20 forestation techniques, Sanrin Shinpi (山林真秘), Sai On empha- sizes the importance of close embracing mountains (ho:go) for growing good timber and suggests tree planting to compensate for the low topography in the surroundings (Purves et al. 2009). In a typical Feng Shui village, the natural forest behind the vil- lage and planted forest belt at the front have been preserved and rich biodiversity is found in such forests (Chen 2008; Chen et. al 2008a). Sacred forests preserved by the local people, although in fragmented patches and only in small areas, were also reported in and outside Asia (Zhuang and Gorlett 1997; Ramanujam et. al 2003; Upadhaya et. al 2003; Mgumia and Oba 2003). With economic development and rapid urbanization, forests are disap- pearing. Even the culturally conserved forests are vanishing as a result of commercial agriculture (Chandrakanth et. al 2004). House-embracing Fukugi trees have been prevalent in the is- lands of Okinawa Prefecture (Shigematsu 1979). The oldest trees might have been planted around 300 years ago (Chen and Na- kama 2010). A Feng Shui village landscape featuring tree lines is worthy of further study as a sustainable and ecological landscape. House-embracing Fukugi trees might have been recom- mended by the then Kingdom of Ryukyu. Fukugi trees are a slow growing species that have played an important role in farmers’ lives as windbreaks, firewood, and even green fer- tilizer. In terms of the features of Fukugi trees, please refer to previous research (Shigematsu 1979; Chen et al. 2008b). House-embracing Fukugi trees were functionally laid out with denser forests on the northern side of the hous- es and on the sides facing the sea (Chen et. al 2005; Chen et al. 2006; Chen et al. 2008b; Ando and Ono 2008). Forests planted hundreds of years ago for cultural purposes are disappearing due to economic and social changes. Such green Feng Shui village landscapes have been vanishing over past de- cades as the result of local people rebuilding their houses in con- crete (Shigematsu 1979). Immediately following World War II, when the island was badly short of timber, local people cut down mature trees to build houses. War-caused fires during WWII also contributed to the disappearance of Fukugi tree lines inside villages. Regardless of this steady decline, there exist sever- al well preserved Fuguki tree landscapes in Bise, Imado- mari, and Inamine in the northern part of mainland Okina- wa, and on the small isolated islands of Tonaki and Aguni. A case study in Bise village found that tree density in the coastal line and northern side of village was higher than the tree lines inside the village (Chen et al. 2006; Anto and Ono 2008). The authors studied the current layout and density of house-embracing Fukugi trees (Chen et al. 2008a; Chen and Nakama 2010) and the vegetation composition in the village ho:go and the preserved natural forest behind the village (Chen et al. 2008b). In previous studies, all Fukugi trees surround- ing several houses in Tonaki, Bise and Aguni Island were sur- veyed. Fukugi woodlands were higher in density and smaller in Tonaki and Bise than in Aguni (Chen and Nakama 2010). Being limited in extant historical records, it is a mystery for historians exactly when and by whom such Feng Shui villages were built, and how the village was developed and laid out in Okinawa. In this study, all houses at several locations in Bise and Imadomari in mainland Okinawa, and at Tonaki Island and Aguni Island were surveyed, focusing on the distribution of the remnant large trees in the hope of unveiling the history of the village’s establishment through the use of these large trees. By measuring ©2011 International Society of Arboriculture Chen and Nakama: Old Fukugi Trees in Okinawa, Japan all the large Fukugi trees inside the villages, the spatial distri- bution of Fukugi trees will be assessed with the aim of recov- ering how natural and cultural factors relate to the distribution. Previous case studies of Bise (Chen et. al 2006; Ando and Ono 2008), Tonaki (Chen et. al 2005) and Aguni (Chen and Nakama 2010) discuss the density of Fukugi trees surrounding houses. In this study, large trees were surveyed and included several survey sites. METHOD AND SURVEY SITES The old Fukugi trees inside Feng Shui villages surveyed were measured to understand the development process of village hous- es. All Fukugi trees whose DBH’s (Diameter at Breast Height) were larger than 25 cm were measured. The heights of old trees were also measured. The estimated tree age was calculated based on the formula [Age (year) = DBH (cm) ÷ 2 × 8] by Hi- rata (2006). At present, Hirata’s formula is the only one available to estimate the age of Fukugi trees. Hirata Formula is the only one available at present; however, it has some limitations. First, it was calculated based on the two cut stumps in the southern part of Okinawa Island. Second, other factors such as local site, climatic conditions and competition from other trees besides tree age also affect the annual ring width. Thus, the tree age values calculated from this formula to be used in this paper are approxi- mations, not exact ones. To account for the possible deviation between estimated tree age and the real tree age, a class of 50 years of estimated tree ages is used for the analysis in this paper. All surveyed house-embracing Fukugi trees were further cat- . Ryukyu limestone, which is coral limestone formed during the Pleistocene era, extends mainly through the central egorized into four groups (≥250 years; 200–249 years; 150–199 years; 100–149 years), based on their estimated ages. A map was reproduced with reference to a residential map published by Zenrin, which is a large company that mainly produces and sells residential maps in Japan. The map was used to present the distri- bution of Fukugi trees older than 100 years. The four groups of sur- veyed trees were mapped by house and presented in different colors. All large trees were measured in Bise, Tonaki Island, Agu- ni Island, and Imadomari in Nakijin Village. There is only one hamlet in Bise, Tonaki Island, and Imadomari. Imadomari is the result of a merging of the two previous hamlets of Nakijin and Oyatomari. Historically, these two hamlets have merged and separated several times. Since Nakijin and Oyatomari were separated only by a main street, Imadomari is considered as one hamlet in this study from the perspective of the village landscape. There are currently three hamlets on Aguni Island: East, West and Hama. East and West are two adjoining ham- lets and were not separated until 1872 (Aguni Son Shi 1984), thus, they are also considered as one village landscape. East and West were named Yae, also called agi (meaning “inland”) in contrast to hama (meaning “seashore”). Thus, large trees in the survey sites were grouped into Bise, Tonaki, Imadomari, Yae (East & West), and Hama. Yae, although an old name, will be used in the following text for the convenience of data analysis. Residences in Tonaki Island are clustered together in the small narrow sandy plain between two high hills in the north and south, respectively. Tonaki had a population of 502 in 2003. Bise village is an arc-like protruding area on the tip of the Motobu Peninsula facing the ocean to the west. The popula- tion was 572 in 2006. Aguni is triangular, with a total area of 7.64 km2
January 2011
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