Protected Forests (Japan)

Protected Forests are areas of national forest in Japan so designated in an effort to conserve biodiversity. Japan's Protected Forest system includes three categories of protected forests: Forest Biosphere Reserves; Biotic Community Protection Forests; and Rare Population Protection Forests. Some of these national forests are linked by a network of Green Corridors that are also included in the system. Established in 1915, the system was overhauled in 2015 and expanded in 2019.

Background

Forests cover approximately two-thirds of Japan, extending over some ; of this, according to the Forestry Agency, c.54% is classed as "natural forest", "planted forest" comprising most of the remainder. In terms of ownership, 58% of all forest is in private hands, state-owned "national forests" represent 30%, with the remaining 12% otherwise publicly owned, by prefectural and municipal governments, etc.
Forest conservation measures have a long history in the country: according to the Yōrō Code of 718, "the benefits of mountain, river, grove, and marsh are for government and people alike", with two clauses prohibiting cultivation in the mountains and encouraging the planting of trees along riverbanks and beside dams to counter erosion, while in Kasugayama Primeval Forest in Nara, tree-felling and hunting have been forbidden since 841.
Currently, forests are protected under a number of different systems and laws: as Natural Parks under the Natural Parks Act, Nature Conservation Areas under the Nature Conservation Act, Wildlife Protection Areas under the Wildlife Protection and Hunting Management Act, Natural Habitat Conservation Areas under the Conservation of Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora Act, Special Seed Tree Forests under the Forestry Seeds and Seedlings Act, Historic Sites, Places of Scenic Beauty, and Natural Monuments under the Law for the Protection of Cultural Properties—and as Protected Forests and Green Corridors.
Protected Forests date back to an ordinance of Taishō 4, with the first such forest established the following year, in Kamikōchi. By 1932, there were 93 Protected Forests covering a combined area of. Demand for timber increased with post-war reconstruction, and the area protected had significantly decreased by the late 1950s and continued to fall through the 1960s. In 1972, the Forestry Agency issued a new Protected Forest management plan, and in 1973 the area under protection increased 150%. By 1988, there were 795 Protected Forests, covering an area of. In 1991, the National Forest Regulations were completely overhauled, with a renewed focus on function and use rather than classification based on species—the four types identified were National Land Conservation Forest, Natural Maintenance Forest, Space Utilization Forest, and Wood Production Forest—and in 2001 the Forests and Forestry Basic Act was fully revised in line with international trends towards sustainability; the nation's basic forestry strategy and management plan are developed in accordance with this Act.
In 2015, a century after their institution, the Protected Forest system was revised, with the categories reduced from seven to three: Forest Biosphere Reserve; Biotic Community Protection Forest; and Rare Population Protection Forest. As of 1 April 2018, there were in total 666 Protected Forests, covering an area of, approximately 4% of the total forested area of the country, and 13% of that represented by national forest. As of 1 April 2019, a network of 24 Green Corridors, established to connect Protected Forests and facilitate interaction between discrete populations, represented a further of national forest.

Protected Forests

Forest Biosphere Reserves

As of 1 April 2018, 31 Forest Biosphere Reserves have been designated, covering an area of. Of these, four are also inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List as Natural World Heritage Sites: Shiretoko, Shirakami-Sanchi, Ogaswara Islands, and Yakushima, while Amami Islands, Yanbaru, and Iriomote have been nominated for joint inscription and are currently on the Tentative List.

Forest Biosphere Reserve	Designated Name	Prefecture	Area	Image	Coordinates	Ref.
Shiretoko	知床森林生態系保護地域	Hokkaidō	459.89
Kariba-sanchi Sukki River Source	狩場山地須築川源流部森林生態系保護地域	Hokkaidō	27.32
Taisetsuzan	大雪山森林生態系保護地域	Hokkaidō	961.97
Hidaka Mountains	日高山脈森林生態系保護地域	Hokkaidō	1679.68
Izari-dake Environs	漁岳周辺森林生態系保護地域	Hokkaidō	32.67
Shirakami-Sanchi	白神山地森林生態系保護地域	Aomori, Akita	169.71
Osore-zan Mountains	恐山山地森林生態系保護地域	Aomori	55.38
Mount Hayachine Environs	早池峰山周辺森林生態系保護地域	Iwate	81.45
Kakkonda River–Tama River Source	葛根田川・玉川源流部森林生態系保護地域	Iwate	93.91
Mount Kurikoma–Mount Tochigamori Environs	栗駒山・栃ヶ森山周辺森林生態系保護地域	Iwate, Miyagi, Akita	163.34
Asahi Mountains	朝日山地森林生態系保護地域	Yamagata, Niigata	605.22
Mount Iide Environs	飯豊山周辺森林生態系保護地域	Yamagata, Fukushima, Niigata	294.45
Mount Azuma Environs	吾妻山周辺森林生態系保護地域	Fukushima	81.98
Oku-Aizu	奥会津森林生態系保護地域	Fukushima	839.92
Ogaswara Islands	小笠原諸島森林生態系保護地域	Tōkyō	55.79
Tone River Source–Hiuchigatake Environs	利根川源流部・燧ヶ岳周辺森林生態系保護地域	Niigata, Gunma	200.86
Mount Saburyū Environs	佐武流山周辺森林生態系保護地域	Niigata, Nagano	127.92
Hakusan	白山森林生態系保護地域	Ishikawa, Gifu	149.14
Northern Alps	北アルプス（金木戸川・高瀬川源流部）森林生態系保護地域	Nagano, Gifu	80.99
Central Alps Mount Kisokoma	中央アルプス木曽駒ケ岳森林生態系保護地域	Nagano	18.13
Southern Minami-Alps Mount Tekari	南アルプス南部光岳森林生態系保護地域	Nagano, Shizuoka	47.59
Ōsugidani	大杉谷森林生態系保護地域	Mie	13.91
Daisen	大山森林生態系保護地域	Tottori	31.90
Ishizuchi Mountains	石鎚山系森林生態系保護地域	Ehime
Mount Sobo–Mount Katamuki–Mount Ōkue Environs	祖母山・傾山・大崩山周辺森林生態系保護地域	Ōita, Miyazaki	59.78
Aya	綾森林生態系保護地域	Miyazaki	14.85
Mount Inao Environs	稲尾岳周辺森林生態系保護地域	Kagoshima	10.45
Yakushima	屋久島森林生態系保護地域	Kagoshima	151.85
Amami Islands	奄美群島森林生態系保護地域	Kagoshima	48.20
Yanbaru	やんばる森林生態系保護地域	Okinawa	30.07
Iriomote	西表島森林生態系保護地域	Okinawa	204.71

