The Field Science Education and Research Center of Kyoto University was established to promote studies of the global environment from the viewpoint of clarifying mechanisms of interaction among ecosystems. An introduction will be presented about the creation of the integrated research on forests, river systems and seas and the development of education based on field science, as the core of the Center's activity.

My interest in ships led me to be involved in eagerly collecting wooden ships, which are now disappearing, and has finally driven me to construct and manage the "Michinoku Traditional Wooden Boat Museum," in which Japanese-style ships with a central focus on wooden fisher-boats are conserved, exhibited and utilized. I want to hand down wooden fisher-boats and the lifestyles of the users to future generations, as well as to enhance people's interest in the preservation of the marine environment.

After the 9/11 terrorist attacks in USA, the sense of crisis about "maritime security" was rapidly enhanced. U.S.-led development of international rules has been conducted to prevent terrorist attacks against ships and harbor facilities, however, it can be said that there exists a mountain of problems in enforcement. None of the problems in maritime security can be managed uniformly or routinely. All the problems require coordination among various fields or many-sided and deliberate discussions.