Since the start of the project in 1998, approximately 30,000 region-specific saplings have been planted so far. In total, more than 12,000 volunteers have participated in tree planting and cultivation activities.

To date, reforestation efforts of national forest damaged by typhoons were completed as the first phase by removing the hexatubes. In fiscal 2019, a tree survey began as a monitoring survey necessary to comprehensive forest management activities. In 2023, as the fifth year of this tree survey, approximately 70 volunteers took part in creating a database from records of 439 trees planted on an area of approximately 1,800 m².

In 2023, to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Mt. Fuji "Manabi no Mori" project, volunteers planted trees borrowed from part of national forest. 45 seedlings including Japanese beech, Japanese zelkova (Zelkova serrata), Oak (Quercus mongolica), Acer amoenum var. amoenum, and Stewartia monadelpha were planted. There are many deer at foot of Mt. Fuji, and the participants set up a fence to protect the seedlings from damage by deer.

The Manabi no Mori project will shift to a more friendly forest suitable for learning by visualizing the growth of the trees that have been cultivated by the volunteers so far. Cultivating a forest is a never-ending job and Mt. Fuji Manabi no Mori, too, is a 100-year project. To ensure that the project will still be running 100 years from now, comprehensive forest management and environmental activities will be continued as a way to communicate the importance of nature to as many people as possible.

Sumitomo Forestry has been implementing an Environmental Education Program for local elementary and junior high school students since fiscal 2006 in collaboration with the NPO Whole Earth Institute (currently Whole Earth Nature School). Activities include nature observation, looking for tracks and traces of wild animals, and games incorporating the five senses. The aim of these activities to rediscover the natural world is for the students to learn about the importance of nature and encourage them to consider new ways in which people can coexist with nature in the future. In fiscal 2023, a total of 1,1730 students and children from 14 schools were invited to the program. A cumulative total of more than 14,000 students and children have been invited as of fiscal 2023.

Sumitomo Forestry entered into a partnership agreement on restoration property development coordination and cooperation with Higashi Matsushima City, Miyagi Prefecture in 2012 after the Great East Japan Earthquake to make every effort toward restoration. Higashi Matsushima City aims to revitalize tourism by bringing back the wetlands in the Suzaki district near the Nobiru coast devastated by the tsunami. As part of this effort, Sumitomo Forestry began trial tree planting activities in fiscal 2017. A soil investigation discovered a high concentration of acidity, which needed considerations about the tree species and techniques for planting. We then formulated a tree-planting plan taking into account third-party insight from the Tohoku Research Center of the Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute. We checked and made sure the seedlings had been growing with support by the local community, thus we have started the Oku Matsushima Nature Recover Volunteer Planting Activity along the Nobiru coast of Higashi Matsushima City since fiscal 2019.

In 2023, a total of 200 people participated in the tree planting. Local residents, children from Higashi-Matsushima Municipal Miyanomori Elementary School, Sumitomo Forestry's subcontractors, and Sumitomo Forestry Group employees worked together to plant 850 plants from five local indigenous species. In addition to the tree planting, this volunteer activity included clearing the underbush so that the seedlings in the planted area would grow to a large size. We also provided environmental education to third-year students of Miyanomori Elementary School, and are working to grow Raphiolepis umbellata, a local indigenous plant, until it becomes a seedling plant from seedings. We are working together with the local community on medium- to long-term activities.

Sumitomo Forestry, together with three business partners*¹ of Timber and Building Materials Division of Hokkaido Branch, concluded an agreement with Kuriyama-cho, Yubari-gun, Hokkaido, for "creation of forest in Kuriyama-cho." Tree-planting and clear cutting of trees in forests owned by Kuriyama-cho. This agreement is part of the "Forest Management by Hokkaido Companies"*².

A joint tree-planting activity was held in October 2023. About 60 people participated, including employees of our company, partner companies and their families. A representative of a forestry cooperative explained how to plant trees, and about 150 Sakhalin fir (Abies sachalinensis) were planted. We will continue to promote forest conservation activities with our three business partners and contribute to development of sustainable local communities.

