Takao Forest Nature School Holds Forest Maintenance, Nature Observation and Christmas Wreath Making Event
The Hitachi High-Tech Group is engaged in biodiversity conservation activities in the forest maintenance area of the Takao Forest Nature School which is run by the Seven-Eleven Memorial Foundation in Hachioji City. Volunteers made up of Hitachi High-Tech employees carry out these activities under the guidance of the nature school staff.
One such activity was held on Saturday, November 19. A group of 31 volunteers made up of employees from the Kanto area and their families, including some elementary school aged children, were guided by the staff on forest maintenance and nature observation activities as well as Christmas wreath making using materials collected from the school grounds. Due to the impact of COVID-19, the program has been conducted only by staff and related parties for the past two years, but this time we were able to expand the scope of participants to include volunteer employees.
After receiving an overview of the facility and an explanation of the activities from the staff, the participants moved to the Insect Hotel, which was established by Hitachi High-Tech volunteers two years ago and took out bamboo leaves and branches that had been packed in the hotel to observe the presence of insects and the pollen that the insects carry.
After that, the participants moved to the forest maintenance area and worked on cutting bamboo and weeds, clearing trees and removing dead logs. The activity was limited to 30 minutes, but by working collaboratively and intensively, the participants were able to steadily expand from the area serviced last time.
The volunteers were guided as they made Christmas wreaths using kudzu vines which they had cut. First, clipped kudzu vines are wrapped to create the rings that form the base of the Christmas wreath, and then the wreaths are completed with decorations made from pinecones and holly collected on site, as well as ribbons and artificial flower poinsettias.
Through the lectures on biodiversity conservation given by members of the nature school staff and the activities in the forest maintenance area, we were able to learn anew about "how natural forests relate to people" and "the diversity and importance of forest life.
