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Multi-Disciplinary Research for Understanding Interactions
between Humans and Nature in the Lake Biwa-Yodo River Watershed
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| Yachi Shigeo Center for Ecologocal Research, Kyoto University (RIHN until March 2008) |
The differences in problem consciousness among various
stakeholders occurring from “hierarchy” of a watershed could be a major hindrance
to governance, leading to conflicts between top-down and bottom-up Management.
We proposed a system of “hierarchical watershed management” to overcome the restrictions
derived from these hierarchical characteristics (Figure). Based on this idea,
we conducted research on the agricultural turbidity problem in the Lake Biwa
watershed to develop a methodology for environmental diagnosis and consensus
building with an emphasis on communication. Our project is unique in 1) developing
a new methodology to promote governance and participation of residents by 2)
our transdisciplinary approach to natural science and social science 3) practiced
in three scales in the Lake Biwa watershed (Shiga prefecture as macroscale, Inae
district as mesoscale, local communities in Inae district as microscale, 4) moving
towards practical watershed and global environmental studies.
Specific Research Findings
(1) A new watershed diagnosis method revealing the relationship between Lake
Biwa and its rivers
The results of newly developed watershed diagnosis methods
including stable isotope ratios and rare elements indicate that agricultural
activities related to smaller rivers flowing into the eastern part of the lake
have a large potential impact on the water quality and eutrophication of Lake
Biwa, and that fine-tuned water management and water channel cleaning by local
residents through a bottom-up approach is both effective and necessary for the
environmental preservation of Lake Biwa.
(2) Clarification of an integrated picture
of the agricultural turbid water problem and establishment of a communication
methodology to support local residents’ voluntary environmental preservation
activities
In the background of the agricultural drainage issue, lies a drastic
change of Japan's agricultural policy and agricultural community structure, which
caused an increase in part-time farmers and decrease in young farmers. A workshop
method was developed to support residents themselves discussing the local water
environment and its future prospects using maps. Practical workshops were held
to confirm how the provision of information related to the current status of
the water environment or measures for water environmental preservation would
affect the farmers' awareness of environmental considerations or their actions.
These results indicate the need to develop a communication method based on the
assumption of the individuality of the community and the importance of conditions
such as social capital that allow such a method to work effectively.
Figure Hierarchical Watershed Management System Applied to Lake Biwa Watershed in the Case of Agricultural Turbidity Problem
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| Shiga prefecture, Inae district (region colored ■) and local
communities in Inae district indicated by red circles (left) and green boxes
(right) are regional stakeholders concerning the agricultural turbid water problem,
however, their consciousness of the problem is not the same. The hierarchical
watershed management system is a mechanism to promote watershed management by
governance of the various stakeholders in the region by building 1) feedback
mechanism (PDCA cycle) consisting of monitoring with diagnosis indicators at
each scale, and 2) mechanisms to promote communication between hierarchies (indicated
by red arrows). |
Contributions to Global Environmental Studies
There are two important issues that must be dealt with if we are to solve
global environmental problems: (1) a watershed area is important in terms of
scale. Dealing with it not only solves regional environmental problems but also
constitutes a test bed for specific solutions to global environmental problems;
and (2) It is essential to appropriately coordinate various stakeholders with
various patterns of involvement in the environment that are deeply rooted in
the area. Although this project has the methodology for watershed management
as its main theme, we believe the project provided a prototype methodology which
can contribute to the way we consider and solve global environmental problems.
Communication of Research Findings
The project final report (in Japanese, ISBN 978-4-902325-11-9) is now available
at University libraries in Japan and at the libraries of cities and towns in
the Shiga prefecture. In it, 5-year transdisciplinary research on watershed management
is compiled as a first step to “watershed environmental studies” with close connection
to global environmental problems. Readers will find not only the new research
findings but also the message and dynamism of the project emphasizing the importance
of practice in regional societies, the social meaning of transdisciplinary collaboration,
d academic and social issues to be challenged.
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