A forest management project for FSC-certified forests, funded by a donation from Sangetsu Corporation, has been launched covering 569.5 ha of FSC-certified forest in Shirakawa Town, Gifu Prefecture. FSC Japan, Shirakawa Town and Sangetsu Corporation will work together to promote forest management and create opportunities for people to experience forests.
The Association for Forest Management Council of Japan (FSC Japan) has selected the FSC-certified forests in Shirakawa Town, Kamo District, Gifu Prefecture, as the beneficiary of a donation announced by Sangetsu Corporation on 26 June 2026. The project covers FSC-certified forests in Shirakawa Town and will promote efforts to create opportunities for people to experience forests.
Going forward, FSC Japan, Shirakawa Town and Sangetsu Corporation will work together to promote the creation of forests where people can experience the public benefits of forests in an accessible way. They plan to increase opportunities for local residents and other stakeholders to engage with forests through walks, forest bathing, nature-experience events and the use of thinned wood. They will also work to maintain and improve responsible forest management through the restoration of broadleaf trees and water-quality and ecosystem surveys.
Shirakawa Town is a member of the Gifu Prefecture group and holds the area's forest resources as FSC-certified forests. Sangetsu Corporation's donation aims to establish a new model for forest conservation that contributes to forest management and regional revitalisation in the town.
The significance of the support described in the article is highlighted as “visible forest management” through a mechanism for returning donations in coordination with corporate business activities, and is positioned as an example of regional cooperation in forest creation.