It’s like when a person falls and gets a scrape or a bruise – while it may look serious on the surface, their overall vitality isn’t compromised,” she says. “Similarly, such a coastline remains resilient. Even if the surface layer of sand is completely stripped away, it will eventually come back. As long as the dune is in a healthy state, it will function as a natural seawall, basically.
Deep down, I know that everyone shares the same wish to protect the beach – Hisami Take
In Katoku, planting projects led by volunteers and locals have taken place several times since 2015, before the seawall was approved. Planting of pandanus trees and morning glories – both also indigenous to Amami – mirrors the restoration initiatives in Hawaii that utilise the inherent regenerative power of coastal dunes.
“The area in front of the cemetery is now flourishing with tall pandanus trees, and the once-severe erosion has disappeared,” says 90-year-old Hiroaki Sono, who has lived on the island for most of his life and leads the non-profit Environmental Network Amami. However, he adds, the long-term sand movements and characteristics of the beach should be studied “more closely” before any decision is made on how best to protect the habitat. Kagoshima Prefecture did not respond to the BBC’s request for comment.
Local collaboration is a crucial part of implementing nature-based solutions, adds Naoshi Nagae, a conservationist and the head of the local Amami Nature School, who focuses on environmental education by leveraging the knowledge of locals. For example, as pandanus trees take time to grow, it is better to use transplants of young trees rather than seeds, he says. “Ideally, these trees should come from the same village, or at least a neighbouring one, to avoid invasive species.”
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The debate over the two proposed solutions to save Katoku Beach – building the seawall or restoring the natural sand dune through planting of local species – has sparked an ongoing conflict among the community at Amami. “This seawall controversy is not just about nature and people’s lives, it’s a barrier dividing us,” says Takaki.
Eriko Minayoshi, a traditional folk singer, has been part of a long-running sit-in protest against the construction. “At the site, no one is offering any real explanation,” she says. “All they say is, ‘You are blocking business, get out of the way.’ Every day feels like an emotional weight. Even in my sleep, I am haunted by images of construction.” She has also begun to feel the toll of the protest on her body, she says. The construction firm did not respond to the BBC’s request for comment.
Take believes that an open dialogue between the residents and the authorities is essential to finding solutions. “Deep down, I know that everyone shares the same wish to protect the beach,” she says. “We need to work together to discuss and find what is truly best for everyone, for our Katoku beach.”