, including species we confirmed visually, without collecting them.
We also learned that three species were not officially listed.
By October 2015, we confirmed 90 species of benthos.
We were able to confirm a total of 125 species of benthos by
October 2016. By October this year, we were able to confirm
139 species and 17 species of fish, totaling 156 species.

230
tidal flats are also characterized into many types. The reason isthat the Arao tidal flats are a wide and ecologically diverse.
For example, there are Hakusennshiomaneki (Uca lacteal) frequently found in the tidelands of sand near the exit of the bay,
and Siomaneki (Uca arcuata) which are frequently found in
the mud flats of the bay.
Compared with the Kyushu Environmental Management
Association’s list, there are creatures that are not recorded on
our list. However, we found various Benthos that were not on
the Kyushu Environmental Management Association’s list as
well.

3, Perspective
We will continue to investigate this in the future and I would
like to further enrich the list. In addition, we would like tocreate a list of about 50 kinds of benthos for various purposes,
such as an organism list that is easy to catch for each season,that is easy to catch even for elementary school students, andthat is useful for observation sessions.

2, Characteristics of Benthos List of The Arao tidal flat
In addition to our list of benthos, 80 species of Benthos
were confirmed in the Arao tidal flat in the “Arao City History”
issued in March 2000. Shigeo Tokuyama, a member of Arao
City Cultural Property Protection Committee investigated thiswith students in Arao Daiichi Junior High School from 1998 to1999.
According to a survey entrusted to the Kyushu Environmental Management Association by the Arao tidal flat conservation and wisdom utilization council in 2014, they confirmed
103 types of Benthos on the Arao tideland.
We exhibited alcohol specimens kept at school at the venue.
Participants who observed the actual benthos specimens gave
us a lot of advice and encouragement words.
We would like to continue our activities so that this “Ooshamisengai” returns to the environment of the Ariake Sea.

There are many arthropods in every list, especially Decapoda. The next most frequent group was Gastropoda, followed
by Bivalvia.
A lot of sand and muddy benthos, which is the characteristicof the Arao tidal flat, were recorded. The benthos of the Arao

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Poster Session II

The Tideland which was Left in the City “HIRAKATA-BAY”
Takuma Ezoe, Noah Honda, Kokoro Nakayama
Biology Club of Kanto Gakuin Mutsuura Junior/Senior High School

We are members of Biology Club at Kantou Gakuin Mutsuura Junior/Senior High School. We have been conducting
nature observations in Hirakata Bay since our inception in
1953. Like other areas in the Tokyo Bay, the Hirakata Bay has
become very smallen because of the landfill but Hirakata bay
is a valuable tidal flat which plays an important role as a stopping point for birds to spend the winter.
Introduction of Hirakata Bay
Hirakata Bay(35degrees 20north east longitude 139degrees
38 minutes) is an elongated bay with a length of about 0.3km
and a width of 1km located in Kanazawa ward, Yokohama city,
Kanagawa prefecture (partly in Yokohama city) It is a small
tideland. There is a 1km square islet called Nojima and it isclose to tip of the bay . It is connected with Tokyo bay by
Nojima water way on the south side and Nojima canal on thenorth side. The narrowest part of the bay is only 6km and it canbe said that sea water exchange is unlikely to occur in Hirakata
bay because of the closed nature. In this bay where the sea
exchange is unlikely to occur, the 4 rivers , Miyagawa,
Jijyuugawa river, Takatori river, Mutuura river are flowing in
regularly to prevent the increase of sediment.In the Edo era,the Hirakata bay which flourished as the port of Kamakura,
which was the center of politics at that time, was many times
wilder than the present. It was known as a scenic spot and it
has some coves and 8 scenes therefore the spot was called“Kanazawa Hakkei”.The citizens of Edo (present Tokyo) visited
it for sightseeing. Many painters including Utagawa Hiroshige
painted it as Ukiyo-e landscape paintings. The northern side of
the Hirakata bay became cropland by the first reclamation in
the 19th century and the area near the exit of the bay waslandfilled in the late Meiji era. The Yokosuka Navy Air Corps
was placed there. Furthermore, sediment accumulated in theNojima waterway between Nojima in the tip of the bay and it
closed up, and it was closed in 1966. Instead, the Nojima canal
was dug in the north side of Nojima and it became the only
passage connecting the Hirakata bay and Tokyo bay. At thattime. The southern side of the bay that remained was landfilled and became a residential area, and the Hirakata bay
became its current long narrow water area. Since the 1960s,
the population of Kanazawe ward dramatically has thenincreased, and the domestic wastewater and industrial wastewater flowed into the four rivers, into the Hirakata. As a result,it became a dirty sea. Because of the strength of the closing,
the situation became more severe as the year goes on. The
creatures of the sea floor had almost gone extinct and the
Hirakata bay became famous for the ghosts of deformities.
According to the newspaper at that time, the entire bay had
become a pond of domestic and industrial wastewater .
A large number of sludge was accumulated, a stench drifted,
many kinds of toxic substances including cyan were detected
then and in the 1980s ,Hirakata bay became the “worst marine
polluted water area.The Nojima waterway opened again in1994 and now it has been improved so much that many creatures can live. It became easier to change the sea water, sludge
in the bay was removed to some extent, the sewage treatment
facility was established, and inflow of the domestic wastewater ceased. Environmental conservation activities of civilorganizations and fishery cooperatives have also kept it frombeing polluted again.
Currently state of Hirakata bay
1. Wild birds
There are a lot of ducks in winter, exceeding 20,000. There
are Greater Scaup, Eurasian Wigeons, Common Pochards
Tufted ducks, Northern Pintail and so on. And we can see thegroup of Black Coots more frequently. Little grebe, Blacknecked Grebe, Great Grested Grebe have recently come to be
seen frequently. Furthermore, there are Black-headed gulls,
Herring Gulls, Slaty-backed gulls in winter and , also Blacktailed gulls from spring to fall. There are also traveling birds.
For example, Common sandpiper, Dunlin, Ruddy Turnstone
Terek Sandpiper, Grey-tailed Tattler and Lesser sand plover are
seen frequently. Throughout the year, there are many Great
Cormorant, Herons (Grey heron, Little Egret, Great Egret)
There are also many White Wagtail. They spend the night at
bowling alleys.

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Field list in Hirakata Bay (1953-2017)

Frequency A=often B=sometimes C=rarely

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Biological data of 64 years in Hirakata Bay

Frequency A=often B=sometimes C=rarely234

2. Aquatic life
Japanese sea bass are caught at sandy areas and Rockfishes
are caught at the quay area in spring and in summer we cancatch the Surfperch and the Marbled rockfishes. In fall we cancatch the gobies ,the Ocellated octopus, Bigfin Reef Squidand so on. Autumn is the season when you
can observe the most types of creatures. Winter is theseason when organisms in the bay are the fewest, but you cancatch a small number of Righteye flounder and Fat greenling.
In Hirakata bay, the species that we can catch change by yearchanges. Surfperch could be caught a lot two years ago andlast year we could catch a lot of Ocellated octopus. We do not
yet know the cause of such change. Benthic organisms areconspicuous such as clams, hermit crab shells, Common
prawn and so on in Hirakata bay. There are also many kinds ofsea hare and Starfishes, sting ray and ciona sp and so on.
Therefore, we think Hirakata bay is diverse.
3. Environment
We heard heard from people related to fishery that there is
still sludge in the soil of the Hirakata bay because the terrainof the Hirakata bay is easy to eutrophize. There are some years
when red tide occurs. The transparency in winter is high compared to summer and we can see the bottom better. Since theincoming river was treated with sewage, it has been kept
clean. That it is not so different from other waters of Tokyo bay.

What Hirakata bay is
Hirakata bay has experienced water pollution. It is a narrowand shallow watershed with a bad odor so there should be an
option to make the Hirakata bay a residential area.However,Hirakata bay still remains. It is now a place for people to relax
and we can fish and there are enough clams that we can goshell gathering. Hirakata bay is valuable as one of the tides leftin Tokyo bay, but it may be forgotten because it is too small.
Even though there is the worst environmental destruction, it
can be revived, on the other hand it is difficult to restore thecontaminated places.Hirakata Bay makes us realize these two
aspects and for these reasons, Hirakata Bay is a valuable
ocean. We think that it is important to raise our voice in orderto get more attention to this area . We will continue to observe
the situation of Hirakata Bay through investigation of birds
and fishes, and will continue to act as a body that will care forwhatever changes may happen.

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Poster Session II

Activities of the Shisei Junior High School Biology Club

—Our hometown builds on the beautiful tidal lands, levees and canals—
Takahiro Araragi, Riro Ozaki, Chika Nakao, Emi Omagari, Toru Koga, Mao Eguch
Shisei Junior High School Biology Club, Saga, Japan

Introduction
In this presentation, members of the Shisei Junior HighSchool Biology Club will introduce our activities. The school islocated in Kubota Town, Saga Prefecture, close to the Ariake
Sea.
The biology club was established this year in the school.
One purpose is to contribute to inshore fishery resource conservation. We have also regularly studied the culture, history
and environment of our home town in a general studies classcalled “Shisei-gaku.”*1 To study our town further and contribute to community activation, we conducted the following four
activities in cooperation with the Shisei-gaku study group*2:(1) Open Seminar; (2) Field Work; (3) Development of Fish
Breeding Method and Release Activity; and (4) Cultivation and
Growth Experiment on Endangered Species ”Suaeda japonica Makino.”*1 
Shisei-gaku is a class at Shisei junior high school. In
2014, students developed educational materials for Shisei-gaku in cooperation with teachers and local specialists, and current students are now using the materials.
*2 
Shisei-gaku study group was established as a pilot
project by the parent-teacher association this year. The
aim of this group is development of Shisei-gaku study
program, including field work, open lectures and symposiums with local people.
Method & Result1) Open Seminar
We held a seminar for local citizens. We invited a lecturer
from a local museum and asked him to give a lecture about
the original landscape of our town (Fig.1).

Fig2. Sewage treatment

3) Development of Fish Breeding Method and Release Activity
We investigated how to raise larvae from the Ariake Sea andGenkai Nada in breeding tanks placed in our school (Fig.3,
Fig.4).
We decided that if we were able to grow the larvae into
adult fish, we would release them to back to the Ariake Sea
and Genkai Nada.
Fig.3 Measuring total length andFig.1 Open Seminar

Fig.4 Indoor Breeding

2) Field WorkWe visited the Saga City Sewage Treatment Center and Saga
Aquaculture Promotion Center to study their operations (Fig.2,
Fig.9). We also learned about an integrated water management system constructed in the 1600s (Fig.8).

4) Cultivation and Growth Experiment on Endangered Species“Suaeda japonica Makino”
We conducted freshwater growth experiments to preserve
Suaeda japonica Makino (Fig.5, Fig6), which grows in communities in endangered tidelands (Fig.7).

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Paralichthys olivaceu

Ruditapes philippinarum

Discussion
As above, we have learned about our town and achieved
some good results with community activation. Through these
activities, we understood that if we want to study our town, it
is effective to receive direct guidance from local specialists.
Our theme in the second half of this year is to plan and hold a“Symposium for Measures of Community Development” withsome students, government officers and specialists. We will
also hold the “Second Field Work and Open seminar.” Subsequently, we will have an opportunity to evaluate outcomesand plan improvements of the learning program which has
been conducted in cooperation with related parties this year.
On-site learning of old soil leveeFig.5 Suaeda japonica Makino during cultivation

Fig.6 ColoredFig.8 Old Fi levees and canals

Fig.7 Suaeda japonica Makino growing in the tidal flats of the estuary

Fig.9 Fishing equipment of Ariake Sea and Ariake Tidelands

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Poster Session II

Using Art in Engaging and Enabling the Public
to Act to Conserve Wetlands
Yi-Fen Jan, Chin-Ling Wu, Shih-Hung Chen
Wild Bird Society of Taipei Guandu Nature Park Office

Introduction
Guandu is situated at the confluence of flowing rivers andbrackish water in Taipei, Taiwan. This estuary wetland is a great
habitat for a rich variety of organisms, attracting flocks of
migratory birds. An agricultural landscape with largest and thelast rice paddies of Taipei City is still being kept in this region as
well. In 2001, Guandu Nature Park was established to serve asa biodiversity shelter and an educational center which offers
high-quality services, an ecological richness, diverse education programs, and public participation activities.
In recent years, Guandu Nature Park has devoted itself toadopting an art-based approach to engage the public in
knowing the values of wetlands and biodiversity. Already awell-managed wetland reserve and a leading wetland education center in Taiwan, Guandu Nature Park is still striving tofind innovative ways to expand its influence to a wider public.
During the experience of organizing an environmental art
event, the Park has discovered that by using art as a medium
for transmitting ideas of environmental protection can have a
different communicate effect to inspire people to take action.
Why This Art Project Is Started
Dating back to 2006, the Park started the Guandu International Outdoor Sculpture Festival as a way to finding back visitors with the circumstance of the avian flu outbreak in 2005.
The pandemic disease has made the public panic about
getting near to birds therefore further prevent them from visiting the Park. The art festival became an alternative solution
at the moment to weaken the strong impression of the connection between Guandu Nature Park and birds. It also opened
up an opportunity to re-emphasize that Guandu Nature Park is
not merely a “bird park” but actually a “wetland center.”
Meanwhile, new audiences such as art-lovers were attracted tovisit the Park for the first time. The event was held annually byinviting international artists to create eye-catching, site-specificinstallations using natural or eco-friendly materials. Many art
volunteers were also specially recruited to participate in theprocess of artwork creation. It has successfully created a buzz for
the Park and gained its popularity gradually among the public.
The core concept of this art project is to creating environmentally focused art. Using natural or eco-friendly materials
is a way to express the caring for the environment. It gives
prominence to the concern of human impact to Nature andthe possibilities of choosing a better option. The aesthetic
appeal of the natural world could also play an important role
to rebuild the relationship between human and Nature.
What Are the New Changes
In 2016, after celebrating its 10-year anniversary in the previous year, the event has come to a new stage by resetting its
title into the Guandu International Nature Art Festival. Public
participation, art intervention, and nature conservation are
still the key elements of this event, and it is expected to serve
as a catalyst to deepen the public’s awareness of the environment, as well as care for the local cultures.

Besides inviting artists coming to Guandu to make work onsite (the artist-in-residency program), the Festival has now
transformed and expanded into a complex project combineswith a variety of art, education, and public engagement programs. In order to deepen the participatory experience toacknowledge the core value of this project, both the artist-in-residence and volunteer programs are changed to
involve more explorations of local stories.
A field study trip before the on-site production of artwork is
implemented to the artist-in-residence program. Artist can work
closely with the researchers to better know the ecological, historical and cultural situations of Guandu.The volunteer program
has been changed to involve the exploration of local histories
as well. They are also invited to join the field research withartists such as experiencing the habitat maintenance work.
There are also several educational programs which areco-developed with the partners: The Sound of Wetland (withthe Soundscape Association of Taiwan), Adventure Time in
Shezi (with the Bamboo Curtain Studio.) The Sound of Wetland
program encourages the visitors to perceive the natural environment through listening. Adventure Time in Shezi is a community-based program in cooperation with the Bamboo
Curtain Studio (BCS), an art studio in Taiwan dedicated to promoting cross-cultural exchanges and innovative art practices
among the issues of sustainability and ecology. A series ofactivities related to the aesthetics of life, such as Natural Art
DIY, Nature Fun for Little Kids, and Guandu Walk, has also
been included. All aims to reflect the unique vibrancies of
local history, environment, and culture Guandu area.
In 2017, “With Paths Crisscrossing” is chosen as the annual
theme with the aim to explore the current status of the ricepaddies in Guandu plain among the complex forces thatshape the city. It focuses on the ecological value of the ricepaddies as wetland systems to enhance the biodiversity.
Artists have the chance to meet with a local farmer during thefield trip and to explore the rice paddies from the perspectiveof wetland conservation. These personal experiences arefurther transformed into artworks to tell the local stories.
Next Steps
From 2006-2017, over 70 artists from 26 countries aroundthe world have accomplished 82 pieces of artwork. More than
3,000 volunteers have joined this project. The whole process
can be regarded to stir the public to a greater appreciation of
the importance of urban wetland and nature conservation.
As the issues that Guandu Nature Park faces continue tobroaden, Guandu International Nature Art Festival, therefore,
plays a vital role of engaging people from a sentimental perspective to establish their personal aesthetic experiences in anatural landscape. These experiences might be a key toencouraging people to change and act. The interdisciplinary
dialogues and interactions happening during this art project
have also inspired each participant to reflect upon their own
relationship with the land.

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Photo 1. Artists are invited to create a site-specific installation using natural or recycledmaterials. Art volunteers are recruited to participate in the creating process as well.

Photo 2. A field study trip before the on-site production of artwork is implemented to theartist-in-residence program. In 2017, Artists have the chance to meet with a local farmer
during the field trip.

Photo 3. The field trip experiences are further transformed into artworks to tell the local
stories and have more connections to the place.

239

Poster Session II

Increasing Capacity of Local Communities to Implement Wetland
Conservation and Eco-DRR and EbA Activities in the Laguna de Bay
Region and Marikina-Pasig River Watershed
Amy M. Lecciones, Wilhelmina C. Ricamunda, Zenaida M. Ugat, Aaron JM Lecciones,
Jose Carlo H. Quintos and Darry Shel M. Estorba
Society for the Conservation of Philippine Wetlands, Inc.
Background and Objectives
In 2014, The Society for the Conservation of Philippine Wetlands, Inc, with support from The UPS Foundation embarked
on an initiative aimed to increase the capacity of local organizations to take actions for wetland conservation that will contribute to the effective reduction and management of disasters
and help in implementing ecosystem-based climate change
mitigation and adaptation measures. Its focus was on enhancing organizational capacity to craft strategic projects, manage
them efficiently and effectively and access resources towards
the desired outcome of a resilient and climate change-proof
wetland community.
Objectives
The general objective of this project is to increase the capacity of local organizations to take actions in wetland conservation that will contribute to the effective management of naturaland human-made disasters and help in implementing climatechange mitigation and adaptation measures. Specifically, itaims to:• Assess the readiness of local organizations to embark on
wetland conservation measures.
• Improve project management skills of local organizations.
• Engage the local communities in wetland conservation
activities in the Marikina – Pasig River – Laguna de Bay
Region.
• Help local communities in accessing resources forwetland conservation activities.
Beneficiaries
Ten local organizations composed of fisherfolks, environmental groups, local media, and DRR-focused NGO fromareas vulnerable to disasters in the Marikina-Pasig River andLaguna de Bay area were selected as participant to thisproject. These participant organizations were selected according to a set of criteria that ensure that they will be significant
actors in the conservation of Laguna de Bay or Marikina River.
Each organization had two (2) participants for a total of 20 participants.
The organizations are the following:
1. Green Movement of Angono, Inc. (GMAI)
Angono, Rizal
2. Ugnayan ng Mga Samahan ng Mangingisda at
Mamamayan ng Rizal, Inc (UGMARIZ)
Taytay, Binangonan. Angono, Cardona in
Rizal Province
3. Kapatiran ng Malalayang Maliliit na Mga Mangingisda
sa Pilipinas, Inc. (KAMMMPI Rizal Chapter)
Based in Tanay, Rizal
4. Mangingisda Alyansa ng Pila, Inc. (MAPILA)
Pila, Laguna
5. Bulod Tao, Inc.
San Mateo, Rizal
6. Friends of the Seven Lakes Foundation, Inc. (FSLF)

San Pablo, Laguna
Environmental Broadcast Circle (EBC)
Pasig City
8. Green Steps, Inc.
Pasig City
9. Tanay Environment Foundation (TEF)
Tanay, Rizal
10. Bagong Ugnayan ng Kababaihang Aalagaan ang Lawa
(Bukal)Based in Cardona, Rizal.
7.

Project Components
Component 1: Learning about wetlands, ecosystem services
derived from them as well as the threats and ways to conserve them;
Component 2: Assessing the readiness of local organizations
to embark on wetland conservation measures through a participatory capacity needs assessment
Component 3: Designing and implementation of modules toimprove their project management and resource mobilization
skills; andComponent 4: Implementing wetland conservation measuresby proposing an activity (or a project) that will be given seedfund by the SCPW.
Approach and Methods• Lectures, mentoring sessions, sharing of experiences,
practical application of learning experiences in real situations including a field visit to an example of a best practice activity• In-house training sessions, office practicum sessions,cross-visits, and actual project implementation.

Training Modules
Module 1: Preparation and Organizational ProfilingThis module starts with an orientation meeting-workshop
where the project will be introduced, the roles of the participants, and basic concepts about wetlands and wetlands conservation will be discussed to provide the context.
After an introductory session, the participants go back totheir offices and work on profiling their organizations using atemplate. This gives the trainers the information on whether
the local organization has the necessary permits, an updated
vision, mission and goals and an action plan to reach theirgoals. This is done for 2 weeks.
Module 2: Organizational Readiness
The participants report on their organizational profiles andpresent actions on how to complete the items in the checklist.
Learning Sessions covers lectures and practical workshops on
obtaining the required permits, visioning and action planning.
This is a 3-day in-house session.

240This is followed by in-office follow-up work for the completion of the updated vision, mission and action plan whenapplicable. Permits that have to be secured will be relayed tothe concerned person in the organization and commitment on
when to get them will also be secured.
Module 3: Project Development and Management
The third module deals with project development and management. This is an in-house session of 3 days. Based on theorganizations’ VMG and the area where it operates, the participants undergo interactive project development and management sessions. It starts with sharing experiences to level off
and then followed by lectures to equip them with the basic
concepts, skills and tools needed for effective project development and management. The sessions includes lectures andworkshops on topics such as the logical framework analysis,
the project cycle, strategic planning, action planning, among
others.
Module 4: Resource Mobilization and Sustainability
This module focuses on financial readiness of the organizations to embark on sustained wetland conservation activities.
This is a 3-day module that tackles proposal preparation andsimple business planning activity for sustainability. Lecturers
from grant-giving agencies and organizations such as theUnited Nations Development Programme – Global Environment Facility- Small Grants Programme, Philippine Tropical
Forest Conservation Foundation, Foundation for the Philippine Environment, Foundation for Sustainable Societies,
among others, are invited to present their portfolios that these
local organizations can access. Alternatively, the participants
may visit several of these funding organizations to meet theofficials of the donor agencies and observe how they work.
Each participant-organization will come up with a mini
project proposal amounting to P20,000.00 for implementation
within 3 months. The proposal should be responsive to the
problem or issue identified in Module 3. These will be evaluated by the Resource Persons and upon approval, theP20,000.00 will be released by the project.
Module 5: Communication and Sharing of Best Practices(Actual Site Visit)
Communicating the results of the training itself and themini-project funded by this project is essential so that learnings are documented and shared. This is another 3-day
in-house session and the output is a compendium or newsletter that will contain documentation of the participant’s projects and will be published online at the SCPW website.
Additionally, there will be a training on simple website development so that the participating NGOs/POs can have theirwebsites on the internet. The project will facilitate the hostingof the individual websites.
As an application of their learnings, the Project allocatedP20,000.00 (USD500) to fund an activity proposed by eachorganization. Among the projects proposed and implemented
by the beneficiary organizations are:units relief and recovery effort in times of disasters should be
able to save and help themselves before outside assistancearrives.
2. Increasing the Awareness on Wetlands Conservation andLivelihood Opportunities of Lakeshore Communities of
Cardona, Rizal
This projects aims to minimize the infestation of water hyacinth in the Laguna de Bay region, specifically in the four
Barangays of Cardona, Rizal, through training sessions, learning events, practical demonstrations, and actual practice of
wetlands conservation activities which may result to increased
livelihood opportunities for the local communities.
3. Gill Nets Production to Increase Livelihood of Fisherfolks
The money will be used to buy materials for making gillnets. Thirty members of KAMMPI will initially receive the gillnets that they can use for more or less one year. Each member-beneficiary will pay the association P10/weekday for 6
months to completely pay the cost of the gill net. The association will roll-over the funds to buy more materials andincrease the number of beneficiaries. After the second cycle,
KAMMPI will set aside a certain percentage of the proceeds tofund other activities of the organization.
4. Mitigating the Devastation of Knife Fish in Laguna de Bay
MAPILA will initiate a startup mitigating measure among
fishermen, which hopes to address the concern of scourging
knife fish in the biodiversity and local economy of the Laguna
Lake. This will initially employ a pilot case of 10 fishermen in
Pila, Laguna using gill nets to retrieve the knife fish in thearea. The fishermen will sell the retrieved knife fish to BFAR,
which would then be processed into feeds and other products.
5. Establishment of Greenhouse for Vegetables, Native andFruit Trees Seeds Nurturing
Buklod-Tao will create a modest green house that is essential for the protection of plants being nurtured and to mitigate
the bad effects of climate change. This Greenhouse is also a
conventional structure in any gardening and plant nursery
efforts because of its contribution on increasing the probability of successful yield of plants. Since Greenhouse ensureshigher survival rate of plants, this can now complement to thetarget of the organization to have a higher production to meetits demand, especially for vegetables and tree seedlings.
6. Gen Y: A Youth-Oriented Cable TV Show
FSLF will produce a youth orientated TV show that will beshown via local cable network. This intends to disseminate
information on the latest youth events and developments withparticular focus on the environment. This will also showcase
youth interests in the arts and culture, social media and promote
youth activism in San Pablo City and in Laguna Province.

1. Community-Based Early Warning System (EWS)
This project aims to capacitate communities in Angono,
Rizal that are most vulnerable to impacts of natural disasters.
Experiences in DRRM shows that community preparedness
and early warning systems enables communities for early
evacuation thus minimize death tolls. Those communities
remotely located from the center of the local government

7. Forum on Community Wetland Conservation and Sustainable Livelihood
The Environmental Broadcast Circle (EBC) proposes toundertake a 2-component project of community scoping,stakeholders’ forum to: a) Engage the Lake stakeholder
groups in a discussion on wetlands conservation and sustain-

241
able livelihood; and b) Generate recommendations for holisticplanning for conservation and livelihood projects (e.g., communication plans, policy recommendations).
8. Rainwater Harvesting for Alternative Domestic Water
Supply and On-site Storm Water Management for Groundwater Recharge and Wetlands Ecosystems Conservation
Green STEPS will retrofit a rainwater harvesting (RWH)
system from the roof catchment of a 3-storey multipurpose
structure in barangay Banaba, San Mateo, Rizal. This will
employ simple technologies that are doable and beneficial tothe community and its environment. The project aims to help
people learn to value, harvest and store rainwater, manage
their rainwater and on-site storm water and enable them topractice wise use and management of water resources andwetlands ecosystems.

Resource Mobilisation Module

Web development training

The other two organizations (BUKAL and TEF) did not complete their projects within the time frame of the project.
Outputs and outcomes
The trainee-organizations updated their registration documents, ie business permits;• They enhanced their vision and mission statements andintegrated wetland conservation and Eco-DRR and EbA
concepts in their strategic and action plans• They were able to access and leverage funds and otherresources from various sources.
• The trainee-organizations provided counterpart fundingthat sometimes exceeded the seed fund provided by the
SCPW.
More importantly, they were able to understand and appreciate the relationship between the integrity of wetlands andthe vulnerability of local communities to disasters and otherimpacts of climate change. This realization urges them to do
more to conserve their local wetlands.

Project of Buklod-Tao : Green House

Profiling of participating organizations

Project of Green Steps: Rainwater harvesting

Organisational Readiness Workshop

242

Poster Session II

Ramsar Biwa-Kids Ambassador Project
Shigekazu Ichiki*, Kana Hatta*, Ryo Onoue**, Daisuke Nakamura***,Yumiko Nomura****, Munetsugu Kawashima******International Lake Environment Committee Foundation, **Shiga Prefectural Government, ***Shibukawa Elementary School,****
Yuta Elementary School, *****Shiga University

In Shiga Prefecture, there is Lake Biwa designated as
Ramsar Site. The Shiga Prefectural Government has hosted“Biwa Kids Ambassador Project” (Biwakko Project), an environmental education program targeting children to support
sustainable environmental conservation effort and to train
younger generation for the future of Lake Biwa since 2008.
The International Lake Environment Committee Foundation(ILEC) has been entrusted with this project since 2015. Prof. M.
Kawashima, Mr. D. Nakamura, Ms. Y. Nomura and other guest
lecturers have been engaged as educators of this project.
Here, we make a presentation about what this program is andhow it works.
The missions of the Biwa Kids Ambassador are;
1. To learn the importance of Lake Biwa and let the children
in the other area know it.
2. To let the children in Shiga know what Biwa Kids learnedin the national or international exchange activities.
Six to ten students(10-12 year old) selected from the elementary schools in Shiga Prefecture, participated in thisprogram each year. For the achievement of the missions, they
have learned about the living things in paddy fields and traditional fishing methods in/around Lake Biwa, and have madefish dished.
In 2015, six students (10-12 year old) selected from the elementary schools in Shiga participated in this program as the
Ambassadors to learn about “lakes and their food culture”.The
highlight of the program was an international exchange activities in November held in Chiang Mai, Thailand, in collaboration with the universities and elementary schools. Before
visiting Thailand, the Biwa Kids learned about Lake Biwa, andits food culture and traditional fishing methods.
They experienced a traditional fishing method in Lake Biwa,
and several cooking lessons using the lake’s endemic fish. But
by fishing with beach seine, they knew what they caught was
mostly invasive species such as large mouth bass.
One of the recipes they learned was how to prepare
Funazushi, a fermented sushi made with crucian-carp , which
tastes like blue cheese. They enjoyed not only interesting tasteof the food but also discovered the importance of environmental conservation and the value of local food culture passed
down through generations to generations in the Lake Biwa
basins.
The Biwa Kids visited Chiang Mai, Thailand in November,2015. They participated in the exchange program themed on“lakes and their food culture” jointly organized with the local
elementary schools and universities. The six kids successfully
made presentations on what they had learned about theirhome-town lake, Biwa and its food culture. Another mission
they have proudly completed was to cook Japanese foodusing ingredients purchased from the local market. They
enjoyed tasting what they prepared (such as miso-soup,fish-flavored rice, and tempura, etc.) and also discovering an
exotic flavor of the Thai food prepared by Thai children.
In 2016, the study theme was “to learn about rice farming,
irrigation and creatures around rice pads.” Newly selected six
Biwa Kids went to local rice fields to find various creatures in
the channels, and were dispatched to Bali, Indonesia, where
the 16th World Lake Conference was held. The kids attended

the lectures on Balinese culture and Subak at the Udayana
University, and then headed north to the Subak Sembung,one of the Subak sites, where they explored various aquatic
creatures. They experienced a lot of memorable moment likean enthusiastic welcome at the local elementary school andan impressive opening ceremony of WLC17.
After their return to Japan, the Biwa Kids reported theiryear-long activities to Vice-Governor of Shiga Prefecture, andto other students at their schools. Through the precious experiences, they have become more aware of the environmental
issues.
The successful execution of the project made us convincedthat these kids would play important roles in conserving theenvironment of Lake Biwa in their future.
This November, newly selected ten Biwa Kids will study
Lake Biwa and attend the kids program which will be held in
Arao-higata, Ariake Sea just before the AWS.
This summer, present Biwa Kids had meeting with ex-Biwa
Kids who were high-school or university students. They
studied environmental study and some of them would like towork at environmental project.
Workshop in Shiga Pictures No.1 to 4
Pic.1

Pic.2

243
Pic.3

Pic.6

Pic.7

Pic.4
Pic.8

International Exchange Activities Pictures No5 to 8
Pic.5

Report Meeting with Vice-Governor Picture No.9

244

Poster Session II

The Effectiveness of Simple Questions during Nature Observation
for Promoting Development of Self-Expression:
A Suggestion for ESD through Nature Observation
Masumi Kimoto, Hideharu Masuda
Nature Saga[1] T he aim of the presentation and introduction of thesubject of activity, Nature Saga
In this presentation, we aim to show the importance of
encouraging children to express themselves through natureobservation.
The view of this presentation is based on the nature observation activity organized by Nature Saga.
Nature Saga is a voluntary group that nurtures a love of
nature through nature observation. The primary members of
Nature Saga are nature observation instructors certified by
the Nature Conservation Society of Japan (NACS-J).
The activities of NACS-J are science based, and Nature
Saga is also trying to pursue a growth of scientific understanding of nature as NACS-J liaison to Saga prefecture.
The members of Nature Saga have expertise in various
kinds of fields which cover many types of natural environment
in Saga prefecture, and each member organizes nature observations focusing on what he/she loves.

findings on October 31.
The proportion of “dislike” is high in “To present one’s own
thoughts and opinions”
Elementary school ( 46% )Junior high school ( 57% )High school ( 69% )The result of “The 63rd School Reading Survey” conductedby the National School Library Council (National SLA) etc.
The survey was conducted in June 2017, 9924 answers wereobtained from 102 public schools nationwide from fourth
grade elementary school to third grade elementary school.
It is said that compared to children in other countries, Japanese children tend to be poor at expressing their thought andemotion and communicating with strangers. It have been
pointed out for decades.
What has been pointed out as a general tendency for many
years is the result that appears as statistical figures. As theage goes up, the vocabulary should be abundant and ability to
express themselves should be enriched, but the result showsthat children do not like to demonstrate it.
Self- expression that children are not good in is likewise notgood at adults, and is also said to be a social character andbehavioral tendency of the Japanese.
This has been mainly attributed to the communication strategy of Japanese society, so-called high context society. In
Japanese society, it has been deemed desirable to advancethings with tacit understanding rather than spending a lot oftime on discussion.
However, there are some countries and societies as well asin Japan, reticence may be regarded as virtue.
[3] Is there a correlation between children’s reading comprehension and self-expression?
However, with regard to the cause, the possibility fromanother point of view is now emerging.
The results of the International Academic Examination(PISA) in 2015 revealed that the comprehensive reading abilityof Japanese children has declined. Not a few education officials have pointed out an increase of children who cannot
understand the content of textbooks.
We would like to point out the relationship with negativity
to self- expression, or sense of repulsion as mentioned above,as one possibility of cause of reading comprehension decline.
Experts point out that vocabulary is becoming less likely toincrease due to the fact that nuclear familization has reduced
opportunities for adults to have conversation in their families.
Reducing opportunities for communication with people of different age may also be considered as one of the causes.

[2] W hy children dislike self-expression and how nature
activity can tackle the problem?
According to a survey on learning methods for elementary
school students, junior high school students, and high school
students nationwide, it turned out that there were more children who dislike self- expression to announce their thoughts
and opinions as the age got higher. The educational newspaper, which is a specialized media on education, reports on the

Is it difficult to express themselves because it is poor understanding ability?
Or, does passive feelings on self-expression reduce themotivation for understanding?
It is not certain which is the cause or the result, but it isanticipated that there is some relationship.
Weakness of self-expression and comprehension is aproblem in Japanese education.

245[4] We believe nature experiences have a positive impact on
the brain development.
So we ask children simple question they like to use theirbrain to answer.On the other hand, the hypothesis that
outdoor activities will have a positive influence on children’s
brain development has been pointed out since more than 20
years ago.
For example, in 1996 a research about the outdoor activities
of children reported by the ITOCHU Memorial Foundation.
In addition, brain science has been discussed significanceof nature experience in outdoor activities and collective activities education.
Despite several research studies on this hypothesis, theeffect of outdoor activities on the development of the brain
has not been fully confirmed. Among education officials, there
are those who evaluate it and others who do not.
Nonetheless, even if scientific evidence is not sufficient, if
people look at the children who enjoy in outdoor activities,
they will be convinced that effect.
In nature observation of Nature Saga, we focus on self-expression by children that is said Japanese are not good at, andwe try to set up questions to draw out the children’s self-expression at observation sessions.
We think that it is desirable to make questions as simple aspossible and to ask questions that can be answered even by
pre-school children.
Especially at the beginning, it is important not to ask questions to answer correctly, but to set up questions to draw
answers that children want to express what they like in thenature.
[5] T he importance of the environment that can meet variousorganisms.

First, we aim to foster basis that children express what they
like in front of people. Creating a program that foster scientificobservation is next step. The ability to guess and get insightcome later as they observe natures properly.
It is very important for children to meet their favorite creatures. Even if only limited vocabulary, children try to talk about
what they like. If they are small child, the reactions are very
direct, and if they get older, they may refrain from talking withembarrassed emotions that are common in adolescence, but
if they only encounter a good listener they can speak eloquently.
Wetlands where various organisms such as plants, aqueous
insects and fish, etc. can live are preferable environments fornature observation and it is expected that various programs
will be developed in the future.

Nature Saga has been organizing nature observation in the
middle area of Kasegawa (or Kase River) that runs from thenorth to the south of Saga city, and Tafusegawa (or Tafuse
River), the tributary of Kasegawa. Those rivers and wetlandsof riverbeds are two of the most important focuses of Nature
Saga’s observations.
One member has been holding nature observations withvarious citizens for about 12 years on the rice fields in the tributary around Kasegawa and Tafusegawa. And Nature Saga
also has over 12 years of experience observing the Tafusegawa Riparian Park.
[6] Nature observations that parents and small children canparticipate together.
In recent years, Nature Saga has organized observations forfamilies with small children, because we believe that environmental education is the key to our goal, which is nature conservation.
Nature Saga members, as nature observation instructors,

246
provide support to parents who carry their children, or pushthem in strollers so that they can participate in nature observations. Reducing the parents’ limitations is a very important
step when starting to get into nature.
Wetland of middle area of river is a great place to conduct
environmental education, because it is easy to access fromresidential areas of Saga city and it has a great diversity ofnatural creatures.
Giving parents and children the opportunity to meet something that truly inspires them during the observation is very
important. The middle area of the river has various kinds ofplants, aquatic insects, fish and birds. So the possibility ofcoming across something they find interesting is high.
[7] Anyone can talk in public if there is something to tell
To make the experience special, we often give goals to thechildren on the tours such as “find your favorite creature” or“let’s discuss what you see at the end.”
Asking simple questions at the beginning of the tour isimportant. Small children who have just started speaking
several words sentences can answer if the goals are simple
enough.
At the end of the tour we ask the group what they liked, andthe small children, while nervous in front of the group, often
manage to answer. Parents get to witness their child’s ability
to communicate grow, as the children develop their expressiveness. This makes it an important memory for everyone.
Not a few young parents who participate in our natureobservation did not have experiences in the nature when they
were younger. They grew up in a time of economic growth,where test scores and exams were the most important.
Japanese society has been preoccupied with those values
for a while. But in recent years, people have thought more
about coexisting with nature. Additionally, we are starting torealize that healthy brain development makes us smarter individuals than test scores.
[8] Self-expression is not nurtured by textbooks in the classroom.
A simple question and answer session during nature observation is valuable to the development of a children’s motivation to express themselves. We believe that nature observation
will increase the effectiveness of environmental education forsustainable development as a whole.
Self-expression is not nurtured by textbooks in the classroom but is nurtured in nature. Just as ancient Japanese literature like Manyoushu, Kokin-wakashu, Shinkokin-wakashu（万葉集、古今和歌集、新古今和歌集）etc. had developed in nature
every season.

247

Poster Session II

How Can a Senior High School Biology Teacher Contribute to
CEPA Activities at the Arao Tideland
Hiroshi Matsuura
Kumamoto prefectural Taishi senior high school

Currently, I am a teacher of biology at Kumamoto Prefectural Senior High School. This high school is also close to the
Arao tideland, which was registered a wetland of the Ramsar
Convention on July 3, 2012. It is on the east side of the central
part of the Ariake Sea.
What I can contribute as a CEPA activity in this Arao tideland
is to let many people know about the tiny living creatures in the
tidal flats and the importance of tideland ecosystem diversity.

First of all, as a biology teacher at a senior high school, I
suppose that the activities with our high school students
themselves are CEPA activities.
The school name was Kumamoto Prefectural Arao HighSchool in 2012. I started scientific research on Benthos of the
Arao tideland as a subject of “task research” which the scienceand mathematics class will take for 2 years. From the beginning, I received a lot of support from the people related to WIJ
and the secretariat. The theme of the research was as follows.
In the classes from 2012 to 2013, “Research on the Arao tidal
flat”. In the class from 2013 to 2014, “Think about Arao tidal
flame from the crab’s mouth.” Classes from 2014 to 2015 are“Benthos of Arao tidal – Livelihood separation, coexistence,
symbiosis -”.

248This research won the best award in the west Japan,
Tyuugoku, Shikoku, and Kyushu district, high school scienceand mathematics department, issue presentation announcement meeting. In addition, we presented a poster titled“Growth and burrows of Japanese mud shrimp (Upogebia
major) in the Arao tidal flat” at an annual conference of theJapan Association of Benthology in 2016.

Today, the Taishi senior highschool science club is studying therelationship between temperatureand benthos in the Arao tideland.
In addition, we are doing activities
that arouse interest and teach theimportance of wetlands to those
who do not know about the Arao
tidal flats.
Our students joined some activities as volunteer staff so that many
children could enjoy contact with the Arao tidal flats andbenthos living there. I would like to support and raise this
CEPA activity through Taishi senior high school science club’s
activities for several years until my retirement age.

Next, I’d like to contribute increasing opportunities to teachabout the tideland ecosystem diversity and the importance ofword-of-mouth communication.
I have been researching with senior high school students so
far and I was able to meet many people who participate intidal flats and wetland conservation activities. And I had theopportunity to work with the people of “the Arao tidal flat conservation ∙ wisdom utilization consultation meeting”. For
example, I joined the activities to plan and manage the eventsat lecture and cultural centers, “participation in improving the
Arao tidal flat as a fishing ground”.
I’m engaged in activities to better understand the Arao tidal
flats by connecting children with young generations and large
people on many occasions. I would like to contribute to connecting the people who I got aquainted with, the stakeholdersof the Ariake Sea, by making use of the Waterfowl and Wetland
Center of the Arao tidal flat planned by the Ministry of theEnvironment and Arao City. I would like to make use of “agreement formation” I learned with Suncheon City with my students.
I believe that this can be done after retiring as a senior highschool biology teacher.

249

Poster Session II

Habitat Use of Some Siberian Warbler Species at a Stopover Site
in Far East Russia
László Bozó1, Wieland Heim2, Tibor Csörgő3
Department of Systematic Zoology and Ecology, Eötvös Loránd University, 1117 Budapest, Pázmány Péter sétány 1/c, Hungary, e-mail: bozolaszlo91@gmail.com
2
Münster University, Institute of Landscape Ecology, Heisenbergstraße 2, 48149 Münster, Germany, e-mail: wieland.heim@uni-muenster.de
3
Department of Anatomy, Cell- and Developmental Biology, Eötvös Loránd University, 1117 Budapest, Pázmány Péter sétány 1/c, Hungary, e-mail: csorgo@elte.hu
1

Introduction
In general, passerine migrants seem to use a wider range of
habitats at stopovers compared to the breeding season,
behaving as generalists in terms of habitat selection (Chernetsov 2006). Knowledge on the habitat use of Siberian songbird species during migration is very limited (Forstmeier et al.
2001, Egorova et al. 2009, Alström et al. 2011, Bozó 2015),
while their preferences during the breeding period and fromtheir wintering sites are known better (Round et al. 2014, Ayat
& Tata 2015). This is also caused by lacking information regarding their migration routes, and in contrast to the situation in
Europe, there are just a few ringing stations in East Asia,
where it could be examined.
Materials and methods
The goal of our study was to examine the habitat use of
warblers (Thick-billed Warbler Iduna aedon, Black-browed
Reed Warbler Acrocephalus bistrigiceps, Pallas’s Grasshopper
Warbler Locustella certhiola, Yellow-browed Warbler Phylloscopus inornatus, Dusky Warbler Ph. fuscatus, Radde’s Warbler
Ph. schwarzi, Pallas’s Leaf Warbler Ph. proregulus) on an
autumn migratory stopover site in Far East Russia. For this wehave ringed 3776 individuals of seven species between 2011
and 2014 on the fall migration periods within the Amur Bird
Project at Muraviovka Park. The variety of vegetation of Park
area provides an opportunity to examine habitat use of migratory species. The birds were trapped with mist-nets, whichwere placed in different habitat types: homogeneous reedbeds, sedges and grassy swamps interspersed with willows
and raspberries, rich shrub-layered mixed forest, very dense
scrub and stubble.
Results
The average vegetation height at the nets was between one
and seven meters. The number of Thick-billed Warbler (R2:
0.8066), Black-browed Reed Warbler (R2: 0.5236), Pallas’s Grasshopper Warbler (R2: 0.6599) and Dusky Warbler (R2: 0.489) correlated with vegetation height, while no significant correlation
between the height and the number of trapped individuals wasfound for the other species. A strong correlation was found for‘reed warblers’ (R2: 0.7444), while no significant correlation (R2:
0.1474) for ‘leaf warblers’. We identified at least one habitat typefor every species, which is used during migration. The most
avoided habitat was the weed (6 out of 6 species). ‘Leaf warblers’ mostly used the woods and bushes, while the ‘reed warblers’ avoided those type of habitats as instead of the mentioned
they preferred reeds, grass and sedges.
The Black-browed Reed Warbler used mostly the reed-beds,
as well as grass and sedges, while the Thick-billed Warbler
used the same habitats and the bushes. The Yellow-browed
and Pallas’s Leaf Warbler occurred mostly in the woods, while
the Radde’s Warbler preferred the bushes. The Dusky Warbler
used rather the bushes, the grass and sedges. The Thick-billed
Warbler preferred reed, grass and sedges habitats, but regularly occurred in the bushes as well. The Pallas’s Grasshopper
Warbler has no strong habitat preference, but mostly could befound in reed-bed, grass and sedges.

