Achievements

May 2015
Establishment of the Ecosystem Research Institute
Conducted a holistic and fundamental research project on the Kesen River and Hirota Bay (funded by a private company in Sumita Town)
2016
Conducted the Kesen River and Hirota Bay Holistic and Fundamental Research Project (Supported by the Nippon Foundation, 2016~2017)
June 2017
Invited Dr A. Hines, Director of the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC), U.S.A., to conduct a field survey and hold international symposiums
21 June
Held a symposium on “Fishery Management and Fairness” at the Nippon Foundation
23 June
Held a town meeting, “Forests, Rivers, Oceans and People” with the Hirota Bay Fishermen’s Cooperative Association
24 June
Held a dialogue meeting for local residents with Dr Hines in Sumita Town
25 June
Held an international symposium in Ofunato City (audience: about 300 people)
26 June
Held an international symposium in Rikzentakata City on “Present Situation of Survey and Studies on Forests, Rivers and Oceans in the Chesapeake Bay and Disaster Prevention Measures for High Waves”
27 June
Held an international dialogue meeting with the third-grade students of Morioka Daiichi Senior High School in Morioka City, Iwate Prefecture inviting Dr Hines
2018
Conducted the Hirota Bay and Kesen River Holistic and Fundamental Survey Project (commissioned by Rikuzentakata City, 2018-2020)
September 2019
Invited Dr Dennis Whigham of the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC), to conduct a local survey and hold international symposiums in Rikuzentakata City (3 September) and Sumita Town (4 September), hold a meeting with fishermen of the Hirota Bay Fishermen’s Cooperative Association (5 September), and exchange views with the Vice-Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Commissioner of the Fisheries Agency, Chairman of the Kajima Institute of International Peace (KIIP), and senior members of the Kajima Technical Research Institute.
November
Received a grant from the Australia-Japan Foundation, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Australian Government
4-5 December
Visited Rikuzentakata City and conducted survey with Mr Tom Krijnen, Counsellor (Agriculture) of the Australian Embassy, Tokyo
February 2020
Invited the research delegation from the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC) and Underwood & Associates to Rikuzentakata City to examine the possibility of nature-based wetland creation and restoration of Furukawa Marsh. The delegation met with and exchanged views with the Vice-Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Commissioner of the Fisheries Agency and Chairman of the Kajima Institute of International Peace (KIIP)
October/November
Conducted a scientific survey of the Fuji River and Suruga Bay
March 2021
Completed the Hirota Bay and Kesen River Holistic and Fundamental Survey Project
Commenced a scientific survey of the Shimanto River watershed (March, August, November and March 2022)
April
Held a Web meeting with SERC and Underwood & Associates
Commenced a scientific survey of Ofunato Bay and the Sakari River and conducted a survey of Hirota Bay and the Kesen River (April, July, November and March 2022)
June
Published a report on the 2018-2020 Hirota Bay and Kesen River Holistic and Fundamental Survey
December
Conducted a survey of Ishinomaki Bay, Mangokuura and the Kitakami River
30 May-9 June 2022
The delegation (5 members) of the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC), Underwood & Associates, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and Baylor University visited Japan and exchanged views with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT), Ministry of the Environment (MOE), Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF), Iwate Prefecture Governor Mr Takuya Tasso and Mayor of Ofunato City Mr Kimiaki Toda on NBS (Nature Based Solutions).
5 June
Held an international symposium on NBS for river and waterfront restoration in Ofunato City
7 June
The delegation members and six Diet members including Mr Shigeru Ishiba, Mr Gen Nakatani and Mr Yosuke Tsuruho adopted a resolution to restore waterfronts by NBS.
24-31 July
Invited Dr Jeff Ross, Associate Professor, Institute of Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS), University of Tasmania, by the grant provided by the Australia-Japan Foundation of the Australian Government, Department of Foreign Affairs.
28 July
Held an international symposium on “Tasmania’s salmon farming and marine ecosystems” in the Rias Hall, Ofunato City, jointly by Ofunato City.
29 July
The delegation members held an exchange meeting with junior and senior high school students of Ofunato City and Rikuzentakata City.
30 Nov-12 Dec
Dr Masayuki Komatsu visited the United States to visit NBS project sites and exchange views with NOAA, EPA, Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Underwood & Associates and others.


Reports