Working to Restore the Rich Diversity of Shiretoko’s Forests
Inside the area designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site is the 100m2 Movement Forest Trust, an initiative of Shari Town that UNESCO has lauded for restoring the natural environment.
This area used to be a splendid riparian forest of mainly deciduous Japanese Judas trees. However, much of the forest has disappeared due to factors including conversion of forests to cropland and massive flooding in 1981. And because the growing population of Sika deer was eating the seedlings, the riparian forest made little progress in regenerating itself.
To solve this problem, a fence was erected to keep out the deer, and inside the fenced-off area saplings are being grown with the goal of restoring a riparian forest of conifer and deciduous trees that will support biodiversity.
Forest revival and Sika deerWhat Daikin is Doing to Help
To restore the forest and prevent the Sika deer from eating saplings, repair is being done on the aging deer fence and tree-bark protective nets.
Seedlings of deciduous Japanese Judas trees are being planted to help restore the forest to its original state.
Daikin Industries Ltd. dispatches employees to help locals in reforestation activities.
- Reviving Shiretoko forests See Forest Revival.
Note: The photos on this website are courtesy of the Shiretoko Nature Foundation.