Discussion
Siberian warbler species are known as regular vagrants in
Europe (Pfeifer et al. 2007, Bozó et al. 2016), however, only
limited information is available regarding to their traditionalmigration and their habitat use en route. In East Asia, thenumber of natural habitats (particularly the wetlands andwoods) has been drastically reduced and illegal trade andhunting of birds poses a serious threat even to once common
species (Kamp et al 2015, Edenius et al 2016). Thus, knowledge
on year-round habitat use of migratory species is crucial totheir conservation in future. Our results show that all thestudied species have specific patterns of habitat use, which
are most likely related to food preferences and foraging
methods. Usually migratory passerines seem to use wider
habitat preferences during stop-overs compared to breeding
period, behaving as generalists in the habitat selection(Barlein 1983, Chernetsov 2006). In contrast, our 7 species use
the same habitat and it high the importance of the protectionof a wide variety of habitats. Each species use a special habitat
both on migration and breeding time, which most likely
caused by differences in foraging methods and preferred
food. Three out of the 7 species regarding to the wetlands on
migration as well. Unfortunately the wetlands are one of themost endangered habitats of East Asia. If the number of thesehabitats will decrease in future, the population of these
species might decrease as well. Similar measures would beneed on the complete migration route.
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Alström, P., Saitoh, T., Williams, D., Nishiumi, I., Shigeta, Y., Ueda, K., Irestedt,
M., Björklund, M. & Olsson, U. (2011) The Arctic Warbler Phylloscopus
borealis. – Three anciently separated cryptic species revealed. Ibis 153,
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Ayat, A. & Tata, H. L. (2015) Diversity of birds across land use and habitat
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Sumatra. Indonesian Journal of Forestry Research 2(2), 103-120.
Bairlein, F. (1983) Habitat selection and associations of species in European
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Poster Session II

Post-Project Appraisal of Urban Wetland Restoration:
A Case of Mangrove Restoration Project in Jhongdou Wetlands Park,
Kaohsiung City, Southern Taiwan
Po-Hsiu Kuo1 & Hsiao-Wen Wang2
1.
2.

Institute of Ocean Technology and Marine Affairs, National Cheng Kung University, China (Taiwan)
Department of Hydraulic and Ocean Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, China (Taiwan)

Concomitant with the proliferation of landscape projects
including objectives of ecosystem restoration, there has been
an increasing recognition of the need to use lessons learned
from existing projects to guide the design of future projects.
Numerous projects have been accomplished by trial and error
practices, an extremely inefficient learning strategy. Thus, astructured and systematic evaluation method such as
Post-Project Appraisal (PPA) is needed. PPA can evaluate restoration schemes in relation to their compliance with design.
PPAs allow restoration success to be defined both in terms of
the scheme attaining its performance objectives and in providing a significant learning experience, thereby improving
future restoration designs (Downs & Kondolf, 2002).
This research aimed at applying PPA method to understandthe compliance with the design of Jhongdou wetlands park
and the lessons learned. Jhongdou wetlands park is located in
the central area of Kaohsiung city in southern Taiwan. It occupies 12 ha and is 2.5 km from the estuary of Love River nearby
Kaohsiung harbor. Through an urban renewal process thispark was restored from an abandoned plywood factory
capped with landfill to an eco-park in 2011. It was designed tofunction as one key patch of Kaohsiung Wetland EcologicalCorridor. The multiple functions of this park include landscaping, recreation, environmental education, flooding detention
and habitat restoration.The tidal area where Kaohsiung harbor
situated was once having the most huge population and themost diverse species of mangroves in Taiwan (Hu, 1959), but
all mangroves disappeared after the harbor exploitation in
1990s (Chen, 1997). This ecological background inspired thedesigner of Jhongdou wetlands park to define the core design
strategy of the park as creating an urban habitat by restoring
six native mangrove species of Taiwan in the park, including
Lumnitzera racemosa, Avicennia marina, Kandelia obovate,
Rhizophora stylosa, Ceriops tagal and Bruguiera gymnorrhiza.
The latter two species have been extirpated from Taiwan in thepast several decades due to habitat loss. After the park construction completed several monitoring of biodiversity andwater quality was conducted but there was no follow-up concerning mangroves species survival, distribution, and optimal
habitats.
PPA was performed to determine if the original ecotone
planting design of mangroves was successful in assigning thecorrect species to the correct elevation and, therefore, assuring optimum survival, distribution and growth. A survey ofthe restored mangroves to map the distribution of thoseplanted mangrove saplings survived was conducted. Mangrove species, growth status, and abundance were recorded.
Water quality at nine selected locations in the park was measured. The data was analyzed to determine how water quality
influenced each species of mangroves. An interview with thepark designer was carried out to understand the design rationale. Besides, several interviews with stakeholders were conducted to understand the issues on and the factors of theenvironmental changing of the park.The interviewees included
the park manager and a local environmental organization.
The research began with a survey of mangrove distribution

at the site at low-tide to map the current distribution of thoseplanted saplings that had survived. Mangrove species, growth
status and abundance were recorded. Individuals of L. racemosa and A. marina higher than one meter were recorded
and mapped. K. obovate, R. stylosa, and B. gymnorrhiza
higher than 0.5 meter were recorded and mapped since thelatter three species grow relatively slower than the former two
species. Water quality at nine selected locations was measured in December 2013 (Fig. 2). The parameters of water
quality survey included water temperature, electrical conductivity, salinity, pH, dissolved oxygen and turbidity. The data
was analyzed and compared with the data from other monitoring reports to help determine how water quality influenced
each species of mangroves.
The results of mangrove survey indicate that planted saplings of L. racemosa had the greatest range of elevation distribution and grew under the largest range of water quality
parameters. A. marina had the second most widely distribution and tolerance to water quality variation. Both of these
species grew well, but, interestingly, their dominant distribution varied from the original design plan. Specifically, the A.
marina saplings were originally planted in a circle around theeco-island in the center of the park (Fig. 1), but after two years,
it grew spread naturally to the nearby channel bank, close to
the education center and the culverts. However, L. racemosagrew around the edges of the eco-island and replaced planted
A. marina saplings (Fig. 2). Water quality survey data conducted monthly from March 2012 to September 2013 by Kaohsiung Wild Bird Society showed that the salinity in the park
ranged from 11‰ to 31‰. As expected the salinity was relatively lower during the rainy season from June to August (11‰to 15‰) and relatively higher during September to May (23‰to 31‰). Water quality data during high-tide on December
2nd, 2013 showed that the salinity measured at the nine locations in the park ranged from 27‰ to 30‰. Mangroves in
Taiwan are normally found in lower salinity usually only ashigh as 15‰ (Fan, 2006) and 22‰ (Huang & Shih, 2007),
respectively.
Therefore, it appears that the high salinity of the park may
have decreased the distribution and growth of some of theplanted mangroves species. This research hypothesized thatsalinity was one key factor that influenced the distribution andgrowth condition of mangroves in the park. It is likely that the
mangroves that have survived were merely doing so on theupper limit of their salinity range. It might be that during rainyseason, lowered salinity acted as a decreased stressor for the
mangroves saplings and, therefore, may allow for certain
mangrove saplings to not only adapt to the changes in salinity
but also allow them to get strong enough to tolerate future
increased stress (i.e. high salinity).
By reviewing the design rationale, it was recognized that toachieve the objective of restoring mangroves, some ecological concepts were adopted by the designer to create different
suitable habitats for diverse mangrove species by regulating
salinity through introducing tidal water from love river, rainfall and drainage effluent from adjacent communities. Geo-

252
morphological and hydrological factors were less emphasizedin this design. While geomorphological process is an important natural driver that can help designers to create or restore
physical habitats, targeted ecosystems, or to get opportunities for improved landscape aesthetics.
The local environmental organization conducted monitoring in the park voluntarily. The volunteers found the saplingsof K. obovate, R. stylosa and B. conjugata could not survive at
the places assigned. Hence they planted new saplings of thesethree mangrove species at chosen locations empirically.
The park manager and the local environmental organization
both stated that the condition of the drainage effluent and thewater circulation was not good. In addition, water quality regulation has been the toughest task of the park management.
As the three water resources are highly dynamic, the water
quantity and quality in the park are extremely unpredictable.
The complexity of hydrological factors and sediment transportation process makes controlling the water circulation andgeomorphic/ elevation changing more challenging. This could
be the critical restrictions for the designer to assign the correctmangrove species to the correct elevation/ ecotone.
By performing PPA to review the compliance with thedesign, two major lessons were learned: (1) It is critical tohave clearly stated project objectives with specific success criteria. The concept of adaptive management and communication with stakeholders is needed when setting these objectives.
Furthermore, the project objectives should be continually
re-evaluated throughout the entire restoration project. If thedesigner of the original project had collaborated more effectively with other key players and used applied scientifichydrology/ ecology monitoring information to create specified success criteria to reach the goal of ‘optimal conditions
for mangrove growth’, and not just followed the original
objective to ‘enhance nature and build landscape’, then thealternative fresh water resources to regulate the high salinity
or low dissolved oxygen caused by misjudging the quality
and quantity of the water resources could be secured. (2)There is a need for designers to account for wetland restoration schemes in terms of geomorphic compatibility, watershed hydrology and sediment transport processes. If a
designer can incorporate with specialists that deal with restoration schemes, including across disciplines of hydrology,
geomorphology, and ecology, the success of mangrove restoration may be more effective.
Finally, to ensure effective and sustainable growth of mangrove species in the future, it is important to use management
techniques adapting the dynamic changes within the restoration project. To achieve the goals making mangroves not
only survive but to also thrive, managers should monitorchanges within a restoration ecosystem and take action to
respond to the change within the watershed and between theecosystems. By doing so, we may have been able to ensure
the environmental connection of the Jhongdou wetlands park
as a sustainable stepping stone of the Kaohsiung Wetlands
Ecological Corridor.

Fig. 1 Original plan of mangrove planting in Jhongdou wetlands park. Arrows present
the water flow directions. The lines in different colors illustrate different mangrove
species. Purple line: K. obovate. Red lin: R. stylosa. Green line: L. racemosa. Yellow
line: A. marina. Orange line: C. tagal. Pink line: B.conjugata.

Fig. 2 The distribution of mangroves surveyed in 2013. The distribution of L. racemosa andA. marina switched banksides naturally, totally differed from the original design plan.

253

Poster Session II

Landscape Design and the Evaluation of The Artificial Wetland
at the Nishinotani Dry Dam Reservoir in Kagoshima, Japan
1

Tomoko Minagawa, 2 Yukihiro Shimatani , 2 Hironori Hayashi, 1 Atsushi Tanabe
1Kumamoto University, 2 Kyushu University

River-floodplain ecosystems (Sparks et al. 1990) haveextremely important roles in biodiversity. However, connection of ecosystems of rivers and flood plains were disturbed
by the levee construction and land development, about 43%
of Japanese aquatic plants are noted in the red data book ofJapan (Kakuno 2012) and many floodplain-dependent species
are in danger of extinction. The restorations of floodplain ecosystems have been far more important
to be dealt withurgent issues in conserving biodiversity in Japan (Washitani2007).
The Nishinotani Dam is located at 9.2 km point from themouth of the Shinkawa River in Kagoshima city in southernpart of Kyushu Island, Japan. The dam is a dry type dam which
has a non-operated drain for flood control and stores water
only during floods (Fig.1, Fig.2). The Shinkawa River flows
through the city of Kagoshima and frequently flooded. The
kagoshima prefectural government constructed the Nishinotani dam to prevent flood damage in May 2013. The embankment height of the dam is 21.5 m, the bank top length is 135.8
m, the catchment area is 6.8 km2, the flooded area of the dam
reservoir is 0.13 km2 and the total water storage capacity is793,000 m3.
The team of Kagoshima Prefecture and our researchersplanned to install a biotope by using a dam reservoir that does
not submerge at all times in the dry dam. We planned nine
ponds, some waterways and terraced paddy-field-shaped
wetlands (Fig.3). The diameters of the pond are about 30–55
m, the depth of the pond are about 0.2–0.7 m and the glandlevels are set for a frequency of floods of once a year to once
every five years. The ponds are designed to have different
conditions such as water qualities, sauce of organisms anddisturbance force by running water and sediment. These biotopes are constructed in accordance with excavation to ensure
flood control capacity.
The frequency of flooding of the biotope is higher for thedownstream and lower for the upstream. This difference inflooding frequency appears as a difference in intensity of disturbance.
In Australia, there is an example of installing small biotope
in a reservoir dry dam, but it is the first time in the world thatlarge-scale biotopes such as the Nishinotani Dam is installed
in a reservoir of a dry dam. When we designed these biotopes, we collaborated with local residents through workshops. At the workshops, local residents, local officers,
researchers of Kumamoto University and Kyushu University
exchanged information on the old scenery, river shape,
events, living things, natural environment, and livelihood at
the Nishinotani area (Fig.4). While sharing information, we
extracted basic elements of design direction and importantelements. The original scenery of the residents of the Nishiniya area is a satoyama landscape with paddy fields in thevalley, a lot of eels (Anguilla spp.), loach (Misgurnus anguillicaudatus), fireflies (Lampyridae sp.) and shrimps ( Macrobrachium spp.) lived and the children swam in the river. The
design was carried out based on this information.
By six months after the completion of the Nishinagaya dam,
we conducted biological surveys and confirmed important following species, Cybister tripunctatus orientalis (Fig.5)., Och-thebius inermis, Chara braunii and Oryzias latipes.
We recorded 35 species of aquatic insects including 9
species of lentic aquatic coleopterans adapted to floodplain
wetlands, which were once widely found in paddy fields andreservoirs, but in recent years they have drastically decreasedby the field development and agricultural chemicals and manyare selected as endangered species. Aquatic community
structure of biotopes inflowing river water and stream waterfrom small valley were different. The diversity of such biotopes provides habitats of animals and plants, and it will playa role in the conservation of endangered floodplain-dependent species and biodiversity.
Concrete revetment of the river in the reservoir was
removed and soil bank is exposed and the nests of kingfishers(Alcedo atthis) were confirmed in March 2014. The biotopes in
the reservoir erode and accumulate due to the influence offlow, and the topography gradually changes.
The Nishinotani Dam is located in Kagoshima city where theprefectural office is located, and it is also an environmentally
important position for urban residents. Not only the neighbors, but also people who go for walks and jogging from thecity area are increasing. It can be expected to be used as aplace for environmental education and bird watching. The creation of floodplains wetlands utilizing dry dam reservoirs has
the potential to bring environmental, social and economic
value other than the intrinsic purpose of the dam.

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Fig. 1 Biotope situation of the Nishinotani dam

Fig. 2 Location of the Nishinotani dry dam in Kagoshima city

Fig. 3 View of the Nishinotani dry dam

Fig. 4 Workshop for design of the reservoir

Fig. 5 Cybister tripunctatus orientalis

255

Poster Session II

Practice of Nature Restoration in Sarobetsu Mire
Takio Sano, Akitaka Iwata, Boyo Ota, Tomoya Miyahara
Asia Air Survey Co., Ltd.

Introduction
Located in the northern part of Hokkaido, the Sarobetsu
Mire is one of Japan’s largest high moor. It was formed in thedownstream area of the Sarobetsu River over a period of
4,000 to 5,000 years. Once covering a vast area of 14,600 hectares stretching approximately 27 km north to south and 8km
east to west, the wetland area decreased drastically as a resultof large development projects launched in the 1960s. The
remaining wetland became desiccated because of these land
use changes in surrounding areas. In order to restore the original state of Sarobetsu Mire, the Sarobetsu Nature Restoration
Project is being implemented by the Ministry of the Environment.

Efforts against wetland drying
A distinctive approach taken in Sarobetsu Mire is the conservation of wetland along the drainage channel. At an important part of the Sarobetsu Mire, excavation of the drainage
channel was begun in 1961 to prevent floods in the Sarobetsu
River. The removed soil was pumped out using a dredger andthen laid on the banks of the channel. Drainage ditches werealso dug to remove the moisture from the excavated soil. As aresult, the groundwater flowed out to the drainage channel
and caused desiccation, thereby changing the vegetation
along the channel from high moor vegetation dominantly
covered with sphagnum and wild cranberry (Vaccinium oxycoccus), to Moliniopsis japonica communities. Ochiai-numa
Pond near the channel also dried up.

Fig.1 Changes of wetland area in Sarobetsu moor
Fig.3 Aerial photos before and after development

Fig.2 Location of the core of Sarobetsu MireIn order to prevent the degradation of the remaining highmoor vegetation, efforts are being made to damming thedrainage ditches to prevent the lowering of groundwater levelin surrounding areas. This has been highly effective in Ochiai-numa Pond; these operations will restore the water level
and thereby reduce the lowering of groundwater in a wider
area. Observation after damming has confirmed the rise andstabilization of the groundwater level around the pond andcontinues to monitor the restore progress of high moor vegetation corresponding to this.
Fig.4 Simulation results of groundwater level before and after damming

Fig.5 Damming the drainage ditch with embankment

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Fig.6 Location of groundwater monitoring
point

Fig.7 Current state of Ochiai-numa

Fig.11 State of peat mined site

Fig.12 Transition of vegetation recovery test site

Fig.8 Trend of groundwater elevation

Fig.13 Vegetation cover rate in each type from 2011 to 2015

Revegetation at the peat mining site
Another unique approach in Sarobetsu Mire is vegetation
restoration at the peat mined site. Peat mining at Sarobetsu
Mire started around 1970 and spread over 150 hectares mainlyin the high moor area during the following 30 years. The peat
sucked up by the dredger is pumped to the factory, and after
the fiber for use as a soil conditioner is filtered out, the remaining muddy water is returned to the site of mining. Many finehumic substances contained in this muddy water, these
became massed together in the process of being returned tothe site of mining and formed a pasty floating island. Thisfloating island that covers some mined sites has a property
that the surface easily flows when rain falls and it dries
extremely if the fine weather continues, because it is composed of fine humus. For this reason the plants have notrooted for many years, and they have been left as bare places.

Fig.14 Changes of vegetation coverage in each test site

Fig.9 Progress of peat mining

Fig.10 Mining dredger

There were several places where white beak-sedge roots
from the margin area to the bare ground of floating island.
From this observation, it was considered to encourage therooting of white beak-sedge first to advance the transition ofvegetation. Therefore, through the demonstration experiments that combine several types of mulching and ruffling,
we have led the most effective method and expanded to theremaining peat mined site left as bare field.
Conclusion
We were able to confirm the significant response of thedegraded high moor in past development projects throughseveral restoration efforts. Nature restoration in the Sarobetsu
Mire is still in progress, and we are promoting the project
adaptively while evaluating the response of the natural environment.
Note: The contents described in this paper were carried out
in commissioned work from the Ministry of the Environment.

257

Poster Session II

Temporal and Spatial Variability of Macrobenthic Fauna
in the High Intertidal Mud Flat of the Ariake Bay
Sakura Maesaki 1, Masumi Koriyama 2, Atushi Nakamura 3, Takuya Ishibashi 3
1.

Graduate School of Agriculture, Saga University, 2. Organization for General Education, Saga University,
3.
Faculty of Agriculture, Saga University

1. Introduction
In Japan, the largest area of mudflats exists in Ariake Bay(96 km in axis length, 18 km in average width, 1,700 km2 in
total area, 20 m in average depth) in western Kyushu, Japan.
Higashiyoka- higata is located at the northern shore of theinner part of the Ariake Bay in Saga City in the south of Saga
Prefecture. Recognized for its value and significance as ahabitat for migratory birds, Higashiyoka-higata was includedin the List of Wetlands of International Importance (the Rmasar
List) in May 2015. It is necessary to preserve the ecosystemand the environment, and to utilize as an environment
resource (Wise Use). However, monitoring data for macrobenthic fauna and its habitat environments are insufficient. Therefore, in order to investigate the temporal and spatial variabilityof macrobenthic fauna and sediment environments in thehigh intertidal mud flat (Higashiyoka-higata), we conductedecological field surveys.
2. Material and method
In order to examine the temporal and spatial variability ofmacrobenthic fauna and sediment environment in Higashiyoka-higata of Saga City, we conducted ecological field surveys.
We collected the data on the population densities of macrobenthic fauna and the sediment environments (redox potential, Chl-a, water content, sediment temperature, organic
matter content, sediment hardness, and bulk density) every
month during April 2015 – June 2017. In the macrobenthic epifauna investigation, five observation sites (S1-S5) werelocated on the Higashiyoka-higata (Fig.1).
Figure 1 Field survey area

We counted the number of benthic organisms that live on
top of the sediment at 10m, 30m, and 60m away from shore of
S1-S5 using laser range finder (Bushnell, Elite 1500). On theother hand, in the macrobenthic infauna investigation, we collected the sediments (25×25×15cm3) at 10m, 30m, and 60m
from the shore of T1. Then, sediments samples were sieved
with a 1mm mesh sieve and the number of individuals and thespecies of macrobenthic infauna were obtained.
3. Results and discussion
Figure 2 shows the spatial distribution of population densities of macrobenthic epifauna at S1 -S5 in 2015 and 2016.
Throughout the survey period, the population density of macrobenthic epifauna was largest at S3, and was smallest at S1(P<0.01, Tukey-Kramer test). There was a marked difference inthe spatial distribution of macrobenthic epifauna at the survey
sites in Higashiyoka-higata. That is, Vertebrate Osteichthyessuch as great blue-spotted mud skipper occupied 54-78% in
S1. In S2-S5, Arthropoda Malacostrace such as Uca arcuata
and macrophthalmus japonicus occupied 64-99%.The average
population densities in 2016 decreased by 10 to 67% compared to that in 2015. Especially in S3, it decreased greatly
from 53 to 76%. The enormous amounts of drifting garbage
with large floods accumulated on the tidal flat in June - July
2016. At the time of removing the garbage on the tidal flats,
Sichimenso community that associated with high density distribution of crab was removed.
Figure 2 Distribution of population densities of macrobenthic epifauna

258
Figure 3 shows the cluster analysis for sediment environment parameters with ward method and the sediment environments in S1-S5. As a result, the sediment environment in
the survey area was roughly divided into three clusters; theeastern part (cluster A: S1, S2), the central part (cluster B: S3)
and the western part (cluster C: S4, S5). The population densities of crab were low in cluster A with high organic matter
content and low oxidation-reduction potential (S1-S2: Eh=202.0- +230.6mV(-31.4 ± 14.20mV) IL600=9.27-25.34% (18.07±
0.41%)). On the other hand, in cluster B and C, the sedimentenvironments with high population density of crustaceans
were lower organic matter content (IL600= 10.79- 26.48 %(16.90±0.27 %)) and oxidized sediment condition (Eh= -163.8460.0 mV (84.3±14.45 mV)) compared to that in cluster A.
These results suggested that bioturbation of burrowing crabs
includes the diffusion of oxygen through burrow walls into
anaerobic muddy sediments and its concomitant enhancement of in situ microbial decomposition.

and 60 m, the proportion of annelida Polychaeta was 61 % and
52 %, respectively. Species diversity of macrobenthic infauna
was calculated by the Shannon-Wiener index (H’).

where S is the number of species and Pi is the proportion of
the cover of species within the sample.
As a result, there were no significant differences in thediversity of species among sampling points (ANOVA, P>0.05;
10 m: 1.20±0.55, 30m: 1.27±0.43, 60m: 1.43±0.43). We suggested that the species diversity of macrobenthic infauna was
not significantly different in Higashiyoka-higata.
Figure 4 Temporal variations of macrobenthos infauna

Figure 3 Cluster analysis (a) and sediment environments of site (April 2015 -December2016) (b)4. Conclusion
Spatial-temporal characteristics of macrobenthic communities in high intertidal zone of Higashiyoka -higata were clarified. In the future, we will set survey points covering the entire
Higashiyoka -higata, and plan to clarify the relationshipbetween the macrobenthic community and the habitat environment in Higashiyoka-higata.

Figure 4 shows the temporal variations of macrobenthic
infauna biomass at 10m, 30m, and 60m from the shore of T1.
The temporal variation of macrobenthic infauna biomass
showed a clear seasonal pattern.That is, macrobenthic infaunabiomass tended to increase in summer and to decrease in
winter. And, there were significant differences in macrobenthic infauna biomass between the sampling point of 10m andthe other sampling points (ANOVA, P<0.05). The macrobenthic
infauna biomass in the sampling point of 10m and other sampling points ranged from 1.67 to 44.67 inds / 252515cm3 (16.61±2.92 inds / 252515 cm3) and 5.67 to 167.33 inds /252515 cm3(51.15±6.29 inds /252515cm3), respectively. The compositionsof macrobenthic infauna among sampling points were different (ANOVA, P<0.05). At the sampling point of 10m from theshore, the proportions of mollusca Bivalvia, mollusca Gastropoda, and annelida Polychaeta were 25 %, 43 %, and 32 %,respectively. On the other hand, at the sampling points of 30m

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Poster Session II

Evaluation of Burrowing Pattern and Burrow Structures of Crabs
in The Muddy Tidal Flat of the Ariake Bay
Takuya Ishibashi 1, Masumi Koriyama 2, Sakura Maesaki 3, Maho Yamaguchi 1,
Atushi Nakamura 1, Haruka Ueki 1
1Faculty of Agriculture, Saga University, 2 Organization for General Education, Saga University,
3
Graduate School of Agriculture, Saga University

1. Introduction
Macrobenthos are common in tidal flat and play a key rolein purification functions. Organic matter decomposition in
sediments may be mediated by the activity of macrobenthos.
They can affect sediments chemistry by bioturbation such as
burrow activity, tube-building, ingestion, defecation, respiration, and mucus secretion. The process of bioturbation, associated with the burrowing and feeding activities of infaunalmacrobenthos, is one of the most important ways in whichbenthic macrofauna modify the physical, chemical, and biological properties of sediments. One of the small crabs such as
U.arcuata is often the dominant macrobenthic species andone of the principal agents of bioturbation in intertidal muddy
sediments. Therefore, the influence of crab bioturbation onmaterial cycle in intertidal flat caused by their activities cannot
be ignored. The objective of this study is to evaluation of burrowing pattern and burrow structures of crabs in the muddy
tidal flat of the Ariake Bay.
2. Material and method
Type up of the burrow structure of crabs and observation of
burrowing pattern of U.arcuata by fixed-point camera wereconducted from August to September 2016 in the intertidal
zone of Higashiyoka-higata located in Saga City, Saga prefecture, Japan(Fig.1). In order to investigate the temporal variation of burrow number of U.arcuata, a 50cm square quadrat
was set up in the tidal flat, and a fixing time-lapse camera(Brinno, BCC100) was set up at 1.3 m above the sediment andphotographed at intervals of 30 minutes.
Figure 1 Sampling point

Burrowing pattern was analyzed and was classified into 4types; existent, survive, newborn, and broken (Fig.2).
Next, we investigated the crab burrow structure. Burrow
casts were obtained using polyester resin (PC-747S, Kyusyu
Toryo Co.,Ltd.). Liquid resin was poured in several burrows.
After several 3 hours, resin casts were pulled out and recovered. In the laboratory, burrow’s depth, length, and surface
area that covered aluminum foil with resin casts were calculated by image analysis using Image J. Volume was detectedwater volume spilled out from container into resin casts.
3. Results and discussion
Fig.3 shows the temporal variations of existent number andsurvive rate of U.arcuata burrows at neap and spring tide. The
number of existent burrows during neap and spring tideranged from 14 to 18 hole/50×50cm2 and from 15 to 22
hole/50×50 cm2, respectively (Fig.3(a)). The existent burrows
number did not change greatly for 1 week in neap and springtide. On the other hand, except the neap tide in August,burrows survived 31-60 % after 1 week (Fig.3 (b)). These results
suggest that more than half of U.arcuata burrows broke in 1
week and simultaneously the same number of newborn
burrows as destroyed burrows were created. Because thehabitat area of U.arcuata is the high intertidal zone, flooding
time is short during neap tide. Thus, there was little turnoverof the burrows during neap tide in August due to the dry sediment condition and the high sediment hardness. However,
the water content of sediment became high and sediment
hardness was small in neap tide of September, because a totalof 190 mm of heavy rain fell on September 18th and 19th. As aresult, burrows turnover might be accelerated in neap tide of
September.
Figure 3 Temporal variations of existent number (a) and survive rate (b) of U.arcuata
burrows during neap and spring tide

Figure 2 Burrowing pattern*Burrows that exist on that day (Existent)*Burrows that exists from the previous day (Survive)*Burrows that new does not exist until the day before (Newborn)*Burrow that collapsed had been there the day before (Broken)

A total of 46 burrow casts were obtained, which U.arcuata
and C. dilatatum burrow casts were 28 and 18, respectively.
The carapace width and wet weight of U.arcuata and C.dila-

260
tatum were 9.0-23.1mm (18.17±0.76mm) and 0.54-13.3g(2.84±0.48g), and 3.6-18.7mm (12.10±1.03mm) and 0.19-3.01g(1.31±0.21g), respectively. There were significant differences
in body size (carapace width and wet weight) between U.
arcuata and C. dilatatum (t-test, P<0.05). Structurally, theburrows consisted of J-shape type and I- shape type (Fig. 4,
Table 1). In the case of C. dilatatum, 65.4% of burrows wereJ-type and 26.9% of burrows were I-type. On the other hand,
J-type and I-type of U. arcuata burrows was 50.9% and 42.4%,
respectively. The burrows depth of U. arcuata and C. dilatatum
ranged from 3.5 to 18.3cm (7.2±0.7cm) and from 3.3 to 14.4cm(7.9±0.9cm), respectively. The relationships between carapace
width and burrow structure parameters were found (Fig.5).
That is, depth, volume, and surface area of burrow tended toincrease exponentially with carapace width.

Table 2 shows the turnover rate and the open diameter ofnewborn burrow of U.arcuata and the estimation of soil-turnover amount by bioturbation of U.arcuata during neap andspring tide. The soil-turnover amount was calculated by turnover rate, open diameter of newborn burrow, and the regression equations among carapace width and open diameter andvolume of burrow. The soil-turnover amount of spring tideperiod was higher than neap tide period. In August and September, soil-turnover amount of spring tide period increased
to about 23 times and 1.3 times that of neap tide period in
August and September, respectively. The calculated soil-turnover amount of U.arcuata for 1 week corresponded to 0.411.0% (5.5±3.8%) of muddy sediment layer ranging 0 to 10cm
depth. We found that that crab bioturbation greatly influences
the material cycle of mudflat sediment in Higashiyoka-higata.

Figure 4 Shape type of burrow

Table 2 Estimation of soil-turnover amount by bioturbation of U.arcuata

Table 1 Parameters of burrow structure

4. Conclusion
In this study, we analyzed the structure and formation
pattern of crab burrows during the summer. We estimated thesoil-turnover rate by bioturbation of U.arcuata. The soil-turnover amount during the spring tide period was larger than theneap tide period, suggesting the influence of the frequency
and duration of flooding due to tides and rainfall.

* BD: open diameter of burrow, BV: burrow volume, Bd: burrow depth, BA: surface area of burrow

Figure 5 Relationships between crab carapace width and burrows structure parameters

261

Poster Session II

The Transition of River Morphology and Minor Restorationin the Kamisaigo River
Takuma Ohno 1), Hironori Hayashi 2), Yukihiro Shimatani 2)
1)

Department of Urban and Environmental Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyushu University, Japan
2)
Faculty of Engineering, Kyushu University, Japan

1.INTRODUCTION
In recent years, it is said that various physical environmentis important for habitats of fish. Many river restoration works
have been promoted in japan. In 2007, technical standards forriver channel planning on small and medium rivers was notified by MLIT (Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport).
By this notification, it has been promoted the creating of newrivers throughout in Japan. However, there are many failed
examples due to the problems caused by our misunderstanding about river flow dynamics. For example, channel narrowing changes the hydraulic environment in river and the habitat
constitution living creatures. For that reason, effective riverrestoration method is not well established. Especially riverenvironment in urban areas is one of the most important tasks
due to loss of longitudinal connectivity and many other influences. Aims of this study are to report the results in detailrecorded about minor restoration methods in river and theprocess of river itself.
2.TARGET RIVER
The project site is in northern part of Kyushu Island, locatedin the south west part of Japan (Fig.1). The Kamisaigo Riverruns through urbanized areas as one of the tributaries of the
Saigo River. The size of a catchment area is 1.88km2. The Kamisaigo river is a sand river derived from granite. The Kamisaigo
river restoration project was started in 2011, and construction
work was completed in 2013.
Fig.1 Target river

3.Research area& method
In this study, we surveyed transition process of river innovated small restoration methods in The Kamisaigo river from2011 to 2016 in autumn. The Kamisaigo river was executed
river restoration over about one kilometers, where installed
various minor restoration at each section. We divided the sections where each minor restoration method is being constructed in the Kamisaigo river by about 50 m intervals, andset four points as the research section (called St. A to D fromthe downstream) and conducted a survey. The minor restoration method being installed in each section is as follows. (Fig.2
Research area)
St.A: Low waterway meandering and log structure
St.B: Low waterway meandering and big rockSt.C: Low waterway meandering
St.D: Low waterway meandering, big rock and solid bank

And we surveyed physical environment survey, and proportion of each habitat. Each research method is as follows.
3-1. proportion of each habitat
We classified the environment within each St. into 5 habitats
based on the landscape feature.
5 habitats: rapids(riffle), runs(riffle), glides, pools, shallows(slacks)
3-2. physical environment
We researched flow velocity, depth of water, basin width,
size of river bed material.
Fig.2 Research area

4.RESULTThe result of the proportion of each habitat became asfollows.
4.1 St.A
Fig.3 and Fig.4 show the transition of the habitat map of
St.A and the transition of each habitat area. In the section
where the log structure was installed from May 2012, theeffect of keeping the stream width was confirmed. Habitat
diversity was improved around the log structure. In particular,
the proportion of pool remarkably increased by having
installed the log structure. Many log structure have been
installed from 2012 to 2014, habitat diversity also improved.
However, most of these was lost by the flood, and only threeremain now. Also, between 2014 and 2016, channel narrowing
was occurring greatly.
Fig.3 The transition of the habitat map of St. A

262
Fig.4 The transition of each habitat area of St. A­Fig.7 The transition of each habitat area of St.C

Fig.8 The transition of each habitat area of St.C

4.2 St.B
Fig.5 and Fig.6 show the transition of the habitat map ofSt.B and the transition of each habitat area. In the section
where the big rock was installed, the effect of keeping thestream width was confirmed. Habitat such as pool and shallow
was formed only around the big rock. The upstream of the bigrock was rapidly expanding, so it formed run in 2016. However,
one of the two big rocks were gradually buried in the soil andthe effects ceased.
Fig.5 The transition of the habitat map of St. B

4.4 St.D
Fig.9 and Fig.10 show the transition of the habitat map ofSt.D and the transition of each habitat area. In this section,solid bank and big rock was installed in 2012. The solid bankhas the effect of diversifying the flow of water at the time of
the flood. Although it is only data for two years, the channel
narrowing was not occurred much. The river channel meandered in two years. About Habitat, Pool was formed aroundthe big rock. In addition, pool and riffle was formed on thedownstream. In 2016, comparing with all section, habitat of
St.D is the most diverse section.
Fig.6 The transition of each habitat area of St. B
Fig.9 The transition of the habitat map of St. D

4.3 St.C
Fig.7 and Fig.8 show the transition of the habitat map of
St.C and the transition of each habitat area. In the section
where the stream flow path was artificially constructed, theflow path was not apt to fluctuate, and stabilize the shape ofthe stream flow path. By having decreased proportion ofshallow and disappeared pool, habitat diversity becamemonotonous.

263
Fig.10 The transition of each habitat area of St. D

5.DISCUSSION
5.1 the transition of every station
Fig.11, Fig.12 shows the transition of river width in every
station and the transition of proportion of pools. From theFig.11, the channel narrowing was occurred in every station
with taking about three years, after that the river width was
relatively stable. After three years, the river width tends totransition while repeating to occurred the river width widening after flood period. In the Kamisaigo River, the river width
was seemed to stabilize at about 2.5 to 3.5 m from the graph.
Also, from 2013 to 2016, proportion of pools area in every
station decreased. in other words, this river after river restoration tended to have monotonous Habitat. In St.A and St.B,
around the minor restoration method such as big rock and log
structure habitat diversity was improved and the stream width
had keeping. Also, in St. D, habitat diversity was maintained
overall. It was confirmed that the minor restoration method
has the effect of keeping the river width and habitat diversity
was improved. And it was suggested that there effects due tothe diversification of water flow by the minor restoration
method. The effect of each minor restoration method is discussed in the next chapter.

For log structure, it was suggested that the formation of
habitat and the effect of maintaining river width vary depending on the angle. According to Hayashi ’s research, it is said
that the direction of flow of log structure changes in the direction of installation, so that it forms pool downstream if it isinstalled in upstream direction and it forms shallow downstream if it is installed in downstream direction. In this study,
most of the log structure installed in upstream direction was
broadly formed pool from just under the log structure to thedownstream. The log structure installed in downstream direction has a slow flowing place in the downstream part although
it overlaps with the deep part, and it was concluded that itsupported Hayashi’s research. (Fig.14,15) In addition, it was
confirmed that most log structure formed pool under there. It
was suggested that the river bed was dug by the dragging
power and pool was formed because the water flows under
the log structure. Regarding the maintenance effect of riverwidth, when installed in the upstream direction, the flowchanges to a flow that scrapes the opposite bank side. Therefore, it suggested that the opposite bank side was scraped andthe local widening of river width occurred at the downstreamside. Also, when the log structure installed in downstream
direction, the flow changes to a flow that scrapes the samebank side. Therefore, it was suggested that the downstream
widens locally. Also, it was found that log structure tends to belost when flooding.
Fig.14 Diversification of water flow by log structure (upstream direction)

Fig.15 Diversification of water flow by log structure (downstream direction)
Fig.11 The transition of river width in every station

Fig.12 The transition of proportion of pools

5.2 The effect of minor restoration method
5.2.1 The effect of log structure
The log structure that had been introduced at the Kamisaigo
river has been installed at various angles to the flow direction.

5.2.2 The effect of big rock
When the big rock is in the center of water route, the flow ofwater changes to downward flow of the big rock front andcurved flow along the big rock side (Fig.13). As the descending
flow collides with the river bed, the front of river bed gravel isrolled up, so that a localized pool can be formed. And thecurved flow erodes the river bank by its flow and preventschannel narrowing. From the above it was suggested that theformation of habitat by the introduction of big rock forms
partial scouring when it is in the center of water route. And it
was suggested that regarding the river width maintenance,
the closer to the center of water route, the more remarkably
the effect is exerted and the range of influence is widened.
When big rock is separated from the center of water route,264
shallow was formed partially. However, such big rock originally had on the center of water route, which has been separated from the center of water route due to transition of theriver channel. Therefore, as time passed further, there wasconcern that it would be buried by channel narrowing. It wassuggested that installed the rock needs measures such as
closing the rock to center of water.

Fig.18 Photograph of downstream section during flood

Fig.13 Diversification of water flow by big rockFig.19 Photograph of St.H section during flood

5.2.3 The effect of solid bank
For solid bank, it was suggested that influencing the flow at
the time of flooding led to maintenance of river width andimprove habitat diversity. In St. H, placing soil discontinuously installs a section that has a smaller cross-sectional area
than other sections. In St. H, sections with smaller crosssection than other sections have been installed by arranging
solid bank discontinuously (Fig.16, Fig.17). For the flow during
floods taken at the same time, we compared the St. H with theother section downstream (Fig.18, Fig.19). During the flooding, the downstream section was monotonous along therevetment. In Compared to downstream section, the flow ofwater route in St.H was changed by the solid bank at the timeof flooding. As can be seen from Fig.16, in the section where
solid bank is installed, the right bank was shrunk when flooding, narrow sections of river width and wide sections had
been made. Also compared to St.B,the flow also was affected
at the time of the flood because of the installed the larger rock.
Therefore, the flow at the time of flooding complicated, and it
seems that the same effect as other minor restoration methods
was demonstrated. However, in this study, I could only graspthat solid bank had an effect on the flood. Future task is toverify the influence of flow by solid bank in detail by hydraulicanalysis or the like.
Fig.16 Position of solid bank and big rock in St.H

Fig.17 Position of solid bank and big rock in St.H

6.CONCLUSION
On the Kamisaigo river, after the restoration, it was revealed
that the river width occurred channel narrowing and Habitat
diversity became monotonous as time goes by. In the section
where the stream flow path was artificially constructed, theflow path was not apt to fluctuate, and stabilize the shape ofthe stream flow path. In addition, in the section where theminor restoration method was installed, the effect of keeping
the river width was confirmed. Also habitat diversity was
improved around the minor restoration method such as big
rock and log structure. However, it was suggested that theminor restoration method requires periodic maintenance. The
section installed the solid bank of a minor restoration method
affected keeping the stream width and habitat diversity theentire section not only around the solid bank. The solid bankhas the effect of diversifying the flow of water at the time of
the flood, so it was inferred having the effect of keeping thestream width and habitat diversity. However, since it is notfind out in this research so far, I think that it is necessary to
conduct a hydraulic analysis in the future.
7.REFERENCES
1. K.Ikeuchi, K.Kanao “The approach and the issue to conservation and restoration for river environment in Japan”, Ecol. Civil Eng. 5(2), 205-216, (2003).
2. H.Hayashi, Y.Shimatani, “A PRACTICE OF STREAM RESTORATION PROJECTIN URBAN AREA AND ITS EVALUATION”, Melbourne, Australia (2016)
3. K.Fujita, John A. MOODY, “ACCRETION OF FLOOD-PLAINS BY WASH LOADDEPOSIT AND RESULTING CHANNEL NARROWING”, Journal of JSCE,
No.551/II-37 (1996), pp47-62
4. H.Hayashi, M.Hattori, “IN-STREAM RESTORATION WORK USING TIMBERLOG STRUCTURE IN KAMISAIGO RIVER”, Advances in River Engineering, 20(2014), pp121-126

265

Poster Session II

Practice of Rebirth of the Tora Area in a Special Emergency Project to Copewith Severe Disasters (abstract)
1

Kiyofumi Kobayashi, 2Hironori Hayashi, 2Yukihiro Shimatani

Kyushu University Graduate School of Engineering/Daishin Co.,Ltd, 2Kyushu University Graduate School of Engineering

1

In the Sendai River basin which flows in Kagoshima prefecture, there was recordable heavy rain mainly in the northernpart of the Satsuma region from July 19th to July 23th 2006.
Total rainfall for 5 days exceeded 1000 mm at rainfall observatory. In particular, the damage of Satsuma Town was enormous.
There were one person dead and three minor injuries, 214 completely destroyed buildings, 367 semi-collapsed buildings and232 inundated buildings. This flood damage was mainly caused
by unprecedented heavy rain. In the downstream part of theSatsuma Town Torai area, there was a narrowed section where
the river channel was curved large. It was pointed out that risingof the water level of this greatly curved river channel part is oneof the factors which caused the damage to be expanded.
On the other hand, similar floods had occurred in the area in
1972. As a result, the residents had a strong distrust againstriver administrators (MLIT: Ministry of Land, Infrastructure,transportation and Tourism). This project was accompanied by aremarkably large scale renovation that cuts waterways of about
250m in extension, 65m in average channel width and 700 thousand m3 of excavated sediment. In addition, the project site isadjacent to shopping districts and residential area in theSatsuma town. For this reason, we had to fully consider the
impact of river improvement project extending to an extensionof 2.0km on the lives of the local residents. For that reason, it
was necessary to inherit the history and culture of the area, tomitigate the impact on natural landscapes and ecosystems, andto fully consider the utilization methods after the reconstructionin advance.
In this paper, we introduce the Sendai River river refurbishment project which was carried out by participating residents inthis Torai area. Specifically, the concept of planning design, thelandscape hydraulic model experiment used to study the flood
effect and the natural environment accompanying the division
channel opening, the consensus formation process with thelocal residents, the maintenance management after the completion and the utilization I will introduce the situation in the local
area.In the area, floods occurred two weeks after the completion, but the water level observation station supports the safetyof the region, such as a water level drop of 0.8 m is confirmed.
After that, six years have elapsed, flooding flows repeatedly
from 3 to 5 times each year in the waterways, and now a new
wetland space to be a habitat area is also created. In the 2.0 km
river refurbishment section, a masonry protection stone utilizing construction-generating materials, a waterfront walking
path incorporating universal design, a waterfront space thatthoroughly preserves the sea, the foothills and the waterfront
are also completed, and local residents and NPOs There are also
many regional event by event. With this project as the opportunity, moves are also underway with the view of regional creation, such as expansion of neighboring prefectural parks,
community development connecting creeks and towns, tourism
projects to experience the nature of the Sendai River basin.

Study on River Improvement Technology in High Gradient River Using Masonry Groin
For Environmental Conservation (abstract)
Muneyuki Nakaji, 2Rei Itsukushima, 3Yukihiro Shimatani

1

Department and Urban and Environmental Engineering,Kyushu University, 2Department of Decision Science for sustainable Society, Kyushu University,
3
Department of Urban and Environmental Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyushu University

1

Nature friendly river improvement technology of midstream
is generally established. However, the technology of high gradient river or mountainous stream is not established due to large
velocity and attractive force during flood. We studied to design
nature friendly river channel of the Oide River (located in Nagasaki city) which is steep high gradient river.
We tried to design a river channel that can flow flood occurred
once in thirty years in safety and create habitat of aquatic biota.
We used masonry groin as a riverbank defense method.
However, groin design technology system is not established.
Accordingly, we conducted physical, movable-bed model. The
physical model was scaled 1:50 applying the Froude’s law. To
investigate energy dissipating effect of groin structure and fluctuation of river bed after the flood, the experiments combination is conducted 24 experiment cases. We conducted
experiments changing of left bank groin size (4.0m,7.3m,notinstalled), groin distance (15m,20m,25m,30m) and occurrence
probability of flood (1/30 and 1/10). Regarding the right bank, agroin of sufficient size was necessary to protect the right bankriver bed. Accordingly, the right groin size was unified at 8.8m in
all cases. Measurement items are water level which are measured at intervals of 20m at three points on the left bank, thecenter and the right bank, flow velocity which are measured
between groins at the three points similar to the water level andphotogrammetry to evaluate fluctuation of river bed.
As a result, left bank groin size of 7.3m was unsuitable because

inundation occurred in the upstream part of the right bankregardless of groin distance. The phenomenon is thought to be
due to the fact that the river bed rose locally and the flow crosssection decreased compared to the groin size is 4.0m when leftbank groin size is 7.3m. The right bank flow velocity of the casewhich left bank groin size are 4.0m and 7.3m were smaller thanthat of the case which left bank groin is not installed regardlessof measurement point. This means that the flow velocity reduction effect by the left bank system also affected the flow velocity
on the opposite bank. The case which left bank groin is notinstalled, excessive river bed scour was occurred at the left bankriver bed. Therefore, we determine the left bank groin size of
4.0m as most appropriate. To decide optimal distance of groin,
we evaluated the experiment in the case of left bank groin sizeas 4.0m.
As a result, in the case of 25m water route formed after flood
was moderately meandered (sinuosity:1.06) and various habitats such as riffle-pool structure were expected to form after
flood. Finally, from the viewpoint of flood control, river bed
scour and environment, we decided that the left bank groin sizeof 4.0 m, the right bank groin size of 8.8 m and the groin distance of 25m are optimal as the structure of the groin system.
As a result of this study, it is revealed that masonry groin is
important element technology to design the environment consideration river channel in high gradient river.

