Hands that Link Forests and People - Forest Thinning Regeneration Project in Hokuto City (2007)

Hands that Link Forests and People - Forest Thinning Regeneration Project in Hokuto City (2007)

Around 2007, the decline of the forestry industry and the devastation of mountain forests were becoming increasingly serious in many parts of Japan. Especially in mid-mountainous areas such as Hokuto City in Yamanashi Prefecture, thinned timber was left unattended after logging, contributing to runoff during heavy rains and landslides. Amid discussions of the national "Forest and Forestry Revitalization Plan" and the "Law for Promotion of Utilization of Thinned Wood," Hokuto City launched a registration-based intermediary system for the effective use of thinned wood as a community-based forest conservation measure.

Under this system, forest owners register their timber and are matched directly with woodworkers, furniture makers, and other wood users. As a result, thinned wood, which had previously been treated as fuel or waste, is now being brought back to life as wood crafts and building materials. Taking advantage of its geographical proximity to the Tokyo metropolitan area, Hokuto City also worked with craftspeople and architects in Tokyo to link the value of local timber with urban culture.

At the time, the reduction of greenhouse gases based on the Kyoto Protocol was a national issue, and forests attracted attention as a measure to absorb CO₂. This "tree circulation linking the region and the city" went beyond mere resource reuse and expanded into a movement to promote the revitalization of local communities and the rediscovery of cultural values. Hokuto City's experiment can be considered a pioneering example of a "model for integrating the environment and design" originating in a local area, which can be seen in the current green woodwork movement.