Noto Region Forest and Forestry Conservation Act Project Activity report

Oraccha Forest Activity report 2014

Oraccha Forest activity was held on October 25 and October 26, 2014. Very regret that we could not participate this event from Tokyo and thus we have received the detailed information about the activity from organizing chairman, Mr. Hideo Kato which we are herewith posting with the photos. He said that Kunugi trees that were sent from Tokyo are showing good growth and ready for plantations. Information provided are as follows

We’ve conducted ‘2014 Oraccha Forest activity’ dated October 25 and October 26. The main purpose of this activity is to do the tree plantation of Kunugi-Quercus acutissima Carruth with the peoples of Suma-city, Ishikawa Prefecture. This year’s event will be the 6th year and we feel very happy that this event became ‘typical symbolizing activity in Noto Region’s Satoyama conservation’ which we appreciate very much to the many people participated this activity. The variety of participations are total of 120 peoples, many volunteers from Kanazawa city, masters of Japanese tea-ceremony, Seiryo University students, peoples from Rengo-Ishikawa, additionally local from such organizations, Hioki Youth Association, Ohno Seitan(refined coal) company, Houritsu public school students(Elementary and Junior), NPO Okunoto-hioki, Satoyama Meister network, Suma-city office, members of NPO Oraccha and consequently, the event have completed with great success with all efforts provided by such participants.

We worked on the supplemental planting of the place where we could not plant last year and some place that had died so far. We are pleased to know that this year, we are able to plant the seedling of the Kunugi trees which we actually returned to Suzu which we brought up from Tokyo. Pruning to cut the branch which lengthened extra size which we have planted in 2010 have grown up were done for the purpose of balancing the trees to grow and save from the weight of heavy snow. Around 150 Kunugi trees were planted as well as pruning in almost every trees.

After having finished tree planting work, it is a social gathering and staying this year in the Kinoura village where we could experience the stay. Delicious dish and liquor, local Japanese Sake, star-filled sky, scenery of the splendid morning glow, wonderful breakfast, participants became the tour with the great satisfaction.
Following day, we visited the plantation area of the Kunugi trees which we planted in the past. We made observation, Kunugi trees was burnt as tea charcoal purpose and recognized the state that a bud flush was brought up more and regenerated. The growth rate is very aggressive already the height of the person well in first year, the second year with enough thickness size. We assume it is wonderful to maintain such environmental Satoyama near the village where a person used vitality and observe Kunugi trees in the area of Oku-Noto. We paid a visit to Ohno Seitan(Refined coal) and talked about whole story on charcoal making process from Charcoal Master, Choichiro Ohno.

It is a small step here in Oku-Noto, but we gain result little by little in this way. Our hope is big and great which may bring and make this region more meaningful and make people’s life happily in Noto from now on. We wish your understanding and cooperation to continue our mission toward the forest structure for NPO Oraccha.

The NPO Oraccha Chief director Hideo Kato

November 6, 2011-Tree Planting activity of Oraccha Forest:

We’ve participated tree-planting activity of Oraccha-Forest for the 2nd time, this year. This day was rain and the sky was nothing clear, most of surrounding scenes were different from last year. Volunteers including mother of Mr. Ohno and other local senior peoples together with college students helped each other in preparing the lunch food. Those were fresh baked local rice balls using famous local salt and miso-soup with pork and vegetables. We found those Kunugi nursery trees which we have sent from Tokyo and arrived earlier. We have to say our thanks to Ohno-san for settling those nursery trees as soon as they’ve arrived here. It was to our surprise when we came to know the fact that the nursery trees originated from the same sort of acorns but raised in Tokyo and Noto made the clear-cut difference in size, tree raised in Noto were bigger for about ten times compared with trees raised in Tokyo. Together with the mayor of Suzu-city, we have conducted the memorial plantations besides wooden pole with the name of this day of plantations. It was a really memorial and we felt so excited for being participated this event along with some of 120 peoples joined despite of poor land conditions due to the heavy rains. We would like to extend our appreciations to all participants for the wonderful gathering on this day. See pictures:

November 7, 2010-Tree Planting activity of Oraccha Forest:

photo Naka Nohagi

Targeting 1,000 trees of Kunugi-Quercus acutissima Carruth plantation with the peoples of Suma-city, in the Oraccha-forest, we have conducted this activity on this day. This is the part of cooperative agreement between NPO Satoyama-Satoumi and NPO Green Wave, exchanged about one year ago. Quite lucky, the weather condition was nice and thanks to those supporting ladies and wives who were kindly prepared the rice-balls Onigiri flavored with salty bamboo and miso soup with pork making everyone warmed up. About 10 minutes riding on the micro-bus, we arrived Oraccha forest where we could see the panorama-view of Satoumi. Almost 100 peoples gathered to this activity, Mr. Ohno seemed so pleased and he started to show his way of placing the trees with gestures. Due the areas are argilliferous soil and slope, it needed to have a little power to place trees. Everyone was so happy and satisfied after we finished planting the Kunugi tree-Quercus acutissima Carruth which will be nice charcoal material in future. We wish that those nursery plants will grow steady. See pictures: