Small Cultural Forests: Landscape Role and Ecosystem Services in a Japanese Cultural Landscape

Small woods, linear tree formations, or scattered trees in agricultural areas are receiving increasing attention for their multifunctional role, especially if associated to cultural landscapes. Osaki Kodo’s Traditional Water Management System Sustainable Paddy Agriculture represents one of the most important landscapes (satoyama) Japan, also included by FAO GIAHS (Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems) Programme. Here, local farmers surrounded farmhouses with small called igune, as a protection from cold winter wind, creating peculiar landscape characterized an intensively cultivated plain dotted wood patches. The research aims at deepening knowledge evaluating role and monitoring changes last 20 years, through multitemporal spatial analyses. In addition, literature review has been performed assess other Ecosystem Services (ESs) provided igune within study area. Despite limited overall surface, 1737 woods currently characterize area, 72% them having surface smaller than 0.5 hectares. analyses show that number, distribution, pattern remained almost completely unchanged testifying key characterizing landscape. Least-Cost Path analysis highlighted crucial connecting two forest nodes region, 90% path passes inside more 70 different woods. Literature demonstrated still provide various ESs, including ecological network, habitat flora fauna species, firewood, byproducts, well services. This maintenance traditional management forests is not only retain but mostly preservation related can lead horizontal vertical structures, species composition.