Precedents in Japan
Sendai
Fukuoka
250 km
19
JAPAN
The nearly 17,000 trees of the Matsubara coast, 2011. Courtesy of NASA Aerial Imagery.
Pine forests of Niji-no-Matsubara, Fukuoka, Japan The Matsubara coast of Japan within the Miyagi prefecture prior to the 2011 tsunami was considered “A special place of scenic beauty.� Wellknown for its red and black pines, this community of pine trees sustained significant damage, but is still intact. Cultivated in the 17th century, the pine forest now serves as a popular tourist destination. While the damage of the pine forests is a cultural consideration, renewal of the forest community is an important citizen effort and environmental consideration. Similar scenic pine forests can be found in Kehi-no-Matsubara of the Fukui prefecture, and Miho-no-Matsubara, located in the Shumizu Ward of Shizuoka City.
#=17,000 trees Pinus thunbergii - Japanese Black Pine Pinus densiflora -Japanese Red Pine
50,000 trees
20
1 km
JAPAN
21
JAPAN
The Black Pines of Kehi-no-Matsubara. Courtesy of Google Images.
22
JAPAN
The Red Pines of Kehi-no-Matsubara. Courtesy of Google Images.
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JAPAN
Pine forest of Sendai, Japan, 2009. Courtesy of Google Aerial Imagery.
Tsunami Control Forest, Sendai, Japan The presence of a coastal disaster-prevention pine forest standing between the town of Sendai, Japan, and the sea mitigated the catastrophic effects of the March 11, 2011 tsunami that caused widespread loss of life and property damage. History of coastal disaster prevention forests in Sendai dates back to the Edo period (1603-1867). Typically, forests in this area are planted at 50 meter widths from the coast; however, future planting will accommodate a 200-meter width utilizing an estimated 3.5 million seedlings. Additional plans for the area include the restoration of the area’s surrounding tidal flats, re-working safety plans for the coastal citizens, and a re-location of recreational facilities. A re-zoning of land use also promises to revitalize existing industry and challenge agricultural landowners to re-examine their existing practices.
1 km
#=3.5 million seedlings Pinus thunbergii- Japanese Black Pine Pinus densiflora-Japanese Red Pine
50,000 trees
24
JAPAN
25