JT to Start Tenth Afforestation Project

Source from:  Tobacco Reporter 03/18/2009

Japan Tobacco Inc today announced plans for a five-year afforestation project in Japan. This will bring to 10 the total number of afforestation projects the company has undertaken since it first became involved in such undertakings in 2005. The new project will be the eighth the company has undertaken in Japan and the first in which it has collaborated with the regional government and forest owners in the Tohoku region. The project will focus on conservation efforts involving 25 ha of forest in Tsuruoka City, Yamagata Prefecture. For more than 300 years, residents in the Shonai Dune area, known for its melon and rice production, have addressed the issue of erosion control through the preservation of the surrounding forest. However, due to a number of factors, the forest, primarily comprising Japanese Black Pine, has recently been facing the threat of extinction. JT said in a press note that, in co-operation with local communities, it would promote the enhancement of conservation efforts in the area so as to ensure 'sustainable ecosystems and forest functions for local residents'. Enditem