Co-op Shiga holds 'Let's Play with Nature & Lumberjack Experience' event
2022.05.24
On April 3, 2022, Co-op Shiga*, in cooperation with Abrahi・Ueno Forest Owners' Cooperative and Shiga Prefecture Sharing Nature Association, held an event "Let's Play with Nature & Lumberjack Experience" at "Co-op Forest Abrahi."
The purpose of this event was to learn the importance of forest conservation and have participants become familiar with forests through experiencing the work of the forest cooperative and playing games in nature. 19 people (11 adults and 8 elementary school students) from 7 families of Co-op Shiga members participated in the event.
As part of the program, participants played nature games using all the five sense organs under the navigation of the Shiga Prefecture Sharing Nature Association. In addition to finding their favorite trees, they also tried their hand at the field BINGO game.
Furthermore, with the cooperation of the Abrahi・Ueno Forest Owners' Cooperative, the participants learned about mountains and forests through hands-on experience. They listened to stories about the role of mountains and the importance of forest conservation while experiencing cutting down thinned wood, pruning with a saw, wrapping tape around branches to prevent damage by animals, and demonstrating a pruning robot.
Comments from participants:
I found that the nature game of touching trees with blindfolds was more memorable than seeing them with the eyes. By listening carefully, I was able to notice that there were various sounds.
I reaffirmed the importance of the functions of forests (storing water, preventing sediment runoff, and absorbing CO2), and was deeply moved by the words I heard from someone working in a real forest thus, "I work while thinking that forests are connected to Lake Biwa and protect the lives of the people living around Lake Biwa and downstream areas."
I have seen tape wrapped around trees in the forest, but I never knew it was to keep deer away.
*Co-op Shiga has a membership of 208,854 (as of FY2020) and is mainly engaged in home delivery and store business in Shiga Prefecture in the Kinki region of Japan.
