Forests for People

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Creating a nationwide movement for forests

Koki Okawa, Noriko Ishitobi, Hidetaka Ichikawa and Rikiya Konishi,

International Forestry Cooperation Office, Forestry Agency, MAFF, Japan

nternational Year of Forests, 2011 (Forests 2011) provides

us with the opportunity to raise global awareness regarding

the multiple values of forests and their significant contribu-

tion to livelihoods.

The story of Japanese forests is somewhat different from that in the

rest of the world, although it relates strongly to the global situa-

tion. Japan has a long history of forest management, wood use and

respect for nature, and it maintains rich forest cover of 69 per cent

of national land, with forest stock growing in maturity. However,

its forestry sector is stagnant due to low timber prices and ageing

forestry workers. On the other hand, along with growing public

interest in environmental issues, there are high expectations for the

role of forests as carbon sinks as well as for biodiversity conservation

and disaster prevention.

To protect and foster rich forests, it is important for each citizen

to join the Forests 2011 campaign and take concrete actions along

with it. This process is not always easy as there is still a commonly

held misconception that harvesting wood is not in any

way desirable for our environment. The level of under-

standing of forests varies widely among different groups

of people. An effective campaign requires a strategy

that can properly inform all groups, and the National

Committee for Forests 2011 was established to reflect

the wide range of views among the general public.

The Forestry Agency organized its first National

Committee on 16 December 2010, preceding the

bridging ceremony linking the International Year of

Biodiversity with Forests 2011 on 18 December in

Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan. The committee includes

foresters, eminent academics, industrial leaders, media

organizations and public figures such as environmental-

ist C.W. Nicol and television presenter Mitsuyo Kusano.

At its first meeting, the committee decided on ‘Walk

in the Woods’ as the national main theme of for Japan’s

contribution to Forests 2011. The theme is aimed at

The National Committee includes foresters, eminent academics, industrial leaders, media organizations and public figures

Image: MAFF