Landscape Design and Ecological Management Process of Fishway and Surroundings

Abstract

Ecosystem Services (ES) are the ecological characteristics, functions, or processes that directly or indirectly contribute to human well-being. Green Infrastructure (GI) is characterized by its multiple benefits. In Japan, GI is defined as infrastructure and land use planning which enhances regional and national sustainability. The ecological functions and use by people in the study site were limited. Consequently, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism (MLIT) asked the Laboratory of Environmental Design at Kyushu Institute of Technology (KIT), to design a new river bank. This project started in 2008, and the restoration plan was developed in cooperation together with local residents. We also considered how to implement GI in local community and could provide ecosystem services for local residents. In the 1960s, the river was a familiar environment for people. Children who lived close to the river had the opportunity to learn about nature from the river; however, the present river bank covered in concrete does not provide natural experiences for children. Preserving areas such as wildlife habitats and spaces where children can play is a crucial issue nowadays. The planning site had the potential to be a place for children to learn local ecology. Therefore, we designed the riverbank fishway not only for nature restoration but also as a place for children’s ecological learning. This chapter demonstrates the process of GI construction on the river Onga estuary in Japan to contribute to regional biodiversity conservation and provide ecological learning for children. It also should be noted that the purpose of urban landscape design or planning is to connect nature and people’s daily lives. In other words, an integrated approach in terms of “nature rehabilitation” and “lifescape” will be essential to create vernacular (i.e., domestic and functional) places in the future.