Personal story CASE6
Utilizing life experiences and work on the mountains for activities in nature
Toshinori Suga (70 years old)
Worked for the Forest Services in Taiki town between 1964 to 2006.
Between 2007 and 2011, and 2015 to present,
Working as a member of the town counsel.
6-1Taking a job on the mountain, following his father
Following the footsteps of his father, who was a feller
A life of growing up and working in Taiki town
I was born in a mountainous area of Taiki,
and because my father was a feller,
my childhood playground was in the mountain or the forest.
I grew up having animals, birds, and insects as friends, so naturally,
I joined the Forestry Services for Division of Forestry right after high school.
I have been working on the mountains of Taiki town
for 42 years, without changing jobs.
For this reason,
I can name a tree by looking at it,
I can tell its worth as lumber.
I have made once-in-a-lifetime
encounters with nature
in places normally closed to general public.
The mountains and the forests of Taiki town
are my home,
my parents, and teachers.
6-2Transforming a job on the mountain to an activity of experiencing nature
Utilizing life experience
To become an instructor of experiencing nature
Due to the environment in which I grew up and the nature of my work,
I have served as an instructor for a variety of nature experiencing activities thus far.
For example, to become an instructor for Youth Nature Experiencing Activities sponsored
by Hokkaido board of education, I took a total of 3-week training in summer and winter,
and learned astronomy and igloo building.
On the collaborative project, spearheaded by STEP (South Tokachi Educational Project),
between 4 departments, including Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries,
and Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology,
local and main island children partake in nature experiencing activities,
while interacting with the region, like helping farmers
in Taiki town and staying with the local residents.
I am helping out with this project as well.
Rekifune River that runs through Taiki has repeatedly won the designation as
“the cleanest river in Japan” during water quality inspection by the Ministry of Environment.
As a member of “Rekifune River Water Protection Club,”
we participate in water quality inspection and cleanup efforts.
For children’s activities,
we hold classes in the wood in Kamui Ainu village “Yuyu no Mori.”
I am trained in disaster rescue, and I still get calls when there is an accident.
I can never cut ties with the mountains (LOL).
6-3Want to leave nature where kids can readily play
Energetically try chopping firewood
Children are powerful
When children come to experience nature today,
they show great interest
in the activities such as chopping firewood,
because they do not have exposure to forests and trees.
Even the weaker children
heave heavy ax
to do their best.
Therefore, when planning the program,
We cannot be limited by a preconceived notion that
“kids who play a lot of games
will not be interested in these things.”
We run out of tools,
and children who did not get to do enough
will wake up early next morning, asking to try again.
When I see such power in children,
I deeply feel that it is our job
to leave them nature where they can readily go play.
6-4Beautiful forests in Taiki that continue to stand
Severe yet beautiful mountains and river of Taiki
that I encountered living along side
the mountains and forests
Hidaka Mountains, which can be seen from the town of Taiki,
has many steep parts in its depth that are inaccessible to normal people.
In other words, so many untouched areas remain preserved.
Previously, federally and locally owned forests were populated with broad-leaf trees
that were valuable sources of lumber; a single tree could be worth ￥3-5 million.
When you climb up the steep mountain,
you find a place where you can catch many beautiful looking Yamame fish,
and the colors of foliage are simply breathtaking.
Ravines are spectacular.
After the fall, however, it quickly gets cold,
so the beautiful period is very short and fleeting.
When I went to the mountain for work before, I saw crawfish going up a waterfall,
and Japanese fluvial sculpins laying eggs on their backs, behind rocks.
It was a valuable once in a lifetime experience.
For general public, beautiful foliage and nature can be experienced
at campgrounds in Kamui Ainu village.
It would be great if they could immerse themselves in Taiki’s nature
by participating in nature experiencing programs.
