This study aims to classify tropical seasonal forest using time-series NDVI data with the tree model classification approach. The whole of Cambodia was selected as the study area. Target classification categories were set as: Evergreen forest, Mixed Deciduous forest, Deciduous forest, Agricultural field etc. Two different existing maps and 36 scenes of NDVI of SPOT VEGETATION acquired between January and December 2000 were used in this study. Noise reduction processes involving local maximum filtering on a time-series domain and image reconstruction using lower-order principal components of the results of principal component analysis were applied to the time-series NDVI data. Seasonal change metrics were calculated using the noise reduced NDVI data. Datasets which contained two land cover information and several seasonal metrics were systematically sampled using a 0.04-degree interval geographic grid from the above-mentioned data. These datasets were separated for training data and test data. Two tree models for correspondence with the existing maps using the datasets were constructed using the training datasets. Land cover information was used as the response factor and seasonal change metrics were used as predictive variables in the tree model. Land cover classification was conducted using the tree models, and the accuracy of classification was evaluated using the test datasets. As a result, the overall accuracies of the two classifications were similar at about 70%. The variables used in both tree models were the annual mean of NDVI and growing period. To depict the growing period, one image was created as a composite of 36 images. The pixel value used in the composite image was the total value of all pixels in the 36 images that exceeded the threshold value of 0.7. It was indicated that tropical seasonal forests can be classified using several seasonal metrics derived from SPOT VEGETATION NDVI data with the tree model classification approach.

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We carried out a survey with local resident in order to understand the current state of ecotourism in Shennongjia Forest Region (SFR), Hubei Province, China. This questionnaire survey focused whether the introduction and development of ecotourism has any influence on the natural environment, living environment and traditional culture of the SFR. In this context, the main source of income of the local residents, their level of awareness towards ecotourism and their response to its development were investigated. Based on the results of this questionnaire survey, the current state of ecotourism at SFR was analyzed from four viewpoints viz., i) natural environment, ii) economy, iii) society and iv) culture. It was found that the local residents demand for extended development of ecotourism because their income has been increased considerably with the introduction and development of ecotourism in that region. However, along with this economic development, a number of problems have also emerged including negative influence on environment like insufficient conservation of the natural environment and traditional culture. Therefore, there is an urgent need for local administration to promote development balancing the aforesaid four key areas like i) natural environment, ii) economy, iii) society and iv) culture in SFR. It is suggested that more appropriate strategies must be chalked out to reduce the degradation of the natural environment and traditional culture.

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The Larch plantations which were done after the World War flare reaching to middle-aged, have been pressed for conversion of management technology into long-rotation management to obtain large timbers. However in the forests, thinning is late and increasing high-density stands, and therefore it is necessary to establish an effective thinning method. The heavy-thinning is expected to be effective method, but few precedents explaining its effect on stand structure and stand growth exist. Therefore, in the studies, possible effects of heavy-thinning have been assessed through stand survey, stem analysis, predicted growth of heavy-thinning and unthinning. The result exhibits that it expands crowns, improves stand structure particularly on high-density stands soon. Moreover, it helps in sustainable growth of stands that improves trees form, increasing annual increment of DBH. It is also predicted that it maintains proper stand density, and achieves high average DBH to obtain large timbers. In conclusion, it proves that heavythinning makes possible for conversion of management technology into long-rotation management to obtain large timbers.

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Under the Kyoto Protocol, Japan must reduce its emission of greenhouse gases. Thus, it is necessary to increase the amount of forests identified as carbon sinks. This can be achieved through forest management (forests under Article 3.4 of the Kyoto Protocol). This study focuses on thinning, one of silvicultural practices conducted in older planted stands than other practices. We aimed to estimate the rates of thinned areas created for the first time after 1990 (the first thinning) and determine how much forest under Article 3.4 of the Kyoto Protocol was obtained by thinning. The study site consisted of private planted forests in Gifu prefecture. First, we calculated the observed area of the first thinning performed between 1990 and 1994, and between 1995 and 1999 from forest registers and practice records. Second, we calculated the Gentan probabilities based on these observed values subject to the first thinning. We then predicted the first thinning area between 2000 and 2004, and between 2005 and 2009 based on the Gentan probabilities. Finally, employing the observed and predicted values, we estimated the ratio of private planted forests thinned between 1990 and 2009 to all private planted forests assigned to thinning in 1990. The results showed that the ratio was 25%, and that in order to raise this ratio, it is important to promote more thinning in older stands than has previously been performed.

