Restore 100 Hectares of the Miyagi Coastal Forest

I would like to express my deepest gratitude for the generous support that you have extended to our project since 2011.

 It has been 6 years since we started our project in Tohoku Region. This year, we have covered an area of 16.66 hectares with 71,945 black pine seedlings. Two months after planting, we have achieved so far, the highest survival rate of 99.8%. It means that out of 500 planted seedlings, only 1 has withered. The result was attributed from the accumulated experience of the disaster survivors of growing excellent quality of seedlings; improved planting skills of the forestry workers; and the moderate rainfalls after planting.

Annually, we are accepting about 2,000 volunteers who are mostly repeaters, are helping us in the maintenance of the project site. This year, it was first time for us to accept two groups of foreign volunteers who are not residents of Japan. First group has 10 members from Thailand led by Mr. Khayai Thongnunui, in-charge of the 1,900 hectares mangrove reforestation project of OISCA in Surin Province, Thailand.

On June 8, Volunteers from Thailand also joined the organized talk show on Coastal Forest Restoration wherein they discussed their experiences in managing mangrove forests. After the show, local residents have commented that since the growth of black pine trees is slower than mangroves, it is really important to give priorities to involve the locals in the implementation of the project.

Meanwhile, a group of 22 senior high school students and accompanying teachers from California, USA visited the project and carried out half-day weeding work. The students are participants in the “TOMODACHI Initiative”, an international exchange program born out of support for Japan’s recovery from the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and conducted by the US Embassy in Japan and the US-Japan Council, a non-profit educational organization. Despite the rain, the students using unfamiliar sickles, toiled hard in removing vines and other weeds thriving around the planted seedlings. 

Abigail, 17-years old from Santa Monica, commented that although it was her first time to work in the disaster-hit area, she was very proud to contribute in a small way to the recovery work.