Visitor use and its problem of Hokkaido national forest

Abstract

This study aims to know visitor use and problems in Hokkaido National forests.Okujozankei national forest about 11,000ha is located southern part of Sapporo city and elevation varied from 550 to 1300m. Since 1969, the forest was managed by selective cutting based on dens forest road network. Visitor use of Okujozankei and Toyohiragawa forest roads were monitored since the end of May to mid September 2003 using Trail Traffic Counter. Total observed counts were 15,786 in Okujozankei and 6,697 in Toyohiragawa, but after screening of both systematic and climatic error, there were 7,149 in Okujozankei and 6,152 in Toyohiragawa. As a result, the number of the daily counts of both forest roads in weekend was much larger than that in weekday. A monthly trend of the counts was differed between the roads. More than the half of the total counts in Okujozankei was observed in May. In addition, visitors were frequently used in September and October. It is considered that objectives of them would be gathering edible wild plants in May and mushrooms in fall. About 30 % of the total counts of Toyohiragawa were observed in June, but a lot of counts also observed in May, August and October. The reasons would be not only gathering edible wild plants but also other activities throughout non snow seasons like fishing. Visitors are allowed only on foot in Okujyozanki national forest. But most of the counts were occurred by automotives. Disunity between the regulation and actual visitor use must be dissolved.