Regenerating 100-Hectare Forest in Mt. Fuji

Dear Donors,

Always thank you for your generous support of our “Regenerating 100-Hectare Forest in Mt. Fuji” project. This quarter, your donations have been taking care of hundreds of trees, providing jobs, empowering local residents, and sharing knowledge with partner communities in Asia Pacific.

Here’s a closer look at your accomplishments for this quarter:

(1) Maintenance activities for 2025 fully completed

Thanks to your generosity, all necessary maintenance works for this year have been concluded just as planned. This means that together we repaired 980 tree nets, protecting young trees from animal damage through the upcoming winter. This major task was completed owing to the help of nearly 400 volunteers, including local residents, youth, international organizations and major Japanese companies.

Actively involving volunteers in maintenance activities is a key part of the project. Through hands-on experience such as net repairing and tree thinning, participants not only connect to and learn about forests, but also discover that reforestation means more than simply planting trees – it is about responsibly taking care of them until they grow into a healthy, mature forest. These activities form an important part of our environmental education efforts and ensure long-term sustainability of our project, especially through engaging local youth.

At the same time, volunteer involvement allows us to extend our reach far beyond what limited resources and manpower could achieve. Our project area spans approximately 100 hectares, of which 40 hectares we planted with 42,000 broadleaf trees. Since nearly every tree is protected by an individual net, the annual repair workload is enormous.

While we continue to commission local forestry workers for maintenance – contributing to local employment and rural revitalization – volunteer participation remains an indispensable force and helps us use donations most effectively.

(2) Visit from Malaysian Government Representatives

We often welcome international visitors and volunteers to our project site – starting from foreign embassy staff and trainees from overseas. This quarter we also welcomed representatives from a Malaysian government agency for a study visit.

This agency carries out programs in Malaysia that support rural communities and foster youth and entrepreneurship. The purpose of their visit was to understand how various sectors – government, NPOs, corporations, researchers, and local forestry stakeholders – collaborate on this project and what impact the project brings to local communities. Drawing on their insights, the representatives were determined to develop similar initiatives back home.

At the project site, staff from Yamanashi Prefecture, which owns the forest land, explained the characteristics of Mt. Fuji and Yamanashi’s forests. During the visit, the Malaysian representatives asked, “Why is it necessary for people to be involved instead of leaving tree growth entirely to nature?” We explained that by taking an active role in forest care, people can accelerate the forest’s regeneration, emphasizing the importance of maintaining a continuous human connection with nature.

Since its designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2013, Mt. Fuji has welcomed many international visitors every year. Beyond tourism, we hope to create more opportunities for people around the world to learn about Mt. Fuji’s forests and the challenges they face.

Lastly, we would like to share some photos showing the beautiful autumn and winter scenery of Mt. Fuji.

We are deeply grateful for your continued support. Thank you as always, and we look forward to working together in the future.