Program Overview

Introduction to the Applied Plant Science Course: Forest Resource Science

The Forest Resource Science course is part of the Applied Plant Science program, led by Professor Hiroaki Ishii and Associate Professor Kazuna Azuma. This program focuses on the multifaceted functions of forests, including wood supply, water conservation, landslide prevention, carbon fixation, and recreation.

Research Overview

Forest Resource Science utilizes knowledge from forest ecology, tree physiology, anatomy, and pathology to address the challenges of maintaining various types of forests, such as artificial forests, satoyama (managed forests), primeval forests, shrine and temple forests, and urban green spaces, while utilizing them as resources. The term "resources" encompasses not only material resources like wood but also broader resources that contribute to improving our living environment, referred to as "ecosystem services."

Program Objectives

Given that trees are long-lived and forests grow slowly, managing and conserving them sustainably requires envisioning the state of forests and trees 50 to 100 years into the future. The program aims to cultivate personnel who can approach forest conservation and management with a long-term perspective. Graduates typically pursue careers as public servants (in forestry or landscaping), proceed to graduate school for research positions, or work in industries such as architecture, housing, trading companies, or environmental consulting firms.

Specialized Research Areas

For those interested in more specialized knowledge, the Forest Resource Science laboratory conducts research on various forest ecosystems, ranging from nearby satoyama and urban green spaces like shrine and temple forests to forests in remote locations such as Yakushima and Hokkaido, and even overseas. Key research themes include:

• Urban Greening and Management of Shrine and Temple Forests: Investigating methods to maintain and manage natural forests in urban environments, including vegetation management and ecosystem restoration, to balance conservation with profitability.
• Satoyama Management and Resource Utilization: Studying ways to sustainably manage satoyama (managed forests) that have been neglected for about half a century, leading to their deterioration. This involves understanding how moderate logging can aid in forest recovery and exploring methods to utilize these forests as modern resources.
• Tree Photosynthesis and Water Utilization: Researching how trees efficiently use sunlight for photosynthesis, a crucial process for absorbing CO2, and how they utilize water, which is essential for their survival and growth. This knowledge has implications for human utilization of solar energy.
• Canopy Ecology: Examining the forest canopy, which is not only vital for tree life activities like photosynthesis but also provides habitat for numerous plants and animals, thus contributing to biodiversity. This includes studying epiphytes (plants growing on other plants) and the potential of canopy-dwelling plants as a source for future forest regeneration.

Contribution to Society

Through research and educational activities focused on trees and forest ecosystems, the Forest Resource Science laboratory contributes to mitigating global warming, achieving a low-carbon society, and conserving biodiversity, in collaboration with administrative and private sectors.