5:15 PM - 6:30 PM
[HGG01-P01] Hierarchical structure of edible wild plants collectors and regional characteristics of harvesting behavior -The case of around Natamachi, Komatsu City, Ishikawa Prefecture-
Keywords:edible wild plants ("SANSAI"), collecting behavior, local resources
Introduction
Edible wild plants ("SANSAI") are forest products that have been collected for a long time. Research on SANSAI collection in Japan has been conducted mainly in the mountainous areas on the Sea of Japan side of the Tohoku region, where SANSAI have a certain economic value as an industry of the village. On the other hand, there are few studies focusing on "less than industrial" level SANSAI collection, which is widely conducted nationwide.
Therefore, in this study, we investigated the actual conditions of SANSAI collectors and collection areas. The survey area is Natamachi and surrounding area, Ishikawa Prefecture. In this area, SANSAI have never been developed as an industry. Therefore, there are variations in the amount of knowledge accumulated about the natural environment and the skill level of edible wild plants collection among local residents, and there is diversity in individual collection behavior. In this survey, based on these points, we analyzed the categorization of collectors based on the content of SANSAI collection behavior, and the regional characteristics of edible wild plants collection behavior by questionnaire survey and interview survey.
Hierarchical structure of SANSAI collectors
In the survey area, most of the collectors were collecting in the flat land along the mountain or at the foot hill, and only a few cases were collected near the residential area or the mountainous area. In addition, the motivation for collecting SANSAI in this area was mainly the meaning as a communication tool among residents through "Osusowake (gift sharing)" and the enjoyment of the collection itself. This means that the edible wild plants do not generate great economic value for the residents of this area, but are motivated by emotional values, and have been inherited and maintained by enthusiasm for SANSAI itself and SANSAI collection.
Based on the above, we attempted to quantitatively group SANSAI collectors based on the collection skill of each SANSAI collector and the content of the collecting behavior. The indicators used for quantification are "number of collecting behavior", "amount of collected each time", and "difficulty depending on the type of SANSAI to be collected". We positioned these results as "the amount of enthusiasm for collecting SANSAI."
As a result, the collectors in this area could be clearly classified into three layers. The group with low enthusiasm (L layer) collected a small amount of SANSAI near the village and was mainly for self-consumption. The group with a high enthusiasm (H layer) has a wide collection area and a large total amount of collection. In addition, many Osmunda japonica, which require knowledge and skill to collect and have a high degree of difficulty, were collected. Many collectors found pleasure in the collection behavior itself, and they were actively "Osusowake". In addition, the group with a medium enthusiasm (M layer) had various collection areas and collection amounts, and no unified characteristics could be found.
The H layer collectors have the same concept of environmental awareness as folk knowledge and mental maps (Iketani 2003) in addition to knowledge of natural places. In order for collectors to change classes from L / M to H, they need more knowledge about SANSAI and the natural environment, and knowledge acquisition is supported by the enthusiasm for edible wild plants. In addition, it was observed that fork knowledge and mental maps were inherited from the H-layer collectors to the L / M-layer collectors who accompanied them to perform the collection operation. It was suggested that the hierarchical structure of SANSAI collectors contributed to the succession of SANSAI harvesting culture within the region.
Locality of SANSAI collection behavior
It was confirmed that the main collection place of the collectors is in their own area, but there are many cases where the residents of Natamachi area go to collect to other areas. In addition, it became clear that there are physical and psychological hurdles due to local communities and geographical conditions when residents move between towns when collecting SANSAI. Many of the residents of Natamachi area go to Bodaimachi area. The reason for this is thought to be that the residents of Natamachi area often own land in Bodaimachi area for historical reasons, and they are not hesitant to pick SANSAI in Bodaimachi area. In addition, there were few cases where Natamachi area residents go to Takigaharamachi area. The reason for this was that the residents of Natamachi area hardly own the land in Takigaharamachi area, so they have no idea of the land, and in addition, there is a danger for collecting due to the steep topography of Takigaharamachi area.
Edible wild plants ("SANSAI") are forest products that have been collected for a long time. Research on SANSAI collection in Japan has been conducted mainly in the mountainous areas on the Sea of Japan side of the Tohoku region, where SANSAI have a certain economic value as an industry of the village. On the other hand, there are few studies focusing on "less than industrial" level SANSAI collection, which is widely conducted nationwide.
Therefore, in this study, we investigated the actual conditions of SANSAI collectors and collection areas. The survey area is Natamachi and surrounding area, Ishikawa Prefecture. In this area, SANSAI have never been developed as an industry. Therefore, there are variations in the amount of knowledge accumulated about the natural environment and the skill level of edible wild plants collection among local residents, and there is diversity in individual collection behavior. In this survey, based on these points, we analyzed the categorization of collectors based on the content of SANSAI collection behavior, and the regional characteristics of edible wild plants collection behavior by questionnaire survey and interview survey.
Hierarchical structure of SANSAI collectors
In the survey area, most of the collectors were collecting in the flat land along the mountain or at the foot hill, and only a few cases were collected near the residential area or the mountainous area. In addition, the motivation for collecting SANSAI in this area was mainly the meaning as a communication tool among residents through "Osusowake (gift sharing)" and the enjoyment of the collection itself. This means that the edible wild plants do not generate great economic value for the residents of this area, but are motivated by emotional values, and have been inherited and maintained by enthusiasm for SANSAI itself and SANSAI collection.
Based on the above, we attempted to quantitatively group SANSAI collectors based on the collection skill of each SANSAI collector and the content of the collecting behavior. The indicators used for quantification are "number of collecting behavior", "amount of collected each time", and "difficulty depending on the type of SANSAI to be collected". We positioned these results as "the amount of enthusiasm for collecting SANSAI."
As a result, the collectors in this area could be clearly classified into three layers. The group with low enthusiasm (L layer) collected a small amount of SANSAI near the village and was mainly for self-consumption. The group with a high enthusiasm (H layer) has a wide collection area and a large total amount of collection. In addition, many Osmunda japonica, which require knowledge and skill to collect and have a high degree of difficulty, were collected. Many collectors found pleasure in the collection behavior itself, and they were actively "Osusowake". In addition, the group with a medium enthusiasm (M layer) had various collection areas and collection amounts, and no unified characteristics could be found.
The H layer collectors have the same concept of environmental awareness as folk knowledge and mental maps (Iketani 2003) in addition to knowledge of natural places. In order for collectors to change classes from L / M to H, they need more knowledge about SANSAI and the natural environment, and knowledge acquisition is supported by the enthusiasm for edible wild plants. In addition, it was observed that fork knowledge and mental maps were inherited from the H-layer collectors to the L / M-layer collectors who accompanied them to perform the collection operation. It was suggested that the hierarchical structure of SANSAI collectors contributed to the succession of SANSAI harvesting culture within the region.
Locality of SANSAI collection behavior
It was confirmed that the main collection place of the collectors is in their own area, but there are many cases where the residents of Natamachi area go to collect to other areas. In addition, it became clear that there are physical and psychological hurdles due to local communities and geographical conditions when residents move between towns when collecting SANSAI. Many of the residents of Natamachi area go to Bodaimachi area. The reason for this is thought to be that the residents of Natamachi area often own land in Bodaimachi area for historical reasons, and they are not hesitant to pick SANSAI in Bodaimachi area. In addition, there were few cases where Natamachi area residents go to Takigaharamachi area. The reason for this was that the residents of Natamachi area hardly own the land in Takigaharamachi area, so they have no idea of the land, and in addition, there is a danger for collecting due to the steep topography of Takigaharamachi area.