This study analyzes the factors affecting forest management that include citizen participation. It uses the logit model to analyzes the effects on the future use of the woods. The data comes from questionnaires given to the general public of Hokkaido. The results are as follows: (1)The desire for public participation depends on the public interest generated in forests and the volume of public knowledge on the forest management movement. In order to promote citizen participation, there needs to be public awareness of the roles and importance of forestry and the forest management movement. In addition, creativity on the part of the sponsor, the understanding of the local community, and the creation of an organization to unite the cities and villages will all be necessary. (2) The demand for wood produced in Hokkaido is directly related to the level of public participation. Demand for wood produced in Hokkaido increases only when there is tangible public participation. So to increase the demand, it is necessary to expand the actual participation of the public in forest management.

View full abstract

Historical forest changes in the Kasumigaura basin, Ibaraki, Japan (about 220km^2), were investigated using the following three methods; a review of existing research papers relating forest changes in the Kasumigaura region, analyses of forest acreage changes in the municipalities in the Kasumigaura basin from 1960 to 1990 using the National Census on Agriculture and Forestry, and a case study on historical forest changes in the "Tsuchiura" area, a part of Kasumigaura basin, using six recent and old 1:50,000 topographical maps from 1905 to 1989. As a result, historical forest changes from the Yayoi Era (circa 300 B.C. to 300 A.D.) to the Showa Era (mid 20th century) were arranged out qualitatively, and existing quantitative case studies on forest changes in two parts of the Kasumigaura basin were identified by the research review. Consequently, analysis of the National Census showed that forest acreage in the Kasumigaura basin has been decreasing almost constantly (560 ha per year) from 1960 to 1990. Finally, topographical map analyses showed that the forest acreage in the "Tsuchiura" area has been decreasing from at least the early 20th century. Overall it was suggested that forest area in the Kasumigaura basin has been decreasing slightly from ancient times, and dramatically since World War Two, especially in 1950s

View full abstract

The relationship between climatic factors and annual ring and latewood width of kuromatsu on the coast in Kochi were investigated using multiple regression analysis. Precipitation in March, November and the previous March and temperature in June, the previous June and October were directly related to annual ring width, while precipitation in September and October and temperature in April, July and the previous September were inversely related to annual ring width. Also precipitation in August, the previous April and August and temperature in November, the previous March and July were directly related to latewood width, while the precipitation in the previous November and temperature in the previous June were inversely related to latewood width. Climate of early or before and late growth seasons seems to have the greatest effect on annual ring width of kuromatsu in Kochi

View full abstract