Commencement of a project to obtain certification as a “site coexisting with nature”

We are thinking about the utilization of natural capital by aiming for the certification as an area for preservation of biodiversity

Having decided to participate in the “30 by 30 Alliance for Biodiversity” in March 2023, Yuasa Lumber Co., Ltd. commenced a new project to obtain certification of our forest as a “site coexisting with nature”*1 which is led by the Ministry of the Environment on April 3, 2023 and we are seeking to obtain this certification by 2024.
A domestic system for certification of “sites coexisting with nature” will officially begin operating in April 2023. Once a site is certified as a “site coexisting with nature,” it will presumably be registered as OECM*2 in the international database.
We are grateful to have the cooperation of the Hokkaido Research Organization, Forestry Research Institute during the implementation of this project. They will provide expert technical support related to the preservation of biodiversity. We will strive to achieve our goal by sharing information with local governments, forestry cooperatives, and other organizations.
*1 Name of an area certified by the Ministry of the Environment as “an area where biodiversity is being preserved through the efforts of the private sector and other entities.”
*2 Other Effective area-based Conservation Measures

Our forest in Shibecha-cho, Hokkaido, for which we are seeking to obtain certification, is surrounded by wetlands. Wetlands have greater biodiversity than forests, but they are decreasing at a faster rate than forests worldwide. We believe that maintaining and managing of wetlands is important since they are vital carbon storages and they are crucial to protecting watersheds. We hope that accomplishing this project will provide an opportunity to think about the creation of a sustainable society in which nature and humans coexist in local communities.

● Hokkaido Research Organization, Forestry Research Institute
The Forestry Research Institute of the Hokkaido Research Organization was established in 1957 with the mission of helping to develop the forestry and lumber industries in Hokkaido and to improve the lives of local residents through research and development and technical support related to forest development and use of forestry products in Hokkaido. Since then, the Research Organization has been engaged in efforts such as promoting the cyclic use of forest resources and testing and research to capitalize on the multiple functions of forests.

■Contact Us
Yuasa Lumber Co., Ltd.
1-8, Kanda-Nishikicho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 101-0054, Japan
https://yuasa-lumber.co.jp/