One hundred years of monitoring of beech forests in Shirakami Mountains ―Shirakami-Sanchi Beech Forest Monitoring Group―

Abstract

Forest dynamics and regeneration have been monitored at three beech stands with different forest structure in the core area of World Natural Heritage at Shirakami Mountains. The monitoring has been conducted by researchers, local citizen and student volunteers for 20 years since 1999. In fiscal 2018, we continued the survey with updating equipment, renewing posts in monitoring sites, as well as a symposium and a event celebrating 20 years of anniversary, expecting outreach effect of monitoring activities to the general public. In 2018, beech trees in Shirakami-sanchi made mast seedlings, probably more than hundreds of seeds fess in some areas. Also, we had a visit of big typhoon, causing some treefalls in 2018. These results are now in analyses, and will be reported in next year. The consequence of these episodic events is to be monitored with interest.