Laboratory of Forest and Water Resources Management

We work on theories and methods that are practically useful for the comprehensive and sustainable management of forest and water resources at the watershed scale. Fundamental studies consist of hydrological studies identifying water and nutrient cycles in various forested watersheds and long-term and large-scale ecosystem monitoring in order to demonstrate the structure and dynamics of managed forests. We further aim to propose optimum methods that can be applied to the management of forested watersheds based on the evaluation of watershed functions that are beneficial to the public both locally (e.g. ecosystem services to the residents) and globally (e.g. greenhouse gas sequestration). Our reported research results include: 1) Processes of water and nutrient cycles and mass movement during forest restoration; 2) Dominant factors affecting rain runoff characteristics in various mountainous watersheds at different spatial scales; 3) Forest resource management planning using GIS; and 4) Spatial information management at the University of Tokyo Forests. At present, we are pursuing the following research topics:

Major theme

  • Effects of climate change and human management on ecosystem services of forested watersheds
  • Analysis of habitats of trees in suburban forests in relation to hydro-meteorological variables
  • Evaluation of multiple functions of forested watersheds using monitoring indices
  • Establishment of a sustainable forest management system based on long-term and large-scale monitoring information
Old plantation stand of Cryptomeria japonica (sugi) in Gobozawa, UTCBF
A view of the measurement of sediment discharge from a mountain that has been acquired over a long period of time at the Ecohydrology Research Institute.
Gauging station at Shirasaka Experimental Watershed in Ecohydrology Research Institute. Measurement started in 1929 and 90 years of continuous discharge data have been stored.
Back forest of UTHF managed by selection system, looking north-northeast from Sannoyama Pass on National Route 38

Staff