Score = current status & Expected future

1. Development of a tool for gauging positive activities for biodiversity and ecosystem services: Land Health Index (LHI) Yoji Natori1, Tetsu Hattori2, Sana Okayasu3, Kei Kabaya3, Motoshi Tomita2, Tsubasa Iwabuchi4, Chiho Kamiyama5, Masaki Tsuda6 IPSI Cluster 3: Indicator Research 100 = target (sustainable state) resilience Summary: Biodiversity is largely regarded as an economic externality, and development activities consider it only marginally. However, by providing a renewable natural capital, biodiversity forms the basis of social development. As a step towards realizing sustainable development which harmonizes human activities and ecosystem services (ES), we are developing the Land Health Index (LHI). This index 1) visualizes the importance, value, and state of biodiversity, and 2) indicates positive actions for conservation, so that every member of society can understand the changes in their natural capital and what needs to be done. The Land Health Index (LHI) builds on the approach of the Ocean Health Index (OHI; Halpern et al., 2012), in which ideal sustainable states for multiple public goals are defined, and models that allow for quantitative evaluation of their status are provided. We adopt the OHI approach and modify it to fit with terrestrial environments and the scale appropriate for sub-national evaluation. Preliminary results from one of the pilot sites, Yakushima, are presented to illustration. 1Conservation International Japan, 2CEPA Japan, 3Institute for Global Environmental Strategies, 4Faculty of Life Sciences, Toyo University, 5United Nations University - Institute for Sustainability and Peace, 6Graduate School of Life Sciences, Tohoku University (PhD.) trend pressure Current status Score = current status & Expected future projection Future projections account for the status (xi), and the trends of the past 5 years, the factors that improve (resilience) and degrade (pressure) the status. 0 = collapse Agriculture Water purification Water quality data is available from two rivers, neither of which have a set quality standard. Using broader standards as reference, Yakushima is scored at 100. • The resilience and pressure factors, such as these, will be incorporated in the future development. (They were not incorporated into the Yakushima pilot case.) For Yakushima, Xi = 0.4031 so the score is 40. Inland fisheries Soil stabilisation Not relevant to Yakushima Timber As the two rivers measured do not have a water quality standard, the lowest environmental standard of 100mg/L is applied as the reference. Yakushima scores 100. In 2011 the score for the sustainability of Yakushima’s timber production is 11 (underuse). 69pts Yakushima Air quality Freshwater Yakushima only has data on dust deposits, which have a provisional standard (20t/km2) indicated by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. As all data show a lower value, the score is 100. As water consumption levels are far below estimated availability, Yakushima scores 100 Biodiversity Recreation Sense of place For Yakushima, XHAB = 1 and XKBA = 0.448, which gives a mean of XBiodiv = 0.72 Thus the score is 72. In Yakushima, peak tourist numbers exceeded the carrying capacity by over a double, thus the score is 0. As Yakushima is a World Heritage site, and its website provides abundant information on its nature, it can be considered as a “best case” and thus is attributed a score of 100. This is a trans-disciplinary indicator research project. Identifying means to facilitate effective assimilation of research results into public planning is also an important part of our activity. We will improve the feasibility of computation and responsiveness to key parameters through further testing in pilot areas. The LHI is of relevance to the Satoyama Initiative as it will provide a measure of the state of both natural and production landscapes, and can be applied as a tool to encourage actions towards sustainable use. We welcome your feedbacks (Contact: ynatori@conservation.org).