[S.T. Corporation] Holds 5th Tree-Planting Event and 'Moku-iku' (Wood Education) Class Based on 'Hokkaido Corporate Forest Development' Agreement

S.T. Corporation held its 5th 'Tree-Planting Event' and 'Wood Education Class' on May 20, 2026, in Tokitai, Akkeshi Town, Hokkaido, in accordance with the 'Hokkaido Corporate Forest Development' agreement promoted by the Hokkaido government.

The agreement was signed on July 15, 2022, among S.T. Corporation, the Kushiro General Subprefectural Bureau of Hokkaido, and Hokuto Co., Ltd., a forest management company. The first tree-planting and wood education activities were held on October 5 of the same year.

Under this agreement, the parties conduct 'forest building' activities including forest maintenance and wood education. S.T. Corporation acquired naming rights to the maintenance area within the Kushiro Forest Management District, naming it 'S.T. Clear Forest.'

'S.T. Clear Forest' covers 1.74 hectares of the state-owned forest in the Kushiro Forest Management District (Tokitai, Akkeshi Town) within the Akkeshi-Kiritappu-Konbumori Quasi-National Park. During this event, students and teachers from Akkeshi Town Shinryu Elementary School planted 120 todomatsu saplings. Over the past five years, a total of approximately 1,320 trees have been planted.

This tree-planting program was part of a five-year plan that began in fiscal 2022, and this session marks the final tree-planting event. From fiscal 2027, the focus will shift to a tree-nurturing period to continue promoting forest maintenance.

Following the tree-planting, a 'Wood Education Class' was held for students and teachers at the Akkeshi Town Life Improvement Center. Sho-rin Okudaira, President of the S.T. Group's Japan Aroma Laboratory, conducted a demonstration of todomatsu fir essential oil extraction using a proprietary device and explained products derived from unused forest resources.

In the workshop, under the guidance of 'Wood Education Meister' Kentaro Suzuki, students experienced making castanets out of todomatsu wood. These wood education activities have been conducted annually for five years (fiscal 2022–2026).