ABSTRACT
In Japan, environmental conservation and management policies initially focused on water pollution control. However, these passive conservation policies have gradually shifted to more active approaches such as ‘satoumi’, which includes the restoration of biodiversity, biological productivity, habitats and a well-balanced nutrient cycle between land and sea. This chapter will introduce a case study from Ago Bay in Shima City, Mie Prefecture, Japan, where land–sea interaction at two sites improved through the promotion of water exchange across dikes constructed for land development and land reclamation. Tidal flat restoration trials conducted in Ago Bay clearly showed that the promotion of tidal exchange between the sea and wetland areas on the inner side of dikes improved both deteriorated sediment quality and macro-benthos conditions. Along with the results of this case study, this chapter also discusses future tidal flat restoration in Japan.
