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The geographical features of the Shiga Highland Biosphere Reserve are the mountains formed by volcanic activities and valleys, river terraces, and alluvial fans formed by rivers. The surface layer of the mountains and valleys is covered by forests while habitats, paddy fields, fields, and orchards are spread around the river terraces and alluvial fans. Mt. Shirane in the southeast of the Buffer Zone is an active volcano, around which vegetation affected by the volcanic activity exists.While deciduous broad-leaved forests spread across the zone at less than 1,600-1,700 m above sea level, the parts affected by humans are covered by secondary forests of broad-leaved deciduous trees, planted coniferous forests, or bamboo bushes.Habitats, paddy fields, fields, and orchards spread around the river terraces, alluvial fans, and hills less than 800 m above sea level where volcanic hot springs rise in many places. In the rural zone, the landscape of typical Japanese Satoyama, which comprises secondary forests managed by humans and pastoral land, can be seen.Many mammals such as Japanese macaque (Macaca fuscata), Japanese dormouse (Glirulus japonicus), Asian black bear (Ursus thibetanus), stoat (Mustela erminea) and aves such as golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos), coal tit (Periparus ater) and olive-backed pipit (Anthus hodgsoni) inhabit the area.