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20 March 2003 The 1st International Workshop on Military Activities and the Environment (IWME) Okinawa University, Okinawa, Japan/ Mar 19-23, 2003 Analysis of Environmental Policy and Programs related to military activities Threats of the US Military Base Constructions to Dugong, Okinawa Woodpecker, and Okinawa Rail of Okinawa Island Shin-ichi HANAWA （WWF Japan） １． Dugong (Dugong dugon) The Dugong (Dugong dugon) is distributed from Australia through Asia, in the Indian Ocean, and along the east coast of Africa. However, in East Asia it appears that the Dugong has become extinct in Taiwan and in the Yaeyama and Amami Island groups in Japan.1) In Japan at present, the Dugong is observed only at Okinawa Island, making Okinawa Island the northernmost limit of its distribution. Observations of Dugong at Okinawa Island are most numerous along the northern and central portions of its east coast, and these areas are thought to be year-round habitats2)3). Observations have been particularly numerous in the area offshore Henoko, part of Nago City. The status of Dugong in Okinawa is that of a local population confined to a very small area of distribution, isolated from other populations, very few in number, and very much in danger of extinction. Okinawa's Dugong is one of the critically endangered species4) and natural monument４) in Japan. One of the serious problems complicating conservation of Okinawa's Dugong is a plan to construct a military air base for use by the United States Marines Corps (to replace Futenma air base, also on Okinawa Island). In July 2002, the Government of Japan and Okinawa Prefecture made a decision of the basic plan to landfill a coral reef and seagrass area about 1 kilometer offshore of Henoko and construct a 2,500 meter long, 730 meter wide military air base on top of the landfill6). The decided construction site for this military air base is located in the central portion of the Dugong's habitat in Okinawa Island. It would not only bisect the habitat, but would also destroy seagrass beds that function as important feeding grounds, coral reefs that serve as resting sites, and canals between both site for the Dugong. This dangerous plan will mean life or death for the Dugong. It would most likely speed up even further the process of extinction. At present, the environmental impact assessment (EIA) is going to carry out. However, in Japan, EIA is conducted after the basic plan for the air base is decided on. The EIA will consider neither alternate plans nor zero option, and conclude that impacts on the Dugong will be insignificant, or, for example, that compensatory measures such as relocating the seagrass beds will be possible. Even if the military airport construction plan were unjustifiable, it is very likely that it would be approved under these procedures. However, from a scientific standpoint, implementation of an EIA consistent with international standards and in keeping with an IUCN (World Conservation Union) Recommendation on Okinawa's Dugong (Amman, October 2000) is needed. The EIA should not be carried out after the basic plan for the air base is decided on, but before that decision is made. It should also take into consideration the zero option of no construction, as well as several alternative sites other than the proposed site at Henoko. A scientific EIA that meets international standards and is carried out with the participation not only of Japanese but also of United States experts would no doubt make clear the injustice and inappropriateness of constructing a military air base in the middle of this Dugong habitat. Another serious problem is incidental bycatch. Corpses of Dugong that appear to have been caught in fishing nets occasionally wash ashore7). The death of even one individual of such an extremely small population, thought to be under 50 4), can speed up the rate of extinction and is an extremely worrisome event. Thanks to the efforts of local people, meetings and rescuing exercises among local government authorities, fishing cooperatives and environmental NGOs have recently been held in Ginoza village in Okinawa, and a manual for rescuing Dugong caught in fishing nets has been drawn up. Results from these efforts should be forthcoming. In an independent initiative, Japan's Ministry of Environment is progressing slowly their conservation activities. In 2001, the authority for Dugong conservation was moved from the Fishery Agency to the MoE and they established for the first time a committee of the comprehensive survey of Okinawa's Dugong and their habitat. In 2002, they decided to include Dugong to the Wildlife Protection Law for protected mammal, and started their field survey. We would expect the results and evaluations of MoE's survey affected to the Cabinet who decided to replace Futenma air base, and they change their policy. ２．