Ghosts of Japan's Forests, Ghost Forests of Japan

[@botanyboy1]

I hope you guys enjoy this one. Thought I'd try a different approach this time - actually take you on a typical walk for me, off trail with a head-cam on. This is the real bush wacking! I hope the video is not too much of a downer (or too boring!), but it reveals the true state of most forests here in Japan these days. One more thing, the plant I identify as Syneilesis palmata around 38:00 is NOT that species. I saw in a dream overnight I got that wrong, and realized it had to be something else, and then it hit me, Ligularia! In this case L. japonica. My mistake. My brain is getting less reliable...

[@gabrielg.2401]

Amazing video! I really love your sharing of the natural history. It is fantastic that you got to visit that native forest. Love the walking vids! Take care!

[@robertfaber6796]

I enjoyed your tour and commentary. Many of our suburban areas here in the U.S. are experiencing similar problems. Homes are close together and cover wide expanses. It creates a Mecca for the deer, lots of landscaping for the deer to eat and protected from any hunting pressure to control their numbers. My sister lives near the Hudson River and driving most anywhere you can see deer in large numbers at any time of the day.

[@botanyboy1]

Oh yes, I know the Hudson River Valley well... my homeland of decades past. Back when I was growing up in the 60s and 70s deer were around, but not everywhere like they are today. I do remember populations started to burgeon right around 1980, just before I left for good. Nowadays it is a real danger driving the Taconic Parkway at dusk due to the deer and turkeys on the roadway. You don't want to hit one of those babies on that twisty road going 60 mph at twilight! A true highway to hell!

[@anndebaldo7381]

Loved to see the forest and yes, it was a real education. Thanks!

[@botanyboy1]

Glad you enjoyed it. The current sad state of many forests in my area point to an uncertain future for many plants, and indeed the forests themselves unless some serious action is taken. I love wild animals, but the deer populations here are truly out of control - but of course that situation was created due to human activity in the first place!

[@prometheusignitus116]

Konichiwa Tom, WOW! What an amazing video! Thank you for allowing us to scale up the mountain with you despite being utterly exhausted. You’ve touched on it in previous videos but I did not realise the extent of the shika scourge in the Japanese woodland. It truly is bizarre to come across ideal habitats for a number of genera but met with nothing but barren ground. Is there an answer in humanely controlling the Shika population? I wonder if the Japanese government has explored birth control as a viable angle against the burgeoning deer population? ‘Mirkwood?’ Tolkien fan? Take care Tom. Best, John D.

[@botanyboy1]

The ecology of woodlands in virtually any part of the human settled world is in an extreme state of disequilibrium IMO. I've seen this kind of thing virtually everywhere I've gone - from almost anywhere in the US to Mexico, Japan, China... it is very much like we are part of a massive, ongoing experiment to "see what happens next". So, as with any issue, such problems are best handled locally, but with adequate funding and effort, otherwise all efforts will be useless. Deer birth control! That's funny, but not a bad idea. They may actually be doing that since one control method here is capturing them by the hoof with snares. I have no idea what they do with them after capture though - euthanize them? Maybe just snipping the males (Japanese mountain oysters, yum!) and letting them go would help. I have a friend here with an NGO that deals with Japan's insane feral cat problem, and that's one thing they do to control populations. Males are sterilized, stabilized and then released back to a safe setting where they are fed, but otherwise left to live out their normal lives. I read ALL of Tolkien's stuff numerous times back in my 20's and 30's. Total nerd. I have watched Peter Jackson's movies with great interest, though to be honest The Hobbit series were, ah, not quite... anyway, I wonder what Amazon will be doing with their new series delving into the earlier ages of Middle Earth. There is some source material to work with, but methinks they are just going to create a lot of new stuff, kind of like what Jackson did with The Hobbit movies. If so, then, yawn. The last thing we need is another drawn out series of Game of Thronesesque TV movies. I'm sure they'll make a lot of money though. Wait, I think I just heard Tolkien turn in his grave...

[@gabrielg.2401]

@@botanyboy1 Totally agree with you on The Hobbit; didn't impress me either. LOTR all the way!

[@openheart6113]

We have two species of feral dear in Queensland Aust and cattle fences dont hold then in. Nearly hit one at night on the highway doing 100km an hour just cliped his hind quater with no damage to the truck could not believe my luck. Australia has many ferals, rabbits, foxes, water buffalo, geckos, toads, camels, cats, wild dogs, sparrows, wild cats the size of a panther my sister has a plaster cast of their foot print. Nice history lesson + the walk.

[@botanyboy1]

You know sometimes it feels like Australia is too strict about non-native plants and animals coming into the country (try sending an orchid to Australia, it is a near nightmare), but given the number of feral and exotic pests that you all have accumulated, it is no wonder. And it is arguable that the biota of Australia/New Zealand is so unique and special that it deserves an extra level of protection.

