Abstract
In Japan, rising numbers of forest-producer cooperatives (FPCs) were dissolved after 2000, as forests were increasingly managed by authorized community organizations. This study provides the first nationwide statistical analysis of the distribution and practices of these dissolved FPCs. Using Agriculture and Forestry Census microdata collected in 2010 and 2015, we classified forestry-management entities that were recorded as FPCs in 2010 but not in 2015 as dissolved FPCs, and those recorded as FPCs in both 2010 and 2015 as continuous FPCs. Almost half of all dissolved FPCs were located in Kyushu. Our comparative analysis showed that the number of FPCs dissolved between 2010 and 2015 was equal to almost two-thirds of the decrease in the number of FPCs, according to annual statistics compiled by the National Federation of Forest Owners Co-operative Associations. The percentages of forestry-management entities that maintained a forest-management plan, that had conducted any forestry practices within 5 years before the survey date, and that had harvested timber within 1 year before the survey date were higher among dissolved FPCs than among continuous FPCs. The percentages of forestry-management entities that conducted planting, commercial thinning, and cutting were also higher among dissolved FPCs than among continuous FPCs. In addition, among forestry-management entities, we detected regional variation in the percentages of dissolved FPCs that conducted forestry practices. Thus, despite the difficulties inherent in analyzing the practices of forestry-management entities during the period 2010–2015, this study effectively clarified the proportion, distribution, and practices of dissolved FPCs based on census microdata.
https://ror.org/02kpeqv85 
