Abukuma Mountains (The Ogawa Forest Reserve and its vicinity) 

The Ogawa Forest Reserve (OFR)

OFR is located at the southern edge of the Abukuma Mountains (36^o56' N, 140^o35' E, 610-660 m elevation), Kitaibaragi City, Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan . The mean annual air temperature in OFR is 10.7 ^oC, with the highest 22.6 ^oC (August) and the lowest 0.9 ^oC (January).  The mean annual precipitation is approximately 1,900 mm.  The deciduous tree species, such as Quercus cripula (Fagaceae), Q. serratta, Fagus crenata (Fagaceae), F. japonica, Carpinus spp. (Betulaeae) and Acer spp. (Aceraceae), dominate in and around OFR.  In April 1987, a 6ha (200m X 300m) permanent plot was established in the center part of OFR to elucidate the mechanisms that maintained the tree species diversity in temperate deciduous forests. 

Around OFR

Typical SATOYAMA landscape, which is the traditional rural ecosystem in Japan , is found around OFR.  Forests have been modified by human activities, such as burning, cattle grazing, clear-cutting for firewood and pulpwood use, and rice farming.  Several landscape units, such as old-growth forest, remnant forest, secondary forest, conifer plantation, cutover land, pasture and paddy filed, are managed by local people.