Shifting Biodiversity Perception through TEK-Based Paddy Management in Urban Satoyama Landscapes

In implementing the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF 2030), citizens' perceptions and values regarding urban biodiversity conservation significantly influence policy implementation. This study examines patterns of citizen biodiversity perception in peri-urban satoyama landscapes—traditional mosaics of forests and rice paddies—analyzing the relationship between aesthetic conventions and ecological necessity, and their policy implications. The research mainly focuses on the Zushi-Onoji Historic Environmental Conservation Area in Machida City, Tokyo, addressing GBF Target 12 on urban green and blue spaces. 

Methodologically, this study conducted secondary analysis of open-ended survey responses from residents and visitors (n=506) collected in 2020-2021 to establish a baseline of citizen biodiversity perception. This was complemented by participant observation data from 2022-2025 and documentary analysis to qualitatively examine processes of perceptual transformation. 

Results revealed that 92% of respondents in 2020-2021 mentioned visually salient fauna and flora, demonstrating a visual salience bias that creates implicit aesthetic hierarchies in biodiversity perception, while recognition of functionally critical but visually inconspicuous taxonomic groups—such as soil organisms and fungi— that support the foundation of ecosystem functions remained rare. Although expectations for landscape management varied by attributes such as whether respondents were landowners or residents, preferences for orderly nature predominated. Conversely, ecologically important environments appearing unmanaged (wetlands, deadwood, dense vegetation) were associated with neglect rather than ecological value. 

Various community-based conservation initiatives have been undertaken in the area since the 2000s. Participant observation in ongoing paddy field management activities since 2022 revealed possibilities for perceptual transformation. Through direct experiential engagement with traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) in water management and its ecological functions, shifts in evaluative frameworks were observed—from visual aesthetics to ecological aesthetics. This transformative process was facilitated not through prescriptive education, but through experiential discovery in collaborative work. These findings suggest that paddy field management can fulfill educational and social roles in urban biodiversity conservation, highlighting the importance of practice-based, culturally grounded approaches to implementing GBF 2030 in urban contexts.