Niche Markets for Economic Revitalisation of Satoyama Forest ...

nature, satoyama should be accorded worldwide attention.
As the keywords “coexistence”, “recycling”, “sustainability”
and “ensuring biodiversity” which are necessary for resolving
environmental issues are all applicable to satoyama, this
is good ground for focusing on satoyama as a field for
environmental education.
3.4 Forest Thinning Progress in Ishikawa
Prefecture
In 2000 Ishikawa Prefecture set a goal to increase areas
that receive forest thinning from 2,333 hectares in 2000 to
2,600 hectares in 2010 (Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
Department, Ishikawa Prefectural Government edition,
2002). Through initiatives such as promoting the use of forest
thinnings in public works projects, 39 thinning areas have
increased since 1996. According to the Forestry Management
Division, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Department,
Ishikawa Prefectural Government (2006b), area receiving
forest thinning grew from 3,337 hectares to 3398 hectares
from 2004 to 2005 and supply of thinned logs increased
from 16,251 cubic meters to 22,360 cubic meters. According
to the government, this demand is driven by use of forest
cedar thinnings in the manufacture of plywood (Forestry
Management Division, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
Department, Ishikawa Prefectural Government, 2005). Still,
the area of artificial forest in Ishikawa Prefecture requiring
thinning (approximately 16–45 years growth) amounts to
as much as 59,000 hectares. While there is considerable
progress in recent years, then, there is still considerable room
for growth.
3.5 Policy on Wood Block Technology
In order to expand the use of domestic materials and
wood block construction, it is necessary for national and
local public organisations to take the initiative in forming
various policies toward their utilisation, to develop basic or
advanced technologies, and to promote the establishment
of distribution systems. In addition, it is also important
for government to support and promote these activities
performed by citizens among others.
Kizukai–Undou:
In 2005 the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
started the “Kizukai–
Undou (Wood Products Use Campaign)”
in conjunction with the carbon sink enhancement goals
under the Kyoto Protocol (see section 5). The plan calls for
increasing the current amount of domestic wood use from
17 million cubic meters to 25 million cubic meters (Forestry
Agency edition, 2006a). 40 Specific measures include the
development of technology to improve material performance
in resistance to fire and pests, the promotion of the use of
local materials for public facilities, the development of reform
materials to respond to interior remodeling requirements, the
development of a supply system, development of advanced
technology related to new woody materials, biodegradable
polymers, and ethanol fermentation, and the execution of
market surveys to discover new areas of demand (Forestry
Agency edition, 2004, 2005, 2006a).
Activities in Ishikawa:
In the “21 st Century Ishikawa Vision to Promote Forest,
Forestry and Wood Materials Industry”, Ishikawa Prefecture
has set a goal to increase the supply of wood materials
produced within the prefecture to 220,000 cubic meters (40
per cent of prefecture produced materials) by the year 2010.
Also, to establish a stable supply system for source wood
and a supply system for homes using prefecture–produced
materials, the prefecture is organising a “Network for Home
Building Using Hometown Lumber”, as well as implementing
policies for the proactive use of prefecture based materials
in public facilities through the “Project for the Promotion
of Prefecture Materials Utilisation”. 41 As an example, the
development of a center for the distribution and processing
of wood materials is moving forward based on efforts by the
Kaga Forest Association. If two further scheduled centers
are established within the prefecture, it is expected that the
use of prefecture materials and forest thinnings will take a
dramatic leap forward.
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