What is "Seedling Bank"?
Infrastructure for forest creation
The seedling bank project we are promoting is different from other banks.
Because we are not a bank for saving "money," but a bank for saving "seedlings to create a forest from seeds."
The "seedling" method, central to this project, is a natural mechanism. A seedling is like a "time capsule," hiding in the shade of a parent tree in the forest and remaining a tiny sapling about 10 cm tall for decades, its growth suppressed. When a nearby large tree falls and sunlight shines through, it has the power to grow rapidly.
Our "bonsai-style seedlings," which we cultivate by artificially replicating this natural mechanism, can be used as seedlings for over 30 years. Wild trees have limited opportunities to produce viable seeds, making it difficult to secure seedlings of various tree species. The development of the low-tech yet innovative "bonsai-style seedling" method has solved this problem by allowing us to produce a large number of seedlings during periods of abundant seed production and plant them when needed. This method allows us to compactly manage and store up to 10,000 seedlings in a space of just 200 square meters, enabling a stable supply of seedlings that protect the unique ecosystems of the region.
This is truly a new seedling supply model for "rewilding" the local environment.
The meaning of starting from a seed
Many conventional afforestation projects use seedlings grown in other regions, resulting in uniform seedlings that do not take into account local genetic characteristics. However, our project focuses on native species and the regional genetic characteristics of the land, carefully cultivating seedlings from locally collected seeds. By growing from seed, we can regenerate biodiverse forests that possess the unique genetic features of that land.
Harnessing the power of fungi: Freedom from weeding
The most costly and labor-intensive part of forest creation is mowing the grass around the seedlings after planting. This arduous work is required for several years after planting, especially during the rainy season when undergrowth grows. We have developed a method to utilize the power of fungi in the soil by laying weed control sheets around the planting areas. This eliminates the need to mow the undergrowth and makes planting seedlings much easier. As a result, even elementary school children can enjoy planting seedlings.
Integration with education – Branches in schools nationwide
We are currently planning to combine this project with the education sector, transforming thousands of elementary and junior high schools across the country into "seedling banks." Students will visit local shrines and forests, collect nuts and seeds, sprout them in the schoolyard, and cultivate seedlings as "branches," giving back to the community. When there are development projects in the local area, these seedlings will be provided, creating a cycle of regenerating and preserving the local natural environment. This goes beyond simple tree planting; it will be an opportunity for children to feel a connection to their community and nature, and to develop a deep attachment to them.
Preserving forest diversity for the future
The Seedling Bank Project directly addresses the loss of biodiversity. In the SDGs, biodiversity conservation is considered a crucial element of protecting the global environment, alongside climate change countermeasures. However, the reality is that many efforts to protect the global environment are heavily focused on climate change, neglecting biodiversity.
Most afforestation efforts use seedlings brought in from other regions, and the prevailing practice is monoculture of coniferous trees that disregard regional genetic characteristics. In such forests, ecological diversity is not fostered, and the original biological networks of insects, birds, and animals are lost.
Furthermore, the practice of bringing in fertile soil from another location to plant seedlings (soil replacement) can damage the natural environment from which the soil is taken. Our "bonsai-style seedlings" have a proven track record of growing into forests even in extreme environments such as former mine sites, thanks to the action of soil microorganisms such as filamentous fungi and mycorrhizal fungi. They possess a strong life force that allows them to grow vigorously, contributing to both forest creation and "soil improvement."
Five steps to the approach
The Seedling Bank Project consists of the following five steps:
1. Seed collection (collecting seeds of native species from local natural forests and shrines)
2. Cultivating bonsai-style seedlings (recreating the natural mechanism of "seedling growth")
3. Seedling stock (capable of storing over 10,000 seedlings in a limited area)
4. Tree planting (the strength of seedlings that can take root even in extreme environments such as former mine sites)
5. Follow-up survey (not planting trees, but monitoring them until they grow into a forest)
In particular, ensuring a stable supply of seedlings has long been a challenge for forest regeneration. The Seedling Bank aims to become a groundbreaking "seedling infrastructure" that will resolve this bottleneck.
Furthermore, we are currently working on a plan to expand our practical groups, primarily centered around schools nationwide, as "branches of the Seedling Bank." By allowing children to experience firsthand the cycle of collecting seeds, growing seedlings, and returning forests to their communities, they will deepen their understanding of nature and their local area.
Ayumi
The term "seedling bank" is originally an academic term in forest ecology, likening the way young trees (seedlings) scattered on the forest floor function as a "reserve army" that will carry on the forest into the future to a "bank."
Based on this idea, Professor Emeritus Toshikuni Okamura of Hokkaido University of Science, who is also the chairman of our organization, has been conducting research since the 1970s. In 1991, he named this method "Ecological Mixed Sowing and Planting Method" and began full-scale implementation mainly in Hokkaido. Since then, he has planted more than 900,000 "bonsai-type seedlings" of 60 species in over 300 hectares of land at 600 locations, restoring broadleaf forests rich in biodiversity.
From 2025 , we established the "Seedling Research Institute" at Hokkaido Home Farm in Abira Town, Hokkaido, which will serve as our new base of operations. In addition to serving as a base for the stable supply of diverse seedlings, we are also working to restore biodiversity to the single-species windbreak forest on the premises, creating a place where our activities can be understood in one location.
We are currently continuing the following initiatives:
- Hokkaido riparian forest restoration project: Restoring lost riparian forests along the Ishikari River, Tokachi River, Kushiro River, etc. - Teuri Island support project: Conserving and restoring water source forests to ensure the survival of island communities on border islands. - Ior Forest restoration project: Restoring the Ior (hunting ground) forests, which are the foundation of the lives of the Ainu, the indigenous people.
In 2025 , they were selected as "Guardians of the Earth" in the "DEFENDER AWARDS," which supports nature conservation and humanitarian aid activities.
