Examination of forest management issues and policies for multi-registered common forests

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K06280
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 41020:Rural sociology and agricultural structure-related
• Research Institution: Tokyo University of Agriculture
• Principal Investigator: YAMASHITA UTAKO 東京農業大学, 地域環境科学部, 准教授 (10733561)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 多数記名共有林 / 入会林野 / 認可地縁団体 / 生産森林組合 / 所有者不明土地問題

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study focused on multi-registered forests that originated in common forests. These forests are registered in the names of dozens, or even hundreds of people, and are considered to have more complicated issues than other types of land with unknown owners. The objective of this study was to understand the current status of multi-registered common forests and to present their characteristics, forest management issues, and policy issues.
As a result, I found that (1) it is extremely difficult to renew the registered title in multi-registered common forests due to the difficulties of consensus building and cost raising, (2) the increasing diversification and dilution of rights holders' perceptions in the in suburban communities, and (3) although legislative and policy measures have been taken to address the problem of land with unknown owners, it is difficult to find a drastic solution to the problem.

Free Research Field

森林政策学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

空き家や宅地の問題に先行して、森林の管理放棄と所有者不明問題は20～30年前から問題視されてきた。しかし森林施業は登記名義にまで遡らずに実施が可能であるため、森林政策において解決に向けた取り組みはほとんど行われてこなかった。しかし、人工林資源の成熟も相まって主伐が増加してきたこと、また森林経営管理制度の開始もあり、森林の所有者が明らかでないという根本的な問題が適切な森林管理に支障を来すことは増えてくるであろう。その際に、本研究は所有者不明の森林に関して、何がどのくらい問題であるかを明らかにし、現行措置に関する基礎資料を提供しうるものであり、大きな意義を持つと思われる。