Okinawa Woodpecker (Sapheopipo noguchii) and Okinawa Rail (Gallirallus okinawae) Okinawa Woodpecker (Noguchi-gera, sapheopipo noguchii) and Okinawa Rail (Yambaru-kuina, gallirallus okinawae) are the endemic species of the Yambaru forest, the northern part of Okinawa Island. These two species of birds survive only at Yambaru on the earth. The distribution area and the population size are so small that they are strongly threatened and in danger of the extinction. Okinawa Woodpecker is a special natural monument and a critically endangered species in Red Data Book, Okinawa Rail is an endangered species in RDB and a natural monument5)8). Northern Training Area (NTA or Jungle Warfare Training Center) located by the US Marine Corps residing in Okinawa keeps in the good condition the typical natural forests of the northern Okinawa Island, and it consists an important habitat for many of the endemic species and sub-species such as Okinawa Woodpecker, Okinawa Rail, and others. Of course, the USMC leaves a natural forest not only because it sets this area as a reserve, but it is necessary in case of military affair training. However, since the returning of Okinawa to Japan in 1972, the natural forests in Yambaru have been lost in many areas due to logging, and development of dams and agricultural fields. The natural forest in the NTA, with the coverage of ca. 8,000 ha, thus comes to bear a role of the real refuge. This has serious meaning to conserve the endemic biodiversity which is only in Yambaru on the earth Because the ca. 4,000 ha area of the northern half of the NTA will, in the near future, be returned to Japan, it is planned to remove seven helicopter landing zones (helipads) from the return area to the un- returned area. Although the current landing zone is a naked place (the weed) with 10 - 20 m diameter for the small helicopter and the road is a small walkway or a narrow roadway (unpaved), the planned landing zones are the huge facilities (the lawn) with the 75 m diameter to be used for the large-sized vertical taking off and landing machine (OSPREY), and there is possibility that two zones are built in adjacent site in some case. Also, the road which link landing zones will be paved of crushed stones9). In the light of this, it is more realistic to regard this as not being a mere moving, but establishing a new base with tens of times of scales and doing an advanced practice. The influence over the natural environment and the wildlife must be taken from this viewpoint. So far, the NTA has served the role of the refuge for the wildlife there, but the new plan abandons its role, and rather, would subject the natural environment and the wildlife to cruel conditions, through the large-scale setup of the helicopter landing zone and the advanced military training operations. At present, "the Continuous Environment Survey" is implemented by the Japan's Defense Agency9), but in keeping with an IUCN recommendation, survey should be carried out with the participation of the United States scientists, and should implement an EIA consistent with international standard. Also, it is necessary to implement an EIA from the comprehensive viewpoint including the relation to the other facilities and the military practice, e.g. the dams, sand-preventing dykes and the ground practice of the USMC, in addition to the helicopter landing zones. Moreover, it is expected that the Strategic Environmental Impact Assessment would be done which put the specification of a World Heritage Site in view in addition to the use as the USMC base, because there are not few endemic species inhabiting only this area on the earth. ３．IUCN Recommendations The IUCN (World Conservation Union) recommendations are below10). The World Conservation Congress at its 2nd Session in Amman, Jordan, 4-11 October 2000: 1. URGES the Government of Japan: a) to complete as soon as possible the voluntary Environmental Impact Assessment on the construction of the military facilities in and around the habitat of the Dugong; b) to implement as soon as possible Dugong conservation measures that will help stop further reduction of the population and help its recovery; c) to prepare as soon as possible a conservation plan for the biodiversity and endangered species of the Yambaru and the local Dugong population, and conduct detailed studies of these species and their habitats; d) to consider nomination of the Yambaru as a World Heritage Site; 2. URGES the Government of the United States of America to cooperate on the voluntary Environmental Impact Assessment, as requested by the Government of Japan. 3. URGES the Governments of Japan and the United States of America: a) to take into account the findings of the voluntary Environmental Impact Assessment and on this basis take appropriate measures to help ensure the survival of the Dugong population; b) to assess environmental effects of proposed construction of military facilities and training plans, taking into account the studies referred to in subpara 1 (c), and on this bases take appropriate measures to help ensure the survival of the Okinawa Woodpecker and Okinawa Rail. ４． Refference 1) Marsh,H., H.Penrose, C.Eros, and J.Hugues. 2002. Dugong status report and action plans for countries and territories. 2) Kasuya, T., H. Ogawa, H. Yokochi, T. Hosokawa, M. Shirakihara and H.Higashi. 1999. Japanese dugongs, their current status and conservation measures required. Report of 1999 dugong survey. In: 9th Report of Pro-Natura Fund. Japanese Association Protection of Nature, Tokyo. [In Japanese with English summary] 3) Kasuya T. and R.L.Brownell,Jr . (submitted to MMS). Consevation status and the future prospects of Dugong in Japanese water. 4) Mammalogical Society of Japan. 1997. Red data book of Japanese mammal. Bunichi-sogo shuppan. 5) Okinawa Prefecture. 1996. Threatened wildlife in Okinawa (RDB). Okinawa Prefecture. 6) Defense Agency of Japan. 2002. Materials on the basic plan to replace Futenma air base. 7) Dugong Network Okinawa. 2001. For the Protection of Dugong offshore Okinawa (materialⅡ). Dugong Network Okinawa, 49pp. 8) Japan's Ministry of Environment. 2002. Threatened wildlife of Japan (Red Data Book 2nd ed.). Japan Wildlife Research Center. 9) Naha Defense Facility Bureau. 2002. Methods of the continued environmental survey for the replace of helipads in NTA. 10) IUCN. 2001. Resolutions and recommendations ( World Conservation Congress 2000, Amman, Jordan) For contacts; Shin-ichi Hanawa; World Wide Fund for Nature Japan (WWF-Japan) hanawa@wwf.or.jp http://www.wwf.or.jp/ |