266

Poster Session II

Should We Go Alone, if We Want to Go Fast?
Should We Go Together, if We Want to Go Far?
A Discussion of Sustainable Cooperative Efforts among Registered and
Non-Registered Wetlands (abstract)
Hiroshi Tomida, 2Eiji Sawada

1

Manko Waterbird and Wetland Center, 2Faculty of Economics, Kyushu Sangyo University

1

Old African proverb says “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want
to go far, go together.” Could we apply this proverb to the wetland conservation cooperation? Ramsar sites registration increases concerns
about the wetland and biodiversity conservation in the registered area,
but is also expected to bring various regional financial profits ranging
from increasing tourism revenue, community development to promotionof persons who have significantly contributed. In Japan, By some
aspects, they might be competitors and by some aspects they might becooperators. Then, how does each wetland develop a cooperative relationship? And in what case could they develop the sustainable cooperative relationship? We classify the stakeholder structures into four cases,
and examine which case could explain the actual wetland conservationcooperation well and in which case could sustainable cooperation be
developed. Classification of stakeholder structures is based on two different properties of the regional profit of Ramsar sites registration. One
is the correlation between profit and order of registration. If the registration profit has the “first in time, first in right” structure, then earlier registered wetlands would earn more profit and registration would becomeless attractive for the non-registered wetlands. The other is the correlation between profit and the number of registered wetlands. If increasing
number of the registered wetlands would make the Ramsar sites lessdistinctive, smaller number of the Ramsar sites would bring greater
profits to the registered wetlands. From these two properties, we havefour stakeholder structures; Case1: earlier registered wetlands earn
greater profit and growing number of the registered wetlands increase
the profit, Case2: earlier registered wetlands earn greater profit but
growing number of the registered wetlands decrease the profit, Case3:
earlier registered wetlands earn fewer profit and growing number of theregistered wetlands increase the profit, Case4: earlier registered wetlands earn fewer profit and growing number of the registered wetlands
decrease the profit. Within these four structures, both cooperation
between registered wetlands and non-registered wetlands, and among
non-registered wetlands are only expected in Case 3. Combining the fieldstudies in Ariake sea and Okinawa islands, we apply every cooperation
type in study area, international cooperation, national cooperation, local
cooperation, to one of four stakeholder structures, respectively. As far as
our studies, while many cooperation among registered wetlands andcooperation among geographically apart areas are observed, there are
few regional cooperation. In geographically close areas, their profits arestrongly linked and the both effect of the order of registration and thenumber of registered wetlands would become significant. Hence,
regional cooperation has the Case1 or Case 2 stakeholder structures andthat is the reason why only few cooperation are observed. Based on theabove discussions, let us again consider the proverb noted in the beginning. By arranging in the context of wetland conservation cooperation,
we can say “If you want to be registered earlier, then you would go alone
without any cooperation among non-registered wetlands.” And further
can say “If you want to be registered together, then you would develop acooperation between registered wetlands and non-registered wetlands.”
And finally, we have to add extra, “If you want to develop both cooperation between registered wetlands and non-registered wetlands, andcooperation among non-registered wetlands, then policy makers should
redesign the stakeholder structures to make Ramsar site registration is
profitable for later registered wetlands as well as the earlier registeredwetlands.”

Develop and Startup ESD Activities for Rehabilitation ofMangrove Forests in Malaysia (abstract)
Takuji AraiJapan-Malaysia Association
Since year 1995, Japan-Malaysia Association (JMA) has been planting
depterocarpaceae tree species for reforestation purpose in Sarawak,
Malaysia. Together with the Forest Department of Sarawak and local
communities, we have been conducting not only tree planting but also
maintenance, raising seedlings and also environmental education activities. Based on this experience, JMA is planning to develop and startup
ESD activities for sustainable rehabilitation program of mangrove forests
in cooperation with local universities and communities in Malaysia.
At this moment, Kuching Wetland National Park, Sarawak and Merbok
Mangrove Forest Reserve, Kedah are proposed area for our project.
Kuching Wetlands National Park, located 30 km from Kuching city, wasgazette as national park in 1992 and covers an area of 6,610ha. The park is
composed of coastal, marine and freshwater ecosystems.
The park is home of at least three predominantly arboreal primates,
the endangered proboscis monkey, the long-tailed macaques and the silvered langurs. White-bellied sea eagles, mudskippers and horseshoe
crabs are also present. Otters and the Irrawaddy dolphins can also besighted. On nearby Mount Santubong, hornbills can be seen.
Merbok Forest Reserve is located about 1 hour drive north from
Penang. Merbok F.R., which is made up of 18 compartments with a total
area of 4,176 ha, is under the jurisdiction of the Kedah Forestry Department.
Merbok F. R. consists of 32 species of trees exclusive to the mangrove
ecosystem, and has been considered as one of the most floristicallydiverse mangrove sites in the world. The FR also harbors a diverse arrayof fauna, most prominent are its bird communities where about 80
species have been recorded including migratory species. Other inhabitants include several species of primates, reptiles and a high number ofcommercially-important aquatic species occupy the estuarine river ecosystem.
In the both area, the mangrove and river ecosystems play an important role in providing livelihood for fishermen and the surrounding

village communities. Some of the villagers and fishermen comprise of
low income households. However some parts of mangrove forests havebeen degrading in effect of urbanization and development in the botharea and it has been big concern on sustainability of ecosystem and biodiversity in the future.
We have had discussion with experts of Universiti Malaysia Sarawak(UNIMAS) and RCE Penang, Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) several
times for the future cooperation. At this moment, we are planning to start
restoring forest in Kuching Wetland National Part with the Forestry
Department, UNIMAS and local communities from next year.
Potential activities are as follows;
1. Reforestation activities at degraded sites with participation of local
communities.
2. Establish mangrove seedling nursery as a stock for mangrove reforestation sites. The project’s nursery can also be a supplier of mangrove
seedlings for other mangrove reforestation projects in surroundingarea.
3. The proposed reforestation project can be a platform to train local
communities in silviculture, tree care, forest management, communication skills, and other relevant skills.
4. The proposed reforestation project can be an educational tool for local
schools, visiting schools and universities to learn about mangrove ecosystem and conservation.
5. The proposed reforestation project can be used to conduct outreachand awareness programs to visitors, and the public at large.
6. The proposed reforestation project can be a platform for ecotourism
and contribute to the growing ecotourism activities.
7. Establish a mangrove environmental/educational gallery and it will be
the center of ESD program in the future.
8. Hold seminars at university to share experience with schools, NGOs
and other related bodies and print leaflet for publication.

267

Poster Session II

Continuable Hydrological Monitoring with High Data Availability (abstract)
1

Yoshiyasu Fujimura, 2Yoshiki Yamamoto
R and D center, 2Nippon Koei Co., Ltd.

1

Wetland play important rule such as supporting biodiversity, hydrological buffer, and climatic buffer. Hydrology is the driving force
behind wetlands and their important functions, while it is quite variable because input/output of water can be affected by both natural andanthropogenic factors in and around wetland. Therefore, hydrologicalmonitoring is essential for wetland management.
Most important requirement for long term monitoring is continuities
in terms of cost, measurement facilities, and technical easiness. If measurement facilities are fragile, continual data collecting is difficult andfrequent maintenance should also rise running cost. Technical easinessis particularly important in case of monitoring by non- professional.
After data collecting, the data should be used for evaluating
wetland hydrological condition. It is preferred that evaluating wholewetland hydrology based on data from limited observation point. To
make it possible, water flow in whole wetland should be consideredwhen determining location of observation point.
In this presentation, we introduce hydrological monitoring system
which is developed for a small peatland, Nishibetsu mire, as an example.
Water table measurement have been carried out in cooperation withlocal government officer and professional engineer in this mire.
Nishibetsu mire is located in cool temperate area in northern mostisland Hokkaido. The mire has an area of about 7.4 ha, lies at altitude
30-35 m, and receive avg. 1135 mm/yr of precipitation. The mire is designated as natural monument as a habitat of endangered tree species
Betula ovalifolia. Therefore, local town should keep mire condition
which allow the tree can maintain its population. The aim of hydrological monitoring is to capture the hydrological change in the mire, and toprovide suggestion about factor of hydrological change for further
detailed investigation.
To consider contents of monitoring and location of observation, fol-lowing investigations were carried out: ground level survey, water
depth measurement in many point, measurement of ground level
fluctuation, reconnaissance to seek in/outflow path, seepage/springof water, structure which affect water flow such as drainage ditches
and sheet pile. Based on these investigation, we determined contents
and location of monitoring as follows: groundwater level measurement at only two observation point. One observation point is locatedat area where hydrological head is highest (higher observation point,
HOP), while the other point at area where hydrological head is lowest(lower observation point, LOP). Hydrological component at HOP mustbe simple because HOP receive water from only precipitation. Therefore, monitoring data at HOP is easier to interpret than other area
where hydrological component is complex. Data at LOP coupled with
HOP is expected to be used when considering whole wetland hydrology such as water retention regime.
To capture the hydrological change from monitoring data, wedeveloped a coupled tank model which simulate water level fluctuation at both HOP and LOP. This tank model is calibrated by two seriesof observation data, making a small improvement in the fault of traditional tank model which use many physically uncertain parametersagainst only one series of calibration data. Using this model, we caninterpret the monitoring data regardless of amount of precipitation.
To get suggestion about factors of hydrological change, we develop
a three- dimensional ground water flow model which simulate not
only water level at HOP and LOP but also water flow of whole wetland.
And additional simulations are carried out under the possible situation. For example, if one of the surrounding ditch will be deeper, waterlevel at HOP will be drawdown whereas that at LOP will not change.
Such scenario analyses greatly improve monitoring data availability.

Water Quality of Malaysian Tropical Reservoir Associated with
Aquaculture Activities (abstract)
Muzzalifah Abd Hamid, Harith Mokhlas, Siti Norasikin Ismail, Mashhor Mansor
School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia
In October 2008, a large scale of aquaculture project was initiated attropical Temengor Reservoir, Malaysia due to its vast area and favorable environmental conditions. The fish cage culture was operating
within 100ha of the Aquaculture Industrial Zone (AIZ). The zone was
identified by Perak Fisheries Department. The objective of the aquaculture industry at Temengor Reservoir is to produce a high quality oftilapia fish species that can be commercialized to local and international high- profit market. Although the positive economic impact ofaquaculture is well acknowledged, however, the associated negative
impacts on the environment cannot be overly emphasized. Without
proper planning and management, the establishment of aquaculture
could degrade the surrounding environment. Based on previous
studies, aquaculture activities may contaminate the lakes and reservoirs due to the water discharge from the cage itself which contains ahigh concentration of nutrients and suspended solids. Therefore, theaquaculture sector must be well-managed and monitored to avoid
any environmental degradation towards the Temengor Reservoir.
As there are limited documentations on the impact of aquacultureon this tropical reservoir, hence this limnological study was conducted on the water quality status and phytoplankton community at
Temengor Reservoir as the elucidation of the current lake status could
reflect the influence of tilapia cage cultures. A total of 15 sampling
points were established and assessed along the aquaculture zone to
examine the trend of water quality changes between the sites thatwere near to the fish cages versus those 5km away at a 1km interval.
Evidently, among the physical parameters, transparency, dissolved
oxygen and pH values were slightly lower in the stations with cages,
while other parameters were relatively similar at all sampling points.
From the water analysis, apparently, the nutrient concentrations arecomparatively higher at aquaculture zone and decreased slightly at
sampling points more distant from the cages. The higher concentra-tion of nutrients was attributed to the nutrient leaching from uneaten
food pellet, fish excretion and decomposition of nitrogenous andphosphate compounds.
Besides, the chemicals substances such as vitamin and antibiotics
that were used to increase the aquaculture production might as wellcontribute to loads of nutrients.
Evidently, the higher concentrations of nutrients and chlorophyll ahave contributed to the higher abundance of phytoplankton especially at the aquaculture zone. There were 21 phytoplankton species
recorded in this study. The dominant phytoplanktons were Staurastrum sp., Cosmarium sp., Cyanodictyon sp., Peridinium gatunense, P.
inconspicuum, Staurodesmus sp., Tabellaria sp. and Desmidiales sp.
Based on the trophic state index (TSI), the aquaculture zone iseutrophic. Perhaps it is estimated that an occurrence of an algal
bloom will be resulted due to the high levels of eutrophication. Algal
bloom could bring many negative impacts on the lake ecosystem andsurrounding such as creating unpleasant scenery, foul-smelled
blooms and altering water quality by increasing acidification, turbidity and decreasing oxygen availability which will induce the sufferingof aquatic life especially the native fish communities. Fortunately, thetrophic state at sampling points with no cage culture is still in mesotrophic state. However, the concentrations of nutrients and chlorophyll a at Temengor Reservoir were still within the acceptable limit ofwater pollution as the aquaculture waste could slowly sink to deeper
depths. This resulted in low concentrations of nutrients as comparedto other previous studies conducted in other areas. Hence, the localized water quality observed here has not led to any detectable environmental problem so far. Nevertheless, proper control andmanagement need to be imposed in order to avoid total destruction
the lake ecosystem.

268

Poster Session II

The Study of Grey Water Footprint of Organic-Rice Cultivation
for the Lower Central Plain Management in Thailand:
Case Study in Nakhonchaisi District, Nakhon pathom Province (abstract)
Chotika Ya-anan, Werachat Chatpanyacharoen
Faculty of Environment and Resource studies, Mahidol University
The lower central plain in Thailand has usually been used for agriculture, especially rice cultivation because of the suitability of geography
and the productivity of water body. The information from Rice Department, Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives in Thailand has beenshown that the rice cultivation area of the lower central plain in 20162017 is approximately 381,856.8 hectares or the third rice cultivation
area of Thailand.
To have good quality and quantity of rice cultivation, it depends on
many factors. One of the essential factors is the plant’s nutrition fromfertilizer. It has been clearly seen that mostThailand’s farmers have usedthe chemical fertilizers that contribute to the environmental problems
whereas some farmers have used organic fertilizer instead. So, thisstudy aims to research about organic fertilizer under the study’s hypothesis ‘Does organic fertilizer also has an effect on the environmental
problems andThailand’s lower central plain management?’ by using the
calculation of grey water footprint as an indicator. The grey water footprint is one of water footprint types. It is defined as the volume of waterrequired to dilute polluted water (A.Y. Hoekstra and A.K. Chapagain,2011), in this case, is water polluted from natural organic fertilizer. The
study area is located in Nakhonchaisi district, Nakhon Pathom province
which is the part of Thailand’s lower central plain.
Rudimentary field research was asking the information about organic-rice cultivation procedures from the organic-rice field’s farmer. The
farmer informed that the area has not been used any types of natural
fertilizer but growing the Sunn-Hemp plant scattering all area andploughing it into the soil as natural fertilizer before beginning the ricecultivation. Due to its rapid growth and nitrogen-fixing capability,
Sunn-Hemp is gaining popularity as the cover crop (Audrey Alwell,2015). Grown and ploughed Sunn-Hemp 1 hectare can produce Nitrogen as much as Nitrogen from Urea (46-0-0) 93.75kg. (Land Development Department of Thailand).
Next step was collecting water samples in the organic-rice cultivation area. They were collected 3 times related to land preparation
phase, the first vegetative phase (15-20 days of rice growth), and thesecond vegetative phase (50-60 days of rice growth), respectively. All of
the water samples were analyzed the concentration of Nitrate-Nitrogen(NO3-) at the laboratory and its concentration was used for grey water
footprint calculation. The result shows that the calculation of organic-rice’s grey water footprint is 690 m3/ton.
Even though the organic rice cultivation has no chemical fertilizer
applied, ploughed up and over the Sunn-Hemp can increase Nitrogenin soil and released to water. The result of grey water footprint has beenshown that organic-rice cultivation also has an effect on the volume of
freshwater and widely effect on the lower central plain because almost
all this area has been used for rice cultivation. It means that the volume
of water used to assimilate pollutant is increasing.
In conclusion, the organic-rice cultivation can decrease the environmental problems from using the chemical fertilizers but it still has theamount of Nitrogen released to the natural water. It has been undeniable that the organic-rice cultivation also has the grey water footprint
and there is much more Nitrogen drained into the natural water that
may cause the problems such as, eutrophication. Therefore, grey water
footprint is one of the effective indicators that can be used for managing many cases about polluted water and this research has shown thatthe grey water footprint will be able to use for agricultural management in the lower central plain of Thailand.

Valuation of Village Ponds as Cultural Landscape Component in India (abstract)
Gea-Jae Joo, Yuno Do, Ji Yoon Kim
Pusan National University, Korea
Village ponds are a specific type of small artificial reservoir in India.
They are constructed for harvesting and preserving local rainfall andwater from streams in agricultural landscapes, especially in India,
which has lacked perennial rainfall for thousands of years. Village
ponds primarily have been used for agricultural and drinking water but
also for bathing, ritual, and aquaculture. According to the Ecosystem
Services (ES) framework, classifying and evaluating the benefits forpeople derived from ecosystems, village ponds may have all aspects of
ES including provisioning (food, fresh water), regulating (waste-water
treatment), cultural (aesthetic appreciation, inspiration for culture,spiritual experience) services; but village ponds have not yet beenvalued regarding their ES using quantitative valuation techniques suchas economic/monetary approaches. Historically, villagers retained theindigenous knowledge of usage and management practices for village
ponds. Indigenous forms of knowledge regarding the sustainability of
local resources are referred to as traditional ecological knowledge(TEK). Although TEK is most frequently preserved as oral traditions andas such may lack objectively confirmed documentation, TEK for village
ponds has not yet been classified. In the present situation, with little
concern, village ponds are at risk of disappearing and we will regret
losing this critical resource. India is in rapid economic transition. Manyrural villages now have dramatically modernized the drinking watersupply system. Development of a water supply service for drinking
water and a large reservoir for agriculture through modernization andurbanization can replace this traditional component of village ponds.
The ES of TEK in village ponds should be as management practices andshould be evaluated and classified for sustainable management ofvillage ponds.

Our goal was to confirm the function and importance of village
ponds in the rapidly developing areas as well as rural landscapes. We
categorized village ponds based on TEK, evaluate ES of village ponds
in India, and establish a framework for conserving village ponds andimproving public awareness of interested parties regarding village
ponds using modern approaches. Over the last two years, we
assessed the benefits of village ponds located in northeast India
through field surveys of the Chilika Lagoon basin (State of Odisha).
The catchment area (526.3km2) surrounding Chilika Lagoon contains
a large number of villages (population; approx. 690,000). We digitized
several hundred village ponds and dozens of ponds have been visited.
We found that on average each village possesses 2 or 3 ponds withdifferent usages such as irrigation, religious observance, and bathing.
The questionnaire included questions on the name of the village,
population, the number of the ponds, the number of alternative water
sources etc. the possibility of cultural activities being practiced, management schemes, and the dependency (i.e. residential, agricultural,aquaculture, religious practices). Our project will represent the firstscientific assessment of the village pond and traditional management
scheme’s value. The potential results will include the traditional
knowledge of village ponds created by the local community to
manage the pond for their cultural, economic, and domestic needs
over a long time. Moreover, we are sure that the well-organized traditional management of the village pond will be applicable to increase
the value of abandoned ponds in urban landscapes. The traditional
knowledge based restoration will contribute in enhancing ecosystem
health and the resilience of human society by strengthening ecosystem functions.

269

Poster Session II

Building Capacities for Wetland Ecosystem-based Disaster Risk Reduction
and Climate Change Adaptation in the Philippines (abstract)
Joy M. Navarro, 2Amy M. Lecciones, 3Dolores Nuevas

1

Biodiversity Management Bureau – Department of Environment and Natural Resources, 2Society for the Conservation of Philippine Wetlands, Inc.,
3
EbA Project Implementation in the Philippines, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH

1

With the approval of the Philippine-authored Resolution on “Wetlands and Disaster Risk Reduction” at the 12th Meeting of the Ramsar
Convention Conference of Parties (COP12), the Philippines has
affirmed the vital role of wetland ecosystems in reducing disaster risk.
Through this Resolution, the Philippines supports the need to develop
and implement management plans that integrate the principles of ecosystem-based management and adaptation against water-related
natural hazards. The mainstreaming of ecosystem-based disaster risk
reduction (eco-DRR) and ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) to climatechange adaptation measures in spatial and management plans andinto all relevant policies, action plans, programs and project designs is
also affirmed by this Resolution. Furthermore, the Resolution also
encourages the establishment or strengthening of CEPA programmes
to “increase awareness on the role of wise use, management, conservation and restoration of wetlands in disaster risk reduction and on therole of wetlands in contributing to reducing vulnerabilities and mitigating disasters”.
As part of the operationalization of the Philippine-authored Ramsar
Resolution, the Biodiversity Management Bureau of the Departmentof Environment and Natural Resources, in cooperation with theSociety for the Conservation of Philippine Wetlands, Inc. conducted aseries of learning events on Main­-streaming Wetland Ecosystem-based Approaches to Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate
Change Adaptation (Eco-DRR and EbA) from July 2016 to June 2017.
The first of the series was piloted in selected critical inland wetlands
while the last was focused on capacitating wetland practitioners fromthe Luzon Island Group. There is plan to conduct another round for the
Visayas and Mindanao clusters for next year. Integration with existing
projects implementing ecosystem-based adaptation is also aimed at.
Meanwhile, the SCPW had also been conducting their regular youth
ecological camps which incorporate concepts on environmental pro-tection and natural resources conservation in relation to disaster risk
preparedness and climate change adaptation and mitigation in thelocal context of a municipality or groups of contiguous municipalities.
The learning events aimed to develop the capabilities of technicalstaff of DENR in operationalizing the Ramsar Resolution on Wetlands
and DRR and in assisting local government units in integrating the
adoption of the Resolution into local plans and programs. They also
intended to strengthen and enhance the capacity of the DENR staff,
particularly the wetland managers, in assessing the vulnerability ofwetlands to natural hazards at the appropriate social and spatial scale
to enable the designing of effective risk reduction interventions
including ecosystem-based solutions and approaches to reduce thevulnerability and exposure of people and ecosystems. Moreover,wetland managers will be able to mainstream the principles of ecosystem- based approaches and adaptation against natural hazards tothe management plans as part of their regular functions related towetlands.
The paper will focus on the Philippines’ efforts and challenges inbuilding technical capacities for the operationalization of the Ramsar
Resolution XII.13 entitled “Wetlands and Disaster Risk Reduction”. It
will highlight the challenges as well as lessons learned from conducting a series of learning events on mainstreaming ecosystem-based
approaches to disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation
through wetlands conservation and management. The importance ofdeveloping partnerships for the successful conduct of such events
will also be emphasized, as well as accessing national climate funds
such as the People’s Survival Fund. It will then discuss the various
techniques which had gained positive participant feedbacks as well assome of the other key enabling and limiting factors that should beconsidered in developing modules for this kind of capacity-building
activity.

Distribution and Growth of Pectinatella magniſ ica (Leidy, 1851)
in Four Large Rivers, South Korea (abstract)
Eui-Jeong Ko, 1Jeong-Soo Gim, 1Hyo-Gyeom Kim, 1Hyunbin Jo, 2Hyun-Woo Kim, 1Gea-Jae Joo

1

1

Pusan National University, 2Sunchon National University

Internationally, distribution survey of Pectinatella magnifica (Leidy
1851) has increased sharply in the 21th century. This species originated from North America but now is considered invasive species in
Europe and Asia. P. magnifica is one of freshwater bryozoans that they
are colonial sessile invertebrates and have asexual dormant bud(=statoblast) that it can tolerate with harsh condition. In the summerof 2014, this species had an outbreak in the four large rivers of South
Korea. We have studied 1) the distribution of colonies in the nationwide four large rivers 2) attachment characteristics of colonies and 3)
the growth patterns from germination to initial growth. P. magnifia
prefers temperate climate region but is affected by monsoon season,
distribution surveys to find a colony were conducted in June (before
monsoon) and October (after monsoon). To find colonies, the littoralzone of each study site was examined up to 1 m depth, along a 100m
long riverside transect. The colony attached substrates were divided
into natural and artificial substrates to determine the substrate preference of the colonies found in the distribution survey. Two artificial
substrata were installed within several survey points where colonies
were previously reported. The number of statoblasts and colonies on
the substrata was counted weekly. Also, we observed changes in thesize of several of the colonies found. Our results showed the P. magnifica was distributed nationwide. In the entire survey, P. magnifica
colonies were collected at total 24 sites in four large rivers. At first, P.
magnifica, which was found in stagnant water, extended its distribu-

tion to the lotic water. In our survey, results of the distribution weredifferent for each survey, but it was repeatedly disappearing andrediscovering in the mainly discovered sites. Given the tributaries
that connect the large rivers and the area where they were initially
discovered (i.e. dam, weir), it is possible to anticipate the prosperityof P. magnifica in the large rivers as well as in the tributaries. Freshwater bryozoans are known that they do not show species specificity
for substrates. 531 colonies were used to identify substrate preferences in 4 large rivers.
Our results also showed that a large number of the colonies tend to
attach to aquatic plants. However, there were no significant differences between substrates. Statoblasts have been observed continuously from our artificial substrata. Regardless of the number ofstatoblasts accumulated, it is considered that the point where the formation of colonies was begun is likely to continuously increase thenumber of colonies through growth and diffusion around habitat. The
smaller size of the colony, the greater the likelihood of maintaining
shape in the event of a change in rainfall or water velocity.
However, surviving colonies may continue their volumetric growth
despite changes in water bodies. Because this species can form colonies longer than 1 m in length. In conclusion, our study for P. magnifica is the first distribution survey that was conducted nationwide in
the South Korea. Also, it is comparable because repeated surveys
were conducted using the consistent method.

270

Poster Session II

The Role and Process of Wetlands Education
through Environmental Education and ESD in Japan (abstract)
Kantaro Tabiraki
United Graduate School of Agricultural Science Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology
The purpose of this presentation is to examine the educational meaning of a place of a wetland and to obtain proposals
for the improvement of Wetlands Education in Japan. Althoughmany educational programs for water sites, including rice fields,
rivers, wetlands, and oceans exist individually, little study has
been done to construct a systemization of education aboutwater in a general framework. Therefore, it is important to createsuch educational programs to develop human resources for theeffective conservation of wetlands; this viewpoint is discussed
using a case study of the Reintroduction of the Oriental White
Stork in Toyooka, Hyogo prefecture. Toyooka has tried to provide
CEPA and an opportunity for Environmental Education and ESD.
It should be effective to focus on the educational programs in
the area that requires conservation of wetlands in a wide area atthe beginning, so it is necessary to conduct a fundamental
research on the role and process of Wetlands Education. Furthermore, by seeing these educational programs as a fundamental practical model of ESD, I would like to reevaluate
cultures and skills related to a wetland and to rethink the way ofintersection between School Education and Social Education as
a comprehensive Citizen Education.
In this study, the kinds of CEPA required by the Ramsar convention’s programme, along with the role and process of Wetlands Education, are examined through a case study of the“Lower Maruyama River and the surrounding rice paddies”
Ramsar Site in Toyooka. Furthermore, the study focuses on two
issues, “cooperation” and “responsiveness,” from an analyticalperspective concerning Environmental Education and ESD. At
present, the problem is that the sport park will be moved for its
development under a flood control project for the Ramsar Site
in Toyooka. The land- use planning problem must be reviewed at

this time and throughout development or conservation fromthree perspectives: 1) the process for seeking a possible site fora sport park is inappropriate, 2) the sense of “Community Development through the Reintroduction of the Oriental White Stork”
is played down, and 3) the need for CEPA in consideration of the
problem is emphasized repeatedly. In other words, it is necessary for possible target groups and stakeholders concernedwith wetlands to adopt a way of learning through experienceand sense as part of the story of the conservation of wetlands.
The second to be noticed is that a harmonious coexistence
between human and nature. Unfortunately, it has become anissue that one stork released by Toyooka were accidentallyshoot by a hunter. In this respect, hunters would be needed an
educational program with a focus on CEPA such as a trans-disciplinary approach which is not only shooting skill but also
some ESD components. It is sad thing of the shooting of thestork. But also, a hunting as a management for wildlife is evenmore important after people have killed the natural predators of
the species hunted. This killing is often because of fear or
because the predators kill farmer’s animals. Considering withthe restrictions on firearms and hunting in Japan and somecountries which storks fly around, ESD, including a hunter education would be very beneficial to help preserve and help withthe reintroduction of various animal species.
A further study of how Wetlands Education play a role of wildlife conservation should be conducted. The study also aims todevelop learning material using active learning toward all
people, including the hunter. Based on the above, it attempts tofind educational ways as Wetlands Education to impart culture
and history to future generations in a sustainable manner rather
than dredging up a problem in Toyooka.

Collaborative Activities around the Hizen-Kashima Area:
MAE-UMI Citizens’ Association Activities (abstract)
Yasuhiro Nakamura, Sakuji Higuchi, Naoki Fujii
MAE-UMI Citizens’ Association
In the past, the Ariake Sea was said to be a bountiful. However,
because of recent environmental problems, the number ofmarine organisms, and especially shellfish, has decreased drastically. There are various reasons for the environmental problems in the Ariake Sea such as the Isahaya Bay reclamation
project. The agents responsible for the decrease in the catchand other changes in the Ariake Sea are in agreement thatsomething needs to be done, but there are conflicting opinions
about the methods to be used. In particular, it has been difficult
to reach a consensus on the methods to deal with the Isahaya
Bay reclamation project problems. Further, people who do notdepend upon the fishing industry for their livelihood havebecome less interested in visiting the Ariake Sea, with interestin the ocean continuing to wane. Under such circumstances, an“Ariake Sea regeneration policy” based on the understanding of
the coastal region in the Ariake Sea has not yet been developed.
To deal with these issues, for six months from November
2013, preparations were made for a meeting to seek the cooperation of local citizens, with a citizens’ association named the
MAE-UMI Citizens Association finally being established in April
2014. MAE-UMI members are made up of groups engaged inregional promotion, fishery companies, faculty members, lawmakers, and other citizens. The main activities of this group are
to hold monthly meetings and hold events related to the Ariake
Sea in cooperation with other groups in the area. At the monthly
meetings, information such as activity reports, forecasts forvarious organizations, and Ariake Sea status reports are presented and discussed. In addition, members of the Association
introduce relevant topics on the Ariake Sea; for example, in
2015, the reasons for the high nori cultivation in the Kashima
waters were discussed. Since 2015, biological observation
meetings have been conducted through walking tours of the
Ariake Sea coastline.
Externally, in 2015 and 2016, an event titled “Enjoy! Ariake
Sea” was also held, in which science corners were set up for
adults and children, and exhibitions related to the Ariake Sea
were held such as the promotion of Kabayaki; a dish made bybroiling mudskippers in a thick sweet sauce; and a bus excursion titled “Let’s go around the Ariake Sea!.” The event was heldat Michi-no-eki “Kashima” (roadside Station) and attracted
many people. In 2015, farmers in Saga Prefecture told stories ofnori- seaweed and in Yanagawa City, participants were invited toan event called “ARIAKE- MON” where they could try dishes
made from Ariake Sea products. In 2016, a tour around the
Ariake Sea coastal area by bus was arranged, on which lectures
were given that included: a tour of the Arao tideland, one of theRamsar registered wetlands; a tour of the Ariake Sea on the
Ariake Ferry; a lecture on Unzen mountain; and a lecture by the
temple priesthood in Ooura. It was hoped that these activities
would increase the public interest in the Ariake Sea; however,as there are few members, we would like to broaden the scopeof the activities.

271

Poster Session II

The Massive Noxious Golden Apple Snail Pomacea canaliculata Populations Were Wiped
During Rainy Season: A Case Study on Chenderoh Reservoir, Perak, Malaysia (abstract)
Siti Norasikin Ismail, Nurul Izzati Abdul Wahab, Muzzalifah Abd Hamid, Mashhor Mansor
School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia
Approximately twelve years ago, massive noxious golden
apple snail Pomacea canaliculata populations invaded 2500ha
of Chenderoh Reservoir. Chenderoh Reservoir is the oldest
man-made lake in Peninsular Malaysia. Chenderoh Reservoir
was built for the purpose of hydro-electric power generation.
The dam was commissioned in 1930 across the Perak River. The
noxious populations of P. canaliculata were originally recorded
from the adjoining rice field areas. Consequently, the rice fields
were abandoned due to the low production and non-profitable
harvest after three to five years of establishment. Eventually,
the population of P. canaliculata were spread into the Chenderoh Reservoir.The dispersal of these populations had brought
concerns towards the lake environment. Based on previous
study, a high distribution of golden apple snail population in
freshwater ecosystem may cause a serious loss of the aquaticplants. The infestation also has reduced the number of native
Asian freshwater snails species especially Pila due to the interspecific competition to get the available food resources. Evidently, each female individual was observed to lay approximately
500 eggs in one egg mass. Although the eggs were immersed in
the water, however the percentages of the eggs to hatch areabout 60%. In addition, the egg masses were recorded to attachon floating weeds such as Eichhornia crassipes, particularly on
the stems and leaves of aquatic plants with 43% occurrence.
Besides, P. canaliculata was found to lay eggs on other hard
medium such as boats, rocks, fish cages and emerged bamboo
pile with 14% occurrence.
Apparently, Phragmites australis or common reed from

Poaceae family was the most preferred plant (41%) for egg depositions whereas the least preferred plant for egg depositions
was Neptunia oleracea (3%) from Fabaceae family. Moreover,the snail populations were also attached to Pandanus helicopus
populations which could be found along the lake’s shore. Nevertheless, the recent big flood during the rainy season from February to April 2017 had wiped out the whole populations ofgolden apple snail in the lake ecosystem. There was no egg depositions observed at 15 points of sampling sites throughout thelake area and subsequently the adult individuals were alsoabsent. During the rainy season, the flow of water is faster compared to dry season. Therefore, it wiped out the eggs and individuals of golden apple snails. The attached plants were also
damaged by the hard water current and thus the chance for thesnail populations to survive is low. In addition to high waterlevels, the slosh of surface water against the emergent vegetation has resulted in the massive destruction of golden apple
snail populations in Chenderoh Reservoir. Apparently, the findings from this study showed that those three environmental
variables are responsible in controlling the golden apple snail
populations. Thus, the management of lake water level by
Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) is crucial to eradicate the resurgence of this noxious population. As the invasive P. canaliculata
is considered to be in the top 100 of the “World Most Invasive
Alien Species”, therefore, the behavioural studies and ecologicalassessment are needed in order to control and reduce the economic loss especially in the agriculture sector and subsequently
for a healthier lake environment.

Aster tripolium (sea aster) and Greening of the Sea Wall in Tokyo Bay (abstract)1

Noboru Kuramoto, 1Rasuna Mishima, 1Hisako Okada, 2Tim Gardiner
Meiji University, 2Essex Nature Club

1

Aster tripolium L. is an endangered plant in Tokyo, whereas inEngland it is a keystone species of salt marshes. We havestudied A. tripolium in Tokyo Bay, Japan, since 2000, and in theRiver Thames and Thames Estuary, England, since 2015. In contrast to Tokyo Bay, which supports only several small populations of this plant, there are many large populations in theThames Estuary.
We initially studied the A. tripolium population in the mouthof the Tama River, south west of Tokyo Bay. All population in theTama River was extinct by vegetation succession until 2013. Mr.
Takashi Ueno wanted to conserve the population and requested
that the Tokyo Metropolitan Government managed the vegetation for A. tripolium. However, the population was not deemedworthy of conservation as there was another population in in
the Tokyo Metropolis at Kasai Rinkai Park.
We therefore subsequently studied the Kasai Rinkai Park population. There are two small local populations in Kasai Rinkai
Park and Kasai Kaihin Park. Kasai Rinkai Park is located along
the Kasai waterfront area of Tokyo Bay. This park, which opened
to the public in 1989, is relatively new, and is the largest park
within Tokyo’s 23 wards. Kasai Marine Park is located in front of
Kasai Rinkai Park and consist of two beaches and sea.
Tokyo birders (members of the Tokyo branch of the Wild Bird
Society of Japan) and citizens of Tokyo have been working toconvert Kasai Sanmai-Zu into a Ramsar convention wetland. In
2017, Ms. Yuriko Koike, the governor of the Tokyo Metropolitan
area announced that Kasai Kaihin Park will be made into a
Ramsar convention wetland.
The East Beach of Kasai Kaihin Park has been designated anenvironmental conservation zone. The A. tripolium population

here is growing on mud in the intertidal zone of the East Beach.
We have also been studying the micro-distribution of A.
tripolium on the seashore of Kasai Rinkai Park. A. tripolium wasfound growing in the mud on concrete blocks of the lowest floorof the sea wall flood defenses in Kasai Rinkai Park, which islocated in the intertidal zone. The width of the lowest floor is 980
cm and A. tripolium grows over ca. 750 cm from the sea edge.
We found that the distribution of A. tripolium is correlated withthe thickness of the mud on the concreate blocks.
A. tripolium grows only in mud that is over 3mm thick, anddoes not grow in freshly deposited mud. If there is mud on thesea wall in Kasai Rinkai Park, a larger population of A. tripolium
might grow there.
In 2015, we displayed a poster presentation on the noticeboard of Kasai Rinkai Park, and in 2016 arranged three activities
related to seashore vegetation observation.
Furthermore, in 2016, we made a proposal to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government that small projections should be installedin Kasai Rinkai Park to trap mud.
In contrast to the sea wall in Tokyo Bay, which is a hard wallconstructed entirely of concrete, the sea wall of the Thames
Estuary is a soft wall, the middle part of which is constructed ofmud. The port engineers state that the sea wall in Tokyo Bay
must be harder than that in the Thames Estuary as the wave
power in Tokyo Bay is greater than that in the Thames Estuary.
We intend to study the wave power Tokyo Bay and make the sea
wall green by facilitating the colonization of salt marsh plants.
We hope that the sea wall will be green from Kasai along theentirety of Tokyo Bay.

272

Poster Session II

An Assessment of Species Diversity and Abundance of Waterbirds in
Gulf of Mottama Wetland, Myanmar (abstract)
Min Thiha Zaw
Biodiversity and Nature Conservation Association (BANCA)
Water birds serve a very important role in ecological systems
and are often used as indicator species of ecosystem vigor.
Water birds often quickly respond to changes in their habitatand can provide valuable insights into habitat health and stability. Wetlands play a crucial role as bird habitats and birds use
them for nesting, breeding, roosting, and rearing young ones
and for feeding, resting, shelter, social interaction and wintering
grounds for both locally and millions of migratory water birds.
Monitoring water bird species density, richness, and associations with habitat and environmental variables can help informmanagement and restoration decisions. Thus, water birds areoften used as a metric for assessing habitat health and restoration success. The Gulf of Mottama or Martaban is one of thecoastal zone and as the newly designated Ramsar Site, the mostextensive intertidal mudflats and is one of the largest of its typein south-east Asia. The objective of this paper is to assessmentof the species diversity of water birds and their number anddistribution. The investigation of water birds at six sites andmid-winter in January and February flyway coordinate countalong the route of Gulf of Mottama estuary wetland from 20152016. Survey was conducted in an effort of observing the overalllandscape to stratify the habitat for line transects segments andsetting point count stations. Direct counting was adopted forareas for large assemblage of water birds and group number
counting a suitable vantage point was selected and all visible

birds were counted. Total bird counts were conducted for water
birds and species richness, evenness and Shannon-Weaver
species diversity indices were calculated. Overall, a total of 66
individual species of water birds belonging to twelve families
and an estimate population 100,000 water birds were recorded
during the study. The waders were most prominent with 31
species being recorded. Scolopacidae was the richest family by
24 species (46%) followed by Charadriidae family 4 species(8%), Pluvialidae family 2 species (4%), Laridae family 3 species(6%), Sternidae 5 species (10%), Ardeidae family 6 species(12%), Threskiornithidae family 1species (2%) and Falconidae
family 4 species (8%) recorded to the sum of Glareolidae 1
species(2%)and Podicipedidae 1species (2%) . This site has beenfound to be the key wintering area for the Critically Endangered
Spoon- billed Sandpiper (Calidris pygmeus), hosting an estimated 180-220 , more than 50% of the world population. Also,
the six other globally threatened species Painted Stork, Blackheaded Ibis, Black-tailed Godwit, Eurasian Curlew, Nordmann’s
Greenshank and Great Knot. Thus, a strong conservation action
with harmonized and alterative promising sites should beneeded to increase bird diversity in such kind of Gulf of Mottama
estuary wetlands areas. Also need continues intentional
improvement and awareness creation to the local community
regarding of intertidal mudflat or adjacent mangroves conservation has any formal protection.

273

Poster Session III

274

Poster Session III

Possibility as Eco-DRR of The Japanese Traditional
Water Management System
Jun Teramura, Yukihiro Shimatani
Faculty of Engineering, Kyushu University

Japanese Traditional Water Management System
In Japan, Ingenuity of flood control and water utilization has
long been taken. There are 60% of mountainous land in Japan,
plains tend to be less. Therefore, various measures had beentaken to increase the agricultural productivity in the plain
section. Various flood technologies had been developed
against the flooding of rivers caused by floods. In addition,
efforts had been made to efficiently secure fresh water, maintenance of irrigation canals for water use for rice cultivationand other purposes. In addition, efforts had been made to efficiently secure fresh water and maintenance of irrigation canals
and reservoirs for use of water for rice cultivation and the like.
Many such Japanese old water management systems had
been lost, however some still exist as traditional techniques.
Means techniques for achieving the purpose such as concrete, heavy machinery and dams are becoming highly
advanced in the present age. However the old days there wasno such means techniques. Therefore, it has been devised bylimited materials such as wood, stone and human power,
experience value and view of nature. In other words, ideological technology had developed. The Japanese traditional water
management system is a collection of advanced ideological
technology.
Eco-DRR
In recent years, Green Infrastructure and Eco-DRR(Ecosystem-based Disaster Risk Reduction) have attracted worldwide
attention. The Japanese traditional water management systemis technology based on the idea to understand and utilize
nature. It contains a lot of ingenuity to alleviate disasters andenjoy the full benefits of nature’s blessings. This idea seems tobe highly compatible with the technical thought of the GreenInfrastructure and Eco-DRR.
Eco-DRR is a technical thought of reducing disaster risk bynatural ecosystem. A typical example is a mangrove forest
distributed in the estuarine region of Southeast Asia. With thismangrove forest, there is a proven track record that a tsunami
energy dissipation effect was obtained.
The Japanese traditional water management system ismade for the purposes such as flood control and water use.
This system utilizes the natural materials, there is a device
that does not destroy a large natural environment. Therefore,
many of these cases function as part of the ecosystem. In
addition, by maintaining the system, we are constantly providing a place where humans are involved with nature. For
this reason, Eco-DRR and Japanese traditional water management system are common at ideological stage.
Fig.1 Eco-DRR concept

Examples of Japanese traditional water management
systems with potential as Eco-DRR are as follows.
Cases· Open Levee In The Rapid River · Floodplain River
Open Levee is in the form of a levee made in the traditional
method of Japan. Among them, there are still existing ones
made by famous warlords of the Warring States Period. For
example, the Shingen Levee of Kamanashigawa River in
Yamanashi is Open Levee. In addition, Open Levee, which wasbuilt in the 1600s and 1800s, still remains all over the country.
Regular levees are continuous from upstream to downstream so as not to overflow the flood. However, Open Levee
is not continuous. It is important that the Open levee is notcontinuous. Open Levee play various roles by not being continuous. The function of Open Levee depend on the river bed
slope of the river.
Open Levee has a function to flow back flooding from theopening of the Levee. This is the function of the open levee inthe floodplain river type. This is called a retarding function.
This feature is by flooding the flood in a specific location, toreduce the flood risk in the downstream. In addition, since theflood flows backward to overflow to the upstream side, themomentum of flooding can be alleviated and the damage ofthe field can be reduced.
Fig.2 Open Levee typeOpen Levee of the rapid river has little retarding function.
Even if you build a high levees, you can not accumulate many
floods. This is because the bed slope is steep. In addition, theflood of the rapid river is included in a lot of sediment. A large
amount of sediment deposits when these flow into the retarding basins. As a result, it can not be used as a farmland.
The function of the Open levee on the rapid river is controlof the river channel and flooding back. When the rapid river is
not treated for flood control, the location of the river channel
is not stable. Every time the floods flow, the river channel
moves and diversion. Therefore, Japanese traditional flood
control method has a technique to fix the river channel with astructure called “SUISEI (Groin)”. This has evolved and theenormous one is the open levee of the rapid river. Flood of therapid river contains a lot of sediment. The levee is fragile. The
levee of open levee folds double and triple. Even if one levee
breaks, the next levee stops the flood. This allows you to
return the flood to the river channel.
In this way, the functions of open levee are different in275
floodplain river and rapid river. In addition, this function can
be classified with riverbed gradient as 1/450 boundary. There
are various shapes and functions in open levee due to regional
characteristics and different installers. In this way, Open Leveeis a traditional flood control structures of Japan, which has
been devised from the old era1).
This Open Levee has been maintained as 300 years river
structures. As a result, it forms a habitat of the living things.
Habitat of open levee is responsible for part of the creatures ofthe life history.
The role of open levee as a habitat greatly differs between
the rapid river and floodplain river. This is the same as theflood control function.
Open levee of floodplain river is temporarily made wetland
environment at the time of flood. This temporary wetland
environment becomes evacuation place for floods of fish andinsects. It also becomes a growth environment for fish egg
laying and fish. Besides this, the flooded area is supplemented
with nutrients and earth and sand which are carried from themountains.
Open Levee of rapid river is a particularly important environment as a haven, such as fish. Open Levee of rapid riverwater stagnation at the time of the flood. In the flood of therapid river where the flow velocity is fast and the sedimentcontent is high, the Water stagnation becomes a very important fish evacuation place. There were customs for residents ofthe flood area to do fishing and driftwood hunting.
Main Function: Retarding (When flooding in the river, accumulate flood upstream to reduce the flow of the downstream
flood.)
Ecosystem: Spawning · Emergency Evacuation (A wetland
environment suitable for spawning fish can be temporarily
made. At the time of the flood, it becomes a refuge place offish and insects.)

