Abstract
The Kinoeki Project is a community activity in which small forest owners sell logging residues they have collected. This study clarifies the actual conditions and the problems of the Kinoeki Project, and considers the sustainability and significance of the project. According to our questionnaire survey, registered forest owners comprise approximately 10% or less of all forest owners in most of the study area. Of 18 organizations, six chose “administration without relying on subsidies” as a problem of the project. In all areas, the Kinoeki Project has a deficit balance, after deducting subsidies from income. This means that the project is financially unstable. According to our break-even analysis, it is necessary to sell collected logging residues as wood fuel at a high price in order to increase the number of collected logs and to reduce the purchase price.
