At a time of global warming, the ecological challenges are enormous. Forest fires in Australia, deforestation in Brazil, etc. Logging has destroyed our forests and made natural resources scarce. But did you know that there is an ancestral technique to preserve them? Focus on an age-old and ecological Japanese tree pruning technique.
An ecological and revolutionary avant-garde technique
Appearing in the middle of the 13th century, the daisugi technique was intended to respond to an important problem: the shortage of wood. At that time, the architectural style of sukiya-zukuri was very popular.
This trend, which favored the use of natural materials for construction, was particularly wood-intensive, especially since the type of soil and the lack of space did not allow for the cultivation of trees. It was therefore necessary to find an effective solution. Thus was born daisugi, a revolutionary and avant-garde sustainable forestry technique. Even today, wooden constructions are favored, hence the importance of adopting this method which has already proven itself in the past.
An alternative to deforestation
Explained simply, daisugi consists of growing several trees on a single stump. To do this, you must prune the young shoots so as to keep only those that grow upwards. Thus, the wood obtained contains no knots and is much more resistant. A stump can support up to 10 new trunks, without needing to destroy it. It is therefore an excellent option to combat deforestation, because it produces the same yield without expanding like a forest.
However, it should be noted that this method was only used in feudal Japan on cedar, and not on any other category of tree. It nonetheless remains an interesting technique which has been tried on other types of tree, such as beech or oak. Furthermore, cedar was introduced into France and is extremely popular in the construction sector.
300 years of collecting
A tree pruned using the daisugi method produces wood for about three centuries. It is possible to find stumps 300 years old, still alive, but no longer suitable for wood production.
So that the trees can achieve such longevity, while preserving the quality of the wood obtained, it is necessary to maintain them every 2 or 4 years. To do this, you must remove the shoots which could cause horizontal branches to appear. The aim of this maneuver is to prevent the tree from spreading in width.
Giant bonsai
Daisugi is inspired by the method used to prune bonsai. This allows them to grow in a sober and elegant way. This characteristic makes it a good technique for decorating your garden and green spaces. Unfortunately, it is almost impossible to find a French gardener or landscaper who has mastered this approach.
Recycling of scraps obtained
The scraps obtained after tree maintenance can be used for the manufacture of fuels used for heating systems, such as charcoal or pellets. They can also be replanted. Thus, nothing is lost, which further demonstrates the ecological aspect of daisugi.
Significant economic potential
Since daisugi makes it possible to produce wood on a massive scale, it is necessary to look at the economic advantage it constitutes. In fact, the exploitation of wood would no longer be problematic, and it would be possible to export the result obtained.
In addition, tests are underway to determine if this technique can be applied to fruit trees. If this is the case, then fruit production will increase tenfold, which will have the effect of increasing economic growth in countries that use this method.