Forest and Wild Animals
What should you do if you encounter wild animals in the forest? We learned from lumberjack Mr. Maeda.
Bears
If you turn your back and run, the bear may chase and attack you. Instead, keep facing the bear and slowly back away. Throwing an items you’re carrying can also distract the bearand help you escape.
Snakes
Moving quickly can provoke a snake and increase the likelihood of being attacked. It is important to stay still, like a tree, and not move.
Wasps
Wasps have trouble seeing close to the ground, so crouch down and wait quietly untilthe wasp flies away.
Forest and Wild Animals 掲載号
新林 第1-en号
Cutting Trees in Tenryu Forest in Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan
#1ReadRelated articles
Transporting Trees in Tenryu Forest
［Lumberjack Activity Report #2］ Four months after our first lumberjack experience, we returned to meet Maeda san, the lumberjack, in Kicoro Forest, Tenryu Ward, Hamamatsu City, Shizuoka Prefecture. This time, we carried the cedar trees we had cut down ourselves, following the traditions of those who came before us, and sawed them into boards. The experience was exciting and full of new discoveries—almost as …
Trying to Build a Path in the Tenryu Forest
［Lumberjack Activity Report #3］ On July 16, 2021, we carried out work to build a path for transporting trees in Kicoro Forest, Tenryu Ward, Hamamatsu City, Shizuoka Prefecture. Building a Path by Hand In this lumberjack activity, we challenged ourselves to create a path using only pickaxes and mattocks—experiencing the wisdom of our predecessors firsthand. We split into teams for digging, carrying earth, and …
Thinking About Reforestation in the Tenryu Forest
［Lumberjack Activity Report #4］ Visiting the Tenryu Forest with Over 300 Years of History On November 12, 2021, our lumberjack team visited the Suzuki family forest in Tenryu Ward, Hamamatsu City, Shizuoka Prefecture—a forest that has been carefully maintained for over 300 years. Managed by the 12th-generation head, Masayuki Suzuki, it forms a stunning landscape worthy of the name “Tenryu Beautiful Forest.” In the …
Cutting Trees in Tenryu Forest in Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan
［Lumberjack Activity Report #1］ Located in the central region of Honshu, Japan in Hamamatsu City, Shizuoka Prefecture, Tenryu Ward is a major forestry area, with about 90% of its area covered in forest, 80% of which are artificial forest. Known as one of Japan’s three great artificial forests, the “Tenryu Beautiful Forest” boasts a history of 500 years. This time, we visited Tsuyoshi Maeda, who …
A Year in the Life of a Lumberjack
The job of a lumberjack involves a series of tasks from planting trees, growing them, cutting them, and processing them into logs ready to be transported to the market. Spring After the logging is finished, the remaining tree tops, branches, cut underbrush, and weeds are cleared and organized in a process called “ground preparation.” This is followed by “seedling planting.” …
History of Japanese Forestry
Japan is a forest nation with 70% of its land covered by forests. Forests have been indispensable for daily life, culture, and urban development. Ancient Times (the late 6th century) to the Early Modern Period (the 19th century) From the Asuka period (from the late 6th century) to the Edo period (until the 19th century), huge amounts of timber were …
