Ricoh announced that Ricoh Ena Forest (Ricoh owned forest in Ena City, Gifu Prefecture, Japan) has been certified as Other Effective area-based Conservation Measure (OECM) by the Ministry of Environment (MOE), Japan. This certification is part of MOE’s fiscal 2023 OECM certification system.
Located on the premises of a plant operated by Ricoh Elemex Corporation, a manufacturing subsidiary of the Ricoh Group, Ricoh Ena Forest is rich in biodiversity with more than 40 hectares. It is home to more than 300 species of plants, including endangered species and rare insects.
Ricoh started its forest conservation as an employee volunteer activity on this site in 2010 driven by the 10th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP 10) held in Nagoya, Japan. In 2014, aiming to utilise the precious forest resources together with the local community, Ricoh launched the Ena Forest Nakasendo Satoyama Council, which consisted of representatives from local residents’ association and businesses, non-profit organisations, and Ricoh.
In addition to forest maintenance activities, the Council has been expanding its scope including nature observation events and creature monitoring activities. Today, the Forest has become a place where children and students from elementary school up to university learn about nature in a variety of ways.
Ricoh Ena Forest’s long-standing biodiversity conservation activities, which it has undertaken together with local residents, were highly recognised through this OECM certification. OECM is MOE-led initiative in Japan, based on the G7 2030 Nature Compact at the G7 Cornwall Summit in June 2021, that stipulates that the G7 nations to lead by example, conserving or protecting at least 30% of their land and coastal and marine areas by 2030 (30by30). The OECM certification system was launched this year. The Ricoh Group has been participating in 30by30 Alliance for biodiversity since its establishment in Japan in April 2022 and actively engaged.
While protecting local rare species such as Luehdorfia japonica and Nannophya pygmaea, Ricoh said it will promote activities to create a beloved forest that is rooted in the community. It aims to realise a “nature positive” and “zero deforestation” society, preventing the loss of biodiversity and putting it on a recovery track. Ricoh added that it is working to understand biodiversity risks and reduce the environmental impact of our business activities through collaboration with various stakeholders, while maintaining and improving the Earth’s regenerative capacity.
