Overview
This is a survey and analysis report on the current state and sustainable future of forests in Saitama Prefecture, conducted by the Saitama Resona Industrial Cooperation Foundation, using the 75th National Tree Planting Festival held in Chichibu City and Ogano Town on May 25, 2025, as an opportunity.
The National Tree Planting Festival was held in Saitama Prefecture for the first time in 66 years since the 10th festival in 1959, with the theme "People, Forests, Rivers - Connecting to the Future in Sainokuni." Saitama Prefecture has strong ties to forests, and from the Edo period to the Showa era, timber cut from areas centered around present-day Hanno City was highly valued as "Nishikawa timber" and was widely used for house construction.
Regarding the current state of forests, as of the end of March 2022, the national forest area was 25.02 million hectares, accounting for about two-thirds of the national land area of 37.80 million hectares. Since it was 25.17 million hectares in 1966, there has been no significant change in the trend, with the 2022 figure remaining almost flat. While forest area has remained stable, forest volume has increased significantly. Available data shows that forest volume was 1,887 million m³ in 1966, which increased to 5,560 million m³ in 2022, a 2.95-fold increase. By forest type, during the same period, planted forests increased 6.35-fold and natural forests increased 1.52-fold, with particularly significant forest volume accumulation in planted forests, indicating that forest resource recycling has not progressed.
Regarding forests in Saitama Prefecture, the forest area is 119,000 hectares, accounting for about one-third of the prefecture\'s land area of 380,000 hectares. When comparing forest area by prefecture, Saitama Prefecture ranks 7th from the bottom nationally, accounting for 0.48% of the national forest area. In the Tokyo metropolitan area, Chiba Prefecture has 148,000 hectares, ranking 5th from the bottom nationally, with less forest area than Saitama Prefecture. Forest volume is 35.8 million m³, accounting for 0.64% of the national forest volume.
Looking at the breakdown of forest area, by ownership, national forests account for 8% and private forests (including public forests owned by local governments) account for 92%. By forest type, planted forests account for 70% and natural forests account for 30%, indicating that, like the national trend, forest volume accumulation in planted forests is progressing.
Regarding trends in forestry personnel, households owning forest land of 1 hectare or more are called forest households. Looking at trends in the number of forest households, nationally there were 1.019 million households in 2000, which decreased to 690,000 households in 2020, a 32.3% decrease. In Saitama Prefecture, during the same period, the number decreased from 9,500 households to 5,700 households, a 40.0% decrease, showing a higher reduction rate than the national average.
The article shows that while forest resources in Saitama Prefecture are accumulating, the decrease in forestry workers is serious, and establishing a forest resource recycling system is urgently needed.
This summary was automatically generated by AI. Please refer to the original article for accuracy.
This is a survey and analysis report on the current state and sustainable future of forests in Saitama Prefecture, conducted by the Saitama Resona Industrial Cooperation Foundation, using the 75th National Tree Planting Festival held in Chichibu City and Ogano Town on May 25, 2025, as an opportunity.
The National Tree Planting Festival was held in Saitama Prefecture for the first time in 66 years since the 10th festival in 1959, with the theme "People, Forests, Rivers - Connecting to the Future in Sainokuni." Saitama Prefecture has strong ties to forests, and from the Edo period to the Showa era, timber cut from areas centered around present-day Hanno City was highly valued as "Nishikawa timber" and was widely used for house construction.
Regarding the current state of forests, as of the end of March 2022, the national forest area was 25.02 million hectares, accounting for about two-thirds of the national land area of 37.80 million hectares. Since it was 25.17 million hectares in 1966, there has been no significant change in the trend, with the 2022 figure remaining almost flat. While forest area has remained stable, forest volume has increased significantly. Available data shows that forest volume was 1,887 million m³ in 1966, which increased to 5,560 million m³ in 2022, a 2.95-fold increase. By forest type, during the same period, planted forests increased 6.35-fold and natural forests increased 1.52-fold, with particularly significant forest volume accumulation in planted forests, indicating that forest resource recycling has not progressed.
Regarding forests in Saitama Prefecture, the forest area is 119,000 hectares, accounting for about one-third of the prefecture's land area of 380,000 hectares. When comparing forest area by prefecture, Saitama Prefecture ranks 7th from the bottom nationally, accounting for 0.48% of the national forest area. In the Tokyo metropolitan area, Chiba Prefecture has 148,000 hectares, ranking 5th from the bottom nationally, with less forest area than Saitama Prefecture. Forest volume is 35.8 million m³, accounting for 0.64% of the national forest volume.
Looking at the breakdown of forest area, by ownership, national forests account for 8% and private forests (including public forests owned by local governments) account for 92%. By forest type, planted forests account for 70% and natural forests account for 30%, indicating that, like the national trend, forest volume accumulation in planted forests is progressing.
Regarding trends in forestry personnel, households owning forest land of 1 hectare or more are called forest households. Looking at trends in the number of forest households, nationally there were 1.019 million households in 2000, which decreased to 690,000 households in 2020, a 32.3% decrease. In Saitama Prefecture, during the same period, the number decreased from 9,500 households to 5,700 households, a 40.0% decrease, showing a higher reduction rate than the national average.
The article shows that while forest resources in Saitama Prefecture are accumulating, the decrease in forestry workers is serious, and establishing a forest resource recycling system is urgently needed.