Primary Sponsor: Akita Prefecture Forest Restoration Mt. Moriyoshi Foothill Restore the historical beech forest habitat that existed before its Goal conversion to grassland in the1960s in order to expand habitat for the black woodpecker

Designation: Mt. Moriyoshi National Wildlife Protection Zone Location: Kita-akita, Akita Prefecture Year Initiated: 2004

Mt. Moriyoshi Foothill Nature Restoration Committee (as of March 2009)

The Committee is working on return- ing the artificial grassland to the his- torical deciduous forest and preserv- ing it together with its surrounding natural environment. The Mt. Moriyoshi Foothill range has an expansive Date Established: 19 Jul. 2005 Members: 21 mixture of deciduous forests dominated by beech and Date Issued the Overall Plan: 31 Mar. coniferous forests of the Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria 2006 japonica), Japanese arbor vitae (Thuja standishii) and Date Issued the Implementation Plan: Kitagoyo ( ). The Foothill ● 20 Oct. 2006 (Mt. Moriyoshi Foothill Pinus parviflora var. pentaphylla Project, sponsored by Akita Prefec- is one of the few breeding sites for the black wood- ture) pecker, Dryocopus martius, and partly was designated as a special zone of national wildlife protection zone.

Mt. Moriyoshi Foothill Since the 1960s, however, about 490 ha of the beech forest has been converted to pasture fields, 1 Explanatory notes

diminishing the wildlife habitat to fragmented small Transitional area from old- Candidate sites for tree patches. Restoration of beech-dominant deciduous growth to secondary forest nursery forest was begun for wildlife habitat enhancement and Re-planting area Pastures stable breeding of an indicator species of rich nature,

the black woodpecker. The project will be pursued by Facilities owned by MOE Restoration area re-creating an expansive forest that is connected via Grass fields in the restoration site forest corridors to its nearby forest conservation area.

Approaches ① Re-planting in areas suitable for Municipal Governments young tree establishment ▶ Re-plant trees in areas suitable for establishment of young trees →① Deciduous trees will be planted in selected areas based on Enhance under-canopy development of young stands evaluation of substrate conditions for young tree establishment. ▶ →② Seedlings and seeds will be collected at nearby forests for preserv- Beech and other deciduous young trees will be planted in lines and is- ing local genetic resources. lands. In the future, the replanted trees will become reproductive, initiating forest regeneration and development. This first effort aims at connecting the ② Re-planting in areas suitable for isolated forest patches that serve as corridors in habitat connectivity. young tree establishment In sites around reproductive beech trees that are tall and located Conceptual diagram of forest at forest margins and where natural regeneration is highly possible, corridor construction Secondary forest in the pasture spraying soil improving agents and plowing will be applied. This Ensure natural regeneration soil preparation will ensure the soil amount and softness suitable along the creek Planting trees in lines for emergence of seeds carried by birds or winds and subsequent seedling growth. Provision of forest islands by planting young trees Monitoring for performance e v aluation Plowing and planting seedlings at the margin Establishment rates and growth of the beech forest of planted trees, the presence of to help and maintain animal damage and emergence of regeneration new seedlings will be monitored. The cause of killed trees will also Secondary beech forest Each forest island is square, 30m be sought. This monitoring will be on a side, and established on the conducted to assess the perform- migration routes with 50-m interval. A work for regeneration enhance- ance of tree planting and regen- Migration routes by These dimensions may be changed ment eration enhancement. small animals depending on the site topography. The results can be used to im- prove restoration techniques and Related Web Sites to refine the project design. Mt. Moriyoshi Foothill Nature Restoration Project: http://www.pref.akita.lg.jp/mizutomidori/ 24