**3.3.2 Largest problem and background**

172 Sustainable Forest Management – Case Studies

since the creation of the cooperative, the members' profile changes, because new residents move there from outside the area and some people, mainly younger people, move away to cities to get jobs. After a long period of time, the area may include a large proportion of people who moved there after the cooperative's founding, and who thus do not have the right to become a cooperative member. However, they can become members of the residents' association. Only in this light, dissolution of the cooperative and transfer of the

Second, when a cooperative is located in an urban neighborhood, various efforts are necessary to promote sustainable forest management, from the point of human resources. In most cases, the chair of the cooperative has no forestry knowledge or experience with forestry. In this case, the board members hold 3-year terms and there may not be a chance to learn forestry at all during their term, or their terms might expire after they have learned

In this cooperative, thinning activity is conducted by a fund from the company. The board members of the cooperative had no idea that thinning even had to be done. Considering that the cooperative was founded under a national forest policy that ensured the site for planting *Cryptomeria japonica* and *Chamaecyparis obtusa*, the administrative sector also had to show how to sustainably manage the coniferous tree plantation forest, particularly the necessity for thinning. Even if the cooperative board members notice the need for thinning, they cannot progress without any support from forestry-related organization including

In this case, the cooperative had to conduct the thinning and tree-planting ceremony with support from the company, according to the contract between the cooperative and the company. The board member of the cooperative had new relationships with the officer of the municipality, officers of the department of forestry, local officers of the prefectural government, and the local logging company. Thus, the cooperative was able to identify people and organizations involved in forestry in the community and learn about the

Third, it must be pointed out that the contribution of human resources from the cooperative is very important—not only the efforts of the cooperative board members but also the existence of a key person who is willing to participate actively outside the cooperative. In Case 2, the person responsible in this company was enthusiastic about this activity. He spent more time than expected on the project, created various documents for people both inside

Generally, the role of the local officer of the prefectural government is to promote forest practices and to expand forest techniques. In this case, his work became more difficult and complex; for example, he often visited the forest site undergoing thinning and generated many official documents. His contribution was also important because he played a coordinating role.

The cooperative was founded in 1968. The total area of forest is large at approximately 2,500 ha, including approximately 200 ha of planted forest33. The remaining area is covered by natural forest including secondary broadleaved forest that had been used for the production of fuel-wood or charcoal for a long period of time. When the cooperative was founded, a profit-sharing reforestation program was introduced to plant coniferous trees. In the 1960s and 1970s, the Forestry Agency and the prefectural government promoted the establishment

forest to the residents' association can benefit the community.

differences in the forest stand before and after thinning.

and outside the company, and carefully prepared for the ceremony.

some forestry methods.

administrative sector.

**3.3 Case 3 (Fukui Prefecture)32**

of this type of forest producer cooperatives.

**3.3.1 Description** 

The largest problem that this cooperative is now facing is the same as that for Case 1, but to a greater extent. That is, the population has decreased and aged dramatically. In the area where the cooperative is located, there were 93 households and 535 persons, respectively, in 1891. In 1950, the population decreased to 163 persons, and today is down to only two people (MAFF, 2010). The main jobs in the area were forestry and sericulture, and both have fallen into decline. The remaining residents are now living in a neighboring area. Unlike Cases 1 and 2, this cooperative is not located near a city with jobs, which in those other cases has helped to prevent the collapse of the community. Thus, the largest problem of this cooperative is how to reorganize itself under the current circumstances.
