5. Shift toward competitive forestry and forest industry which are a fundamental of forest management
~ Revival of forestry and the forest industry by the expansion of domestic wood use ~
(Structural change required for forestry and forest industries)
In the process of the decline in demand for domestic wood, the areas of logging and silviculture, as well as the income of forest owners, has continued to decline, which means that discouraging their business will reduce the wood supply. The forestry and forest industry thus face a vicious circle.To escape from the vicious circle, a system must be built to satisfy consumer needs in terms of steady supply, quality and price
In addition, it is important to enhance the profitability of forestry and the forest industry by comprehensively making efficient use of the remaining materials in the forests and lumber mills as biomass.
With the increase in the amount of available domestic resources, the upward trend in the global demand for wood, the rising price of imported materials due to the price of oil, and improved processing technique enabling the use of domestic wood in plywood production, there has been a boost in the use of domestic wood.
Those in the forestry and forest industry should take this tailwind as a chance to accelerate efforts to establish a domestic wood supply system.
(Specific measures and directions)
In order to provide wood materials in a stable manner, it is necessary to advance structural change in the industry comprehensively, by integrating forestry operation, introducing an efficient operational system through the combination of forest road networks and highly efficient machinery, streamlining the product circulation system, enlarging lumber mills to provide high quality and high-performance products, such as dried wood, in a stable manner, and promoting cooperation among medium-sized factories.
With respect to particular the needs for seamless woods and specific varieties of wood, it is necessary to meet customer preferences, through the campaign “home building with wood materials which clearly show their quality and origin”
In order to trigger new demand for wood products, it is necessary to develop high value-added products, which meet consumer needs correctly, in the markets of apartment and office interiors and that of furniture, where the use of wood products is relatively limited. It is also necessary to strengthen cooperation among forest industries and home builders to develop general-purpose wood materials, which are easy to use when constructing homes.
As for the use of biomass, it is necessary to establish and expand the current use of biomass, such as for wood pellet boilers and papermaking materials, while in the field of the practical application of bioethanol, R & D activities should be accelerated to achieve a feasible price level as soon as possible.