[@patriciasorchids3999]

Loss of diversity is sad but wow! There is something beautiful and atmospheric in those woods and I learned a bit of history, a bit of science. Very interesting video, I wanted to see more. Thank you for sharing.

[@botanyboy1]

Yes, these woods fill me with contradictory feelings as well. I can't help but look at them and say to myself, what if...

[@kathymacomber5115]

I love your videos

[@botanyboy1]

3 responses! Wow...

[@lakleakhena5473]

Amazing

[@amaterion7221]

ich lauf viel in Österreich am Grossglockner...alle 100 Meter andere Orchideen fantastisch.....👍

[@linak.5956]

Magnificent ! 👍❤️🌺🥀

[@kathymacomber5115]

Yay nature finds a way..the first orchid

[@botanyboy1]

Wow, two comments from you! Ah, let me just say this - nature indeed always finds a way. It has been that way since the beginning. Life on this planet is resilient in ways our minds can hardly imagine.

[@viiiderekae]

Lovely orchid species. Here they are rarely found but are found in remote parts of large protected areas Thay Cyrtosia the flowers itself looks like vanilla flowers. I have a south american species. While there are 5 native vanilla species. Charcoaling here in malaysia mainly use mangrove wood. Sad that the deforestation is still active in my country 😢 Mostly for Oil palm plantations. Castonopsis nuts are sometimed eaten by tribal people in my country Here poachers have decimated the deer population in malaysia. Understorey plants are common in disturbed forest but wild boar population has exploded. Causing a lot of damage. I even saw one behind my house 😅 Ouh this mountain is as tall as mount Pulai here in my state

[@botanyboy1]

Yeah, you can really see the relationship of Cyrtosia to to Vanilla. There is a Vanilla native to south Florida and the Caribbean islands, V. barbellata, that is essentially leafless. Every time I look at a Cyrtosia inflorescence I can see V. barbellata so distinctly in the branching of the stems, and yes, even the flowers - they are just a different color and have a different stance. The chunk charcoal you can buy at the local stores here for BBQs is from Malaysia, and yes I have bought it... I've been BBQing with mangrove trees... We don't need poaching here, but we do need control since all the apex predators are gone. More importantly, wild animals in general need to have access to more suitable habitat, such as lowland grasslands so they have better places to live. Japan is a rich country that could afford to do this, but I'm not holding my breath on anything like that.

[@viiiderekae]

@@botanyboy1 Ahh i see. Thanks for your reply. Here the apex predators are still around. But in dwindling numbers. Malayan tigers ( 22 individuals in my state) and leopards (common), clouded leopards (mountainous regions)

[@amaterion7221]

prima...mit Ihnen möchte ich mal auf eine Exkursionen gehen...🤗🤗🤗

[@botanyboy1]

If this pandemic ever ends perhaps we can! Wenn diese Pandemie jemals endet, können wir es vielleicht!

[@marcosaureliodasilva8530]

Laelia purpurata werkhauseri.?

[@botanyboy1]

Yes, indeed! Awesome flower.

[@marcosaureliodasilva8530]

Beautiful, my friend. Congratulations.

[@marcosaureliodasilva8530]

I am in love with Orchids, mainly terrestrial orchids. I always follow your videos.

[@botanyboy1]

@@marcosaureliodasilva8530 I'm really happy you like them! Thanks for watching.

[@simonretallick9800]

Absence of top predators is key.

[@botanyboy1]

Yeah, but top predators have been gone a long time from these woods - at least hundreds of years. So something else must be driving this change.

[@にほんものごとチャンネル]

Japan's forestry industry is in decline and "forest deserts" like the one in this video are beginning to spread. It's a shame. Now we have a movement (Comumity Builder's Association) to connect mountains, citizens and building companies. It's about to begin.

[@adorablegardening8254]

green green green green green green green green green green green green green green green green green

[@botanyboy1]

yes yes yesy es yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yesy es yes yes yes yes yes

[@MikeFallen13]

The unfortunate part about deer overpopulation (at least where I live in the US) is whenever any proposal is put forward for increased hunting or other means of population control, every animal rights activist in a 300 mile radius shows up kicking and screaming, which always leads to the proposal either getting delayed or voted down immediately. I guess few people understand that a native species can be just as destructive as an invasive if not properly managed.

[@kathymacomber5115]

We aren’t taking care of our planet..makes me sick...we have the same issues in the USA

[@botanyboy1]

Hey Kathy. Unfortunately, these issues exist worldwide at this point. We are entering a new era where human influence will be felt virtually everywhere - in fact we are truly already at that point. It is just more obvious in places where humans have been dominating the landscape for centuries, whereas to see the effects in more "wild" places you have to look deeper to see the subtler changes. The upshot is at some point we have to manage these issues before they are completely out of hand. In some places efforts have been made, many times successfully, but by and large we are just flying by the seat of our collective pants. Not a good strategy IMO.

[@gabrielg.2401]

@@botanyboy1 Well said.