Institute for the Advancement of Sustainability and Field Science Center for Northern Biosphere at Hokkaido University will be holding a workshop titled "Implementing the Value of Forests in Business: Towards Co-creating a Forest Value Chain Based on Natural Capital."

This program provides an opportunity for collaborative idea sharing, information exchange, and networking in the GX (Growth, Change, and Nature) field related to forests, focusing on trends and value creation.

How can we transform the value of forests, beyond just carbon, into a viable business? This evening will bring together experts from Hokkaido University and cutting-edge business perspectives, bringing together industry, government, and academia to generate collaborative ideas and provide concrete steps for the next stage of development.

Forests possess countless values beyond carbon absorption, including water resource conservation, disaster prevention, biodiversity preservation, and the transmission of local culture. However, much of this value has not yet been adequately "economyized," and it does not contribute to the financial cycle that supports sustainable forest management.

 

This event was planned based on discussions held between Hokkaido University and volunteer practitioners, stemming from the question, "Why is the value of forests not traded fairly?"

On the day of the event, we will share this hypothesis for the first time as a "system design," and together with the participants, we will brainstorm ideas for breakthroughs from the perspectives of industry, government, and academia. We hope that this event will be the first step in transforming forests from something to be "protected" to an "asset to be nurtured and utilized together."

【overview】
  • Date and Time: Friday, November 6, 2026, 18:00-20:30 (Social gathering from 20:30-21:00)
  • Venue: NAKANIWA (Chuo Nippon Land & Building Co., Ltd.) / 9F Toranomon Central Building, 1-7-1 Nishishinbashi, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-0003
  • Format: In-person talk session + Q&A + social gathering
  • Capacity: 25 people (Working professionals from industry, government, and academia interested in forestry, GX, and nature-positive fields)
  • Participation fee: 1,000 yen
Speakers
  • Toshiya Yoshida (Director and Professor, Forest Science Station Field Science Center for Northern Biosphere Hokkaido University)
  • Kazumasa Yamada (Co-representative and strategic designer at BIOTOPE LLC)

 

For details on how to apply, please see here. *This will take you to the event page.