OUR POLICY

The duty to protect the mountain Determination toward forestry rebirth

Protect the mountains

From the ancient times in Totsukawa village, while living in the bosom of the steep mountains of the Kii Peninsula, our people have led a life of symbiosis with the nature.

Our people are determined to maintain this rich forest environment through the revival of the primary industry called "forestry", which uses timber as a sustainable resource.

The protection of this rich natural environment is the responsibility of our "mountain people".

Challenge

Forestry is a proud work that insists on highly specialized technics, mutual exchanges, and a reliance on nature.

Totsukawa village, also called “Hikyou” meaning “Unexplored area”, is challenging itself through a complete forestry revitalization. In such rugged mountains, it cannot be said that the village forest economy has been blessed: Among many other complications, the slopes’ steepness make it difficult to access the desired areas, the heavy rain endangers our workers, and the crumbly soil challenges our installations.

Under such circumstances, it is necessary to clarify land perimeters with landowners, apply forest planning, promote low-cost thinning, introduce advanced forestry machinery, and create robust large roads.

“There is nothing but mountains”. In a village where 96% of the total surface is covered by forests, we want to be a model of Japan’s forestry revitalization.

The improvement of safety in the field Promotion of advanced foreign machines

Implementation of forestry machines

Low cost forest operations

Forestry road network

implementation of advanced machines

For modern forestry, it is essential to improve efficiency and lower cost by introducing "Forestry Machines" and combining "Road Network" that allows the passage of those machines of bigger size. The implementation of advanced technologies not only contributes to improved productivity, but it also leads to ensured work safety.
In Totsukawa village, we are fostering the shift toward forestry mechanization by providing unique village subsidies for companies.

Making it possible to use the forest resources in secluded mountains Forest roads: nucleus of Totsukawa’s thinking

Custom-made roads that address the issue of Totsukawa village

In modern mechanized forestry, forest roads are essential to resource rich areas.
So we created custom-made roads that addresse the issues of Totsukawa village; a reflection of our past experiences and lessons learned.

Disaster resistant

Low cost transportation

Labor safety

Our village resources are difficult to access for many reasons: heavy rainfall, intimidating steep-sloped mountains, and fragile, crumbly soil. Because of these, a “disaster-resistant” road network is essential.
In addition, in order to overcome the geographical remoteness, it is necessary to pay attention to "low cost transportation". Therefore, we implemented a system of large 3 to 3.5m forest roads where heavy trucks and heavy equipment can travel safely. By adopting a combination of reinforced walls and geotextile, which strengthen the soil, it is now possible to open roads in areas that were considered inaccessible not so long ago.

Rethinking the flux

Raw timber circulation

The advantage of Totsukawa village is the amount of forest resources available.
The felled trees are used for various purposes such as lumber, veneer, packaging, biofuel etc. Their use will depend upon their size (3m, 4m, …) and quality (A, B or C).
Here, the raw timber issued from thinning is collected first at our stockyard, then sorted out and dispatched to the customers. Wood issued from clear-cuts does not stop by our stockyard. Instead, it is directly sorted out on the depot field (yarding field) and forwarded to their final destination. Rethinking our resources transit is a viable way to ensure faster and cheaper delivery; that is why at the same time, we are focusing on developing the skills of young talented people familiar with log shipping.

Lumber products circulation

In Totsukawa, we export raw timber as well as processed lumbers. In general, timber cut down from the mountain is first transported as a log. Then it is sawn and processed in order to be distributed as a product such as pillars, beams and flooring materials, or assembled for the final consumers (ie. as houses).
By going through many stages of distribution, the distance between "the site where timber is cut down from the mountain" and "the consumer who uses wood" is consequent, making it difficult for each part to be seen by the other.
The reason why the village Forest Owners Association is recently trying to stick to "direct sale contracts(without brokers)" lies in its will to shorten the distance to the final user, so that our clients can purchase wood with a sense of security : Who sawed this pillar? From which mountain this tree has been harvested? Was this mountain sustainably managed?
Wood flux are a link aiming at symbiosis of "city" and "mountainous village".

Totsukawa village office

Totsukawa village office

TEL 0746-62-0005

E-mail nourin@vill.totsukawa.lg.jp