DRAGONFLIES ARE BACK IN TOWN

Greening Activities in Collaboration with Communities

[Japan] Mazda Motor Corporation

Dragonfly migration to green space in industrial zone

Dragonfly migration to green space in industrial zone

The Mazda R&D Center Yokohama (MRY), Mazda's base for research and development in Yokohama, has supported the Keihin Afforestation Project promoted by Yokohama City. Since 2004, they have also supported "How Far Does a Dragonfly Fly?" Forum, a collaborative project implemented by companies, universities, local governments, and citizens to investigate and track the flight of dragonflies. Through such projects, they are working to revitalize nature and expand green environments.
In 2009, MRY transplanted indigenous wild water plants to create a biotope based in a pond on the premises. Now there are many unusual creatures living in the water, and rare dragonfly including polycanthagyna melanictera visit the biotope. This project has received high praise from experts, who have said that the development of green spaces in the Keihin Industrial Zone has allowed these rare dragonflies to return.
Investigations of the flight of dragonflies are carried out every summer when the dragonfly population is stable, in 10 locations in coastal industrial areas.

In FY2019, MRY cooperated in conducting a survey from August 7-9, during which investigators and MRY staff observed and caught dragonflies to trace their species, condition of arrival, and travel between survey points. (Dragonflies were released after the survey.) Additionally, the Forum held the 30th National Dragonfly Summit in Yokohama, its original location; Mazda supported the milestone event.

Greening Activities in Collaboration with Communities


By the numbers
Duration of program: 16 years