To help rejuvenate the coastal pine forest in Itoshima, a citizen’s group called the Local Beach Brigade is calling on local residents to join them at Shimakeya on Mar. 3 and 23 to collect fallen branches to prevent the spread of the Japanese pine sawyer—a beetle that carries the disease-causing pine wood nematode. Shimakeya, which ranks among Japan’s top 100 coastal pine groves, has suffered such extensive insect damage that some fear they may lose the prized windbreak. This prompted Brigade leader Miho Watanabe to recruit her fellow citizens to help keep the forest intact.
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The city has been cutting down damaged trees and using them to make wood chips, but since the nematodes can be found on branches as small as 2 cm in diameter, the help of volunteers to collect them is essential. Volunteers will gather at Shimakeya Civic Hall on both days at 10AM. Interested persons as asked to wear boots and bring their own work gloves. A lunch of wild boar stew will be provided for ¥200. Direct inquiries to Ms. Watanabe at 080-4453-1223. Source: Nishinippon Shimbun, Feb. 26
