Akira Miyawaki

Dr. Akira Miyawaki (宮脇昭) born on January 29th 1928 is a expert Botaniste in vegetable ecology, specialist in the Graine S and study of the Naturalité of the forests,
Après to have studied in 3 Japanese university and in Germany, he was pioneer in Asia as regards retrospective ecology applied to the restoration of the forest. He is a famous world specialist in the restoration of a natural vegetation sour degraded, industrial, urban grounds or périurbains.

Theses of Miyawaki

The Sommet of the Earth of Rio (1992) failed to protect the forests and that (Except very locally) they continue to regress or to degrade itself.
Considérant that the forests are essential with the survival of humanity, by many works, experiments and by its interventions in conferences and international authorities, Akira Miyawaki defends since the years 1970 the value of the indigenous forests and the urgent need and the possibility them of restoring.

On finds in Japan around the Temple S and of the traditional Cimetière S of the trees such as Castanopsis cuspidate , of the oaks of which the blue Japanese oak, and Quercus myrsinaefolia , of the Châtaignier S, the Machilus tunbergii (trees of the family of the Lauracées including avocado trees.). Miyawaki showed that they were gasolines autochtones, relics of the prehistoric forest. In same time it noted as on the contrary, of the trees such as the cedar says Japanese, the Cyprès the Mélèze and pine that all Japanese thought indigenous S is actually trees gradually introduced in Japan by the forest , since centuries to produce sawlog.
Miyawaki was brought to think of the consequences of the change of composition and sometimes of structure of most of the Japanese forests, which are in fact maintaining very far away from the “potential natural Végétation” .
Cette contemporary forest, resulting from forestry principles according to him more resilient nor is not best adapted to the ecological and geobioclimatic conditions of Japan or to the climate changes.

Referring with “vegetation potential natural” (concept which he studied in Germany), he developed, tested and refined a method of ecological Génie today known under the name of “ method Miyawaki ” making it possible to restore indigenous forests starting from trees native on grounds without Humus, very degraded or déforestés. Using the theories of the ecology and the results of its experiments, it thus restored successfully, quickly and sometimes on large surfaces of the forest of protection|protective timberings ( disaster-prevention, environment-conservation and Toilet-source-protection forest ) on more than 1300 sites in Japan and in various tropical countries, of the peaceful zone in particular, in the form of many types of timbered bands, timberings or forests including in City or industrial park or port uaires.

Course

Miyawaki is initially a botanist specialized in vegetable ecology and specialist in seeds. It made a thesis on this subject at the Department of Biology of the Université of Hiroshima. It then undertook searchs for ground in various areas of the Japan, while working as enquiring assistant at the national university of Yokohama, by continuing its formation at the university of Tokyo.
Le Pr Reinhold Tuexen (1899 - 1980) which directed then the federal Institut for the cartography of the vegetation , invited it in Germany. Miyawaki has then worked with him on concept of Vegetation natural potential (that which would be expressed naturally in absence of human intervention), of 1956 with 1958.
Revenu in Japan in 1960 it applied its knowledge to it to the methods of cartography of the potential natural vegetation ; vegetation which it still found presents in the relics of old forests surrounding the temples and tombs (known as “ Chinju-No-mori ”). It could compare this potential flora with the vegetation inventoried on more than 10.000 sites of the whole of Japan, affected by various types of activity human, including in zone of relief, on the Berge S, in the rural villages or of mountain, and in the zones métropolitaines.
From these data, it produced charts of existing vegetation and charts potential natural vegetation. Its charts are still used as bases for research scientists and the impact studies or like tool of diagnostic effective to analyze the Occupation of the ground and the terrestrial vegetation or for the Cartographie of the biological corridors.
Ces charts of the potential natural vegetation is used as model to reconstitute the natural habitat S ranges, and the indigenous vegetable Environment.
Durant 10 years, of 1980 to 1990, in co-operation with laboratories of phytoecology of the universities of the country, Dr. Miyawaki made botanical and phytosociological inventories to draw up charts of vegetation in all Japan, joined together in a work in ten volumes and more than 6000 pages of comment. This work was as appreciated for its contribution to the phytosociological approach and the possibility as it offered to compare the architecture and the characteristics of the vegetation of various zones of the world.

