Chesapeake

In Japan, Tokyo Bay is an equally important body of water that is remarkably similar to its American counterpart. Ecologically, both bays date back to the end of the Ice Age, about 12,000 years ago, and both historically have been relied upon for their rich resources of seafood. Like the Chesapeake Bay, Tokyo Bay has been a focal point for international trade and commerce. Contiguous to the capital of Japan, Tokyo Bay not only contributes to the nation’s economic prosperity, but also is strategically located near the heart of Japan’s business, governmental and political center. In recent years, the Tokyo Bay area has undergone a transformation as a result of new and innovative approaches to revitalize the surrounding waterfront and to promote tourism. Because the Chesapeake Bay and Tokyo Bay are similar in many ways, lessons learned from the Chesapeake Bay restoration experience may be useful for Japanese government officials, researchers, and planners in analyzing current policies and preparing for future strategies.

Approaches applied to the Chesapeake Bay environmental restoration process include:¹

Conducting comprehensive scientific studies that combine theory, detailed knowledge, monitoring and modeling
Creating clear, specific, comprehensive, and measurable goals with deadlines
Exercising flexibility and developing a diverse set of management tools to address differing problems and needs across the watershed
Involving the highest levels of leadership, such as state governors, mayors, federal government administrators, and elected congressional members
Informing and including a wide variety of private and public participants, including the academic community, businesses and citizens groups
Securing financial involvement of national and state agencies
Fostering interagency cooperation and coordination

Many of these approaches may have useful application for the Tokyo Bay. Some of these initiatives may be underway or completed.

Although the Chesapeake Bay’s environmental condition has improved gradually over the past thirty years, individuals involved in the Chesapeake Bay restoration effort have faced many challenges. For example, managing growth (such as urban sprawl, population growth, and local land use) is a continuing priority that is particularly complex in an area where land (especially waterfront property) is in high demand.² The overall success of the restoration program depends on support from all of the communities in the watershed. The Chesapeake Bay Program (CBP) — a regional partnership that has led and directed the environmental restoration of the Chesapeake Bay since 1983 — has been instrumental in the restoration process of the Chesapeake Bay.³ The CBP involves an institutionalized framework that helps coordinate the myriad activities and provides a forum for public participation. In evaluating the CBP, David Slater, Director of Communications at the Chesapeake Bay Foundation remarked that the establishment of the CBP was one of the most important successes in the restoration of the Bay because it brought together key federal and state agency representatives.⁴

In examining the restoration process of the Chesapeake Bay, it is important to remember that strategies and results are evolving constantly. Hundreds of individuals and organizations, as well as local, state, and federal government agencies are involved in creating new programs and regulations for a variety of issues that concern the Chesapeake Bay. The time, money, and resources spent on managing growth, preserving the natural habitat, and reducing pollution represent a kind of balancing act, and results sometimes are mixed. For what could potentially be a chaotic and disorganized undertaking, the Chesapeake Bay 2000 Agreement — a comprehensive agreement that outlines restoration efforts for the next ten years — helps to provide shared principles and deadline-driven goals.⁵ The ongoing challenge is to maintain the political will and the public support needed to accomplish the step-by-step process of restoring the Chesapeake Bay.

As future environmental policies and plans continue to be analyzed for the benefit of the 26 million people in the area of Tokyo Bay, it is imperative to develop a strong sense of collective dedication to the task and to examine various creative approaches in order to make serious progress. Funding for the environment, economic development and social programs is always a challenge — not only in the United States, but also in Japan. A careful consideration of some of the funding initiatives, such as the sale of specialty automobile license tags that have worked in the U.S. may provide appropriate approaches that could apply to the restoration of Tokyo Bay. Sustainable waterfront development that is targeted strategically to achieve significant levels of economic development is an objective that is an ideal, but it takes serious commitment to achieve in the short term. There is an ongoing challenge in achieving the delicate balance between the “health” of the ecosystem on one hand and economic development on the other hand. Dialogue among some of the stakeholder organizations in the area of Tokyo Bay with their counterparts in the area of Chesapeake Bay could be a step in the right direction for both regions.

¹Ann Pesiri Swanson. “Lessons From the Chesapeake Bay Have Applications Elsewhere.” Bay Journal. December 2001.
²Glenn Markwith, DOD Chesapeake Bay Program Coordinator, U.S. Department of Defense: Telephone Interview on January 23, 2002.
³“About the Bay Program.” Chesapeake Bay Program Internet Website. 2002.
⁴David Slater. Director of Communications, Chesapeake Bay Foundation: Telephone Interview on January 24, 2002.
⁵“Chesapeake 2000 Agreement.” Chesapeake Bay Program Internet Website. 2002.



