**3.2.4 Characteristics of and evaluation of the new activities**

This contract resulted in good forest practices such as thinning of the planted forest to some extent, which is strictly necessary, but the area that can be supported by a company is limited. More significant is whether the connection between the cooperative and the private company will result in sustainable forest management for the cooperative in the future. Expansion of forest practices in the regional forest might be expected. As the contract has recently just started, an evaluation from these points of view cannot be clearly shown, but several new possibilities are suggested by Case 2.

One of the important characteristics of Case 2 is the strong relationship between the forest producer cooperative and the residents' association. In this case, the forest producer cooperative, as owner of the forest, and the residents' association, as an organization that promotes regional activities in all fields of daily life, are working together. This co-sponsored fund resulted in a new relationship between the cooperative and the residents' association.

As mentioned above, some of the forest producer cooperatives are facing management difficulties such as financial problems, and one of the solutions is dissolution of the cooperative and the transfer of the forest from the cooperative to the residents' association. In these cases, forest management is impossible for the cooperative but may be possible for the association. In such cases, the major role of forest management is changing from timber production to land management, because the main objectives of the residents' association do not include forest management. However, Case 2 shows that the appropriate divisional cooperation will result in profits for both organizations.

In the case of a forest producer cooperative that was founded in a common forest originating during the Edo Period, the cooperative members were originally residents who were living in a limited area at the time the cooperative was created. However, as years pass

Recent Problems and New Directions

**3.3.2 Largest problem and background** 

**3.3.3 New activity and background** 

for Forest Producer Cooperatives Established in Common Forests in Japan 173

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

With only two people remaining in the community, the cooperative cannot move ownership to a residents' association. As two people can do very little, the cooperative, a large part of the membership of which are now living in a neighboring community, is attempting to revive local interest in exploiting the forest for a wide range of activities. In the annual meeting of the cooperative in 2005, various important problems were discussed, including how to improve degraded forest resources, protect the natural environment, address a problem of illegal dumping, enhance the low morale of mountain climbers, spark community regeneration and activation, and further utilize forest resources (Kuniyoshi,

The cooperative set up an organization, together with community members, which included previous community members, the staff and students in an architectural course at a local private college, a local private railway company, a non-profit organization related to the mountains, and individuals, and they are actively recruiting sponsors and volunteers (Kuniyoshi, 2008). Various ecoprojects are now in progress (Kuniyoshi, 2008). The organization helps to maintain trails in Hakusan National Park, with the aim of running ecotourism project there as well. Many tours are already available, and some hunting is allowed. Some old traditional houses are being renovated with help from college staff and students. These renovated houses are expected to become major ecotourism draws. The renovations are also viewed as a starting point for community regeneration. Restoration of the local waterway is also being conducted as part of landscape management. A teagrowing area has been introduced into an abandoned cultivation area, which is also

It is interesting that the cooperative clearly identified the development of ecotourism as their main forest-management goal, given that ecotourism has never before been a major

In this case, the final results of the cooperative's initiative will not be realized until the future, but this case study illustrates several new ways to manage a forest producer

First, linking the cooperative to ecotourism is a thought-provoking concept. Ecotourism is related to forest resources and many national forests managed by the Forestry Agency, such as Yakushima Island, Iriomoteshima Island, the Shirakami Mountain Range, and Shiretoko, are famous in Japan35. In these cases, the forests have been classified as Forest Ecosystem

cooperative is how to reorganize itself under the current circumstances.

2008). The group ultimately decided to develop ecotourism in their forest.

expected to be a major attraction for ecotourists in the future.

**3.3.4 Characteristics of and evaluation of the new activities** 

objective of a forest producer cooperative34.

cooperative.

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 forest to the residents' association can benefit the community.

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 some forestry methods.

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 administrative sector.

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 differences in the forest stand before and after thinning.

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

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.