Origin of the method known as “Miyawaki”

A. Miyawaki showed that the moderate Japanese natural forest primary should be primarily made up of Feuillu S whereas the Résineux often dominate. The latter are nevertheless still present around the tombs and of the temples in the timberings protected from the exploitation for religious and cultural reasons. The more its research advanced, the more it noted that the current forest vegetation of Japan (24.1 million Hectare S, that is to say 3.5 billion cubic meters of tree on more than 64% of the country) had moved away from the potential natural vegetation, following the exogenic gasoline introductions by the man. Without one being able to speak about biological Invasion, it notes that coniferous trees still considered in the years 1970 as autochtones by many Japanese, including botanists, become dominant in many forests, in fact are introduced, or were naturally present only at high-altitude and in extreme environments (mountainous edges, steep slopes). They were since centuries planted there to produce more quickly of the sawlog, or they are there acclimatized.

This led Miyawaki to differently think the forest than like source of greenery, Loisir S or wood and to be interested in the importance of the Naturalité wooded areas and in the functions of diversity and complementarity of the gasolines.

First experiments

Its first tests of ground showed that the plantations to which the composition and the structure were closest to what they would be in forest in the absence of human activities, pushed quickly and especially showed a very good ecological Résilience.

A. Miyawaki important a little by little “constituted banks of seeds” permanent (more than 10 million seeds identified and classified according to their geographic origin and edaphic). They come for the majority from the remainders from natural forests preserved during generations around the temples and from the Japanese traditional cemeteries thanks to the traditional belief from the “ Chinju-No-mori ”. These places allowed the conservation of thousands of small gasoline autochtones and gene reserves of downward trees of the prehistoric forest .

Prosecutor in a certain manner this tradition of perpetuation, but with a more ecological and economic logic, while basing himself on field studies and of vegetable ecology, it proposed a plane restoration of the indigenous forests , for the restoration of Forêt of environmental protection , of the water resource and against the natural risks ( Environmental protection, disaster prevention, and toilets source protection forests ).

Its proposals initially did not meet positive feedbacks, then with the beginning of the year 1970, the Japanese Steel Corporation which wanted to plant forests on embankments around its Aciérie of Oita, in construction. After the death of the first traditional plantations the company was interested in work of Dr. Miyawaki and a first operation entrusted to him.
Ce last identified the natural potential vegetation of the zone, by studying the forests being next to two close tombs (of the USA (Japan) and of Yusuhara). It then chose various gasolines of trees which it tested on the substrate to timber. Then it constituted a seedbed whose seedlings were mixed and planted on the site now wooded of a forest exclusively made up of indigenous gasolines.
La Steel Corporation was so satisfied that it has in the 18 years which followed planted forests with this method on all its sites of steel-works, with Nagoya, Sakai, Kamaishi, Futtu, Hikari, Muroran, and with Yawata.

Since, Dr. Miyawaki and his collaborators or partners covered successfully more than 1300 sites of the forests multistrates of protection against the risks, entirely composed of indigenous gasolines. The method was tested successfully in almost all Japan, on sometimes difficult substrates (intended plantations has to mitigate the effects of Tsunami S on the littoral, or of Cyclone S on the port of Yokohama, fixing of fill and discharges on the Littoral, of artificial islands, fixing of slopes blown in following the construction of roads (Japan is located on a seismic zone activates), creation of a forest climbing cliff coldly cut with dynamite to install the Surgénérateur Monju (equivalent of Super-Phenix), etc).

Its actions were largely supported by companies of Assurance S, industrialists, communities and many developers (conservative measures or compensatory) and the state. ( Ministry for transport in particular).

In tropical zone: Since 1978, Dr. Miyawaki also contributed to inventories of vegetation in Thailand, Indonesia, and Malaysia.
La majority of the experts estimates that on a ground laterized and désertifié following the destruction of a wet tropical forest the fast-food industry of a forest is impossible or very difficult. A. Miyawaki showed - spectacular successes with the support - that by using a wise choice of gasolines pionnières and secondary autochtones, mycorhized, very densément planted, the fast-food industry of a forest cover protecting and restoring the ground was possible. Starting from the study of local natural vegetable ecology, it uses the gasolines which have role-key and complementary in normal raised vegetable community. These gasolines are accompanied by a great gasoline diversity of accompaniment (40 to 60 types of plants, even more in tropical zone) “to support them”.

