2010 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

Prospective supporters of small private forests

Research Project

Project/Area Number	20580163
Research Category	Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
Allocation Type	Single-year Grants
Section	一般
Research Field	Forest science
Research Institution	Kibi International University
Principal Investigator	MORINO Mari Kibi International University, 薬学部, 准教授 (10397078)
Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha)	HORIUCHI Shiro 明治大学, 研究知財戦略機構, PD (90469312)
Project Period (FY)	2008 – 2010
Keywords	森林管理・政策 / 小規模林家
Research Abstract	We surveyed in Nishiawakura-son, Aida-gun, Okayama prefecture, the reasons why small-forest owners are likely to abandon managing their forests. Among the interviewed owners, we found a few who were eager to manage their forests. Even such owners were expected to abandon managing their forests, not only because of economic severe conditions for forestry as has been discussed, but also because their forests were fragile to natural disasters, were difficult to access due to their geographical conditions. Children of the owners were least likely to inherit managing the forests. Accordingly, we should encourage outsiders, such as immigrants and volunteers, could manage abandoned forests, although there were several problems for their contribution to forestry.