The Discourse of “Encultured Nature”in Japan: The Concept ofSatoyamaand its Role in 21^st-Century Nature Conservation

Abstract

The term satoyama gained currency in Japan in postwar decades as a term that describes a sphere of ''encultured'' nature that has traditionally existed on the periphery of rural settlements, but which is increasingly threatened by industrialisation, urban development, rural depopulation and changing lifestyles. Satoyama is appealing as a concept because it represents a sphere in which nature and culture intersect, and is reminiscent of a more idyllic rural lifestyle of the past, when the Japanese ''lived in harmony with nature''. This article examines the role of this term in the nature conservation discourse in Japan, and in particular its appropriation by the Ministry of the Environment and the Japanese host organisations for the Conference of Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity, which was held in Japan in 2010. The article will explore the way the concept of satoyama has been ''showcased'' as a model of sustainable resource management based on traditional methods of agriculture. The satoyama concept is used to demonstrate that Japan not only possesses the knowledge to live in harmony with nature, but also offers a model of sustainable resource management that the rest of the world can learn from.

Place-Based Solutions for Conservation and Restoration of Social-Ecological Production Landscapes and Seascapes in Asia

“…In Taiwan's Shungxi River Valley for instance, farmers' use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides has put great pressure on local aquatic species and other freshwater-based ecosystem services (Yun-Ju et al 2015). Increasing urban sprawl and changing consumer demands are driving shifts in ecosystem composition, the loss of agrobiodiversity, and the services provided to humans across communities in the region (Kumar and Takeuchi 2009;Knight 2010;Kohsaka et al 2013;Plieninger et al 2014;Sakurai et al 2016;Yu et al 2016). In Pakistan's Jhelum River Basin, urbanization has been credited with the reduction of wildlife species, shifts of indigenous plant species to nonnative species, and increased contamination of the river (Khan et al 2017).…”

“…Industrialization in South Korea was key to the country's economic growth in the 1960s, but came in part at the expense of the country's traditional rural agricultural production landscapes known as "maeuls" (UNU-IAS 2012a). Rapid industrialization is now a factor in the loss of rural production landscapes and the diversity of crops grown within them in multiple countries across Asia (Knight 2010;Shimada 2015;Tomita et al 2015). Overexploitation of resources from increasing population pressures and multiple demands by actors at different levels, together with poverty and the exacerbating effects of climate change, is a continuing threat to BES in traditional land-use systems (Shimada 2015;Takeuchi et al 2016).…”

Considerations for Sustainable Biomass Production in Quercus-Dominated Forest Ecosystems

“…Satoyama could be understood as an integrative approach of landscape management, including the provision of raw materials such as wood, natural fertilizer (see the transfer from nutrients from forests to agricultural systems as previously mentioned), drinking water and recreational opportunities. Besides its inherent economic and ecological values, it provides a sphere for human-nature interactions and as such, it opens a window to see how Japanese perceive and value their natural environment over time [56]. As a consequence of small-scale structures and specific management, Satoyama woodlands represent hotspots of biodiversity [55].…”

“…If a sustainable management is applied, especially in the context of nutrient budgets, Satoyama perfectly fulfils these requirements and might be a good choice to include in the future energy system while being neutral in terms of GHG release. Satoyama could represent a good model for sustainable resource management that the rest of the world can learn from [55,56]. A study to evaluate Satoyama landscapes on a global basis was started under the "Satoyama initiative", launched by the Japanese Ministry of the Environment * .…”

“…The translation points at the conceptual meaning of Satoyama, which describes the typical landscape between villages and mountains (Okuyama). Although there are many definitions, one probably finds a suitable one in the Daijirin dictionary: "the woods close to the village which was a source of such resources as fuelwood and edible wild plants, and with which people traditionally had a high level of interaction" [56]. Satoyama could be understood as an integrative approach of landscape management, including the provision of raw materials such as wood, natural fertilizer (see the transfer from nutrients from forests to agricultural systems as previously mentioned), drinking water and recreational opportunities.…”