Itabashi Resident's Forest Project - From January 1999 to the 2020s

Itabashi Resident's Forest Project - From January 1999 to the 2020s

In 1997, the Itabashi Ward Tropical Environmental Plant Museum in Takashimadaira, Tokyo, celebrated its third anniversary with an event and donated approximately 90,000 yen from the proceeds to establish the "Itabashi Resident's Forest" in the arid central region of Myanmar. This project, realized in collaboration with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), aims to combat desertification and provide stable local resources by planting trees suited to the harsh, dry environment of the region. Approximately 2,000 seedlings of five types of tropical trees, including Tagayasan (African rosewood) and Indian neem, which can also be used as firewood and livestock feed, were planted. This initiative provided essential living resources for local residents and promoted ecological conservation through reforestation.

Desertification countermeasures in central Myanmar have continued since the 2000s, with JICA launching the "Central Dry Zone Reforestation Project" in 2002. As of the 2020s, JICA continues to support a variety of initiatives, including forest and firewood plantation development, and the construction of tree planting offices and water facilities. According to the Japan International Forestry Promotion and Cooperation Center (JIFPRO), Myanmar's reforestation activities have recently shifted from government-led efforts to community forestry, allowing local residents to play a central role in sustainable forest resource management.

Moreover, the Myanmar government implemented a five-year dryland greening plan from 2001 to 2005, aiming to reforest approximately 40,000 hectares in central dry zones. This plan still serves as a foundation for preventing desertification and promoting forest regeneration, with sustainable forest management becoming increasingly prioritized in the 2020s.

Through these initiatives, desertification prevention and forest regeneration in central Myanmar are steadily progressing, yet new challenges have arisen, such as the increasing demand for forest resources due to climate change and population growth. Continued international support and community cooperation are essential for addressing these issues.