Secondary: Nutrition Provision(In the flooded place, nutrientsand earth and sand which are carried from the mountain
enter.)· Creeks Of Saga Plain
Creeks in Saga plain is the most famous in Japan. Saga
plains there is little elevation. Wide range is 0 meters above
sea level. It is difficult to secure fresh water in such areas. For
this reason, the creek has been developed to details of theplains. Creek of Saga plain total length reaches about 1600km.
(Fig3: Displaying only the creeks and rivers of the Saga Plain)
The Creek is not only carry water from the river, to store thefresh water. Pooled fresh water is used in agriculture and life.
It is also possible to temporarily store the flood to the creek.
Once upon a time was necessary to devise secure further
fresh water in the area close to the sea. Therefore, in the location close to the sea it was water intake of the fresh water inthe brackish water. This is called “AO syusui”. “AO” means
freshwater. “syusui” means the water intake for irrigation.
“AO Irrigation” used the tide level.
In the brackish water area there is a place where sea waterand freshwater are separated. Freshwater has a lower specificgravity than seawater. Therefore, seawater flows through thebottom of the water, and fresh water flows through the surface
layer. “AO Irrigation” intakes only this fresh water part. “AO
Irrigation” is very difficult to manage. If the tide level rises too
much, sea water mixes, therefore, the salt concentration
becomes dense. It is necessary to close the gate just before
that. The manager of the gate looked at the seawater withtaste. AO intake water is not currently implemented. It is a lost
technique.
Fig4.Creeks and “AO syusui” system

Fig3. Creeks and Rivers of the Saga Plain3)

Creek in Saga Plain is a habitat of one of the largest freshwater fish in Japan. Very many freshwater fish inhabit. Further,among them includes a plurality of rare freshwater fish. Creek
is a habitat suitable for fish. A certain degree of depth isalways maintained. The wooden pile of the slope protection
and the reed of the shallow become an evacuation place ofthe fish. There are many agricultural lands and the supply oforganic matter is large, so food is abundant. However, water
quality may deteriorate in some cases. There is almost no flow
rate. The riverbed has many mud or fine sand. These environments are habitats that are easy to live for freshwater fish.
Main Function: Agricultural Water · Domestic Water (Creek
stores freshwater at sea level 0 meter.)
Ecosystem: Natural Fish Pond (One of the leading freshwater
fish habitats in Japan. Many kinds of freshwater fish live.)
Secondary: Flood Control · Inland Navigation· Others
Besides this, various cases such as Flood Restraining Forest
Belts, Irrigation Ponds, Fascine Weir, Trees Planted to Arrest
Shifting Of Sand and the like have the possibility to functionas Eco-DRR besides the original function as well as the bank.
The Japanese traditional water management system is still
being used in various places. However, many of them areaffected by the modernization of society. Almost the old tech-276
nical thought has been lost.
The Japanese traditional water management system havegood effects not only on human society but also on the naturalenvironment. New values, such as the recent Eco-DRR andgreen infrastructure, there is a possibility to find a new value
to the Japanese traditional water management system that isbeing lost. To that end, we need to verify the value of these
Eco-DRRs in detail in the future.
References
1) TERAMURA, Jun and Takashi, OKUMA(2007)”A Study on Classification of
Flood control function of Discontinuous levees” Journal of Historical studies
in Civil engineering,26,pp.73-83.
2) SAKAMOTO,Koju and Sampei YAMASITA (1989)”A Study of the system ofWater-Usage by Drawing “AO”(Fresh Water) as a Source of Irrigation in the
Chikugo Lower Basin” journal of Environmental systems Japan Society ofcivil Engineers,17 pp.113-117.
3) Created from Fundamental Geospatial Data of The Geospatial Information
Authority of Japan.

277

Poster Session III

Response of Biotic Components after Hydrological Intervention
in the Tropical Lagoon: Chilika LakeJi Yoon Kim1, Yuno Do2, Gu-Yeon Kim3, Gea-Jae Joo1, Ajit K. Pattnaik4,
Krupasindhu Bhatta4, Gurdeep Rastogi4
Pusan National University, 2Kongju National University, 3Kyungnam University, 4Chilika Development Authority

1

Background
Lagoon ecosystems have been severely degraded byanthropogenic activities, which result in ecological and hydrological changes in the system. Detailed understanding of therecovery processes of restored lagoon systems has been
impeded by the underlying complexity of integral environmental components.
Chilika Lagoon, the largest brackish lake ecosystem in East
Asia, experienced severe problems such as excessive dominance of freshwater exotic plants and rapid debasement of
biodiversity associated with decreased hydrologic connectivity between the lagoon and the ocean.
To halt the degradation of the lagoon ecosystem, the Chilika
Development Authority implemented a restoration project,creating a new channel to penetrate the barrier beach of thelagoon. The opening of the new mouth provided a favorable
increased salinity regime throughout the lake, with higher
fluctuations and improved water clarity due to sediment flushing through the new mouth.
The aim of this study was to understand different recovery
responses of lagoon biota in a restored lagoon, and temporaland spatial changes at each recovery stage after lagoon restoration.

taxa responded differently, and had a different range of recovery rates after the restoration event. In this study, plant productivity was decreased for half a year after the restoration,and took about twelve years to return to previous productivity
levels.
Fig. 2. Spatial pattern of physico-chemical parameters

Fig. 1. Aerial image of lagoon channel before and after restoration.

Fig. 3. Spatial pattern of NDVI after restoration event

Methods
Using a satellite-derived normalized difference vegetationindex (NDVI) dataset, we compared the trend of vegetation
changes after the lagoon restoration, from April 1998 to May
2014. We also compared temporal response of lagoon animals
based on the local monitoring literatures.
Response of lagoon animals during restoration periods wasestimated from the annual production records or population
survey results of local monitoring reports. We establishedtemporal data of planktons, fish, birds, and mammals from2000 to 2014.
Results
Compared with other biological studies, long-term analysis
of NDVI in the restored lagoon revealed that diverse biological

It seems that a rapid decrease of NDVI was caused by thesudden dieback of proliferated freshwater species. The large
decrease of NDVI in the freshwater region was caused bydieback of freshwater species in response to the salinitychange at the very early stage of restoration. After restoration,
gradual increases of brackish lagoon vegetation, including
Potamogeton sp. and sea grasses, were identified in the field.
Other lagoon biological taxa, including phytoplankton, also
showed a rapid recovery response to the levels of the 1980s
after the mouth restoration. The biomass of fish and prawns in278
Chilika Lagoon showed a seven-fold increase (i.e., 8500 tons
in 1986, 1600 tons in 1998, and 11,878 tons in 2002) during thetwo years after the opening of the new mouth. Increased
fishery production was maintained and stabilized for several
years.
Fig. 4. Trend of fish, prawn, and crab landings in the Chilika Lagoon

Number of Irrawaddy dolphins showed gradual increase in
the population number (98 in 2006, 138 in 2008, 153 in 2013).
It was notable that diverse biological taxa showed different
recovery responses after lagoon restoration event. Generally,plankton, and fish had rapid increase (2-3 years) after recovering connectivity between lagoon and ocean, while aquaticvegetation and large mammals had gradual increase (4-12
years) to reach previous natural condition.

*part of the results were published in the following papers.
Ji Yoon Kim, Gurdeep Rastogi, Yuno Do, Dong-Kyun Kim,
Pradipta R. Muduli, Rabindra N. Samal, Ajit K. Pattnaik,
Gea-Jae Joo (2015) Trends in a satellite-derived vegetationindex and environmental variables in a restored brackishlagoon, Global Ecology and Conservation 4:614-624.
Ji Yoon Kim, Krupasindhu Bhatta, Gurdeep Rastogi, Pradipta R. Muduli, Yuno Do, Dong-Kyun Kim, Ajit K. Pattnaik,
Gea-Jae Joo* (2016) Application of multivariate analysis todetermine spatial and temporal changes in water quality after
new channel construction in the Chilika Lagoon, EcologicalEngineering, 90:314-319.

279

Poster Session III

Setiu Wetlands, Malaysia: Assessing Changes in Landscape Condition
and Building, A Case for Improved Management
1

Daria Mathew Abdullah, 2 Haramaini Arifin, 3 Muhammad Zaid Nasir,
4
Nur Syahirah Wahab
1

WWF-Malaysia (Peninsular Malaysia Office-HQ), 2 WWF-Malaysia (Setiu Wetlands Field Office)This paper highlights about the Setiu Wetlands in the stateof Terengganu, Malaysia pertaining to its unique features, conservation and socio-economic significance, as well as thechallenges and their impact on the wetlands. Also discussed
are the approach used for evaluating the wetlands’ conditionand efforts by WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature)-Malaysia, anature and scientific based non-governmental organization(NGO) to achieve the conservation and sustainable management of Setiu Wetlands.
Introduction
Drained by the Setiu-Chalok-Merang-Bari riverine complex,
the Setiu Wetlands consists of a diverse array of inter-connected freshwater, brackish and coastal ecosystem types. The
key ecosystems include rivers, Melaleuca or gelam forest,
riparian forest, peat swamp forest, mangrove forest, lagoon,
seagrass beds, mudflats, beach, coastal forest and sandislands.
The Setiu Wetlands provides a great range of ecosystemservices such as flood control, erosion mitigation, nursery
ground for juvenile marine fishes and supply of natural
resources for the local population’s traditional livelihood. The
wetlands also have great potential as an ecotourism destination that can generate economic returns to the local communities and to the State. Administratively, the Setiu Wetlands
falls within the district of Setiu with a population of 63,500
people (UPEN Terengganu, 2015) who depend on or derive
benefit from the wetlands directly and indirectly.
Biodiversity records indicate that the Setiu Wetlands harbours 29 species of mammals, 176 species of birds, 36 speciesof reptiles and amphibians, 56 species of butterflies and 217
species of plants. The Painted and River terrapins, both critically endangered freshwater turtle species occurs in the Setiu
Wetlands. Remarkably, the Setiu Wetlands is among the very
few places in Malaysia with presence of viable populations ofPainted terrapin. Another interesting fact is that in Setiu Wetlands, the Painted terrapin shares the same nesting beachwith the Green sea turtle.
Challenges and Changes in Wetlands Condition
Setiu Wetlands is undeniably one of Malaysia’s most spectacular natural treasures and in fact, it has been classified asnationally important for its ecological and conservation
values, and is listed in the Malaysian Wetland Directory (1987).
However, it is also fragile, thus efforts to prevent it from degradation would be critical. The collapse of the wetland’s ecosystem could mean the end of its many ecosystem services
and its biodiversity. Sadly, over the years, the wetlands haveexperienced progressive conversion. The lagoon and its fringing mangroves have been subjected to tremendous aquaculture development. The Melaleuca forest has and continues tobe targeted for conversion to agricultural activity especiallyinvolving oil palm by companies and smallholders. Additionally, there has been conversion of large areas of Melaleuca
forest to aquaculture farm and for silica mining. Constructionof an artificial river mouth to facilitate navigation of fishingvessels, development of jetties and installation of bunds forcoastal protection caused the alteration of river channels andcoastal morphology as well as changes in the wetlands hydrological regime. The widespread conversion and changes inland use are sending warning signals due to the resulting degradation and loss of substantial areas of wetlands besides
other negative impacts including on the wetlands ecological
functions and services.
WWF-Malaysia’s Strategy and Efforts
It is the contention of WWF-Malaysia that the Setiu Wetlands,
particularly the areas of high conservation value is affordedwith improved protection and holistic management effected
within the landscape. This could, hopefully provide a fighting
chance for the ecosystems and biodiversity of the Setiu Wetlands to continue being part of our environment, in order tobuild a future in which humans live in harmony with nature.
Following years of active and persistent advocacy for theprotection of Setiu Wetlands by WWF-Malaysia and other likeminded partners, eventually a major conservation milestone
was achieved in 2013 when the Terengganu government
announced its commitment for a Setiu State Park. Several processes have been mobilized towards realizing this plan,
however to date Setiu Wetlands has yet to be formally gazetted as a protected area.
In pursuing conservation efforts in Setiu Wetlands, one of
WWF-Malaysia’s key approaches is to conduct ecosystemassessments and monitoring to establish baselines and tounderstand the changes and impacts, through collaboration
with research bodies and experts. Support and involvementfrom local communities and corporate sector are often equallyvaluable. WWF-Malaysia is keen on working together as there
are many benefits of working in partnership. The mostcommon benefits from forming partnerships is the combiningof complementary skills, which enable more to be achieved
jointly than working alone.
Using information and recommendations derived from thestudies, WWF-Malaysia advocates for threat minimization
aimed at safeguarding the wetlands’ ecological integrity. The
findings of these studies are also vital in helping to provide
key inputs for informed decision to realize the sustainable
management and protection of Setiu Wetlands for the benefitof all in the long term.
The main studies undertaken in Setiu Wetlands by WWF-Malaysia include:• Land cover and land use change analysis in oil palm
development (on-going);• High Conservation Value (HCV) assessment (2016-2017);• Setiu Wetlands scientific expedition (2016);• Population study of Painted terrapin (2015-2016);• Water quality monitoring (2015);• Mapping of riparian vegetation using satellite imagery(2014).
The respective studies employ specific methods ranging
from field sampling and data collection, on-site observationand verification, laboratory analysis, satellite image interpretation and GIS analysis.
Among the notable findings from these studies are:
• There are many areas of HCV within the wetlands but
unfortunately, mostly are severely threatened or already280
in poor condition from anthropogenic activities such as
burning, clearing, draining, fragmentation and pollution.
• Of the total 47,244ha of Setiu Wetlands included in the
HCV assessment area, 15,082ha were identified as HCV
areas. The HCVs are essentially areas that possess exceptionally high social, cultural or biological value. Five of
the six classes of HCVs are present in Setiu Wetlands (seeTable 1). The identified HCVs also included the potential
areas for inclusion into the Setiu state park (see Figure 1).
In addition, stakeholders’ supported management andmonitoring plan to ensure maintenance of these values
were formulated as part of the study.
Table 1: HCV areas in Setiu Wetlands

Figure 1: HCV Core Area recommended to be included in the Setiu State Park (shownin light green)• 12,248ha (26%) of the HCV assessment area comprise ofoil palm plantations which represent the most dominantland cover type.
• Based on common observation of the condition of oilpalm that grows on BRIS (Beach Ridges Interspersed with
Swales) soil in both corporate and smallholders blockwithin the HCV assessment area of Setiu Wetlands, itappears that the oil palm yields are poor and uneconomical. BRIS soils are abundant in the Setiu Wetlands area.
These soils are problematic for agricultural use primarily
because they are poorly structured and have low water
retention and limited ability to support crop growth.
• Nevertheless, there has been a rapid change in land cover
involving oil palm plantations within the Setiu catchment
area over the 10-year period from 2006 to 2015.The extent ofoil palm planted area in the Setiu area as of 2015 was around
40,000ha, indicating that it is the main land cover class.
• Species inventories conducted covering 16 research
topics during the Setiu Wetlands scientific expedition in2016 provided an updated record with the discovery of 33
species of exclusive mangrove plants that include five
new records and three hybrids, 17 species of mangrove
snails and 30 species of plants in the Melalueca forest.

• Besides enabling the biodiversity status and condition of
key habitats to be evaluated, the expedition provided theavenue for collaboration involving 49 researchers fromseven organisations comprising local universities andresearch institutions, NGOs and media.
• Based on the preliminary survey of Painted terrapin population in 2016 to obtain an updated status (since theexisting data was recorded a few decades ago and arepresumably no longer relevant), a total of 22 individuals
of Painted terrapin comprising four males and 18 females
were recorded foraging along Setiu River. Comparatively,
in 1994 the Setiu River recorded an annual nesting population of around 180 females (Sharma, 1994).
• The updated database and knowledge on the status anddistribution of Painted terrapin is vital in determining theappropriate management measures that will complement
conservation of the species and its habitats.
• Findings of the quarterly sampling and monitoring ofwater quality at 20 stations of the Setiu-Chalok-BariMerang river basin involving 12 different types of parameters conducted from January to December 2015 showed
three parameters (namely oil and grease, nitrate, faecal
coliform) exceeded the Malaysian Marine Water Quality
Criteria and Standard (MWQCS) Class E recommended
value. There was also increase in salinity of water in the
Setiu lagoon within the vicinity of the constructed artificial river mouth, which could have resulted from theheightened seawater intrusion.
• Mapping using satellite imagery for riparian vegetation has
covered 89 sampling points within Setiu Wetlands and indicated the riparian areas along the rivers comprise broad categories of mangroves; exclusive, non-exclusive andassociate mangroves, which function as conducive habitat
for fauna and flora. It was suggested that improved management of the river reserves should be given more attention.
Way Forward
The ecosystem assessments and monitoring undertaken
has enabled us to understand the state of the wetlands interms of its ecological health and resources so that the appropriate management including remediation measures can be
implemented accordingly. We socialize the findings and recommendations from the studies to the relevant stakeholders
via a number of platforms. This included the Setiu Wetlands
Scientific Expedition Seminar held in October 2016, which
served as an avenue to disseminate the important study
outputs that are vital to the ecological and conservation valuesof the Setiu Wetlands. Other strategic platforms were the consultation of the Peninsular Malaysia’s East Coast Rail Link
(ECRL) alignment that traverses Setiu Wetlands, advocacy forinclusion of Setiu Wetlands as an ecological linkage under the
Terengganu component of the Malaysia Central Forest Spine
Master Plan and discussion on baseline information and reference for the preparation of the Setiu Special Area Plan. Thesestudies, in particular the HCV assessment and Scientific Expedition are timely in strengthening the justification for protection of Setiu Wetlands thus complementing the Terengganu
state government’s efforts to realize its plan for a state park in
Setiu Wetlands.
References
DWNP (1987). Malaysian Wetland Directory. Department of Wildlife andNational Parks.
Sharma, D.S.L. (1994). Nesting density of marine turtles and Painted terrapins at
Kuala Setiu Baharu, Terengganu. Unpublished report. WWF-Malaysia,
Petaling Jaya.
UPEN Terengganu (2015). Data Asas Negeri Terengganu 2015.

281

Poster Session III

Shorebirds and Spoon-billed Sandpiper in Kyushu andAriake Tidal Flats: Trends and Importance of Conservation
Minoru Kashiwagi1, Takurou Hattori1,2, Shigeki Takano1,3, Kimiko Kouno1,2,
Sayaka Nakamura1,4, Nobuhiro Hashimoto5
1

Ramsar Network Japan, 2 Fukuoka Wetland Conservation Study Group, 3 Yatsushiro Bird Society,4
Wild Bird Society of Japan, Saga Chapter, 5 Nanko Wetland Group

Population Decline of Shorebirds in Asia
Ariake Sea in Kyushu Island, Japan, has three tidal flat
Ramsar Sites, Arao-higata, Kashima-shingomori-higata andHigashiyoka-higata designated at the last two Ramsar COPs in2012 and 2015
Tidal flats on the coasts of Ariake Sea and neighbouring
Yatsushiro Sea support significant number of shorebirds as
their staging sites. They are survey sites of National Monitoring Sites 1000.
These areas are at crossroads in the East-Asian/Australasian Flyway: for both shorebirds populations- those using Eurasian continent via Korean Peninsula- and those using Japan Archipelago.
Threatened Species
Tidal flats in Ariake Sea and Yatsushiro Sea are also important in supporting threatened species including Spoon-billed
Sandpiper and Nordmann’s Greenshank.
This sea area has characteristics similar to Yellow Sea, connected hundred thousands of years ago as shown by theexistence of common endemic benthic species.
However, this area are experiencing decline of population
as is the sites in othe sites of the East Asian-Australasian
Flayway, EAAF.
Decline in Shirebird Population

Decline of shorebirds in Japan
Fig. above show the trend of ten-year averages of shorebird
population monitoring since 1970s till 2010s. And the one
below shows the progress of development of coastal andinland i.e. agricultural development in the latter 1900s. A clear
correlation can be seen. These development means the loss of
wetlands, which are habitats of birds
National Isahaya Bay Reclamation Project
Isahaya Bay supported around 10 000 individuals of shorebirds on their spring migration. At the first half of 1990s, thismeant the largest in Japan together with Fujimae Tidal Flats at
Nagoya City.
The tidal flats habitat was critically damaged in April 1997.

282
Agricultural Industrial Landfill of public water surface in Japan

1.
2.

1970s – 1980s: Tidal Flats Loss in Japan - Development of High Economic Growth Era
2010 – present: No further decrease of habita - Impact
from elsewhere suspected

The authors would like to emphasise the importance of conservation and restoration efforts not only in Japan but also in
the whole flyway. Developments are going on in habitats thatare still supporting a considerable size of population. We expectthat the presentation gives an idea on the serious impact ofdevelopment project going on especially in Yellow Sea.

Tidal Flats was closed from the sea due to a reclamation
project. Inflow of salt water to the tidal flat was blocked.
Immense bentic animal died.
Some part of the bird population could change their stopover site to nearby Higashi-yoka and other tidal flats, but forothers nobody knows. The population of shorebirds depending on the tidal flats must have become smaller as seen in theheap of dead benthic animals in the tidal flats.

However, we could not find a proof of the change with theexisting shorebird monitoring data.
Three years later in 2000 there occurred serious fisherydepression called Ariake Tumult.
The tidal flats once uncountably rich never recovered andpoor fishery in the Ariake Sea still continues.
Change in Shorebird Population (Bayesian Model 1971-2016)

Repeat the Same Tragedy
Figures shown above shows the trends of count for total
population of shorebirds according to the data obtained byNGOs and the government for the period of 1971 to 2016
according to shorebird monitoring scheme, Monitoring Sites
1000. The graphs show two periods of decline, namely:

283

Poster Session III

Social Innovation for Biodiversity Preservation ina Marsh Around Kahokugata-Lagoon:

Vegetable Cultivation for Establishing a Sound Material-Cycle Society “Suzume-Yasai”, andRice Cultivation by Cooperation in a Farmers and NPO “Ikimono-Genki-Mai”
Hisashi Takahashi
Kahokugata Lake Institute

Background
Kahokugata lagoon in Ishikawa Prefecture is the shallow
lake in the location near the sea (Fig.1). Origin was the inlandsea-lake which was the brackish water which connected with a
sea until about 50 years before. 2/3 of a lake was losted by thestate-operated reclamation project which has started in 1963
(Fig.2). At the same time, the surrounding wetland was altered.
Degradation of biodiversity in Kahokugata and a circumference area has formed by the recent years’ environment alteration which starts from this project. Kahokugata Red Data
Book that we edited in 2013, 39 species of plants, two kinds ofvegetation, and 71 species of animals were picked up as
endangered species (Fig.3). Most of species to inhabit the rice
field are exposed to crises for extinction. It is thought that theuse of agricultural chemicals in the rice field is related to theextinction of the wildlife (Fig.4). Preservation of biodiversity inthis area is a pressing problem.
Aggravation of the quality of the water was caused as anotherserious problem. It led to a water quality degradation that
Kahokugata lagoon was changed fresh-water lake in reclamation project. The quality of the water of the current Kahokugata
lagoon cannot satisfy an agriculture water standard.
Two business is performed by Kahokugata Lake Instituteaiming at a solution of a problem of biodiversity and environmental preservation in a marsh around Kahokugata at present.

Fig.3 Kahokugata Red Data Book

Fig.4 Comparison between the rice field which does not use a pesticide and the rice
field using (Create based on Takahashi and Kawahara 2014

Fig.1 Kahokugata Lagoon

Fig.2 Process of the reclamation

Suzume-Yasai“Suzume-Yasai” which means “Sparrow vegetables”, is abusiness of the vegetable cropping (Fig.5). Paspalum distichum L.var. indutum which is an alien plant which flourishes
excessively at Kahokugata and a marsh around it is used as acompost on this business (Fig.6).
Kahokugata is the lake where eutrophication was done, but
the Uchinada sand dune which is immediately aside of
Kahokugata is the oligotrophy environment. Sound material
recycling is promoted by taking the plant lush in Kahokugata
which is an eutrophic lake and using it by the Uchinada sanddune which is the oligotrophy environment. A cost of thewaterside management are served by selling vegetables on
this business at the same time. When business of “Suzume-Yasai” spreads, and use of a compost is developed in the field in
Uchinada sand dune, and use of chemical fertilizer becomeslittle, nitrogen concentration of the groundwater which flows
into Kahokugata from Uchinada sand dune will be low, andimprovement of the water quality of Kahokugata can be
expected (Fig.7).
The present problem is that plant construction of compost-ization isn’t developed. Therefore it’s still small-scalebusiness.

284
Fig.5 Suzume-Yasai

ment in an original market in the respective farmhouses isbehind schedule. Each farmer depends on the market NPO
has reserved.
Fig.8 Mark of the authentication of the Ikimono-Genki-Mai

Fig.6 Paspalum distichum L.var. indutum
Fig.9 First characteristic of Ikimono-Genki-Mai, traceability

Fig.7 Solution to problems by the local circulation
Fig.10 Second characteristic of Ikimono-Genki-Mai, searchable the result of survey
on organisms

Ikimono-Genki-Mai“Ikimono-Genki-Mai” which means preserving all wildlife isa business of the rice cropping. NPO cooperates with a farmer,
and this business is put into effect to make the farmland ahabitat of wildlife.
Helicopter spraying of Insecticide isn’t performed at the rice
paddy where “Ikimono-Genki-Mai” is grown. A herbicide isn’t
used for a ridge. A contract farmer requests a creature investigation from NPO and receives authentication of the reliability(Fig.8). The rice certified adds extra value as “Ikimono-Genki-Mai”, and is sold.
“Ikimono-Genki-Mai” is certified in each 1 rice paddy, and isbagged. The location of the field, cultivation method and theconfirmed information on wildlife are recorded on a wrappingbag. This is mechanism of the best traceability (Fig.9, Fig.10).
Seven farmers participate at present, and “Ikimono-GenkiMai” is grown at 10 rice paddies. Additionally there is 1 fieldof lotus root. A problem by restricting use of agriculturalchemicals has not formed up to now. The change in the inhabit
situation of the large-sized organisms isn’t confirmed, but it’sconfirmed that small-sized organisms is increased. The farmer
who hopes for participation in this business is the possibility
which will increase from now on.
The present problem is securement in a market. Secure-

References
Kahokugata Lake Institute (2013) Kahokugata Red Data Book, Hashimoto
Kakubundo, Kanazawa, 168P (in Japanese)
Hisashi Takahashi and Nanae Kawahara (2014) Pre-Investigation on the
differences of terrestrial invertebrates among various types of the paddy
fields: focusing on cultivation methods, use of insecticides, and the environmental characteristics, Kahokugata Lake Science, 17:7-15 (in Japanese)

285

Poster Session III

RiceBED Project, for Mainstreaming Biodiversity in Rice Paddies by
Networking People of Various Sectors in Japan and Overseas
Masayuki Kurechi, Minoru Kashiwagi
Ramsar Network Japan

RiceBED Project – it is an acronym for Rice Paddy Biodiversity Enhancement Decade Project. It was in 2013 that Ramsar
Network Japan (RNJ) kicked the project off. It is an action
project focussing on a capacity of rice paddies to hold biological diversity. Making best use of the capacity of rice paddies,it aims to mainstream enhancement of biodiversity in ricepaddies. The project calls for those people, in various area
geographically and socially, interested in maintaining andenhancing biodiversity in rice paddies. It invites their participation by declaring implementation of at least one action they
can practice to enhance biodiversity in rice paddies. RNJ
plays a role to provide a platform for participants to exchange
information on related activities. In this way, the project aims
to create a new trend for enhancing biodiversity in ricepaddies by bundling power of participants while expanding
the basis of people concerned about conservation of biodiversity in rice paddies.
In 2010, at CBD/COP10 in Nagoya, the Government of Japanwas instrumental in suggesting the twenty 10-year targets
aiming to restore lost biological diversity that were adopted
as the “Aichi Biodiversity Targets.”Ramsar Network Japan (RNJ) suggested a framework to
widen the field for their implementation beyond the scope of
CBD, which was realized as “United Nations Decade on Biodiversity” (UNDB) through the discussions of the CBD/COP10.
RNJ has launched the “Rice-paddy Biodiversity Enhancement Decade” (RiceBED) to provide a platform for a wide
variety of activities that put into practice the contents of theresolution (X.31 in Ramsar) and decision (X/34 in CBD) on
enhancing rice paddy biodiversity adopted by the Ramsar and
CBD, respectively. 				Ramsar Network Japan drew up an action plan in 2012, withparticipants from local governments and organizations, aswell as individuals who have already been engaged in thisfield, and the “RiceBED Action Plan” was put together.
This Action Plan gives concrete shape to the action necessary to achieve the Aichi Biodiversity Targets and international
rice paddy resolutions. Activities aiming for completion in2020 are now being initiated and carried out all over Japan.
We call on all agriculturalists, citizens, corporations andgovernment authorities with an interest in rice paddy biodiversity to join hands with us to carry out this plan to pursue
and achieve the goals of the Aichi Biodiversity Targets and rice
paddy resolution. Number of participants in the project counts
over 200 individuals and organisations until now.
RiceBED has been also developing a global platform involving Asia, Africa and Neotropics.
Activities thus far:
• Seven local meetings and three meetings at national
level/ joined partners meetings of Double 20 Project.
• Engaged in establishing Local Biodiversity Strategy of
local governments.
• Informal Civil-Government Meetings for the Implementation of the Rice Paddy Resolution; a framework to discussand exchange information on enhancing biodiversity inrice paddies; 57 times since 2009.
• International action: released Rice BED Action Plan inEnglish at the CBD/COP12 (Korea in 2014); organised aside event with Japanese Government on rice paddies
inviting speakers from Asia, Africa and Neotropics at the
Ramsar COP12 (Uruguay, 2015); and joined in JICA projects in Uganda and Costa Rica.
• Awareness-raising activities; Web-page, e-mailing list,
newsletters, some documents both in Japanese andEnglish.
Toward 2020:• The goal of RiceBED Project is 2020:*Target for 500 registrations of action in the year.
*RiceBED becomes a leading project, mainstreaming
biodiversity in rice paddies.
• Further information and registration form to the project,
see the following:*RiceBED Project Access Guide
http://www.ramnet-j.org/doc/ricebedproject-e2.pdf*RiceBED Project HP (English)
http://www.ramnet-j.org/tambo10/tambo/en/286

Poster Session III

The “Wise Use” of Green Infrastructure: Community-Based
Revitalization of Urban Wetland in Gowanus Canal, New York City
Kyohei Takizawa, Yukihiro Shimatani, Satoquo Seino, Taku Watanabe
Kyushu University

1.introduction
The purpose of this study is to examine the activity andplanning process of a conservancy program that aims to revitalize an urban wetland by a community-based, green infrastructure program. Cities worldwide have a common problem
with combined sewer overflow (CSO), which has a negative
influence on water quality in urban waterways and wetlands.
We conducted interviews and surveyed documents of environmental groups, citizens, and city officials that manage the
Gowanus Canal in Brooklyn New York City (NYC), where GreenInfrastructure have been implemented by the city administration, with the cooperation of Gowanus Canal Conservancy(GCC). GCC is a nonprofit conservancy founded in 2006 thatserves as a community-based environmental steward of the
Gowanus Canal. GCC envisions “the evolution of an Open,
Clean and Alive Gowanus Canal and Watershed with accessible, connective open space”. New York City’s Green Infrastructure Program intend to prevents stormwater runoff fromentering the City’ s sewer systems, and to reduce CSO discharges into NYC’s waterbodies. As a result, the water quality
in NYC’s rivers and the urban amenity is expected to improve.

Fig2:The time line of restoration Gowanus canal watershed and GCC activities

Fig3: Locations of Grey and Green infrastructure of Gowanus canal watershed

2.results
The Gowanus Canal was constructed in 18th Century on thesite of a former saltmarsh and creek. The Canal is one of America’s most polluted waterways, due to historic industrial contamination and 377 miilion gallons of CSO into the canal every year.
Fig1:Gowanus canal today

Declared a Superfund site in 2010 by the US Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA), the Canal has plans to dredge heavily
contaminated sediment. The NYC Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) have planned and constructed grey andgreen infrastructure (Long Term Control Plan) across thewatershed to reduce CSO from 2012(Fig2).
Some rain gardens and bioswales in the watershed aremanaged by citizens and GCC(Fig3). For that reason, GCC has
their own nursery and composts station. GCC operate the volunteer programs and the education programs including planting and taking care of plants in bioswales.

Since 2015, GCC has led a planning process with community members, elected officials, and agency representatives to
identify open space priorities from a diverse range of neighborhood stakeholders. In 2017 GCC summarized the vision ofarea called “GOWANUS LOWLANDS”.
GCC plays the four roles in the community: volunteer
engagement; education; greenscape management; anddesign adovocacy(Fig4).
3.discussion
Through the analysis of the research, the most important
keyword is abstracted : a stewardship. GCC recognize a stewardship as making a connection citizen’s activities in the area
to CSO problem.
Activities that help reduce CSO, such as planting trees inrain gardens and bioswales, foster a public awareness of theparticipants’ connection to the entire watershed and287
strengthen their sense of public commitment. The GCC fosters
watershed stewardship among their members by linking therestoration of wetland with community improvement andbeautification.
Fig4: The roles of GCC in the community

Fig5: Greenscape stewardship and Green infrastructure

288

Poster Session III

Onga River Reconstruction Project: East Side High-Water Channel
Design to Balance the Flood Control and People-Friendly Open Space
Tomoki Takebayashi, Akihiko Higuchi, Fumiko Taura
Urban and Environmental System, Faculty of Engineering, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
Email: contact@tomokitakebayashi.com
Introduction:
Nogata Riverside Park of Onga River is one of a few contemporary examples in Japan that has successfully improved theriverfront from a drainage channel to a people-friendly public
open space. In 2004, Kyushu University Landscape Lab.
Including authors was asked by Ministory of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Kyushu Regional Development Bureau
Onga River Office (MLIT) to prepare an alternative plan forOnga River’s riverfront in the central area of Nogata. In thisregion, citizen-involved river reconstruction works have been
conducted and more than 60-times citizen meetings were held
since 1996. Major attendee is Nogata Kawazukuri Koryukai, a
not-for-profit group aiming to revitalize Onga river. After aseries of intensive discussion with a concerned local citizen
group, the design team prepared a design plan to balance theflood control and the creation of organic open space.

number of daily visitors has increased by 50% both in weekdays and weekends in one year. Also, the increase of thecross-sectional area of the waterway has improved the river’s
security of flood control.
Photo 2. Overall view after the Project.

Photo 1. Discussion with local citizen
Photo 3. Existed concrete embankment walls before the Project

East Side High-water Channel Design:
The east side high-water channel was designed to belowered with newly built stonewalled terraces. While, thewest side shoulder of the flat high-water channel was shaped
as a gentle slope connecting the downtown Nogata and thewater surface both physically and psychologically. The eastside high-water channel is likely to be eroded due to the westcurved waterway. Existed concrete embankment walls along
the water’s edge of the channel protect the eastern high-water
channel from the erosion. However, there are alternative
solutions to design the walls. It became clear that a series ofterrace stonewalls and grass fields in between are strong
enough to protect the flat high-water channel from the erosion.
This terrace structure should provides easy access to thewater and also help to provied attractive public space on theeast side riverfront.
Outcomes:
Undulating topography of the east side high-water channeland stonewalled terraces realized over the entire east side.
Though the stonewalls are reinforced solidly by concrete, thegaps between stones on the wall are open so that wild grasses
could grow and cover the wall in a few years. A wooden boat
slip is inserted in front of Mizubekan, riverfront activity center/flood shelter. A stone-paved plaza space is connected spatially with the slip. The slip and stonewalled terraces on theeast side connected by gentle slopes and stone steps makeaccessible space. After the completion of the project, thePhoto 4. Newly built stonewalled terraces.

Conclusions:This project achieves a solution to secure flood control
while to create a people-friendly public open space on an
urban riverfront simultaneously. The critical factors to realize
the design include followings: 1) The design team tried to
involve citizens in design processes and to know citizen’s
needs to use river open space as well as the past landscape ofthe riverfront. Here contribution of Nogata Kawadukuri
Koryukai was indispensable and their stories were helpful for289
Photo 5. Boat slip in use for canoeing.

designing the desirable landscape of Onga river. 2) The design
tried not to use many materials; there are only grasses, stones
that are the same stones used in previous constructions, andwoods. This design strategy contributed to strengthen thespace integrity of the entire landscape of Onga river. 3) The
design ensures the wheelchair-friendly access slopes andpaths. Not only people in wheelchairs but family with baby
strollers and seniors become possible to access to the water’sedge easily. This water accessibility enhances the space
attractiveness.
References:[1] Akihiko HIGUCHI, Fumiko TAURA, “A Behavioral Study on the Visitors at theGradually Slanted Dry Riverbed of the Onga River in Nogata City”, Journal for
Architecture of Infrastructure and Environment No.3, Japan Society of Civil
Engineers, Japan, December 2007, pp. 83-94[2] Civil Engineering Design Prize 2009, Japan Society of Civil Engineers, Japan,
February 2010.

Figure 2. Sectional diagram of proposed design in comparison with the previous condition.

Figure 1. Final plan prepared by design team.

290

Poster Session III

Cultural Ecosystem Services of Temperate Coastal Areas of Japan:
Uses of Tidal Flats, Sandy Beaches, and Rocky/Coral Areas
Takehisa Yamakita
Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC)

Ecosystem services are an important concept that connects
biodiversity and human well-being. However, evaluations ofcoastal ecosystem services are very limited, and few suchstudies have directly connected biodiversity and humanwell-being. Even monetary-based evaluations, a standard
technique in this area of study, are still in the early stages. For
example, Costanza et al. (2014) modified the monetary-based
evaluation of coral reefs reported in Costanza et al. (1997)
from USD8000 to USD350,000 per ha. Of the estimatedincrease, USD104000 was from the addition of cultural ecosystem services. Martin et al. (2016) did a systematic survey ofstudies of coastal and marine ecosystems from 2004 to 2014
and found only 24 papers that evaluated cultural ecosystemservices. Moreover, half of these papers were published in
2014. Although it may be difficult to evaluate cultural ecosystem services, the number of studies is beginning to increase(Yamakita 2017).
In the case of Japan, coral reefs and tidal flats were evaluated by a committee established by the Ministry of the Environment (Fig. 1). The committee found high monetary values
for coral reef services (JPY234.4 billion) but not for the cultural services provided by tidal flats based on a travel cost
method for shellfish gathering (JPY45 billion; Ministry of theEnvironment Japan).
In 2016 we started a research program named “Predicting
and Assessing Natural Capital and Ecosystem Services” under
the Environment Research and Technology Development Fund(ERTDF), Ministry of the Environment, Japan. Through our
project, we are assessing and predicting the social and economic value of natural capital and ecosystem services, andassessing the potential of the ecosystem functions of related
services through various means, including a survey of biodiversity and the status of various ecosystems.
In particular, we expect to produce outputs related to thelatter items during this five-year program. We plan to share

our result with the Convention of Biological Diversity (CBD),
the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) regional and global
assessments, Ecologically or Biologically Significant Marine
Areas (EBSAs), and ecosystem-based climate change adaptation programs of the IPCC. We also expect to make contributions to national and local biodiversity strategic action plansin Japan. With the program outputs, we expect to promote theimplementation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),
localization of the Inclusive Wealth Index, establishment of aGreen Economy in the Asian region through the efforts of theInternational SATOYAMA Initiative, participation in ecosystem-based disaster risk reduction (Eco-DRR), and development of new multilevel governance of natural capital. We also
hope to collaborate with international and national global
environment research initiatives such as Future Earth andother ERTDF projects.
Fig. 2. Illustration of people clamming near Tokyo tower (Shinagawa) in 1861.

Fig. 3. D istribution of clamming grounds in Japan (dots) overlaid on important marine
areas (rectangles) using criteria from Ecologically or Biologically Significant
Marine Areas (EBSAs) integrated with a Marxan complementarity analysis(based on the methodology explained in Yamakita et al. 2015; 2017a). Colors of
the rectangles means the importance considering EBSA criteria based on thenumber of selection using Marxan.

Fig. 1. Summary of a monetary-based evaluation (modified from a report of the Ministryof the Environment).

As a first step, our group focused on the spatial and temporal distribution of several cultural ecosystem services in temperate coastal areas of Japan. We evaluated indicators such as
the number of visitors and the distribution of these services.
As examples of coastal area services, we considered sea
bathing, shellfish gathering, and coral reef diving.

291
A case study of a clamming ground
Clamming (shellfish gathering; shio-hi-gari) is one of themost popular coastal leisure activities in Japan. Historically, it
has been a leisure activity since at least the 9th century andbecame popular in the 17th century (a picture in 19thC in Fig.
2). In 2003, 2,240,000 people throughout Japan enjoyed clamming (Fig. 3).
To investigate the dynamics of clamming activities, we evaluated people’s use of a tidal flat area based on field observations (Fig. 4) and questionnaires administered before andafter the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami (Yamakita et al.
2017b). The study was conducted at the Urayasu city side of
the Sanbanze wetland in Tokyo Bay. We chose this study site
because of its proximity to residential areas, its local history(which includes cessation of a land reclamation plan in 2011),
and the involvement of local citizens in the participatory
process that includes multiple stakeholders in the consensus-building and planning processes (Kawabe 2004; Sanbanze
Restoration Planning Committee 2004).
Clamming and walking/jogging were the most common
activities in the area before the earthquake (Over 50% people
did. See Blue shaded bars in Fig. 5). Although walking/jogging
decreased only slightly after the earthquake, clamming activity decreased by 64% based on the questionnaire data and by
73% based on field observations in 2013 compared with 2010(one year before the earthquake). Interestingly, other minor
uses did not show clear trends, possibly because of the small
sample sizes.
Another clamming ground in Tokyo Bay showed a 62%
decrease on average after the earthquake compared with themean from 2008 to 2010 (Fig. 6). The percentage of visitors
entering the clamming area was 48% of the previous average(2008 to 2010) in 2012 and 63% in 2013.
In contrast to similar trends observed for sea bathing following the earthquake in 2011, both the number of visitors toswimming pools and the total number of visitors for all sightseeing in Chiba prefecture in 2011 were at least 80% of themean from 2008 to 2010 (Fig. 6). The number of visitors fully
recovered to 2010 levels by 2012. Differences in the recovery
rates between marine leisure use and other leisure uses therefore were evident. The earthquake decreased clamming, themost important cultural ecosystem service of the tidal flat,

even in the Tokyo Bay area, which is located far from the earthquake’s epicenter.
Predictions of future coral diving locations
To evaluate the potential future demand and supply forcoral diving spots, we conducted an investigation of current
and future potential diving locations considering the distribution of coral reefs.
As a first step, we analyzed a scatter plot of the area of coral
reefs and the present number of diving spots in 10km grids.
We did not use a simple correlation, but rather the observed
maximum value of diving locations. Therefore, we used a 95%
quantile regression analysis on the scatter plot to estimate thepotential number of diving spots depending on the area of thecoral reef. The current distribution of potential diving spots
was then mapped on the basis of these results. By doing so,
we were able to show the gaps between the actual use(demand) and amount of potential service (supply) based onnatural capital.
There was a notable gap near Okinawa’s southern island in2000 (Fig. 7). Okinawa is in a subtropical region and a large
area of coral reefs was recorded in the area, but the area was
not suitable for comparison with the studied temperate areas
where we expending northward up of the distribution of coral
reefs. Thus, we did not focus on the area around Okinawa inthis study. Relatively large gaps were present at the tip of theFig. 5. C omparison of ratios of various uses of a wetland area (%) in 2010 (Blueshaded line bars; Q1) and 2013 (Green filles bars; Q1-Q5). A large decrease wasobserved in clamming use after the 2011 earthquake (modified from Yamakita etal. 2017b)

Fig. 4. Images taken by an automated camera system used to count the number of people
at high tide (top), low tide (middle), and when the tide was coming in (bottom). We
used this system to count the maximum number of people because the number
depends on the tide (modified from Urayasu Whole Nature Explorers 2014).
Fig. 6. T he ratio of annual visitors participating in various activities after theearthquake relative to the mean for 2008–2010 (data extracted from Yamakita etal. 2017b).

292
peninsulas in Kyushu and Shikoku, all of which are affected by
the Kuroshio Warm Current that meanders off the Pacific sideof the Japanese coast.
As a second step, future changes in the area of coral reefs
and gaps in the number of diving spots were evaluated. We
applied the future sea temperatures presented in MIROC
model RCP8.5 of IPCC AR5 as the scenario. The area of coral
reefs was estimated from the relationship between the areaand seawater temperature in the current reefs and the possibility of the establishment of the reef are limited using several
environmental factors such as coastline length and complexity and water depth. Most of increase of the reefs are conversion from rockey interidal in the complex coast line facing
warm currents.
Given the projected area of coral reefs in the future, we estimated the gap between the potential number of diving spots
in the future estimate and the current actual number of diving
spots. In Figure 7, the larger area of darker colors in 2050 show
the gap increased as compared to the year 2000.
In particular, the gaps increased west of Kyushu. Although
the Ryukyu archipelago located south of Kyusyu also showed
increases, the gaps may have been overestimated because weneglected the negative impact of high temperatures in tropical areas, such as coral bleaching.
These results reveal a high potential, on the supply side, to
use the coral resource to increase tourism. To further consider
the potential use of such areas, we need to better understanddemand-side aspects, such as population, infrastructure,transportation, and existing local industry (e.g., fisheries).
Past expansion of sea-bathing locations
We also evaluated temporal changes in the distribution ofsea-bathing locations (Fig. 8).
In Japan, travel to soak in sea water (yu-ami) has been
known since at least the 10th century, and it became more
popular in the 17th century as shio-touji (sanatorium/recuperative use) in some places. However, modern sea bathing forthe general public is considered to have started in the 1870s.
The practice was influenced by foreign visitors and returnees
from the Iwakura Mission following the opening of thecountry. At that time, sanatoriums and associated travel
became popular in the United Kingdom, such as in the Scarborough and Brighton areas. The first modern sea-bathing
spots in Japan were Kanazawa-ku in Yokohama, Yuigahama in
Kamakura, Oiso beach in Oiso, and Futami-Ura in Ise.
As shown by the green dots in Figure 8, by 1910 sea bathing
had spread to several prefectures on the Pacific side of Honshu(the main island of Japan) and the west side of Kyushu. In
terms of the number of tourists, the Shonan area attracted 10
million people as did the beaches at Kyoto in that period.
By 2016 the number of sun-bathing beaches had increased,
not only on the Pacific coast but also on the Sea of Japan,
northeastern Honshu, and even on the northern island of Hokkaido (not shown in Fig. 8). Interesting patterns of development can also be observed in enclosed bays. Compared to theincrease in the numbers of sun-bathing locations in the countryside, Tokyo Bay and Osaka Bay showed a decreasing trend
after the 1970s. Before then, there were several sea-bathing
beaches, even on the inner part of the bay. In the 1970s in Tokyo
Bay, almost all sea bathing stopped as areas closed because oflandfilling and a decrease in water quality. In 1989, artificial
beaches were created in some locations. Even with the creation of new areas (i.e., the alteration of natural capital into artificial capital), the water quality was not yet good enough forsea bathing in the innermost part of the bay. The considerationof both artificial and natural capital will be a challenging issue
for in future evaluation of these types of conditions.

