Ministry Launches "Sato-Umi" Website to Promote Sustainable Coastal Village and Fisheries Ecosystems

Japan's Ministry of the Environment launched a new website July 22, 2010, called Sato-Umi Net. The term "sato-umi" refers to coastal areas where the livelihoods of a community and nature coexist and intersect closely. Sato means "home" and "umi" means ocean. The website supports activities to create harmonious interaction between people and the ocean, by explaining the concept and importance of sato-umi, as well as information on the topic, both domestic and international.

The website has two main categories: "What is Sato-Umi," which provides basic information, and "Promotion of Sato-Umi Creation Activities." The first is broken down into the following five content areas: "What is Sato-Umi," "Biodiversity," "Current State," "Creating Sato- Umi," and "What is Needed."

The content under the second category, "Promotion of Sato-Umi Creation Activities," is broken down into four areas: "Seven Types of Sato-Umi Creation," "Model Projects for Supporting Sato-Umi Creation," "Hands-On Activities," and "Types of Sato-Umi Creation."

Sato-umi Net is also available in English at the following web address: http://www.env.go.jp/water/heisa/satoumi/en/index_e.html

Ministry Selects Four Areas for Fiscal 2008 Program to Restore Coastal Waters (Related JFS article)
http://www.japanfs.org/en/pages/028704.html
Kyoto University Exploring Forest-Human-Sea Linkages (Related JFS article)
http://www.japanfs.org/en/pages/026248.html

Posted: 2010/12/18 06:00:15 AM