Die Bodenkultur - Journal for Land Management, Food and Environment

T. Miyaura:

Satoyama – A place for preservation of biodiversity and environmental education

Summary

Satoyama is a Japanese word and an expression for a place where human beings have long coexisted with nature. It is a complex ecosystem comprising forests, crop fields, grasslands and other agricultural components. The satoyama environment encompasses both natural and cultural diversity of a region and the history of the interaction between the two. It is also becoming clear that the satoyama landscape maintains a significant biodiversity. Here, I present a brief history of satoyama in Japan, a review of its present status, and an outline of our research in a Ryukoku University satoyama forest. Key words: Aatoyama, biodiversity, environmental education, University Forest.