[H-GG02] Dialogues on natural resources and environment between earth and social sciences

[HGG02-P02] Changes of local bamboo forests during the past several decades and their present conditions in Natori city, Miyagi Prefecture, northeast Japan

*KIYOSHI SAIJO¹, KENSHIN MIURA² (1.Miyagi University of Education, 2.Undergraduate student, Miyagi University of Education)

Keywords:Satoyama, bamboo, abandoned bamboo forests, Natori city

The abandoned bamboo forests have expanded during the past several decades in many parts of Japan due to the decline of Satoyama use. This presentation reports the changes of bamboo forests during the past fifty years and their present conditions in a rural area of the Natori city, Miyagi Prefecture, northeast Japan.
The study area is located on the border between hills and alluvial plain in the southern Sendai plain. Rice farming in the alluvial plain and production of bamboo shoots on the hill slopes have been major agricultural activities in the area. The results of aerial photos interpretation suggests that area of total bamboo forests had slightly increased between 1975 and 2019, while some bamboo forests had completely disappeared due to the residential land development.
The field observation about external aspects of the bamboo forests revealed that their present conditions are classified into three types: well-managed, moderately-managed, and non-managed. In case of Phyllostachys bambusoides, almost all forests are non-managed, the forests of Phyllostachys edulis cover all types on the other hand.