Open Air: Forests in Yokohama under the State of Emergency

Under the State of Emergency against Covid-19, Kanagawa Prefecture and the City of Yokohama have closed the gates of every municipally owned facility in the forests, museums, libraries, etc. to the visitors. Lovers Associations for Yokohama’s Citizen Forests have stopped our forestry volunteering. Association of Kanagawa Forest Instructors has decided to postpone all the activities at least till the end of coming August. Both Niiharu Lovers and Forest Instructors Association are legally required to hold general assembly to discuss the activities done during the FY2019 and planned for FY2020. The executive committees are scrambling to devise the way to cope with the situation … 

Meanwhile, our forests are receiving far far many more visitors than the pre-Corona days. Niiharu Lovers Association has stopped our activity from Saturday, 11^th of April, the first weekend since the declaration of the State of Emergency. That Saturday, we had out-of-season snow shower in Yokohama, and the next day was wonderfully sunny April Sunday. I’ve heard Niiharu Citizen Forest was visited by a “crowd” many of whom would have never thought to enter the forest before. One senior member of the Association emailed me. “There were lots of teenagers who could normally spend their weekend in shopping centers. Families came and did whatever they wanted, ignoring the course ropes that shielded the fragile habitat from human stomping. Dogs were unleashed and running around. Lots of trash were left. Even the thefts of precious vegetation were reported!” On April 12^th, there was a long line to enter the parking for Niiharu Forest. The police was receiving complaints from the neighbors about illegal parking in front of their houses near the Forest. Oh my …

Yeah, 67ha open-air of Niiharu Forest has a capacity for welcoming people. There, the risk of infection by COVID-19 would be smaller than in a department store. At least, the City Office has requested the Lovers Association to keep open the gate for parking during the weekends. People need nature to relax during this very stressful time, right? Yet, so far we have been careful to protect our natural environment. We even did not accept school excursions when kids plan to hike the Forest in a group of more than 20. Now, we’ve faced the dilemma. On the one hand, we are more than happy if people could experience and recognize the treasurable nature, aka Niiharu Forest, in this very large urban area. The pandemic did a great marketing for the Forest to be known as a relaxing place. On the other, we really do not know how the Forest copes with a sudden surge of visitors. What to do?

Lovers Association started to patrol the Forest during weekends, unofficially. Then, interesting thing happened. Once volunteers walk around with Association hats and armbands, people begin to behave better. During last weekends, the City has not received the news of troubles in Niiharu Forest. Wooooow. Still, the number of visitors was definitely larger than usual. Eventually, we’ll see what would happen for Niiharu Forest in the post-COVID …

If you find a problem in Yokohama’s North Forests, please make a contact with

Office for the Park Greeneries in the North 北部公園緑地事務所

Yokohama Municipal Government Creative Environment Policy Bureau 横浜市環境創造局

Phone: 045-311-2016

FAX: 045-316-8420

If you find environmental issues in Kanagawa Prefecture, please make a contact with Kanagawa Natural Environment Conservation Center 神奈川県自然環境保全センター

657 Nanasawa, Atsugi City, 243-0121

〒243－0121　厚木市七沢657
Phone: 046-248-0323

You can send an enquiry to them by clicking the bottom line of their homepage at http://www.pref.kanagawa.jp/div/1644/

Nauty-Pauty Jack-A-Dandy: Violets in Yokohama under the State of Emergency

Probably the most charming spring ephemeral in Yokohama is violets. They show off their small and lovely leaves and flowers wherever they find they can sprout. In Yokohama, people find Viola grypoceras in March and realize spring has come. Their petite cuteness can fool and let us imagine them coming from enchanting world of fairies. Buuuut, when they end their flowering time and bear fruits for procreation, they grow up to 20cm or more in height with very large leaves. In summer, they lose their prettiness and turn into uber vigorous undergrowth. In fall, their above ground parts wither but they are alive as underground rhizome to overwinter. Next spring, they become spring fairies again. It’s a well-thought-out plan. Do not underestimate their natural power, yeah.

