The Takahashi River, a Class A river that flows through Kurashiki City.
Rising in Mt. Hanamiyama (elevation: 1,188 meters; Niimi City), Niimi City carries out forest management to further enhance the forests’ functions in conserving water sources and preventing sediment runoff, supporting the Takahashi River’s rich water environment.
Residents of Kurashiki City and others living downstream benefit from this, but they may never have seen what the Takahashi River’s headwaters are like.
I, too, have lived in Kurashiki City for more than 30 years. Although I have visited Niimi City, I have mostly stayed in the urban area.
I took part in a forest conservation activity held on Saturday, November 19, 2022, as part of “JT Forest: Koigakubo Niimi,” a project undertaken jointly by Japan Tobacco Inc. and Niimi City. Here is a look at the activity.
The information presented here is current as of the article’s publication in November 2022. Please note that it may differ from current information.
What is “JT Forest: Koigakubo Niimi”?
The JT Group, whose business activities focus on tobacco, pharmaceuticals, and processed foods, uses natural raw materials—primarily plants such as tobacco leaves, paper, and vegetables—in its businesses.
As part of its efforts to conserve the natural environment, the group therefore conducts forest conservation activities under the name “JT Forest.” As of November 2022, activities were underway at nine locations nationwide.
In Okayama Prefecture, “JT Forest: Koigakubo Niimi” carries out forest conservation activities centered on Koigakubo Wetland.
Koigakubo Wetland
A region where more than 300 plant species, including the Japanese catchfly, grow naturally. It was designated a Natural Monument of Japan on March 6, 1980, as the “Koigakubo Wetland Plant Community.”
“JT Forest: Koigakubo Niimi” has been conducting forest conservation activities jointly with Niimi City for about six years, since November 2016, through Okayama Prefecture’s “Collaborative Forest Development with Businesses” program.
The project is divided into its first phase, which began in 2016, and its second phase, which began in 2022 with a change to the designated forest area. The fall 2022 forest conservation activity was held as the first activity of the second phase.
The fall 2022 forest conservation activities
The main activity of the fall 2022 forest conservation program was improving the walking trails in Koigakubo Wetland. The day’s activities proceeded as follows:
- Opening ceremony
- Forest conservation activities (improvements to the walking trails in Koigakubo Wetland)
- Woodworking workshop and closing ceremony
- Tour of high-performance forestry machinery and chip factory
Activities 1 and 2 took place in the morning, and 3 and 4 in the afternoon.
About 90 people took part, including JT Group employees and their families, mainly from Okayama and Hiroshima Prefectures, as well as residents of Niimi City. They were divided into four teams.
Opening ceremony
At the opening ceremony, the following guests gave remarks in order:
- Niimi City Deputy Mayor Tetsuto Noma
- JT Executive Officer Kenji Ogura
- Shigeto Yukimori of the Bitchu Prefectural Office, Okayama Prefecture
- Niimi City Council Chair Minoru Ishida
The ceremony concluded after the presentation of Okayama Prefecture’s carbon dioxide forest absorption evaluation certificate and a commemorative tree planting.
At last, the forest conservation activities were about to begin.
Forest conservation activities (improvements to the walking trails in Koigakubo Wetland)
From the second parking lot at Koigakubo Wetland, where the opening ceremony was held, the four teams set off on foot for the wetland, guided by members of the Niimi City Forest Owners’ Cooperative.
It was initially cool enough to feel a little chilly, but we started to sweat as we walked.
Once we reached the wetland, each team began pruning obstructive branches along the walking trails in its assigned area.
- Pruning shears
- Hedge shears
- Saw
- Pole saw
Members of the Niimi City Forest Owners’ Cooperative briefly explained how to use these tools for pruning, and then we got started.
Just cutting off branches and the like
That’s what it was, but since I’m not used to this kind of work, my arms started hurting after just 30 minutes.
We worked for about an hour this time, and I have great respect for the members of the forestry cooperative who carry out conservation activities on a regular basis.
Several children also took part, and they seemed to work through trial and error, asking things like, “Which ones should I cut?” and “I can’t cut it properly!”
Afterward, we returned to Parking Lot 2, where the opening ceremony had been held, and ate our boxed lunches.
The weather was also on our side, and after finishing a day’s work, lunch under the blue sky tasted many times better than usual.
Woodworking Workshop and Closing Ceremony
A woodworking workshop was held in the afternoon.
We made smartphone stands using a craft kit made with cypress from Niimi.
With explanations and support from members of “Niimi Wood Use and Wood Education Association, Konoha art,” participants sanded the wood and finished their stands by adding pictures, dates, and other details with wood-burning pens.
Adults and children alike enjoyed themselves, and the approximately one-hour woodworking workshop was over in no time.
Afterward, the closing ceremony was held, bringing the “Fall 2022 Forest Conservation Activities” to a close.
Tour of High-Performance Forestry Machinery and a Wood Chip Plant
Finally, all the participants toured the wood chip plant operated by “Togawa Lumber Co., Ltd.”
In the past, thinned timber was often left in the forest.
However, Togawa Lumber processes it into wood chips and sells “fuel chips” to wood biomass power generation companies, achieving nearly 100 percent recycling of the timber, including its bark.
Watching huge quantities of timber and bark being processed into wood chips in no time, amid a deafening roar, was quite a spectacle.
When we hear “forest conservation,” we tend to think of planting trees and encouraging their growth, but conservation can also involve cutting trees down (thinning).
I learned that people are also considering ways to make effective use of trees that have served their purpose in this way.
From the Writer
I took part in this conservation activity with my family, including two children.
The children were delighted, saying they had “a great time” seeing scenery they don’t usually get to see and having a variety of experiences.
When you live in an urban area, you may not often think about forests or water.
However, the walking trail where we carried out conservation work this time did not simply appear on its own.
There are people who maintain and manage it
I felt that we must not forget that their work allows us to enjoy the scenery and provides a stable water supply to areas downstream.
“JT Forest Koigakubo Niimi” Fall 2022 Forest Conservation Activities Information
| Name | “JT Forest Koigakubo Niimi” Fall 2022 Forest Conservation Activities |
|---|---|
| Date | November 19, 2022 |
| Location | Yada, Tessei-cho, Niimi City, Okayama Prefecture (Koigakubo Wetland) |
| Participation fee (tax included) | *Whether the event will be open to the general public and the format of the next event have not yet been decided. |
| Website | JT Forest |
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