Forest Management and Forestry

In recent years, it has been recognized that forestry management and the economic situation for forestry is deteriorating in Japan. However, the concept of forestry management is being used in a sense that is quite vague. We recognize that forest management is specialized and differs from other businesses in economic theory, and also that the conditions for it cannot be analyzed only by economic theory. In this paper, we examine the historical conditions which prompted the development of modern forest management and forestry from a socio-economic viewpoint. The most obvious factors contributing to the development of forest management include devastation of the forests and subsequent wood shortages. In addition to wood shortages, the modernization of land ownership, the agricultural revolution, the fuel revolution, and a long-term increase in wood prices contributed to the development of modern forest management. In Japan, the reforms of the Meiji Restoration and rapid increase in demand for timber following World War II were the most important factors influencing the development of modern forest management. The historical conditions in which forest management developed in Japan have now changed, but 10 million ha of plantation forests remain. Forest owner's cooperative associations could serve as a link between regional forest resources, forest management and forestry.