Planting trees is a baton to the future. We went to Baum Oak Forest in the 5th year of planting trees.

Morioka City, Iwate Prefecture, was selected by the New York Times Magazine as one of the 52 places to visit in 2023. Shiseido's BAUM brand has been growing oak trees there since 2020, the year after the brand was founded. We visited the site at the timing of the tree planting, which is now in its fifth year, to learn more about the project.

Photo_Masashi Ura

Circulating resources create the future.

Morioka Castle, a place of relaxation and recreation for local residents, Taisho Era architecture, and local delicacies such as Morioka San-dai-men (three major noodles)...Morioka has a rich history.

There are too many things to mention about Morioka City, but one of them is its abundant nature, such as the salmon run up the Nakatsu River that runs through the city. Baum Oak Forest" was established on this land in 2021. It is located about an hour's drive from Morioka Station.

The Baum Oak Forest, created on a former logging site, is managed through the cooperation of Baum, the Morioka Regional Promotion Bureau of Iwate Prefecture, and Sumitomo Forestry.

The goal is to restore the oak forest to its natural state through tree planting activities and forestation that take into consideration native animals and the environment. In 2024, "Baum Hinoki no Mori" will be established in Niihama City, Ehime Prefecture, In 2024, we will build the "Baum Hinoki Forest" in Niihama City, Ehime Prefecture, and are making gradual steps toward a recycling-oriented future.

Concerned about this situation, we visited the fifth year of tree planting at the Baum Oak Forest. Participants numbered about 50, including the brand's staff, as well as organizations and local businesses participating in this project.

About 600 oaks are planted each year, bringing the total to about 3,000 this year. After opening remarks and introductions of participants, we were divided into several groups and began to climb the slope to plant trees.

The tree is now in its fifth year.

The tree is in its third year.

The tree is in its second year.

As we climbed up the mountain, we saw a few trees that had been planted before. I could feel the growth and vitality of the trees as I heard that this one was in its fifth year and that one was in its second year. Oak trees are said to be over 500 years old, and the possibility that the trees we planted will exceed our own lifespan makes us feel a sense of responsibility.

After a lecture on the tree-planting process, we received the seedlings and went to work on our own. Oaks are very important to "Baum," as they are used for the wooden parts of our packaging. If you have been to our directly-managed stores, you may have seen small oak seedlings popping up in the store. This is actually the seedling that will be planted this time. The saplings were raised by Baum at the store, and after being grown to a size where they can be planted at Sumitomo Forestry's nursery center, they will finally be able to stand on their own.

The tree-planting process is very simple. Insert the saplings into the positions prepared for you so that they are planted at equal intervals, loosen the soil around them well with a shovel, step firmly with your feet to prevent them from falling out, and finish by pointing a stick as a marker to show where you have planted the tree.

Basically, this process is repetitive, but it is just a lot of fun. I was intimidated by the number of 600 before we started, but I was so immersed in the process that it was over in no time.

These trees will be partially thinned when they grow to a certain size, and they will be cut down and used as lumber in about 50 to 80 years. The thinned trees will also be used for mushroom cultivation, which also plays an important role. All of this is a cycle that creates the world.

Everyone is aware of global warming in recent years, but deforestation and climate change are closely related, and both are one of the major problems facing the entire planet. The recent increase in bear appearances is also said to be related. Although Japan still seems to be doing better than other countries in this endeavor, it was a good opportunity to be reminded of the need to think about the future by getting in touch with the soil and trees.

Oak immediately after planting.

It was created to coexist with trees.

Baum's has many recycling initiatives, such as procuring raw materials that do not destroy nature, using containers made from renewable materials, and returning a portion of sales to forest preservation activities.

One example of this is the use of wooden parts made from oak scraps from the furniture manufacturing process in cooperation with Karimoku Furniture, and the release of fragrances and hand creams in limited quantities that capture the scent of inspiration from actual visits to this location as new products. We hope you can feel a little bit of the breath of this forest from these products.

From left to right: Baum Hydro Essence Lotion n ¥7,150［150ml］, Aromatic Sleeping Mask ¥7,700［80g］ (all from Baum Customer Service Center)

From left to right: Baum Eau de Toilette Oak Forest ¥18,800［60ml］, Aromatic Hand Cream n Oak Forest ¥3,850［75g］ (all from Baum Customer Service Center)