Kobe City and the Forest Culture Association entered into an agreement with TOA CORPORATION to advance conservation and restoration activities at the nature-positive site. The agreement includes specific initiatives involving funding, employee participation, site management, biodiversity surveys and public relations.
Kobe City and the Forest Culture Association entered into an agreement with TOA CORPORATION concerning conservation and restoration activities at the nature-positive site “Kobe’s Satoyama Forests, Terraced Rice Fields and Irrigation Ponds.” TOA CORPORATION will provide funding and have its employees and their families participate in activities at the site.
Under the framework of the agreement, Kobe City will carry out environmental improvement, monitoring surveys, utilisation of satoyama resources, restoration of abandoned farmland, and forest and bamboo-grove management, with the aim of managing the site and enhancing biodiversity. The Forest Culture Association will cooperate on mutual collaboration and public-relations activities.
TOA CORPORATION will donate the costs of activities related to the agreement to Kobe City and donate public-relations expenses to the Forest Culture Association. Kobe City will use the donations for biodiversity-enhancement activities and plans to have employees and their families participate in forest management and restoration activities (scheduled for December 2026).
The nature-positive site was certified by the Ministry of the Environment in 2023. Participation by companies and civic organisations was promoted in 2024 following its registration in the United Nations’ OECM database, with the initiative aiming to sustain its activities.