■2004 JICA Training Course "Administration/Management and Wise Use (Eco-tour) of Natural Parks

From August 23 to October 1, 2004, a Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) group training course on the "Administration/Management and Wise Use of Natural Parks," was held with the JICA Obihiro International Centre as the administrative institution and the Kushiro International Wetland Centre (KIWC) as the hosting institution. In the current fiscal year, the third group training course was held, in which seven people participated from six countries (Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, China, Kyrgyz, Nepal and Slovakia). The participants were all middle-ranking administrative officers involved in tourism and environmental conservation in their respective countries. During the program that was aimed at providing useful information with which participants could introduce and utilize ecotourism in their own countries, there were numerous activities for the participants to take part in, including presentations of eco-tour case-study examples with a focus on hands-on experience training, primarily in eastern Hokkaido; lectures on natural park systems and concepts of ecotourism; and inspections of Hokkaido's environmental education programs. The course included a visit to Kyoto to allow the participants to learn about eco-tours featuring cultural heritages.
The training lasted over a month, during which the participants had to make full use of their mind and body every day. However, the participants' average age was 28, and their youth and enthusiasm enabled them to continue participating in the training up to the last day in high spirits.

■Visit by Australian Delegation from Sister Wetland to Kushiro

In 2004, the sister-wetland affiliation between Ramsar sites in eastern Hokkaido and Kooragang and associated wetlands in Australia observed the 10th anniversary since its establishment. From September 24 to 27 of that year, a sister-wetland delegation of 19 citizens of Port Stephens in New South Wales visited eastern Hokkaido. This is the third visit by Australian delegations from sister wetlands.
The delegates visited Hokkaido Shibecha High School, which is making a concerted effort to conserve wetlands and promote technical development for that purpose. They also went to Kiritappu-shitsugen for lively exchange of views with local people who play a central role in promoting wetland conservation. In order to encourage exchanges between citizens, a get-together party with people involved in international exchange associations in Kushiro was held, and home visits were also organized with the cooperation of volunteer citizens. At the party, some 30 handmade kilt works presented by the Port Stephens delegation were displayed. Australian flora and fauna expressed with colorful cloths prompted admiration and questions from participating citizens.

■Implementation of the Kushiro River Environment Observation Tour

On October 16 (Sat.), 2004, an observation tour to learn about the environment of the Kushiro River and Kushiro-shitsugen was held. It was held under the joint auspices of KIWC and the Kushiro-shitsugen National Park Liaison Association, subsidized by the River Environment Fund in charge of the Foundation of River and Watershed Environment Management, Japan. This observation tour, intended for members of the Kushiro-shitsugen National Park Little Rangers, organized by the Association, was conducted with the support of local university students. There were approximately 30 participants.
In the morning, the participants visited Cape Kirakotan, the area of which is designated as a natural treasure, in northern Kushiro-shitsugen to observe springwater there. Through the inspection of water quality and volume, they found that the daily volume of water that comes forth from each spring source there is equal to the monthly volume of water used by one household.
In the afternoon, they moved to the shore of Lake Toro and made windmills from waste wood. They also canoed from the lake down the Kushiro River, observing the conditions of the wetlands and wildlife, including common kingfishers and ducks. Later that day, they observed an NPO plantation (a Nature Restoration Project site) near Lake Takkobu. Participants were able to learn about the natural splendor of the Kushiro River and Kushiro-shitsugen through these activities.