Member interview planning
Mr. Yoshihiro Naji, Chairman of the 1st Japan International Wetland Conservation Union
Hello! SPOON will start a new project! SPOON has many members (more than 400 on New Year's Day 2020). Each person has a ring of the same color and number as the ankle, and is connected to "that Black-faced Spoonbill" that still dances in the sky and rests in the wetlands. This project introduces to everyone what kind of SPOON members are, and explores the network of people who love Kurotsura. From now on, I would like to ask many members to interview and introduce themselves by e-mail. In that case, thank you.
The first memorable event is Mr. Yoshihiro Naji (Chairman of the Japan International Wetland Conservation Union). The SPOON secretariat is mainly students of Tokyo Institute of Technology, but Mr. Naji is our senior!
There was a wetland close to us! No life without wetlands
"Wetland Culture and Technology-East Asia" (right photo)
On the left of the photo is "33 Selections of Wetland Culture and Technology-Relationship with Regions and People-" published by the Japan International Wetland Conservation Union in 2012.
"Paddy fields, dam lakes, and ponds are wetlands." First of all, Mr. Naji told me that the wetlands according to the Ramsar Convention are not limited to natural wetlands. That's why we have wetlands around us, and drinking water and rice are the blessings of wetlands, and if we can be aware of that, the wetlands will become familiar. Seems like it's for real. In particular, he said from the paddy culture that "It seems that Asian people are the ones who come to mind when it comes to the blessings of wetlands." Mr. Nagisa visited Thailand and Vietnam to write "Wetlands, Culture and Technology-East Asia" published by the Japan International Wetland Conservation Union, which is currently the chairman. East Asia is very close to wetlands and wetlands. It seems that the culture that coexists with Vietnam was felt to be "still alive."
52 Ramsar Convention registrations!
Bogatsuru Marsh seen from Mt. Kitaofune
The flower in the foreground is Miyama Kirishima
Taken by Yoshihiro Naji
Landscape of Tadewara Wetland
The mountain in the back is Mt. Mimata, and the place beyond the ridge is Bogatsuru Marsh.
Taken by Yoshihiro Naji
A culture that coexists well with wetlands is called "wise youth" under the Ramsar Convention (* 1). About 50 years ago, the Ramsar Convention, adopted in 1971, stated from the beginning that not only conservation but also wise use, that is, the wise use of wetlands. Wetlands provide fish, wakame seaweed, kelp, etc., as well as provide various blessings such as retaining water and buffering in the event of floods, storing carbon and contributing to the prevention of global warming. It is a place with a strong so-called ecosystem service. Mr. Naji points out that the people who made the treaty aimed to make the wetlands more important by mastering this service. Then, as an employee of the Ministry of the Environment, he talked about the time when he selected the wetlands to be registered under the Ramsar Convention. As mentioned earlier, the Ramsar Convention covers a variety of wetlands. One of the strangest things I remember was the Kuju Bogatsuru Tadewara Wetland in Oita Prefecture, which was almost grassland and shrubs growing at that time, and the locals didn't even recognize it as a wetland. that's right. However, until about 40 years ago, regular open burning for pasture maintained the "intermediate bog (* 2)". Talking about this history with the locals, and being registered under the Ramsar Convention, in order to restore the grassland landscape and the marshland landscape of the old days, the people of the "Kuju Nature Conservation Society" used to do open burning from the old man It is said that he revived the beautiful grassland landscape and marshland landscape.
"In'Wetlands are beautiful'and'There are such precious animals and plants', I think the Ramsar Convention cannot be done in the future. It is related to a place closer to human life. I think I have to tell you that. It may be overstated that protecting the wetlands will guarantee our basic life, but that is what leads to that. I think we need to convey this in a more understandable way. " It is said that Mr. Naji is looking forward to seeing the local people carefully protecting the wetlands, creatures and culture while visiting the 52 Ramsar Convention-registered wetlands in Japan.
* 1 Ramsar Convention
A treaty on wetlands with the official name "Convention on Wetlands of International Importance as a Waterfowl Habitat". It is called the Ramsar Convention after it was adopted by Ramsar, Iran in 1971. In addition to the objectives of the treaty, "conservation (regeneration)" and "wise use" of wetlands, "communication, competence development, learning, participation, dissemination and enlightenment (CEPA)" to promote these are the treaty's objectives. basis.
Reference: Ministry of the Environment Ramsar Convention and registered wetlands
* 2 Intermediate bog
A moor that has intermediate properties between a high moor whose vegetation is maintained only by rainwater and a low moor whose vegetation is maintained by being recharged by groundwater. EIC environment Glossary than
From Naji-san to SPOON
Japan-China-Korea Tripartite Environment Ministers' Meeting (TEMM) Youth Forum
In 2017, SPOON's Tokotani participated in the Youth Forum of the Japan-China-Korea Tripartite Environment Ministers' Meeting (TEMM). Mr. Naji was an advisor to this forum, so he became a member of SPOON. It was a good idea to connect people across countries through the Black-faced Spoonbills, and it seemed that Ramsar also connects people across national borders. Cross-border wetlands are also registered under the Ramsar Convention. In the case of Japan, you said that bird and rice culture may represent the connection of wetlands. The Black-faced Spoonbill is looking forward to introducing the local culture.
Finally, Mr. Natsuki sent a message saying, "I hope you will continue to work hard to create a community where the Black-faced Spoonbills fly around and to create a community with this migratory bird in the middle." Thank you to Mr. Natsuki for bringing the J10 ring that he is supporting, and for the long interview!
Yoshihiro Naji (biography)
Chairman of the NPO Japan International Wetland Conservation Union. After graduating from the Department of Social Engineering at Tokyo Institute of Technology, he admired a ranger in a national park and joined the Environmental Agency at that time. After working at the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), he was involved in the registration of 25 Ramsar Conventions. Become a SPOON member in 2017! Thank you! !!
The Japan International Wetland Conservation Union is conducting scientific research and dissemination and enlightenment to grasp the situation of wetlands in various parts of Japan, such as a project called Monitoring Site 1000 conducted by the Ministry of the Environment. Please see here for details.
Release date: February 20, 2020