Forest Management Principle Change and the Characteristics of New Forest Management System in Hokkaido Prefectural Forest

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  • 北海道有林における森林管理方針の転換と新しい森林施業の特徴
  • ホッカイドウユウリン ニ オケル シンリン カンリ ホウシン ノ テンカン ト アタラシイ シンリン セギョウ ノ トクチョウ

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Abstract

The 2002 Basic Plan for Hokkaido Prefectural Forests declared a change in the forest management policy from the conventional concept of placing emphasis on both public interest and profitability to an approach that focuses entirely on public interest. Based on this change, final cutting for timber production in actual forest operations was abolished and replaced by overhead release felling - a technique involving the cutting of upper-story trees to secure the space and light needed in forests for the growth of planted trees and naturally regenerating seedlings. In this study, the transition of forest operation guidelines related to the prefectural forest policy change in Hokkaido were summarized, and a case study was conducted to determine how the new approach influences actual forest operations in the Northern Kamikawa Forest Management District. The case study revealed that the abolition of final cutting in favor of overhead release felling brought positive results in terms of natural forest management. However, the outcomes in the area of artificial forest management were not necessarily favorable, as it lost flexibility and became rigid due to the abolition. Against this background, the author proposes the resumption of final cutting in artificial forest management under certain conditions. The case study also showed that the provision of forest environment education for local residents has expanded significantly based on the 2002 policy change. At the same time, the disclosure of information on prefectural forest operations to local residents has also been promoted. It is clear that the goal of these measures is to open prefectural forests to the public, which is a vital consideration for the further development of prefectural forest management.

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