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This paper focuses on the case study example of a county in the poor northwestern region of China. The local government recently introduced a policy of joint venture participation in forest construction and utilization (the development of forestry industry). This paper aims to grasp the current state of Hippophae rhamnoides L. cultivated by noubokurinka (farming households dependent on grazing and forestry) and identify the current issues involved. The two main conclusions of this paper are. (1) There are two types of Hippophae rhamnoides L cultivated by noubokurinka. In the previously used type the noubokurinka didn't cooperate with local enterprises which they now do. In both cases, the noubokurinka sell off the fruits of the Hippophae rhamnoides L. and use its leaves as fuel. However, compared with the new type, the previous type of cultivation resulted in less income and caused various problems. One reason is that the noubokurinka were using an old variety of Hippophae rhamnoides L. This variety had more spines, its forests were dispersed over a large area and the condition of picking fruits was bad. Also the market for this fruit was not well established. Furthermore the fact that pruning and maintenance is not taking place would suggest the likelihood of the death of these plants and the accompanying repercussions on the lifestyle of the noubokurinka caused by the reduced income. Conversely, the noubokurinka who are contracted to cultivate the new varieties of Hippophae rhamnoides L. offered by the enterprises are achieving management goals and have a stable income. (2) The second type of cultivation has increased the household income of noubokurinka, but an income discrepancy has emerged on both sides. The reason is that there is a need for capital and labour force in order to make a joint venture with private enterprise and this has caused a subsequent polarization of the 'haves' and 'havenots' among the ranks of the noubokurinka. In order to decrease the income discrepancy between different noubokurinka, the government should build a joint venture so that all noubokurinka can work in tandem with private enterprise. Next it should create a mechanism for the distribution of aid money to help noubokurinka who have insufficient funds to ensure they get enough income to raise their own forest. Lastly, mechanization should be promoted across the board to improve labour productivity in the cultivation of Hippophae rhamnoides.

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This paper discusses Kaduma-anazeki land improvement district forest, a 233-ha forest in Iwate prefecture, and describes how the forest was managed and how forest management plans were developed. Kaduma-anazeki land improvement district has been managed as a forest primarily for the conservation of water resources since 1927. This paper analyzed forest management in Kaduma-anazeki land improvement district forest in the postwar period (from 1946 to 2005). The study focused especially on three points: 1) the relationship between the general account of Kaduma-anazeki land improvement district and its special forest account, 2) how the forest was organized in forest management plans (FMPs), and 3) how the management plans were implemented. This paper divided management development of the forest into four periods. In the first period (from 1946 to 1956) and the second period (from 1957 to 1981) the revenue from harvesting natural forest was a significant source of income for the general account. In the third period (from 1982 to 1994) the special account fell into deficit. For that reason, planting and tending area in the plantation forest was decreased. In the fourth period (from 1995 to 2005) the land improvement district invested several million yen in the forest from its general account despite the special account deficit. Stakeholders decided this was in the interest of long-term forest investment and their social responsibility.

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We analyzed the growth patterns of pure even-aged plantations of eight deciduous hardwood species (Betula maximowicziana, B. platyphylla, Cercidiphyllum japonicum, Quercus serrata, Aesculus turbinata, Juglans ailanthifolia, Zelkova serrata, and Fagus crenata) in Iwate Prefecture, Japan. Three species with an excurrent crown form had a greater branch height than the other five species, which had a decurrent crown form. All plantations except F. crenata showed more vigorous height growth than natural hardwood stands in high-quality sites in Iwate Prefecture. The periodic annual volume increase in five plantations (C. japonicum, Q. serrata, A. turbinata, Z. serrata, and F. crenata) in 2004 exceeded the simultaneous mean annual volume increase. The stand volume of the Q. serrata plantation was 341 m^3/ha at a stand age of 31 years; this plantation had a larger stand volume than natural hardwood stands at high-quality sites in Iwate Prefecture. In contrast, the stand volume of the J. ailanthifolia plantation was 82 m^3/ha at a stand age of 29 years; this plantation had the same stand volume as natural hardwood stands at low-quality sites in Iwate Prefecture.

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