4:15 PM - 4:30 PM
[HGG03-10] Development, Conservation, Disasters and Natural Resource Use in the Aso Grasslands
Keywords:Grasslands, Development, Conservation, Natural disasters, Aso region
The Aso region in Kumamoto Prefecture is characterized by its vast grasslands, which extend over approximately 20,000 hectares. These grasslands are semi-natural grasslands shaped by human activities such as controlled burning, grazing, and grass harvesting. As such, the Aso grasslands are widely recognized as a "cultural landscape" created by the interaction between nature and human activity. While the role of the grasslands has changed over time, they have been primarily used as grazing and mowing land by livestock farmers since the post-war period. However, due to the decline and aging of livestock farmers, maintaining the grasslands as before has become increasingly difficult, leading to a reduction in grassland area. In response to these challenges, conservation efforts have become actively promoted.
This presentation aims to present the transition of resource utilization in the Aso grasslands. This presentation focuses on the socio-economic context surrounding the grasslands utilization and changes in the natural environment, paying attention to the connections with phenomena occurring on multiple time-spacial scales.
Field surveys have been conducted intermittently since 2022. As part of this research, I conducted interviews with members of a farmer's association in Aso City and observed their management practices.
Two major factors have influenced resource utilization in the Aso region: (1) grassland development projects implemented by national and prefectural governments since the late 1950s, and (2) conservation activities initiated in the 1990s. The former represents a framework of "development," aimed at improving agricultural and livestock productivity by converting wild grasslands into artificial grasslands with introduced species. The latter, in contrast, represents a framework of "conservation," focused on preserving wild grasslands for their cultural and ecological value. Additionally, natural disasters, such as frequent heavy rainfall events and the 2016 Kumamoto Earthquake, have also significantly impacted resource utilization.
The findings from local-level surveys suggest that land use in the Aso grasslands has been shaped by these different contexts and events, resulting in subtle variations in the landscape.
As demonstrated in this case study, the impacts of development, conservation, and natural disasters vary depending on geographical factors such as location, size, and natural conditions of each pasture, as well as social factors such as the structure of farmer associations and the historical context of the regions. As a result, the space commonly referred to as the "Aso grasslands" contains micro-scale diversity within it. Through the ongoing collaborative research with natural scientists, it is necessary to qualitatively and quantitatively elucidate the diversity of grassland landscapes and examine their implications for conservation.
This presentation aims to present the transition of resource utilization in the Aso grasslands. This presentation focuses on the socio-economic context surrounding the grasslands utilization and changes in the natural environment, paying attention to the connections with phenomena occurring on multiple time-spacial scales.
Field surveys have been conducted intermittently since 2022. As part of this research, I conducted interviews with members of a farmer's association in Aso City and observed their management practices.
Two major factors have influenced resource utilization in the Aso region: (1) grassland development projects implemented by national and prefectural governments since the late 1950s, and (2) conservation activities initiated in the 1990s. The former represents a framework of "development," aimed at improving agricultural and livestock productivity by converting wild grasslands into artificial grasslands with introduced species. The latter, in contrast, represents a framework of "conservation," focused on preserving wild grasslands for their cultural and ecological value. Additionally, natural disasters, such as frequent heavy rainfall events and the 2016 Kumamoto Earthquake, have also significantly impacted resource utilization.
The findings from local-level surveys suggest that land use in the Aso grasslands has been shaped by these different contexts and events, resulting in subtle variations in the landscape.
As demonstrated in this case study, the impacts of development, conservation, and natural disasters vary depending on geographical factors such as location, size, and natural conditions of each pasture, as well as social factors such as the structure of farmer associations and the historical context of the regions. As a result, the space commonly referred to as the "Aso grasslands" contains micro-scale diversity within it. Through the ongoing collaborative research with natural scientists, it is necessary to qualitatively and quantitatively elucidate the diversity of grassland landscapes and examine their implications for conservation.