It is said that the underuse of forest resources reflects a weakening relationship between forests (nature) and people.
I see two main problems with this situation.
First, local resources remain unused, leading to the overexploitation of resources on a global scale.
Second, it weakens the systems that monitor and respond to disaster risks.
To build new relationships between forests and society today, I am working on (1) studying social systems on public access to nature that foster familiarity with forests, and (2) studying cultures that engage with forests.
1. Public access to nature
Sustainable resource use and environmental conservation rely on people who are familiar with nature to practice and support them.
However, the opportunity to interact with nature is not available to everyone.
I analyze these systems and their backgrounds to design frameworks that allow more people to connect with nature.
2. Forests and culture
The way people connect with forests is shaped by culture.
Traditional cultures often contain wisdom on sustainably using forests and drawing out their benefits.
New activities that foster familiarity with forest resources are also emerging.
I aim to deepen understanding of cultures involving forests and explore ways to foster cultures that connect with forests.
Educational approach
Let’s not only think with your head but also go into the field, move our bodies, and engage all our intelligence in thinking.
What is human intelligence? Is it the ability to solve problems presented in class?
That is certainly one form of intelligence, but it is only one.
In the real world, we perceive various kinds of information and respond to them.
What functions there is not limited to information that can be translated into language.
In fact, much of it is non-verbal.
The relationship between forests and people is similarly composed of elements that are not easily verbalized.
Being present in the field to observe and listen (fieldwork) is the approach that deserves the most emphasis.
I encourage gaining knowledge by actually engaging in activities together with local people.
The field is always a frontier where things not found or overlooked in literature can be discovered.
Even the things we want to know—our research themes—are often difficult to verbalize.
That does not mean we should retreat to already well-defined problems.
We should confront our own interests thoroughly.
Research methods may need to be considered from scratch, tailored to one’s own theme.
While there is hardship in creating something from nothing, it is also the joy of engaging with knowledge.
Through these experiences, I expect that we can greatly cultivate our intelligence as humans and as individuals.
Vision for industry-academia collaboration
Shall we create and spread a culture of connecting with forests?
Currently, Japanese forests and their resources, such as timber, are not being fully utilized.
As a result, Japan depends heavily on imported resources, mainly from overseas.
This leads to excessive energy use for procuring materials and, in some cases, imposes a heavy environmental burden on producing countries.
If Japanese forest resources were used more in daily life, it would help address global-scale problems.
Japanese forests have the potential to provide many wonderful benefits, but these are little recognized at present.
The first step is to make people aware of the traditional techniques that bring out the excellence of forest resources and the new ways of using them suited to modern society.
Corporate training programs or crafting workshops set in forests can serve as such a first step.
Through these activities, a culture of appreciating nearby forests and integrating forest blessings into daily life will spread, enabling forests and people to coexist as 'good neighbors.'
I hope to work together with companies and the public to develop programs that help those unfamiliar with forests to connect with them.
