Nosoko Tape Seagrass Protection Project

▶︎（English）How to Support by Credit Card

 

 

I'm Kenji Ohori of "Eco Tour Fukumi," a small eco-tourism company my wife and I have been running in Ishigaki, Okinawa, since 2001.

 

Alongside the children of Ishigaki City Nonoko Elementary School, I have been observing an endangered species of tape seagrass (Enhalus acoroides), as part of an environmental study since 2008.

 

These seagrass beds are essentially underwater forests, and are crucial to the conservation of marine environments. They provide cover for small fish to hide in, and they serve as food for herbivorous species, for example. In recent years, seagrasses such as Enhalus acoroides have become particularly important as major CO2 sinks.

 

These tape seagrass habitats have dwindled, however, due to an increase in the number of green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas). At this rate, it is only a matter of time before the seagrass colonies disappear. Even so, the children insist they want to continue observing.

 

 

 

As I was thinking about this, I learned about a marine ecosystem conservation project in nearby Iriomote Island and thought, we could apply that to the seagrass colonies of Ishigaki!

 

With your support, we will install and maintain a protective fence to keep the tape seagrass safe from sea turtles.

 

At the same time, we will share information with the researchers, and work with the children to revive Enhalus acoroides in areas where it can thrive even without a protective fence.
 
Thank you for your warm support – we cannot do this without you!