Jukai o Yuku (Traveling through the Sea of Trees - Forest Management in The University of Tokyo Hokkaido Forest, Furano)

The University of Tokyo Forests (UTF), Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences were established for the purpose of providing an educational and research-based field for learning/examining forests, trees, and forestry. In recent years, the UTF have played a role in forest familiarization, as well as in providing the latest knowledge on forests to both the general public and university officials. The UTF are located across seven sites throughout Japan, and each conduct educational, research, and social cooperation activities that are characteristic to each branch forest.
 
The University of Tokyo Hokkaido Forest (UTHF), which is located in Furano in the central Hokkaido, was established in 1899. The UTHF currently manages a vast forestry of approximately 22,000 ha. For over 60 years (i.e., since 1958), the UTHF has been conducting a business-scale experiment of the stand-based silvicultural management system known as ‘Rinbun Segyo-ho’ in Japanese. Natural hemiboreal mixed conifer-broadleaf forest as well as plantations of coniferous species such as Yezo spruce, Japanese larch, and Norway spruce occupy a large part of the UTHF. To achieve the sustainable and adaptive management of forest ecosystems, systematic research and education are currently being conducted in the three research areas of forest ecology, forest management, and forest ecosystem management.
 
Of special note is that, in the natural hemiboreal mixed conifer-broadleaved forest, single-tree selection harvesting has been implemented to maintain the growing stock. Thus, while simultaneously continuing wood production, the UTHF has also been managing the natural forest without significantly changing the distribution of tree species, forest age, tree size, and/or other characteristics.
 
“Traveling through the Sea of Trees: Forest Management in The University of Tokyo Hokkaido Forest, Furano” explains the natural conditions under which the present UTHF has been created, the scientific and technical background of forestry science, and forest management strategy (both up to now and into the future). In addition to students participating in field practices, experts who have deep knowledge on UTHF explain the highlights of the forest in such a way that the information may prove useful for people outside of the University who want to come into contact with the UTHF.
 
The University of Tokyo Forests Press is a unique publishing house independently operated by one of the affiliated facilities of the University of Tokyo, that is, the University of Tokyo Forests (UTF), Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences. This press publishes books, leaflets, and booklets authored mainly by the staff of UTF, and a summary of each publication can be viewed on the UTF website (https://www.uf.a.u-tokyo.ac.jp/publish/). Reading these items before visiting the forests would enable one to enjoy them better. The publications can be purchased at the Faculty of Agriculture shop and the Komaba shop of the University of Tokyo Co-op.
 

(Written by GOTO Susumu, Associate Professor, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences / 2021)