RESTORATION ACTIVITIES OF TIDAL FLATS IN JAPAN

Yoshiyuki NAKAMURA
Port and Airport Research Institute, Yokosuka, 2390826, Japan.
E-mail: nakamura_y@pari.go.jp

　

Abstract: Tidal flats are now recognized as an indispensable coastal area both for wild life and human kind, as they provide several functions such as biological production, habitat for wild life, water purification and amenity. Since 1945, however, a total of 300 km2 of Japan’s natural tidal flats have vanished due to reclamation and subsidence. Recovery or construction of tidal flats is therefore a critical effort to restore damaged coastal ecosystems. In this paper, we first summarize historical background and legal aspect of coastal restoration, and report examples of constructed tidal flats and their monitoring activities in Mikawa Bay and in the Seto Inland Sea. Further engineering as well as research tasks on the restoration of coastal waters are also discussed.

Keywords: tidal flat, restoration, water purification, dredged sediment, beneficial use