Nature Observation, Sweet Potato Harvesting, and a Craft Workshop at Takao Forest Nature School
The Hitachi High-Tech Group conducts forest maintenance and biodiversity conservation activities under the guidance of nature school staff in the forest maintenance area of Takao Forest Nature School (Hachioji City, Tokyo), operated by the SEVEN-ELEVEN FOUNDATION.
As part of this initiative, on Saturday, October 5, 35 volunteers—Hitachi Hight-Tech Group volunteer members from the Kanto area and their families, including elementary school children—participated in nature observation, sweet potato harvesting, and a craft workshop using materials collected from the school grounds.
The day began with an introduction to the facility and its activities from the Nature School staff, followed by participants going to the on-site field to experience sweet potato harvesting. While digging sweet potatoes out of the soil by hand, they not only felt the blessings of nature but also had uncommon encounters with earthworms and insect larvae that they rarely experience in daily life. Like in the spring activity, an Hitachi Hight-Tech electron microscope was again used, this time to create images of starch from sweet potatoes and other previously observed items. The explanation deepened participants’ understanding of familiar foods.
For the craft workshop, participants made Christmas wreaths using harvested kudzu vines. They first created the wreath base by winding the harvested kudzu vines into a circle, then decorated it with pinecones and holly collected from the grounds, along with ribbons and flowers made from natural materials to complete the festive wreaths.
Although forest maintenance activities were postponed this time due to rain, participants learned about the connection between natural forests and humans and the diversity and importance of forest life through activities such as a biodiversity conservation lecture and nature observation led by staff members.
For information on the Hitachi High-Tech Group's efforts to conserve biodiversity, please visit the following website.
