HAMADA DECLARATION

Foreword

The 55th FICC (Federation Internationale de Camping et de Caravanning) international rally was held in Hamada city, Shimane prefecture, Japan, for ten days around 1,500 coming from twenty-two different countries. Taking the advantage of this opportunity, a symposium on camping and environment was held at the rally site.

The choice of Hamada as the site of the rally and symposium was extremely significant in the light of
(1) that this city possesses both rich components of Japan's traditional culture tracing back to the reminiscent world of mythological age and attractive natural surroundings which would bless our relaxation,
(2) that this city has been positively involved in the development of recreational resources with deliberate considerations towards the protection of the natural environment, and
(3) that this city is located reasonably close to Hiroshima, the serene symbol of the global peace.

The large variety of themes on the interface between campers and natural environment were discussed on the basis of understanding that the harmonization of the nature, human beings and technology should be pursued.

In expectation that campers in every country will clearly recognize the aforementioned, and will exert their utmost efforts to realize this aim, we, participants in the symposium on camping and environment, have adopted the following declaration.

Declaration

By tradition, the life of camping relates its origin to our native ancestors,i.e., the nomads wherever to be found in Africa (Tuaregs). North America (Indians), or the period of neolithic hunters all over the world. Those so called "campers" were very relying on each other and deeply in harmony with the surrounding environment. In many aspects, the life of the campers of today has the same fundamental rules; the social importance of being together and being close to the nature, giving all of us a feeling of freedom and responsibility. We hereby declare our sincere intention to participate in actions that are required to realize this end.

We recommend the following actions be taken:

(1) Encouraging FICC to bring about a conference and a standing committee on how to combine environmental issues with camping and caravanning activities, how to increase positive externalities from campers to the neighboring natural and social environment, and how to solve these problems.

(2) Establishing the system to promote soundly and comprehensively the introduction of the minimum-impact code (MIC) extended to the natural environment in and around the campgrounds, provided that the MIC is not only a restrictive norm but also would give creative impetus to campers. The MIC secures the minimum standards to minimize the burden-impacts to natural environment surrounding campers so that the users of campgrounds may enjoy decent outdoor activities in harmonious coexistence with their relevant natural circumstances.

This effort would help campers to recognize the value of the access to the natural environment, to illuminate the problems of environmental degradation, and to improve the environmental quality.

(3) Creating code of conducts (CC) which contains
(i) increasing of the well-being among the fellow campers,
(ii) improvement of relationship between campers and local residents, and
(iii) description of environmentally friendly behavior, etc.

(4) Improving two-way information, education and communication on;
(i) continuous development of MIC and CC between campers and "private local interest groups and local authorities,"
(ii) cooperation in order to increase the outcomes of the technological progress in such a way that the friendly comfortability provided to us by the natural environment can be augmented without aggravating it.
(iii)education to promote the respect of the nature and of local interests among our younger generation of campers, and
(iv) increase of the provision of information about camping to the media.

Hamada, May 4, 1994