Socio-economic significance of secondary forests conservation

The deterioration of urban environments and how to improve them are becoming serious problems for society in recent years. Secondary forests in urban areas are drawing attention especially as key factors forming our living environment. It is difficult to say, however, that such forests have been kept in good condition in recent years, if one supposes them to be used by urban dwellers. Thus, to find measures to maintain these secondary forests while using them sustainably, an investigation was made from both the technical and social standpoint into their preservation. Here preservation means "wise use." First, forests management evaluation was phrased in terms of the "conventional-type approach" from the technical perspective, in which administration draws up policy, plans and then orders, or the "community participation-type approach," in which the populace figures importantly. The results indicated that "rationality" had a different meaning for each method; they were not in conflict, but were in fact complimentary. Then, the social system to assure smooth use and maintenance (i. e., preservation) was investigated. Here the people who use the secondary forests serve as the basis; if so, how should the people approach the administration in order to improve and conserve the forests? Based on actual cases of community participation-type secondary forest preservation projects, in which secondary forests in urban areas were kept from becoming standardized and their overall manifold aspects preserved, it was demonstrated that their appearance improved the urban environments, could be used for environmental learning, provide a forest experience, enhance conservation of biological life in the environment-all from a societal attempt to preserve these functions. In the near future, the preservation of secondary forests will not be the sole responsibility of the individual owner, there must be a social arrangement to maintain them, and an "Environment preservation Community" must be formed. In this process, the secondary forests, a central issue, will become "Society's Shared Capital."