Viola grypoceras

Violets bear “dehiscent” fruits so that their seeds will be ejected from pods when time comes. In addition, they have another clever strategy to disperse their offspring. They are one of the most famous plants whose seeds have elaiosome. The stuff attaches to their seed. It is rich in lipids and proteins. Ants and the other bugs find them very nutritious and collect elaiosome together with seed. They eat the elaiosome and throw away the seed. That’s the reason why we often find violets right next to an ant hole. And so, when a nest of ants has their entrance on a stone wall, or in the fissure of asphalt of commuter road, violets poke their flowers there.

Viola mandshurica

Viola phalacrocarpa

Viola keiskei

Then, there exists a strange pattern for me. Viola grypoceras are so ubiquitous. In Yokohama, omnipresent Viola grypoceras spread their colony in comfortable forest floors or lawns in parks. In contrast, those less common violet species are often situated in shoulders of paved roads. Although sometimes we can find their parents in a nearby garden, their kids find themselves literally stuck between a rock and a hard place of busy car road. We even encounter them at the feet of a pole for bus stop. Why? Why don’t they flower in nearby forest as Viola grypoceras? They might be brought by humans, not by ants … happen to find a fissure in car road to sprout? They could simply be unlucky … But why can Viola grypoceras dominate easy neighborhood, while those others put up with the urban jungle? Is it because of the survival of the fittest?

This Viola mandshurica has definitely a hard life …

While its parent is some 2m away in a garden nearby.

I’ve met this Viola betonicifolia at the foot of a bus stop in my neighborhood.

Regarding the matter of the “Fittest,” humans are sitting at the pinnacle of food chain, right? So, I decided to eat mighty Viola grypoceras. Many flowers of Viola are edible (but not all of them; beware of poisonous garden pansies, or Viola verecunda, etc.). Besides, Viola grypoceras are so many. It makes me feel less guilty to pick them. I made “Violet candy.” There are several recipes for the treat available online (for example here). Mine was from a classic cookbook for children, “the Mother Goose Cookbook” (1970) by Frances Sheridan Goulart. According to the book, we dissolve 1 cup of granulated sugar by 3/4 cup of H2O over stove until it becomes sticky. We then dunk the pan in a bowl full of ice. The sugar solution starts to crystalize. At this point, we steep washed flowers of Viola first in a warm tea (mine was Earl Gray) and next in the pan to coat the petals with syrup. Next, “dry” the sugary flowers in a chilled bowel. Here we can powder the flower with sugar again. The flower candy will be stored in the fridge for about a week. They are really charming, and SWEEEEEET. 😘

A colony of Viola grypoceras

I collected the flowers …

Then, I washed them gently
 with tap of water and trimmed the stem.
 Later, I found my trimming was a bad move.
 I could use the stem to coat the flower in syrup,
 and then cut them off.
 Anyway,

I dunked the pan of sugary solution in a bucket of ice.

Meanwhile, steeping the flower in Earl Gray, and

in the syrup.

Finally, the flower in the sugar bath.

I also steep the flowers
in the syrup after bathing them in tea.
 The jar on the left is this “Violet syrup.”
One on the right is for violet candy.

My morning yogurt with Violet syrup

Nauty-Pauty Jack-A-Dandy

Stole a piece of sugar candy

From the grocer’s shoppy shop,

And away did hoppy-hop.

I’ve learned this candy was loved by Chopin. Wow. It’s a tiny luxury while COVID-19 dominates our spring …

Viola verecunda, which is not edible.
 Come to think of it,
 we have many violet species in our neighborhood.
 It is said that in Japan
 there are more than 200 kinds of wild violets.

