SustainabilityNative Forests for Life Initiative

What Are Native Forests for Life?

The pioneering figure in “Native Forests for Life” was the late Dr. Akira Miyawaki, who strove to recreate local natural forests through his tree planting method. His efforts were centered on the vegetation belonging to a region’s natural environment, its potential natural vegetation. By using the unique Miyawaki method of planting mixed species of trees, forests appropriate to the region are preserved and lead to protection from earthquakes, floods, and other natural disasters. We believe that Dr. Miyawaki’s Native Forests for Life initiative leads to personal growth on the part of both the people who plan and administer the tree planting ceremonies and the participants who learn as they plant trees, so the participation of local residents, including children, is an important feature of this tree planting method.

The Daicel Group’s Objectives in the Native Forests for Life Initiative

In March 2016, Daicel Corporation launched its Native Forests for Life Committee, chaired by the company’s president. The aims of this initiative are as follows:

(1) Restoring natural vegetation through mixed planting

Natural forests consist of a wide variety of tree species. Like one of these forests, we aim to become stronger personally and organizationally, with each staff member playing a role and supporting each other through forest development activities.

(2) Strengthening cooperation with local communities

Through tree planting activities, we build ties with people in neighboring communities and help them understand our manufacturing activities and business operations by interacting with them.

(3) Contributing to biodiversity conservation

We contribute to a low-carbon society and strive to preserve the natural environment.

(4) Strengthening disaster prevention

We create forests that will, in turn, prevent fires from spreading, mitigate the fallout of natural disasters, and reduce noise from human activity.

Native Forests for Life Tree Planting Ceremony

Daicel’s first tree planting ceremony was held at Harima Plant on April 9, 2016, and other plants have followed by holding their own tree planting ceremonies. Not only Daicel Group employees but also their families, employees of our partner companies, and local residents take part in planting trees, making these ceremonies opportunities for interactions between Daicel and local communities. In November 2019, we held tree planting ceremonies at Aboshi Plant, Hirohata Plant, and Innovation Park to commemorate our 100th anniversary, with about 1,500 participants planting 10,300 seedlings.

Past Tree Planting Ceremonies

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Business site Date Location of tree planting Number of trees planted Number of species Number of participants
Kanzaki Plant March 25, 2023* Site adjacent parking lot 700 1 200
Ohtake Plant May 31, 2022* Planned office site 300 5 38
Harima Plant May 27, 2021* No.7 Gunpowder Magazine South 52 36 20
Harima Plant March 30, 2021* Around the No.3 parking lot 1,682 36 61
Harima Plant April 28, 2020* South of the No.1 Workshop, near the road to the Functional Testing Center 1,890 36 55
Himeji Area (Aboshi Plant Hirohata Plant Innovation Park) November 2, 2019 Shiohama (along the border of the parking lot) 10,300 36 1,500
Harima Plant March 29, 2019 North property border 1,399 36 138
Daicel Chemical (China) March 10, 2019 Changxing Island, Shanghai 13 1 25
Harima Plant December 21, 2018 East property border 1,410 36 183
Ohtake Plant April 14, 2018 Areas surrounding the office building site 2,000 36 517
Harima Plant March 19, 2018 Nanodiamond Testing Center 456 27 117
Arai Plant September 30, 2017 Areas surrounding the truck gate 1,272 30 335
Harima Plant April 9, 2016 Areas surrounding parking lot No.1 2,052 36 543

*Tree planting activities since April 2020 have been limited to employees of the Daicel Group, with thorough COVID-19 prevention measures in places, including social distancing and mask wearing.

At Kanzaki Plant Tree Planting Ceremony on March 25, 2023