Wednesday, July 29, 2020
A young couple, Tatsuya Kamii (age 28) and Hitomi (age 31), moved to Hokuryu Town in April 2020 and started a self-logging forestry business in the town's mountains.
"Self-cutting forestry" is a sustainable forest management method that achieves both profitability and environmental conservation at a high level. It is a form of forestry management that is gradually spreading across the country, and is expected to be a "key to regional revitalization" that utilizes the forests that make up 70% of the country's land area.
- 1 Tatsuya and Hitomi Kamii and their husband
- 2 Worked at Onishi Forestry Co., Ltd. for two years
- 3 Started married life at the same time as getting a job
- 4 The social contribution significance of self-cutting forestry
- 5 Mr. Kamii's self-cutting forestry and activity base
- 5.1 Purchased approximately 25 hectares of forest land in Hokuryu Town
- 5.2 Joined the Hokkaido Self-Harvesting Forestry Promotion Council
- 5.3 Establishment of the voluntary organization "Hokuryu Satoyama Club"
- 5.4 Utilizing the subsidy system "Forest and Mountain Village Multifunctionality Promotion Measures Grant"
- 6 Mr. Kamii's business model for self-logging forestry
- 7 Tatsuya and Hitomi Uei's future dreams
- 8 Under Nature Instagram
Tatsuya and Hitomi Kamii and their husband
Tatsuya and Hitomi Kamii, a married couple, purchased 25 hectares of forest land in Hokuryu Town and a vacant house in Kazunobu, Hokuryu Town, and started a "self-logging forestry" business. We were able to speak with the Kamii couple despite their busy schedules.
How the two met
Tatsuya Uei is from Sapporo, and Hitomi is from Shinhidaka. They are senior and junior students at Rakuno Gakuen University (Ebetsu). They both hit it off while working in the Wildlife Conservation and Management Laboratory in the School of Environmental Coexistence. Tatsuya has completed his Master's degree at the Graduate School of Dairy Science.
Tatsuya Kamii
Tatsuya has always loved nature and was an outdoorsy person who loved camping, so he wanted to work in a nature-related field. He has three siblings and all three are passionate about soccer. Tatsuya was a member of the soccer club in elementary and junior high school.
To study nature in Hokkaido, national universities such as Hokkaido University and Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine have limited faculties. I wanted to study a broad range of environmental studies that covered the entire natural environment, so I chose Rakuno Gakuen University.
He completed a master's course in dairy science at the university, and became fascinated by the charm of nature when he visited the forests of Malaysia during laboratory training.
"In the university lab, I studied frogs, and in my master's course, I conducted ecological analysis research on Ezo deer. However, I felt that doing this kind of research for my whole life was a little different for me," says Tatsuya.
Hitomi Kamii
Hitomi's family home is a temple in the mountains of Shinhidaka Town, so she grew up surrounded by nature. When she was in elementary school, she wanted to be a veterinarian. When it came time to decide on her future after graduating from high school, she wanted to study animals, so she decided on a dairy farming university.
In the Hidaka region, there are many accidents and crop damage caused by Ezo deer. In order to maintain the quality of the environment, it is necessary to control the number of Ezo deer, so he obtained a hunter's license during his university days. After obtaining the license, he learned about hunting and butchering, and has hunted several times.
My life-changing encounter with a wonderful grandfather in Kutchan Town
After completing his master's degree, Tatsuya worked at a museum in Kutchan Town. During that time, he had an encounter with an elderly man living in the forests of Kutchan Town, which brought about a major change in his life.
The old man is a grandfather who lives in the forest and leads a wonderful life. His garden is filled with spring water from the foot of Mt. Yotei, which is as abundant as that found in Fukidashi Park, and he lives off that spring water.
He owned land in a good location, not far from a paved road. He was a very kind man and well-liked by everyone.
