Noto

Preservation and utilization of Noto’s Satoyama and Satoumi

In 2011, Noto’s Sotoyama and Satoumi were designated by FAO as the first GIAHS site in an industrialized country, along with Sado’s satoyama in Harmony with Crested Ibis. United Nations University was involved in providing support, helping with global dissemination of the relevant information, and carrying out various other activities.
Five years have passed since the designation; the initial action plans drawn up at the time of designation are now being revised, and the progress of the plans has been monitored. OUIK has been engaged in these activities in collaboration with Ishikawa Prefecture and the nine municipalities of Noto GIAHS Promotion Council. We are also providing advice regarding the preservation and utilization of Noto’s Satoyama and Satoumi and the establishment of a platform for resource management involving a variety of people. The monitoring of biodiversity is an issue with a particularly high public profile, which cannot be dealt with according to the marketing mechanism. We aim to develop a simple, convenient monitoring system through collaboration with Ishikawa Prefecture and its municipalities, and in partnership with the Satoyama-satoumi Meister Program of Kanazawa University.

Action Plan Revision Workshop held with nine municipalities, Ishikawa Prefecture and Kanazawa University

Noto’s Satoumi lecture series

Noto’s Satoyama and Satoumi involve assets such as reservoirs, terraced fields, salt farms and festivals, and the GIAHS designation was based on the accreditation of all of the region’s primary industries: agriculture, forestry and fishery. However, even though the area is blessed with abundant marine resources such as major seaweed beds and seafood caught by female divers, Noto’s marine ecosystem and industry were not fully discussed. Therefore, we started a Noto’s Satoumi lecture series in collaboration with Noto’s local municipalities in 2015, to learn about the value of Noto’s Satoumi and disseminate information about it. The lectures focus on marine resources in each area, and are given by invited professionals from outside the prefecture, as well as local professionals and fishery workers. In March 2015, a kick-off symposium for the Satoumi movement was held. So far, the lectures have focused on the role of seaweed beds in the ecosystem (Nanao City, July), Satoumi capitalism (Anamizu Town, August), and shells (Suzu City, December). Detailed information on the lectures can be found in the event report on the Satoumi lecture series. The lectures will continue to be held regularly.

Connection between Satoyama and Satoumi

The agricultural, forestry and fishery industries are flourishing in Noto, and they contribute to the beautiful scenery of the region. This research examines Noto’s Satoyama and Satoumi from the perspective of occupations, select model cases and core areas that deliver the concept, values and merits of the GIAHS, and discusses the relationships between people’s social and economic activities and the components of Satoyama-satoumi. As a first step, we have looked at families working in Satoyama and Satoumi since April 2015 in order to select model cases that represent the connection between Satoyama and Satoumi. In particular, we focus on various occupations that are preserving regional resources while using them, and study the social and economic activities that dynamically connect Satoyama and Satoumi.