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07/12/2015
Cultivation of Forests as Reservoirs of Biodiversity Resources AEON's Forestation Activities in Chiba and Miyazaki

AEON Environmental Foundation (Chairman: Takuya Okada, Honorary Chairman and Advisor of AEON Co., Ltd) conducted forestation activities in Urayasu City, Chiba Prefecture and Aya Town, Miyazaki Prefecture in November 2015. “Urayasu Forest of Nexus” and “AEON’s Forest in Aya Town” have been undertaken as 3-year projects since 2012 and the year 2015 is the final year for these projects.

 

◆ Urayasu Forest of Nexus, November 14, 2015
Urayasu City of Chiba Prefecture and especially the reclaimed lands in the city were greatly damaged by liquefaction due to the Great East Japan Earthquake that occurred on March 11, 2011. The “Urayasu Forest of Nexus” project has been conducted aiming at the alleviation of sea breezes and strong winds, and the construction of a “Green Breakwater” as a recreation area through forestation of the coastal area. A great amount of soil generated from the liquefaction was effectively used for the tree-planting basement.
In 2015, 890 citizen volunteers and the Foundation planted 20 kinds of 7900 native trees and shrubs. The number of the planted trees became 18000 in total over 3 years.

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◆ AEON’s Forest in Aya Town, November 21, 2015
Aya Town of Miyazaki Prefecture is known as a “town of evergreen broad-leaved forests” and in 2012 became the 5th designation in Japan of a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve (UNESCO Eco Park), the first such designation in 32 years.  Areas conserving rich ecosystems, sustainably using resources and conducting activities in harmony with nature preservation are designated as UNESCO Biosphere Reserves.  In Aya Town, the regional development plan in cooperation with organic agriculture as well as the evergreen broad-leaved forests were highly evaluated.  Also, regional resources are appreciated in this “Eco Park” town: timbers in the logging season of the town forests have been used for reconstructing the deteriorated junior high school building.  In addition, the local governments of Aya Town and Miyazaki Prefecture, the Central Forest Union of Miyazaki Prefecture and the AEON Environmental Foundation have conducted activities to restore satoyama based on an agreement for maintenance and conservation which was made in 2013 among the said parties.  Annually 500 citizen volunteers participated in the forestation activities of the “AEON’s Forest in Aya Town” and the number of planted trees became 15000 in total. 

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We, the AEON Environmental Foundation, will continue to conduct forestation activities domestically and abroad along with citizen volunteers, in order to enrich regional nature and life, and to cultivate forests as reservoirs of biodiversity resources.

 

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