Contributions to Eco Cities Through Greening

Basic Policy

A movement to make maximum use of local plants in urban development and community development projects is spreading as society pursues the goal of coexistence with nature.

Amidst these trends, Sumitomo Forestry Landscaping has set guidelines for selecting plant species suitable for the targeted greening areas (called “Harmonic Plants®”) based on the idea of planting indigenous tree species in its greening plans to restore nature. In line with the guidelines, the company has been increasing the use of these plants.

Importance of Plant Selection for Landscaping

Trees in Japan are classified into those that have long grown in Japan (native plants) and those that have come to Japan from overseas (migration plants). Among migration plants, there are species that deprive native plants of their habitats and pose a threat to local biodiversity (invasive plants*).

The vegetation plans made by Sumitomo Forestry Landscaping are divided into four types by conservation status: protected areas, conservation areas, satoyama areas, and urban areas. The company selects plant species suitable for each of these types. One example would be a case of building a residential garden in an urban area. The company selects mainly native plants, including garden varieties, but also selects green plants from among non-invasive migration plants in a balanced manner to give more colors to the garden. We also have a policy of not using invasive plants that clearly have an adverse impact on local ecosystems. The division in charge of technologies at Sumitomo Forestry Landscaping checks for the use of such species in the company’s projects.

*Specified alien species and alien species requiring caution as stipulated by the Invasive Alien Species Act

Approach to Planting Areas

Click here for related information

Harmonic Plants (in Japanese)

Contributions to Property Development

Acquisition of ABINC Certification for Forest Garden Hadano

In the residential property development business, Sumitomo Forestry provides roughly 350 high-quality spec homes each year based on the technical expertise accumulated in the new custom-built housing and landscaping businesses. We are committed to developing long-lasting houses by taking advantage of nature toward the goal of realizing a sustainable and prosperous society.

Forest Garden Hadano, spec homes that we built in Hadano City, Kanagawa Prefecture became the first to receive certification from the Association for Business Innovation in Harmony with Nature and Community (ABINC) in the spec home and urban area category in 2018. The ABINC certification system evaluates the results of biodiversity preservation activities conducted by companies to promote coexistence of nature and people. Certification for office buildings and commercial facilities began in 2014, and subsequently, the scope of certification has expanded to include housing complexes and factories in it.

Forest Garden Hadano was designed to be “green property that coexists with life.” It provides rich greenery composed of local tree species and Harmonic Plants_®. Consideration toward the sustainable circulation of water utilizing spring water was one of the major factors that contributed to the acquisition of the certification.

Elderly Care Facilities Built in Harmony with Nature

In 2023, Grand Forest Denenchofu was opened in Tokyo as a private nursing home that boasts a lush and pleasant living environment based on the concept of "coexistence with natural environment." We have created a characteristic garden so that residents, who spend most of their lives in the building and tend to have fewer opportunities to feel nature, can feel nature and live a healthy and comfortable life. On the first floor of the building, there is a large opening and stairwell, which is integrated with the courtyard, creating a space where you can feel as if you were in nature surrounded by greenery. There are ornamental flower beds and a vegetable garden on the rooftop, where residents can communicate with each other openly under the sky. Garden vegetation is designed to allow visitors to feel seasonal changes and the existence of living creatures, seeing colorful flowers as well as fruit and healing plants, which are mainly local species. In recognition of the highly environmentally friendly plan and biodiversity conservation efforts, we have obtained ABINC certification for the elderly care facilities.

Grand Forest Denenchofu

UR Urban Renaissance Agency Tokiwadaira Danchi: Community Connected with Greenery

The UR Tokiwadaira Danchi, located in Matsudo City, Chiba Prefecture, covers an area of approximately 20 hectares. More than 60 years have passed since its construction, and it has grown into a rich green space with approximately 4,300 high trees. In order to promote communication among residents of the complex and other local residents, the Urban Renaissance Agency organized a garden tour in the characteristic green areas of the complex and a photo exhibition of the complex's greenery surroundings. The garden tour, which has been held twice a year (spring and autumn) since fiscal 2021, has become a very popular event. It provides participants with an opportunity to rediscover the appeal of the complex as well as an opportunity for active communication. The UR Urban Renaissance Agency is also striving to expand the community through garden tours for local elementary schools and partnerships with universities and other companies in the city. It will continue to use the lush green environment as a place for communication among residents of the complex and for environmental education for local elementary school students. Sumitomo Forestry Landscaping supports the UR Urban Renaissance Agency in planning and managing the use of the green space.

Garden tour “Picking and Eating Fruit of Morus Bombycis”

Garden tour for elementary school students “Measuring Trunk Circumference Together”

Exhibiting at the National Urban Greening Gifu Fair Garden Contest

We participated in a garden contest held as part of the 42nd National Urban Greening Gifu Fair in 2025. Sumitomo Forestry’s Gifu Branch and Sumitomo Forestry Landscaping jointly exhibited “Grand Life Garden Morino-Kobo Connected with Nature.” It won the Good Design Award and an award from the Consultants of Landscape Architecture in Japan.

