Chapter V Measures for the “Forest for the People” in the National Forest
1. Roles of the National Forest
The National Forest, which covers nearly 30% of the forest area in Japan, is widely located in backland dividing mountains and headwater areas. They are national assets, which play an important role in the maintenance and conservation of national land, water resources, and others.
The National Forest includes not only the regions registered as UNESCO World Natural Heritage Areas, such as Shiretoko (terrestrial areas), Shirakami mountains, and Yakushima Island, but also many primitive naturally regenerated forests, which are important habitats for precious wild plants and animals.
The Basic Management Plan for National Forest clearly presents the basic principles for forest management, in order to promote the maintenance and enhancement of the public forest functions, and addresses initiatives to mitigate global warming as well as supporting the “People's participation in forest management campaign”.
2. Administration and management to realize “Forest for the People”
In order to ensure a safe and secure living environment for the people, forest conservation projects are implemented in an organized manner via the construction of forest conservation facilities as well as emergency recovery efforts for disaster-stricken districts.
Since 2006, in order to properly manage National Forest, “Green Support Staff” (forest protectors) have been making inspection tours to conserve and manage the forest ecosystem.
In order to protect precious forests, protected forests have been designated, so that forests are managed in line with natural changes. In addition, a network of “Green Corridors” has been established by linking protected forests, to induce the exchange of the population of wild habitats.
Based on the “10-Year Action Plan on the Mitigation of Global Warming by Forest Carbon Sinks”, efforts to mitigate global warming are implemented through forest management and conservation by means of thinning, for example, and the accelerated use of wood in forest civil engineering work.
The “People's participation in forest management campaign” is carried out in the form of the “Friendly Forest” campaign and the “Corporation Forest” campaign, in which volunteer groups and private companies engage in forest management and by establishing the “Fun Forest for field games and environmental education” program, under which natural fields are provided for schools.
In coordination with the use of wood resources in private and public forest, efforts are made to supply wood resources in a steady manner. In addition, an economical and highly efficient operational system is developed and spread.
In order to hand down historic wooden buildings to future generations, programs such as the “Forestation to support the culture of wood” are being implemented. In addition, rare wood such as natural Akita Sugi (Japanese cedar), which is difficult to obtain from private and public forest, is provided, in a sustainable and planned manner.