Fifth Region Certified as "Nature Coexistence Site" Through "SAVE JAPAN Project"

The Certified Specified Non-profit Activity Corporation Japan NPO Center (Representative Director: Makoto Oshima, hereinafter "Japan NPO Center"), with the sponsorship of Sompo Japan Insurance Inc. (Representative Director and President: Koji Ishikawa, hereinafter "Sompo Japan"), has been implementing the citizen-participatory environmental conservation event "SAVE JAPAN Project" nationwide since 2011 (*2).

This time, the following initiative, supported by the "SAVE JAPAN Project," has been certified as a "Nature Coexistence Site" (3rd round of FY2025) by the Ministry of the Environment, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, and Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism.

This is the fifth region certified as a Nature Coexistence Site through this project, following "Hiruzen Kogen Hatogahara Grassland and surrounding wetlands" (*3) (Maniwa City, Okayama Prefecture), "Nakatsu Tidal Flat Conservation Activity Plan" and "Omu no Shicchi Conservation Plan" (both in Nakatsu City, Oita Prefecture), and "Odawara Medaka no Sato Conservation Activity Implementation Plan" (Odawara City, Kanagawa Prefecture).

Region and Background of the Certified Plan

Plan Name: Misumi Base "1000-Year Dream Farm" Promotion Activities (Kunisaki City, Oita Prefecture)

Site Name: Misumi Base "1000-Year Dream Farm"

Activity Type: Maintenance

Environmental Organizations: Social Welfare Corporation Kyoseiso Disabled Support Center Misumi Base / Specified Non-profit Activity Corporation Oita Environmental Counselor Association

Initiative:

The field certified this time is a farm managed by the Disabled Support Center Misumi Base, located in the Arakigawa river basin (approx. 10 km straight line distance) flowing through Aki-machi, Kunisaki City, Oita Prefecture.

As production activities aimed at the physical and mental recovery and improvement of users with disabilities, they have long practiced: ① organic cultivation of fruit trees, ② natural cultivation of open-field vegetables, and ③ cyclical management of bamboo forests. Furthermore, to secure a place for practical activities, they have also conducted "trust activities" by ④ purchasing and leasing abandoned farmland and neglected satoyama forests in the upper Arakigawa river basin. This can be described as an "Agriculture, Welfare, Environment" (Nou-Fuku-Kan) collaborative activity that integrates "agriculture," "welfare," and "environment" within the Arakigawa river basin. Their eco-friendly farming methods that do not treat weeds and insects as enemies, and their initiatives linked to user rehabilitation, were highly evaluated this time. They also conduct birdwatching to observe rare birds in the Arakigawa river basin, where the natural ecosystem is protected, aiming for community development that is sustainable for a thousand years.

Future Developments:

Following the registration as a Nature Coexistence Site, we will promote the utilization of the registered site with the support of the SAVE JAPAN Project. Specifically, we will undertake: (1) Organic cultivation of mulberry and loquat orchards, and no-till cultivation of open-field vegetables through "Nou-Fuku-Kan" collaboration; (2) Environmental learning activities such as creating eco-tour maps introducing regional assets in the Arakigawa river basin and conducting tours; (3) Environmental conservation activities including biotope creation in fallow rice fields; (4) Environmental economic activities such as processing agricultural products grown at the 1000-Year Dream Farm and developing bento boxes; (5) After establishing an environmental hub, organizing, classifying, and publishing environmental books, and continuing citizen-participatory conservation activities while leveraging the blessings of biodiversity.

This time, with the support of the Specified Non-profit Activity Corporation Oita NPO Design Center, a private NPO support center in Oita Prefecture, we participated in the SAVE JAPAN Project in FY2025 and achieved registration as a Nature Coexistence Site.

Overview of "SAVE JAPAN Project"

The "SAVE JAPAN Project" is a collaboration between local NPO support centers, environmental organizations, Sompo Japan, and the Japan NPO Center. It implements biodiversity conservation programs tailored to local conditions, providing opportunities for local residents to participate in environmental conservation activities.

Since FY2023, support for the application process for Nature Coexistence Sites and post-application conservation activities has been added to the theme. Due to legal revisions (*1), collaboration and cooperation among diverse stakeholders, including not only landowners but also local residents and administration, have become even more important for biodiversity conservation.

In response to changing times, the "SAVE JAPAN Project" promotes conservation activities through the collaboration of diverse stakeholders, led by "environmental NPOs and NPO support centers that connect environmental NPOs with various local stakeholders."

In FY2025, with Dr. Jun Nishihiro, Deputy Director of the National Institute for Environmental Studies Climate Change Adaptation Center, as supervisor, and with the backing of the Ministry of the Environment, 23 regional programs are being supported.

The Japan NPO Center, as a co-responsible party for civil society building, will continue to cooperate with Sompo Japan, local NPO support centers, and environmental organizations to promote citizen-participatory biodiversity conservation and nature-positive initiatives.

(*1) Ministry of the Environment Nature Coexistence Site Certified Site List

https://policies.env.go.jp/nature/biodiversity/30by30alliance/kyousei/nintei/index.html

"Nature Coexistence Site"