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Local RevitalizationLocal Revitalization

Japanese cities, towns, and villages promoting regional development through forestry and timber industry

8.12Wed 2026

Experiencing the Value of the Forest Through the Five Senses — Five Women Share Their Stories of “Dialogue with Nature and a Lifestyle That Challenges Conventional Values” [Report from the Forest Women’s Practice Conference]

We held the online event “Forest Women’s Action Conference—Women Shaping Forests and Communities” on July 17. The theme for this summer was “Self […]

8.7Fri 2026

AI-Driven Automated Generation of Forest Management Plans: On-Site Reforms Expanding to Forestry Digital Transformation, Public-Private Partnerships, and Environmental Value Creation [Forest Management Trends 2026]

In Japan’s forestry sector, which faces challenges such as labor shortages and declining profitability, efforts toward sustainable forest management are advancing rapidly […]

8.3Mon 2026

How Did the Lumber Mill, Funded by 470 Local Residents, Turn a Profit? The Orochi LVL Mill: 20 Years of Management Reform [Nichinan Town: The Front Lines of Forest Resource Circulation, Part 2]

*Click here for the previous article: A town with a population of 3,700 receives 120,000 cubic meters of logs annually—the timber complex that transformed the profitability of the forestry industry and the policy of purchasing the entire volume […]

7.28Tuesday, 2026

Sumitomo Forestry Converts CO2 Reductions from Homes into J-Credits; Progress in the Formation of a New Market for Environmental Value [Trends in Natural Capital and Forest Credits 2026]

There is growing attention on the environmental value (credits) of natural capital, particularly forests. Unlike in the past, when the focus was simply on CO2 emissions […]

7.15Wed 2026

Why Focus on “Wood Utilization” Now? — Satoshi Tachibana, Chair of the Forestry Policy Council, Discusses the Goals of “A ‘Forest Nation and City of Wood’ That Will Last a Century”

In the new Basic Plan for Forests and Forestry, which was approved by the Cabinet on June 5, the subtitle “Toward a ‘Forest Nation and Wooden City’ That Will Last a Hundred Years” was included for the first time […]

7.14Tuesday, 2026

A Town of 3,700 People Receives 120,000 Cubic Meters of Logs Annually: The Timber Complex and Full-Volume Purchase That Transformed the Profitability of Forestry [Nichinan Town: On the Front Lines of Forest Resource Circulation, Part 1]

Nichinan Town, Tottori Prefecture, is a town with a population of about 3,700, facing declining birthrates, an aging population, and depopulation. Its annual timber production, which once stood at about 30,000 cubic meters, now stands at […]

7.6Mon 2026

Wooden Toys Make Their Way into the Lexus Collection: The Intersection of Forests and Society, Expanding into Branding, Tourism, and CSR [Trends in Wood Education 2026]

In recent years, the importance of “Mokuiku”—a program that involves interacting with trees to learn about how forests work—has been gaining renewed attention in various fields. Traditional programs for children […]

6.24Wed 2026

[Reforestation Trends 2026] The Direction Set by the New “Basic Plan for Forests and Forestry”: Laying the Groundwork for a Forest Cycle Driven by Public-Private Partnerships

"Reforestation," which is essential for harnessing the multifaceted functions of forests and establishing sustainable forestry, faces challenges such as rising afforestation costs and a shortage of workers […]

6.22Mon 2026

Forest Women’s Action Conference—Women Shaping Forests and Communities
A Dialogue with Nature, a Way of Life That Challenges Our Values
Friday, July 17, 2026, 12:30 p.m.–2:00 p.m. | Online

“Forest Circular Economy” takes a multifaceted approach to understanding the relationship between forests and society and the economy, and is engaged in "a dialogue of knowledge that bridges the field and society" […]

6.15Mon 2026

How to Link Wood Use and Reforestation: New Developments Shown in the Forest and Forestry White Paper and Company Case Studies [Trends in Forest Resource Recycling 2026].

As Japan's planted forests and satoyama forests are entering a period of full-scale use and renewal, we must sustainably "cut, use, plant, and nurture" forest resources [...].

6.10Wed 2026

Okayama Model Leading the Way to a Circular Forest Economy - The Seriousness of Industry, Government, Academia and Money Will Change Japan into a Resource Self-Sufficient Nation

*Previous column hereRegional National Universities Become Hubs for Social Implementation - Facing Local Challenges with Data and Practice Industry-Government-Academia-Gold in Okayama [...].

6.8Mon 2026

Forestry Agency Releases Simplified Assessment Method to Show "Numerical Value" of Forest Water Resources Recharge [Forest x Nature Positive Trends 2026].

The movement to realize "Nature Positive" (nature revitalization) is developing from multiple angles, transcending the boundaries of the national government, local governments, and private companies [...].

6.2Tuesday, 2026

Trends in the Utilization of Large-Diameter Timber 2026] Expanding Uses in Public Spaces and Furniture: Value-Added Applications in Hardwoods and Traditional Architecture

As Japan's planted forests enter the period of full-scale utilization, the effective use of thickly grown "large-diameter lumber" has become an urgent issue. Until now, [...]...

5.28Thu 2026

# Daily Life of a Forestry Girl] Long Sleeves Required Even in Extreme Heat: Equipment and Ingenuity Supporting Summer Jobsites

Forestry is a work that faces nature and is therefore strongly affected by the climate. Especially in the summer, work continues in the hot and humid forests, and the body [...]...

5.26Tuesday, 2026

Yamaha Motor Opens Mountain Bike Park Forest Utilization Expands to Regional Development and Human Resource Development [Trends in Forest Space Services 2026].

The value of Japan's abundant forest resources is not limited to traditional lumber production. In recent years, they have been used for health, education, tourism, and even corporate human resources [...].

5.22Fri 2026

Local National Universities Become Hubs for Social Implementation - Facing Local Issues with Data and Practice

He spoke at the Nikkei Regional Development Forum "Creating Wooden Town Development and Realizing Forest Circular Economy" held in Okayama City in March, where he discussed the industrial [...]...

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