Course of Forest Resources

It is now clear to many that today's civilization, which depends on petroleum, nuclear fuel, metals, and cement, is faltering. The challenge now for all of humanity is to discover resources that are renewable and compatible with people and the environment in all processes of production, application, and disposal, yet provide more kinds of products than petroleum, and then build a new civilization based on that. Fortunately, such a resource already exists: the forest. In addition to being a resource for producing materials, forests have the functions of water regulation and purification, disaster prevention, environment formation, health and recreation, and culture and education.

This course provides integrated education and research in natural science, humanities, and social sciences as they relate to forests, as well as basic science and applied science.

Research Laboratories	Main Subject and Staff
Forest Genetics	In order to develop methods for conservation and utilization of forest genetic resources studies based on population genetics and molecular biology will be conducted. Researches will be done mainly on tree populations in temperate forests and also in tropical rain forests in the world. Koichi KAMIYA　,　Professor
Forest Resources Biology	Silviculture, reforestation, rehabilitation, and reclamation of the forests are studied by methods of ecology, eco-physiology, soil science and forest protection. Our objectives are clarification of organic matter dynamics, nutrient circulation, biodiversity and tree eco-physiological processes for the appropriate management of forest ecosystems. Tetsuya SHIMAMURA　,　Associate Professor， Eri NABESHIMA　,　Associate Professor
Wood Science and Technology	Various enhancements of wood properties and system development of forest resources for sustainable use. Masatoshi SUGIMORI　,　Professor， Hiroyuki SUGIMOTO　,　Associate Professor
Biomass Conversion Laboratory	The major aim of the laboratory is to convert biomass, mainly wood, by pyrolysis or hydrogenation or supercritical fluid treatment into gas or liquid fuel or useful chemical compounds for resin and plastics. Another research object is to produce bioactive compounds from biomass under controlled conditions. Yusuke EDASHIGE　,　Associate Professor
Forest Chemistry	The study and technical development of a bioactive substance found in a tree extraction ingredient and the study and technical development of a bio-remediation technique using an enzyme from a forest microbe. Kazutaka ITO　,　Professor
Geoecosystem control and watershed management	Elucidating the geological foundation of forests and the function of environmental conservation in the forest ecosystem. Devising systems for the management of river basins and prevention of damage due to natural disasters. Takashi KIMURA , Assistant Professor
Basin-based Forest Management
Forest Resources Planning	Regarding forests as global and local environmental assets as well as material resources, this laboratory is actively involved in research leading to forest resources planning at the local, national and global levels through forest mensuration and ecological analysis of forest dynamics. Hayato TSUZUKI　,　Associate Professor
Forest Education	Forest resource is an essential element to develop a sustainable society. From this point of view, we will promote outstanding strategies in forest education programs through practical research. Such programs will reform our consciousness and action to forest and forestry by understanding the multi-functionality, circularity and sustainability of forest resources.　 Osamu KOBAYASHI , Professor Taro TERASITA　,　Associate Professor
Forest Environment Management	With the goal of regional development of forests and forestry, a policy which balances the management of the forest environment -- indispensable in the utilization of resources -- and environmental conservation is required where the relationship between humans and forest is central to research from the micro-perspective of forest work to the macro- perspective of forestry planning. Akie KAWASAKI　,　Associate Professor