Kei Matsumoto (2nd year, Faculty of Environment and Information Studies), a member of Professor Tomohiro Ichinose's laboratory in the Faculty of Environment and Information Studies, received the "President's Award" at the 2025 (22nd) Environmental Information Science Research Presentation Conference Poster Session [Undergraduate and Graduate Student Category].
The Center for Environmental Information Science (CEIS) holds an annual research presentation conference every December, including oral presentations, poster sessions, planned sessions, and symposia.
In the poster session of the Environmental Information Science Research Presentation Conference held on December 12, 2025, Mr. Matsumoto was selected for the "President's Award," which is considered the highest overall evaluation among 87 research presentations. Furthermore, receiving the "President's Award" as a second-year undergraduate in the [Undergraduate and Graduate Student Category] is an unprecedented achievement as the youngest recipient in history.
[Undergraduate and Graduate Student Category] President's Award
Habitat Selection of Giant Flying Squirrels in Mt. Takao: Distribution Survey and Quantitative Analysis of Forest Structure Using Laser Sensing
Kei Matsumoto
Comment from Kei Matsumoto
The giant flying squirrel is a symbol of the night on Mt. Takao. While its existence is widely known, the full picture of what kind of forests it prefers and where it lives throughout the mountain has been shrouded in mystery. In this study, based on comprehensive habitat distribution data gathered through over 100 fieldwork sessions since my middle school years, I conducted multivariate analysis using vegetation maps, forest planning information, and airborne laser scanning data. Furthermore, I used a terrestrial laser scanner owned by the laboratory to measure forest structures in detail, attempting to clarify the environment chosen by giant flying squirrels. The 21st century is the "century of environment and information." The significance of this research lies in visualizing the habitat environment, which has often been discussed qualitatively, as objective numerical values.
To put it simply, the conditions for the "forests preferred by giant flying squirrels" revealed this time are tree species diversity, the presence of large-diameter trees, and a tree density that is not overcrowded. These are also essential habitat foundations for many other organisms such as insects, birds, and fungi. Therefore, creating forests where giant flying squirrels can settle leads to improving the health and maturity of the forest ecosystem, and can serve as a clear indicator for environmentally friendly forest management. Toward a future where humans and wildlife coexist. I will continue to use spatial analysis and laser sensing to present next-generation forest models from the familiar field of Mt. Takao.
Finally, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the professors and seniors who provided enthusiastic guidance, and to the members of my alma mater's biology club who supported the investigation.
Source: Shonan Fujisawa Campus (SFC) Office, General Affairs