Abstract
In Japan, prefectural forestry departments are adapting the Shinrinbo forest resource database for the management of non-national forests. In this study, we clarified the application of Shinrinbo for managing common forests in Shiga Prefecture. Shinrinbo lists “common forest” as a forest ownership category; however, only one record among all forest subclassifications (Shouhan) in Shiga Prefecture is classified as a common forest, with most others classified according to their apparent nominal owners. This problem highlights the difficulty of classifying forest subclassifications using names, because the names do not necessarily indicate ownership, particularly among common forests. Therefore, to ensure that common forests are classified accurately in Shinrinbo, a new classification scheme based on ownership must be developed. The proposed classification method is similar to that used in the Agriculture and Forestry Census from 1960 to 2000.
https://ror.org/02kpeqv85 