Fig. 7. The area of coral reef in 2000 (lower), and gaps between of the potential numberof diving spots and area of coral reef in 2000 (middle) and 2050 (upper). Increases in
the gaps between demand (actual use) and supply (potential use) were observed intemperate areas in 2050. Tropical and subtropical areas were not considered in thisanalysis.

Fig. 8. Distribution of areas for the traditional use of beaches, and the rapid expansionof sea-bathing locations from the early 1880s to the present.

Acknowledgements
I thank all members of the S15, S9, and 4RF-1501 projects
and other cooperating researchers, especially Yoko Osawa,
Sachiko Oguma, Nina Yasuda, Emily Egginton Skeehan,
Fumiaki Sodeyama, Misako Matsuba, Yoshihisa Shirayama,
Hiroya Yamano, and Shimpei Iwasaki; members of local community groups, especially Kiyomi Yokoyama (Urayasu Sanbanze-wo Taisetu-ni suru kai), Manabu Imai (Urayasu
Mizube-no-kai), Yoshikazu Shimamura (Urayasu City Folk
Museum), and Yoshimi Matsuoka (Urayasu Whole Nature
Explorers). Some of the research referred to in this paper was

293
supported by the Environment Research and Technology
Development Fund (S-15 Predicting and Assessing Natural
Capital and Ecosystem Services; S-9; 4RF-1501) of the Ministryof the Environment, Japan; an Environmental Conservation
Activities Grant (FY2010) using funds raised with the help ofradio station BAY FM Love Our Bay by the Chiba Prefecture
Environment Foundation; and a Urayasu City citizen action
activation grant in FY2013.
References
Costanza, R., d’Arge, R., de Groot, R., et al. (1997) The value of the world’s
ecosystem services and natural capital. Nature, 387, 253-260.
Costanza, R., de Groot, R., Sutton, P., et al. (2014) Changes in the global value of
ecosystem services. Global Environmental Change, 26, 152-158.
Kawabe, M. (2004) The evolution of citizen coastal conservation activities inJapan. Coastal Management, 32, 389-404.
Martin, C. L., Momtaz, S., Gaston, T., Moltschaniwskyj, N. A. (2016) A systematic quantitative review of coastal and marine cultural ecosystem services:
Current status and future research. Marine Policy, 74, 25–32.
Sanbanze Restoration Planning Committee (2004) Proposal for the restoration of
Sanbanze (summary). Chiba, Japan, 38pp.
Urayasu Whole Nature Explorers (2014) “Sanbanze” The Tokyo Bay, Seaside
story from Shin-Urayasu. Urayasu press, Urayasu, Japan. 162 pp. (in Japanese)
Yamakita, T., (2017) Current Status of Marine Biodiversity Assessment in the
Asia and Status of Assessing Marine Ecosystem Services. Journal of Rural
Planning Association, 36, 25-28 (Written in Japanese with English summary)
Yamakita, T., Yamamoto, H., Nakaoka, M., et al. (2015) Identification of important marine areas around the Japanese Archipelago: Establishment of a
protocol for evaluating a broad area using ecologically and biologicallysignificant areas selection criteria. Marine Policy, 51, 136-147.
Yamakita, T., Sudo, K., Jintsu-Uchifune, Y., et al. (2017a) Identification ofimportant marine areas using ecologically or biologically significant areas(EBSAs) criteria in the East to Southeast Asia region and comparison withexisting registered areas for the purpose of conservation. Marine Policy, 81,
273-284, doi:10.1016/j.marpol.2017.03.040
Yamakita, T., Matsuoka, Y., Iwasaki, S. (2017b) Impact of the 2011 Tohoku
Earthquake on the Use of Tidal Flats: a Case Study in Inner Tokyo Bay.
Journal of Environmental Information Science, 2017(1),25-36

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Poster Session III

The Seletar Kids Art Education Project – A Project to Document
the Wetland Jewels of Malaysia
Wong Yun Yun, Ng Hong Jing
Nature Classroom, Malaysia‘Seletar’, the ‘Orang Laut”, sea people in Malay language, is
one of the 18 indigenous ethnic groups in Malaysia. They are
Austronesian and were once part of the sea nomads that lived
in boats at coastal areas and estuaries along Straits of Johor(between Malaysia and Singapore). After the independence ofSingapore in 1965, most of the Seletar tribes were relocated toJohor, the southern state of peninsular Malaysia.
Today, the Seletar people lives across 9 villages in southernJohor. Even though they have settled on land and stop living
freely on the sea like their ancestors, they are still depending
heavily on sea for livelihood and resources. They still practicetraditions and culture that closely related to sea and the mangrove forest. Many of them are animist but some converted toChristian or Muslim.
Due to rapid development such as the large scale reclamation project along Johor Straits, the Seletar people are facing
drastic changes in their homeland and lifestyle. Quality of life
is dropping as the sea getting more and more polluted andexploited for urbanisation. The Seletar children are found very
difficult to adapt the mainstream education system. They aresometimes marginalised due to their weaknesses in academic
achievements.
As sea nomads that used to live in boats and now living atsettlement surrounding mangrove forests, the Seletar are
highly intertwined with natural environments through years
of interactions. We understand that Seletar people inheritedsome fascinating culture and old stories which ae still remain

unknown to the world. These beautiful cultural heritage areworth to be learned and conserve. However, Seletar language
do not have any proper writing system. Besides, many
younger people prefer to speak Malay language and those old
Seletar customs could be fast disappearing.
The ‘Seletar Kids Art Project’ were initiated to help the
younger generation of Seletar to rethink and to document
their history, culture, homeland and lifestyle through art education. We are currently conducting a monthly art class for the
Seletar kids between the age of five to fifteen. We guided themin an interesting way, such as storytelling, drawing, colouringand making handcraft and art pieces related to their family,
their village, their myths & folklores as well as their daily life.
By implementing the project, we hope this could encourage
Seletar kids to learn better in schools. After several monthly
session, we discover that many of them are highly interested
in learning and very talented in art. Our next target is to collectthe children artwork as well as the Seletar’s folklores and historical tales for subsequent documentation and publication of
their beautiful untold stories at Johor Straits.
In the following poster (figure 1), the author portrait theidentity, history, culture, living environment, as well as the
Seletar kids art education project from the eye of Lawra, a7-year-old Seletar kid. We hope our work will be able to help topreserve the wetland together with the intangible culture that
inherited by the indigenous tribe of Seletar.

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Figure 1296

Poster Session III

Community Based Management of Beach Litter
in Itoshima Peninsula, Fukuoka, Japan1
1

Shuyuan Geng, 2 Satoquo Seino, 3 Mitsuhiro Aizu

Graduate School of Engineering, Kyushu University, 2 Graduate School of Engineering, Kyushu University,
3
Faculty of Engineering, Kyushu University

Sand beaches were defined as the wetland area of global
importance by the Convention on Wetlands. On the other
hand, the amount of rubbish found dumped on beaches has
rapidly increased in recent years. Marine litter have a bad
influence not only on decreasing the aesthetic and recreational values of beaches but also the wildlife. Itoshima Peninsula (or Itoshima zone) is one of the most important marine
regions along Genkai-nada coastal area (Sea of Japan). One of
the most significant trends affecting its future shoreline management is marine litter. However, due to the imperfect datacollection, in Itoshima zone a litter is known about the litter
composition on beaches. Therefore, we conducted a questionnaire survey and a field survey over a period of one year from2017 and analyzed the presence of litter on the beaches.

Fig.2 Analysis of the question 1

Fig.3 Analysis of the question 2

Fig.1 M ap of the study area and field photo of marine litter along the beach in Itoshimazone

Fig.4 Analysis of the question 3

A structured questionnaire was used as the way to inform
people the marine litter issues. It was conducted during theautumn of 2016, to explore in more detail the marine litter
issues by region. The questionnaire started with a number ofquestions about the presence of litter on the beaches. We hadreceived 86 responses, with the response rate of 90.5%. 32
replied as high school students, 27 replied as fishermen, eight
replied as salarymen. Nineteen respondents replied as an“other”. There was no significant difference between thenumber of males and females who took part in this survey.
The majority of participants were in the 14-25 years and 36-55
years old category.
Ages structure of the responses as shown in below:• 25 years old and below: 37.21% (male 17/female 15)• 26-35: 9.30% (male 4/ female 4)• 36-45: 16.28% (male 11/ female 3)• 46-55: 15.12% (male 5/ female 8)• 56-65: 8.14% (male 4/ female 3)• 65 years old and above: 13.95% (male 8/ female 4)Six questions were designed for this questionnaire to evaluate public attitudes to marine litter in Itoshima zone. (1) How
many times have you participated in cleanup activity? (2) How
do you know if a cleanup activity happens? (3) What is the
major source of marine litter in Itoshima Peninsula? (4) Haveyou ever heard of International Coastal Cleanup Data Card
(ICC Data Card)? (5) How many percentages of marine litter doyou think it originates from your country? (6) Which one do
you think the local government should do to improve the pro-

Fig.5 Analysis of the question 4

Fig.6 Analysis of question 5

motion of beach cleanup project? (Multiple-choice). The analysis for each question was shown by the following chart.

297
Fig.7 Analysis of the questions 6

In spite of over half of respondent (53%) answer that it is not
the first time, they join the cleanup initiative. About one-thirdof them (35%) still have never joined any cleanup initiative
yet. Most of the participants know a cleanup activate by masscommunication while teenagers are through school announcement. Land-based sources are responsible for marine litterand the remainder was due to sea-based activities. However,
only 44% of respondents attributed the main source of litteron the beaches to land-based sources, the rest of them (54%)
insist that major sources of marine litter can be the others(river, mountain, and sea). Before the questionnaire is conducted few people answered that they had already heard of
ICC Data Card. From The Association of North East Asia
Regional Governments over 90% of the litter in the beach of
Itoshima zone comes from their own country [1]. However,
only a few know the truth, many of the respondents believethat litter originates from distant countries dominates onbeaches. As for management options by respondents to
reduce beach litter, such as affording free trash bags for NPOs
and volunteer organizations, and making a waste management policy to disaster litter also required by many respondents. As four aspects of marine litter (i.e., the scope of removal
efforts, scope of strengthening the partnership, the scope of
support system, and the scope of public awareness and education campaign), the scope of removal efforts they care about
the most. While only near 10% of them agree that it is essential to develop the public awareness and education campaign.
Marine litter problem involves various complicated issues if
only rely on the cleanup campaign, not scientific data. This
problem will never be solved. Unfortunately, this fact seldom
realized by people.
Actually, the promotion of public awareness and education
project in Itoshima zone is more advanced than other zones inFukuoka prefecture [1]. However, the results of thisquestionnaire survey confirm that local residents did notunderstand the presence of marine litter very well. It is
speculated that this result is primarily caused by incomplete
data collection.
Recent studies have suggested the importance of monitoringas part of integrated environmental research programs that
help policymakers evaluate their policies and inform thepublic. In Japan, ICC data collected by volunteers over the lasttwo decades play a critical role when Basic Policy on Fukuoka
RAP was published in 2009 [2]. Numerous scientific andcommunity-based approaches to surveying and beachcleanups including outreach programs targeting the
involvement of volunteers and coastal residents have been
deployed, though. In Itoshima zone a little is known about thelitter composition on beaches from Fukuoka RAP. Furthermore,
it is largely unknown what the contribution of Itoshima’s
recreation and non-recreation to beach litter found on thebeaches of Itoshima zone is. There was a strong need toperform a quantitative evaluation litter on the beaches of
Itoshima zone. Thus, we also conducted a survey regarding
monitoring the beach litter in the study area. The whole yearof 2017’s data was used in this study. (i.e., 100m standing
stock survey, which is a shoreline method designed by NOAA

will be used for monitoring debris in the beaches of Itoshimazone). This shoreline survey technique is designed as a rapid,
quantitative beach assessment for the collection ofstandardized and consistent data that can be applied toaddress policy and management needs at various spatial
scales. In addition, this shoreline technique is designed to beusable by trained community volunteer organizations while
simultaneously providing data that can be used to address
key management questions [3].
The beach of Nagahama and Keya are selected as thesurvey station (Fig.8). Both are located in Itoshima zone, but
Nagahama is a non-recreation beach, which is placed in the
Nishiku of Fukuoka-shi, while Keya is a recreation beach,
which is placed in the southwest region of Itoshima-shi. Fig.8
shows the location of study sites, Nagahama (site1, E
130°15’09.67”N 33°36’9.05”) is a sandy beach facing to Hakata
Bay, the stretch of beach is three kilometers. Keya (site2, E
130°06’31.60”N 33°35’10.13”) also a sand beach but facing toGenkai-nada and the Sea of Japan, the stretch of beach is 500
meters. Keya Beach has been selected among Japan’s 100
Best White Sand and Green Pine Beach, because of thebeautiful scenery of beaches with its white sand and green
pine trees beach.
In order to analyze the maximum width of the shoreline
section during a relatively rapid beach assessment, samplingshould be conducted within three hours of low tide (Fig.9).
Fig.8 The locations of standing stock survey

Fig.9 S chematic representation of belt transect, drawing of a beach, indicating low
tide line and transects setting.

The debris item concentration (number of debris items/m2)
per transect is calculated as follow: (1a)298

C = concentration of debris items (# of debris items/m2)
n = # of macro-debris items observed
w = width (m) of shoreline section recorded during sampling(i.e., transect width, 10-m in this work)l = length (m) of shoreline sampled = 5-m
For the results of the standing stock survey, a total of 2948
items of different kinds of litter were recorded along theshoreline under study. A higher number of items was observedin autumn. While a lower number of items was founded inspring. The higher amount was found on Nagahama Beachand the lower amount was found on Keya Beach. Litter
densities varied significantly different between seasons. Meanlitter densities (± SD – standard deviation) at Keya Beach is
1.17b±0.42, Nagahama Beach is 1.78b±0.69 (Fig.10). Plastic
was illustrated the predominant type of material found on
both shorelines (Fig.11, and Fig.12). At Nagahama Beach,plastic and Styrofoam vary from season to season. The
number of plastic items after the tourist season increased,reaching a total of 569. The number of litter items at Keya
Beach was similar, except the “Fishing” category
Fig.10 Mean litter densities (± SD) in five transects at Keya and Nagahama during four
seasons

Disposable Cigarette Lighters. Plastic Fishing Related Products
include Plastic Rope/Net, Buoys & Floats, and Fishing Lures
and Line.
At Keya Beach, plastic debris is mainly comprised of consumer related products and fishing related products (Fig.13).
Meanwhile, at Naghahama Beach, plastic debris is mainlycomprised of consumer related products and smoking-related
products (Fig.14). Including smoking related products, thenumber of plastic products after the tourist season increased.
Also, Detailed maps were created to compare a 100-m transect from both Nagahama Beach and Keya Beach to explore
how items vary in their distribution along beaches. It is apparent from an examination of transects at Nagahama Beach (site1) and Keya Beach (site 2) that other and bottles are the mostcommon items observed (Fig.15). The category other varied
for two locations and included numerously broken or weathered plastic debris (>2.5 cm) which could not be identified
during fieldwork.
The sources of litter found during the period 2017 (forty
25m-surveys; total number of debris items counted 2948) give
results as in Tab.1. According to the analysis of data collected,
36% of marine litter on the beach of Itoshima zone from theshoreline and recreational activities. Another observation
when looking at Tab.1 is that 46.13% marine litter from unidentified sources (the classification system used is that applied by
the Ocean Conservancy). This is due to a larger number ofFig.13 S ummed plastic debris counts across the five transects by user category on
Keya Beach

Fig.11 Summed debris counts across the five transects by material type on Nagahama
BeachFig.14 S ummed plastic debris counts across the five transects by user category on
Nagahama Beach

Fig.12 Summed debris counts across the five transects by material type on Keya

Fig.15 Comparison of type of item found in two 100-m transects of different study areas

Plastic Consumer Products include Food Wrappers, Plastic
Beverage Bottles, Other Jugs/Containers, Bottle/Container
Caps, 6-Pack Rings, Bags, Cups, Plastic Utensils, Straws,
Balloons, and Personal Care Products. Plastic Smoking
Products >2.5 cm include Cigarette Tips, Cigarettes, and299
Tab.1 The classification of sources of marine litter in Itoshima zone

was given by the analysis of questionnaire survey, though.
Since the fact that the promotion of public awareness andeducation project in Itoshima zone is more advanced thanother zones in Fukuoka prefecture is acknowledged [1]. So, on
the next step of managing beach litter in that area, how the
local residents engaging in data collecting process is become
important. For these reasons, we would like to give a proposal
which is building a frame to manage scientific data in order toimprove this problem (Fig.17). We are hopeful that this
proposal could be one of the marine litter issue solutions in
the future.
Fig.16 Issues exist in the process of data collection

Fig.17 Measures for solving the issues exist in the process of data collection

plastic pieces were found on beaches under study.
The density of litter found along the shorelines of transects
under study was found to be season-dependent. The higher
number of items was observed in autumn. Plastic was illustrated the predominant type of material found on both shorelines. The number of three types of plastic related products(plastic consumer products, plastic smoking products, andplastic fishing related products) after the tourist season
increased. It can thus infer that this increase is mainly causedby the gradual increase of beachgoers in the past year.
Moreover, a large number of plastic pieces were found onbeaches under study. Plastic comprised 83.35% of all debris
items observed (Fig.11, Fig.12). 46.13% marine litter from unidentified sources caused by the breakdown small plastic
pieces can found anywhere on beaches, and a major source ofbeach litter at Itoshima zone was found from the shoreline andrecreational activities.
Results show that such as using standing stock survey isvalid for more data collection. Issues exist in the process ofdata collection seems that related to various groups according
to the local residents (Fig.16). For the status of local residents
understand the presence of marine litter, a negative feedback

References[1] The Regional Action Plan for Prevention and Management of Marine Litter inFukuoka. 2016. p.3-9.
http://www.pref.fukuoka.lg.jp/uploaded/life/210002_51790669_misc.pdf[2] JEAN annual report & cleanup campaign report, 2015. p.60-61.
[3] Lippiatt, S. Opfer, S. and Arthur, C. Marine Debris Monitoring and Assessment, NOAA Technical Memorandum NOS-OR&R-46, 2013.
Acknowledgements
This work would not have been possible without thefinancial support from Itoshima-shi. I am grateful to the people
who were involved in the validation survey for this research.

300

Poster Session III

Development of ESD Program Focusing on Conservation Ecology
of Suaeda japonica Makino (Chenopodiacea),a Threatened Wetland Halophyte
Takashi Shimoyamada1) and Satoquo Seino2)
2)

1)
Shisei Junior High School, Japan
Ecological Engineering Laboratory, Department of Urban and Environmental Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyushu University, Japan

Introduction
Conservation ecology is concerned with the origins andpreservation of biological diversity. It seeks to understandhow the rich variety of plants, animals and other creatures
exists in the ecosystems around us, and how diversity has
been maintained by natural processes.
The ecosystem concept is central to this conservation
ecology, which aims to protect biological diversity and sustainably manage the biosphere. It is important to be aware of
how extinction can accelerate as a result of the disruption ofbasic ecosystem processes (Cox 1993).
In this report, we develop an Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) program based on conservation ecology, biology
and related knowledge, making use of the Suaeda japonica
Makino (Chenopodiacea) plant as the teaching material.
This report clarifies the characteristics of tidal flats (referred
to below as ”wetland”) environment around Suaeda japonica
and studies the characteristics of this species naturally suitable for wetlands. Based on the results, we would like to further
consider the seawall construction methods along the Higashiyoka coast (as a wetland under the Ramsar Convention) fromthe viewpoint of conservation of this species and wetlands.
Materials
Suaedajaponica
Makino(referred to below as “thespecies”) is native to wetlands
around estuaries and seashores
in northern Kyushu in Japan,
including an area around ourtown. Due to the loss of wetlands and changing ecosystemprocesses in recent years, thisspecies is on the decline nationwide and facing extinction
regionally.
The first documentation ofthis species was by Makino (1909). Its Japanese name “shichimen-sou” means turkey herb and is derived from the changing colors of its leaves, invoking images of the face of a turkey.
Its tinted autumnal leaves are a defining feature and tidelands
are beautifully colored by them. The autumn foliage is popular
for tourists.

Methodology
This ESD program is concerned with Suaeda japonica on
this wetland and is developed based on the following four
perspectives, with the aim of clarifying the characteristics of
the wetland environment around this species.
1 Learn the flooding frequency of tidelands
Conduct a comparative observation of the tide table near
this tideland and the tide level where this species is flooded
to obtain an understanding of the frequency of flooding of
this kind of community throughout the year (Fig. 1).
2 Learn the characteristics of the tideland environ-ment
where this species grows naturallyStudy the soil of the tideland (mainly muddy soil), to learn
that this species and other halophytes (Suaeda malacosperma, Aster tripolium L.) in the same area of the tidelands are separated by slight height differences from sea
level (Fig. 1). Furthermore, we compare the biodiversity ofthe tidelands with biodiversity around the school and learn
the role of basic ecosystem processes on tidelands.
3 Consider the breeding strategy of this species on tidelands
from the relationship between temperature variations(associated with hours of sunshine and impacts on plant
growth, Fig. 3) estimated flooding frequency (Fig. 1), andthe number of remaining individuals in this plant community (Fig. 3)
In addition to the past annual temperature record (Fig. 3)
announced by the Meteorological Observatory and Fig. 1,
the change in the number of remaining individuals basedon quadrat surveys carried out also in the past (Shimoyamada et al.,1995) about this species (annual grass), learn thecharacteristics of the environment where germinated individuals are washed away by waves. Furthermore, considering these features, we consider the adaptation strategy ofgermination that may have evolved over time, as thisspecies continued to propagate on tidelands.
4 Investigate diurnal changes in germination rates of halophytes and growing plants at risk of extinction
For each plant, 50 seeds are seeded in a petri dish and thegermination rate is examined at 25°C. under natural light.

301
Results
The results (Fig.1, Shimoyamada et al.(1995), Fig.3, Fig.5:
Shimoyamada(1999)) from Method 1 to Method 4 were as
follows:

Discussion(1) These wetlands (tidal flats) are located in the intertidal
zone and affected daily throughout the year by flooding
and waves containing salt.

Fig. 1 Estimated number of floods per month at the Fukudomi Beach at about 5 m tidelevel where Suaeda japonica Makino community grows naturally.

(2) Salt water in the tidal flats is thought to prevent intrusionof other species. Also, from observation, the effects offlooding and waves differ with slight differences of thetidal flats from the sea level, and as if to adapt each species
seems to select a niche. The existence of tidal flats withslight differences in elevation maintains the diversity of
halophytes. Suaeda japonica was forming communities atthe lowest elevation, closest to sea level, compared withother halophytes.

Fig. 2 In the tidal flats, different communities will form based on elevationdifferences.

(3) In this species and other halophytes, germinated seeds
settled on tidal flats and many individuals had been lost
during flooding around spring time when their growth
was prosperous. It seems to be important for the establishment of seeds of this species on tidal flat which is disturbed by flooding and waves as a strategy for “rapid
rooting” to survive. Furthermore, it is considered that
irregularities on the tidal flats are working advantageously
for fixing in order to establish rooted state individuals
flushed by flooding in the tidal flats.
Fig.4 Daily change of germination rate of halophytes
a: Halophytes (25°C)▽ Suaeda japonica● Suaeda malacosperma■ Aster tripolium▲ Suaeda maritimab: Cultivated plants (25°C)
Raphanus
sativusL.
■● Phaseolus vulgaris

Fig. 3 Top: Average monthly water and air temperature in Ariake Sea (Tidal chart
1994 by Saga Pref. Ariake Fisheries Promotion Center). Bottom: Quadrat survey for thisspecies (Shimoyamada et al.,1995).

Fig.5 Tideland and halophyte communities are affected by environmental
disturbances. These drift materials will continue to move between the wetlands andoffshore with the tides unless they are removed.

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Poster Session III

Peat Accumulating Mountain Wetlands of South Siberia:
Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services
Volkova I.I.
Tomsk State University, Tomsk, Russia

West Siberian plain is well known by the largest peatlandsof the world situated here. However, mires and peatlands canbe found not only at the vast plains of Siberia but in the mountains too. Siberian mountain mires are unique type of wetlands that can be found at the large mountain land at thesouth of West Siberian plain, in Altai Mountains (Fig. 1).
Figure 1. The largest mire of Altai – Tugurukskoje mire

Altai is a large mountain country (about 150 thousand km2)
with a range of various climate, relief, hydrology and vegetation conditions in different parts. Thus, the climate varies fromhyper-humid on the western macro-slope of Kuznetsky Alatau
ridge in the north of the Altai region where precipitation
reaches 3000 mm per year to arid with only 120 mm per year
in the South-Eastern Altai.
Mires occupy concave and flat areas such as large depressions, high-mountain circuses, river valleys, saddles, flat tops,
the slopes foots and even gentle slopes of the mountains (Fig.
2) (Volkova, 2014, Volkova et al., 2015).
Figure 2. Mire massifs situation in the mountains of Altai

Our research started in 1996 and covered more than 100
mire massifs where about 800 geobotanical releves were conducted. The research objective was to establish a scientificbasis for the protection of mountain mires – rare natural
wetland type in continental Asia – in Altai mountains (about N
49°04’–55°38’ and E 83°57’–89°52’).
The most of mires in Siberia are peat-accumulating ecosystems – peatlands. We carried out more then 50 peatlands
coring; peat samples for botanical composition, degree ofdecomposition and mineralization were analyzed, several
cores from Altai and Kuznetsky Alatau mountains were also
selected and analyzed for heavy metals in the upper layers ofthe deposits.
Siberian mountain mires are sources of water supply tomany river basin heads, including the upper Ob’ – the largest
Siberian river. One model (typical) mire system – Krestovskye
mires, consisting of 5 massifs at area of 1000 hectares at altitudes above 850-900 m a.s.l. – was chosen, and black box
model was used as a base for the study planning and the dataprocessing and analysis. Water samples from inflowing andoutflowing streams as well as from different mire complex
elements such as likes and hollows were taken. Control
samples from the streams with peat-free catchment were
picked out. Also, precipitation was collected on Krestovskye
mires in the mountain forest belt and at neighboring mountain peak at 1200 m a.s.l. At the same time in the field conditions water samples were tested for temperature, pH, electricalconductivity and alkalinity. Water samples were analysed
for NH4+, NO3-, Cl-, PO43-, Al, Ca, Cd, Cu, Fe, Mg, K, Mn, Na,
Pb, Si, S and Zn.
60 peat samples from 9 cores were obtained at all depths ofthe peat deposits, representing entire Holocene peatsequence and varying from 30 to 150 сm, with more often
selection of less thick samples in the upper modern layers ofdeposits (depth till 20-30 cm) for identification of a layer, thatappropriates to the beginning of hard industrial pollution. Undisturbed peat samples at intervals of 3-5 cm weretaken. Taking into account specialization of the largest regional
air polluting enterprises, the peat samples were investigatedon fraction structure of the undissolved particles and on thecontent of heavy metals Cd, Zn, Pb, Cu, As, Hg.
The most of heavy metals studied, in particular lead, showed
the increased concentrations in the top layers of the peat
deposits of mountain mires as well as in upper on the slopes
mire parts, that is probably connected to industrial humanactivity. But, their concentrations are minimal, and the mountain mires of Kuznetsky Alatau are still in pristine condition inspite of the nearby-situated large coal-mining industrial centre“Kuzbass”. The content of the investigated chemical elementsin the waters of Kuznetsky Alatau also does not exceed thebackground values given in works of other researchers. The
content of many elements in the water of the studied miresystem inlets is appreciably higher (1,5-10 times) than inoutlets. The filtering and water-purifying capacity of the mountain peatlands proved to be rather significant.
The filtering and water-purifying capacity of the mountainpeatlands are evaluated also and proved to be rather significant (the content of many elements in the water of the studied

303
mire system inlets is appreciably higher (1,5-10 times) than inoutlets) (Volkova et al., 2009).
Peat mires started to develop in Altai Mountains in the
middle of Holocene, at the end of time period called the Holocene thermal optimum, about 4.5-5 thousand years ago,having accumulated up to now maximally 3.9 m peat deposit
depth. Plant remains of sedges (mainly the remains of Carex
altaica), brown mosses and sphagnums are found most frequently at mountain mires peat deposits. Today, mountainmires are covered by sedge, sedge-brown moss, dwarf shrubsedge brown moss and sedge-sphagnum plant communities.
Mires as vital landscape features are critical for conserving
and promoting biodiversity and are apparent especially inarid regions of Altai, where they are natural refuges for hygrophilous plants, animals and their communities. They differ
from other ecosystems by the large variety of habitats they
include. This habitat diversity increases with the altitude andallows the existence of not only characteristic mire plants(sphagnum mosses, cranberry, marsh cinquefoil Comarum
palustre, buckbean Menyanthes trifoliata, etc.) and animals,
but also a significant amount of alpine and plain species (originating in steppe, tundra, forest). Some plant communities arerare in Siberia (such as crooked birch Betula alba ssp. tortuosa
community of the wettest and snowiest region of Altai –Kuznetsky Alatau ridge) and some species are rare, endangered, or vulnerable (such as mire orchid Liparis loeselii (Fig.
3), black stork Ciconia nigra, gray crain Grus grus, demoiselle
Anthropoides virgo and many others) because of habitats
lost, overgrazing, low productivity and disturbance factor.
Figure 3. Mire orchid Liparis loeselii

There is no doubt that mires have a critical role in the carbon
cycle, and hence, in the maintenance of biosphere stability
under conditions of increasing human impact. Mountainmires act as natural filters, reservoirs, and sources of cleanwater as well as providing a significant contribution tobiodiversity.
Mountain mires in continental Asia represent a rare natural
wetland type. Central Asian mountain peatlands usually aresedge-dominated fens (like in Kyrgistan mountains, Mongolian and south-east part of Russian Altai). Lavrenko (2000)
described these mires as a “special type of central-asian
mountain sedge mires”. East Siberian mountains as far as
northern Mongolia also occupied by “polygon mires” thatusually are formed in areas with continuous permafrost, especially in the Arctic (Joosten, 2002).

Our research at the large mountain system in the central
part of Eurasian continent, in the south of West Siberia, in
Altai-Sajan mountains, showed, that significant mires withthick peat deposits occur even in the most arid regions of the
Altai.
While a strategy of natural resource management and wise
use is developed for the Altai region, there should be special
attention given to mires and other wetlands. We hope that our
research of mires will help solve a number of problems ofscience and nature protection and will promote the performance by the Russian Federation of its international obligations, accepted in frameworks of the Ramsar Convention on
Wetlands and the Convention on Biodiversity. Undoubtedly,
some of the Altai mountain mires deserve the status of wetlands of international importance as unique mires (peatlands,
wetlands) of intra-continental mountain systems of Asia.
The results were obtained while fulfilling the government
order from the Ministry of Education and Science of theRussian Federation (Project No 5.4004.2017/P).

304

Poster Session III

Habitat Restoration: Bringing Back the Brackish Water
in Guandu Nature Park
Pin-Hsiu Chou1, Tsai Fu Yeh1, Lan-Feng Fan2 and Hwey-Lian Hsieh3. Guandu Nature Park Management Office, Wild Bird Society of Taipei, 2. National Taiwan University, 3. Academic Sinica

1

Introduction:
Guandu Nature Park is located in northern Taiwan roughly
10 km from the mouth of the Tamsui River and still within the
tidal range, thus the wetland within the Park is a mosaic ofbrackish and freshwater. The Park serves as a major stopover
for migrating birds along the East Asian Australian Flyway,
and has been considered as an Important Bird Area (IBA) by
Birdlife International. In the past, large stretches of agricultural fields dotted the landscape, but dramatic changes in thesoil and water chemistry - an influx of salinity in the water andoverdraft of groundwater - rendering farming difficult in thearea. Since then, agricultural fields have largely been abandoned and some were replaced by freshwater ponds, grasslands and rice paddy fields. This mosaic of habitats makes
Guandu unique and a home to a variety of organisms.
Over time, this once vibrant marsh has slowly turned
towards more of a grassland environment and the decline ofbirds (waterfowl and shorebirds) became noticeable. As a partof management, the Park schedules annual habitat restoration
projects to remove sedimentation buildup and vegetation.
These projects aim to prevent succession from further progressing, to restore and maintain the wetland as a marsh. Yet,despite these efforts, bird numbers have continued to decline
and Park management explores tidal flushing as a method torestore the wetland.
Tidal flushing refers to the systematic replacement of waterin a bay or estuary as a result of tidal flow (Cook 1982). Lin etal. (2003) suggested that the maintenance of tidal flux would
be beneficial to enhance the biodiversity of the Guandu wetlands. It is believed that one of the causes for the decline isdue to the levee located south of the Park, as it blocks waterflow and prevents biotic exchange between the wetland within
the Park and the Tamsui River. Park management began toconsider the possibility of reopening the sluice gates on thelevee to allow for brackish water to reenter. This would facilitate exchange between environments (outside and inside of
the Park), which would increase salinity and nutrients. Furthermore, it would allow a temporary biological corridor to form.
The Park worked together with Taipei City to establish a new
set of valve system for the sluice gate, this would allow forbrackish water to enter the Park during high tide periods.
The opening of the sluice gate would cause a temporary
increase in salinity levels, where the tidal flushing leads
increases in salinity and has been documented to suppress
emergent macrophytes such as Common Reed (Phragmites
australis) and Narrow-leaved cattail (Typha angustifolia,
Swamy et. al 2002). Reduction of emergent macrophytes in
the mudflat area creates more suitable environment for
feeding and resting waterfowl and shorebirds.
Tidal flushing from the opening of the sluice gate would
lead to a formation of a temporary biological corridor which
would allow bethnic macroinvertebrates and other organisms
to enter. Benthic macroinvertebrates are crucial food sourcesof waterfowl and shorebirds (Chen and Chen 1994, Tsai and
Chen1994), especially at stopover or wintering sites where
birds need to quickly refuel after a long flight (Alerstam et al.
1992). In particular, the absence of certain macroinvertebrates(particularly members of the Polychaeta family) may explain

the decline of waterfowl and shorebirds within the Park.
This study examines the impact of opening the sluice gate
on salinity, habitat and food availability favoured by waterfowl and shorebirds, and its management implications. The
Park expects that the opening of the sluice gate will bringabout changes in salinity levels which will result in changes(suppression) in the vegetation cover. Then the creation of atemporary biological corridor to allow macroinvertebrates
such as Polychaeta to enter, in turn increasing the availabilityof food for birds.
Materials and Method:
Starting from 2016, the sluice gate is opened twice a monthfor a period of four hours. The opening of the sluice gate is
timed so that the third hour is at high tide, to increase theamount of brackish water to enter the wetland from theoutside (Figure 1). Salinity is measured prior to the opening,
during high tide and before closing the sluice gate.
Figure 1: Sample sites, zone designation and areas affected by opening of the sluice gate.

Benthic sampling occurs every July across the nine sites
with three samples at each site. A PVC pipe with a diameter of
10cm is used, and samples are sieved using a 0.5mm sieve.
Samples are preserved in 99% ethanol before sorting andcounting. Abundances are then calculated based on thosenumbers. Historical data which were collected using the same
methods are used in the analysis for comparison.
Comparison of the effects of salinity on vegetation coveruses data collected from 5 m x 5 m quadrants from five sites
from the mudflats.
Results and Discussions:
Salinity
During experimental opening of the sluice gate, it wasrecorded that salinity would peak around high tide and drops
off shortly afterwards (Figure 2). Thus to maximize the amountof salinity entering, the opening the sluice gate is timed toinclude the high tide so that the intake of salinity is the highest.
Vegetation
Vegetation cover was documented to examine whether or
not there would be changes in the cover as a result of increased
salinity levels. Reduction of the cover of Para Grass (Brachiaria mutica) is more prominent than Common Reed (Phrag-305
Figure 2: Changes in salinity (‰ ) during an experimental opening of the sluice gate.

mites australis) based on the vegetation sampling. However,visually there it was possible to see that the increase in salinity has resulted in the stunted growth and suppression ofCommon Reed (Figure 3a and b). It is possible that Para Grassis more affected by the increase of salinity, thus the suppression is more evident. On the other hand, Common Reed isable to accommodate for the increased salinity, with only
stunted growth and suppression in only some areas. Anotherpossibility is that the sites for sampling are widely distributed
across the Park and not just in the SW or FW1 area where theimpact of the sluice gate is more direct.
Over all, there is a reduction of vegetation cover in thewetland, in particularly around the islands, these open areas
and mudflats are more favourable habitat for both waterfowl
and shorebirds. Thus, the opening of the sluice gate is beneficial for waterfowl because more favourable environment iscreated, this will draw birds into the Park.
Figure 3: a) Stunted and b) Suppression of growth of Common Reed (Phragmites
australis).

Macroinvertebrates
The total abundance of benthic organisms (Figure 4a) within
the Park is subjected to various factors, the main contributing
factor is the result of habitat restoration projects, where thereis largescale removal of vegetation and sedimentation. These
yearly projects are crucial to maintaining open mudflats
favoured by waterfowl and shorebirds. However, these projects disrupt the lifecycles of macroinervebrates and suddenchanges to the environment results in unfavourable conditions for their survival. The opening of the sluice gate allows
for the formation of a temporary biological corridor, in which
will allow macroinveretbrates to enter. After the opening of
the sluice gate there was an increase in the abundance of
Polychaeta, such as Laonome albicingillum, Neanthes
glandicincta, and Capitella species, in the SW area (Figure 4c).
An increase in Polychaeta and the total abundance of benthic
organisms provides an increase in food availability for waterfowl and shorebirds.
Conclusion and Management Implications:
Guandu Nature Park as an important stopover and wintering site for migratory birds, and thus the wetland needs toprovide suitable habitat and maintain adequate food availabil-Figure 4: Changes in a) Total Abundance b) Oligochaeta c) Polychaeta from 1998 to 2016.

ity for birds when they arrive. The opening of the sluice gate
located in the southwestern part of the Park has resulted insome positive changes, which in the long term hopes to revitalize the Park.
The temporary flux of increased salinity within the wetland
has resulted in visible changes in the vegetation cover. The
suppression of both Para Grass and Common Reed create
open areas for birds to use. In terms of management implications, the reduction of vegetation cover reduces the need forlargescale intensive removal of vegetation in the form of restoration projects. This in the long-term may be beneficial tothe maintenance of benthic population within the Park. The
Park will also then be able to reallocate some of the funding
usually reserved for habitat restoration projects to otherareas.
This tidal flushing has also formed a temporary biologicalcorridor allowing macroinvertebrates to enter— increasing
biodiversity and food availability for birds. These findings are
consistent with other studies done on tidal flushing (Lui et al.
2001, Peck et al. 1994, Swamy et al. 2002), where there is anincrease in benthic organism once the tidal flux is restored.
The opening of the sluice gate has only been in effect since2016, and opened only twice a month for four hours, thus itwill likely take longer for more significant changes to beevident. But based on current results, there appears to be positive change within the wetland and that the overall habitat
may be returning to a more suitable state for birds and otherwildlife. The Park will continue to monitor changes and adjust
management practices according to the changes observed.
Acknowledgements
This project cannot be completed without the help of many
dedicated volunteers. Special thanks to thank Coco-Cola
Taiwan and HSBC Taiwan for their generous contribution andcontinual support, and the support of the Taipei City Government - the Hydraulic Engineering Office and the Animal Protection Office.

306
References
Alerstam T, Gudmundosson GA, Johannesson K. 1992. Resources for long
distance migration: intertidal of Littorina and Mytilus by knots Calidris
canutus in Iceland. Oikos 65:179-189.
Cook D.O. 1982. Tidal flushing. In: Beaches and Coastal Geology. Encyclopediaof Earth Science. Springer, Boston, MA
Lin, H.J., K.T. Shao, W.L Chou, C.J. W. Maa, H.L. Hsieh, W.L. Wu, L.L. Severinghaus, and Y.T. Wang. 2003. Biotic communities of freshwater marshes andmangroves in relation to saltwater incursions: implications for wetland
regulation. Biodiversity and Conservation 12: 647-665.
Lui, T.H., S.Y. Lee, and Y. Sadovy. 2002. Macrobenthos of a tidal impoundment
at the Mai Po Marshes Nature Reserve, Hong Kong. Hydrobiologia 468:
193-212.
Peck, M.A., P.E. Fell, E.A. Allen, F.A. Gieg, C.R. Guthke, and M.D. Newkirk. 1994.
Evaluation of Tidal Marsh Restoration: Comparison of Selected Macroinverebrate Populations on a Restored Impounded Valley Marsh and an Unimpounded Valley Marsh within the Same Salt Marsh System in Connecticut,
USA. Environmental Management 18(2):283-293.
Swamy, V., P.E. Fell, M. Body, M.B. Keaney, M.K. Nyaku, E.C. Mcilvain, and A.L.
Keen. Macroinvertebrate and Fish Populations in a Restored Impounded Salt
Marsh 21 Years After the Reestablishment of Tidal Flooding. Environmental
Management. 29(4):516-530.

307

Poster Session III

Biodiversity of the Kampar Peninsula
Prayitno Goenarto1, Donny Gunaryadi2
Riau Ecosystem Restoration, 2Fauna & Flora International, Indonesia

1

INTRODUCTION
The Kampar Peninsula is a 673,000 ha landscape that
includes 344,000 ha of peatswamp forest, approximately
181,000 ha of fibre plantations, and a mixture of other multiple land use areas. This kaleidoscope of multiple land use
areas comprises of industrial-sized oil palm, rubber plantations as well as small-holder plantations, farmlands andhuman settlements. The Kampar Peninsula is possibly thelargest contiguous area of peatswamp forest remaining on
Sumatra. Distributed across much of South East Asia, tropicalpeatland forests possess a characteristic assemblage of floraand fauna borne out of humid and acidic waterlogged conditions. The Kampar Peninsula is also of global significancebeing designated as a Class II Tiger Conservation Landscape,Important Bird Area (IBA) as well as a Key Biodiversity Area
(KBA) as the site contains significant number of globallythreatened species as well as biome-restricted species.
Furthermore a total of around 130,000 ha of this are licensed
under four concessions and managed under the Riau Ecosystem Restoration (RER) Programme (Fig. 1). The RER Programme brings together private and civil society groups, aswell as government regulatory agencies, in a landscape levelapproach to protect, assess, restore and manage previously
degraded peatland. Detailed inventories have been conductedsince 2010 of these wetlands, recording a total of 299 bird, 152
plant, 74 mammal, 107 amphibian and reptile and 89 fish
species. Around 49 species are listed in the IUCN Redlist as
threatened (Critically Endangered [CR], Endangered [EN], Vulnerable [VU]). These inventories represent the first documentation of the biodiversity of the Kampar Peninsula, and areespecially important in light of the current conservation statusof peatlands on Sumatra.

The 2010 Tropenbos survey consisted of 29 biodiversity
survey sites distributed mostly across the periphery of the
Kampar Peninsula but also on the peat dome core areas. The
surveys lasted for a few months and were carried out in themorning and afternoon by teams depending on the targetedtaxa. The survey focused on collecting information on
mammals, birds, plants, reptiles and amphibians. The survey
also incorporated local knowledge and information on species
sightings through interviews with locals.
The 2015 FFI survey was conducted primarily on RER concessions, dividing three concessions (PT. GCN, PT SMN, PT.
TBOT) into grids and sampling along defined transects.
Survey times were also divided into daytime and nighttime
surveys with the addition of single and paired camera trap
stations set up to be active for 24h. Additionally fish diversityof the Kampar Peninsula was sampled along the Serkap,
Sanggar and Turip rivers. The entire list of survey methods
employed for each taxon summarized in a table (Fig. 2)
Figure 2. Table of survey methods used for each Taxon

Figure 1. Map of the Kampar Peninsula

METHODSThe biodiversity baseline results are largely a collation of
two major biodiversity surveys completed by Tropenbos in2010 and Fauna Flora International (FFI) in 2015. However the
result also takes into account anecdotal and personal observation from 2004, 2007, up to June 2017 collected while out inthe field.

