Minami Iwo Jima Natural Environment Survey

In part of its efforts to have the Ogasawara Archipelago inscribed as a World Natural Heritage Site, the Tokyo Municipal Government conducted a survey to investigate the natural environment of Minami Iwo Jima, which was said to still house pristine nature. The municipality conducted the survey in cooperation with Tokyo Metropolitan University. It ran from Saturday, June 16, to Thursday, June 28, 2011, and sought to prove the area's value as a heritage site. This was the first survey of its kind in 25 years, the last such survey having been performed in 1982 by the Federal Environmental Agency (now the Ministry of the Environment).
The tropical and sub-tropical plant life, the terrain formed from marine erosion, and the sea birds that inhabit Minami Iwo Jima are very unique. Furthermore, the steep terrain and harsh natural environment have preserved Minami Iwo Jima as the only island in Ogasawara that has never seen human encroachment. For these reasons,the island is heavily protected by environmental preservation laws, which designate it as a wildlife conservation area.
The 2011 survey examined the island's flora and fauna and the current conditions of the island's geology, while at the same time acquiring numerous samples to research the processes of specialization and evolution of seeds. For details, see the following preliminary survey reports:

Detailed academic analysis was added to these preliminary survey reports, which included with the World Natural Heritage Site Inscription Recommendation that the Japanese government submitted to UNESCO. In 2011, the Ogasawara Islands were inscribed as a UNESCO World Natural Heritage site.