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Ko Takenouchi, Fossa Magna Museum (Japan)
Yosuke Ibaragi, Fossa Magna Museum (Japan)
Hiroshi Miyajima, Fossa Magna Museum (Japan)
Makoto Ohkouchi, NPO GeoProject Niigata (Japan)
Atsushi Matsuoka, Niigata University (Japan)
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Itoigawa City is located in the southernmost part of Niigata Prefecture, central Japan and faces to the Sea of Japan. The construction of the Itoigawa Geopark was initiated in 1989 by the municipal authority of Itoigawa City. This was in accordance with ?gFossa Magna Region Development Plan?h, a policy for the promotion of economic development using various geological heritage sites, which was established in 1987. Within the city, the Itoigawa Geopark includes twenty-four local geoparks. We have called the areas with geological heritage sites ?gGeopark?h since 1991 a little earlier than UNESCO started to use this term.
After the establishment of the plan, local geoparks started to be arranged. In 1994, a geological museum, Fossa Maguna Museum, was opened. With its wide variation in altitude, ranging from sea level to 3000 meters above sea level, the Itoigawa Geopark has abundant fauna and flora. In relation to the plate boundary setting, the geopark has a number of geological process-related heritage sites including metamorphic rocks with jadeite rocks, major faults and an active volcano. These natural heritage sites are protected by various conservation laws. The Itoigawa Geopark includes two National Parks, three Prefectural Nature Parks and three Prefectural Protected Areas. In addition, there are two Special Natural Monuments and one Natural Monument designated by the national government. Other natural monuments are protected by prefectural and municipal governments. Various promotions are held as a way of preserving the sites and promoting their usage. The local geoparks are scattered all over the city.
People living near the local geoparks make efforts to raise local awareness of economic development and to encourage healthy living in the area. For example, they organize field excursions visiting the natural heritage sites. Furthermore, they invite schools from urban areas such as Tokyo to the local geoparks and offer the experience of agriculture and fishing for students. Itoigawa City encourages their activities partly through the service by the Fossa Maguna Museum and partly through financial and logistic support. The Department of Geology in Niigata University together with NPO GeoProject Niigata assists the activities of the Fossa Maguna Museum from academic point of view.
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