*1Yamachi United Co., Ltd, Hokkai Lumber, Kichijo Mokuzai

*2This is an initiative promoted by Hokkaido Prefecture as a social contribution activity. Purpose of this initiative is to promote forest development by matching companies and organizations engaged in the development of private-owned forest in Hokkaido Prefecture with forest owners such as local governments, and to enhance various functions of forests such as CO₂ absorption and water retention

In October 2021, Sumitomo Forestry launched "morino de van," a comprehensive forestry education Giving on-site classes Project in collaboration with the Gifu Academy of Forest Science and Culture (morinos*¹). This project is an initiative to deliver diverse and comprehensive forest experiences using a Wald-car*².

In May 2023, we participated in "Plaza to Make the Earth Smile" hosted by TOKYO BROADCASTING SYSTEM TELEVISION, INC. It was an initiative to let people know about and experience SDGs through events under campaign theme of "Let's tackle SDGs together." Sumitomo Forestry provided programs mainly for children who rarely come into contact with nature in their daily lives, such as "Barefoot Trail " where children walk barefoot on wood and sand, and "Touchable Museum" where children can touch stuffed animals. We hope that such experience will be an opportunity to think about SDGs to protect nature for a long time.

The program will aim to realize a society in which all people and forests are connected and "coexist" through the nature experience programs offered by the delivery of classes.

*1Nickname of the Forestry Education Center within the Gifu Academy of Forest Science and Culture. Its purpose is to connect all people with forests and pass on the joy of living with forests and the richness of forest culture to the next generation

Cerasus jamasakura "Hiyoshizakura" in Hiyoshi-taisha Shrine is a kind of Yae-no-Yamazakura (mountain cherries), which has about 30 rose pink petals on one cherry tree. The last tree in Hiyoshi-taisha Shrine withered about 20 years ago. With cooperation of Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute and local residents, Hiyoshizakura tree was grafted and brought back to the shrine in 2014. Regarding rootstock, since a different type of grafting was used, branch of the rootstock will be main of the tree, therefore it may become a totally different species in the future. To ensure that Hiyoshi-zakura, culturally and scientifically important, is passed on to future generations, Sumitomo Forestry, which has cultivated Nagi and other heritage trees throughout Japan, succeeded in growing seedlings using tissue culturing technology in 2023. On April 7 of the same year, a ceremony to present seedlings was held at Hie Shrine (Shuji Miyanishi, Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo Prefecture). In the future, we will distribute seedlings of Hiyoshizakura grown by tissue culture to shrines belonging to national mountain and forest associations, to deepen bonds between shrines and having them enjoyed by various people as a symbol of the region.

Sumitomo Forestry supported tree-planting activities conducted by Shiseido Company's brand "BAUM" at the "BAUM Oak Forest" in Morioka City, Iwate Prefecture. Following last year, approximately 600 oak seedlings procured by Sumitomo Forestry were planted in 2023.

Shiseido's "BAUM" brand, which is based on the theme of "coexistence with trees" has the brand philosophy of "To not just receive the blessings of trees, but to also give back to nature." Oak saplings used as wooden parts of the packaging will be cultivated in BAUM stores, and the cultivated saplings will be planted to realize recycling of forest resources. Sumitomo Forestry has been supporting the brand's activities since June 2020 when BAUM was launched, by producing and maintaining saplings grown in the stores and further cultivating the saplings grown in the stores for tree planting.

Sumitomo Forestry supports tree-planting activities by Shiseido Company, Limited's Skin and Mind brand "BAUM" at the "BAUM Hinoki no Forest" in a forest owned by Niihama City, Ehime Prefecture. In January 2024, Shiseido Company, Limited, and Niihama City of Ehime Prefecture, signed a three party agreement at the beginning of these activities. The first tree-planting acitivity to "BAUM Hinoki's Forest" is scheduled to be carried out in May 2024.

Based on brand philosophy of "not only receiving blessings of trees but also returning them to nature" of BAUM, which has a theme of "coexistence with trees," is engaged in efforts to recycle forest resources.
Through these activities, Sumitomo Forestry supports the brand's efforts to recycle forest resources through supply of Japanese cypress chips, which are used as raw materials, production and maintenance of Japanese cypress seedlings grown in stores, further cultivation and tree-planting of Japanese cypress seedlings grown in stores, and management of planted forests.

Tree-planting activities will be carried out in Niihama City, which is a place associated with Sumitomo Forestry Group and where management of forests surrounding the copper mines in Besshi Copper Mine was starting point. In the first tree planting activity, about 600 Japanese cypress seedlings grown in stores and then grown to a size that can be planted in a Motoyama seedling cultivation center are used.