Akame 1

CODE: NICE-25S-0310A

Work:

Activities related to conservation of satoyama and agriculture using satoyama. Clearing undergrowth and tending thickets, transporting hodagaki woods for growing safe shiitake mushrooms in Fukushima, and maintaining walking trails. Also help with looking after cage free chickens, processing adult chickens and mushroom cultivation. Some work with saws and machinery, sometimes even in the rain. Having fun attitude to hard work is important! Volunteers sometimes work with mentally/physically challenged people who work at the same place.

Accomodation and food

Volunteers will stay in a regular Japanese house. Meals will be cooked by volunteers by turns. Sleeping bag is NO need. Depends on the amount of work and consideration for the environment, volunteers may take a shower once every two days.

Location and leisure

Workcamp is held in Kami-mitani area, Nabari city, Mie prefecture, about 60 km from Osaka. There are famous falls nearby that many hikers visit. Other activities - Hiking etc.

Project hosted by

This project is actively working for SDGs 15 (Life on Land), organized together with "Akame no SATOYAMA wo Sodateru kai", a local environmental organization for conservation of SATOYAMA forest working in Nabari city, since 1999. Because this area is relatively close to the big cities between Osaka and Nagoya, there were plans to build a golf field and a disposal center. However, the local people stopped those plans by collecting donations and buying the land to keep beatutiful nature. SATOYAMA needs to be maintained by humans for its biodiversity and water adjustment function. Our ancestors had protected and utilized the forest in an ecological and sustainable way, which has been neglected by modernization at many places in Japan.
*Outcome of this workcamp: Over the last 20 years, 30 ha of SATOYAMA forest has been maintained by the previous volunteers. Please see the presentation of the camp leader for the IVS contest in Japan; https://www.slideshare.net/nice-workcamp/w55 (only Japanese for the moment, but you can at least enjoy the pictures!).

Directions to meeting point

Additional comments

Study theme - Volunteers will acquire the knowledge of conservation work in SATOYAMA forest. Participation fee - 9,000 JPY (54 EUR by the rate on 2024 Nov. 2nd) of "NICE Volunteers" fee need to be paid in advance either by Card or PayPal. This is used for the project preparation/ coordination such as the transportation of the camp leaders while the meals and the accommodation are provided by the local host by free. Other - None