If you find a problem in Yokohama’s North Forests, please make a contact with

Office for the Park Greeneries in the North 北部公園緑地事務所
Yokohama Municipal Government Creative Environment Policy Bureau 横浜市環境創造局
Phone: 045-311-2016
FAX: 045-316-8420

If you find environmental issues in Kanagawa Prefecture, please make a contact with Kanagawa Natural Environment Conservation Center 神奈川県自然環境保全センター

657 Nanasawa, Atsugi City, 243-0121
〒243－0121　厚木市七沢657
Phone: 046-248-0323

You can send an enquiry to them by clicking the bottom line of their homepage at http://www.pref.kanagawa.jp/div/1644/

Rhapsody in Blue under the State of Emergency: Spring Ephemeral in Yokohama

Whatever COVID-19 says, spring has come to Yokohama. I happen to live near the North Forests of Yokohama, including Niiharu 新治市民の森. We’re still allowed to stroll in our neighborhood nature during weekends. So, I’m enjoying spring of our nearby forests these days. Above our head is the shower of falling cherry blossoms, which itself is gorgeous. Around our feet, it’s flowers of spring ephemeral. Air is warm. It’s a nice season in Yokohama, despite of the corona viruses, of course. I’m keeping 2m radius of social distancing … On April 7^th, Kanagawa Prefecture is put under the state of emergency due to the pandemic.

Cute pinks of henbits competing non-native Red deadnettle. Bishops hats were already ending in early April. I know several spots for Rubus hirsutus. They are in full-bloom now. Can I collect enough fruits of them for homemade jam this year? Is it Ixeris stolonifera or debilis? Petite white flowers of chickweed tell us the power of numbers. Blue dots of cucumber herb smile us with its cute tiny baby blue. Wind flower has also started flower now. Their dense new leaves cover a patch of ground and white flowers of five petals come out here and there. In order to flower, they need such density, perhaps. Oh, their white “petals” are actually calyxes, do you know? Aucuba japonica has their flowers now. Their male flower comes out first, then females appear, at least a month later when it is still damned cold. The other day, we forest instructors wondered why male flowers must emerge that early. It might be stamens of Aucuba japonica need time to mature in freezing air. What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger … Once upon a time in Japan, the leaves of Aucuba japonica were used as antiseptic for external wounds. No wonder Robert Fortune visited Japan to collect male specimen of it, which was absent in Europe although female was introduced in the 18^th century.

Red deadnettle

Henbits

Bishops hats

Rubus hirsutus

Youngia japonica

Ixeris stolonifera

Potentilla freyniana

Chickweed

Cucumber herb

Wind flower

Female flower of Aucuba japonica

They are male.

Chloranthus japonicus poke their brushy flowers. Its Japanese name is “Hitori Shizuka.” “Hitori” = alone. Shizuka 静 is the name of a lover of Japanese historical hero, Minamoto no Yoshitsune 源義経. Shizuka was the most beautiful dancer in Kyoto at the end of the 12^th century. Yoshitsune was defeated in politics against his brother, Minamoto no Yoritomo 源頼朝, the first Samurai Shogun. According to the 14^th century historical document called Azuma-kagami 吾妻鏡, when Yoshitsune and his troops became the fugitive, Shizuka was caught by the army of Yoritomo and brought to Kamakura 鎌倉 for inquiry. The wife of Yoritomo, Hojo Masako 北条政子, asked Shizuka the “famous dance in Kyoto” in Tsurugaoka Hachiman Shrine 鶴岡八幡宮 of Kamakura. Shizuka gave a stunning performance, alone on the stage. And so, the name came for this flower of spring ephemeral. Though, it always flowers in colonies … I personally call it “Party Shizuka.” They don’t have to keep social distancing …  *sigh*

Chloranthus japonicus

Euphorbia helioscopia

Euphorbia sieboldiana

Spring in my neighborhood is also a time for purplish small flowers. Ajuga decumbens are actually very common, although they flower silently below the leaves of other taller grasses. In Japan, people used entire Ajuga decumbens, or Kiranso in Japanese, for antiseptic purposes. Its another Japanese name is the “Lid for Devil’s Pan in Hell.” Standard explanation of this nickname is the grass spreads over the ground in round rosettes. But I’m more convinced of another reasoning. They must have been popular as disinfectant for common people. It maybe the time to try its power against COVID-19 … Another purplish small flower for Yokohama’s spring is alefoof. This also is ingredients of traditional Chinese medicine, but Japanese authority prohibits drinking alefoof tea or any product of them especially for those patients with seizure disorders. More study is really needed, I guess.

