"Lumberkids" for COP10

Tree-thinning field program

In late October 2009, in the lead-up to COP 10, the COP 10 Promotion Committee hosted the Lumberkids Program to help make children more aware of the issue of biological diversity and of COP 10. To celebrate the formation of the Lumberkids team, a total of 61 children and their parents (in 27 groups) who had applied for this opportunity were invited to a ceremony, followed by a study meeting. Later, the participants took part in a tree-thinning event to learn about forest conservation and harvested timber to be used in hand-made conference items that will be offered to COP 10 participants as a token of hospitality.

Details

Ceremony celebrating the formation of the Lumberkids team and study meeting

On October 25, 2009, a ceremony was held at the Nagoya Congress Center, "site of COP 10," to mark the formation of the 2010 COP 10 Lumberkids team. The Exective Secretary of the COP 10 Promotion Committee handed a flag to one child and parent who had been appointed as team representatives.
The ceremony was followed by a two-hour study meeting. In the first hour, the participants enjoyed learning about biological diversity through visual aids, with familiar insects and plants used as examples. In the second hour, a mock COP 10 meeting was held to discuss pros and cons of banning the release of invasive species of insects into the Japanese environment. The meeting enabled the participants to understand how difficult such discussions can be.

Tree-thinning activities

Later, the participants took part in tree-thinning events under the guidance of experts in Nutazawa, Toyota, Aichi prefecture, and in Kashimo, Nakatsugawa, Gifu prefecture. They also enjoyed a log-cutting competition and a box lunch to complement the natural setting, which helped to raise awareness of the importance of the natural environment among the participants. The timber that the participants cut is used to make COP 10 conference items.

Toyota venue

Kashimo venue

Woodworking class

At this class, which is scheduled for March 2010, the timber logged by the participants will be used for hand-made conference items. These items will be presented as a token of hospitality to the COP 10 participants who will be visiting Nagoya from around the world.