RESULTS
Records indicate high avian diversity in the Kampar Peninsula, with 299 species from 66 families, 241 are resident, 49
migratory and 9 have both migratory and resident populations.
Fourteen bird species are considered globally threatened asclassified by the IUCN Redlist with 1 CR, 3 EN and 10 VU species.
The Kampar Peninsula hosted 8 out of the 9 possible hornbills
found in Sumatra including the Helmeted Hornbill (Rhinoplax
vigil) which was the only critically endangered species. The
survey also revealed new distributional records for the Black
Partridge (Melanoperdix niger) and Bonaparte’s Nightjar(Caprimulgus concretus). Peatland associated species foundinclude the Hook-billed Bulbul (Setornis criniger), Storm’s Stork(Ciconia stormi) and White-winged Duck (Asarcornis scutulata)

308
which has an estimated population of less than 150 individuals
in Sumatra.
Eight of the 152 vascular plant species recorded are globallythreatened, with the critically endangered peatswamp endemics Shorea platycarpa and Vatica teysmanniana recorded. The
dominant plant families were Myrtaceae and Dipterocarpaceae, with the high abundance of Shorea teysmanniana andShorea uliginosa. Dipterocarpaceae are the most abundant
tree family with six species that are all listed as threatened. Of
the 152 species recorded, 112 were woody plants (trees) thatpossessed widespread buttressed roots which were well
adapted to areas with high water fluctuation and waterlogged
conditions. The remaining 40 plant species were comprised ofvarious orchid species as well as two species of pitcher plants;
Nepenthes ampullaria and Nepenthes rafflesiana.
Seventeen of the 74 mammal species recorded are globallythreatened, with 2 CR, 3 EN and 12 VU. Six primate species
were recorded including the Agile Gibbon (Hylobates agilis)
and the nocturnal Sunda Slow Loris (Nycticebus coucang).
The critically endangered species include the heavily threatened Sunda Pangolin (Manis javanica) and the Sumatran Tiger(Panthera tigris sumatrae). Six cat species are found throughout the entire island of Sumatra, five of them can be found in
the Kampar Peninsula, only the Asiatic Golden Cat (Catopuma
temminckii) is absent. Camera trap photos from five separate
camera traps during the FFI survey revealed the presence ofthe elusive Flat-headed Cat (Prionailurus planiceps), a species
strongly associated with wetland habitat.
From the 22 amphibian and 85 reptile species, 10 are globally threatened, with 1 CR, 4EN and 5 VU. The numbers ofamphibians are low due to the acidic conditions however
survey revealed new distributional records for the recently
described cryptic frog species Hylana rawa and Hylarana parvacola, both of which are endemic to Sumatra. Two crocodile
species the Estuarine Crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) and thevulnerable False Gharial (Tomistoma schlegelii) was confirmed present. Ten species of turtles were documented, thisincludes the critically endangered Painted Terrapin (Batagur
borneoensis).
Preliminary fish surveys documented 89 species that are
dependent upon narrow and extreme abiotic conditions. Low
pH, low dissolved oxygen levels, as well as high tannin levels
are conditions that require specific adaptations from the fish
species. Cyprinids are the most represented family with 35
species (39%) out of the 89 total. Fish species are important forthe community as around 39 species are found in the aquarium trade as well as 15 species sold for food. A new species
Pectenocypris nigra and the world’s smallest fish Paedocypris
progenetica were notable discoveries from the survey.
DISCUSSION
With the wide ranging variety of species found in the
Kampar Peninsula come inevitable conservation issues when
dealing with threats to their populations. Birds are a popularcommodity, as keeping them as pets or for songbird competitions connected to Javanese culture and is considered
common practice. Blue-crowned Hanging Parrot (Loriculus
galgalus), shama, sunbirds and leafbirds represent popularly
traded species. Plants and trees face direct threats from illegal
logging and fires that are used for clearing land. Mammals
face a wide variety of threats, with macaques often capturesand sold as pets, chevrotain and deer hunted for food and theSumatran Tiger and Sunda Pangolin targeted for the illegal
wildlife trade. Reptiles face hunting threats with Reticulated
Pythons (Malayopython reticulatus) and Estuarine Crocodile(C. porosus) being hunted for their skin. Turtles represent themost endangered reptile group as they are often caught as

bycatch and sold for meat. Seven out of ten turtle species
found are considered globally threatened.
RER’s management of 19% of the Kampar Peninsula serves
an important role in protecting globally threatened species
and in supporting Indonesia’s commitment to climate change
mitigation. In order to more comprehensive understanding of
the biodiversity within the Kampar Peninsula more researchand collaboration should take place. Furthermore a survey of
RER”s fourth and last concession on the Kampar Peninsula;
PT. GAN is scheduled for the near future.

309

Poster Session III

Status of White Winged Duck in Kampar Peninsula
Muhammad Iqbal
Riau Ecosystem restoration, Indonesia

Introduction
The White-winged Duck (Asarcornis scutulata) is a tree-nesting duck. Historically the species was distributed from theNortheastern India states bordering Brahmaputra river and its
major tributaries to Greater Sunda Islands of Sumatra andJava in Indonesia. Now the birds survive in scattered area of
its former range. It is locally extinct in Java and no recent
confirmed records in Malay Peninsula.
The Sumatran population is distinctive in appearance fromthe Northern mainland population with more white colorationon the head and wings. Some authors suggest the Sumatran
population should become a separate subspecies. Its range
on Sumatra has been drastically reduced over the last 30
years. Based on 2016 assessment, IUCN classifies Whitewinged Duck (WWD) as Endangered. It is a protected species
in Indonesia.
Prefers low laying water body adjacent to natural forest andhave been recorded visiting rice fields. Unlike other duck
species which form flock, white-winged ducks are commonly
observed in pairs.
White-winged duck in Kampar Peninsula
The Kampar Peninsula is one of the most important areas ofpeatland on Sumatra, covering some 673,000 ha of peatswamp forest, fiber plantations, oil palm, rubber and sago
farms. It is possibly the largest contiguous area of peat swamp
forest remaining on Sumatra. 311,000 ha area of these wetlands is managed by the APRIL Group, where 181.000 is fiber
plantation and 130,000 ha of natural forest is managed under
the Riau Ecosystem Restoration (RER) Program.
Initiated by APRIL in 2013, the RER Program brings together
private and civil society groups, as well as government regulatory agencies, in a landscape level approach to protect,assess, restore and manage previously degraded peatland.
This ecosystem restoration license is granted for 60 years. The
forest is home to critically endangered sumatran tiger, sunda
pangolin and some other unique wetland species such as flat
headed cat, storm stork, white winged duck and false gharial.
The presence of suitable habitat in Kampar Peninsula with
better management and protection would contribute to secure
future survival those taxa.
In 1990, Asia Wetland Bureau (AWB) organized island-wide
surveys in all suitable habitats and visited historical sites ofWhite-winged Duck sightings. Two years later, BirdLife conducted an assessment of Important Bird Area (IBA) on
Siak-Kampar peat swamp forest in Sumatra including the
Kampar Peninsula.
The survey focused on the northern part of the Kampar
Landscape. Both surveys failed to find WWD in Kampar peatland. These findings raised questions about the presence of
WWD in this landscape since they were recorded on GiamSiak kecil Landscape on the north and Kerumutan Game
Reserve on the south.
WWD was first sighted in Kampar Peninsula peatland landscape on April 2007. Since then duck sightings have beenreported every year. In 2013 WWD recorded for the first time
inside Riau Ecosystem Restoration. In total there are 30 confirmed sightings in last ten years.

Habitat preference
Encounters occurred mainly on artificial canals, either inplantation or forested areas (e.g. canals constructed for illegal
logging prior to ER concession). The rest of sightings were
birds flying over plantation, or over natural water ways. Agedcanals in the plantation seems to match WWD required
habitat, this ducks are more likely to be found on 4 years orolder stands where tree canopy creates shade over the canal.
Long straight canal gives the duck space needs for take off.
They are quite frequently observed on perimeter canals bordering plantation and natural forest. When feel threatened theducks left the water and fly, quite frequently perch on mainbranch of large native trees (please refer to fig. 1).
Figure 1. Percentage of sighting location/habitat usage

Before 2013 there was limited time spent traveling on thenatural forest and riverine area which meant there was a bias
towards finding birds in the plantation canals. When ER stated
to operate within the landscape, travel on the rivers increases,
as they are the main access routes to reach the ecosystem
restoration area. However, this did not increase the number ofduck observation on the river and natural forest away fromplantation. There is a single observation or 3.3 % from total of
bird sighted flew over one of the river.
In natural forest, they may avoid open rivers and prefersmall lakes that are scattered on the flood plain (interview
with local fishermen). These lakes only connected to the mainriver during rainy seasons floods. WWD was observed to visit
water holes created during the construction of access paththrough peat swamp forest about a year after the establishment of the access.
Breeding record
Ducklings were observed in April. An adult duck along withfive ducklings was photographed on plantation canal in 2015.
Other records were from ducklings collected by fishermen in
April 2016, presumably after killing and consuming themother. The first report of breeding in Acacia plantation wasfrom August 2014. The clutch size observed were five ducklings in 2015 and 2016 observations. Number of clutch of 2014
observations cannot be confirmed. These records raise thepossibility that white-winged ducks nest in plantation.
ThreatThread occurs in the form of opportunistic hunting and has
been recorded. One of the incident involve molting birds andthe other on breeding female (see above). Molting birds shed

310
part of their feathers and lose their ability to fly, temporarily
making them vulnerable. Apart from hunting the adults, collecting ducklings was also documented. Fishermen andworkers are educated and requested not to take the birds. A
Standard Operation Procedure was created to provide guidance on how to handle birds that are temporarily unable to fly.
Other threats include natural predators such as water monitor
lizards prey on duckling and birds of prey kill adult birds.

Figure 2. Cumulative sightings of white-winged duck during day light.

Activity Pattern
The majority of observations occur before 10 o’clock. It issuggested that peak activity of WWD in Kampar is around thattime. Since most observation occurred on plantation the activities within plantation may have some impact on WWD activity pattern.
Long term observation in Way Kambas inSouthern Sumatra suggests double peak on WWD daily activity. Its highest activity is between 7 to 8 o’clock in the morningand 4 to 5 before sunset (Figure 2).
Population Estimation
In the past population estimation of WWD was conductedby direct count of animals sighted during the survey. There is
no standardized method applied on this subject. Hence noestimation number of WWDs available for the Kampar Peninsula. However given the current observation records, breeding records, the extend of the landscape, better controlled
access, it might assume that the population could be small
but stable.
Activity in the future:
Conduct intensive search during suspected breeding period(March to April) to document breeding in the plantation.
Increase awareness to fishermen and workers about statusof the bird, especially during breeding season. No hunting
sign for white-winged duck and other protected animal will be
put on places easy to look at by passer byes.
Trial of better methods to estimate population will be conducted.
Reference:
BirdLife International 2001. Threatened birds of Asia: the BirdLife International
Red Data Book. Cambridge, UK: BirdLife International
BirdLife International 2017. Asarcornis scutulata. (amended version published in2016) The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2017: e.
T22680064A110103586. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-1.RLTS.
T22680064A110103586.en. Downloaded on 12 October 2017.
BirdLife International 2017. Important Bird Areas factsheet: Kerumutan.
Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 10/10/2017.
BirdLife International (2017) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Hutan Rawa
Gambut Siak-Kampar. Downloaded fromhttp://www.birdlife.org on
10/10/2017.
Green, AJ. 1992. The status and Conservation of the White-winged Wood Duck
Cairina scutulata. IWRB Spec. Publ. 17. Slimbridge. UK
Green, AJ. 1993. The biology of the White-winged duck Cairina scutulata.
Forktail (8): 62-85

Figure 3. Pair of white-winged ducks on man made canal

311

Poster Session III

Wetland Conservation in the Mai Po Inner Deep Bay Ramsar Site
Wing-Sun Chow
Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government

Background
The Mai Po and Inner Deep Bay area of the Hong Kong
Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), the People’s Republicof China, was listed as a Wetland of International Importance(i.e. Ramsar Site) under the Ramsar Convention on 4.9.1995.
The Ramsar Site covers an area of approximately 1,500 ha ofwetland habitats, including 300 ha of inter-tidal mudflat, 350
ha of inter-tidal mangals, 230 ha of gei wai (traditional shrimp
ponds), 400 ha of fishponds and about 260 ha of marshes,
rivers and channels. The listing is a formal recognition of theinternational importance of the area and helps promote publicawareness of the site.
Ecological Importance
The Inner Deep Bay area regularly supports 50,000 – 80,000
wintering migratory birds, including ducks, gulls and terns,
ardeids and spoonbills, shorebirds, cormorant, rails andcoots. Over 400 species, including 50 species of globallythreatened and near-threatened species according to the IUCNRed List have been recorded, e.g. the Spoon-billed Sandpiper,Black-faced Spoonbill, Nordmann’s Greenshank, and Saunders’ Gull. The site is also among the network of sites along
the East Asian - Australasian Flyway for migratory waterbirds,
which helps to promote public awareness, training and information exchange on migratory shorebirds and thus contribute to the long-term conservation of the birds and theirhabitats along the Flyway.
Conservation Management
The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department(AFCD) of the HKSAR Government is the administrative
authority of the Mai Po Inner Deep Bay Ramsar Site. It formulates and implements the Ramsar Site Management Plan
(RSMP) which provides a framework for the conservation
management of the Ramsar Site. The work includes law
enforcement, ecological monitoring, advising on the wise useof wetland for development proposals, as well as partnershipwith non-governmental organisations (NGO) to carry out
habitat management, public education and bird monitoring
programme.
According to the RSMP, the Ramsar Site is divided into fourManagement Zones with different management objectives
based on habitat type, ecological value and land use. The Core
Zone (consisting of the inter-tidal mudflat and mangals) andthe Biodiversity Management Zone (consisting of gei wai), areprimarily designated as a Restricted Area under the Wild
Animals Protection Ordinance (Cap. 170), where access is
restricted to permit holders only. The Biodiversity Management Zone covers the Mai Po Nature Reserve (MPNR) which ismanaged by WWF-Hong Kong with advice and financial
support from AFCD. The Wise Use Zone and Private Land Zone
mainly consist of commercial fishponds.
The traditional practice of pond drain-down in commercial
fishponds during harvest provides additional feeding opportunities to waterbirds in the Deep Bay area. Since 2012, theGovernment’s Environment and Conservation Fund has provided funding to the Hong Kong Bird Watching Society to collaborate with the fishpond operators through Management

Agreement projects to encourage the operation of the fishponds in an ecologically sustainable manner by continuing
the traditional drain-down practice, while conducting a wide
range of public education activities to promote local aquaculture and biodiversity conservation in the Deep Bay area. The
project has achieved win-win between fisheries and bird conservation and set an example of wise use of wetlands.
In 2016, the Government promulgated the first city-level
Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (BSAP) for Hong Kong,to step up biodiversity conservation and support sustainable
development in the next five years (2016-2021). One of the key
actions is to maintain and enhance the management of theRamsar Site for biodiversity conservation. Continuous effort
will also be put in scientific research, promotion of sustainablefisheries and Management Agreement projects.

312

313

Poster Session III

Effect of the Artificial Tidal Flat Restoration on Benthos
and Fish Habitat in Urban Canal Area
Kana Takeyama1), Katsuhiko Tanaka2), Hiroshi Kohno3),
Kota Nakase1), Katsumi Ishibashi4)1)Penta-Ocean Construction Co., Ltd., 2)Tokai University, 3)Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology, 4)Ota City

1. Introduction and purpose
In the canal located in urban area, the bottom layer becomespoor oxygen due to the influence of the saline wedge andthermocline. The purpose of this study was to evaluate thefunction of the tidal flat and shallow water area created in theurban canal area by the monitoring survey.

Fig.3 Water quality in summer (2016.9)

Fig.1 Environmental issues in urban canal area and background of this study

2. Survey area outline• The Furusato-no-Hamabe Park (Furuhama) in the Keihin
canal, which was constructed in 2000-2004, is located at
the innermost of Tokyo Bay(Fig.1).
• Furuhama is a park aims to (1) secure park green space,(2) secure urban disaster prevention function, (3) be awater park, and (4) improve water quality.
• Furuhama is composed of tidal flat (about 1.0 ha), sandy
beach (1.2 ha) and shallow water area (4.6 ha) , andvarious kinds of habitat are created.
• Because of the closed watershed, the bottom of thecanal (depth A.P*.-5 m) is poor oxygen in the summer,
while the tidal flat and shallow water area (A.P. +1.5m)
are rich of DO(Fig.2).

3. Field survey(1) Benthos
1) Materials and methods (Fig.4)• Survey period:
April 2002 (before construction) to the present (3 -4times a year)• Survey point:
Tidal (A.P. + 0.0m, 0.5 m, 1.0m)
Subtidal (bottom of canal)• Methods:
Using the 20 cm × 20 cm quadrat and Eckman - Berge
mud sampler and analyzed for benthos sorted out with
1 mm mesh sieve*A.P. : Arakawa Peil,A.P.0.0m is nearly extreme low water spring tide
Fig.4 Survey points
Fig.2 Survey area

2) Results (Fig.5, Fig.6)• Benthos appeared just after the construction in the tidal
flat.
• The canal area was unsuitable for benthos in summer.
In the tidal flat, benthos appeared throughout the year.
• In the early stage of the improvement, many smallbenthos such as Corophiidae and Polychaetes appeared;
however large benthos such as bivalves appeared in
the late stage.
• In the canal area, benthos was quite scarce. Only in
winter, small polychaetes such as Spionidae tolerant topollution appeared.

314
Fig.5 Change of the individuals of the benthos in tidal flat

Fig.6 Change of the individuals of the benthos in bottom of canal2) Results (Fig. 9, Table 1)• As the result of comparing the proportion of species
appearing in survey areas, the species that appearing
only in the tide pool accounted for about 36%.
• In Furuhama, Acanthogobius flavimanus was the mostabundant at all areas, followed by Gymnogobius
breuginii in the tide pool and small channel, andLateolabrax japonicus in the shallow water area.
5. Conclusion• Even in the summer when the bottom layer of canalarea is poor oxygen, many fishes appeared throughout
the year in the tidal flat and shallow water areas, Andthus these areas are considered to be evacuation places
for the fish and benthos in the canal area.
• This study indicates that the improved micro topography such as the tide pool in Furuhama is highly possibly
to provide the micro habitats for benthos and fishes
and to promote their diversification.
Fig.9 Composition of species by habitat(2) Fish
1) Materials and methods (Fig.7, Fig. 8)• Survey period:
April - December 2012 (once a month)• Survey area:
Tide pools, shallow water area and small channel(Mio)• Method:
Hand net (tide pools), small set nets (shallow waterarea and Mio)
Fig.7 Survey area

Fig.8 Small set nets

Table 1 Number of fish individuals by habitat

315

Poster Session III

A Study on the Present Condition and Transition of Habitats ofFreshwater Mussels in the Kikuchi River
Kengo Saito (1), Hironori Hayashi (1), Hiroyuki Otubo (2), Yukihiro Shimatani (1)(1)

Kyushu University faculty of Engineering, (2) NIPPON KOEI

Objective
Freshwater mussels (order Unionoida), one of the species
which live in floodplain, have important roles for river ecosystems. Figure.1 shows the Ecological system of Unionoida. Bitterling spawn eggs in a gill of Unionoida. On the other hand,glochidium adhere to the fins and scales of fish after exiting
into the water and they expand their habits
So they are
regarded as the good indicator species of floodplain. There are
18 kinds of Unionoida in Japan, of which 13 are endangered
species.
In recent years, the environment of floodplains is deteriorating due to river refurbishment and urbanization of basin. As aresult, many species now reduce their population and habitats
In Japan, while knowledge on fundamental ecology is steadily
accumulated, studies from application aspects related tohabitat environment etc. are absolutely lacking
In theKikuchi river (Kumamoto Prefecture), it was proved that
Unionoida are decreasing rapidly. Rapid conservation andregeneration of habitat are required. The purposes of thisstudy are 1. Determine detailed distribution of Unionoida, 2.
Clarify the habit limiting factor of Unionoida from the relationship with the physical environment, 3. Propose suggestions
for conservation and regeneration.

Result and Discussion
Figure.4 shows the distribution of Unionoida in the Kikuchi
River. In the 370 research sites, 7 species of 2426 Unionoida
were confirmed at 96 sites (1132 Unio douglasiae nipponensis(in Japanese, Ishigai), 702 Pronodularia japanensis (Matsu­
kasagai), 464 Inversiunio yanagawensis (Nisematsu­kasa­gai),
90 Anodonta lauta (Numagai), 30 Lanceolaria grayana (Ton­gari­sasa­no­hagai), 7 Anodonta japonica (Tagai), 1 Obovalis
omiensis (Katahagai)).
Figure.4 Distribution of Unionoida

Figure.1 Ecological system of Unionoida

The distribution was limited, but there are some points thatenable to capture a lot of Unionoida. There are some featuresat these points.
Table.1 Comparison of Unionoida habitat

Research
In this study, we conducted distribution survey at 370 sites(wide area: 107 sites, detailed area: 263 sites) in the floodplain of
the Kikuchi river. First, we surveyed at wide area, and then surveyed at detailed area receiving the result of wide area research.
We capture the Unionoida in 3 people 10 minutes (Figure.2) andmeasure its size (Figure.3). After the research, Unionoida werereturned to its original sites. Simultaneously, we measured thephysical environment such as flow velocity, water depth, water
width, water temperature, pH, chlorophyll, etc.
Figure.2 Survey scene

Figure.3 Captured Unionoida

Table.1 shows the comparison of Unionoida habitat at wide
area. In the Kikuchi river, it proved that Unionoida inhabits
mainly in irrigation channel, but it is crisis situation especiallyin the middle watershed. So we conducted distribution surveyof detailed area and target to irrigation cannel of middle basin.
There are hotspots that we captured a lot of Unionoida. In
the other channels, it was almost impossible to confirm thespecies. But Unionoida is concentrated to hotspots. It is considered that the ecological system of the old channels has
been continued up to the present time at this place. Indeed,
we confirmed many fish (Bittering, Freshwater goby etc.).
Compare it with the aerial photograph of 1948, it confirmed

316that there is almost no change in the waterway and no refurbishment likely to destroy the ecosystem. About the reason of
no change in that channel’ shape, it is thought that there isexisted along the residential area. Also, even in the samewaterway channel as the hot spot, we could not confirm theUnionoida if the channel is made by only concrete and nodeposition of gravel. It was suggested that deposition ofgravel is necessary in the habitats of Unionoida.
On the other hand, we conducted statistical analysis by
GLM (generalized liner model). In choosing the model, AIC(Akaike Information Criterion) was used, and the one with thesmallest AIC was taken as the best model. Also, not only thebest model but also the top 10 models with small AIC are
examined. We considered the degree of influence on the distribution of the Unionoida was compared by the number of
selected times in the top 10 model. In this GLM, we chose theexplanatory variable as flow velocity, water width, water
depth, deposition, water width change, CPOM, submergedplant, revetment, flow velocity (agricultural season), shear
velocity (agricultural season). And we chose the purpose variable as Unio douglasiae nipponensis’ existence (0, 1 data).
Table.2 shows the result of GLM. “+”, “–“ means the positiveor negative of the coefficient when incorporated in the model.
It revealed that there are some important factors.
Flow velocity
The flow velocity showed a negative correlation with thesquare. It means that flow velocity has an appropriate value.
Because it is thought that Unionoida will be drained if the flow
velocity is too fast and oxygen in water will be lost if the flow
velocity is too late.
Water width
The water width showed a negative correlation with thesquare. It means that water width has an appropriate value.
Although it is also reflected in the actual survey results that
Unionoida is not confirmed if the water wide is too narrow or
too wide, the reason is unknown.
Deposition
The deposition showed the positive correlation. It meansthat deposition is necessary for Unionoida habitats. This isbecause Unionoida usually lives in the deposition.
Submerged plant
The submerged plant showed a negative correlation withthe square. It means that moderate submerged plant is necessary for Unionoida habitats. Why “moderate” is unknown, but
submerged plant has a function to stop Unionoida fromflowing.
Share velocity (agricultural season)
The share velocity showed the positive correlation. It meansthat smaller share velocity is good.
Conclusion
In the Kikuchi River, most agricultural channels are made ofconcrete, and many parts are found to be linear. And as roughness of the riverbed decreases, deposition will not accumulate in the channel. The habitats of Unionoida are rapidly
decreasing because the sediment becomes difficult to deposit
and the flow velocity becoming faster due to linearization ofchannel. Hotspots of Unionoida were also discovered, but thelocation is very limited. And there are some points in the hotspots that their habitats will easily disappear if somethingactions occurred. Therefore, conservation and regeneration of
habitats of Unionoida is urgent matter. First we chose thepoint of conservation and regeneration.
Conservation
We chose conservation points from hotspots or around hotspots. Regarding the method of conservation, there aremethods such as maintenance to prevent the habitat of theTable.2 Analysis by GLM for Unio douglasiae nipponensis

Unionoida from destroying any more, and to stop if the local
residents have done activities (destruction of deposition) that
destroy the habitat is there. In any case, it is necessary toobtain consensus from residents who use the channel.
Regeneration
We selected from non-sedimentary channel downstream of
the hotspot. Regarding the method of regeneration, it is conceivable to install a structure in a section without deposits andmake it easier to deposit. Regarding regeneration as well as
conservation, it is necessary to obtain consensus from residents who use the channel too.
Regardless of whether conservation and regeneration iscarried out, it is necessary for the residents to agree. For that
purpose, it is necessary to engage with the residents by conducting workshops on conservation of Unionoida. In October
2017, we organized an environmental classroom on Unionoida
in the Kikuchi river and interacted with residents (Figure.4). In
order to propose a plan for reclamation of channels, at present
it is planning to conduct hydraulic model experiments in situations when constructing structures were settled under site
conditions.
References
Takaki Kondo: Monograph of Unionoida in Japan (Mollusca: Bivalvia): Special
Publication of the Malacological Society of Japan (2008)
Junjiro N. Negishi, Yuichi Kayaba, Koji Tsukahara, Yoshiaki Miwa: Ecologicalstudies on Unionoida: Current status and future challenges: Japanese
Journal of Ecology 58, 37-50 (2008)
Junjiro N. Negishi, Yuichi Kayaba, Koji Tsukahara, Yoshiaki Miwa: Unionoid
mussels as imperiled indicator organisms: habitat degradation processes andrestoration approaches: Ecol. Civil Eng. 11(2), 195-211 (2008)

Figure.4 Environment class of Unionoida

317

Poster Session III

Analyses and Counter Measures on the Severe Damages tothe Ecosystem of the Awase Tideland Area on Okinawa Island,Southwest Japan by a Dredging and Reclamation Project
Kita, Jinen 1, Maekawa, Seiji 2, Kameyama, Norikazu 3
1

Okinawa Godo Law Office, 2 Save-Awase-Tideland Network, 3 University of the Ryukyus

Awase Tideland is located in the east coast of Okinawa City,
Okinawa Island, south west Japan. Awase Tideland area has
112 ha sea grass / seaweed bed and 265 ha tidal flat and adjacent shallow sea area, floors of which are made of various
sediments such as mud, sand and coral gravel. (Fig.1) There
are also coral reefs among the tideland. The numbers of shellfish species, sea grass species, RDB species, new species andthe population of a migratory bird Pluvialis fulva in winter are
the highest among the tidelands in Japan.

Fig.2 Animals and plants featuring Awase area

Fig.1 The location of Awase Tideland area and the reclamation site

Awase Tideland area is, no doubt, one of the hotspots of
biodiversity in Japan. (Fig.2) Government of Japan also hasrecognized the importance of Awase Tideland area. : Awase
Tideland is a Potential Ramsar Site, and one of 500 Important
Wetlands in Japan respectively designated by Ministry of theEnvironment. Nevertheless, the government of Japan andlocal governments of Okinawa Prefecture and Okinawa City
began island reclamation and harbor dredging works in 2002.
(Fig.3)We local residents, NGO activists and scientists organized
Save-Awase-Tideland Network in 2001. Then, we made original researches on the impacts against the wetland ecosystem,
local economy and public finance by the project, and on theestimated natural disasters on the reclaimed island. Results ofour researches showed the dredging and reclamation project
would have negative effects on both human society andnatural ecosystem. Eleven new species of sea animals andplants have been also discovered and described since the reclamation began.
They made a lawsuit claiming claiming local governments
not to use tax money to the project and the court affirmed
injunction of budgeting in 2009. We believed that the protection of Awase Tideland area was realized. However, the stateand prefectural governments made a minor change in the reclamation plan in Oct. 2010 and restarted the project. Then, we
made the 2nd lawsuit on trial.
In Japan, there is no legislation to make local residents orscientists directly check public enterprises. People cannot
make a lawsuit to stop the budgeting of the state government.
The court only judges whether budgeting of the local governments was decided under regal process. Japanese legislation

318
Fig.3 The first and the modified plan of the reclamation project.

319
Fig.4 Impacts by the projects and Activities by Save-Awase-Tideland Network

Fig.5 Accelerating degradation of environmental conditions around Awase Tideland area

320
Fig.6 Awase Tideland which should be resistered as a Ramsar site

for the local authority is inadequate from residents’ and scientists’ point of view. As a result, the court did not stop the
project.
We also made various activities for scientific study andsocial education on the ecosystem of Awase area. (Fig. 4)
The reclaimed island with 95 ha area is now appearing at
the center of Awase Tideland and the surrounding shallow sea
area. Changes as follows are observed in Awase Tideland area
after the appearance of the island, none of which are expectedin the environmental impact assessment report made by thegovernment:[1] The coral colonies of a branch coral species Acropora
aspera in the tideland area are in the crisis of distinction.
[2] S eawater repeatedly becomes muddy.
[3] A sandbank, which has long been a breeding site for atern Sterna albifrons, became completely inundated
during high tide, and then it’s ground level fluctuates.
[4] Algae increase explosively, Ulva clathrata and anothergreen alga species in 2017 and a brown alga Hydroclathrus clathratus in 2016, which respectively resulted in thehuge death of shellfish including RDB species. Explosive
increase in algae and subsequent shellfish death has
also occurred in the Wajiro Tideland, Fukuoka, which also
has a reclaimed island.
Such phenomena suggest the accelerating degradation ofenvironmental conditions in Awase Tideland. (Fig.5)
The dredging and reclamation project in Awase Tidelandarea may be a severely damaging factor to the protection of
the wetland ecosystem there as well as the sustainability of
the local economy and public finance, as mentioned above.
Therefore, the national and prefectural governments are
required to alter the dredging and reclamation project policy
and to realize the conservation and wise use of wetland environment in Awase Tideland area, which meets Ramsar Convention.
The activities for the protection of Awase Tideland, including two lawsuits, also revealed that the enough involvementof local residents, NGO specialists and scientists to the policy
making and administration process by the local/national governments would be the better solution for the protection, restoration and wise use of local natural resources including
tideland ecosystem. Japanese legislation is inadequate fromthis point of view.
Okinawa prefectural government has stated Save-Awasetideland Network that Awase Tideland would be designated as
prefectural wildlife refuge by the autumn 2017, and then as
national wildlife refuge. Okinawa prefectural government
clearly has the policy to make Awase Tideland registered toRamsar List of Wetlands of International Importance.
Okinawa Prefecutural Government makes new Wildlife Protection Plan and prepares to make 650 ha of Awase Tidelandarea Prefectural Wildlife Refuge, including 280 ha of Prefectural Special Protection Area.
Okinawa City Government still doesn’t agree with Prefectural Wildlife Refuge plan. Tharefore, promotion activity isvery important to realize the policy for the conservation of
Awase Tideland.
Following the prefectural decision, Ministry of the Environment will designate there as National Wildlife Refuge andSpecial Protection Area.
Our goal is to promote and accomplish sustainable management of Awase and other Okinawan tidal area. (Fig.6)

321

Poster Session III

The Effects of River Modification to the Spawning Habitatof Ice Goby (Leucopsarion petersii)
Hiroki Iyooka
Fukuoka University

1. Introduction
River modifications control river flow and enhance safety of
our lives from the flood. On the hand, it could also modify theriver ecosystem. River ecosystem and its biodiversity provide
a broad variety of valuable goods and services for human societies and some of which are irreplaceable (Covich et al., 2004).
Declines in biodiversity are far greater in fresh waters than in
the most affected terrestrial ecosystems (Sala et al., 2000). So
as there is a growing concern about the losing these services
following declines in species diversity, the cases of river restoration and river modification using nature oriented methods
are increasing (Hayashi et al., 2016, Minagawa et al., 2013.) .
In the case of Hii River, as the result of a huge flood on July
2009, river modification began in 2010 and completed in 2015.
In this modification, the nature oriented methods such as theslide down dredging which does not change the cross profileand gradient of the river, removal and decentralization of theweirs and returning coarse sediment components to the riverbed after the dredging were adapted (NAGAI et al., 2014).
Though some reports showed the positive effects to fish habitats such as more fishes migrated to the upstream of themodified area(Shimatani, 2016), the effects of this modification was not assessed enough especially in the downstream
and estuarine area. In this study, we focused on the Ice Goby
(Leucopsarion petersii) which specifically uses the cobble
environment of the upper brackish area as its spawning
habitat. The effects of the river modification to the spawning
habitat were investigated.
2. Methods
Field works were carried out on middle to end of April from2011 to 2016 at the Hii river estuary (1.8km to 4.6km from theriver mouth). Sampling station was set to the every 50 meters
along the river. (Fig.1) 0.25m2 quadrat was set to the submerged riverbed. Picking up the cobbles which are approximately over 30mm diameter and capable of working as thespawning redd, numbers of the batches of the eggs wererecorded in the quadrate. In case of no batches in the quadrate, cobbles within a radius of 8 meters from the quadrate
was checked to verify the existence of the eggbatch at the stations. At the same time sediment sample were collected toanalyze sediment components. Water temperature and salinity and velocity were recorded at each station using multiple
Fig.1 Research area

water quality meter (DS5X, Hydorolab) and water velocity
meter (Alec AEM1-D, Alec Electronics).
Field monitoring of the tidal effect was carried out on
October 4th, 2013. River modifications in the estuarine area
were almost finished and modifications of the upstream area
were a standstill period due to the rainy season. Vertical salinity distribution was recorded in 4 tidal conditions (high tide,ebb tide, low tide and flood tide) using the multiple water
quality meter (DS5X and MS5, Hydorolab) at the deepest
point of the 14 bridges which located in 0.0 to 4.15km from theriver mouth.
3. Results and Discussion
According to the result of the field works on 2011, a lot of
eggbatches were found in the range of 2.2km to 3.0km fromthe river mouth (Fig.3). It indicated that that spawning habitat
had not been affected at this point. Early stage of the rivermodification was mainly river bed dredging in river moutharea: downstream of the research area. Original spawning
habitats remained because they had not been disturbed anddredging ship was surrounded with the turbidity barriers andwater quality through the spawning area to the river mouth
was less affected. During 2012 to 2015; the central stage of theriver modification, almost no eggs were found at the researcharea. In this period, original spawning habitat was directly disturbed. And due to the dredging ship could not go up the tidal
area and turbidity barrier did not work effectively, highly
turbid water flew out the river. High saline water over 30 PSU
reached 2.0km at low tide and 2.7km at high tide. Due to theslide down dredging and weir removal of 3.3km, where used
to be the upstream end of the brackish area, the tidal effectreached to the 3.6km at high tide (Fig.4, Fig.5). On the other
hand, the upstream end of the spawning area reached to
4.2km: flesh water area. The most remarkable spawning area
moved from 2.2km in 2011 to 2.9km in 2015 after the rivermodification. And the spawning area became smaller andlocalized. Sediment components
These results might be related to the change of the sediment components and riverbed salinity. Because of the turbid
water formed turbidity maximum around the upstream of thebrackish area, accumulation of the finer sediment caused negative impact directly to the spawning habitat. Returned coarse
gravels worked as a spawning substrate on the upstream sideof the brackish area. However the returned coarse gravels of
the middle brackish area had been buried by the sand after
several small floods and they did not worked as the spawning
substrate. In the upstream area, the slide down dredging
would not change tractive force due to the cross-sectional
area and river gradient would not change. In the estuarine
area, so as the cross-sectional area would increase due totidal conditions even though the slide down dredging wereadapted, tractive force would be reduced and sediment components tend to become finer.
4. Conclusion
At the mention of river modification in the upstream of thetidal limit, the slide down dredging would not change tractive
force due to the discharge area and river gradient would not322change. On the estuarine area, so as the discharge area would
increase due to tidal conditions even though the slide down
dredging were adapted, tractive force would be reduced andsediment components tend to become finer. Though the tidal
effects make the physical environment more complex, wehave to examine how the salinity and tractive force change inthe river estuary and decide where to restore fish habitats.
References
COVICH, A. P., EWEL, K. C., HALL, R. O., GILLER, P. E.,
GOEDKOOP, W. & MERRITT, D. M. (2004). Ecosystem services provided by
freshwater benthos. In Sustaining Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services inSoil and Sediments (ed. D. H. Wall), pp. 45–72. Island Press, Washington
D.C., U.S.A.
Sala, O.E., Chapin, F.S., Armesto, J.J., et al. (2000) Global Biodiversity Scenarios
for the Year 2100. Science, 287, 1770-1774.

Hayashi H., SHIMATANI Y. & HATTORI M.(2016), A practice of stream restoration project in urban area and its evaluation, 11th International Symposium
on Ecohydraulics.
NAGAI, T., HARADA, M., HAYASHI, H. & TAKAHASHI, K. (2014). Conservation
measures of channel stabilization and pool-riffle structure restoration in the
Hii River. Advances in River Engineering, JSCE, Vol.20.
MINAGAWA, T., NAKAJIMA, J., AKIYOSHI, A. GONDOU, K., IYOOKA, H. &WATANABE, R., Evaluation of benthic habitats on the Nakashima Restored in
the Onga river and future subjects. Advances in River Engineering, JSCE,
Vol.19.
SHIMATANI, Y., (2016), Report of Designing a Sustainable Society throughIntergenerational Co-creation, Distributed Rainwater Management for a
Sustainable Well-being Society., pp.20 -25.

Fig.2 Components of bed material

Fig.3 Distributions of Egg batches

Fig.4 Salinity Distribution (high tide)

Fig.5 Salinity distribution (low tide)323

Poster Session III

The Influence of Agricultural Activities on Water Chemistry andAquatic Biota in the Freshwater Springs of Uchinada Dune, Japan1

Masao Nagasaka, 2 Morihiro Takano, 3 Haruo Fukuhara, 3 Hisashi Takahashi
1Kanazawa Seiryo University, 2 National Institute of Technology, Ishikawa College, 3 Kahokugata Lake Institute

Introduction
Uchinada Dune is one of the largest coastal dunes in Japan.
It is located in the central island of Japan. It has a length of 20km, a width of 1.5 - 2.0 km and a maximum height of 61.3 m.
Some freshwater springs are naturally occurring at the foot of
the dune (Fig. 1).
Although the local inhabitants used to use both the springwater and the shallow groundwater for their daily life, they
stopped using the spring water recently. On the other hand,the farmland and residential land have been constructed on
the dune since 1950’s. Pump facilities were also built at thecoast of Lake Kahokugata to irrigate the farmland on the dune.
For these reasons, it is supposed that the water quality of thesprings get worse.
The purpose of this study is to document the present stateof the springs and to find out the way to conserve the spring
environment.
Study site and methods
Water quality survey was carried out at four springs (St. 1,
St. 2-1, 2-2, and St. 3) from January 2016 to January 2017.
Water temperature, pH and electronic conductivity (WM-22EP,TOADKK), dissolved oxygen (Pro-ODO, YSI) were measured
on the sites. Concentration of total nitrogen (TN M-1, Shimadzu) and major dissolved ions (PIA 1000, Shimadzu) wereanalyzed.
Flora and aquatic fauna in the springs were surveyed in2015 to protect endangered species. Aquatic animals were collected by using a D-frame net.
The distribution of the farmland on the dune and the varietyof crops at the farmland were surveyed in summer (July toAugust) and autumn (October to November) 2016. Annual
amount of fertilizer application for each crop on the dune wasestimated using a cultivation techniques manual for farmers(Ishikawa prefecture 2012).

Results
Water quality
High concentration of total nitrogen ranging from 2.7-7.2 mg
l-1 was observed at St.3 which is located in the northeast footof the dune (Fig. 2). On the contrary, low concentration of total
nitrogen ranging from 0.4-4.9 mg l-1 was observed at St.1
which is located in the southwest foot of the dune. High concentration of manganese ion was also observed St.3 and St.2
and low concentration of manganese ion was observed at St.1
(Fig. 3). A linear relationship was observed between concentration of total nitrogen and manganese ion in the springwater (Fig. 4). Nitrogen and manganese in the springs shouldcome from fertilizers applied on the farmlands.
Fig. 2 Changes in total nitrogen concentration in the springs.

Fig. 3 Changes in manganese ion concentration in the springs.

Fig. 1 L ocation of Uchinada Dune and the study sites. It is located in a catchment areaof Lake Kahokugata.

Fig. 4 Relationship between total nitrogen and manganese ion in the springs.

324
Aquatic biota
A total of 55 species of plant was found in the springs. All ofthem are common hygrophyte. The dominant plants were
Carex dispalata, Calamagrostis epigeios, Persicaria thunbergii, Oenanthe javanica and Iris pseudacorus. The aquatic faunaof the springs was composed of 22 species (Fukuhara et al.
2016). It was dominated by crustaceans, insects and molluscans. As for crustaceans, Gnorimosphaeroma naktongense
and Jesogammarus hokurikuensis were found. These are thespecies typically seen in the spring around the coastal area.

Conclusion
The average of nitrogen fertilizer applied to the farmland
was calculated as 166.8 kg N ha-1 year-1. Although the amountof nitrogen application to the farmland in Uchinada Dune issmaller than the other dunes in Japan, the water quality of thesprings would be affected by the application of fertilizers.
Appropriate fertilizer management is required to reduce nitrogen leaching from the farmland.
Fig. 6 Distribution of the farmland on the line A –D. (Nagasaka et al. 2017).

Distribution of farmland and Calculation of fertilizer application
The main crops of the farmland on the dune were sweet
potato, watermelon, vegetables and Chinese white radish(Table 1). Chinese white radish was planted in the autumn
season, following the harvest of watermelon.
The average of nitrogen application to the farmland was calculated as 166.8 kg N ha-1 year-1. It was reported that over 300
kg N ha-1 year-1 of nitrogen was applied in other costal dune
farmlands in Japan (National Institute of Agricultural Sciences
2006). The amount of nitrogen application to the farmland in
Uchinada Dune is smaller than the other dunes in Japan.
A total of 21.1 ton of nitrogen was applied on the survey
area of the dune in 2016. Forty percent of nitrogen was applied
on April (Fig. 5), and high concentration of total nitrogen wasobserved at St.3 in May and in August (Fig. 2). The catchment
area of the spring located at the northeast foot of the dune ismainly occupied by the farmland (Line A, Fig. 6).
On the other hand, there is few farmland in the catchment
area of the spring (St. 1) at the southwest foot of the dune(Line D, Fig. 6). The water quality of the springs would be
affected negatively by the application of fertilizers.
Table 1 Area of crops on the dune (Nagasaka et al. 2017).

Acknowledgments
We appreciate Oosaki district resident’s communities fortheir kind cooperation. This study was partly funded by a grantfrom Kanazawa Seiryo University.

Fig. 5 A monthly application of nitrogen on the dune (Nagasaka et al. 2017).

References
Ishikawa prefecture (2012) Vegetable Production and Horticulture Manuals for
Ishikawa Prefecture. pp.482. (in Japanese)
Fukuhara H, Nagasaka M, Takano M, Takahashi H (2016) Preliminary report on
spring aquatic invertebrates collected in Uchinada Sand Dune, Ishikawa,Japan. Kahokugata Lake Science, 19:7-14. (in Japanese)
Nagasaka M, Takano M, Fukuhara H, Takahashi H (2017) The distribution of
farmland and the estimation of annual application of fertilizer on UchinadaDune. Kahokugata Lake Science, 20:1-8. (in Japanese)
National Institute of Agricultural Sciences (2006) Monitoring Manual for Water
Environment protection (Revised Edition).p.1-33. (in Japanese)

325

Poster Session III

New Fish Fauna Inventory and Survey Techniques for Marine
Protected Area Planning: Environmental DNA Metabarcoding
1

2

Mitsuhiro Aizu, 2 Satoquo Seino, 3 Tetsuya Sado, 3 Masaki Miya

1
Research Institute of Environment for Sustainability, Faculty of Engineering, Kyushu University
Department of Urban and Environmental Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyushu University
3
Natural History Museum and Institute, Chiba

Introduction
A Marine Protected Area (MPA) can be an effective tool forthe conservation and sustainable use of marine and estuary
biodiversity. In the Japanese legal system, coastal Ramsar
sites are regarded as MPAs. A local government has promoted
the establishment of MPAs along the coast of Tsushima Island
in Nagasaki Prefecture, in response to declining fish catches
and the loss of seaweed forests. These areas once had several
fine fishing grounds and seaweed forests. The disappearanceof seaweed advanced gradually from the south, but reached
Waniura Bay in the northern part of the island in 2016. Data on
fauna such as fish and zooplankton are necessary to establish
and promote MPA designation. Inventory surveys have been
implemented at several sites.
Previous surveys were conducted not only for scientific purposes but also for environmental assessments. In the case ofsome environmental assessments, essential data on ecosystems was not collected because the main purpose was fordevelopment approvals. The lack of adequate data could resultin ecosystem damage by enabling destructive developments.
Conventional methods of inventory surveys also involve longtime periods, incur significant costs, and require taxonomic
expertise. They are based mainly on literature searches andexternal morphology, the latter requiring a high degree of
specialization. Samples for morphological analysis are typically collected from field surveys by cast nets, scoop nets, andother tools. Fish catches are also used to reveal informationon coastal and offshore fish fauna. However, with these sampling methods it is difficult to collect small fishes, so theresults may not accurately reflect ecosystem conditions. New
inventory methods are needed to accurately describe the ecosystems and limit the loss of important environments.
Environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding can be usefulhere. The technique can reveal whole communities from DNA
in water samples, can conduct analyses quickly, and require
no taxonomic knowledge. Expertise is only required for DNA
extraction in the laboratory; almost anyone can collect theeDNA samples from water after receiving basic training. In
this study, we applied this technique to an inventory survey toassess the fish fauna along the coast of Waniura Bay.
Materials and Methods
Water samples were collected in August 2016 from five
points and the samples were mixed in one bottle (fig.1,2). Collected sample was filtered using SterivexTM-HV Sterile Vented
Filter Unit, 0.45μm (MERCK MILLIPORE) (fig.3). After filtering,
RNA later® Stabilization solution (Thermo Fisher Scientific)
was immediately inserted into the Sterivex filter to preserve
eDNA. Total DNA was extracted using a DNeasy Blood andTissue Kit (Qiagen) following manufacture’s manuals. 12S
rRNA gene was amplified with MiFish primer, and adaptor
sequence and index sequences were add to the amplicon.
Metabarcoding was conducted in MiSeq sequencing, and taxonomic assignment was performed following previous
studies [1,2].

fig.1 Map of whole Tsushima Island and enlarged view of sampling sites. Samplingsites were located in Waniura Bay.

fig.2 Location of sampling site. Water sampling was conducted using the small boat.

fig.3 SterivexTM-HV Sterile Vented Filter Unit with 0.45μm.

