Journal of Forest Planning
Online ISSN : 2189-8316
Print ISSN : 1341-562X
Volume 18, Issue 1
Displaying 1-11 of 11 articles from this issue
  • Article type: Appendix
    2012 Volume 18 Issue 1 Pages App1-
    Published: 2012
    Released on J-STAGE: November 01, 2017
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
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  • Article type: Appendix
    2012 Volume 18 Issue 1 Pages App2-
    Published: 2012
    Released on J-STAGE: November 01, 2017
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
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  • Article type: Index
    2012 Volume 18 Issue 1 Pages Toc1-
    Published: 2012
    Released on J-STAGE: November 01, 2017
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
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  • Yusuke Yamada, Satoshi Tatsuhara
    Article type: Article
    2012 Volume 18 Issue 1 Pages 1-11
    Published: 2012
    Released on J-STAGE: September 01, 2017
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    Sustainable timber production that improves timber self-sufficiency is needed in Japan. We focused on predicting the maximum yield that can be supplied sustainably, considering the financial index, and examined the corresponding amounts of timber produced in relation to timber prices and logging costs. The study area consisted of privately owned forests in the area of former Sanpoku Town, Murakami City, Niigata Prefecture, Japan (38°21-33'N, 139°27-34'E). Maximum sustainable yield, which satisfied some assumed requirements, was acquired by developing a forest management model for the simulation. We also assessed the effects of timber market prices and logging costs. The results suggest that even slight changes in log prices have a large influence on maximum sustainable yield, implying that forest owners are operating on a slim profit margin. However, the results also suggest that efforts to reduce costs should be effective for enhancing profits, leading to a larger timber supply. Our results indicate that future timber yields could be dramatically increased by practicing restrained clear-cutting for several decades.
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  • Akio Inoue, Shingo Sakamoto, Haruka Kitazato, Kotaro Sakuta
    Article type: Article
    2012 Volume 18 Issue 1 Pages 13-19
    Published: 2012
    Released on J-STAGE: September 01, 2017
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    A two-way volume equation for one of the three major useful bamboos in Japan, Phyllostachys nigra var. henonis, is developed and the goodness of fit is evaluated using the data collected from two different districts. The model used here was the generalized theoretical volume equation. The normal form-factors at 0.7 and 0.8 for P. nigra were steady at 0.622 and 0.558, respectively. Inserting these values into the generalized theoretical volume equation enabled us to determine the coefficients of the volume equation. Although the estimated apparent culm volume was significantly smaller than actual one, the relative mean error of the estimated volume was comparatively small. The volume equation for Phyllostachys bambusoides Sieb. et Zucc. could be directly applied to P. nigra, whereas that for Phyllostachys pubescens Mazel et Houz. could not. This fact indicated that the inter-species characteristics of culm form should be carefully considered when evaluating the bamboo resources by the volume equation. In conclusion, the generalized theoretical volume equation would be effective when evaluating the resources and comparing the stand productivity for P. nigra.
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  • Tin Tin Myint, Tohru Nakajima, Norihiko Shiraishi
    Article type: Article
    2012 Volume 18 Issue 1 Pages 21-27
    Published: 2012
    Released on J-STAGE: September 01, 2017
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    This study aims to analyze the human disturbance tendency of Myanmar teak forests, and to propose an index for sustainable forest management in the study site. Enumeration data providing information on growth of teak forests in Pyu Kun Reserve Forest before and after harvest were used to demonstrate the potential use of maturity as a yield regulation index for the sustainable management of natural teak forests in Myanmar. Data from 64 compartments were classified into seven girth at breast height (gbh) classes, and subjected into four time series corresponding to periods before and after the first and second harvests to investigate the general disturbance tendency of the teak forests. Results of the study revealed that previous harvesting activities were unsustainable as almost all of the large trees were cut. Significant disturbance was also noted on trees in the smaller girth classes between the time period after the first harvest and before the second harvest. Under the condition of no legal harvest at this time period, the disturbance was attributed to illegal logging by relatively poor people. Maturity index, which was simply derived from the number of trees and required year for growing up to lower limit gbh at gbh classes, could assess the impacts of harvesting and disturbances to the sustainability of teak forests in Myanmar.
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  • Takashi Fukushima
    Article type: Article
    2012 Volume 18 Issue 1 Pages 29-39
    Published: 2012
    Released on J-STAGE: September 01, 2017
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    The Afforestation and Reforestation project activity under the Clean Development Mechanism (A/R CDM) is one of the policies set under the Kyoto Protocol. A/R CDM is to remove greenhouse gases by the afforestation or reforestation project in developing countries. There are restrictions and barriers to promote A/R CDM under the present rules because of complex rules, low profitability, and low priority for many countries. On the other side, A/R CDM has the specific advantages. One of these is the potential as adaptation and the object of this paper is to disclose this possibility of A/R CDM. This paper focused on 2 A/R CDM projects as case studies, in Fiji (to plant mangrove trees) and in Kenya (to plant indigenous fruit trees IFTs). Adaptation is to take social, economic and ecological adjustments to decrease the damage of climate change, and had been drawn attention especially among developing countries which were vulnerable to bad effects of climate change. The results of field surveys showed that both forestation projects have functions not only as mitigation but also as adaptation as follows; 1) In the mangrove planting in Fiji, local people understood the function of biodiversity conservation as conservation for marine species and the function of bank protection as a breakwater against high waves. 2) The IFT planting in Kenya has some functions to keep and conserve biodiversity in the local ecosystem threatened by loggings and to work as the role of food security. The adaptation measure has regionality (as adaptation measure and policy should be implemented according to site specific circumstances and characteristics for its best effects) and it is important point to have high adaptability to the locals as these projects. A/R CDM, with various second effects such as adaptation, can be evaluated as the cobenefits-typed climate policy. Facing the limitations of A/R CDM under present rules, it is expected to reevaluate its specific advantages for the promotion of A/R CDM from the viewpoint of equity and human security. At present, conceivable means are proposed as follows; conversion of credit prices through the introduction of a new basis of variation from the viewpoint of adaptation and project support through the Adaptation Fund. Recently, REDD (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation) in developing countries has been the focus of attention. REDD has many characteristics similar to environmental forestry, because it is a policy to prevent the deforestation and forest degradation and vegetation on site. REDD is highly expected to become a useful scheme with possibility doing a good job as the adaptation in a forest sector in the future.
