An extension plan of Yakushima Biosphere Reserve as a case study of consensus building of islanders

A participatory approach of local stakeholders is important to create a balance between nature protection and the sustainable use of natural resources in a nature reserve and its vicinity area. The zoning and management policy of biosphere reserves (BRs) is a good example of this idea, especially for island reserves. Yakushima was inscribed as a World Natural Heritage (WH) in 1993. Almost all of its residents did not remember that Yakushima was a BR. In addition, Yakushima has some problems in nature reserve management. Overabundance of the deer population is a critical threat to both agriculture and natural vegetation in the world heritage site. There are too many tourists visiting the WH site and Nagata-hama beach. The beach is a Ramsar site and one of the most important spawning grounds of sea turtles in the north Pacific. Now, residents and the municipality have decided to reactivate the Yakushima BR. Although the Ministry of the Environment of Japan has an initiative to manage the WH and the Ramsar site, the BR is managed by the municipality and local stakeholders. Local activities of both nature conservation and the sustainable use of natural resources are encouraged in the BR site. The islanders willingly included all areas of the island into the BR site. Scientists who have participated in the Society of Yakushimaology have played a significant role to build trust between local stakeholders and to seek feasible policies on the nature reserves. The concept of the "Yakushima Environmental Culture Village" is a good model for the extension plan of the Yakushima and Kuchinoerabujima BRs.