Abstract
The regional economic impacts of the construction of timber and concrete check dams in Akita prefecture, Japan, were compared. When functions are appropriately unified, a concrete check dam is cheaper to build than a timber one; the difference in construction costs can be used by the government to issue premium vouchers as a regional promotion measure. To evaluate the effect of this, we extended the latest input–output table for Akita Prefecture to include timber and concrete check dam construction sectors. Concrete check dam construction with premium-voucher issuance had a total effect of 46,064,000 yen (economic impact ratio: 1.49; increased employment: 4.68 people). It also had an indirect economic impact on the plywood sector, since plywood was used as formwork, and issuing premium vouchers had a ripple effect on many industries in the region. However, timber check-dam construction had a total effect of 57,706,000 yen (economic impact ratio: 1.86; increased employment: 5.11 people) and a larger effect on the timber, logs, and silviculture sectors. Therefore, despite higher initial costs, timber check dam construction has the greater economic and employment impact on a region through its large ripple effects on the forestry and wood industries.
Highlights
The frequency and intensity of heavy rainfall has increased in several parts of the world [1]
Despite its higher initial cost, the timber dam has a better regional economic impact than the concrete dam, even when the government issues premium vouchers to regional residents to encourage consumption within a region affected by concrete dam construction
We propose a versatile method that can be applied to the comparison of regional economic impacts of structures and public works other than check dams
Summary
The frequency and intensity of heavy rainfall has increased in several parts of the world [1]. In areas such as Japan, where the terrain is frequently steep and prone to landslides, typhoons and heavy rains have had calamitous effects in recent years [2]. In 2019, storm damage to forests was massive, costing approximately 80.5 billion yen [3]. Given both the obvious need for disaster prevention and the multifunctional roles played by forests in Japan [3], preservation of wooded areas from storm-induced flooding and erosion is a necessity.
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
