Restore 100 Hectares of the Miyagi Coastal Forest

Dear GlobalGiving Donors,

As always, we express our deepest gratitude for your unwavering support of the Coastal Forest Restoration Project. Thanks to your generosity, we have reached our initial goal of $25,000, and the total amount of donations currently stands at $25,373. Every single contribution from you is a great source of strength in nurturing the coastal forest and supporting the safety of the local communities.

Aiming to restore the coastal forest lost in the Great East Japan Earthquake, our project has planted 370,000 Japanese black pines to date. More than five years have passed since the planting was completed, and over 95% of the planted seedlings continue to grow steadily. This is the result of continuous nurturing and maintenance efforts by local forestry workers and volunteers gathering from all over Japan. For the past five years, thousands of volunteers have supported us in fighting parasitic vines such as kudzu and wisteria which hinder the growth of the pines.

Just this year, between May and June, more than 500 volunteers from all over the country visited our project site at Natori City to help with maintenance. Thanks to their cooperation, we have been able to maintain an environment where the Japanese black pine forest can grow healthily.

On the other hand, we are facing a new challenge. Last year, an outbreak of pine wilt disease was confirmed in Natori City. This is a serious infectious disease that causes pines to wither and die, and once it spreads, it threatens to have a severe impact on the entire forest.

To prevent the spread of the damage, we carried out aerial pesticide spraying using a helicopter this June. In addition, in cooperation with forestry workers and local residents, we are actively engaged in routine monitoring, early detection, and prompt response. Continuous countermeasures are essential to maintain the forest's function as a coastal disaster mitigation forest well into the future.

Your donations are being utilized for these pest and disease countermeasures, ongoing coastal forest maintenance activities, and improving the environment to accommodate our volunteers. Having achieved our initial goal of $25,000, we have now set our next goal at $35,000.

These funds will be used for the ongoing maintenance of the coastal forest, continuous countermeasures against pine wilt disease, and the further development of our volunteer reception system. Long-term management remains indispensable for the coastal disaster mitigation forest to grow into a forest that protects the livelihoods of the local community.

We kindly ask for your continued support so that we can pass down the coastal forest - nurtured together with you - to the next generation.