A Rice-farming Area where People and Geese Live in Harmony: Osaki City, Miyazaki Prefecture

Written by Ichie Tsunoda (Edited by Kees Stigter)

Source: Japan for Sustainability

Resolution on Rice Paddies Adopted by Ramsar Convention Conference

Wetlands exist in various forms around the world - marshes and swamps, rivers, lakes, reservoirs, rice paddies, beaches, tidelands and coral reefs - and all provide habitat for a wide diversity of animals and plants. In recent years, however, wetland ecosystems are being rapidly lost due to impacts from human activity such as changes in land use, development and so on. One particular and important function of wetlands is their role as stopover sites for birds that make long migrations, often across borders. This is one reason why international coordination for the conservation of wetlands is necessary.

The Ramsar Convention was enacted in 1971 as an international framework for the conservation and wise use of wetland ecosystems. Its official name is the "Convention on Wetlands of International Importance especially as Waterfowl Habitat." The countries that become contracting parties to the convention must strive to ensure the conservation and wise use of wetlands in their territories. Wetlands not only protect biodiversity, but also provide valuable services to agriculture, fishery, tourism and other human activities. Thus, the convention regards "wise use" -- maintaining wetland ecosystems and utilizing the goods and services they provided in a sustainable manner -- as one of its fundamental principles.

A "Conference of the Contracting Parties (COP)" is held every three years, and one of its main functions is to adopt resolutions on issues relating to wetlands (and to the Convention itself). At the 10th Ramsar COP held last year in Changwon in South Korea, a resolution on enhancing biodiversity in rice paddies in their capacity as wetland systems was submitted by Japan and Korea, the host country. The COP adopted this resolution, reaffirming the importance of rice paddies, the signature artificial wetlands of Asia, and spurring interest in the practice of wet rice agriculture that promotes the conservation and wise use of wetlands.

Resolution X.31: Enhancing biodiversity in rice paddies as wetland systems http://www.ramsar.org/res/key_res_x_31_e.pdf

Kabukuri-numa -- One of Japan's Largest Wintering Sites for White-fronted Geese
In 2005, the Kabukuri-numa ("numa" means "marsh" in Japanese) and the surrounding rice paddies in Osaki City, Miyagi Prefecture were added to the Ramsar Convention's "List of Wetlands of International Importance" (wetlands on this list are often called "Ramsar sites.") With this, the importance of rice paddies as wetlands began to attract serious attention. As of December, 2008, there were 1,828 Ramsar sites worldwide, but the "Kabukuri-numa and the surrounding rice paddies" Ramsar site is the only one that officially includes rice paddies. It is particularly unusual because rice paddies account for 259 hectares out of 423 hectares or nearly two thirds of the entire site, which also includes
open water and marsh.

Kabukuri-numa, located in Osaki City, Miyagi Prefecture, forms a natural retarding basin in the watershed of the Kitakami River, which runs through the Tohoku (Northeast) Region of Japan. Much of the marsh is covered by common reeds, Manchurian wild rice and other aquatic plants. The natural marsh was originally as large as 400 hectares, but this decreased to a mere 100 hectares due to reclamation for rice paddies, which started about 100 years ago. In 1997, under an agreement reached by stakeholders, 50 hectares of rice paddies in the Shiratori district adjacent to the east side of the marsh were restored to natural wetland.
Now, the total area of marsh is 150 hectares, 1.5 times its historical minimum extent.

Kabukuri-numa and several other important wetlands are located on the Semboku plain of northern Miyagi Prefecture, one of the greatest rice-producing areas in Japan. In this plain are vast areas of rice paddies where top-quality Japanese rice varieties such as Sasanishiki
and Hitomebore are grown. This plain is also well-known as a wintering site for tens of thousands of migratory birds such as Thick-billed Bean Goose and White-fronted Goose, which fly in from Russia. Kabukuri-numa together with Izu-numa and Uchi-numa, another Ramsar site located to the north of Kabukuri-numa, are particularly known as Japan's premier wintering sites for White-fronted Goose. In 1999, these wetlands were also recognized under a regional initiative as sites of premier importance for migratory Anatidae (a category of birds that includes ducks, geese and swans) in the East Asian Flyway.

White-fronted Geese migrating to this area usually roost in the marshes at night and spend the day in nearby dry paddy fields eating weeds and rice grains left behind after the harvest. Since these geese are exceedingly cautious, safe areas of open water to roost as well as paddy fields to feed are said to be indispensable for their habitat.
White-fronted Geese used to migrate to many places in Japan, but a drastic decrease in areas with both safe roosting and feeding sites has made northern Miyagi Prefecture the overwhelmingly major area for them in Japan; over 90 percent of White-fronted Geese in Japan gather in northern Miyagi prefecture.

