d) Means for preservation/conservation

iv) Other effective laws and regulations for the protection of the surrounding area Parts of both Shirakawa-Mura and Kamitaira-Mura are included in the area designated as the Hakusan National Park in accordance with the Natural Park Law. Such actions as new construction or the rebuilding of structures, the cutting of trees/bamboo, land reclamation and the alteration of land characteristics are regulated. Most of the forested areas in the three Mura districts were designated as Forest Reserves in accordance with the Forest Law. Regulations control such actions as the cutting of trees, the collection of earth, rocks, or minerals, and the alteration of land characteristics. Also, people cannot freely change the land use of cultivated land into any other uses without official permission, as the Agricultural Land Law strictly controls agricultural land use in all three Mura districts. In addition, in most of the villages in these three Mura districts, the village land areas and the surrounding cultivated land areas are designated as Agricultural Promotion Areas in accordance with the Law Concerning Establishment of Agricultural Promotion Areas. Under this law also, changes of land-use classification are regulated and people cannot freely change irrigated land or dry crop land to other usage. Also, all development actions such as land preparation for housing sites, new construction or the rebuilding of structures are controlled. The Sho River, which flows alongside or through the designated properties, was designated as a Class A River in accordance with the River Law. The river is under the control of the Construction Ministry and private development is prohibited. In this river area, the regulations prohibit such actions as the exclusive use of land, the collection of earth, rocks or minerals, as well as new construction or the rebuilding of structures, the cutting of trees/bamboo, land reclamation and the alteration of land characteristics. Parts of Shirakawa-Mura were designated as Natural Environment Conservation Areas and also as Green Environment Conservation Areas in accordance with the Gifu Prefectural Natural Environment Conservation Regulation. These regulations control such actions as the collection of earth, rocks or minerals as well as new construction or the rebuilding of structures, the cutting of trees/bamboo, land reclamation and the alteration of land characteristics. Appendix 4 : Maps indicating the zones of legal protection 4a: Maps indicating the zones of legal protection 4b: Ogimachi Village (detailed map) 4c: Ainokura Village (detailed map) 4d: Suganuma Village (detailed map) Appendix 13 : Summary of laws and regulations related to buildings and land use in the nominated areas and surrounding buffer zones Additional Reference Materials 2b : Preservation Plan for the Shirakawa-Mura Ogimachi Preservation District for Groups of Historic Buildings Additional Reference Materials 3b : Preservation Plan for the Taira-Mura Ainokura Preservation District for Groups of Historic Buildings Additional Reference Materials 4b : Preservation Plan for the Kamitaira-Mura Suganuma Preservation Districts for Groups of Historic Buildings