Pl-3-2 
The ARC/INFO (ESRI’s product) was used for the GIS 
analysis and ERDAS IMAGINE for preparing the vegetation 
map generated form the LANDSAT data. The following data 
were used: 
1) Topological data (Scale 1 25,000) 
- Wetland, water streams (map symbol) 
- Road data (map symbol) 
Building data (concentrated area) 
Contour data (map symbol) 
2) Natural environment data 
- Vegetation data 
Kushiro Wetland (digital data of 1993) 
Furen Lake map generated from LANDSAT MSS 
data supervised by vegetation map (Environmental 
Agency) 
3) Social factor data (Scale 1:50,000) 
Natural park developing regulation on Kushiro’s 
Wetland 
Planning map of the Hokkaido’s National Park 
(Furen Lake and surrounding) 
4) Crane’s nesting distribution 
- Kushiro Wetland (survey from 1990 to 1994) 
- Furen Lake and surrounding (study of 1994) 
3. CRANES’ NESTING SITE 
The area is usually covered with snow m the winter, therefore 
the laying of eggs start m spring (around March), starts 
growing and attains full growth till August and occupies the 
areas as home range. The behavior of the crane can be 
known after autumn and it is usually seen that crane starts 
approachmg near people’s living area m the afternoon, goes 
near the water streams in the night. Recently nesting sites 
are found to be narrowing and thus the habitats are becoming 
crowded. It is expected that cranes’ population might 
increase depending upon the environmental situation. 
4. SPATIAL ANALYSIS 
The following landscape ecology was considered with the 
previous available information on the nesting site. 
1) The variation of path for the nesting site on the wetland 
2) The situation of the terrain: the flat situation of the land 
and patch and barrier 
3) Favorable condition: corridor type 
4) Unfavorable condition: type of barrier 
5. TEMPORAL ANALYSIS OF THE KUSHIRO 
WETLAND 
The analysis was done to find out the changes that took place 
for the nesting site environment. The followings were 
observed (Murakami et al., 1996): 
1) The size of the home range and number of nestmg site 
2) The change and vegetation cover around the nestmg site 
3) The number of nestmg site and development regulation 
4) The factors of corridor and barrier affecting nestmg sites 
Change of the home range 
The Figure 1 shows the comparative results for the changes 
from 1990 for the home range and number of nesting site. In 
1992 the area was affected by snow melting and floods so the 
identified nestmg sites and available data were less. The 
home range was found to be narrowed and in 1994 it was 
found to be half as compared to the range of 1990. 
Relationship with the vegetation 
In Figure 2, the variation of the home range and vegetation is 
shown. In subsequent years no change was observed for the 
home range. The information on vegetation was important 
for selectmg the nestmg site. 
Effect of development regulation 
The trend of the development places of the National Park and 
distribution of the nestmg site is shown m Figure 3. The 
tendency of crane was to prefer the areas other than Wetland 
Park. The cranes remam away from the areas affected by 
development regulation. 
Relationship of nesting site and affecting factors 
The Table 2 shows the factors, roads, buildings and water 
bodies, affecting the distance of nestmg sites. It was found 
that the nestmg sites are located near the roads and buildings. 
The cranes prefer to grow around people’s living area. The 
correlation analysis is shown m Table 3. The Figure 4 shows 
the correlation variation m relation to the affecting factors. 
The followings were observed: 
1) When nestmg site mcreases, home range becomes small 
2) When nestmg site mcreased, there was no site near water 
streams, i.e., distance from the water stream is away and 
sites were less 
3) Distance from the road, housing, nearer place was 
selected