Kabukuri-numa and surrounding rice paddies (Osaki City, Miyagi Prefecture) http://www.city.osaki.miyagi.jp/english/sigh/tajiri.html#03 (English)
Winter-Flooded Rice Field Project Started to Protect White-fronted Geese An over-concentrated population waterbirds can become prey to epidemics, leading to great mortality among the birds and deterioration in marsh water quality. Thus, Tajiri Town (currently Osaki City) started promoting the practice of flooding rice fields in winter around Kabukuri-numa, in partnership with local farmers, academic experts and non-profit organizations, with the aim of preventing an over-concentration of White-fronted Goose roosts in the marshes by providing alternative roosts to disperse the birds into the surrounding area.

Winter-flooded rice fields are not plowed after the fall harvest, but flooded and left alone until spring. In addition, no pesticides or chemical fertilizers are used during rice production in these fields. Tajiri Town launched a project to protect and restore the natural environment of the rural landscape in December 2003 with the support of Japan's Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. The project aimed to promote winter-flooding of 20 hectares of paddy fields in the Shimpo district south of Kabukuri-numa.

Winter flooding in rice paddies is a complete departure from normal modern practice, and has its own set of problems. The most difficult is securing a water supply in winter. To solve this problem, Tajiri Town installed pipelines to channel water from established irrigation canals to the paddies in the Shimpo district. The town also decided to subsidize farmers who adopted the winter flooding regime, as growing rice without using pesticides or chemical fertilizers is economically risky for farmers.

Benefits from Winter-Flooded Rice Fields
The winter-flooding regime turned out to be an excellent farming method that also brings various benefits. One advantage is the inhibition of weed growth. When paddies are flooded in winter, the remaining rice stubble and straw decompose in the water, and organism such as fungi and tubifex worms start to multiply. The mixture of fungi and a large amount of excrement from tubifex worms create a soft, fertile soil layer. In a single year, this layer accumulates to a depth of nearly 10 centimeters, and can bury weed seeds deep enough to inhibit sprout development.

Another advantage is enhanced fertility. In winter, the flooded rice paddies are two to three degrees Celsius warmer than elsewhere and the snow falling on them melts more quickly. Water birds flock to these paddies and excrete large quantities of droppings. These droppings are a valuable fertilizer for growing organic produce, because they contain a lot of phosphorus, enhancing the nutrient content and fertility of the soil. Farmers call these droppings "a gift from the geese."

Moreover, chemical pesticides use is unnecessary in these paddies. Frogs lay eggs in the flooded paddies from February through March, and the greater the number of tadpoles, the greater the number of dragonfly nymphs, which feed on tadpoles. In this way, even before summer starts, frogs, dragonflies and spiders play very active roles in killing rice pests, allowing farmers to avoid chemical pesticides.

Frogs and dragonflies are not the only species that flock to winter-flooded rice paddies. Medaka (Japanese killifish), loaches and crawfish also gather there to feed on tubifex worms and midges; summer birds, such as swallows and herons, also gather to feed on fish and insects. The initial aim of creating winter-flooded rice paddies was to offer alternative roosting sites to White-fronted Geese, but the project ended up promoting the restoration of an intricate food chain to the paddies' ecosystem. Various species commonly seen in Japanese farm villages only in the past have now come back to these paddies.

The Regional Development Division of Miyagi Prefecture (Winter-flooded Rice Paddies)

Developing Sustainable Rice Farming through Wise Use of Paddies Japanese rice farming has a history of more than 2,000 years. It fostered rich biodiversity, achieving harmonious co-existence between humans and nature. However, modern agriculture is based on economics and efficiency, and has promoted the drainage of rice paddies in winter and the use of agrochemicals. As a result, a wide variety of species that used to live in rice paddies have been forced to the brink of extinction. The importance of biodiversity is now being gradually recognized, and the winter-flooding regime is being set up as a model for the wise use of rice paddies and compatibility between environmental protection and economic activity.

In fact, the rice harvested from winter-flooded paddies is traded at high prices, as environmentally conscious consumers appreciate the way it is grown involving mutual benefits to and from wildlife. New approaches have also been launched, including a joint development project to brew a local brand of sake rice wine made from this rice. Eco-tours that feature the observation of White-fronted Geese and participatory surveys of local species are offered at Kabukuri-numa and the surrounding rice paddies, and these attract many participants from cities like Sendai (provincial capital of Miyagi prefecture) and Tokyo.

Kabukuri Wetlands Club
The author also participated in an observation outing to view roosting flocks of White-fronted Geese. When the sunset sky began to turn red, the high-pitched cries of the birds sounded from a distance in the clear, cold air over Kabukuri-numa. Looking up, I saw countless numbers of White-fronted Geese covering the sky, spreading right across to the horizon. This magnificent, dreamlike spectacle made me feel that the earth truly is the irreplaceable home of all living creatures.