Rebun Island Part 2 “Protecting Rare Plants with Community”｜Rishiri‑Rebun‑Sarobetsu National Park

Part 1    • Rebun Island Part 1 “Rangers Protecting Ra...   Rangers (National Park Managers / Nature Conservation Officers) are the officials of the Ministry of the Environment, who work on the ground to protect Japan’s outstanding natural areas, such as national parks, and pass them on to future generations. This video introduces Hitoshi Nakamura, a ranger for Rishiri‑Rebun‑Sarobetsu National Park. Rebun Island is home to the Rebun Lady’s Slipper Orchid, a near‑threatened species, and its conservation is carried out collaboratively by the Ministry of the Environment, Rebun Town, the Forestry Agency, and local residents. Rishiri-Rebun-Sarobetsu National Park https://www.japan.travel/national-par... [What is the Rebun Lady’s Slipper Orchid?] Rebun Lady’s Slipper Orchid (Cypripedium macranthos var. rebunense) is a perennial orchid found only on Rebun Island in Hokkaido. It is listed as a near threatened species in the Ministry of the Environment’s Fifth Red List. Its main habitat is bright coastal grasslands with moderate to slightly dry moisture conditions. From late May to late June, it produces large, elegant flowers ranging from white to pale cream. Although it once grew widely across Rebun Island, its numbers has declined sharply due to excessive collection, particularly during the 1980s and 1990s, because of its high horticultural value. [Conservation and propagation efforts] The conservation and propagation efforts for the Rebun Lady’s Slipper Orchid began in the 1980s, when Rebun Town installed protective fencing around its colony sites. In 1986, the Rebun Alpine Plant Cultivation Center was established, initiating technical research aimed at conserving and propagating the species. Since then, the Ministry of the Environment, the Forestry Agency, and Rebun Town, supported by scientific advice from experts, have advanced a wide range of conservation initiatives, including anti‑poaching measures, habitat improvement, and the accumulation of scientific knowledge by research teams. 【Rishiri‑Rebun‑Sarobetsu National Park】 Rishiri‑Rebun‑Sarobetsu National Park is Japan’s northernmost national park, boasting a diverse landscape of mountains, flower fields, sea cliffs, wetlands, and coastal dunes. Mt. Rishiri, also known as Rishiri Fuji for its beautiful shape, serves as the symbolic peak of the park. On Rebun Island, visitors can see alpine flower meadows, including rare species such as the Rebun Lady’s Slipper Orchid, at low elevations. Along the Bakkai and Wakasakanai coasts, rows of banded dunes form patterns with lakes scattered between them, creating a rare landscape alongside oak and fir dune forests. The Sarobetsu Plain features one of Japan’s largest raised peatlands atop a vast peat layer, and serves as an important stopover site for migratory birds such as geese and ducks. ■ National parks of Japan https://www.japan.travel/national-parks/ ■Facebook   / nationalparksofjapan   ■Instagram   / nationalpark_japan