Depuis 1990, Dr. Miyawaki is devoted to the wet restoration of the very degraded tropical forests, in particular that of Bintulu (Sarawak, Malaysia). Thanks to sponsors (ex Mitsubishi), a seed bank of 201 gasolines of trees (Dipterocarpaceae mainly) resulting from the primary and potential natural vegetation. produced in seedbed 600.000 seedlings out of cups, annually planted on site, under various conditions. In 2005, the seedlings of 1991 having survived (an important natural selection takes place, and is wished by the method) measured more than 20 meters (growth of more than 1m height per annum) and a facies of young tropical forest is reconstituted, protecting the ground whereas fauna reappears little by little. In the years 2000, it started to also work with Kampuchea.

Method and conditions of success

The method Miyawaki , of reconstitution “ of indigenous forests by indigenous trees ” produces a facies pioneer forest rich, dense and effectively guard into 20 to 30 years, where the natural succession would have required 200 years in moderate Japan and 300 to 500 years in tropical zone. Its success requires the respect of the following phases:

initial Study rigorous of the site and the potential natural vegetation corresponding to him;
Location and collection locally or in the vicinity and in a comparable context geoclimatic of a great number of native gasoline seeds diversified and adapted to the edaphic context (ground/climate);
Germination in Seedbed (what requires a technicality adapted for certain gasolines, which for example germinate in nature only after being last in the digestive tract of a certain animal, or which has need for such or such mushroom symbion, or of a phase of cold dormancy, etc);
Préparation of the substrate if it is very degraded (organic matter contribution/mulching (with for example 3 to 4 kg of rice straw per m2 to replace the protection offered by the surface Humus and the carpet of dead sheets) and (in the areas where it rains much and strong) plantation on hillocks for the species with pivot roots which require a ground of surface drained well, the sides of the hillock and the hollows which can be planted with species plus ubiquists or with surface roots (cedar, Japanese cypress, pine.) or appreciating the blocked grounds;
Plantation respecting a initial Biodiversity inspired by that of the model of the natural forest. Miyawaki implements and recommends plantations unusually dense, very young seedlings but whose system raçinaire is already mature (with Bactérie S and mushrooms symbions present); for example of the oaks of 30 cm resulting from nipples, and having grows in seedbed lasting two years). The density aims at supporting the competition between species and the establishment of phytosociological relations close to what they would be in Nature (30 to 50 seedlings per m2 in moderated zone, to 500 even 1000 seedlings per m2 with Borneo);
Plantations distributed in space while seeking to copy the way in which the seedlings would be divided in a clearing or into natural skirt of forest (especially not in alignments nor in quincunx). In that and to some extent, it approaches the methods of the type Prosilva in Europe.

The results obtained show that this method, if it is well applied, quickly produces a forest multistrate and according to him, a ground to which the microbial composition and in Acarien S is quickly close to that of the normal primary forest. It published several tens of books, treaties, and articles on its research topics and its results.

Results

According to the classical theory of the succession initiated by Lenient in the USA, it is necessary 150 for 200 years so that a young indigenous forest with a community multistrate is restored itself on a naked ground in Japan, and it is necessary from 300 to 500 years even more in tropical zone of the South-East Asia. Miyawaki seeks to accelerate the process of ecological cicatrization by as much as possible imitating the normal composition of the primary forest in each context. It estimates to be able to obtain in moderate zone a restored forest, of which the facies and the structure (if it is not genetic diversity , humus, or the share of the senescent stage and Deadwood) strongly resembling the indigenous forest into 20 to 30 years.

This method was presented like specimen in a ratio of 1992 preparing the Sommet of the ground 1992, then in 1994 in the conference “ Biodiversité ” of UNESCO to bets.

