Niche Markets for Economic Revitalisation of Satoyama Forest ...

Preface
The completion of the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MA) and the
publication of its findings in 2005 have contributed to a renewed worldwide
interest among academic, policy and practitioner communities in deepening
our understanding of the various links between ecosystem services and
human well–being. The renewed quest has been prompted, at least in part, by
the need to find and develop effective environmental stewardship strategies
which could simultaneously sustain both environmental well–being and
human well–being.
In Japan, the MA process has spurred the Sub–global Assessment (SGA) which
seeks to focus on the historical as well as contemporary uses and stewardship
practices of the country’s rural mountain slopes, hillside forests, paddy
fields, wetlands, seafronts, and other landscapes—generally referred to in
the Japanese language as satoyama and satoumi Integrated utilisation and
management of these landscapes were once the hallmark of rural economy
in Japan, but many of these landscapes have since fallen into disuse or under–
use, while some others have been converted or built up to serve the needs of
urbanisation.
This paper is part of a new effort to understand and articulate the transitions
which have occurred in the economic utilisation and management policies
associated with satoyama resources, and ways by which the ecosystem
services could be economically revitalised, sustainable and relevant to the
Japan’s economy in the twenty–first century.
The study examines the local, prefectural and national issues that have led
to economic stagnation and uncertainty in the satoyama sector in Ishikawa
Prefecture, and the evolving niche market opportunities with the potential to
revive the sector and the local economy. The report identifies and discusses
policy responses to the satoyama sector across multiple scales, the economic
activities related to some of the ecosystem services, the active stakeholders
in the sector, and some of the gaps responsible for the economic uncertainty
of the sector.
The development of this report is part of the wider programme on ecosystems
and people at the United Nations University Institute of Advanced Studies
(UNU–IAS) which is also providing leadership and secretariat on the SGA on
Satoyama and Satoumi. The Institute was established in 1996 as a research
and training centre of UNU to undertake research and postgraduate education
on emerging issues of strategic importance for the United Nations and its
Member States. Pursuant to its statute, UNU–IAS undertakes its work in an
independent, neutral, and objective manner. A key mandate of the Institute
is to promote the interactions between the UN–System and the academic
community. UNU–IAS currently focuses a significant amount of its efforts on
researching the theme of ecosystems and people as part of the follow–up to
the MA, and thereby preparing a platform for the next phase of the global
assessment programme.
This report is one of a series which are being published by UNU–IAS on issues
relevant as input into the package of reports that will be presented at the
Tenth Conference of Parties Meeting of the Convention on Biological Diversity
scheduled for 2010 in Nagoya City.
A H Zakri
Director, UNU–IAS
April 2008
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