FUJI XEROX / Nature Preservation Activities at Satoyama Natural Woodlands

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Rice harvesting in the old-fashioned way With the cooperation of the Chiba prefectural government's Greenery Promotion Department and the landowner, Fuji Xerox employees, mainly volunteers from Fuji Xerox Chiba, and their families, participate once a month in a project to create Satoyama, or natural woodlands, in Narita, with "Working Hard, Having Fun, and Enjoying Delicious Foods" as the motto. In addition to forestry work such as planting trees and clearing underbrush, we also enjoy farm work such as planting shiitake mushrooms, planting and harvesting potatoes and sweet potatoes, planting rice, and harvesting rice. Participants, together with their children, can experience the joy of harvesting what they themselves had planted. Children can also experience what they normally cannot in urban areas, such as by building hideouts and using ropes to play Tarzan. These activities provide an opportunity for everyone to have fun while actually feeling the changes in the four seasons.

In November 2002, a volunteer group, "Save the Wooded Area of Tsukahara Committee," began activities to restore the wooded area owned by Fuji Xerox at the Tsukahara Training Facility (in Minami-Ashigara, Kanagawa Prefecture; approximately 36,000m2). Members participating in this committee include employees and retirees of Fuji Xerox and affiliate companies, as well as local citizens from Minami-Ashigara City.

On 23rd March 2003, approximately 70 volunteers, including local citizens, planted 1,100 seedlings, mainly consisting of deciduous broad-leaved trees such as Sawtooth Oak and Konara Oak, as well as shrubs such as Japanese Beautyberry and Winged Spindle, on a plot of land approximately 3,000 m2 in area as part of the first phase of the plan. The participants attached a "nametag" to each of the seedlings that they planted, and plan on being responsible for overseeing the growth of their "pet trees," which takes about 15 to 20 years.

Afterwards, tree-planting ceremonies have come to be regularly held in March. In addition, one day per month is allocated to expanding the plantation areas while clearing underbrush and branches, and efforts are being made to cultivate the lands surrounding the Tsukahara Training Facility into abundant, natural woodlands where plants, birds, and insects can live together in harmony.

4th Planting Anniversary Kids and plants growing together