Green Coop and "Abukuma Beef's Back Lacquer Project" Launch Cooperation for Fukushima/Abukuma Satoyama Regeneration Through Lacquer Tree Planting

Green Coop General Incorporated Association (Headquarters: Hakata-ku, Fukuoka City, Representative Director: Yoko Hidaka, hereinafter Green Coop), composed of 16 co-ops mainly in western Japan, will collaborate with the "Abukuma Beef's Back Lacquer Project," which is working on satoyama regeneration in the Abukuma region of Fukushima Prefecture, to promote sustainable community development through the planting of lacquer trees. [Image: Urushi seedling] ■ Background and Objectives The satoyama of the Abukuma region in Fukushima Prefecture was once maintained through a cyclical lifestyle connected to agriculture and forestry. In recent years, due to depopulation, aging populations, and the decline of forestry, an increasing number of forests have become unmanaged and are in a state of disrepair, posing a challenge. Furthermore, the Great East Japan Earthquake and the nuclear accident have had a significant impact on the region's livelihoods and community foundations. In this context, there is a growing demand for the regeneration of satoyama utilizing local resources and the creation of new livelihoods. In this initiative, lacquer trees will be planted in the satoyama of Abukuma, aiming to create livelihoods such as lacquer harvesting and refining in the future, while also striving for sustainable community development that leverages local resources. Furthermore, lacquer trees absorb CO₂ during their growth, contributing to the reduction of environmental impact. Following planting, efforts will be made to track and visualize the amount of CO₂ absorbed as the trees grow. ■ What is the "Abukuma Beef's Back Lacquer Project"? This initiative focuses on lacquer, which supports Japan's traditional culture, and aims to regenerate satoyama through the planting and utilization of lacquer trees. Lacquer trees are a suitable species for the satoyama environment and are also expected to increase in value as a domestic resource, holding the potential to balance forest regeneration with the creation of local industries. Along with satoyama regeneration, it aims to create sustainable livelihoods rooted in the region and foster a circular community development that is passed down to future generations. Abukuma Beef's Back Lacquer Project https://www.ushinose.com/p/01.html ■ Regarding the Donation of a Ride-on Mower For satoyama regeneration, continuous management such as daily grass cutting, in addition to planting, is essential. However, maintaining scattered planting sites over a wide area requires significant labor, and reducing the work burden has been a challenge. Based on these challenges, Green Coop has decided to donate a ride-on mower to improve the working environment and efficiency. This will significantly improve the efficiency of grass-cutting work and enable management of areas that were previously not sufficiently maintained. [Image: Ride-on mower] ■ Outline of the Presentation Ceremony...