Hokkaido’s Daisetsu Wildlife Encyclopedia Project 2023 aims for regenerative tourism

How can we make our memories of travels more meaningful?

Perhaps by leaving a place we visited during our journey in a better condition than when we arrived. There is increasing attention towards regenerative tourism, a step beyond sustainable tourism.

Hokkaido’s Kamikawa Town is aiming to be a model case for regenerative tourism and has been conducting the “Daisetsu Wildlife Encyclopedia Project 2023,” expanding its duration and target area compared to last year’s.

During the event period, visitors download the biome collection app “Biome” on their smartphones and launch the app to enjoy a game feature called “Quest.” While having fun, they can capture and collect images of creatures inhabiting the Daisetsuzan Mountains and Kamikawa Town on the app.

Using the collected data on the creatures’ habitats and numbers, the latest distribution and status of these creatures are understood and visualized. This regenerative tourism project contributes to research activities at Hokkaido University’s Institute of Earth Environmental Sciences, aiding in the conservation and regeneration of the Daisetsuzan and Kamikawa areas.

Protecting the nature of Kamikawa Town, Hokkaido, through app

Kamikawa Town is located in the center of Hokkaido with a population of approximately 3,200 people*. It is situated in the northern part of the Daisetsuzan National Park, surrounded by a rich natural environment with the Daisetsuzan mountain range and Hokkaido’s largest river, the Ishikari River, flowing through it.

However, in recent years, the habitat of alpine plants in the Daisetsuzan Mountains has gradually transformed into bamboo grass fields due to the effects of global warming and other factors, leading to changes in the mountain’s ecosystem with a limited area for alpine plants.

Furthermore, after the COVID-19 pandemic, an increase in mountaineers and tourists is expected. Therefore, the town explored the mechanism of regenerative tourism, aiming for nature and humans to co-regenerate. To achieve this, they started the Daisetsu Wildlife Encyclopedia Project last year as a practical demonstration.

The project aims to provide enjoyable and educational experiences in nature, enhance the satisfaction of travelers, and accumulate valuable data for environmental conservation and research, all with the goal of becoming a model case for regenerative tourism.

*The population of Kamikawa Town, Hokkaido

Joy of learning and giving back to travel destinations

When travelers visit a place, it would be even more wonderful if they not only absorb the good things that the land offers but also leave something beneficial for that place. If such interactions were to happen during a journey, perhaps more beautiful memories of the trip could be created. So why not start by casually giving back to the nature of the land through the app? It might just make your travel experiences even more delightful.

Originally published on Livhub.