The first-class river "Takahashi River" flows through Kurashiki City.
It originates from Hanamiyama (elevation 1,188m: Niimi City), and in Niimi City, forest management is being carried out to enhance the functions of water source conservation and sediment runoff prevention that support the rich water environment of the Takahashi River.
The author, who lives in Kurashiki City, had never visited the "source area of the Takahashi River".
In such a context, last year (2022), I participated in the forest conservation activities of "JT's Forest Koigakubo in Niimi" in collaboration with Japan Tobacco Inc. (hereafter, JT) and saw the current river basin.
And this year (2023), I was given the opportunity to participate again, so I will introduce the "JT's Forest Koigakubo in Niimi 2023 Autumn Forest Conservation Activities" held on October 14, 2023 (Saturday).
What is "JT's Forest Koigakubo in Niimi"
The JT Group, which conducts business activities centered on tobacco, pharmaceuticals, and processed foods, utilizes natural-derived raw materials such as leaf tobacco, paper, and vegetables in its operations.
As part of its environmental conservation efforts, forest conservation activities are promoted under the name "JT's Forest," and as of October 2023, activities are ongoing in nine locations nationwide.
In Okayama Prefecture, there is "JT's Forest Koigakubo in Niimi," where forest conservation activities centered around Koigakubo Wetland are being conducted.
Koigakubo Wetland
It is a region where over 300 species of plants, including Ogura-sennou, grow naturally, and it was designated as a natural monument of Japan on March 6, 1980, as the "Koigakubo Wetland Plant Community."
"JT's Forest Koigakubo in Niimi" utilizes Okayama Prefecture's "Forest Creation Project in Collaboration with Companies" and has been conducting forest conservation activities in collaboration with Niimi City for about six years since November 2016.
The activities are divided into the first phase from 2016 and the second phase, which began in 2022 with a change in the target forest area, and the autumn forest conservation activities of 2023 were conducted as the second activity of the second phase.
Contents of the 2023 Autumn Forest Conservation Activities
The autumn forest conservation activities of 2023 were conducted mainly on "Low-Pollen Cedar Planting" and proceeded as follows.
- Opening Ceremony (Greetings from the organizers / Commemorative photo)
- Forest Conservation Activities (Low-Pollen Cedar Planting)
- Lunch & Rice Flour Pizza Making
- Forest Extracurricular Class (moritomirai Card Game)
Items 1 and 2 were morning activities, while items 3 and 4 were afternoon activities.
A total of 97 participants, including employees of the JT Group centered in Okayama, Hiroshima, and Shimane Prefectures, employees of business partners, and their families, were divided into five groups for the activities.
Opening Ceremony
During the opening ceremony, greetings were given in the following order by the guests.
- Niimi City Mayor Ebisu Hitoshi
- JT Executive Officer Fujiwara Suguru
After that, there was an introduction of participating organizations and staff, and the forest conservation activities finally began.
Forest Conservation Activities (Low-Pollen Cedar Planting)
We moved to a venue about a five-minute walk from the opening ceremony site.
There, we found a vast area that seemed to have been recently cleared of trees.
As part of the forest conservation activities, the planting of low-pollen cedar is the focus of this activity.
Low-Pollen Cedar
It is a variety of cedar that produces almost no pollen.
It is selected from existing cedar trees that produce little pollen, researched, and registered as low-pollen cedar if it meets the national pollen quantity standards set by the government.
Compared to the previous pollen emission levels, the pollen emission level for cedar is less than 1%.
◆Quoted from the leaflet distributed on-site
First, there was an explanation of the planting method.
- Dig a hole about 20cm deep
- Plant the low-pollen cedar container seedling
- Cover with soil
- Firm the base
- Cover with soil again
Container Seedlings
These are seedlings grown in special containers called containers, which have holes in the bottom. When the roots are exposed to air, their growth stops, so root cutting is unnecessary.
Since they are planted with soil attached to the roots, they have a high survival rate even outside the conventional planting seasons (spring and autumn). Additionally, the planting holes can be smaller, making planting easier. Growth can be expected from the year of planting, among other advantages.
◆Quoted from the leaflet distributed on-site
This is all there is to the process.
A total of 600 seedlings will be planted, so I heard that each person's quota is "about 10 seedlings."
Honestly, I thought, "It's just planting, so it should be easy," but I quickly realized that this assumption was naive...
After that, we divided into five groups to carry out the planting work.
First, we dig holes with a hoe.
This turns out to be much harder than I expected.
After that, we plant the container seedlings.
Since this land was recently cleared, there are many roots and other remnants left, making it difficult to dig the soil easily.
This is not a "field".
At first, we were enjoying the activities, but soon everyone became silent and serious.
After about 60 minutes of activity, everyone cheered when they finally finished planting 600 trees, drenched in sweat.
Lunch & Making Rice Flour Pizza
Afterwards, we moved to "Michi no Eki Koigakubo" for lunchtime.
Chestnut rice, soup, Niimi Sanmai skewers, rice flour pizza, and Pione grapes were prepared, and since everyone was hungry from the forest conservation activities, participants enjoyed their meal with smiles.
Additionally, there was a hands-on experience for making rice flour pizza, where the children made their original pizzas with their favorite toppings.
After lunch, we moved to the conference room at the Tetsusei Branch of Niimi City located on the premises and engaged in a forest extracurricular class.
Forest Extracurricular Class (moritomirai Card Game)
In the afternoon, we conducted the card game "moritomirai" as part of the forest extracurricular class.
The facilitator is Hideyoshi Kaminaga, the representative director of the general incorporated association HALOMY.
The card game "moritomirai" is a game where players such as landowners, forestry cooperatives, hunters, government officials, housing manufacturers, and school teachers consider the changing forest through repeated actions related to work and life.
On the day, there were a total of 2 teams, with each team consisting of about 4 players who took on roles such as landowners, and the game progressed through discussions within the group and with other players.
The game lasted about 1 hour and 30 minutes, divided into 4 turns.
Since everyone was new to this, it was initially a bit challenging to understand the rules.
However, as time passed, opportunities for discussions such as "Let's do this together" increased, and the situations in both teams' forests and towns began to change.
Although it was a game, we learned how the forest changes through activities and the importance of maintenance.
After that, the closing ceremony was held, marking the end of the "2023 Autumn Forest Conservation Activities."
Conclusion
This time, I participated in the conservation activities with my third-grade daughter.
It seems that she realized that the experience of "planting trees" in a place that is not a well-maintained "field" is both refreshing and challenging.
Reflecting on my own experience, it was my first time, and I was surprised by the unexpected hard labor.
When trees are cut down, they can simply be replanted.
Living in an urban area, one might think that way, but through the card game "moritomirai," I learned that trees not only need to be planted but also require proper management to thrive.
I felt that the resource of the forest is created through the involvement of many people, and we must not forget that we benefit from it.
"JT's Forest in Koigakubo" 2023 Autumn Forest Conservation Activities Data
| Name | "JT's Forest in Koigakubo" 2023 Autumn Forest Conservation Activities |
|---|---|
| Date | October 14, 2023 |
| Location | Yada, Tetsusei-cho, Niimi City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Participation Fee (including tax) | ※ Whether there will be a general recruitment and the method of the next event is undecided |
| Homepage | JT's Forest |
