Forest and Agricultural Management Policies to Conserve the Two Species

Abstract

The core habitat of Blakiston’s fish owl is protected mainly by the National Forest protection system. The National Forest also engaged in restoration of habitat that had existed previously, to contribute to the expansion of fish owl habitat. Private forest should be conserved as buffer areas for core habitat of fish owl, but biodiversity-conscious forest management has hardly begun in private forest lands. Questionnaire survey to private forest owners revealed biodiversity-conscious forest management is only opposed or ignored by a relatively small number of forest owners. This result showed that the policy measures to give forest owners clear guideline and economic incentives for biodiversity-conscious forest management are worthy of consideration. On the other side, red-crowned crane nesting sites are occasionally seen in land used for dairy farming in the eastern region of Hokkaido, Japan. Although these cases have been reported with the recognition of the need for expansion of the species’ habitat, no specific measures are being taken in order to secure and conserve the suitable habitats. This study intends to identify which existing farmland is potentially suitable for habitat through land assessment by agricultural organization, so that an appropriate policy-making process can be initiated in the near future.