National Parks & Important Biodiversity Areas of JAPAN Identification of Important Biodiversity Areas and Gap Analysis National Parks of JAPAN Park plan National Park System Park plan is formulated for each national park to ensure of Japan that it is protected and utilized appropriately. National Parks of Japan are designated and protected under Class II Special Special Zones Protection Zones The Natural Parks Law of Japan, which aims at enhancing Class I the protection and utilization of representative landscapes National Parks & Special Zones Class II of Japan and contributing to the conservation of Special Zones Class III biodiversity and the promotion of the health, recreation, Important Biodiversity Areas Special Zones Ordinary Zones and education of the people. Outside of National Besides National Parks, there are two other types of natural Park boundary of JAPAN park in Japan, depending on the size and other factors: Quasi-National Parks and Prefectural Natural Parks. A National Park can contain not only natural areas with A Sample Park Plan Park Conservation Plan Special Protection Zones little human intervention but also developed areas such as a Class I Special Zones Class II Special Zones rural village and a recreational area as well as land used for Class III Special Zones Ordinary Zones agriculture, forestry, etc. Marine Park Zone P The park area is divided into different zones, depending on Park Utilization Plan Recreational ground the level of protection and utilization, and the Park Plan is Lodging drawn up to provide for facilities such as roads and lodges Campground P Parking in light of the convenience and opportunities of visitors to Visitor Center Motorway enjoy the natural environment. Walkway Sightseeing boat Roles for Biodiversity Conservation In response to the increasing social needs for the conservation of biodiversity, The Natural Parks Law of Japan was recently amended, clearly stating that the contribution to the conservation of biodiversity is one of the objectives of National Parks and Quasi-National Parks of National Park Japan. At the same time, the importance of natural parks in Quasi-National Park conserving the biodiversity of Japan has been given official recognition as constituting the “backbone” of biodiversity in Japan in the National Biodiversity Strategy of Japan (http://www.env.go.jp/en/focus/attach/071210-e.pdf). Current Status At present, there are 29 National Parks, 56 Quasi-National Parks, and 312 Prefectural Natural Parks 02550 100 km in Japan; the area covered by these natural parks accounts for as much as 14 % of the total area of Japan. Ratio to Ratio to Land area Sea area Type Number total national total territorial (ha) land area (%) (ha) water area (%) National Park 29 2,087,475 5.5 1,393,978 4.5 Basic Information of Japan Quasi- 56 1,362,030 3.6 451,979 1.5 2 National Park Land area 377,914 km Length of coastline 35,126 km Prefectural 312 1,968,465 5.2 2 Natural Park Territorial waters 310,000 km Exclusive Economic Zone 4,479,358 km2 Total 397 5,417,970 14.3 1,845,957 5.9 Population (Oct. 2010) 127,510,000 Important Biodiversity Areas Color Type Category Content / Description code Identification of Important Northern coniferous forest Northern conifer-broadleaf mixed forest Summer green forest i. Typical natural vegetation (forest) Summer green forest (Japan Sea side type) National Parks of JAPAN (1,000 ha or larger) Summer green forest (Pacific side type) Biodiversity Areas and Gap Analysis Evergreen broadleaf forest Subtropical forest Subtropical forest (oceanic island type) Alpine Japan has long been conducting a series of National Surveys on the Natural Environment, collecting nation-wide (1) Important Subalpine baseline environmental information including the actual vegetation covers. Based on such data, areas important for the areas based on vegetation Mountain conservation of biodiversity (hereinafter “Important Biodiversity Areas”) have been identified in cooperation with 1. Terrestrial ecosystem Floodplain forest River experts, as is explained below, and then unprotected Important Biodiversity Areas, or gaps, have been identified by ii. Vegetation formed by unique Wetland with thick peat layer environmental factors Wetland with medium to thin peat layer overlaying these areas with the areas protected by the existing National Parks and Quasi-National Parks of Japan. Lake and marsh Volcanic desert Rock / gravel 1 Important areas based on vegetation Special rock type 1 2 Coast Large-scale typical natural forests (1000 ha or larger) ( ) and Grids*1 with 9 species or more of threatened vegetations that are formed by unique environmental factors regardless i. Areas of concentrated distribution of threatened endemic plant species selected based on data