The third goal was arguably the most important: to build an informed community. Each meal, we’d shuffle our seating around so that we could all get to know each other. And we spent an entire day devoted to lectures and discussion about all the issues facing national parks in Japan, instead of maintenance work. This meant that, even when the week... See more

During my time volunteering, I learned from other volunteers like Ryosuke, a natural historian who explained the area’s geological formation and why erosion was an issue in Kumonodaira. The next day, Daigo, an architect, taught everyone the proper way to roll hemp netting and how this technique can help with vegetation restoration. Ryu, a trail... See more