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The Mitsui & Co. Environment Fund

Introduction to Grant Projects

Animal-pathway & Wildlife Association (ApWA)

Animal-pathway's nationwide outreach

Activity grant

Project Description

In Japan, the total length of roads is around 1,270,000km, and around 120,000km for railroads. Both of these are essential for our daily lives, but the proportion of forest land is around 68% and the extension of roads that divide forests is extensive. Arboreal animals living in these divided, isolated forests can no longer go back and forth, which causes genetic deterioration and regional extinction. Our organization is spreading the availability of migration pathways on roads, "animal pathways" and are helping environmental education by using books and images of the species using these pathways.

Fields
Ecosystems and the Symbiotic Society
Grant year
FY2014 Activity Grants
Grant term
3 years
October 2014 - September 2017
Grant amount
4,800,000 yen
Activity region
Yamanashi Prefecture (Especially around Hokuto and Fujikawaguchiko) Nasu Heisei-no-mori, Tochigi Prefecture, Obihiro area, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan
Japanese squirrel using Animal-pathway's demonstration equipment

Overview of the Organization

Koichi Otake, Representative Director
Representative
Koichi Otake, Representative Director
Establishment
2012
Establishment purpose
To protect wild arboreal animals that we are not familiar with, including Japanese squirrels, Japanese dormouse, giant flying squirrels, and flying squirrels by developing an artificial route, an inexpensive animal pathway, on the roads between divided forest areas. As a result, we collaborate with local governments, road administrators, architectural consultants and user corporations to educate children and the next-generation community.
Main areas of activity
Nationwide, including Tokyo, Yamanashi Prefecture, Tochigi Prefecture, Aichi Prefecture, Hokkaido
Staff
2 full-time staff members, 4 part-time staff members, 31 special members, full members and general members, 4 supporting company members
Annual operating budget
1.95 million yen in 2012, 2.82 million yen in 2013, 2.4 million yen in 2014
WEB site
http://www.animalpathway.org
Collaborating organizations
Animal-pathway research centre managed by our organization
Recent activities
  • Spread ideas and educate through exhibitions of eco-products, lectures, research workshops, symposiums, the Internet, etc.
  • To promote domestic and overseas cooperation and spread our network through research workshops, conferences, information exchange opportunities, etc.
  • Tools and field surveys to narrow down the locations for constructing animal pathways to provide suggestions to local governments and local nature conservation groups based on this assesment.
  • Development of medium and large-scale animal pathways