Exploring a Sustainable Distance with Nature via 'Artificial Light' and 'Near-Natural Construction'. Leave No Trace Japan Selects Two Recipients for the 2026 Research Grant

[Background]
Leave No Trace Japan (hereafter referred to as "LNTJ"), a specified non-profit organization, has launched the <2026 LNT Research Grant> following last year's initiative, in order to establish scientific evidence essential for popularizing the "Leave No Trace (LNT)" environmental protection guidelines in Japan's outdoors. The 7 principles of LNT are based on vast amounts of research data accumulated in Western countries. To foster more effective leaders and encourage user behavior modification in Japan's outdoor fields, it is essential to have evidence tailored to the country's unique environmental and social conditions. After a rigorous selection process, two young researchers who take innovative approaches from the perspectives of "ecological impact" and "environmental education/psychology" were selected for the 2026 academic year.

## 2026 LNT Research Grant Overview

### Research Themes and Recipient Comments

**Elucidating the Mechanism of Species Diversity Reduction in Frog Communities Caused by the Introduction of Outdoor Lighting**

Hibiki Ito (2nd-year Master's Student, Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University)

I am researching the effects of artificial light at night on the behavior and diversity of frogs. While lighting is indispensable for safe outdoor activities, its light disrupts the darkness essential for wildlife and has various effects on the surrounding ecosystem. Through this research, I hope to clarify the ecological differences between species that are negatively affected by artificial light and those that are less susceptible, thereby contributing to discovering forms of "nighttime outdoor activities" that reduce lighting burdens.

- Comment from LNT Research Team

This research focuses on the impact of artificial light in outdoor activities on wildlife. It is highly valued for acknowledging the latest trends, as "dark sky tourism," which minimizes artificial light, has gained global attention recently. It is expected that this study will provide new insights into low-impact ways to use lighting in outdoor recreation.

**The Effect of Participating in Trail Maintenance Using Near-Natural Construction Methods on Young People's Nature Connectedness and Autonomic Nervous System**

Koki Nagatsu (Assistant Professor, Sports Tourism Course, Department of International Tourism, Faculty of Human and Social Studies, Nagasaki International University)

It has been pointed out that the digital-native generation of young people is experiencing a decline in interest in nature, reduced conservation awareness, and disturbances in their autonomic nervous system due to decreased opportunities to interact with nature. To rebuild the relationship with nature, the focus is placed on trail maintenance incorporating near-natural construction methods that minimize environmental impact, acting not just as an activity to "use" nature but to "protect while engaging." Setting a natural park in the Osaki Peninsula, Kawatana Town, Nagasaki Prefecture as the field, this study will clarify the effects on the nature connectedness, behavior modification toward environmental conservation, and autonomic nervous systems of university students participating in the activity.

- Comment from LNT Research Team

The implementation of LNT into "near-natural construction methods," which aim to harmonize with ecosystems and have recently gained attention in trail maintenance, is highly praised. This research examines the psychological and biological effects on participants who learned LNT through trail maintenance work. It is anticipated that this study will not only verify the compatibility between near-natural methods and LNT but also empirically demonstrate the psychological and biological effects that cause behavior changes in participants.

## Introduction to LNTJ Research Team

**Biology and Ecology**
Takakazu Yumoto Ph.D.

Former Professor and Director, Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University
Former President, Ecological Society of Japan
President, Yakushimaology Society

Completed Doctoral Course (Botany), Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University. Doctor of Science. He lived in Yakushima for two and a half years around his doctoral studies, researching the relationships between flowers and insects, and fruits with birds and monkeys. His eldest son and daughter were born in Yakushima.

Subsequently, he continued researching plant-animal interactions in Zaire (now Democratic Republic of the Congo), Republic of the Congo, Colombia, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Gabon, and Brazil. In Malaysia, he spearheaded canopy biology on trees up to 70 meters high in Borneo (Sarawak).

Currently, he is interested in mainstreaming biodiversity issues, specifically how to appeal the value of nature to people who are indifferent to living organisms and think "nature is made up of trees, grass, bugs, crows, dogs, and cats." His expectation for LNTJ is a rich, compatible relationship between biodiversity/ecosystem conservation and ecotourism/nature experiences.

Born in Ikeda Town (now Miyoshi City), Tokushima Prefecture.

**Geography and Tourism Studies**
Masaaki Kureha Ph.D.

Professor, Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba (In charge of Mountain Science Degree Program, Master's Course).

Completed Doctoral Course at the University of Innsbruck (Austria). Ph.D.

He continues comparative research on the development process of ski resorts from a geographical perspective in Japan and the European Alps. In the European Alps, he is particularly interested in the diversification of recreation seen in recent ski resorts, including activities such as trekking, mountain biking, and eco-tours.