On Friday, April 17th, in the forest of Shima-Kofuji, Itoshima City, four third-year students from the Furniture and Space Design Studio of Faculty of Architecture and Civil Engineering Department of Housing and Interior, participated in a thinning experience under the guidance of Yuichi Komoda, a forester, woodworker, and representative of the woodworking studio moquc0mo (Itoshima City), as part of the "Furniture Project to Connect Itoshima's Forests to the Future."
This project starts with on-site experience and teaches the entire process from "forest to furniture," utilizing felled timber to create furniture.
On the day of the event, we actually went into the mountains and received a lecture from him about the current state of the forests. We learned about the history of how land that was once an orange grove was converted into a cypress forest, and how forests that are not properly managed become "incense-stick forests" where sunlight does not reach the ground and undergrowth does not grow, leading to poor tree growth and an increased risk of landslides.
Next, we experienced firsthand how a healthy ecosystem is maintained in a bright forest where thinning has been carried out, with lush undergrowth. After understanding the importance of thinning, we observed the actual process of felling a single tree. We received explanations about the felling procedure and safety management, and personally experienced the changes in the forest after felling and the weight of the cut timber.
In response to a question from a participating student, "How much profit would you make if you cut down one tree that has been grown for over 30 years?", the reality was shared that "there is almost no profit," deepening the understanding of the harsh realities of forestry and the challenges of a shortage of people to manage forests.
Going forward, after the thinned timber has been dried and milled, students will work on designing and producing furniture under the guidance of woodworker Wataru Sakai (DOUBLE=DOUBLE FURNITURE), who is based in Itoshima City.
This project, which aims to "understand the current state of forest resources through personal experience and return their value to society through design," is being advanced as an initiative that connects the sustainable use of local resources with practical manufacturing education.
[Department of Housing and Interior]
