Updated by "Forest Circular Economy" Editorial Board on August 13, 2025, 11:56 PM JST
Editorial Board, Forest Circular Economy
Forestcircularity-editor
We aim to realize "Vision 2050: Japan Shines, Forest Circular Economy" promoted by the Platinum Forest Industry Initiative. We will disseminate ideas and initiatives to promote biomass chemistry, realize woody and lumbery communities, and encourage innovation in the forestry industry in order to fully utilize forest resources to decarbonize the economy, strengthen economic security, and create local communities.
Hakuba Iwatake Mountain Resort, a member of the Japan Ski Resort Development Group, in cooperation with Yuasa Lumber and the North Alps Forest Cooperative, has created the "Sastena Bench" by reusing trees damaged by oak wilt, which is becoming increasingly serious in Nagano Prefecture. Through the effective use of the damaged trees, the project aims to promote the recycling of forest resources and solve the problems faced by the local community.
The damaged trees are processed into unpainted square timbers as unused thinned timber, and used as material for the "Sastena Bench. The bench seat will be replaced every six months, and the replacement wood will be used for secondary purposes such as wood decking, firewood, and wood blocks. The "Sastena Bench" will be installed in Hakuba Iwatake Mountain Resort, and will be donated to Hakuba Village for installation in various places in the village.
Oak blight, in which broadleaf trees such as Quercus crispula and Quercus crispula die en masse due to oak fungus transmitted by the oak woodworm, has a serious impact on the local forest environment. If dead trees are left unattended, the damage may spread, and infected trees must be felled.
The "Sastena Bench," which effectively utilizes damaged trees as a new resource rather than disposing of them as waste, is a meaningful initiative not only for maintaining a healthy forest environment, but also for promoting resource recycling and building a sustainable society.