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  • Satoshi Tatsuhara
    Article type: Article
    2012 Volume 18 Issue 1 Pages 41-52
    Published: 2012
    Released on J-STAGE: September 01, 2017
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    This study examined the use of linear and non-linear regression techniques for estimating parameters of allometric equations for the biomass of mizunara oak (Quercus crispula Blume) trees growing in deciduous secondary forests that are dominated by the species. Four plots were sampled in secondary forests and 31 mizunara oak trees were sampled outside the experimental plots to measure biomass. Three typical allometric equations used for biomass estimation were fitted to the mass of each component and the sum of some components using three least-squares regression methods: non-linear regression without weighting observations, generalized non-linear regression assuming that the variance of each observation was expressed as a power function of the corresponding mean value, and linear regression after fitting a logarithmically transformed function to logarithms of the data. Errors in the predictions were compared among the three regression models. The fitted allometric equations were applied to tree census data from the experimental plots to examine variation in stand biomass estimates among the three regression methods. In terms of errors, generalized non-linear regression was slightly preferable to logarithmic linear regression and unweighted non-linear regression. Branch mass and foliage mass had different values of variance parameter (half of the exponent of the power function), even though both showed large variation around their regression lines. When the variance parameter was greater than 1.0, as occurred with branch mass, logarithmic linear regression was slightly better than generalized non-linear regression. When applying fitted allometric equations to other data, the three regression methods may produce only slightly different estimates of stem mass; however, estimates for branch mass and foliage mass may differ largely according to the regression method used.
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  • Tetsuji Ota, Nobuya Mizoue, Shigejiro Yoshida
    Article type: Article
    2012 Volume 18 Issue 1 Pages 53-62
    Published: 2012
    Released on J-STAGE: September 01, 2017
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    We compared the relative utilities of very high resolution imagery (VHRI) and medium resolution imagery (MRI) for forest type classification and stand structure estimation. We used QuickBird imagery for the VHRI with object-based classification and LANDSAT/ETM+ imagery for the MRI with pixel-based classification. The study site contained even-aged plantations of Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica D. Don) and Japanese cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa (Sieb. et Zucc.) Endl.) and natural broad-leaved forests. The overall accuracy of forest classification was 81% with the VHRI and 72% with the MRI; the VHRI was more accurate in discriminating Japanese cypress from natural broad-leaved forest. Stem density was not correlated with any features measurable from VHRI, whereas the texture measures had significant curvilinear relations with the stand volume of both Japanese cedar and Japanese cypress (the relative root mean square error was 8.6% and 18.0%, respectively). The pixel values of MRI were not correlated with either stem density or stand volume. We conclude that MRI is virtually not enough to use in forest management planning for practical use in Japan and the use of VHRI is recommended for it. Texture information is important for both classification and stand structure estimation to exert the potential of VHRI.
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  • Tomohiro Nishizono, Kunihiro Tanaka
    Article type: Article
    2012 Volume 18 Issue 1 Pages 63-76
    Published: 2012
    Released on J-STAGE: September 01, 2017
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    In approximately 100-year-old forest stands, we investigated whether the relationship between quadratic mean diameter (D_q) and stem density in thinned and unthinned stands (N_t and N_u) deviates from a power function. We also examined the effects of changes in stand leaf mass during stand development on the form of these two relationships. To answer these questions, we used data from 29 long-term experimental monitoring plots established in Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica D. Don) plantations in northeastern Japan. In old thinned stands, the D_q-N_t relationship deviated from the power function, whereas the D_q-N_u relationship in unthinned stands did not deviate from this function during the self-thinning period. These results were strongly affected by changes in total leaf mass with stand development. Comparison of stand development in unthinned and thinned forests indicated that thinning delayed forests from entering the self-thinning period, leading to an apparent rejuvenation effect.
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  • Shinya Tanaka, Tomoaki Takahashi, Hideki Saito, Yoshio Awaya, Toshiro ...
    Article type: Article
    2012 Volume 18 Issue 1 Pages 77-85
    Published: 2012
    Released on J-STAGE: September 01, 2017
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    This study aimed to propose a simple and practical method for land-cover mapping by multi-temporal Landsat Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+) images in combination with systematically sampled ground truth data. The land-cover mapping was attempted and evaluated in two study areas located in northern and southwestern Japan, using two-seasonal and three-seasonal images. The results of this study indicated that the accuracy of land-cover map can be improved by addition of autumn image to two-seasonal images of spring and summer images. The user's accuracy was greatly improved in the land-cover which shows clear seasonal changes of spectral characteristics such as deciduous forests. The final land-cover maps of entire study areas were created using two-seasonal images and three-seasonal images (the overall accuracy and overall Kappa coefficient were 81.4% and 0.746 for Study Area 1, and 87.6% and 0.779 for Study Area 2, respectively). In recent years, access to ETM+ images of many different seasons is becoming easier. This study indicated that the approach using multi-temporal ETM+ images from many different seasons would be one of the possible choices in order to create nationwide land-cover map with higher accuracy.
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