Wajima City, Noto Forestry Association, and 'more trees' to Sign Agreement on June 3 for Noto's Forest Recovery
Wajima City, the Noto Forestry Association, and the general incorporated association 'more trees' will sign a comprehensive agreement on June 3, 2026, aimed at restoring Noto's forests and livelihoods affected by the earthquake and heavy rains. Architect Kengo Kuma will attend to announce their collaboration for the sustainable preservation of the regional resource 'Ate' (Noto Hiba).
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: May 23, 2026 at 00:00
- 🔍 Collected: May 22, 2026 at 15:31
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: May 28, 2026 at 13:47 (142h 15m after Collected)
Wajima City (Ishikawa Prefecture, Mayor Shigeru Sakaguchi), the Noto Forestry Association (Anamizu Town, Ishikawa, Chairman Junichiro Kamei), and the general incorporated association 'more trees' (Minato-ku, Tokyo, Representative Director Kengo Kuma) have decided to conclude the 'Noto Furusato Co-creation Forest' agreement for the creative reconstruction of Noto. A signing ceremony will be held in Wajima City on June 3, 2026.
Architect Kengo Kuma, who serves as the representative director of 'more trees,' will attend the ceremony to share his thoughts on Noto. This agreement aims to hand down the forestry of 'Ate' (Noto Hiba), a regional resource of Wajima City, to the next generation in a sustainable manner. It also seeks to recruit the participation of diverse companies and organizations involved with the forest and the community to jointly strive for the restoration of Noto's forests and lifestyles, which were damaged by the earthquake and heavy rains.
■Background of the Agreement
The Noto Peninsula has long been known as a producer of excellent conifers called 'Ate' (Noto Hiba), supporting regional culture and industries such as Wajima lacquerware. However, the Noto Peninsula Earthquake on January 1, 2024, and the heavy rain disaster in September of the same year had a profound impact on life and the forest environment in Noto. In the forestry and timber industry, unprecedented damage was recorded, including over 100 cases of mountain slope collapses and sediment runoff, over 2,000 cases of forest road damage, and damage to more than 30 timber processing and distribution facilities, severely damaging the production base for Noto Hiba. In response, the Noto Forestry Association established the 'ATE-NET' platform in February 2025 to reconstruct the value chain. 'more trees' joined this framework, leading to this tripartite agreement.
■Outline of the Agreement
The three parties will co-creatively promote the following initiatives:
1. Sustainability of Ate forestry and creation of diverse forests.
2. High value-addition and promotion of the use of regional materials, including Noto Hiba.
3. Information dissemination and exchange activities to create a 'relational population' in Noto.
4. Securing and developing the human resources necessary for these implementations.
5. Ensuring regional safety and security, as well as providing support for recovery and reconstruction during disasters.
Following the signing, the parties plan to develop initiatives to connect Noto's forests and communities to the future while calling for the participation of diverse companies and organizations.
Architect Kengo Kuma, who serves as the representative director of 'more trees,' will attend the ceremony to share his thoughts on Noto. This agreement aims to hand down the forestry of 'Ate' (Noto Hiba), a regional resource of Wajima City, to the next generation in a sustainable manner. It also seeks to recruit the participation of diverse companies and organizations involved with the forest and the community to jointly strive for the restoration of Noto's forests and lifestyles, which were damaged by the earthquake and heavy rains.
■Background of the Agreement
The Noto Peninsula has long been known as a producer of excellent conifers called 'Ate' (Noto Hiba), supporting regional culture and industries such as Wajima lacquerware. However, the Noto Peninsula Earthquake on January 1, 2024, and the heavy rain disaster in September of the same year had a profound impact on life and the forest environment in Noto. In the forestry and timber industry, unprecedented damage was recorded, including over 100 cases of mountain slope collapses and sediment runoff, over 2,000 cases of forest road damage, and damage to more than 30 timber processing and distribution facilities, severely damaging the production base for Noto Hiba. In response, the Noto Forestry Association established the 'ATE-NET' platform in February 2025 to reconstruct the value chain. 'more trees' joined this framework, leading to this tripartite agreement.
■Outline of the Agreement
The three parties will co-creatively promote the following initiatives:
1. Sustainability of Ate forestry and creation of diverse forests.
2. High value-addition and promotion of the use of regional materials, including Noto Hiba.
3. Information dissemination and exchange activities to create a 'relational population' in Noto.
4. Securing and developing the human resources necessary for these implementations.
5. Ensuring regional safety and security, as well as providing support for recovery and reconstruction during disasters.
Following the signing, the parties plan to develop initiatives to connect Noto's forests and communities to the future while calling for the participation of diverse companies and organizations.
FAQ
「能登・ふるさと共創の森づくり」協定の目的は何ですか？
能登半島地震と豪雨で被災した能登の森と暮らしの再生を目指し、地域資源である「アテ（能登ヒバ）」の林業を次世代へ引き継ぐとともに、企業や団体の参画を募りながら創造的復興を推進することです。
協定の締結式はいつ、どこで開催されますか？
2026年6月3日（水）14:30から15:15まで、輪島市役所の新館2階中会議室にて開催されます。
「アテ（能登ヒバ）」とはどのような木材ですか？
能登地方に古くから伝わるヒノキ科アスナロ属の針葉樹の呼び名です。立木を「アテ」、製材された板を「能登ヒバ」と呼び、輪島塗などの地域文化を支えてきた重要な資源です。
協定には具体的にどのような取り組みが含まれていますか？
アテ林業の持続化と多様性のある森づくり、地域材の高付加価値化、関係人口創出のための情報発信、人材育成、災害時の復旧・復興支援などが含まれます。
建築家の隈研吾氏はどのような役割で関わっていますか？
一般社団法人more treesの代表理事として協定に参画しており、また輪島市の復興アドバイザーとして震災直後から能登の再生に携わっています。