“Forest, River and Sea: integral parts”

Farmers’ Association
    and Fishermen’s Association:

They are trying to save a wetland hand in hand.

Lake Furen, a brackish water lake
in Eastern Hokkaido, was designated as
a Ramsar site at the Ramsar COP9 in 2005.

 There has been a long history of conflicts between farmers, mainly dairy farmers, and fishermen in Bekkai Town and surroundings in the eastern Hokkaido.  Farmers upstream did not care much about water quality of rivers that flow into Lake Furen.  Local fishermen depend on Lake Furen.  One day fishermen invited some farmers, heads of Farmers’ Association, to Lake Furen to realize how much damage has been caused on water quality downstream.  Having witnessed dirty water of Lake Furen by their own eyes, those farmers tried to convince other farmers that they have to do something to improve the situation.

  Creating an acorn field

They are now together.  Inviting all stakeholders, including teachers and children, they have started clean-up campaigns and established the Council in 2004.

Research over the standing crop of freshwater clams

Poster session for Hokkaido Citizens Network for Reforestation

Acorn nursery

A clean-up campaign

Major activities (see also photos):

In 2004: a clean-up campaign at Lake Furen (56 participants).

  2005: Planting 630 broad-leafed trees along one of tributaries of River Furen (180 participants).
           A clean-up campaign at another tributary (164 participants).  Distributing campaign calendars            for 2006.

  2006.  Planting 1,800 trees along River Furen (230 participants).  A clean-up campaign with            volunteers.  Distributing campaign calendars for 2007 (top and other photos).

Due to the decline in catches of freshwater clams, harvesting freshwater clams has been banned since 2001.