Kagoshima Environmental Studies Project
Interdisciplinary Research Project Funded by the President's Discretionary Funds (Administration Bureau: Research Promotion Department, Research Cooperation Division)
Operating as the “Kagoshima Environmental Studies Program,” involving researchers from multiple fields both within and outside the university.
Southern Kyushu and Nansei Islands Innovation Center Specially Appointed Professor NAKASHIMA Keiji (Kagoshima Environmental Studies Program Coordinator) and all members of the Kagoshima Environmental Studies Program
Background and objectives of activities
The Kagoshima Environmental Studies Project, implemented since 2008, is an interdisciplinary initiative funded by the president's discretionary budget. It is primarily driven by the Kagoshima Environmental Studies Research Group, which brings together faculty and staff from multiple fields—including natural sciences, culture, and society—alongside external members from government and private sectors. The project advances research by fundamentally reexamining local contexts alongside the community to address challenges.
Summary of Activities
Based on collaborative research with local governments and residents, we are undertaking regional studies that address the feral cat problem on Amami Oshima—a major challenge for World Heritage registration—and examine the lifestyles and traditional cultures that have coexisted with nature possessing World Heritage value, conceptualizing these as “environmental culture.” The findings have been compiled into books accessible to non-specialists, with seven volumes published to date. Since 2021, when Amami and Okinawa were inscribed as a World Natural Heritage site, we have been conducting research to promote community-led, resident-participatory monitoring.
Expected Benefits
To address various conservation challenges spanning both terrestrial and marine areas within protected natural regions such as Yakushima and Amami World Natural Heritage sites and national parks, we will promote partnerships involving industry, government, academia, and local communities.