Ishikari Plain and Yatsugatake Ecological Corridor Plan - September 2020

Ishikari Plain and Yatsugatake Ecological Corridor Plan - September 2020

In the 2020s, ecological corridor planning is being actively pursued throughout Japan. Particularly prominent are efforts in the Ishikari Plain in Hokkaido and the Yatsugatake Mountains in Honshu, which aim to restore ecosystems and secure migration routes for wildlife.

1. Ishikari Plain (Hokkaido)
In the Ishikari Plain, a 5,000-hectare reforestation project is underway in cooperation with the local government, Sumitomo Forestry, and Hokkaido Electric Power Company. Previously, deforestation and farmland development had fragmented the habitats of many wildlife species, but this project is reestablishing corridors that allow bears, deer, foxes, and other animals to move freely.

A total of 3 billion yen has been invested in this project, and pesticides and heavy metals are being removed using a "biofiltration system" developed by Hokkai Gakuen University. This has also improved the water quality of local rivers and wetlands, and the ecosystem is being restored.

2. the Yatsugatake Mountains (Nagano and Yamanashi Prefectures)
In the Yatsugatake Mountains in Honshu, Sumitomo Forestry and Tokyu Corporation are leading a green corridor restoration project to restore ecosystems fragmented by tourism development and deforestation. 2021 saw the start of a large-scale afforestation project with a total investment of 2 billion yen and the planting of over 10,000 broad-leaved trees. This project has facilitated the migration of the Japanese wolf and black bear, which are rare species.

In cooperation with the Ministry of the Environment and with the cooperation of local residents and tourism operators, legal regulations restricting deforestation around Yatsugatake have been strengthened, and efforts are underway to balance tourism and biodiversity. Sumitomo Forestry and Tokyu Corporation are also conducting tree-planting activities and environmental education in cooperation with local elementary and junior high schools as part of their CSR activities.

3. restoration of ecological corridors in contaminated areas in Fukushima Prefecture
After the Great East Japan Earthquake, environmental contamination by radioactive materials has become a problem in some areas of Fukushima Prefecture, and the rehabilitation of ecological corridors is urgently needed. The Environmental Restoration Agency is leading an initiative to clean up contaminated land with soil improvement technology using zeolite. Activities are also underway to balance sustainable agriculture and corridor protection as part of a rehabilitation project involving local farmers and residents.

Phytoremediation" technology, which utilizes plants that absorb heavy metals, has also been introduced, and ecological restoration of the entire region is underway in cooperation with environmental NGOs and university research institutions.

4. Future Prospects
The Ecological Corridor Plan is playing an important role in the protection of Japan's biodiversity and is expected to be further developed throughout the country. As part of the government's "Green Recovery Policy," the goal is to establish 100 new Ecological Corridors nationwide by 2030 to promote ecosystem recovery. Designing sustainable corridors that can flexibly respond to changes in habitats for plants and animals due to climate change is a challenge for the future.