JT Seeks to Secure Environment for Future Generations

Source from:  Tobacco Reporter 11/25/2010

Japan Tobacco Inc announced today its plans for an afforestation project on land owned by the town of Shakotan in Shakotan-gun, Hokkaido. Since 2005, JT has entered into forest conservation partnerships with forest owners and regional governments to focus on conservation efforts. Now, JT intends to conduct a 10-year afforestation project, "JT Forest Shakotan: Forests that Provide Rich Nurturing Water to the Sea", by participating in the "Hokkaido Corporate Afforestation Program", which is managed by the Hokkaido government. The Shakotan project, which represents the ninth in the JT Forest program of such projects, will involve the largest area of land to date: about 350 ha. Shakotan town is located at the tip of the Shakotan Peninsula facing the Sea of Japan. It is known for fishing, agriculture and tourism, and renowned for the beauty of its scenic locations and spectacular views of the sea. The JT Forest project will cover town-owned forests that span three rivers, the Bikuni, Shakotan and Yobetsu. The forests have suffered from lack of maintenance because of the low prices of timber, insufficient personnel and accessibility problems. JT plans to collaborate with local communities and related organizations in an effort to re-establish the richness of the forests and improve the environment of the creatures that live in the watershed areas defined by the rivers and the sea. In place of a larch forest which was planted about 50 years ago and has been insufficiently maintained, the project aims to cultivate a mixed forest through thinning and the planting of broadleaf trees. And in the forests that have grown back at sites once depleted of trees due to logging for firewood and charcoal, the project will preserve the Japanese oak and castor aralia broadleaf trees, and strive to enrich the areas by nurturing biodiversity. Furthermore, the project will train townspeople in the skills necessary for forest improvement. In announcing the project, JT acknowledged that it used raw materials such as leaf tobacco, paper, vegetables and tea leaves in its businesses, primarily in its tobacco, pharmaceutical and food operations. "Blessings of nature are thus integral to the company's operations," it said. "As part of nature conservation, JT undertakes forest conservation activities with a sense of gratitude for nature that supports its businesses and to fulfil its corporate social responsibility." "JT will continue to proactively engage in endeavors to create a better environment so that a healthy and productive environment may be handed over to future generations." Enditem