The Environment and Sustainable Development in Rural and Urban Areas
Rural Areas - Part Three

Outside Support for Forest Management

Unlike farmland, many forests and grasslands in both Japan and Southeast Asia have been maintained jointly by communities. However, over the course of time, their value has diminished and people have lost their inclination to caring for them. As a consequence, their management was so neglected that forests eventually fell into decay. What should be done to have people once again focus on forests? Isn't it possible to have support from outside? I sought herein new co-management activities which have begun in various parts of Asia

Japan: Support from volunteers-- Solidarity across generations and regions Takafumi Yoshida,Asahi Shimbun Asia Network
Thailand: Planting Trees and Growing Vegetables Hiroshi Fukatsu,Asahi Shimbun Asia Network
Expanding collaboration through new commons Makoto Inoue, Assistant Professor, Graduate School of Tokyo University