A basic study on tree growth and landscape greening in Coastal Urban areas: The case of Hakata port in Fukuoka City, Japan

Abstract

Fukuoka City is one of Japan's most advanced cities in incorporating climate change and greening into its policies. This study focuses on seven port green areas adjacent to Hakata Port in Fukuoka City. The purpose of this study is to clarify the relationship between the tree growth vitality and the outline of the plan in port green areas within 100m of the coastline and to provide guidelines for sustainable green space management. During the field survey, tree species in the port green space were identified, and the growth activity of representative tree species was evaluated. A literature review and interviews with stakeholders provided insight into the historical and technical aspects of green space development from the 1970s to the 2000s. The study identified Machilus thunbergii, Morella rubra, and Pasania edulis as representative tree species forming the port green space in Fukuoka City. These trees showed a trend of fewer trees with poor growth vigor in green spaces opened between 1995 and 2007, suggesting that differences in growth vigor reflect greening maintenance policies, soil research results, and other factors. However, growth differences may also be influenced by soil conditions, wind speeds, and human activities. Therefore, further analysis using more detailed physical and chemical surveys, wind conditions, and human use data is needed. By reviewing 35 years of port green space development, this study confirms that iterative maintenance improvements and policy establishment have contributed to better tree growth vitality.