In order to further increase the public awareness as regards the role and importance of forests and forestry, by holding forest classes, and conducting activities to give people the opportunity to actually engage in forestry, Japan will promote the enhancement of public awareness, including that of youth, concerning the functions of forests, the role of forestry, and the importance of forest conservation. Also, in natural parks, by actively promoting activities for the interpretation of nature, Japan will further the understanding of conservation of the natural environment and the role of the general public in nature conservation. It will also promote surveys, experimentation and research for the proper conservation of precious ecosystems, as well as surveys of the actual conditions of regions which are in danger of disaster peculiar to mountainous regions, as well as places which are faced with the danger of avalanches. Promoting Integrated Watershed Development and Alternative Livelihood Opportunities Taking into account the fact that rivers are important as habitats for aquatic organisms, as well as the fact that watersheds are important as places containing diverse ecosystems and as habitats of a variety of species of wild fauna and flora. Japan will promote the comprehensive measures for flood control, water-utilization, etc., giving sufficient consideration, in particular, to forest conservation and management and habitat conservation for fishes and other aquatic organisms.
Japan attaches importance to the implementation of the following activities.
In order to conserve precious ecosystems and species of wild fauna and flora which are found in rivers and watersheds, Japan will provide information regarding the natural environment, including that to clarify the living conditions of animal and plant life in rivers, the conditions of the use of rivers, and watersheds where primeval forms of nature still remain. In addition to conserving river areas which have superb ecosystems, including upper-watershed areas, by means of reviewing spheres of protected areas, including nature conservation areas and national parks and quasi national parks, and conservation plans regarding such areas, Japan will make efforts to conserve superb ecosystems of watersheds in already existing protected areas, by means of appropriate management. Also, Japan will make efforts to conserve water quality by reducing the burden of pollution flow into rivers by improving sewage facilities including advanced wastewater treatment and regulating effluents. Japan will maintain and enhance the functions of forests designated for the conservation of the national land, including protection against the erosion of earth and sand in national forest areas, and forests designated to maintain natural environment, through appropriate management.