The University Forest in Chiba is located in the warm temperate forest
zone, and has an area of about 2,200 hectares. Experiments in silviculture
and sustainable management of sugi, hinoki, pines and other plantation
species have been conducted for more than a hundred years. There is a large
area of primitive natural forest of Abies, Tsuga and broad-leaved trees,
which contains important and varied natural resources.
These forests have contributed to a wide variety of research and educational exercises. Recently, studies have
concentrated more on natural history and ecosystems.
The University Forest in Hokkaido is located in the subarctic forest zone,
and has an area of about 23,000 hectares. It has contributed to practical
and theoretical studies of forestry and the silviculture of boreal forests
with a selection cutting management techniques. It has around 11,000 hectares
of wildlife reserve, and various kinds of wildlife studies have been conducted.
Since 1958, "Rinbun Segyo Hou" (a unique forest management system)
has been in operation. This has been significant in achieving a balance
between the preservation of natural conditions and the production of timber
from the forest. This system has gained a high reputation with forestry
scientists and nature conservationists around the world.
The University Forest in Chichibu is located in the temperate forest zone, and has an area of about 2,800 hectares. The terrain is steep and complicated, and so the vegetation is also diverse. The area has a high level of biodiversity. Forest ecosystem studies have been conducted in a large area of primitive forest here. Silvicultural studies and regeneration of natural forests on steep slopes are also continuing.
These three university forests are of the most significance from a global point of view and have a rich treasure of genetic resources.
The University Forest in Aichi covers about 1,300 hectares. Studies in forest limnology and reforestation have been conducted here. Hydrological observations have continued here for more than seventy years and play an important role in the development of soil conservation and hydrology in Japan. This forest is also expected to play a significant role as a suburban forest for recreation and amenity. The studies of river flow control, which are of practical significance for tropical areas, will be developed here.
The University Forest at Yamanakako comprises an area of about 40 hectares
of forests belonging to the cool temperate zone. Situated at the foot of
Mount Fuji, this forest is surrounded by one of the most popular resort
areas in Japan. Thus, it offers the most suitable place for nature recreational
studies. Although landscape studies and forest recreational planning have
been the main research objectives here, forest dynamics and regeneration
are also being studied.
The Arboricultural Research Institute is located in the warm temperate evergreen broad-leaved forest zone in Izu peninsula.
It has an area of about 246 hectares and two greenhouses heated by the
hot spring. The artificial forests of broad-leaved trees
(Acacia spp., Eucalyptus spp. and Cinnamonum
camphora) are peculiar in this forest and silvicultural and reproductive studies
are conducted. Dynamics of the secondary forest of laurel tree is also
an important research theme. More than 300 species of multiple-use plants,
mainly woody perennials, grown in tropical and sub-tropical conditions
are collected in the greenhouses as genetic resources. Some of them are
used for physiological and silvicultural experiments to support the studies
of reforestation of tropical forests.
The Experimental Station at Tanashi is located near the main campus of the University of Tokyo. About 350 species of trees grow in the station of 9ha. The station is used for forest biological studies, including physiology and genetics of trees, ecology of small animals and microorganisms and their interaction with plants. The station is also used for practical training courses in silviculture, forest zoology and forest botany.