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Corporate Social Responsibility and the Environment
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Advantest's Environmental Vision
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Environmental Measures at Advantest Facilities
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Advantest Products and the Environment
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Conserving Ecosystems, Helping Society
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Better Communications for a Better Future
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In accordance with our theme of coexistence with nature, Advantest has established one of the largest biotopes to be created by a company in Japan, at our Gunma R&D Center, aiming to bring back to life the traditional rural landscape of the Kanto Plain.
Focusing on ponds, wetlands and streams, we have planted aquatic plants and trees that blend with the surrounding natural environment, aiming to form a network with that environment. It has grown into an ecosystem supporting diverse species of insects, birds and so forth.
The Advantest biotope is used for environmental education, enabling employees to learn about the importance of the global environment, and also as a place for communication with the local community.
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Biotope: |
The word comes from the German, combining "bio" (living organisms) and "tope".
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Biotope description
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| Location: |
336-1, Ohwa, Meiwa-machi, Ora-gun, Gunma
Within the Gunma R&D Center site |
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Area: |
17,000m2 (100m × 170m) |
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| Vegetation: |
Tall trees: |
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30 species including kinds of oak (kunugi, konara, kashi) |
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Medium-sized trees: |
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5 species including camellia, Japanese privet, etc. |
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Shrubs: |
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15 species including kurume azalea, Japanese laurel, etc. |
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Aquatic plants: |
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10 species including common reed, cattail, Japanese parsley, calamus, etc. |
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Landscape: |
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Composed of ponds, streams, ecotones*, meadows, woodland |
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Ecotone: |
An environmental transition zone bordering on a different environment, such as the water's edge, grasslands, woodlands etc.
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Biotope mechanisms
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We have put in place biotope mechanisms* in 10 sites within the biotope area, to support a variety of living creatures, and have kept track of how they are being used.
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Biotope mechanism: piles of logs, stones etc.
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| An environment created by piling logs together. The surface is dry but it is moist inside, so reptiles and insects live and lay eggs there. |
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| <Species confirmed> |
| Reptiles: |
snakes (eggs), Japanese grass lizard etc. |
| Insects: |
small stag beetle (larvae), assassin bug, seven-spotted lady beetle, etc. |
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2) |
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Cut bamboo biotope mechanism
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| Bundles of cut bamboo sticks were put on the ground and above ground. Insects live in the bamboo and in the gap between the bundles. |
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| <Species confirmed> |
| Insects: |
a kind of wasp (Isodontia nigella), solitary wasp (Anterhynchium flavomarginatum micado), type of earwig (Carcinophora marginalis), etc. |
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3) |
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Piled stones biotope mechanism
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| A mechanism in which large and small stones are arranged in a pile. Insects live under and in the gaps between the stones. |
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| <Species confirmed> |
| Insects: |
Enma cricket, Loxoblemmus campestris, Panagaeus japonicus Chaudoir, etc. |
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4) |
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Sand gravel biotope mechanism
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| Uses fine sand. Insects live on the surface of the sand gravel. |
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| <Species confirmed> |
| Insects: |
Enma cricket, Pyrrhocoris sibiricus, Harpalus tinctulus, etc. |
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A place for relaxation
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The biotope functions as a place where employees can learn about the environment, as well as a place where they can have a relaxing encounter with nature. Many employees go for a walk in the biotope during lunch breaks, observing the animals and plants. We also undertook a survey of employees regarding the biotope, and are using the results to improve biotope management. Further, we sometimes open the biotope to the public as a place for communication and interaction, holding events for the local community and so on.
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