2025/07/09
Keio University currently owns approximately 160 hectares of forest land across the country, including university-owned forests and national forest profit-sharing contract forests, and is engaged in afforestation and forest cultivation activities. On Saturday, June 14, the "Gathering of Forest Lovers," organized by the "Fukuzawa Forestation Friends Association" (established in 2001 to support these activities), was held at the G-Lab in the East Building of the Mita Campus. The event was a great success, with approximately 70 participants including members of the Fukuzawa Forestation Friends Association and students.
For this 24th gathering, Tomohiro Ichinose, Dean of the Faculty of Environment and Information Studies, gave a lecture titled "Natural Environment and Biota of the Minamisanriku Keio Forest." We were able to hear about research and activities aimed at solving environmental issues surrounding us from diverse perspectives such as biomass, agriculture, and resource circulation.
In the second half, there was a talk that blended serious and lighthearted topics regarding the diversity of creatures such as insects, mammals, and birds in the Keio University Minamisanriku "Shizugawa Forest," which serves as a field for the Ichinose Laboratory, while using photographs taken on-site.
Afterward, two poster sessions by graduate students belonging to the Ichinose Laboratory were held simultaneously, where specific and active discussions took place between participants and graduate students regarding the natural environment and biota of the Shizugawa Forest.
After the lecture, the venue moved to the Faculty Club for a social gathering. It was a fulfilling time with enthusiastic discussions throughout, including the continuation of the poster sessions at the new venue during the conversation.