Results and Discussion
Compared with the 379 species identified in previous
studies based on conventional methods in a larger area [3],this study identified over 70 OTUs from the water sample
taken from a small area (fig.4). Most of OTUs were considered
as fish that inhibits in coastal waters.
Some sequences could not identify as a species because
several species had same sequence among species. Especially genus Takifugu shared common sequences due to theevolutionary process. They experienced explosive speciation[4], therefore, target regions of MiFish primer could not iden-

326
tify the species. It is recommended to use other primer to distinguish these species.
In addition, some OTUs were suggested as contaminantduring laboratory work considering their habitats. It is recommended to avoid the cross-contamination to obtain the accurate marine ecosystem.
fig.4 Pie chart of obtained OTUs. Top 10 OTUs of obtained reads were represented in
the legend of right side.

The banded blue sprat (Spratelloides gracilis) was the mostcounted species, and this could be explained by a shoal ofthese fish staying around the sampling area, and also by thearea having a sandy bottom (the species favors that environment) (fig.5).
fig.5 Marine geography around Northern part of Northern Tsushima Island [5]. Sandy
bottom was colored in yellow.

This study showed the utility of eDNA metabarcoding for
inventory surveys, and the environmental conditions could
also be postulated based on fish fauna data. This techniquecould complement conventional methods and be applied forinventory surveys in other areas to reveal detailed information about marine and estuary ecosystems. Monitoring basedon eDNA metabarcoding can be used to quickly reveal changes
in ecosystems. Our study demonstrated the potential benefitsof these new techniques, including contributions to establish
and effectively manage MPAs.

Acknowledgement
We thank Tsushima City for providing workspace. This work
was supported by JST CREST Grant Number JPMJCR13A2,
Japan, and the Ministry of Environment-Japan (Environmental Research and Technology Development Fund S13).
Reference
1.	 Miya M, Sato Y, Fukunaga T, Sado T, Poulsen JY, Sato K, Minamoto T,
Yamamoto S, Yamanaka H, Araki H, Kondoh M, Iwasaki W (2015) MiFish,a set of universal PCR primers for metabarcoding environmental DNA fromfishes: detection of more than 230 subtropical marine species. R. Soc.
open sci. 2: 150088. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsos.150088.
2.	 Yamamoto S, Masuda R, Sato Y, Sado T, Araki H, Kondoh M, Minamoto T,
Miya M (2017) Environmental DNA metabarcoding reveals local fish
communities in a species-rich coastal sea. Sci. Rep. 7, 40368; doi:
10.1038/srep40368.
3.	 Takeuchi N, Seino H, Seino S (2015) Fish fauna of Tsushima Island,
Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan: Researches from 1948 to 2015. Bull. Biogeogr. Soc. Japan. 70: 1-11.
4.	 Yamanoue Y, Miya M, Matsuura K, Miyazawa S, Tsukamoto N, Doi H,
Takahashi H, Mabuchi K, Nishida M, Sakai H (2009) Explosive speciationof Takifugu: another use of fugu as a model system for evolutionary
biology. Mol. Biol. Evol. 26(3):623–629. doi:10.1093/molbev/msn283.
5.	 Miyazato S (2015) On-site observation and geographic information
systems in zoning for marine protected area designation along the coast of
Tsushima Island, Nagasaki, Japan. Master thesis. Graduate School ofEngineering, Kyushu University.

327

Poster Session III

The Environmental Conservation in Yatsu Wildlife Protection Area
1

Kiwamu Kawaguchi, 1 Sohei Ikeda, Shuji Kanda, 2 Aya Genseki, 3 Yoshihiro Natori
1

IDEA consultants, Inc., 2 Ministry of Environment, 3 Wetlands International Japan

Yatsu Higata (Yatsu Tidal Flat) is a muddy/sandy tidal flatwith the area of 40 hectares located at 2 kilometers inland ofTokyo Bay.
Because of the various and large number of migratory
shorebirds and waterfowls hosted by Yatsu Higata, it was designated as an official site of Ramsar Convention in 1993.
More than 110 species of birds are able to be observed in ayear including about 70 shorebird and waterfowl species.
Since Yatsu Higata is a major stopover for migratory birds, we
can observe large number of shorebird corresponding to 10%
of entire shorebirds coming to Japan.
In addition to the bird species, Yatsu Higata hosts manykinds of aquatic creatures such as fishes, worms, crabs,
bivalves and so on. Abundance of the benthic species makes
Yatsu Higata to good place for feeding and resting for migratory birds.
Yatsu Higata is familiar to many citizens because it is locatedclose to Tokyo.
The Ministry of Environment designated Yatsu Higata as awildlife protection area aiming to protect the environment forbirds.
Number of shorebirds migrating to Japan is decreasing
recently. Comparing to 1993 when Yatsu Higata was designated as an official site of Ramsar Site Convention, thenumbers of shorebirds decreased to be 1/4(Fig.1).
The Ministry of Environment started conservation project in2010 to improve habitat condition of Yatsu Higata to restore
the number of the migrate birds.
Fig.1 Changing the number of observed shorebirds in Yatsu

Because it is a valuable tidal flat left in the urban area, we
aim to be a tidal flat where nature’s activities and people’s
living can be coexisted, nature can coexist with people, andtidal environment and the living environment of the surrounding residents.
The feature of this conservation project’s approach is thatbased on scientific data, the project was carried out withemphasis on the current status grasping -> factor analysis ->countermeasure examination -> effectiveness verification
flow. Also, in order to deal with the uncertainty of countermeasures, we carefully examined the adequacy of countermeasures based on small-scale demonstration tests.
We examined indicators to evaluate the tidal flat change
and the effect of countermeasures and set quantitative conservation targets.
In the short term, we are maintaining the current situation.
In the long term, we are targeting the condition around thetime of registering the Ramsar site (1993).

Table1 Features of the Environmental Conservation

Table2 Conservation Targets

IDEA Consultants is conducting scientific researches tosupport the conservation project of Yatsu Higata which is led
by the Ministry of Environment.
Environmental conservation and management methodology based on the monitoring results have been proposed by
IDEA Consultants.
(1) Improvement of sediment condition for creatures fed byshorebirds
The sediment condition of Yatsu Higata has been changing
from mud to sand due to gradual discharge of mud.
Along with the sediment change, worms and crabs that livein mud have been replaced with snails and bivalves that livein sand(Fig.2). Changing biota seem to be causing deterioration of feeding condition for shorebirds.
We are trying to place back the original biota to improve thecondition for shorebirds by replacing sediment; we replaced
sandy sediment with muddy sediment in some areas.
Fig.2 Changes in benthic organisms after sediment improvement

328(2) Dredging in the canal and the flow path
The elevation of the tidal-flat is becoming lower gradually
because of the mud discharge through canals.
Seashells accumulated in the canal and the flow path connecting to Tokyo Bay hinder the outgoing tidal flow from thetidal-flat. It causes reduction of exposed areas of the flat andthe time duration to feed shorebirds.
To regain the exposure time and the area, we are going todredge in the canal and the flow path to improve water flow.
We are investigating the ways of dredging not to effuse mudfrom tidal-flat based on the simulation results of sea waterflow and topographic change(Fig.3).

• Spread Awareness
About 600 people took part with the event held six times.

Fig.3 Calculated pattern of area and duration of exposure by numerical simulation• Web Monitoring
Approximately 9,000 people visited the website, about 50
participants to participate in the citizen participation monitoring
There are 400 postings since then, many local residents areinterested in Yatsu Higata, and participation and cooperationin conservation project efforts are obtained(Fig.4).
Fig.4 Seasonal change in the number of smell posts• Collaboration
Government and the community are working together on
conservation together. We carried out the removal of shells
and bamboosa.

(3) Regional Cooperation
Cooperation with local residents and related organizations,with the proper role sharing, we aim to consolidate with theregion.
• Exchange of Opinions
We hold a briefing session and reflect local needs in business. About 11 times the local briefing session and about 270
people participated.

329

Poster Session III

What is the Rainwater Underground Harvesting Tank “Tametotto”? (abstract)
Shinji Kawano
Daiken Co., Ltd.
The rainwater underground harvesting tank (nickname) “Tametotto” is a mechanism that can store and use a large amount ofrainwater with just maintenance, with water quality comparable
to that of drinking water, with easy construction in a short periodof time. We got inspiration from the wetland’s water holding
capacity and water purification ability and got guidance from
Kyushu University and developed it.
Moreover, the upper portion of the installation can be used for“Tametotto”, and it can be installed in the garden, the parking lot,
the evacuation center of the area, the park etc. Usually it is used
as water for garden tree sprinkling, washing water in toilet andwashing water for washing. When “torrential downpour” or“local heavy rain”, etc., it can be used as living water even in theevent of a disaster because it will be operated by hand pump asa countermeasure against flood damage by storing it.
As a result, we have set up “Tametotto” in each of the two elementary schools in Atapu Province of Laos, People’s Democratic
Republic of Laos at the request of the United Nations Habitat in2014. Both of them have a capacity of 100 tons, “drinking water”
for residents is the purpose.With the establishment of “Tametotto”, 400 people in Taoum village, 400 people in Pusai village,
220 people in 35th house of Pusai village, 220 teachers and staff
of two schools totaled about 650 people, for a minimum of 2
months in the dry season, 1 It will be possible to secure 2-3 litersof drinking water a day.

From the United Nations Habitat, we taught five reasons about“reason for adopting” reason.
1. Low installation cost. (In Laos it was possible to make it about
15,000 yen per ton of water storage.)
2. Short construction time. (We were able to create 100 ton classwater storage in Laos in one week.)
3. Installable by local people as no specialized skills are required.
4. Local materials can be used.
5. Post-installation maintenance is easy.
We received a letter from Laos 1 year after installation, reported
that I was able to use water for 4 months during the semi-annual
dry season where it did not rain, and I was able to make vegetables using saved rainwater It was a good evaluation. So in May ofthis year, I received my second request from the United Nations
Habitat and built the third “Tametotto” for Laos.
For the future “Tametotto”, we are planning to develop as amini dam near the residence, not aiming for a huge cost like
Japan and a huge amount of time, a large dam near the mountain. “Tametotto” is to exist in the vicinity of the living environment, to secure stable water for daily life and to “life-saving
facilities” to protect human life from torrential rainstorms, want
to develop to countries such as Laos, Vietnam, Indonesia etc.
thinking about. And I would like to contribute to local consumption of water resources in Southeast Asian countries even a little.

Wetland and Sustainable Tourism Higashimatsushima Version (abstract)
Hiroki Mori
Higashimatsushima city municipal office, City planning section GroupThe coastal area of Higashimatsuhima City, Miyagi Prefecture
in northeast of Japan, was severely damaged by the tsunami
caused after the Great East Japan Earthquake in March 2011.
The City immediately began the process of land restoration fordisaster prevention collective relocation with 1,288 lots (ofwhich 571 lots are public housing). Building lot delivery werestarted from June 2014 and completed in November 2016. Ever
since, home building in the newly restored area has been very
active and 80% of the lots are already finished.
One of the remaining issues is how to utilize the devastatedlands that the City purchased from citizens after the tsunami.
The area was originally a combination of residential neighborhood, rice paddy and wetland but cannot be used for residents
as the above sea level is too low. Of those 174 hector, 99 hectors
are already allocated to be used for agriculture and industry-related-purposes, however, 75 hector still remains undecided.
The City wishes to regenerate the wetland and the surround-ing area as a strategic site to reconstruct tourism and promotemental well-being of citizens and tourists who visit the area.
Furthermore, the area with the surrounding forest is part of aschooling project, the Mori-no-Gakko (school in the forest)
Project, and classes of Miyanomori Elementary School are partof the official curriculum. Classes includes biological observation of plants and insects, and woodworking using timber fromforest thinning in the area and such. When taking the class tothe forest during the nurturing season of accipiter gentilis(northern goshorks), a native birds of prey in Japan, the route ischanged so that the class does not bother the nurturing bird.
The area was rich with flora and fauna and the City believes it tobe promising to regenerate the wetland.
With the regeneration of the wetland and the bird sanctuary
as the precious natural value, the coastal area will be the centerof touristic content and also part of the environmental education program for human resource development.

330

Poster Session III

Valuation of Village Ponds as Cultural Landscape Component in India:
Preliminary Study (abstract)
Injun Son1, Hogyeum Joo2, Gu-Yeon Kim3, Ji Yoon Kim1, Yuno Do4
Pusan National University, 2State University of New York at Stony Brook, 3Kyungnam University, 4Kongju National University

1

Village ponds are a specific type of small artificial reservoir in India.
They are constructed for harvesting and preserving local rainfall andwater from streams in agricultural landscapes, especially in India,
which has lacked perennial rainfall for thousands of years. Village
ponds primarily have been used for agricultural and drinking water but
also for bathing, ritual, and aquaculture. According to the Ecosystem
Services (ES) framework, classifying and evaluating the benefits forpeople derived from ecosystems, village ponds may have all aspects of
ES including provisioning (food, fresh water), regulating (waste-water
treatment), cultural (aesthetic appreciation, inspiration for culture,spiritual experience) services; but village ponds have not yet beenvalued regarding their ES using quantitative valuation techniques suchas economic/monetary approaches. Historically, villagers retained theindigenous knowledge of usage and management practices for village
ponds. Indigenous forms of knowledge regarding the sustainability of
local resources are referred to as traditional ecological knowledge(TEK). Although TEK is most frequently preserved as oral traditions andas such may lack objectively confirmed documentation, TEK for village
ponds has not yet been classified. In the present situation, with little
concern, village ponds are at risk of disappearing and we will regret
losing this critical resource. India is in rapid economic transition. Manyrural villages now have dramatically modernized the drinking watersupply system. Development of a water supply service for drinking
water and a large reservoir for agriculture through modernization andurbanization can replace this traditional component of village ponds.
The ES of TEK in village ponds should be as management practices andshould be evaluated and classified for sustainable management ofvillage ponds.
Our goal was to confirm the function and importance of village
ponds in the rapidly developing areas as well as rural landscapes. We

categorized village ponds based on TEK, evaluate ES of village ponds
in India, and establish a framework for conserving village ponds andimproving public awareness of interested parties regarding village
ponds using modern approaches. In order to understand the morphological characteristics of the Indian village pond, a 30-km2 geographical quadrat was established and the ponds inside of the quadrat weredigitized using the GIS program. The density of village pond was 14.6
ponds / 10km2 and the median of pond size was 341.1 m². Over the last
two years, we also assessed the benefits of village ponds located innortheast India through field surveys of the Chilika Lagoon basin(State of Odisha). The catchment area (526.3km2) surrounding Chilika
Lagoon contains a large number of villages (population; approx.
690,000). We found that on average each village possesses 2 or 3
ponds with different usages such as irrigation, religious observance,and bathing. The questionnaire included questions on the name of thevillage, population, the number of the ponds, the number of alternative water sources etc. the possibility of cultural activities being practiced, management schemes, and the dependency (i.e. residential,
agricultural, aquaculture, religious practices). Our project will represent the first scientific assessment of the village pond and traditional
management scheme’s value. The potential results will include thetraditional knowledge of village ponds created by the local community to manage the pond for their cultural, economic, and domestic
needs over a long time. Moreover, we are sure that the well-organizedtraditional management of the village pond will be applicable toincrease the value of abandoned ponds in urban landscapes. The traditional knowledge based restoration will contribute in enhancing
ecosystem health and the resilience of human society by strengthening ecosystem functions.

Fundamental Research on Residents’ Water Use andConsciousness Related to River Environment (abstract)
Hironori Hayashi1, Masahiro Fujioka2, Yukihiro Shimatani1
Kyushu University, 2Fukuoka City Government

1

Since around 1990, the concept of green infrastructure, mainly in
the Europe Union and the United States, has developed. On the other
hand, in Japan, the river law was revised in 1997, and the environment
was legally positioned for the functions required for rivers. Therefore,
It is recognized that to give due consideration to the environment inriver improvement is one of the most important matters in river management.
Knowledge and evaluation on the impact of rivers with different
environmental levels on human use and consciousness are not sufficient. From the viewpoint of developing measures related to green
infrastructure, accumulation of scientific knowledge on human use andconsciousness on different river environment levels is urgent as wellIn this research, we conducted surveys on people’s actual situationand consciousness survey for two rivers with different environmental
levels (whether or not river refurbishment considering the environment was done). One river is named Kamisaigo river which was maintained by the renovation method considering natural environmentand human use. And the other one is named Tokunaga river which
was maintained by a renovation method with conventional concrete
We tried to clarify the influence of differences in river environmental
level on river use / consciousness of people in both area. The catchment population of both rivers and the surrounding development situation are almost the same. The survey method was in accordancewith the river space utilization actual situation survey “river waterside
census manual (Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport)”. For
the questionnaire survey, we targeted elementary school children(fourth to sixth graders) located near each river and their parents. The
questionnaire was done in a way to collect after distribution. Main
questions included concerning age, sex, frequency of use of river andits contents, environmental consciousness, attachment to the area,
concerning the sense of justice and morality, about the intention to
pay based on the virtual market evaluation method (CVM) .
From the results of the actual situation survey, the following wasclarified. (1) The variety of activities are higher for rivers with higher
environmental levels. (2) The number of river users on the waterfront
increases by about 8000, (3) there is no big difference in the numberof river users per population. From the results of the questionnaire
survey, the following results were clarified. (1)Environmental awareness of people’s rivers is higher for rivers with higher environmental
level. (2) As rivers with high environmental level have more riverusage frequency, usage becomes diversified. (3) As river with higher
the environmental level have the higher attachment to the area of
elementary school students and parents (4) The people who lives
along the river with higher environmental level has higher willingness to pay in CVM. There were no differences between rivers in communication skills, justice and morality of children. This research
revealed that when the river environment level is high, people’s
waterfront use becomes diverse. It became clear that the environmental consciousness to rivers increases as the river environment
level is high. These results indicate that river improvement considering the natural environment has a good effect on people’s use.

331

Poster Session III

Community Based Migratory Bird Conservation at Mangalazodi
in Chilika Lagoon Ramsar Site, India (abstract)
Acharya Chinmaya Mishra
PALLISHREE
Chilika is the second largest brackish water with shallow
coastal wetland in Asia designated as Ramsar site in 1981 whichassemblage of marine, brackish and freshwater ecosystems.
This is also the largest wintering ground of migratory water
fowl of Asiatic sub-component and the habitat of many vulnerable and endangered species listed in IUCN Red List. It supports
the largest waterbird population among the wetlands in India
with 8,00,000 to 10,00,000 numbers includes 250 species annually. This unique natural resourceful lagoon provides an ideal
nesting, feeding and roosting place for thousands of aquaticbirds both migratory and residential. This highly productive
eco-system provides livelihood to 0.1 million fishers from 132
fishermen villages in and around the lagoon.
Mangalazodi is freshwater zone coming under northern sectorof Chilika with marshes, emergent vegetations and reed beds. It
has a variety of micro habitats zone with wet meadow, very
swallow water open patches, with nyphae and water hyacinthwith phragmites. The approximate area of 58.59 sq.km. is consisted of emergent vegetation zone dominated by reeds &phragmites and 11.79 sq.km. of marshland with wet meadow.
Exclusive phragmites and reeds provides shelter for fresh water
birds such as Common Coot, moorhens, rails, crakes, migratory
warblers and bitterns.
Rampant poaching of aquatic birds both was a regular practiceof the local people previously. The Forest Department of State
Government arrested the poachers and put into jail in the year
1997 & 1998. A local social worker, Mr. Nanda Kisore Bhujabalaorganised meetings under the leadership of Dr. Ajit Kumar Pattnaik, IFS, the then Chief executive of Chilika Development
Authority (CDA) to sensitise the poachers on conservation of
birds. As a result, the leader of the poacher, Mr. Kisore Behera

and his group took oath to leave poaching in 1999. They started
a Community Based Organisation namely Mahabir Pakhi Surakshya Samittee and started conservation of birds. They got training of eco-guide with the Support of CDA. The local stakeholders
were also started supporting them in their conservation activities. Accordingly the poachers became conservationists andstarted eco-guide for tourists. It came to the notice of Government and awarded with the prestigious State level environment
award namely “Bju Pattnaik Award for Wildlife Conservation”
with a certificate including 1,00,000 INR. In due course another 2
CBOs have been formed and engaged in bird conservation activity, namely Mangalazodi Eco-tourism and Mangalazodi Conservation Tourism Trust. Annually on an average of 5000 tourists are
visiting this zone. In 2016 winter, 147 species of migrating bird of
3,50,000 in number have arrived in this zone.
Now the migratory bird such as clossy idis and duck speciesof spot-villed, lesser whistling & grater whistling have started
nesting here.
In this zone, the birds are tertiary consumers that help recycle
nutrients back into the eco-system through guano. The major
factor for the high biomass production of macrophytes and thelucrative fisheries in Chilika is the amount of guano deposited
into the Chilika eco-system by the waterfowl estimated to bearound 33.8 tonns of nitrogen and 10.5 tonns of phosphorous.
Waterbirds prune the vegetation while they eat and this does
not only maintain the fresh sprouting of tender shoots andleaves with rich proteins, but also controls its excessive growth.
This fresh growth will benefit the fish and invertebrates. The foraging actions by the waterbirds leads to the thinning of vegetation in the lake, this enables the free movement of fish in theareas with dense vegetation as well.

Big Business & Big Wetlands, Can They Thrive Together? (abstract)
Lucita Jasmin
Asia Pacific Resources International Ltd (APRIL) - Riau Ecosystem Restoration
The island of Sumatra has one of the largest areas of peatlands in Asia. Over the past 30 years, almost 80 per cent of thisarea has been deforested or degraded due to forest conversion,illegal logging, and land-clearing fires, drastically reducing themain ecological feature of these peatlands: peat swamp forests.
Oil palm estates, fibre plantations, and rubber plantations dominate the landscape today, the remaining forests are fragmented, and the original abundance of wildlife has been
dramatically reduced, threatening biodiversity conservation.
The 673,000 ha Kampar peninsula on the east coast of central
Sumatra has probably the largest area of contiguous peatswamp forest remaining on Sumatra, approximately 344,000
ha.The most prominent pulp and paper company on the Kampar
peninsula is the APRIL Group, managing some 60% of the peninsula as Acacia plantations (150,000 ha), High Conservation
Value Forest (96,000 ha), and Ecosystem Restoration concessions (130,000 ha) in Riau province, Indonesia.
Restorasi Ekosistem Riau (RER) was established by Asia
Pacific Resources International Limited (APRIL) in 2013 and is
supported by APRIL’s US$ 100 million initial commitment toconservation and restoration. As a not-for-profit partnership
between business and civil society organizations s, RER’s ambitious goal is to protect and restore a very large tropical wetland
within a production forest landscape. It aims to manage thepeatswamp forest with diverse partners, secure sustainable
livelihoods for nearby communities, work closely with government regulators, and demonstrate an integrated landscapemodel where deforestation is halted, all land is allocated to a
responsible management authority, and secure financing isavailable from responsibly managed production areas toenhance biodiversity and protect natural capital.
The RER project forms part of a response to a 2004 programme launched by Indonesia’s Ministry of Environment andForestry to restore 1.7 million hectares of Indonesia’s degradedproduction forest through awarding ecosystem restoration
licenses. RER now has the responsibility for managing four ecosystem restoration licenses on the Kampar peninsula for a
60-year period.
The RER project is implemented in collaboration with Fauna& Flora International, The Nature Conservancy, and the local
social NGO Bidara. Following what is called the production-protection model; APRIL’s fibre plantations form a buffering ringaround a large peat dome in the centre of the peninsula. APRILGroup has a unique 1-for-1 commitment of conserving a hectareof natural forest for every hectare of plantation developed. With
400,000 hectares under its protection, including the restoration
forests on Kampar Peninsula, APRIL is at 83 per cent of this goal.
The challenges for a large pulp & paper company to achieve
such a goal are discussed with respect to governance, community perceptions, land tenure issues in Indonesia, existing protected areas on the Kampar peninsula, and sustainable financing
of restoration initiatives in Asia.
Some insights are presented around the opportunities for big
business to make significant and long-lasting impacts on large
areas of important wetlands. The story of the Kampar peninsula
would not be worth telling if it did not involve, and depend
upon, big business commitments, building wide-ranging partnerships and ultimately, protecting landscape level wetlands.

332

Poster Session III

The Return of The Smooth-Coated Otter to Singapore:
Distribution, Growth, Public Perception and Conservation Management (abstract)
Sivasothi N., Meryl Theng, Max Khoo
Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore
Smooth-coated otters (Lutrogale perspicilata) are a native
species of Singapore but with the rapid development of themodern city state, otters were absent from teh mainland in1970’s and 1980’s. There have also been heightened efforts toclean waterways, establish protected areas and increase thegreen cover of the country (including urban greenery such as
streetscapes) from 35.7% to 46.5%.
In the late 1990’s, smooth-coated otters returned from southern Malaysia to establish residence in the protected north-western mangroves of Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve. Highly
adaptable they spread along natural coastal habitats and also
occupied modified inland waterways and reservoirs. They now
number some 70 individuals in about 10 families. Primarily fisheaters, they are feeding on a less diverse but abundant diet of
mostly exotic cichlids which dominate urban waterways. In
mangroves, prawns are part of this piscivores’ diet.
Rivers in Singapore are mostly canalised outside of theirheadwaters in nature reserves. Designed primarily for dispersalof rainwater, there are few sloping banks or riparian vegetationneeded by otters. Despite this, smooth-coated otters haveadapted to semi-natural and artificial structures along waterways for resting and sprainting sites, and holts for overnight
rest and natal dens. Several territorial family groups of 10-13
individuals live in such spaces and consists of parents with up
to three litters of cubs.
When individuals or groups of otters seek out new territories,
they must survive urban barriers such as highways, roads andconstruction sites. Their movements are monitored by researchers, park managers, naturalists, nature photographers andmembers of the public who contribute records to the national
repository “Mammal Records,” and OtterWatch, a dedicatedFacebook page enabling photo submissions and information
sharing. Private What’s App chat groups of dedicated otter followers also provide good spatial information information toresearchers and managers.
Although urban otters live in proximity with people in the
narrow viable spaces adjacent to waterways, they have beenreasonably indifferent to or tolerant of people. The public areappreciative although there is some concern about their population number. To address various concerns and promote good
observer behaviours, an Otter Working Group comprised ofvarious government and non- government entities and individuals collaborate to produce advisories through physical signs,
engage with private property owners, conduct public outreachat otter sites and festivals, and provide support for news andsocial media sites, as well as documentary makers. This group
has also facilitated rescue of individuals, recovered dead otters,
and address concerns of the public and policy makers alike.
The smooth-coated otters’ close presence has resulted instudies of their diet, home range, activity pattern, reproduction,
aspects of behaviour, vocalisation and human-wildlife interaction. It is hoped that both the research and lessons from management since their return to Singapore will contribute toconservation efforts of otters in Asia.

High Genetic Diversity of Cottus pollux Middle-Egg Type in Kyushu Island
and Related River Topography (abstract)
Kazuki Kanno, Norio Onikura
Fishery Research Laboratory, Kyushu University
Cottus pollux (Japanese freshwater sculpin) is a unique freshwater
sculpin endemic to Japan. It is widely distributed across the Japanesearchipelago where it preferentially inhabits cool, well-oxygenatedand clear waters, such as gravel riffles in mountain streams (Ramsar
wetland type classification M: permanent rivers/streams/creeks).
Cottus pollux is considered polytypic and includes three biological
species, conveniently named C. pollux large-egg (LE) type, C. pollux
middle- egg (ME) type, and C. pollux small-egg (SE) type. These
species are collectively called Cottus pollux complex. The three typesof the C. pollux are morphologically similar, but they can be distinguished based on the number of pectoral fin rays with LE individuals
having 12–14 (mode 13), ME 13–16 (mode 15), and SE 15–17 (mode16). In addition, studies have shown that the three C. pollux types are
genetically divergent, and that Cottus reinii from Lake Biwa actuallybelongs to the SE group.
The population of C. pollux complex in Japan is thought to be
declining due to the presence of river barriers, such as dams andweirs. In fact, both the SE and ME types have been designated as
endangered (EN), and the LE types has been designated as nearthreatened (NT) according to the Red List published by Japan’s Ministry of the Environment in 2015. However, data on the distribution andgenetic diversity of this fish in Kyushu Island are sparse. Cottus pollux
complex species in Kyushu have sometimes been described as C.
pollux ME and LE (Fukuoka Prefecture, 2014), simply C. pollux ME(Nagasaki Prefecture, 2011), amphidromous and fluvial C. pollux(Saga Prefecture, 2003), or C. pollux and C. reinii (Kumamoto Prefecture, 2014; Oita Prefecture, 2011). Therefore, the purpose of the present

study was to better characterize the habitat, genetic, and morphological diversity of C. pollux complex in Kyushu Island.
Specimens were collected from 30 rivers in 20 river systems inKyushu. Based on the number of pectoral fin rays, sculpins weredivided into two types: modes 13 (M13) and mode 15 (M15). M13 sculpins were distributed in upstream areas of large river systems, while
M15 individuals were distributed in downstream areas of small
systems. Mitochondrial DNA analysis showed that both types were infact C. pollux ME. These findings indicated that C. pollux inhabiting
Kyushu Island belongs to one single genetic group (ME) which can bedivided in two groups according to morphological and distributional
traits (fluvial M13, amphidromous M15). A more detailed genetic analysis showed that the fluvial M13 group was in fact heterogeneous,with genetic differences detected in specimens from different rivers,
whereas the amphidromous M15 group was genetically homogenous.
In addition, large differs were observed in terms of genetic diversity
within the M13 group between rivers. Next, we used two generalized
linear models (GLM) to examine the relationship between river topography and (1) M13 distribution, or (2) population genetic diversity. The
dependent variables were presence/absence and number of haplotypes, respectively; while predictor variables included topographicaldata collected by GIS, such as a mean gradient, percentage of metamorphic rocks, upper stream catchment scales, and area of river
systems. The distribution model selected variables on habitat quality
in a present condition, while the genetic model selected variables on
habitat quality in a long-term perspective.

333

Poster Session III

Corn and Cameras: Wildlife Management Issues in Restoring
the Migration of Red-Crowned Cranes in Hokkaido, Japan
Takehiro Watanabe, Takeshi Ito
Sophia University
The conservation history of Kushiro Wetland, in Eastern Hokkaido,
Japan’s northernmost island, is entwined with the history of protecting
the red-crowned cranes (Grus japonensis). Once thought to be domestically extinct, this charismatic bird has experienced a healthy increasein numbers due to early national-level protection of this species and its
habitat, support from local communities, and the prohibitive cost of
wetland drainage.The conservation program of this species is regarded
as a successful case of community-based initiative and had contributed to the protection of Kushiro Wetland, Japan’s first Ramsar site.
The cranes, however, face challenges brought on by this success.
The winter feed program has caused a dependency on and familiarity
with humans, resulting in traffic accidents and damage to farms. In
particular, the crane damage to dairy cows is substantial and has
been a major regional issue. Also fueling the farmers’ frustration is
the increase in the number of tourists and birdwatching enthusiasts,
sparked by the crane’s iconic status and investment in transportation
infrastructure that has made traveling easier. Moreover, the overcrowding at feeding stations has led to international concerns aboutbird influenza and other diseases.
One goal in Japan’s red-crowned crane conservation is the restoration of its original migratory behavior. For conservationists, the ultimate goal would be to restore the migratory patterns so that they visit
wetlands in the central and southern portions the Japanese archipelago. But what happens when this bird species, begins to winter inother communities that may be less forgiving to the damage theycause? Would the birds be able to survive wetlands with less protection and feed?
This paper identifies the social obstacles facing efforts to restore
the migratory pattern of this crane species, by examining the relation-

ship with stakeholders in on-going conservation efforts in Hokkaido.
Local farmers and fish hatcheries are dealing with damage to theirlivestocks and salmon fries, respectively. Especially problematic isthe cranes’ wintertime dependency on dent corn, which is also usedas feed for dairy cows. The tourism industry is also encouraged tolimit human contact with the cranes by educating photographers who
disturb crane habitat and propagation. Moreover, the cranes themselves must be re-trained in human-based environments.
Currently, Japan’s Ministry of the Environment, with the support ofscientists and civic groups, is implementing a feed reduction program,in order to encourage the dispersion of the bird population. Somecities are currently receiving cranes (Mukawa City) or planning toreconstruct wetlands as crane habitat (Naganuma City). Yet it is
becoming evident that providing wetland habitat will be insufficient,
as wildlife-human conflicts are predicted. This effort must also grapple
with how to manage the ecological and social links between wetlandsof different levels and styles of wildlife management. This linking of
wetlands via birds, a key guiding principle of the Ramsar Convention,
may also require distant human communities to share informationand coordinate programs with local managers who are at the frontline of the conservation efforts.
The conservation efforts for the red-crowned cranes in Eastern Hokkaido exhibits a wider problem for wetland restoration as it highlights
the continuing problem with Japan’s land-use policy. Problems ofhuman-animal conflict, a major issue in wildlife management programs worldwide, will be addressed. The presentation will explore
the question of whether the concept of “wise use” can be expanded
to wildlife as a beneficiary of wetlands.

Sustainable Forest Management for Soil and Water Resourse
under SGEC Certification (abstract)
Yuuko Iizuka
Sumitomo Forestry Co. Ltd.
Sumitomo Forestry can trace its beginnings to the use of wood
harvesting operations in neighboring forests to fortify the Besshi
Copper Mine opened in Ehime Prefecture in 1691. Timber was
crucial for the mining operation, as it was needed in construction,
for the mine posts, and for the fuelwood to refine copper.
However, by the end of the 19th century, the forests around theBesshi Copper Mine were facing severe degradation due to long
periods of excessive harvesting and smoke pollution. The thenprincipal of the mine, Teigo Iba, believed that “allowing this land
to be degraded while moving forward with business made possible by its fruits runs counter to the proper course of our relationship with nature. We must return all the mountains of Besshi totheir verdant state.” With this belief, he launched the Great
Reforestation Plan in 1894 to restore the forests that had beenlost. Through a process of trial and error, and by implementing
large-scale planting efforts of up to more than one million trees
per year, the mountains were eventually returned to a state ofrich greenery. It is the sustainable forest management based on
this spirit of repaying what has been reaped from the land thatserves as the starting point for Sumitomo Forestry’s businessactivities and for its corporate social responsibility (CSR) efforts.
Currently, Sumitomo Forestry owns forests in Hokkaido,
Shikoku, Wakayama and Kyushu, corresponding to a total area ofover 46,000 hectares, or about 1/900 of the land area of Japan.
These company-owned forest is managed based on this principleof sustainable forest with the cycle of planting and carefully culti-

vating trees before harvesting them, according to the forest management plan established by the Company every five years. They
are also 100% certified under SGEC (Sustainable Green Ecosystem Council).
The SGEC certification requires forest management with sevencriteria that include preservation of biodiversity and the conservation and maintenance of soil and water resources. While
Sumitomo Forestry has gobs of expertise in forest managementwith its long history of experience, acquiring the third party certification is a way to show its commitment to sustainability andhigh quality of operation to the interested stakeholders. Prior toacquiring the SGEC certification in 2006, the Company created an
operation manual for the riparian forest and set the policy to conserve 15m wide area alongside rivers. By adding this riparian
information to our proprietary Forestry Management Data
Mapping System, which amalgamates tree species, ages andother information with map data, it can secure forestry operation
in a sustainable manner.
Production of timber has been the major focus of the forest
management. However, Sumitomo Forestry strives to expand
the functions and roles of forest, such as water resource cultivation and landslide prevention, through its sustainable forest
management. We also wish to provide opportunities for stakeholders to understand the close link with forests and wetland as
one of water resources.

334

335

Side Event

336

Side Event: Commemorating 25th Anniversary of Asian Wetland Symposium

Commemorating the 25th Anniversary of Asian Wetland Symposium
Bishnu B. Bhandari, 2.Hiroji Isozaki, 3.Motokazu Ando, 4.Reiko Nakamura

1.

President. Nepal Wetland Society and International member, Ramsar Center Japan
2.
Professor, Sophia University, Japan; Vice President, Ramsar Center Japan
3.
Professor, Yamazaki University of Animal Nursing, Japan; President, Ramsar Center Japan
4.
Secretary-General, Ramsar Center Japan
1.

Abstract: Asian wetland symposium is a “regional forum andprovides” opportunities to diverse target groups to share,promote and learn their knowledge, wisdom and practicalexperiences , raise profile of the conservation and wise use of
wetlands and translate findings into application. During thepast 25 years, 169 contracting parties have joined the Ramsar
Convention with the designation of some 2282 sites covering
218 million ha. During this period, some 7 AWS ’s were organized in different countries, the 8th being held in Japan. The
Symposium is being overseen by a professional international
team. It also has been investing in children, called KODOMO
Ramsar for the future. Major problems include (1) heavy use ofresources, (2) conversion, (3) pollution, (4) change in land use
and land cover, (5) habitat destruction, and (6) poor governance & knowledge gap. The paper also contains self-assessment of the activities related to conservation and wise use
works from 11 countries. The paper concludes with some practical suggestions to raise the profile of the Asian Wetland Symposium for the conservation, sustainable development andwise use of wetlands around the world.
Part One: Asian Wetland Symposium
1. Historical Journey of AWS
1. Asian wetland symposium is a “regional forum for all thatprovides” opportunities to diverse target groups (Such as policymakers, managers, NGO representatives, donors, promoters, and students) to share and learn their knowledge, wisdom
and practical experiences on the management and conservation of wetlands in Asia.
2. According to the report of the first symposium’, the evolution of the idea of Asian wetland symposium goes back to
1987, when the first international conference on the legal
assessment of wetland protection was held in Lyon, France. It
was then felt that the Conference did not fully cover the issuesof the Asian region. Therefore, it was suggested that a similar
conference be held in the Asian region.
3. The 4th Ramsar Conference of the Contracting Parties(COP4) was held in Montreux, Switzerland in 19990 anddecided Kushiro, Hokkaido, Japan as the venue of the 5th
Conference of the Contracting Parties in Kushiro. The thennewly established Ramsar Center Japan in partnership withRamsar Convention Bureau, International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and International Waterfowl andWetlands Research Bureau (IWRB) proposed a symposium on
wetland for the Asia region on the shore of Lake Biwa in Otsu,
Shiga Prefecture, Japan. The International Lake Environment
Committee (ILEC) was the first organization to endorse theidea and co-organize the symposium.

hold the seminar jointly. Then they chose to name it as Asian
Wetland Symposium (AWS). Thus the first AWS was held in
two places: the first part in Otsu and the second part inKushiro, Japan, from 15 to 20 October, 1992.
6. AWS is a valuable complementary forum for the discussionof scientific and technical issues and priorities for the conservation and wise use of wetlands. Its ultimate purpose is toenhance effective regional cooperation and networking on
wetlands. The following have been its major objectives.
1. Provide technical inputs to the Convention on Wetlands,
particularly through its STRP (Scientific & Technical
Review Panel), contracting parties and international
partner organizations
2. Develop a common view on issues, trends and priorities
on matters related to wetland management and conservation in the Asian region
3. Facilitate discussion, advocacy and debate in the contemporary issues on sustainable uses and integrated management
4. Identify practical strategies and mechanism for enabling
integrated wetland management, conservation, restoration and sustainable development.
7. During the past 25 years from 1992, seven symposia havebeen held in a number of countries and sub-regions. The timedifference between the 1st and 2nd was nine years, the firstone was held in 1992 in Otsu/Kushiro, Japan and the second
one in Penang, Malaysia in 2001. However, during those nine
years, series of thematic local wetland workshops were heldin the region as mentioned in the Ramsar Resolution IX.I9.
8. The first local workshop organized by Ramsar Center Japan
with the cooperation of Asian Wetlands Bureau-Indonesia was
the “Editorial Meeting of Asian Biodiversity and Wetland”,
Serpong Tangerang, Indonesia, in 1994. The second meeting,“Asian Regional Workshop on Public Awareness of Biodiversity in Wetland: Ensuring Local People and Community Participation “was held in Nakhon Pathom, Thailand, in 1994 withcooperation of the Mahidol University, Thailand.

4. In the mean time, in 1992 the Environment Agency of Japan
had already initiated a plan to hold a pre-Ramsar Asian
Seminar in Kushiro, Hokkaido, Japan.

9. The International Wetland Symposium at the Yatsu- Higata
Ramsar site in Narashino, Japan was held in 1995 and produced the Narashino Statement for active and informed participation by local people and communities in wetland
management that contributed to the Ramsar Resolution VII.8.
The workshops such as “Wetland Conservation and Management: The Role of Research and Education in Enhancing Public
Awareness” (Penang, Malaysia, 1998). “Wetland, Awareness,
Local People and the Ramsar Convention in the Mekong River
Basin” (Phnom Penh, Cambodia, 1999) and the “Ecosystem of
Rice Paddy and Conservation of Biodiversity” (Quebec,
Canada, 2000) played an important role to maintain andprepare bases and a network for developing the third meetingof Asian Wetland Symposium in Penang in 2001.

5. In the middle of 1991, the Environment Agency of Japanand the Ramsar Center Japan (RCJ) arrived at a consensus to

10. The 3rd Symposium was held in Bhubanewar, India on
2995, and then the 4th, 5th, and 6th symposia were held at the337interval of three years after the adoption of Ramsar Resolution
IX. I9. There was only one symposium in between the two
COPs but in 2011 two symposia were held within a period of 4months as this was demanded by two national partners, one
by Malaysia and the other by China. Still another symposium
was held in Siem Reap, Cambodia in 2014. Until now, AWS’s
have been held in seven countries covering south Asia, Southeast Asia and East Asia. Malaysia had the privilege of holding
symposium two times within a period of ten years. Each time
the theme was different and pertaining to the real life situationof wetlands. The first three symposia produced proceedings
as well as declarations, whereas the second three produced
only summaries along with declarations. The last one in Siem
Reap produced only the meeting report.

pants, the first symposium was successful to draw 1000 participants. In the 6th symposium, there were about 720
participants from 20 countries. And it was held in China from11 to 13 October 2011. The chronology and basic characteristicsof the AWS’s are given Table I.

11. The title of declaration was different in each symposium.
For example, the first symposium gave the title of its resolution as recommendations, whereas the second and third ones
used as statements. In Chilika, a special session on Tsunami
was held to discuss the then burning issues related to the
Tsunami and coastal wetlands. Over 15 papers were presented along with the adoption of recommendation for actions
on Tsunami and coastal wetlands. Likewise, the fourth andfifth ones gave the title of call for action and the sixth one as adeclaration. The seventh symposium produced no statement
or declaration. The summaries of these declarations are given
in Box A below.
Box A: Characterization of AWS Declarations
1. Otsu/Kushiro Recommendations (1992) 2. Penang Statement (2001)
1. Public awareness1. Strategic partnership &2. Capacity building
cooperation
3. Monitoring
2. National wetland inventory
4. Consensus building
3. Cultural heritage
5. Policy and legislation
4. Education & awareness6. International cooperation
5. Increase Ramsar sites & CPs
7. Development assistance
6. Legislation & guidelines
8. Ecotourism
7. Role of women
8. River basin management
9. Environmental impact assessment
10. Wetland loss & its mitigation
11. Climate change & wetlands
3. AWS Chilika Statement (2005)
1. Environmental flow
2. Biodiversity conservation
3. Cultural heritage
4. Promoting livelihood
5. Strengthening community
participation
6. Mainstreaming wetlands into
national process
7. Development of wetland plan,
policies & strategies
8. Promotion of successful practices
9. Education and awareness10. Capacity building
11. Restoration & rehabilitation

4. Hanoi Call to Action (2008)
1. Restoration of degraded wetlands
2. Develop best practice approach toagriculture
3. Assessment, monitoring &evaluation
4. Promote cultural practices &indigenous knowledge in wetlands
5. Biodiversity conservation
6. Climate change
7. Wetland-friendly structure,mechanism,
8. policy & legal framework
9. Transboundary wetlands
10. Transfer of knowledge

5. Sabah Call for Action (2011)
1. Integrated management system
2. Updating national inventory
3. Interlinkage between wetlands &forests
4. Mainstreaming forests & wetlands
5. Investment in forests & wetlands
6. Involvement of the private sector
7. Use of economic & financial tools(like PES)
8. Natural & wetland capital for
livelihood
9. Strengthening of CEPA
10. Traditional & cultural values

6. Wuxi Declaration (2011)
1. Incorporate wetland priority into
legislation, policy and plan
2. Holistic management of wetlands
3. Building capacity of the country
through high-level dialogue
4. Disaster-centered rehabilitation
5. Control of invasive species
6. Maintaining the ecology of rice
paddy ecosystems
7. Restoration of urban & peri-urban
wetlands
8. Incorporation of cultural values inwetland management
9. Invest more on communication,
education & training
10. Develop the network of habitats for
migratory birds

7. Siem Reap Declaration (2014)
Source: Bhandari & Nakamura (2012: 31-52)

12. The number of countries participating in symposium washigh in the first three symposia but has remained around 20 in
the 4th, 5th and 6th ones. Concerning the number of partici-

Table 1: Chronology of AWS Events
AWS

Year

Place & Country

Theme

1st
AWS

1992

Otsu/Kushiro,
Japan

2nd
AWS

2001

3rd
AWS

Outputs

No. ofcountries

No of participants

Towards wise
Proceedings
use of the most & Recomproductive
mendations
place, wetlands

26

1000

PenangMalaysia

Bringing
Proceedings,
partnership into Penang
good wetland
Statement
practices37
countries

350

2005

Bhubanewor,
India

Innovative
approaches
to sustainable
development

Proceedings,
Chilika Statement

32

400

4th
AWS

2008

Hanoi,
Vietnam

Wetlands, heart Call to Honoi
of Asia
Action

20

187

5th
AWS

2011

Sabah,
Malayasia

Integrated
biodiversity
conservation:
Linking forests& wetlands

Call to Sabah
Action19 (circa)322

6th 7th
AWS

2011

Wuxi,
China

Wetlands &HumanWell-being

Summary
ReportWuxi Declaration

20

720

7th
AWS

2014

Siem Reap----

Meeting Report

21

162

Source: Nakamura (2007), Hanoi Call for Action, Sabah

13. An international team is responsible for steering theprocess, direction and governance of AWS. The team is called
International Steering Committee (ISC). Its overall objective isto provide guidance, advice, technical support and inputs tothe national organizing the symposium. The Committee also
serves as a focal point to disseminate information and outputs
in the region including identification of appropriate experts
for the symposium as well as analysis of issues and problem
for drafting the resolutions. The number of members serving
in the committee differs from time to time. For example, thenumber of members was 18 in India and 25 in Vietnam. The
sixth Steering Committee for AWS in China consisted of 22
members from 12 countries representing various disciplines,
organization and areas of expertise.
14. The conservation of wetlands requires active, well-informed and responsible participation of the relevant stakeholders. Their continuous engagement is the key to thesuccess of wetland implementation on the ground. One of thvibrant and dynamic program is KODOMO, which means children in Japanese. Working with children is, in fact, a long-term
investment for the future. The tradition of engaging our future
generation began since the 3rd AWS in 2005, when children
from the three lagoon lakes: Chilika (India), Saroma lake
(Japan) and Thale Noi (Thailand) gathered in India to plead forwhole-hearted support for the wise use of wetlands from theregion. The active engagement of KODOMO centred in three
countries: China, Japan and Korea, as an exchange program,which led to their active participation along with children from
Uganda in the Ramsar COP9 to make a collective plea to thedelegates and observers for a concrete program on the management and conservation of wetland ecosystem. Since thenit has been a regular feature for AWS. The ultimate goal of thisprogram is investing for the future.