"My ultimate goal in life is to picture myself as a grandfather in the future! I felt that the life of an office worker doing the same job for decades was boring, so I began to think that in the future I would like to live like an old man living in the forests of Kutchan Town, and end my life quietly in the forest," says Kamii, talking about his vision for the future.
Worked at Onishi Forestry Co., Ltd. for two years
When I was in Kutchan Town, I learned about self-logging forestry in Shiraoi Town, and my desire to live in the forests there and work in the forest industry grew stronger.
While searching online, I came across Onishi Forestry Co., Ltd. in Shiraoi Town. The company promotes self-cutting forestry in Hokkaido. What they had been doing for a long time was connected to self-cutting forestry, and in 2016 they established the Hokkaido Self-Cutting Forestry Promotion Council. They have formed a multifaceted network. I was able to clearly communicate my thoughts during the interview and was hired.
In April 2018, he immediately moved to Shiraoi Town. He began working at Onishi Forestry Co., Ltd. for two years, during which time he also underwent training. His job entailed shipping firewood, shiitake mushroom logs, and charcoal. He visited the site, made a path, cut down the trees with a chainsaw, and transported them by truck. He also performed on-site tasks such as splitting firewood, putting wood into the charcoal kiln to burn, and loading and unloading charcoal.
"Thanks to you, I've become much stronger," said Tatsuya.
Started married life at the same time as getting a job
They moved from Kutchan to Shiraoi, got jobs, and started married life. Hitomi is expecting a baby in October 2020. Congratulations!
The social contribution significance of self-cutting forestry
"One of the social contributions of self-cutting forestry is that it helps protect nature. I love nature and have a strong desire to protect the natural environment of the forest. I have always thought about how to protect nature.
Today's mainstream forestry approach does not protect nature, but rather cuts down all the trees, leaving the mountains bare. This means that the creatures that lived there disappear, the trees disappear, and the vegetation changes.
Also, bamboo has strong roots, so if it spreads, it makes it difficult for trees to grow. If trees are planted there, they will have to be mowed repeatedly. This will also make the forest more prone to disasters, such as soil erosion during heavy rains. Mountain soil is very important, and with the soil there are trees, and humans use it to survive.
In contrast, the "self-logging" forestry method we found in Kutchan Town involves building small roads that will not collapse and thinning out about 30% of the trees about once every 10 years.
By leaving only the best trees, the remaining trees will grow thicker and produce better timber in the future. The timber will also grow better, and overall, the timber will become more efficient.
Self-cutting forestry is basically a type of forestry where no trees are planted, so good trees grow naturally. Self-cutting forestry is a type of forestry that preserves the natural power of the forest.
"I thought that if the number of self-logging foresters increased, we might be able to protect nature. In the future, I would like to be a model case and increase the number of self-logging foresters around Sorachi, thereby protecting nature," said Uei Tatsuya with great confidence.
Mr. Kamii's self-cutting forestry and activity base
Purchased approximately 25 hectares of forest land in Hokuryu Town
We started looking for a forest last year, around September 2019. We consulted with the forestry association and searched for information on forest information sites online, but we couldn't find a mountain that met our criteria of wanting a broadleaf forest.
At that time, he heard from a relative or acquaintance that "There might be some forest land for sale in Hokuryu Town, so you should look into it." After inquiring and looking into it, he found that his conditions matched.
The purchased forest in Hokuryu Town covers an area of approximately 25 hectares. Half of the forest is natural and half is artificial. The natural forest is a mountain of natural forest and broadleaf forest, mainly consisting of Mizunara oak and birch, with other trees such as linden and sugar maple. The other half is artificial forest, consisting of larch and other trees.
The forest registration was completed in January 2020 this year.
Joined the Hokkaido Self-Harvesting Forestry Promotion Council
He immediately joined the Hokkaido Self-Harvesting Forestry Promotion Council, which holds seminars and training sessions, which Uwai actively participates in and learns a lot from.
