"The 33rd Global Environment Award Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Award" Awarded
~Contributing to solving global environmental problems by spreading elite trees~
Nippon Paper Industries Co., Ltd.
Nippon Paper Industries Co., Ltd.. (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, President & CEO: Toru Nozawa, hereinafter referred to as "our company") has received the "Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Award" at the 33rd Global Environment Awards sponsored by the Sankei Shimbun. This award was highly evaluated for the development of seed collection orchards and seedling production activities to expand the spread of elite trees*1 that we are working on.
The Global Environment Award was established in 1992 with the aim of"Industrial development and coexistence with the global environment".
It is an honor system that unites companies, governments, and citizens, and has received special cooperation from the World Wide Fund for Nature Japan (WWF Japan, Honorary President, His Royal Highness Prince Akishino). The award ceremony will be held on Monday, April 7 at the Meiji Memorial Hall in Moto-Akasaka, Tokyo.
More than half of Japan's forests are over 50 years old, and there are various issues such as a decrease inCO2 absorption capacity and a worsening hay fever problem. Therefore, we are focusing on elite trees derived from specific mother trees that grow faster than ordinary cedar and cypress, absorb 1.5 times moreCO2, and produce less than half of the pollen amount, and are working on their popularization activities. Elite trees are expected to be a trump card for the revitalization of the sluggish domestic forestry industry, as they can reduce the number of undercuttings, shorten the cutting period, secure CO2 sinks, and even contribute to hay fever control due to their rapid growth.
The Group has been certified as"Specified Breeding Operator*2”and has so far established seed gardens and harvesting orchards*4 in Akita Prefecture (1 ward), Shizuoka Prefecture (3 wards), Tottori and northern Hiroshima prefectures (4 wards), southern Hiroshima Prefecture (5 wards), and Kumamoto and Oita prefectures (6 wards) out of 7 regions*3 in Japan. We have been promoting the development of a production system for elite tree seedlings such as cedar and cypress in collaboration with local forest seed cooperative members and new producers. In FY2030, we plan to produce 10 million bottles per year, which is about 30% of the national target.
AS "A comprehensive biomass company that opens up the future with trees", we will contribute to the construction of a recycling-oriented society by promoting the spread of biomass products while maximizing the various values of forests based on our green strategy.
*1 Elite Tree
In the Special Measures Act on Thinning, etc., it refers to seedlings derived from specified mother trees (specified seedlings) designated by the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries as particularly excellent in terms of growth-related characteristics in order to improve the CO2 absorption and fixation capacity of forests. The criteria for designation of specific mother trees include those with more than 1.5 times the growth potential of conventional strains compared to conventional lines, pollen content that is less than half that of common cedar and cypress, excellent wood rigidity, and no bending of trunk straightness.
*2 Specified breeding business
It refers to a business that has been certified by the prefectural governor by preparing a plan for the propagation of elite trees, etc., which are seeds and seedlings with excellent growth, based on matters related to the implementation method of specified propagation projects stipulated in the Basic Policy of the Special Measures Act on Thinning, etc. (Specified Propagation Business Plan).
*3 Cedar seedling distribution area based on the Forestry Seedling Act The Forestry Seedling Act establishes seed distribution areas for seedlings in order to promote afforestation appropriately and smoothly. The distribution area is an area that is recognized as suitable for cultivation from the perspective of natural conditions in a certain area, and cedar is divided into seven areas in Japan.
*4 Seed collection garden and harvesting garden
A seed garden is an arboretum in which mother trees are planted for the purpose of producing seeds, making it easier to collect seeds. Seedlings are produced by sowing seeds obtained from the seed collection garden. In the closed seed collection garden that the Group is developing, artificial breeding in a greenhouse ensures that elite trees are crossed with each other, enabling early production and increase production of seeds that fully inherit the characteristics of elite trees compared to conventional open field plants. On the other hand, an arboretum is an arboretum in which a mother tree is planted for the purpose of obtaining scions for cutting seedling production.