Age-class differences in perception of rural biodiversity and project commitment of a neighboring community of Azameno-se nature restoration site

Nature restoration projects are expected to fulfill integrated objectives, not only the restoration of ecosystem function but also reconstruction of human-nature relationship to resume the cultural transmissions of knowledge and techniques for sustainability. Upon setting project goals and implementation plans for nature restoration projects, therefore, integration of viewpoints from social and cultural sciences is required for the analysis of historical and cultural background and people's perception of natural environment. This paper describes an attempt of conservation ecological social survey to reveal the public commitment and past and present interactions between local residents and surrounding wetlands including river and rural agricultural environment around Azameno-se nature restoration project site in Kyusyu, Japan. In the survey we took a mixed approach of semi-structured interview and questionnaire method for 89 neighboring residents sampled according to the quota of sex and age classes of young (ages 10-29), middle class (ages 30-49), young-old (ages 50-69), and old-old (ages 70-89). The survey revealed the age-class-dependent perceptions of rural biodiversity and outdoor experiences, as well as differential commitment and expectations toward the restoration project. The survey results provided implications for vital elements of restoration projects in Japan; the consideration on the cultural and historical backgrounds of a locality and local community's preferences and perceptions of natural environment. The importance of incorporating interdisciplinary learning opportunities is reemphasized for the planning of nature restoration projects. As a catalyst for the communication between local community and practitioners, conservation ecological social survey may play an important role in building consensus on the focal project, and may facilitate the participation of the public. We also elucidated the merits and improvements of the conservation ecological social survey to promote further application of this approach in other sites of nature restoration projects.