From February 25 to 28, 2020, some sophomores from Far East National University of Agriculture in Blagoveshchensk, the capital of Amur Oblast, Far East Russia, participated in a field course on winter forest science held in the Teshio Experimental Forest of Hokkaido University Field Science Center for Northern Biosphere.

As part of the practical training, the students learned about forestry as practiced in Hokkaido. They visited forests in Hokkaido, where identical trees as those seen in Far East Russia grow, and logging sites in winter mountains. In Hokkaido, logging is conducted in the snow season, partly because the ground is covered with snow, which protects the ground surface against damage by heavy logging machines and contributes to the protection of the seedling and soil environment. The collaborative forestry workshop simultaneously held at the Teshio Experimental Forest by Hokkaido University and Nakagawa Town also provided opportunities for them to learn about effective forestry using high-performance machinery. Participants could appreciate the importance of engaging in forestry while paying attention to two key factors: environmental awareness and efficiency. In the final practical training session, they made presentations on the effect of climatic fluctuations in winter on forests. It seemed as if they truly understood the importance of international exchanges, despite their struggles having to travel overseas for the first time and make presentations in English.

Visit at a logging site in Teshio Experimental Forest