Hokkaido forest research station, Field Science Education and Research Center, Kyoto University is composed of two branches, Shibecha (1,447ha) and Shiranuka (880ha), which founded in 1949 and 1950, respectively.
-----Shibecha Branch-----
Shibecha Branch is located on N43°19', E144°37', Shibecha town, Kakawami-gun, Hokkaido prefecture, Japan. The climate is strongly influenced by the Pacific Ocean, which is characterized by sea fog and cloudy weather in summer, and cold and dry weather in winter. The mean annual precipitation and air temperature from 1986–2015 were 1189 mm and 6.3°C, respectively. The soil of the study site is characterized as andosol.
The natural forest of Shibecha Branch is cool-temperate deciduous broad-leaved forest, and is typically dominated by Quercus crispula, Ulmus davidiana var. japonica, Fraxinus mandshurica var. japonica, Acer pictum subsp. mono, Phellodendron amurense and Kalopanax pictus. The forest floor is covered densely with dwarf bamboo (Sasa nipponica). The riparian forest of Shibecha Branch is dominated by Ulmus davidiana var. japonica, Fraxinus mandshurica var. japonica and several Salix species. The plantation forests is 29% of the total area, mainly Pseudolarix kaempferi, Abies sachalinensis, and Picea glehnii. Most plantations were established after clear cutting of natural forests from the 1960s to 1980s. Selective cutting was carried out around the 1950s throughout the residual natural forest area of Shibecha Branch.
-----Shiranuka Branch-----
Shiranuka branch is located on N43°01', E143°57', Shiranuka town, Shiranuka-gun, Hokkaido prefecture, Japan. The climate in Shiranuka branch is more influenced by the Pacific Ocean than Shibecha branch because it is closer to the ocean. It is cooler than Shibecha due to intense sea fog in summer, while warmer and less snow in winter. The mean annual precipitation and air temperature from 1986–2015 were 1300.8 mm and 7.1°C, respectively. The soil of the study site is characterized as andosol.
The forest of Shibecha Branch is mostly natural mixed stands with conifers and deciduous broad-leaved trees. The forest floor is covered with dwarf bamboo (Sasa nipponica) whose heights are shorter than those of the Shibecha branch. The tree species diversity of Shiranuka branch is higher than Shibecha branch. The plantation forests is 14% of the total area, mainly Pseudolarix kaempferi, Abies sachalinensis, and Picea glehnii. Most plantations were established after clear cutting of natural forests from the 1960s to 1980s.
