Forest Maintenance and Craftwork Experience at Takao Forest Nature School

The Hitachi High-Tech Group has been conducting forest maintenance work and biodiversity conservation activities under the guidance of the nature school staff in the forest maintenance area of the Takao Forest Nature School (located in Hachioji City, Tokyo), operated by the SEVEN-ELEVEN FOUNDATION.

On Saturday, June 1, 25 volunteers, including the Group members working in the Kanto region, their families (including elementary school students), and secretariat staff members, engaged in forest maintenance work, insect hotel observation, and craftwork using materials collected from the school grounds under the guidance of the nature school staff.

The day began with the Takao Forest Nature School staff providing an overview of the facility and the event’s activities. Participants then moved to the insect hotel, which had been installed four years ago. They removed the bamboo materials stuffed inside the hotel and observed the insects and the pollen they carried in.

This time, we also observed pollen image data taken with a Hitachi High-Tech electron microscope, deepening our understanding of life within the insect hotel.

Afterward, participants relocated to the forest maintenance area and engaged in mowing bamboo grass and weeds, improvement cutting, and clearing away dead trees and logs. All participants worked together and focused on their tasks, steadily expanding the maintained area.

During the craft work, participants experienced making bamboo chopsticks and tableware (cups and plates) using bamboo collected on the school grounds.

The nature school staff’s lectures on biodiversity conservation and activities in the forest maintenance area reminded us about “the relationship between natural forests and people” and “the diversity and importance of forest life.”

For information on the Hitachi High-Tech Group's efforts to conserve biodiversity, please visit the following website.