Habitat evaluation methods development in U. S. and their applications to Japanese coastal area

摘要

The evaluation of values and functions of an area on which development will have an impact is a key to environmentally friendly practices in planning and designing. This paper reviews several assessment methods developed and used in the U.S., andexamines their performance for wetlands in Japan by applying two typical methods, HEP and WET, to a tidal flat in Tokyo Bay. The following are found from this study.a. Applicability of each method differs in terms of area of interest and functions to be evaluated.b. Application of these models to a wetland in Japan suggests that they do have potential for evaluating wetlands in Japan, especially if they are modified taking into consideration the characteristics of coastal areas in Japan.