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Lake Nakaumi is located on Tottori and Shimane prefecture. It is the 5th large size in Japan. This Lake is the most southern lake of Bewick's swan in Japan in winter.

Yonago Waterbirds Sanctuary is Located at the end of the east on Lake Nakaumi. This Sanctuary is very small. But this Sanctuary is a very important place for the birds. If there is not this sanctuary, a lot of birds including Bewick's swan Cygnus columbianus bewickii and Greater White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons can not come flying to in Lake Nakaumi, because this Sanctuary is their for a roosting area.

However, the government of Japan had the Plan that reclaims 20% of Lake Nakaumi. If the Original plan did in Lake Nakaumi, Yonago Water birds Sanctuary would not exist now. But the citizen of Yonago request to stop a part of the plan, because the plan influences for birds of Lake Nakaumi.

The Yonago City responded to the request of the citizen. Yonago City Bought apart of the plan area on the reclamation way, and protected. This area was changed Yonago Waterbirds Sanctuary since 1991 year by Yonago City. In 1998, Yonago waterbirds sanctuary visited 50,000 annual observation persons and 10,000 waterbirds in winter. Moreover, the Yonago City and Tottori prefecture established "Nakaumi Waterbirds International Exchange Foundation" by USD 3,000,000. This foundation activity is holding of a conference and a symposium about birds, investigating of birds' migration and educating about the environment.

Also, a lot of citizens who approve of the main point of this foundation are doing Volunteers, they do and cutting grass in the Sanctuary. They organized the meeting, which is called the Society of Yonago Waterbirds Sanctuary Friendship, and takes part in the activity of Yonago Waterbirds Sanctuary and foundation.

Lastly, this foundation obtained a result about the bird's science. The investigation of foundation discovered migration route of Bewick's swan by the transmission machine in 1997. The parts of Bewick's of Yonago Waterbirds Sanctuary fly over the Japan Sea to Vladivostok in only one night. Also, in 1999, one small bird caught in Kamchatka, the bird is Reed Bunting Emberiza schoeniclus with Japan's ring from Yonago Waterbirds Sanctuary. The birds in eastern Asia seem to be associating mutually. In the future, we will expand further investigation of these birds with the relation group of East Asia.

Anet Newsletter No.2, page 4 (November 2002)

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