![[Hokkaido's Self-Harvesting Foresters Embark on a New Journey] Tatsuya Uei (Hokuryu Town) | Hokkaido Self-Harvesting Forestry Promotion Council](https://hokkaido-jibatsukyo.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IMG_1723-scaled.jpg)
Establishment of the voluntary organization "Hokuryu Satoyama Club"
In order to promote self-cutting forestry, he founded the Hokuryu Satoyama Club, a voluntary organization in the Sorachi region, and became its representative. Currently, the club has seven members.
Utilizing the subsidy system "Forest and Mountain Village Multifunctionality Promotion Measures Grant"
Kamii is taking advantage of the Forestry Agency's subsidy program, the "Forest and Mountain Village Multifunctional Function Promotion Subsidy," which supports activities for untended mountain forests (the following is an excerpt from the Forestry Agency website, "Forest and Mountain Village Multifunctional Function Promotion Subsidy").
The Forest and Mountain Village Multifunctionality Promotion Measures Grant supports efforts such as Satoyama forest conservation, forest resource utilization, and forest conservation management activities carried out by activity organizations consisting of three or more local residents, forest owners, etc., in order to promote the utilization of the multifunctionality of forests and maintain and revitalize mountain village communities.
Each organization will be supported with a maximum of 5 million yen per year (government grant). To be selected, a three-year activity plan must be submitted.
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- Regional environmental conservation type: Activities to maintain the Satoyama forest landscape, cutting and removing invasive bamboo
・Forest resource utilization type: Logging for use as firewood and shiitake mushroom logs
・Forest function enhancement type: Construction and repair of footpaths and work roads
Mr. Kamii's business model for self-logging forestry
They sell a variety of forest resources. Firewood is the main product, but there is also demand for other items such as firewood, birch bark crafts, yellowfin bark, grape vines, firewood chopping blocks, fir oil, fir trees, and camping kindling. They plan to try out each possible method one by one.
Tatsuya and Hitomi Uei's future dreams
Tatsuya Kamii
"We want to raise awareness of nature and raise the awareness of foresters and townspeople. We also want to increase the number of self-sufficient foresters and spread a sustainable lifestyle that looks to the future.
Furthermore, we would like to actively carry out community contribution activities that will benefit people."
Hitomi Kamii
"My dream for the future is to hunt in my own mountains. I also envision living in a mountain hut and running a cafe. I'd like to make it a place where people from all walks of life can gather and share Ezo deer meat.
I hope to build a family that loves nature, where our future children can run around in nature."
Under Nature Instagram
・The site introduces the daily work and products of the small forestry business that the Uwai family has been running since 2020. The wife is in charge of updating the Instagram.
Various products
・Firewood, logs, birch bark. We are currently exploring various other products.
・Please feel free to send us any questions or requests regarding sales. We look forward to receiving many inquiries from you.
Natural Contact
・mail: shizenka.net@gmail.com
・Instagram message
We are overwhelmed with amazement and emotion at the wonderful aspirations of the sincere Mr. and Mrs. Kamii, who are dreaming and moving forward headfirst in the mountains of Hokuryu Town!
We would like to fully support the activities of these two people in self-logging forestry by providing as much information as possible. Please continue to do your best. Thank you!!!
The wonderful Mr. and Mrs. Uwai are immersed in nature, feeling the breath of the mountains and forests, and living in coexistence with the greatness of nature!!!
With boundless love, gratitude, and prayers for the wonderful life they will be living in the naturally rich town of Hokuryu...
◇ Photography and editing: Noboru Terauchi Interview and text: Ikuko Terauchi
![We received bark from birch trees that were obstructing the road construction process. [Shizenshita, Tatsuya and Hitomi Uei]](https://portal.hokuryu.info/wp/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/2020-07-30-6.35.08.jpg)
![Two days after peeling the bark, the birch logs that had been placed in the sun had turned a dark brown. [Shizenshita, Tatsuya and Hitomi Ueii]](https://portal.hokuryu.info/wp/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/2020-07-31-5.54.52.jpg)