338Part Two: Global Status of Wetland Conservation
1. Conservation indicators
Wetland conservation has made a quantum jump from 1992
to 2017 both globally and regionally. For example, the total
number of contracting parties were only 74 in 1992 but has
increased to 169 in 2017. Similarly the number of Ramsar sites
were only 575 in 1992 but it increased to 2266 in 2017. The area
under Ramsar site grew almost 60 times in was only 3.6
million ha in 1993 but that has grown 218.1 million ha which isalmost 60 times higher in 2017 (See Table 2). In a single year of
2004, 146 Ramsar sites were globally designated. This is thehighest record in the history of the Ramsar Convention.
In Asia, all the three indicators show that the status of conservation in wetland has grown way up. During the past
25years, the number of contracting parties has grown up by 3times, the number of Ramsar sites by 6.4 times and the total
area by 7.2 ties (See Table 2). At present, the total number ofcontracting parties is 33 with the designation of 318 sites covering 18.1 million of area. About 10 more countries are yet tojoin the Convention.
Table 2: Change in Conservation Status of Wetlands in the World and Asia (1992-2017)
19921

20172

Change1. Number of Contracting Parties

74

169

2.3 times

2. Number of Ramsar Sites

575

2282

3.9 times

3. Total Area of Ramsar sites (ha)3.6 mil

218.1 mil

60 times

1. Number of Contracting Parties

11

34

3 times

2. Number of Ramsar Sites

49

318

6.4 times

3. Total Area of Ramsar sites (ha)2.5 mil

18.1 mil

7.2 times

Indicators
World

Asia

Note:
1. Navid (1992: 26)
2. Ramsar Sites Information Services, Ramsar Convention: http://www.ramsar.org/ Retrievedon May 20, 2017.
3. This is just for information that the largest site is Ili River Delta & South Lake Balkhash (area= 976,630 ha; Kazakhstan) and the smallest site is Ganghwa Maehwamareum Habitat (Area= 1 ha; South Korea)

2. Global Distribution of Ramsar Sites
The Ramsar Convention has taken regional approach forassisting the Contracting Parties in the implementation of theRamsar Convention globally. The area has been divided into
six regions, which are called Ramsar region. They are (1)Africa, (2) Asia, (3) Europe, (4) Latin America & the Caribbean,(5) North America and (6) Ocean. These regions house 2282
internationally important wetland sites, which are called theRamsar sites. Their distribution according to the region is presented in Table 3. The Table shows that the Europe Ramsar
Region houses 48% of Ramsar sites, which is the highest of all
regions. The Asia region houses only 14%, which is third after
the African region.

large percentage of Ramsar sites are not operated under theconcept of the management plan. Only 115 (36%) sites have
prepared their own management plans while 62 (20%) sites
are reported to be preparing them. The remaining 142 (44%)
sites do not have management plans at all.
4. Montreux Record
The Montreux Record is the register of wetland sites on the
Ramsar list where changes in ecological characters haveoccurred, are occurring, or are likely to occur as a result of
external condition like pollution, technical development, or
human interference. The Record is determined by the Contracting Parties. The Record should be employed to identify
the priority sites for positive, natural and international attention. The inclusion of a particular site on a Montreux Record isa useful tool available to the Contracting Parties in circumstance where,
1. Demonstrating national commitment to resolve theadverse changes would assist in their resolution
2. Highlighting particularly serious cases would be beneficial at the national and /or international level
3. Positive natural and international conservation attention
would benefit the site, and
4. Inclusion on the Record would provide guidance in the
allocation of resources available under a financial mechanism.
The Ramsar Technical Mission is a technical assistancemechanism to assist the Contracting Parties in the management and conservation of listed sites where ecological characteristics are threatened. The objective is to provide assistanceto the developed and developing countries alike in solving
problems or threats that make inclusion in the Montreaux
Record necessary.
A total of 47 sites are included in the Montreaux Record
globally (See Table 4). According to the Table, 23 Ramsar sites
belong to the Europe Ramsar Region. It should be noted that
Europe houses the highest number of Ramsar sites, i.e. 1067.
In the Asia Ramsar region, there are only 10 sites under theMontreaux Record. These sites belong to four countries; (1)Jordan, (2) Iraq, (3) India and (4) Iran. According to the Ramsar
Sites Information Services these sites occupy 760,045 hasurface area. Out of these sites only the four have management plans. The 2 sites will have their plans soon. The rest 4
sites do not have any plan. The surface area of the sites thatare included in the Montreaux Record ranges from 2,500 ha(Shurgol, Yadegarlu & Sangi Lakes, Iran) to 400,000 ha (Shadegan Marshes & Mudflat of Khor-E-Al Maya & Khol Musa, Iran).
It should be remembered that the inclusion of the sites under
the Montreaux Record is not delisting of the sites. It is rather
to help the Contracting Parties maintain the ecological characteristic of the site.

Table 3: Regionwise Distribution of Ramsar Sites
Ramsar Region

1. Africa
2. Asia

Number%Table 4: Sites on Montreaux Records Worldwide

386

17

Ramsar Regions

14

1. Africa

8
10

319

No

3. Europe

1089

48

2. Asia

4. Latin America & the Caribbean

192

8

3. Europe

23

5. North America

217

10

4. LA & the Caribbean

5

6. Ocean7935. North America

2282

100

Total

3. Management Plan
According to the Ramsar Sites Information Services, thetotal number of Ramsar sites is 319. It can be said that still a

1
Total

47

1 The sites are Azraq Oasis (Jordan), Hawizen Marsh (Iraq), Keoladeo NP and Loktak Lake
(India). Other six sites are from Iran, which include (1) Shadegan Marshes and Mudflats of
Khor-Al Amaya & Khor Musa, (2) Hamun-E-Saberi & Hamun-E- Helmand, (3) Shurgol, Yadegarlu& Dorgesh Sangi Lakes, (4) Hamun-E-Puzak, South End, (5) Neiriz Lakes and Khamjan Marshes,(6) Anzali Wetland Complex.

339Part Three. Status of Ramsar Sites in Asia
1. Status of Ramsar Sites in Asia
Basic information about the general status of Ramsar Convention in the Asia Ramssar Region is presented in Box B. In
Asia, there are 33 contracting parties and have designatedsome 308 Ramsar sites. Only 140 sites have management
plans whereas 109 do not have any. For the remaining 58
sites, plans are under preparation. More information is presented in Box B.
Box B: The Status of The Convention in Asia
Contracting Parties = 34
Ramsar sites = 319
Surface area = 18,063,760 ha.
Management plans = (Yes = 115, No = 142, Under Preparation = 62)
Source: Ramsar Sites Information Services, Dec 26, 2015

2. Ramsar Regional Initiatives
Under the Ramsar Convention, there are two types ofregional initiatives. The first category consists of training,
capacity building and network for regional cooperation,
whereas the other is networks that provide platform for collaboration between government, technical experts, international NGOs, local communities and private companies.
The training center are (1) Ramsar Regional Center – East
Asia, (2) Ramsar Regional Center – Central & West Asia, and(3) Ramsar Regional Center – Central Asia. The network initiative includes (1) East Asian-Australasian Flyway Partnershipand (2) Indo-Burman Regional Initiative.
3. Ramsar Conservation Award
The following institution and individuals were awarded
Ramsar Wetland Conservation Awards from Asia.
2002 - Chilika Development Authority (India)
2005 - Ms. Reiko Nakamura, Japan (Award for Education)2008 - Dr. Sansanee Shoowaew, Thailand (Award for Education)2012 - Prof. Tatsuichi Tsujii, Japan (Award for Science)
2015 - Prof. Gea Jae Joo, South Korea (Award for Merit)
4. Various Frameworks at Work
Table 5 shows that 105 Ramsar sites in Asia Ramsar Region
are being protected by more than one framework. Some 34
sites are protected by global international legal and otherframeworks and Ramsar Convention. Another 34 sites arebeing overlapped by different categories. About 22 sites areprotected by Ramsar Convention and UNESCO framework of
biosphere reserve both the frameworks. It means to say thatin addition to the Ramsar Convention, other legal as wellinternational frameworks protect the Ramsar sites (Table 5).
Table 5: More than One Framework Protecting the Ramsar Sites in Asia
Statutory Designations

No. of Sites

International legal frameworks

34

Overlapping site categories

34

UNESCO Biosphere Reserve

22

World Heritage Site

12

Other Global Designation
Total

3
105

5. Major Threats to the Asian Rasar Sites
Major threats to the Ramsar site in Asia are presented inTable 6. The information was taken from the Ramsar Sites

Information Service. About the three-fifths of the Ramsar sites
face the problem of natural system modifications. Biologicalresource use is also equally common in 56 sites. Pollution is
the number three threats to the Ramsar site in Asia whereas
agriculture and aquaculture are the number four threats. Morethreats are presented in Table 6.
Table 6: Major Threats to the Asian Ramsar Sites (N = 318)
S.N. Threats

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10

Natural system modifications
Biological resource use
Pollution
Agriculture & aquaculture
Human settlement (Non-agriculture)
Water regulation
Human intrusion & disturbanceInvasive & other problematic species
Transportation & service corridor
Climate change & severe weather
Others (energy production, mining, geological events)

Frequency

% age

186
173
156
145
134
96
83
79
65
62
8

58
54
49
46
42
29
26
25
20
19
3

Source: Ramsar Sites Information Services. ( http://www.ramsar.org/)

6. Factors responsible for wetland loss & degradation in Asia
The specific problems prevalent in wetland conservationand management are summarized in this section. In the presentations, words like threats, obstacles, concerns, issues andchallenges have been used interchangeably. Whatever thenomenclature, the bottom-line is that there have been barriers
to the smooth implementation of conservation, management
and sustainable utilization of wetlands on the ground. All the
problems included in the presentation are enumerated andcollated into six clusters. These clusters, individually or collectively, directly or indirectly have remained responsible for theloss and degradation of wetlands and are causing failures inthe successful implementation of the concept “wise use ofresources” in Southeast and East Asia. The specific problems
under these clusters of issues are briefly elaborated below.
1. Heavy exploitation of resources: Wetlands are the meansof livelihoods in rural areas. Resources are used to meet
the basic, secondary as well as tertiary needs of thepeople. These resources are vitally important for the sustenance of local people. The decreasing availability of fish
species, low volume of fish harvest as compared to thepast, shrinking area under water bodies are the indicatorof what we call overfishing. Likewise, other wetland
resources are also being exploited intensively. The
common activities that are responsible for the heavy
exploitation of wetland resources are fishing (legal aswell as illegal, appropriate as well as inappropriate use offishing gears like electric fishing gear, gun powder), useof water for agriculture, intensive grazing of domestic
animals, use of aquatic resources, firewood collection,
forest fire etc.
2. Conversion of wetlands: Farming is the main occupationof the people in Southeast Asia. The small land holdings
preponderate in the region. Also, the boundaries of thewetlands are not well-marked and illegal activities arecommon inside the area. Therefore, people around andabout wetlands tend to encroach the wetlands for cultivation and building shelters. Some activities related to conversion are reclamation for aquaculture, rice farming,
shrimp culture, gardening and cultivation of other aquatic
resources, deforestation, clearing of low land forest,
rubber and oil palm plantation, swamp forest, mining andextraction (uranium, gold, sand and gravels) and low
level of freshwater.

340
3. High level of pollution: Since wetlands are in the
depressed areas, all the runoffs from the surrounding
areas go to wetlands. Because of this they are highly vulnerable to threats such as the discharge from agricultural
fields (pesticides and chemicals, algae, plankton, micro-organisms), cities (waste water, rubbish, litter, sewage,
sludge), pastures and grazing lands, sludge from thefactory or mines, use of chemicals and pesticides, oilspills, marine debris (in case of marine wetlands).
4. Change in land use and land cover: Change in land use
and land cover in the catchment or basin area is anotherserious threat to wetlands in the region. For example,
mining (gold in Myanmar, uranium in Mongolia, sand andgravel mining in Nepal), flooding, siltation, sedimentation, drought, forest fire, disturbances in hydrologicalsystem, shifting of river course, hydro-power development, water inundation upstream and downstream,
impact of development, shifting cultivation, clearing ofland, deforestation, burning and cutting of trees and evenillegal farming have singly or collectively changed theland use and land cover in the catchment area and thereby
deforming the natural integrity of wetlands.
5. Habitat destruction/degradation: The destruction of wetlands has caused the loss of food, space and water for thewater-dependant flora and fauna. Some of the species areon the verge of extinction. The habitat destruction has
affected the long-distance migrant birds like Demoiselle
Crane, Grus virgo, Spoon-billed Sandpiper and manyothers.This situation has arisen basically due to sand-mining, human encroachment, land conversion, illegal
logging, illicit timber trade, intensive fishing, use of inappropriate fishing gears, growing human population,
impact of plantation, shipping industry, drying of freshwater sources, land clearance, prolific growth of alien
invasive species such as water hyacinth, Golden Applesnail and so on.
6. Poor governance & knowledge gap: Wetland resources
are directly related to daily livelihoods of the people. On
the one hand, lack of community friendly legislation, lowlevel of enforcement, poor management, weak institution, unmotivated staff and governance encourages
illegal activities, hunting and poaching around and about
wetlands. On the other hands, still a lack of baseline dataand information, local capacity & education and limited
technical knowledge are the hurdles in the conservationand management of wetlands and their resources.

Part Four: Self-Assessment in Wetland Conservation
A mini-study was conducted to assess the progress made insome selected countries in Asia.The study has two pronged-objectives. One was to review the issues mentioned in the AWS
declarations. Six topics were repeatedly included in the declarations. They are (1) governance (6 times), (2) wetland education (6 times), (3) partnership & networking (6 times), (4)cultural values (6 times), (5) conservation of biodiversity (6times), and (6) international cooperation (4 times) in the AWS
declarations. A brief overview of issues mentioned in the AWS
declarations over 25 years are summarized in Annex I. Other
issues are also presented in the Annex.
Then, the other issue, the implementation status of these 6
topics was the main concern of the study. So a set of questions was sent to 11 countries for their rapid assessment. The
voluntary participation from these countries - (1) Bangladesh,(2) Cambodia, (3) China, (4) India, (5) Japan (6) Malaysia, (7)Myanmar, (8) Nepal, (9) Philippines, (10) Thailand, and (11)Vietnam – made possible for their rapid overall assessment.
The summaries of their assessment, which was done in theform of questions, are briefly mentioned below.
1. Governance (6)What measures your country has taken to improve thegovernance of wetland conservation?
Bangladesh• Intervention in the form of many Acts, Rules, Ordinance,
Strategy & Action Plan
• Adopted international agreements both by central aswell as local government.
Cambodia• Allocation of budgets to the departments• Expansion of protected areas
China• Drafted the National Regulation on Wetland Conservation• Set up a Special fund at the central treasury• Incorporation of wetlands in many industrial plans• Invested 3.1 billion RMB Yuan in the past 5 years• Set up 600 Wetland Nature Reserves, over 1000 wetlandparks and 49 Ramsar sites• Set up the National Wetland Science & Technology
Expert Committee
India• Wetland Rules 2010 enacted• Set up State Wetland Development Authority• 20 additional Ramsar Sited Designated.
Japan• Regional Environment Office established• 3 Nature Conservation Officers assigned• Wildlife Division made responsible for conservation of
50 Ramsar sites
Malaysia• Two committees formed; High-level National Wetland
Committee and Technical Wetland Committee.
Myanmar• National Wetland Committee established in 2016.
• Indigenous Community Conservation Area (ICCA)
acknowledged.
• National Wetlands Policy drafted.
Nepal• Adopted National Wetland Policy 2013
• National Wetland Committee Formed.
Philippines• National Wetland Action Plan 2011-16 prepared• Inland Wetland Conservation Program (2017-2021)
under preparation
Thailand• National Wetland Management Committee & Technical
Working Group on Wetland Management on the ground.
Vietnam• Action Plan on National Environmental Protection Strategy to 2020 and Vision to 2030 adopted.
• Master Plan on Biodiversity Conservation in 2014
• Regulation for Marine Protected Areas of national andinternational importance.
2. Wetland Education (6)Mention some of the innovative methods adopted inwetland education or in CEPA.
Bangladesh• Round-the –year program on environmental awareness• Universities offer graduate degrees on environmental
science, limnology and ecology

341• Green clubs established in schools• Has set up National Environmental Awards
Cambodia• Observing days (fish, wetlands, planting, environment,
biodiversity, etc).
China• WWD, Chinese Wetlands Cultural Festivals• 10-thousand Mile Journey Along the Coastal Wetlands• Wetland Messenger Actions
India• Center for Environmental Awareness & Education(CEAE) established (a library, specimen, exhibits,
hands-on experience)• Guided tours to lake and visitor centers• Designation of the science teacher as the resource
persons
Japan• Has been running KODOMO Ramsar for the past 10
years.
• Each Ramsar Site has Maga-Ranger & Gata-Ranger• Malaysia• Organized AWS 5 in 2012 in Sabah
Myanmar• Environmental Education Center (EEC) established in
Moeyungyi Wetland Wildlife Sanctuary
Nepal• Community-based education on theme-based, target
oriented and season-centered.
Philippines• Organizes Youth Ecological Camps• Competition on design for the wetland center• Bangklase (education tour on the boat) in Lake Naujan
Thailand• Courses on Wetland Ecology & Management offered at
the University• Wetlands used as Natural Classroom and laboratories• Set up of Conservation Group in the school.
Vietnam• Celebrating WWD with different programs• Organizes training, workshop and dialogue• Networks of wetland experts established
3. Partnership & Networking (6)Describe efforts taken to promote partnership & networking
in wetland conservation?
Bangladesh• Network for birdwatcher, disaster management, advocacy & haor basin
China• Yangtze River Wetland Conservation Network established• Yellow River Wetland Conservation Network established• Yellow Sea –Bohai Region Wetland Conservation
Network establishedIndia• Inter-Ministerial Coordination Unit set up
Japan• Meeting of Japanese Municipalities Involved with Wetlands Designated under the Ramsar Convention• National Ramsar Committee established• Hokkaido Ramsar Network established• Japan Wetland Society launched
Malaysia• Malaysian Environmental NGOs (MENGOs)• Malaysian Water Partnership (MyWP)
Myanmar• IBRI (Indo-Burma Regional Ramsar Initiative set up
No specific activities from other five countries (Cambodia,
Nepal, Philippines, Thailand & Vietnam)
4. Cultural Values (6)How have cultural values been taken to improve wetland
conservation and prevention of loss of wetlands and associated resources?
China• Wetland Cultural Festivals organized in various parts
India• Village ponds conserved with religious sentiments
Japan• Monumental works “33 Examples for the Cultures &Technologies of Wetlands in Japan in 2012” and Wetland
Culture in East Asia in 2015”.
Vietnam• Integration of some spiritual values in wetlands
No specific activities from other eight countries (Bangladesh, Cambodia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Philippines &Thailand )5. Conservation of Wetland Biodiversity (6)Summarize the major achievements in the conservation of
wetland biodiversity – in particular wetland ecology, species
and conservation?
Bangladesh• 34 Protected Area & 12 Ecologically Critical Areas Set
up• Coastal Zone Management Plan developed.
Cambodia• Zoning of Protected Areas
China• Biodiversity Conservation Plan implemented• Monitoring regularly conductedIndia• Develop an exhaustive guideline on the managementof wetlands• Inventorying of wetland flora and fauna• Monitoring of lake water• Use of Ecosystem Health Report Card
Japan
• 500 potential Ramsar Sites listed in 2001 & the reviewof the same in 2016
Malaysia• Published a National Ramsar Information Toolkit• Developed Coral Reef Bleaching Response Plan (early
warning system, response trigger, management
actions, communication)• Planted 6.2 million seedlings in the past 10 years.
Myanmar
Nepal• Wetlands included in the National Biodiversity Strategy& Action Plan
• Cleaning of the lakes regularly after festival.
Philippines• Developed National Wetland Action Plan
• Additional listing of Ramsar sites• Developed Policy on Integrated Coastal Resource Management.
Thailand• Eradication of water Hyacinth as the National Agenda
Vietnam• Declaration of more Ramsar sites, now 8 in Vietnam

342
6. International Cooperation (4)What strategy your country has adopted to secure international cooperation in wetland conservation?
Japan• The Ministry of Environment of Japan conducted Cooperation Projects in 1989 in Southeast Asia
• International cooperation projects carried out in Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia and Myanamar• International cooperation project on ecosystem services in Myanmar in 2014 Bangladesh
No specific activities in other countries (Cambodia, China,
India, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Philippines, Thailand &Vietnam)Part Five: Existing Tool, Opportunity & Challenges
i. World Wetlands Day (WWD) as an existing Tool
World Wetlands Day (WWD) is celebrated every year on 2
February. This day marks the date of the adoption of the Convention on Wetlands in 1971 in the Iranian city of Ramsar on
the shore of the Caspian Sea (See http://www.ramsar.org/).
This day is the red-letter day in the history of the Convention
on Wetlands, popularly known as the Ramsar Convention. The
annual commemoration is the commitment of the international community to raise the profile of wetlands in all directions, at all level, by all the concerned and all time as well as
by the members who are outside the wetland community.
It should be remembered that the notion of WWD originatedat the International Conference on Wetlands and Development
held in Selangor, Malaysia from 9-13 October 1995 hosted by
the Ministry of Science, Technology and the Environment of
Malaysia. The Conference adopted a 9-point statement called
Kuala Lumpur Statement on Wetlands and Development(1995). The paragraph related to WWD in the statement reads
as follows;
That improved programs should be developed providing education, training, information materials and mechanism to
improve the level of awareness and capacity to implement
wetland conservation and sustainable use, for example, theestablishment of an annual World Wetlands Day to effectpopular mobilization. Particular attentions should be given to
those people living in and around wetlands, to other user for
those wetlands, to decision makers and to wetland managers.

Ramsar sites in the region, the following suggestions are put
forward.
1. The establishment of an informal network of Ramsar sites
would be beneficial to share each other’s experiences,knowledge and perspective including the exchange ofvisits from one site to another.
2. Wetland conservation is a multidisciplinary concept andits conservation would not be complete until the engagement of all the stakeholders, both inside and out of theRamsar family members. So, it is better to involve as
many stakeholders as possible in this regard.
3. The community that are wetland-dependant and that livearound and about the site should be involved in all
respects of conservation works that takes place. Every
attempt should be taken to integrate their concerns, experiences and knowledge in any activity that takes into consideration the wise use philosophy.
4. Inter-stakeholder dialogue should be a regular feature ofwetland conservation. It would enhance the under­standing
as well as their intention in the conservation of wetland
resources.
iii. Challenges
Major challenges include the discrepancy between concepts
and actions. For example, it gets the topmost priority in planning but low in implementation. Many a times, it stands alone
although it is tagged as an interdisciplinary subject. As such
wetland conservation embodies a broad scope but lacks particular focus in implementation. Secondly, wetland conservation always lacks the balance between quantity and quality ofconservation work. Most of the time, it is skewed towards
quantity. Thirdly community participation remains still amyth. It is far from reality. The genuine involvement and participation of local community is the key to rally the forces ofconservation in wetlands. In many countries, jurisdiction is aproblem. Still, there is no clear-cut provision on the jurisdiction as there are boundary problem in many wetland sites

The above statement was discussed in the 19th meeting of
the Standing Committee held in late October 1996. The
meeting officially designated 2 February of every year as
World Wetlands Day. As mentioned above, this day is the anniversary of the signing of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands
in 1971, as an opportunity for governments, organizations,and citizens to undertake big and small actions intended toraise public awareness of wetland values and benefits ingeneral and the Ramsar Convention in particular and translate
their commitment into actions. Since then it has been one of
the tools to campaign, communicate and capacitate aroundthe world.

vi. Way forward to promote AWS
The idea of AWS has not moved well in the region exceptingin Asia. It is because of the lack of an organization that is
responsible for its overall management. At the moment, it isgoing well due to voluntary support from a few groups. No
organization is responsible for its implementation, neither theRamsar Convention Secretariat, nor the International Partner
Organizations. Secondly, there is no consistency in the selection of the concepts or words. For example, the AWS has beenusing the words like statement/declaration, call for action, callto action and recommendations. The use of different words forthe same is rather confusing the readers and practitioners. Its
target is diverse. In the beginning the declarations used to betranslated into different languages disseminated into different
languages but this tradition has not been continued any more.
Proceedings used to be published but not anymore. Therefore,
the imperative need that is in the offing, is the dissemination,
raising the profile, and implementation of the concept of AWS
on the ground.

ii. Opportunity
According to the Ramsar Site Information Services of theRamsar Convention, there are 34 contracting parties in Asiaand these parties have already listed 319 Ramsar sites, whichis 14% of the total Ramsar sites worldwide. They occupy about
18 million ha of surface area. About 10 sites are included in theMontreaux Record and only 140 sites have their own management plans. In order to upgrade the level of conservation of

In order to promote the concept of AWS in the region as
well as in other areas, the following suggestions were received
from the study and area put forward for the readers’ information.
• Continue the tradition of organizing AWS every threeyears• Set up small grants for action research or study• Provide incentives to young scholar and graduate students

343• Focus studies on wetland-dependent communities• Set up young researcher award• Publish journal regularly• Establish academic institutions for higher study• Organize issue-based, area-based mini-symposia• Refocus the target group (not academicians, scientist but
practitioner, civil society, volunteers and others• Involve the media• Share only the best practices
References
Bhandari, Bishnu B. & Reiko Nakamura (2012). Asian Wetland Symposium: A
Journey from Otsu to Wuxi. Tokyo. Ramsar Center Japan/Nepal Wetlands
Society.
Bhandari, Bishnu B. (2013). Hundred Answers to Your Questions about Wetlands. NWS Series 5. Kathmandu: Nepal Wetlands Society.
Navid, Daniel (1992). The Ramsar Convention of Today and Wise Use of

Wetlands. In Proceedings of the Asian Wetland Symposium 15-20 October,
1992, Otsu & Kushiro, Japan. Edited by H. Isozaki, M Ando & Y. Natori.
Kosatsu: International Lake Environment Committee Foundation.
Ramsar Convention Secretariat (2013). The Ramsar Convention Manual. Sixth
edition. Gland: Ramsar Convention Secretariat. Also available on http://
www.ramsar.org/sites/default/files/documents/library/manual6-2013-e.pdf.
Ramsar Convention. Ramsar Sites Information Services. Available at http://
www.ramsar.org/. Accessed on 20 May 2017.
Isozaki, Hiroji, Bishnu B. Bhandari, Yuriko Harada & Kiyoshi Komatsu (2002).
Report on the Development of Wetland Management in the Asia-Pacific: A
Review. The Proceedings of the Asian Wetlands: Bringing Partnerships into
Good Practices, 27-30 August 2001. Edited by Ahyaudin Ali, Che Salmah Md
Rawi, Mashhor Mansor, Reiko Nakamura, Sundari Ramakrishna and Taej
Mundkur. Pulau Penang: Penerbit Universiti Sains Malaysia.

Annex I : Inclusion of the Topics in the AWS Declaration over 25 Years
Categories

Identified topics

AWS 1
AWS 2
AWS 3 BBSR AWS 4 Hanoi AWS 5 Sabah AWS 6
AWS 7 Siem
Otsu (1992) Penang (2001) 2004)(2008)(2011)
Wuxi (2011) Reap (2014)

Repeatedly-raised over two decades but not solved topics
Governance

Policy, legislation & legal framework

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Community Based Organizations

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Integrated &/ or Multi-disciplinary approach
Monitoring

Wetland inventories & monitoring

Yes
Yes

Yes

Biodiversity

Wetland resources, ecology, species

Partnership& Networking

Private sector, Stakeholders’ participation
Consensus building (partnership)

Yes

Yes

Communication

Sharing information, Awareness, Education, Dialogue,
Training, Capacity development

Yes

Yes

International
cooperation

Investment/funding mechanism
Development Assistance

Yes

Yes

Cultural values

Traditional knowledge, practices & custom

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes
Yes

Yes

Yes
Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes
Yes

Yes

Yes
Yes

Yes

Topics taken up 2-3 times
Climate change

Yes

Yes

Restoration (disaster-centered)

Yes

Yes

Best practice approach

Yes

Yes

Mainstreaming wetlands

Yes

Yes
Yes

Wetland value recognition

Yes

Ramsar site designation

Yes

Yes

Transboundary wetlands

Yes

Yes

Topics taken up only one-time
Eco-tourism
Increase Ramsar site

Yes
Yes

Protected area establishment

Yes

Woman

Yes

Convening of AWS

Yes

TsunamiYes

Agriculture & forests

Yes

Invasive species
Environmental Impact Assessment

Yes
Yes

Payment for ecosystem services
River basin management

Yes
Yes

Environmental flow

Yes

Livelihood

Yes

Yes

Source: Bhandari & Nakamura, 2012 & Meeting Report of AWS 7, Siem Reap (2014)

Side Event: Population Decline of Migratory Waterbirds and Habitat changes – Shorebirds as Indicators

344

Population Decline of Migratory Waterbirds and Habitat Changes– Shorebirds as Indicators
1

1

Tomoko Ichikawa, 2 Mika Yasuda, 3 Toshimitsu Nuka, 4 Toshifumi Moriya,
5
Minoru Kashiwagi, 6 Chen Kelin, 7 Tatsuya Shibahara

East Asian-Australasian Flyway Partnership, 2 BirdLife International-Tokyo, 3 Wild Bird Society of Japan, 4 Japan Bird Research Association,
5
Ramsar Network Japan, 6 Wetlands International-China, 7 Yatsu-higata Nature Observation Centre

1. Introduction:
Japanese wetlands, especially tidal flats, act as significant
stop-over habitats for migratory waterbirds of the East
Asian-Australasian Flyway (EAAF) that stretches from Alaska
and Russian Far East, southwards through East Asia andSoutheast Asia, to Australasia including Australia and New
Zealand (fig.1). However, these Japanese wetlands have been
disappearing due to coastal developments associated witheconomic growth, and subsequently, shorebird populations
have declined by 50-60% over the last 40 years. Similar developments have been occurring in other Asian countries, and it
brings about the sharp decline in the population of thelong-distance migratory waterbirds, especially shorebirds, inthe EAAF (fig.2).
The Japanese case can serve as a cautionary to othernations seeking to protect both their tidal flats and migratorywaterbird populations in the EAAF and other Asian regions
where rapid economic developments are affecting the coastal
habitats. A side event for sharing information about Japan’scase study was held in the Asian Wetland Symposium 2017 in
Saga, where the situation of the Yellow Sea was also reported,and the difficulty of managing highly disturbed wetland ecosystem in Tokyo Bay was shared.
2. Wetlands support human and migratory waterbirds
Migratory waterbirds have fascinated people with theirbeauty and unique features of migration. They come to thetidal flats in Japan for refueling for their long journey. The tidal
flat ecosystems have been supporting not only living creatures but also local fishermen with fish, shrimp, and otherfishery products.
It has been changed due to the disturbance such as reclamation of the tidal flats and construction of huge facilities that
affect ecosystem of the tidal flats. Fishermen have noticed thechange in ecosystem and been experiencing sharp decline infishery catch. In Oura, Saga, Japan, the fishermen used tohave a good domestic production values (fig.3). However,they have not been able to do the Short-necked Clam fishingfor around 11 years and Pen Shell fishing for 6 years due to thechange in the ecosystem. The fishermen have tried to improvetheir fishing ground, but once it has gone it is almost impossible for human to repair the ecosystem. In addition, waterbirds,
especially shorebirds that forage on benthos in shallow tidal
flats are disappearing from the coastal areas. This part waspresented as a shape of a message video. See for the script at
the end of this summary report.
3. Decline of Shorebirds: 40-Year-Nationwide-Data in Japan
Tidal flats in Japan are important stop-over sites in the East
Asian-Australasian Flyway for the conservation of migratorywaterbirds. However, in the past 40 years, the area of tidal
flats in Japan has been decreased by development projects,
and the population of shorebirds using tidal flats has
decreased drastically.
The population trends of migratory shorebird species wereassessed by Bayesian models to understand the causes oftrends. It is based on data of nation-wide shorebird popula-tion surveys between 1975 and 2016 conducted by MOE-J andnational NGOs. The results show that the number of dominant
species have decreased both in spring and autumn in the
1980s and after 2010 (fig.4). The decline in the 1980s could becaused by loss and degradation of tidal flat habitats of shorebirds by reclamation related to development projects during
the high economic growth period in Japan (fig.5, 6).
On the other hand, the decline from 2010 can be caused by
the loss of habitats along the EAAF outside of Japan, sincemost of the reclamation activities in Japan ceased in 2000.
Thus, it is hard to deny the impact of development projects on
tidal flats in the Yellow Sea, which is one of the most important
stop-over sites in the Flyway (fig.7).
4. Status on waterbird populations in Yellow Sea
Waterbirds are globally recognized as long distancemigrants. Millions of waterbirds migrate from as far as NorthEast Asia to Australasia and return annually to meet theirneeds for survival and breeding. The Yellow Sea is one of themost important areas for waterbirds to stopover during the
migration period in the East Asian-Australasian Flyway, by
providing rich food sources. It is estimated that over 80% of
the total migratory shorebird populations in the EAAF migrate
through this region.
However, this vital link of the Flyway is now becoming avery fragile one. Large and intensive reclamation projects
along China’s coastline for ports, industries, power generation
and aquaculture etc. pressures the habitats for migratorywaterbirds. In 1990 to 2008, the average area of reclamation
was estimated as 285 square kilometers per year, but for theterm of 2009-2020, it is prospected to be more than 500 square
kilometers per year. Area of the tidal flats in Yellow Sea is lessthan half compared to that in 1950s (fig.8). Very important tidal
flat habitats including North Bo Hai and Yalujiang in China arealso affected by such development. The reclamation of theBohai Bay affects more than 60% of the EAAF population of
Red Knots.
In addition to the reclamation activities, there are otherfactors that can lead to further habitat loss. An invasive species
Spartina is spreading in the tidal flat and causing loss of roosting habitats. Sea level rise and land subsidence also leads totidal flat loss. The more a bird depends on the Yellow Sea, thefaster the rate of population decline they experience (fig.9).
The key to change this tendency is a sound policy and effective management that depend upon robust scientific knowledge. It needs to be discovered where the birds are using andhow they respond to the changing conditions. Many actions
including satellite tracking, surveys on benthic prey stocks,
and monitoring responses to management interventions, arenow being conducted.
Satellite tracking opens new horizons to learn how birds
respond to changes and see if there is flexibility in migration
systems. It is found out that there are changes in benthic preystocks (fig.10). There is an increasing competition among birds
and between birds and people. It is important to involve
marine factories including shellfish farming by promoting
opportunities for eco-farming such as Marine Stewardship345
and Aquaculture Stewardship, and actively implementing
China’s organic food regulations. Also, it is important tosupport to control and eradicate Spartina. There is an increasing need to build new partnerships for sustainable use ofcoastal wetlands.
In China, a lot of activities concerning waterbird counts
have been conducted by Wetlands International-China andmany local agencies, universities and nature reserves. These
have resulted in the identification of the most importantwaterbirds sites around the Yellow Sea-Bohai coast of China.
The survey recorded a total of 806,679 waterbirds of 119
species at 18 sites along the Yellow Sea-Bohai Coast. Amongthem, total of 49,459 waterbirds were not identified, accounting for 6.13% of the total. 656,830 shorebirds, accounting for81.42%; 54,727 gulls and terns, accounting for 6.78%; 21,999
swans, geese and ducks, accounting for 2.73%; 17,114 herons(Ardeidae), accounting for 2.12%; 3,560 Crakes and Rails,
accounting for 0.44%; 2,990 other species, such as cormorants, grebes, ibises and spoonbills, storks, cranes and pelicans, accounted for 0.37% of the total recorded.
The results of the China Yellow Sea-Bohai Coast Coordinated Waterbird Survey highlight that these wetlands are very
important for northward migratory waterbirds. However, theregion is facing some problems such as severe degradationand loss of wetlands and migratory waterbird habitats, waterbird food supply shortages as a result of rapid economic
development in the region. In the new Chinese national strategy for strengthening the construction of ecological civilization, it is particularly urgent and extremely important toprotect wetlands and their biodiversity in the Yellow Sea-Bohai Region. It is also a major challenge we are currently facing.
This is the significant reason why Wetlands International hasorganized a Yellow Sea-Bohai Coast Waterbird Survey again
after a lapse of 10 years.

tial. Also, to protect the entire Tokyo Bay for migratory waterbirds, all related facilities need to work together for
enforcement of information transmission, and connecting
local residents and Tokyo Bay.

5. Wetland Management in the Highly-Developed Tokyo Bay
The reclamation of tidal flats in the Tokyo Bay has progressed rapidly and on a large scale since the 1960s. Currently,
90% of the bay’s coast line is covered by artificial seawalls, ishighly urbanized, and represents one of the most densely
populated areas in Japan with 25% of the population living
there (fig. 11). In spite of this, Yatsu-higata still exists as one of
the few valuable tidal flats remaining in the Tokyo Bay. Due tolocal citizen’s efforts beginning in the 1970s, the site was designated as a National Wildlife Protection Area by the thenEnvironment Agency Japan and Narashino City in 1988. Then,the site was registered in the List of Internationally Important
Wetlands of the Ramsar Convention in 1993.
However, in recent years, an edible green algae, Aosa (Sea
Lettuce), has grown at high levels resulting in the productionof putrefactive smells in the summer. Also, the number ofshorebirds that migrate to Japan has declined to just a quarterof the peak level recorded in the 1990s (fig.12). In addition,
exotic bivalves have settled, and it has been a concern that
sedimentation of dead seashells will inhibit the tide. This correlates to the decline of wetlands around Yatsu-higata, meaning
most of the coast of Tokyo Bay, and the loss of the connections
between wetlands and human beings through fishing, agriculture, or recreation activities such as shell gathering.
Promoting Wise Use of tidal flats is the key for tidal flat conservation. Yatsu-higata Nature Observation Centre puts great
efforts to conduct capacity building by taking advantage of thestrengths of being in urbanized area. The centre provided
various events and programs for different groups of 14,000
people in 2016. However, to protect Yatsu-higata, the cooperation among the government, city and the Centre as well as
local residents who engage in activities of Wise Use is essen-

7. Conclusion
The conservation of the remaining coastal habitats is anurgent issue. In order to conserve migratory waterbirds andtheir habitat, the remaining coastal wetlands need to be protected with high priority, and a holistic conservation approachis necessary by seeing the ecosystem in larger scales such asa bay, a sea and a region.
The critical need of the coastal habitat conservation was
also raised in the Twelfth Session of the Conference of theParties to the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory
Species of Wild Animals (CMS), held in October 2017 in thePhilippines. A resolution on Promoting Conservation of Critical Intertidal and Other Coastal Habitats for Migratory Species
was endorsed. It urges parties to give urgent protection toremaining intertidal wetlands, especially in coastal regionsthat are suffering high rates of wetland loss, notably in Asia,
paying particular attention to sites that form part of the networks of migratory species; urges parties to withdraw or
modify any perverse incentives to convert intertidal or othercoastal wetland habitats, and implement sustainable coastal
engineering measures for climate change adaptation; andrequests the Secretariat to work with other relevant MEAs toinitiate a global Coastal Wetland Forum. See CMS website formore information at: http://www.cms.int/en/document/promoting-conservation-critical-intertidal-and-other-coastal-habitats-migratory-species-0

6. Discussion
In the side event, there were voices raised from the floor.
Mr Pyae Phyo Aung from Myanmar emphasized the importance to encourage local community for conservation andsupport their sustainable livelihoods. He also pointe out theneed to collaborate with governments authorities and decision makers. Mr. Zau Lunn, also from Myanmar, mentioning
the importance of working closely with local communities,emphasized that they are the important stakeholders that
depend nearby habitats for their livelihood. He also pointed
the need to obtain the support of concerned government
department to obtain their support to the conservation/restoration projects. Dr. Lew Young of Ramsar Secretariat highlighted the importance of engaging all the important
stakeholders, for example, North Korea for Yellow Sea conservation. It is important to support the country by expertise forconservation and also for livelihood. We have to change ourmind to make conservation as part of livelihood programme.
Mr. Golam Rabbi of Bangladesh government mentioned theimportance of conducting supplementary income generation
program, integrated management plan including zoning forsustainable fisheries, measures for invasive species management, effectiveness assessment, and mass awareness raisingfor coastal habitat conservation. He also noted that actionplans and education programmes involving local community
is effective for migratory waterbirds conservation, and thenecessity for the collaborative platform for primary and secondary stakeholders, information sharing, and collaboration
at regional and international levels.

References
Amano et al., 2010, A framework for monitoring the status of populations: An
example from wader populations in the East Asian–Australasian flyway
Hanawa, S., 2006, Present Situation and Future of Tidal Flats in Japan (inJapanese) (花輪伸一 2006 日本の干潟の現状と未来 地球環境Vol.11 国346
際環境研究協会).
Conklin, J.R., Y.I. Verkuil & B.R. Smith. 2014, Prioritizing Migratory Shorebirds
for Conservation Action on the East Asian-Australasian Flyway. WWF-Hong
Kong, Hong Kong
Murray, N., et al., 2014, Tracking the rapid loss of tidal wetlands in the Yellow
Sea, Frontiers in Ecology and Environment 12: 267-272
Studds, C.E., et al., 2017, Rapid population decline in migratory shorebirds
relying on Yellow Sea tidal mudflats as stopover sites, Nature Communications
Wilson et al. 2011. Analyzing Variability and the Rate of Decline of Migratory
Shorebirds in Moreton Bay, Australia

Figures and tables

Fig.4 Trends of dominant shorebird species in Japana

Population in 2015 is set as 100

Fig.1 East Asian-Australasian Flyway (red line)

Fig.5 Loss of Tidal Flats in Japan (Hanawa, 2006)

Fig.2 Projected population losses of three shorebird species given current rates ofdecline of 5-9% per year

Area of tidal flats (brown) and swamps (blue)
Fig.6 Proportion of Lost and Remaining Tidal Flats in Japan in 1945 – 2000

after Amano et al. 2010 and Wilson et al. 2011
Fig.3 Domestic production values in 1998. Fishermen have not shipped pen shell,
prawn and short-necked clam since 2007. (Source: Nobukiyo Hirakata, Graph: BirdLife
International-Tokyo)

Area of tidal flats (brown) and swamps (blue)

Fig.7 Important stop-over site in EAAF (Conklin, J.R. et al.,2014)
Fig.8 Area of tidal flat (Mha) (Murray et al. 2014)ent 12: 267-272

Fig.7 Important stop-over site in EAAF (Conklin, J.R. et al., 2014)

347
Fig.8 Area of tidal flat (Mha) (Murray et al. 2014)

Fig.11 Reclamation of Tokyo Bay (designed by YNOC)

Grey: Reclaimed area, Red: Tidal flat and shallow sea

ent 12: 267-272

Fig.12 The trends­­­of the waterbird population during thepast 30 years in Yatsu-higata (Data source: Ministry of theEnvironment, Japan, Graph: YNOC)

Fig.9 Flyway-level population trend and Yellow Sea reliance (Studds et al., 2017)

Fig.10 Major changes in benthic prey stocks in Yellow Sea (Zhang et al. in prep)

Script for the message video
Mr. Ryoji Tokitsu: I have been visiting Isahaya Bay for 30
years. I have been fascinated by birds for years, as I cannot
forget those good old days. The most impressive view was
thousands of Dunlins flying around in a flock, changing directions and thus the colour of their wings as they turned away. I
often visited here to see these sights that I used to love somuch. The environment has changed dramatically after aseawall was built. Bird species that used to forage for worms
in the mudflat have disappeared. I am very sad to see this.
Some people say, “the birds will go to the other remaining
tidal flats’ or ‘there are many other tidal flats elsewhere,’ but I
cannot agree with it. They come here because this is the best
tidal flat for them. It is a very sad situation.
Mr. Nobukiyo Hirakata: When the sea was much healthier,the tidal flat surface was fully covered with small crabs. There
were lots of migratory waterbirds on the tidal flat to forage forthese crabs, competing with us human beings. Healthy circular tidal flat was spread throughout the coastlines of the entire
Ariake Sea. 60-70% of our total annual domestic production
was from Pen Shell fishing. We used to earn USD 54-64 thousand on average through Pen Shell fishing, followed by USD

348
23 thousand from prawns, USD 15-23 thousand by Manila
Clams. We also had USD 8 thousand from crabs. Currently, I
strongly feel that our tidal flats have been polluted more andmore by various factors, including public constructions. We
have not been able to do Pen Shell fishing for six years, and no
Manila Clam fishing for around eleven years. There is nothingfor us to catch anymore, so the fishermen here have been
having a very difficult time. If human beings only pursue better
convenience by changing the environment, like covering all of
the coastlines, the number of living creatures like fish definitely decline. Once this happens, there is no better method ofrecovery than letting nature take over the healing process
before it is too late. Human beings cannot do any better thannature. I have a small dream. I would like to take back theocean where I can carry out fishing together with my son.

End

Thank you