Ajuga decumbens

Alefoof

If you find a problem in Yokohama’s North Forests, please make a contact with

Office for the Park Greeneries in the North 北部公園緑地事務所

Yokohama Municipal Government Creative Environment Policy Bureau 横浜市環境創造局

Phone: 045-311-2016

FAX: 045-316-8420

If you find environmental issues in Kanagawa Prefecture, please make a contact with 

Kanagawa Natural Environment Conservation Center 神奈川県自然環境保全センター
657 Nanasawa, Atsugi City, 243-0121
〒243－0121　厚木市七沢657
Phone: 046-248-0323 

You can send an enquiry to them by clicking the bottom line of their homepage at http://www.pref.kanagawa.jp/div/1644/

Solomon’s seal

Biohazard II: Japanese Oak Wilt in Niiharu Citizen Forest, update

Homo sapience is in extreme ado about COVID-19 these days. But it’s not only we with infectious diseases. Do you remember I posted the problem of Japanese Oak Wilt last summer (on August 23, and September 6, 2019)? At that time, the City had not decided yet what to do with this infectious disease for mighty oaks in Yokohama. Here’s the update. In the end, they cut the tree standing on the popular strolling way in Niiharu Citizen Forest 新治市民の森. Now there is only a stump where I first found the infection.

There was a lot of wood powder for the infected tree …

At that time, I’ve heard it costs fortune to protect forest from the rapidly spreading disease. (It sounds familiar, doesn’t it?) Once infected, it’s hopeless to rescue the tree. The only possible way for humans to guard the rest is to vaccinate them, with the cost of 10,000 yen (USD 100) per tree. (In this regard, oaks are luckier than we with COVID-19 without vaccine.) For 67ha of Niiharu Forest with countless number of trees in oak family, it’s a fortune. My seniors murmured that the City did not have money to do that (,of course). “Well, they cannot leave the tree situated on the most popular road in the forest, can they?” “No, no.” Ultimately the Office has settled in felling the dying tree, but they did not have money to excavate the roots and sanitize the soil. (It is the standard way to treat this disease. Please see my post on August 23.) Having said that, we are not sure if it is wise to take such a complete measure especially for the area in question.

The stump of an infected oak.
 Inside the oak infested with Raffaelea quercivora,
 the virus spreads like cottony mold
 to clog vascular cambium rapidly,
 just like blood clots for heart attack, stroke, et al.
 Could you see the difference between
 the whitish core and the reddish rim?
 Cambium is the outer part of a trunk,
 and here, they have almost entirely changed the color.
 This is an evidence the tree was infected by the disease.
 It was dying …

Near to that point, there is a place where people could find a plant nearing the extinction and on the red list of IUCN. My seniors told me they have not spotted it for more than 10 years already. But hope springs eternal. If we treat the area chemically, perhaps the probability for us to meet that plant again in Yokohama becomes almost zero ... Though, what would happen this summer in Niiharu without complete treatment against the Oak Wilt? Will we have sudden tree deaths spreading to the entire forest? “Huh, no one knows.” It’s just like us with COVID-19. Who can say for 100% sure Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics will be held in the next year free of global pandemic? Never underestimate viruses …

Still, spring has come … Viola keiskei

If you find environmental issues in Kanagawa Prefecture, please make a contact with Kanagawa Natural Environment Conservation Center 神奈川県自然環境保全センター

657 Nanasawa, Atsugi City, 243-0121
〒243－0121　厚木市七沢657
Phone: 046-248-0323

You can send an enquiry to them by clicking the bottom line of their homepage at http://www.pref.kanagawa.jp/div/1644/