Current status of the small-scale firewood utilization in Ina City, Nagano, Japan

Satoyama was maintained historically to obtain firewood or other organic materials. However it has been abandoned since 1960s mainly due to the introduction of fossil fuels. Currently, firewood is reevaluated as a renewable energy in response to increasing number of woodstove users. If significant number of people would use woodstoves, and they would obtain firewood from satoyama, it may contribute to both satoyama restoration and reduction of a dependence on fossil fuels. The purpose of this study is to identify the current status of a leading example of firewood utilization in Ina City, Nagano, Japan. Through field survey, questionnaire, and interviews to stakeholders, we obtained following outcomes: 1) the amount of annual firewood consumption, 2) the area from which firewood are collected, 3) the area of satoyama that may achieve the incentive for the maintenance by firewood demand, and 4) the scheme that supports woodstove users to obtain firewood from satoyama. Based on these outcomes, we finally discussed the lessons we learned from the case, in order to revitalize an interaction between satoyama and people through firewood utilization as a classic yet new way of energy use.