OISCA Yamanashi Branch, Japan, is promoting school forest projects within the Prefecture with the cooperation of the Yamanashi Prefecture Government, Department of Forests, and the Yamanashi Education Committee. During the post World War II era, when a new school system was introduced for compulsory education, the Government of Japan enacted a law requiring each school keep a school forest for timber production. The forests were set aside for timber to rebuild school buildings when old ones needed to be replaced. The school forests have not been put to use, however, since domestic timber is generally not used because imported timber is less costly in the international markets, besides which, school buildings are currently constructed with reinforced concrete.

OISCA Yamanashi Branch, headed by Mr. Masao Iwanami, approached agencies concerning forests and school education with the idea to turn the existing school forests into places for children to play and learn about nature. It is generally a popular idea to use the forests as educational venue, yet there were strict regulations concerning the forests that prevented the idea from materializing right away. It took several months to convince the parties concerned to interpret the regulations favorably so that the relevant agencies could meet each other half-way. A school forest is an ideal venue for experiential environmental education. Work to improve the forests was implemented, such as cutting undergrowth, tree thinning, building forest trails, etc., with small subsidies from municipalities and foundations. The school forests are now utilized for comprehensive learning at the schools and other activities of community members.