どんな人

・1964年、東京都西東京市生まれの二児の父親

・幼少期から昆虫、両生類、淡水魚などを採集しては飼育

・暇さえあれば、愛車Golf3-GTIを走らせ、素潜り、ガサガサ（水生生物採集）、焚火

O's Gardenの歩み

・1980年ごろから弟と庭池を設置したビオトープづくりを開始

・2023.10　環境省「自然共生サイト」認定

・2024.08　OECM国際データベース登録

・2025.09　地域生物多様性増進法「自然共生サイト」認定

仕事と庭づくりの歩み

・企業にて経理、財務、内部監査を経て監査役を経験後、会社勤めに区切りをつけセミリタイヤ

・現在は企業顧問等をしながら「野生生物にやさしい庭づくり」を楽しむ

主なメディア出演・掲載

・2023.10　「個人の庭は「希少」多様性保全区域」掲載（毎日新聞）

・2023.12　「Tokyo suburban residential garden designated as national biodiversity site」掲載（毎日新聞英字版）

・2024.06　「所さんの目がテン！」出演（日本テレビ）

・2024.08　「ダーウィンが来た！」出演（NHK）

・2025.03　「絶滅危惧種が庭に！」掲載（日本経済新聞）

​・2025.05　「園芸ガイド 2025夏･特大号」で "未来につなげる庭づくり" として掲載（主婦の友社）

広がる小さな庭の可能性

・講演などを通じて、都市の住宅街の庭における生物多様性の可能性を発信

ひとつの庭は小さくても、庭と庭がつながれば、そこには大きな生物多様性ネットワークが生まれます。

O's Gardenを通じて、都市の中にも生きものたちが安心して暮らせる場所を増やし、より深いつながりを育んでいきたいと願っています。

子どもたちと育む未来の自然

・幼稚園、保育園、小学校などで、身近な生き物たちの暮らしについての講演やビオトープづくりを実施

小さな水辺の生きものを通じて、子どもたちが生物多様性に興味を持ち、自分自身で観察し、感じたことを言葉にしながら、生きものと共に暮らす未来について考える時間を大切にしています。

子どもたちの自由な発想や小さな気づきは、私自身にも新しい向き合い方を教えてくれています。

海外とのつながり

・海外の専門家との交流を通じて、都市において生物多様性を育む可能性について学ぶ

英国のwildlife gardenerであるKate Bradburyさんと出会い交流を通じて、彼女の著書や考え方に多くの刺激を受け、野生生物にやさしい庭づくりへの理解を深めています。

また、米国のauthor and journalistであるEmma Marrisさんとの出会いは、ご家族とともにO's Gardenを訪れてくださり、生物多様性や庭づくり、さらには人と自然との関係について語り合う、貴重な時間を共有できる関係となりました。

お二人との出会いを通じて、たとえ小さな庭であっても、そこは人と人、考え方、そして自然への共通の思いが、国境を越えてつながり育っていく場所になり得るのだと感じています。

 

 

Nobu Otabe

Wildlife-friendly Gardener of O's Garden

A lifelong journey of creating a garden where wildlife and people can thrive together

​

A Childhood Connection with Wildlife

Born in Tokyo in 1964, I have been fascinated by insects, amphibians, and aquatic life since childhood.
From an early age, I was deeply inspired by the idea of creating places where living creatures could find a home.

The Story of O's Garden

In my twenties, I began creating a small pond in my garden, which became the foundation of my lifelong journey of living alongside wildlife.

For more than 40 years, I have continued to develop my home garden as a place where plants, animals, and people can coexist. Centered around its pond, O's Garden has gradually grown into a small ecosystem where many species thrive throughout the changing seasons.

Although located in a residential area of Tokyo, the garden has become a refuge for a variety of wildlife, including endangered species. In 2023, O's Garden was officially recognized as a Nature Symbiosis Site by Japan's Ministry of the Environment, and was later registered as an OECM (Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measure) in the international database.

My Career and My Garden Journey

For 34 years, I worked in the corporate field, specializing in accounting, internal auditing, and internal control.

I continue to provide accounting support for companies today, but I have gradually reduced this work in order to devote more time to my garden, the wildlife that inhabits it, and the promotion of wildlife-friendly gardening.

Media Coverage

O's Garden and its approach to biodiversity conservation have been featured in various media, including television programs, newspapers, and magazines.

• October 2023 — Featured in The Mainichi Shimbun: “A Private Garden Recognized as a Rare Biodiversity Conservation Area”

• December 2023 — Featured in The Mainichi (English Edition): “Tokyo suburban residential garden designated as national biodiversity site”

• June 2024 — Featured on Japanese television program Tokoro-san no Me ga Ten! (Nippon TV), introducing O’s Garden as an example of urban biodiversity.

• August 2024 — Featured on NHK’s popular nature documentary program Darwin ga Kita! (Darwin Comes to You!), introducing the biodiversity of O’s Garden.

• March 2025 — Featured in Nikkei: “Endangered Species Living in a Private Garden”

• May 2025 — Featured in Engei Guide Summer 2025 Special Issue as “Gardening for the Future” (Shufu-no-Tomo)

A Small Garden with a Bigger Possibility

Through television programs, newspapers, magazines, lectures, and educational activities, I share the possibilities of creating spaces for biodiversity even within urban environments.

What I value most is not a garden where humans simply control nature, but a garden that changes and grows together with the living creatures that inhabit it.

Even a single small garden can become part of a much larger network of nature when gardens are connected.

Through O's Garden, I hope to continue creating places where wildlife can live safely within our cities and to nurture a deeper relationship between people and nature.

Inspiring the Next Generation

In recent years, I have also been sharing the joy of connecting with wildlife through environmental education programs at kindergartens, preschools, and elementary schools.

Through encounters with frogs, aquatic creatures, and other small forms of life, I encourage children to observe carefully, share their thoughts, and discover their own connections with nature.

Rather than simply teaching children about wildlife, I value creating opportunities for them to ask questions, express their ideas, and develop a sense of wonder through their own experiences.

I believe that a relationship with nature begins with curiosity and empathy. The children's imagination and small discoveries also teach me new ways of seeing and connecting with nature.

Through these experiences, O's Garden has expanded beyond a private garden into a place where people of all ages can rediscover their connection with the natural world.

International Connections

I also continue to learn from and exchange professionals around the world, deepening my understanding of how biodiversity can flourish in urban environments.

My connection with wildlife gardener Kate Bradbury (UK) began after I discovered her work through a Japanese television program and reached out to her via Instagram. Her books and insights have continued to inspire my journey in wildlife-friendly gardening.

After reading the work of author and journalist Emma Marris (USA), I contacted her through her website. This led to a meaningful visit to O's Garden, where Emma and her family spent time exploring the garden and sharing ideas about biodiversity, gardens, and our relationship with the natural world.

These encounters have reminded me that even a small garden can become a place where people, ideas, and a shared love for nature can grow beyond borders. Through O's Garden, I hope to continue nurturing these connections and creating spaces where wildlife and people can thrive together.