Biotic Community Protection Forests

As of 1 April 2018, 95 Biotic Community Protection Forests have been designated, covering an area of.

Biotic Community Protection Forest	Designated Name	Prefecture	Area	Image	Coordinates	Ref.
Mount Muine Environs	無意根山周辺生物群集保護林	Hokkaidō	20.47
Mount Yūbari	夕張岳生物群集保護林	Hokkaidō	14.49
Shirikoma	知駒生物群集保護林	Hokkaidō	12.33
Wakasakanai	稚咲内生物群集保護林	Hokkaidō	20.18
Lake Kutcharo	クッチャロ湖生物群集保護林	Hokkaidō	3.84
Rishiri Island	利尻島生物群集保護林	Hokkaidō	44.46
Rebun Island	礼文島生物群集保護林	Hokkaidō	23.91
Taisetsu Primeval Forest	大雪原生林生物群集保護林	Hokkaidō	5.27
Taisetsu Mountain Range Alpine Zone	大雪山系高山帯生林生物群集保護林	Hokkaidō	13.40
Mount Shari	斜里岳生林生物群集保護林	Hokkaidō	23.53
Mount Unabetsu	海別岳生林生物群集保護林	Hokkaidō	26.96
Bekanbeushi	別寒辺牛生林生物群集保護林	Hokkaidō	24.12
Mount Oakan	雄阿寒岳生林生物群集保護林	Hokkaidō	37.59
Notsuke Peninsula	野付半島生林生物群集保護林	Hokkaidō	3.01
Mount Obira	大平山生林生物群集保護林	Hokkaidō	5.11
Mount Sengen	千軒岳生林生物群集保護林	Hokkaidō	9.58
Uzura River	鶉川生林生物群集保護林	Hokkaidō	5.11
Todo River	椴川生林生物群集保護林	Hokkaidō	4.99
Okushiri Island	奥尻島生物群集保護林	Hokkaidō	22.85
Hakkōda Mountains	八甲田山生物群集保護林	Aomori	64.10
Hachimantai	八幡平生物群集保護林	Iwate, Akita	102.35
Mount Goyō	五葉山生物群集保護林	Iwate	102.35
Mount Waga	和賀岳生物群集保護林	Iwate, Akita	89.55
Mount Yakeishi	焼石岳生物群集保護林	Iwate	87.68
Busugamori	毒ヶ森生物群集保護林	Iwate	16.39
Mount Funagata	船形山（御所山）生物群集保護林	Miyagi, Yamagata	71.51
Zaō	蔵王生物群集保護林	Miyagi, Yamagata	66.21
Mount Taihei	太平山生物群集保護林	Akita	72.23
Bandori Forest–Mount Daibutsu	番鳥森・大仏岳生物群集保護林	Akita	12.39
Northwest Ōu Mountains	奥羽山脈北西部生物群集保護林	Akita	11.91
Oga Peninsula Coastal Life	男鹿半島海岸植生生物群集保護林	Akita	6.55
Budōmori	葡萄森生物群集保護林	Akita	5.79
Mount Chōkai	鳥海山生物群集保護林	Akita, Yamagata	72.41
Gassan	月山生物群集保護林	Yamagata	68.22
Tsugamine–Mount Iimori	栂峰・飯森山生物群集保護林	Yamagata	10.43
Kashi–Mount Futamata	甲子・二岐山生物群集保護林	Fukushima	31.00
Abukuma Plateau	阿武隈高地生物群集保護林	Fukushima	11.90
Oku-Kinu	奥鬼怒生物群集保護林	Tochigi	25.85
Ōsabi Mountains	大佐飛山地生物群集保護林	Tochigi	81.52
Shōjinsawa	尚仁沢生物群集保護林	Tochigi	6.16
Ueno Narahara Fraxinus platypoda	上野楢原のシオジ等生物群集保護林	Gunma	3.03
Chichibu Mountains	秩父山地生物群集保護林	Saitama	21.45
Tanzawa Mountains	丹沢山地生物群集保護林	Kanagawa	8.81
Komatsubara Wetlands	小松原湿原生物群集保護林	Niigata	14.99
Mount Sumon	守門岳生物群集保護林	Niigata	17.78