Environmental Restoration of the Chesapeake Bay: Lessons Learned May Be Applicable to Tokyo Bay The Chesapeake Bay has figured prominently throughout American history. Near the nation’s capital, the estuary is a strategically-located body of water utilized for diverse purposes, ranging from commercial fishing to recreation, as well as for military and commercial port activities and shipbuilding. Over time, the Bay and its natural habitat have suffered from environmental degradation. Industrial development, agricultural expansion, and population growth in the watershed, as well as shoreline erosion and pollution, have taken a severe toll on the ecosystem. Efforts to restore the natural habitat of the Chesapeake Bay have developed over the past twenty years and remain a priority for many residents, businesses, government officials and politicians in the region. In terms of political realities, the Chesapeake Bay area is arguably among the most complex in the nation. Federal, state and local concerns must all be considered and coordinated in order to accomplish feasible restoration goals. In Japan, Tokyo Bay is an equally important body of water that is remarkably similar to its American counterpart. Ecologically, both bays date back to the end of the Ice Age, about 12,000 years ago, and both historically have been relied upon for their rich resources of seafood. Like the Chesapeake Bay, Tokyo Bay has been a focal point for international trade and commerce. Contiguous to the capital of Japan, Tokyo Bay not only contributes to the nation’s economic prosperity, but also is strategically located near the heart of Japan’s business, governmental and political center. In recent years, the Tokyo Bay area has undergone a transformation as a result of new and innovative approaches to revitalize the surrounding waterfront and to promote tourism. Because the Chesapeake Bay and Tokyo Bay are similar in many ways, lessons learned from the Chesapeake Bay restoration experience may be useful for Japanese government officials, researchers, and planners in analyzing current policies and preparing for future strategies. Approaches applied to the Chesapeake Bay environmental restoration process include:¹ Conducting comprehensive scientific studies that combine theory, detailed knowledge, monitoring and modeling Creating clear, specific, comprehensive, and measurable goals with deadlines Exercising flexibility and developing a diverse set of management tools to address differing problems and needs across the watershed Involving the highest levels of leadership, such as state governors, mayors, federal government administrators, and elected congressional members Informing and including a wide variety of private and public participants, including the academic community, businesses and citizens groups Securing financial involvement of national and state agencies Fostering interagency cooperation and coordination Many of these approaches may have useful application for the Tokyo Bay. Some of these initiatives may be underway or completed. Although the Chesapeake Bay’s environmental condition has improved gradually over the past thirty years, individuals involved in the Chesapeake Bay restoration effort have faced many challenges. For example, managing growth (such as urban sprawl, population growth, and local land use) is a continuing priority that is particularly complex in an area where land (especially waterfront property) is in high demand.² The overall success of the restoration program depends on support from all of the communities in the watershed. The Chesapeake Bay Program (CBP) — a regional partnership that has led and directed the environmental restoration of the Chesapeake Bay since 1983 — has been instrumental in the restoration process of the Chesapeake Bay.³ The CBP involves an institutionalized framework that helps coordinate the myriad activities and provides a forum for public participation. In evaluating the CBP, David Slater, Director of Communications at the Chesapeake Bay Foundation remarked that the establishment of the CBP was one of the most important successes in the restoration of the Bay because it brought together key federal and state agency representatives.⁴ In examining the restoration process of the Chesapeake Bay, it is important to remember that strategies and results are evolving constantly. Hundreds of individuals and organizations, as well as local, state, and federal government agencies are involved in creating new programs and regulations for a variety of issues that concern the Chesapeake Bay. The time, money, and resources spent on managing growth, preserving the natural habitat, and reducing pollution represent a kind of balancing act, and results sometimes are mixed. For what could potentially be a chaotic and disorganized undertaking, the Chesapeake Bay 2000 Agreement — a comprehensive agreement that outlines restoration efforts for the next ten years — helps to provide shared principles and deadline-driven goals.⁵ The ongoing challenge is to maintain the political will and the public support needed to accomplish the step-by-step process of restoring the Chesapeake Bay. As future environmental policies and plans continue to be analyzed for the benefit of the 26 million people in the area of Tokyo Bay, it is imperative to develop a strong sense of collective dedication to the task and to examine various creative approaches in order to make serious progress. Funding for the environment, economic development and social programs is always a challenge — not only in the United States, but also in Japan. A careful consideration of some of the funding initiatives, such as the sale of specialty automobile license tags that have worked in the U.S. may provide appropriate approaches that could apply to the restoration of Tokyo Bay. Sustainable waterfront development that is targeted strategically to achieve significant levels of economic development is an objective that is an ideal, but it takes serious commitment to achieve in the short term. There is an ongoing challenge in achieving the delicate balance between the “health” of the ecosystem on one hand and economic development on the other hand. Dialogue among some of the stakeholder organizations in the area of Tokyo Bay with their counterparts in the area of Chesapeake Bay could be a step in the right direction for both regions. ___________________________________ ¹Ann Pesiri Swanson. “Lessons From the Chesapeake Bay Have Applications Elsewhere.” Bay Journal. December 2001. ²Glenn Markwith, DOD Chesapeake Bay Program Coordinator, U.S. Department of Defense: Telephone Interview on January 23, 2002. ³“About the Bay Program.” Chesapeake Bay Program Internet Website. 2002. ⁴David Slater. Director of Communications, Chesapeake Bay Foundation: Telephone Interview on January 24, 2002. ⁵“Chesapeake 2000 Agreement.” Chesapeake Bay Program Internet Website. 2002.