Enhancing the value of forests and making them central to a sustainable society

Forests not only provide us with timber but also contribute conservation of water resources, biodiversity, and environmental regulation. Human lives benefit from such multiple functions of forests. Forests play a major role in mitigating global warming by acting as a carbon sink. Forest-produced timber is also expected to reduce carbon dioxide emission by replacing fossil fuel-based resources. To mitigate the progression of global warming, we must reduce carbon dioxide emission and enhance the carbon sink function of forests. However, deforestation and degradation are progressing worldwide. Forest ecosystems must be healthy to be able to achieve their multiple functions. Overuse of forest resources is a primary factor undermining healthy forest ecosystems. To utilize forest resources effectively, a comprehensive understanding of the mechanism of forest ecosystems is essential.

The Forest Research and Management Organization comprises several institutions. These include the Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute, which conducts comprehensive, interdisciplinary basic and applied research on forests, forestry, the timber industry, and tree breeding; the Forest Management Center, which establishes forests for water resource conservation; and the Forest Insurance Center, which supports the stable management of forestry by compensating for disaster-related damages. By promoting and coordinating our respective operations in research, forest management for water resource conservation, and forest insurance, we aim to play a central role in contributing to the development of forests, forestry, and the timber industry, and in building a sustainable society. To achieve this, collaboration with stakeholders both in Japan and abroad is essential. We would greatly appreciate your understanding and cooperation.

Takeshi Tange
President of the Forest Research and Management Organization