provided of their size ( ) were firstly selected as important areas. endemic plant species (9 species or more) by the National Museum of Nature and Science. (Ebihara & Kato, unpublished data) Top 20 grids*1 in terms of the conservation effectiveness 2 Important habitats of plants measured by “C index” (short-term conservation index), which Areas where many threatened endemic species of Japan were recorded represents the degree of contribution to the national extinction ( ) were identified as important habitats of plants. Hotspot analysis risk reduction if a specific area is conserved in the following 10 (2) Important years. (Yahara, Matsuda, et al., unpublished data) was also carried out by experts and areas with high risks of extinction habitats of ii. Areas where the extinction risk of plant were identified ( ). In addition, areas of the distribution of the plant plants species is high in hotspot analysis 1 species dependent on special habitats were identified. Top 20 grids* in terms of the conservation effectiveness measured by “D index” (long-term conservation index), which represents the degree of national extinction risk increase if the 3 4 habitats of threatened species within a specific area is lost. 3 Important habitats of animals (Yahara, Matsuda, et al., unpublished data) Areas where threatened local populations of animal species that require Habitats of special types of plant that occur mainly at ( ) large habitat areas (e.g. bears) and those dependent on man-altered iii. Areas of the distribution of the plant wetlands in central Japan. ecosystems ( ) were identified as important habitats of animals. Areas species dependent on special habitats (Hiroki, 2002; Aichi prefecture, 2007) of importance for the conservation of specific animals (i.e. birds ( ), Brown bear LP in Teshio-Mashike region reptiles, amphibians, and insects ( ) were also identified. Brown bear LP in Western Ishikari region Asian black bear LP in Shimokita peninsula i. Areas of the distribution of threatened local Asian black bear LP in Kii peninsula populations (LP) of animal species requiring a 4 Important areas of freshwater ecosystems Asian black bear LP in eastern Chugoku region wide habitat range*2 Rivers, lakes, and marshes that foster rich biodiversity or that have Asian black bear LP in western Chugoku region large-scale, excellent nature ( ) were identified as important areas of Asian black bear LP in Shikoku mountainous area Japanese serow LP in Kyushu region freshwater ecosystems. (3) Important Habitats of the Tsushima leopard cat habitats of 5 6 ii. Areas of the distribution of threatened animal Grids*2 including the habitats of the Oriental stork animals species requiring a secondary natural environment 5 Important areas of the coastal region Grids*2 including the habitats of the Japanese crested ibis iii. Important Bird Area (IBA) IBA of BirdLife International Ecotones between terrestrial and marine ecosystems, i.e. areas of tidal iv. Areas of the concentrated distribution of Grids 1 with 4 species or more (maximum 8) of threatened flats ( ),salt marshes of a certain size as well as the whole areas of threatened amphibian and reptile * amphibian and reptile species mangrove ( ), were identified as important areas of the coastal region. species (4 species or more)*1 Important areas for the protection of the biodiversity of insects, v. Areas important as habitats for insects 6 Important areas of shallow waters which were selected by the Entomological Society of Japan Large-scale rivers among the 500 Important Wetlands in Japan Large-scale seaweed beds ( ) and the whole areas of coral reefs ( ) i. Rivers that have rich biodiversity or are selected by the Ministry of the Environment and Wetlands considerably large that provide habitats for diverse marine organisms were identified as Important areas International Japan. important areas of shallow water. of freshwater Large-scale lakes among the 500 Important Wetlands in Japan ecosystems ii. Lakes that have rich biodiversity or are selected by the Ministry of the Environment and Wetlands considerably large 7 8 2. Freshwater ecosystem International Japan. 7 Important habitats of marine life i. Mangroves All the mangroves have been selected as important areas. ii. Large tidal flats that provide habitats for The coastlines inhabited by seals and marine areas where the finless ( ) The distribution of tidal flats of 100 ha or larger 1 Important organisms porpoise or the dugong are distributed ( ), the breeding grounds of areas of the Considerably large salt marsh of 500 Important Wetlands in the humpback whale, the breeding grounds of seabird colonies ( ), coastal region iii. Salt marshes that have rich biodiversity or ( ) Japan selected by the Ministry of the Environment and beaches