Echigo Mountains	越後山脈生物群集保護林	Niigata	20.09
Kaya no Daira	カヤの平等等生物群集保護林	Niigata	14.00
Northern Alps	北アルプス（朝日・白馬連山）生物群集保護林	Toyama, Nagano	60.76
Northern Alps	北アルプス（黒部・五竜・針ノ木・白沢天狗）生物群集保護林	Toyama, Nagano	107.53
Sai River Source	犀川源流生物群集保護林	Ishikawa	17.94
Senjōdaira	千丈平生物群集保護林	Ishikawa	8.57
Mount Togakushi	戸隠山生物群集保護林	Nagano	18.89
Mount Naeba Wetlands	苗場山湿原生物群集保護林	Nagano	13.27
Mount Amakazari–Mount Tenguhara	雨飾・天狗原山生物群集保護林	Nagano	15.65
Northern Alps	北アルプス（蝶ヶ岳・大天井岳・槍ヶ岳・穂高岳）生物群集保護林	Nagano	71.61
Mount Washiba–Iō–Takase Valley	鷲羽岳・硫黄・高瀬渓谷生物群集保護林	Nagano	25.50
Azusa River–Kasumizawa–Mount Yake	梓川・霞沢・焼岳生物群集保護林	Nagano	25.72
Mount Kinpu	金峰山生物群集保護林	Nagano	4.33
Mount Asama	浅間山生物群集保護林	Nagano	19.20
Utsukushigahara	美ヶ原生物群集保護林	Nagano	10.75
Yatsugatake	八ヶ岳生物群集保護林	Nagano	5.16
Minami-Alps	南アルプス（仙丈ヶ岳等）生物群集保護林	Nagano	32.28
Minami-Alps	南アルプス（塩見等）生物群集保護林	Nagano	52.06
Minami-Alps	南アルプス（聖岳等）生物群集保護林	Nagano	50.05
Mount Nagiso	南木曽岳生物群集保護林	Nagano	6.73
Mount Norikura	乗鞍岳生物群集保護林	Nagano, Gifu	57.40
Kiso	木曽生物群集保護林	Nagano, Gifu	103.92
Ontake	御岳生物群集保護林	Nagano, Gifu	31.22
Shizumo	賤母生物群集保護林	Nagano, Gifu	2.51
Mount Sanshū Fagus crenata	三周ヶ岳ブナ生物群集保護林	Gifu	11.30
Mount Nōgōhaku Fagus crenata	能郷白山ブナ生物群集保護林	Gifu	6.50
Mount Ena	恵那山生物群集保護林	Gifu	4.92
Mount Ashitaka	愛鷹山生物群集保護林	Shizuoka	5.70
Mount Fuji	富士山生物群集保護林	Shizuoka	10.27
Hatchō Pond–Kawakodaira	八丁池・皮子平生物群集保護林	Shizuoka	6.37
Mount Kamitani	上谷山生物群集保護林	Shiga	5.74
Mount Hyōno-Sannomaru	氷ノ山・三の丸生物群集保護林	Hyōgo	3.85
Ikegō	池郷生物群集保護林	Nara	7.03
Mount Narukawa	鳴川山生物群集保護林	Nara	3.46
Kurozō Valley	黒蔵谷生物群集保護林	Wakayama	5.16
Mount Mikuni	三国山生物群集保護林	Tottori	3.19
Mount Tsurugi	剣山生物群集保護林	Tokushima
Mount Nishikuma	西熊山生物群集保護林	Tokushima
Mount Ishidate	石立山生物群集保護林	Tokushima
Mount Takatori	鷹取山生物群集保護林	Kōchi
Fugen-dake	普賢岳生物群集保護林	Nagasaki	4.43
Danjo Islands	男女群島生物群集保護林	Nagasaki	4.15
Kyūshū Chūō Sanchi	九州中央山地生物群集保護林	Kumamoto, Miyazaki	60.38
Mount Shiraga	白髪岳生物群集保護林	Kumamoto	3.79
Mount Oninome	鬼の目山生物群集保護林	Miyazaki	4.67
Mount Kamon	掃部岳生物群集保護林	Miyazaki	6.27
Mount Ōmori	大森岳生物群集保護林	Miyazaki	3.73
Inohae Evergreen Forest	猪八重照葉樹林生物群集保護林	Miyazaki	4.81
Mount Kirishima	霧島山生物群集保護林	Miyazaki, Kagoshima	63.54
Mount Takakuma	高隈山生物群集保護林	Kagoshima	11.76