OISCA Event for Mt. Fuji Restauration Project

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6 July, 2024

OISCA organized on July 6 an annual event for maintaining Mt. Fuji reforestation site at the altitude of 1,600 meters in cooperation with other stakeholders of the Mt Fuji Reforestation Project Council comprising some 30 different organizations: private corporations, labor unions, local government bodies, and research institute. 

   The event was actively participated by a total of 170 people, including Tokyo-based foreign diplomats (Mexico, Myanmar, and Thailand), OISCA members from Branches of Aichi, Fukushima, the Metropolitan areas, Nagano, Shizuoka, and Yamanashi, foreign trainees from OISCA Chubu and Shikoku Training Centers, staff of private companies supporting the project, Yamanashi Prefectural government officials and professional forestry workers. 

   Before the reforestation project started in 2007, the area was planted solely with Veitch fur locally known as Shirabe, but the rich forests and ecosystems were badly damaged by the infestation of insects. The damaged area of the forests reached over 100 hectares, thus demonstrating resistance weakness against environmental changes of the forest development with only one tree species. Accordingly, it was decided to restore the forests by planting various broadleaf tree species such as Japanese maple, Beech, Oak, Wild Cherry trees, and Japanese alder. In addition to being plagued by the outbreak of the insects, the planting sites were also seriously damaged by the growing number of wild deer and wild boars.

   Mt. Fuji was registered in 2013 as a World Cultural Heritage by UNESCO. Thus, it became very important to develop reforestation and to preserve biodiversity.

   The event was blessed with favorable weather, though very hot. The beautiful view of Mt. Fuji was clearly seen. At first, all the participants gathered for the opening ceremony at the Fujiten Snow Resort. Ms. Etsuko Nakano, President of OISCA, delivered opening remarks welcoming the participants who took the trouble of joining the volunteer work despite the blazing heat. Then, Mr. Yoshinori Kishi from the Department of Forestry, Yamanashi Prefecture, and Prof. Takayoshi Sato, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Chairperson of the Mt. Fuji Reforestation Project Council, made short speeches, respectively.  Following doing light physical exercises, the participants were divided into 12 small groups and then moved by chartered bus up to the 1.02 hectares project site on the mountain.

   Before starting actual work, the participants were given guidance by professional forest workers on how to remove the old bamboo poles and protecting nets and install new ones.

Al the participants, including small children, worked up a sweat using saws, hammers, and other tools to perform unaccustomed field work. 

   Being exhausted and with empty stomach, they came down by buses to the Fujiten Snow Resort for Bento lunch and closing ceremony.

   In the closing ceremony, His Excellency Mr. WitchuVejjajiva, Ambassador of Thailand, made brief remarks. On behalf of the diplomatic corps, he expressed gratitude to OISCA and al the other stakeholders for the invitation to take part in the prestigious event so well organized. He said, “Having actually participated in the field work, I fully realized how painstaking it is to promote reforestation, and I am proud to perform a modest part in the project”.

   The representatives of KDDI, L’Occidente Japon and other organizations followed with their impressions of joining the event, respectively. 

   Afterwards, Dr. Takuo Nagaike of the Forest Research Institute, Yamanashi Prefecture, took the floor to give a brief explanation on the significance of Mt. Fuji Forest Development. Lastly, Mr. Masanori Miyajima, President of OISCA Yamanashi Branch, closed the event reminding that since this project has been carried out in 100 long years, everyone is invited to come back for the field work next year. 

Group pictures: all participants gathered at Fujiten Snow Resort
Volunteers working hard in installing anti-wild animal nets
Ambassador Witchu making a speech after the volunteer work
Beautiful Mt. Fuji clearly seen
Mexican Consul and her Scotish husband struggling in replacing old nets