The method was presented in 1991 to the Conference of the University of Bonn, “ restoration of the tropical forest ecosystems ”, then with the congresses of the International Association for Ecology , of the International Society for Vegetation Science , and of the International Botanical Congress , including on new aspects including the bonds between growth, natural habitat and estimated fixing of Carbon.

Curiously, in spite of more than 1000 successful experiences and sometimes spectacular, the western world of sylviculture or the landscape designers tried only seldom to apply or even test the “Méthode Miyawaki”.

A. Miyawaki largely its method tested; on déforestés sites of dry tropical zone in Thailand, with the forests tropical alluvial of Brazilian Amazonia, or on an old zone of forest of Nothofagus to Concepción (Chile). In all the cases, it succeeded with quickly restoring a dense vegetable cover pointing out that of the indigenous forest. From 1998 Dr. Miyawaki controlled a great project of reconstitution of the oak grove dominated by the oak of Mongolia (Quercus mongolica) , along the great wall of China, aiming at gathering 4.000 people to plant 400.000 trees, with the support of the foundation Aeon Environment and the town of Beijing. The first trees planted by groups of Chinese and Japanese on zones from where the forest for a long time disappeared exceeded 3 m height in 2004 and - except for a part - continued with good to develop until 2007.

Dr. Miyawaki also contributes to the efforts of the Government and Chinese citizens of massive afforestations in China, but either while seeking to plant commercial gasolines with an only technical, lucrative aim or of becoming green, but to reconstitute the natural potential vegetation, in particular with Pudon (western littoral district in the special economic zone of Shanghai), like with Tsingtao (Qingdao), Ningbo, and Maanshan (Ma' anshan).

Miyawaki for its activity was honoured with ten price, of which the price 2006 “ [http://www.af-info.or.jp/eng/honor/2006lect-e.pdf Blue Planet ” for its implication as regards protection of nature.

Critical:

One of rare criticisms carried to the Miyawaki method (by ex at the time of the conference of 1994 on the Biodiversity with UNESCO with bets) is a little monotonous visual aspect with the character équienne (even age group) of its first generation of trees. This criticism is generally emitted within sight of the photographs taken after 10 or 20 years. But Miyawaki was among the first to insist on the importance not to plant the trees in line nor at equal distances (It often makes lay out the trees to be planted by the public or young children to support this randomness). He wants on the contrary to imitate the complexity and the semi-random character of the vegetable community of the indigenous habitat. He wants that there are a strong competition between the seedlings, a natural selection and associations vegetable. He estimates that the trees more quickly mature, or of the trees broken or eaten by herbivores will produce seedlings and rejections quickly generating a low and intermediate layer.

Another criticism is the high cost of the first phase (seedbed, tillage, plantations very dense), but the rates of enforestation are exceptionnellemnet good where the usual methods fail. And its timberings then seem to require much less maintenance and of attention. Some lost the majority of their sheets to the passage of cyclones, but they have resite and contributed to protect the buildings in front of which they had been planted.

Biography

1928 Miyawaki is born on January 29th with Okayam (Japan)

1952 Graduate in Biologie, Université of Hiroshima

1958-1960 Researcher invited of the German institute for the cartography of the vegetation

1961 Doctorate of Science, Université of Hiroshima

1961-1962 Researcher at the National university of Yokohama

1962-1973 Professor associated, at the National university of Yokohama

1973-1993 Professor, Institut of sciences and technology of the Environment of the National university of Yokohama

1985-1993 Director of the Institut Institute of sciences and technology of the Environment of Yokohama

1993… Professor emeritus of the National university of Yokohama

1993… Director of the Japanese Center of studies internationals in ecology ( Japanese Center for International Studies in Ecology)

See too

External bonds

Card of the Embassy of France on the Miyawaki method, following a mission INRA
element of a PowerPoint of presentation of the Method Miyawaki
element of a PowerPoint of presentation of the Method Miyawaki
element of a PowerPoint of presentation of the Method Miyawaki
Bradley Method of regeneration
Primary source: Doc. of synthesis realized at the time of the price 2006 allotted to Miyawaki by Asahi Foundation Knell of Tokyo, with illustration, examples of charts of vetetation (English)

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