The award-winning work was designed to be a wood-framed space like a bungalow. Visitors can enjoy the scent of various plants and the sounds of a clear stream. The deck is made from Japanese cypress wood produced locally in Gifu, while components of the space include local materials such as Unuma stones and mainly native tree species such as Chinese fringetrees.

Education for Biodiversity Conservation

Publication of the Revised Edition of “An Illustrated Guide to Home Trees”

A total of 46,000 copies of Sumitomo Forestry Landscaping's "An Illustrated Guide to Home Trees" have been printed since the first edition was published in 2013 and subsequently revised twice. The guidebook introduces more than 500 types of garden trees that add color to our lives. This book provides information such as the time of flowering and autumn leaves and the area where planting is possible to let people know the attractiveness and characteristics of each tree.
The revised edition I was published in March 2017, following the establishment of the Invasive Alien Species List by the Ministry of the Environment and the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, and taking into account further impacts of the species on the ecosystem. Sumitomo Forestry Landscaping also restructured its own criteria for invasive species prior to the revision.
The revised edition II was published in March 2021 with partially altered content in response to the modification of the Plant Variety Protection and Seed Act and the addition of the descriptions of original varieties in it. The book introduces a total of 508 species, including six original varieties. The following shows the major points of the revision.

1) Revision of descriptions in response to the revision of the Plant Variety Protection and Seed Act
The "Variety Registration Number" and other information were added to the descriptions of the original trees for sale and the trees registered as varieties in the illustrated book, in compliance with the modification of the Plant Variety Protection and Seed Act, as registered varieties are now obliged to be labeled under the law.

2) Addition of the descriptions of initiatives for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
Through its green business, Sumitomo Forestry Landscaping is implementing initiatives in line with the SDGs, such as protecting biodiversity through the concept of "Harmonic Plants_®" in consideration of sustainability, and creating comfort, enjoyment, and beauty in society by constructing homes and communities that harness the "Power of Greenery.” We are putting these initiatives into action. Descriptions about these initiatives have been added to the revised edition.

Recognition of Contributions to Environmental Consciousness

Sumitomo Forestry Landscaping has begun assessing the carbon stored by trees in residential gardens as part of its efforts towards a decarbonized society. Trees play an important role for a decarbonized society as they can absorb CO₂ in their growth stage and continue to fix it as carbon.
In line with its guiding principle on Harmonic Plants_®, Sumitomo Forestry Landscaping aims to create gardens in consideration of local biodiversity, while also looking at the environment of the entire planet.
At Sumitomo Forestry's Yonago model house exhibition site (Yonago City, Tottori Prefecture), trees, mainly native species, were planted in accordance with the Harmonic Plants_® guidelines. As a model case for LCCM housing, carbon storage in gardening was also assessed.
The amount of carbon storage was calculated for trees, wooden decks and wooden fences as materials that can be used for carbon fixation in gardening. The garden at the Yonago house exhibition site fixes approximately 6.2 tons of CO₂ equivalent (equivalent to the carbon storage of about 21 trees of 40-year-old cedars in a planted forest).
In the future, the system will be advanced to enable simpler assessment, and preparations will also be made to enable the recognition of the fixed volume, which will increase as properly managed trees grow.

Click here for related information

Sales of ZEH and LCCM Homes

Overseas Landscaping Businesses

Development of Landscaping Business in Australia

In 2022, Sumitomo Forestry invested in Regal Innovations, making the company a subsidiary. It engages in landscaping projects* in Australia and is also participating in leading development and construction projects in Sydney. Regal Innovations is addressing environmental issues by creating landscapes harmonized with nature on design and construction projects for commercial areas, exteriors of public facilities, green zones, and parks. “The Drying Green” is an urban park in Sydney for which the subsidiary was in charge of design development and construction. In 2023, the park won a gold award at the Australian Good Design Awards. The origami-inspired design offers sculpted lawns and folded gardens. Also, the sloped lawn captures warm winter sunlight while blocking the view and noise from the park surroundings. In addition, a large comfortable green space has been created by wall greening. On the project, Regal Innovations used its abundant experience in the field of wall surface greening, including a technique for supplying sufficient oxygen to the roots of plants, as well as a method for improving the efficiency of greening and subsequent maintenance work. Technological exchanges between Japan and Australia have also started, including sharing Sumitomo Forestry Landscaping’s know-how with garden vegetation and green space management, as well as exchanging landscape design proposals. Going forward, we will make use of Regal Innovations’ landscaping expertise in our construction and real estate business to promote more environmentally friendly development in Australia and other countries.

*Landscaping projects refer to landscape improvement projects and include exterior construction work conducted in housing, urban, and infrastructure development projects.