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The Japanese temperate rainforest is well sustained and maintains a high biodiversity. One method that has been utilized in maintaining the health of forests in Japan has been afforestation. The Japanese government and private businesses have set up multiple projects to plant native tree species in open areas scattered throughout the country. This practice has resulted in shifts in forest structure and a healthy temperate rainforest that maintains a high biodiversity. ==Purpose of afforestation== The primary goal of afforestation projects in Japan is to develop the forest structure of the nation and to maintain the biodiversity found in the Japanese wilderness. The Japanese temperate rainforest is scattered throughout the Japanese archipelago and is home to many endemic species that are not naturally found anywhere else. As development of the country’s caused a decline in forest cover, a reduction in biodiversity was seen in those areas.〔 Miyamoto et al. 2008〕 In an effort to counteract the observed decline in biodiversity, Japan began many afforestation projects. New tree stands were planted all over the archipelago and native species that inhabited the existing wild forests began to occupy the newly forested areas. Afforestation projects in Japan first started after the rebuilding that followed World War II. In efforts to restore the country’s infrastructure after the war, large areas of forest were clear-cut for timber and to create pastures to attract immigrant farmers.〔 Shoyama 2008〕 A new management plan for the forests of Japan was instated after many pastures were abandoned and there was a recognized massive decline of old growth and secondary forests.〔Miyamoto et al. 2008〕 Forest plantations were created to increase the health of Japanese forests and to sustain the nation’s timber industry. Afforestation was combined with changes in logging practices that called for reduced clear-cutting and low impact logging over a larger area.〔Miyamoto et al. 2008〕 Many private businesses in the country take part in other afforestation projects as a means of reducing the carbon emissions of the company. Carbon sequestration is a major incentive for businesses to plant seedlings and saplings that will store atmospheric carbon in their biomass as they grow. Companies like Japex and Toyota have planted and maintained tree stands beside their plants located across Japan; planting several thousand native trees in an effort to offset carbon emissions. Businesses also monitor the health of newly planted tree stands by tracking growth and surveying near-by wild forests as a comparison of how well the new stands are doing. Historically, the forests of Japan were not extensively cut as a means of reducing the frequency of landslides and other natural disasters occurring. The root structure of the forests held the soil in place and stabilized the ground in an environment that experiences heavy rainfall and earthquake activity. In present afforestation projects, trees are used to anchor the soil and reduce the amount of soil erosion undergone by that area. A healthy tree stand also restricts the amount of soil disturbance due to rainfall by intercepting heavy precipitation in the canopy and by slowing the rate of run-off with the litter covering the soil. The role that the Japanese temperate rainforest plays in the prevention of soil erosion was recognized early on in the history of the nation and continues to be a positive reason to reforest open areas as new tree stands reduce the amount of nutrients lost in an area and allow for a more productive ecosystem. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Afforestation in Japan」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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