This project aims to conserve kirikuchi char, a salvelinus char genus that is only found in the upstream areas of the Totsukawa River on the Kii Peninsula. The number of kirikuchi habitats is shrinking and it has been designated as an endangered species by the Japan Fisheries Agency and is being protected as a natural monument by Nara Prefecture. A possible reason for this decrease in habitats is an influx of sediment filling in the river's troughs and shallows, flattening the river bed. Over the past two years, the project has carried out experiments to identify breeding characteristics, and it will now create artificial troughs using gabions and waste from tree-thinning in order to expand conservation efforts, make them more effective, and encourage population growth.