The Use of Forest Resources as Fuel in the Past in Hilly Areas Based on the Characteristics of Abandoned Charcoal Producing Kilns

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The distribution and ages of abandoned charcoal producing kilns were investigated in the hills around the Onuma Wetlands in the northwestern part of Miyagi Prefecture for the purpose of clarifying the relationship between landscape development and human use of forest resources as fuel in hilly areas. First, morphological standards for identifying abandoned charcoal producing kilns were established based on their description in previous studies and the results of an interview with a former charcoal production worker. A field survey based on the morphological standards revealed the existence of a lot of kilns in the hills around the Onuma Wetlands. It is certain, therefore, that charcoal production was active in these hills. Most of the kilns were located on concave breaks of slopes. All of the kiln entrances were facing downhill. These characteristics indicate that the micro-landform of hillslopes was considered in order that charcoal production might progress conveniently. The bottoms of abandoned kilns were filled with sand, silt, and clay including abundant charcoal fragments, which were the remnant of produced charcoal. Radiocarbon dating of these charcoal fragments suggested that most of the kilns were used after seventeenth century. This period might correspond with the time of dominance of the Quercus serrata and Quercus crispula secondary forest in the pollen diagram obtained in the same area. It can be inferred that the dominance of the Quercus secondary forest was affected by the destruction of the natural forest by man for charcoal production.

The Use of Forest Resources as Fuel in the Past in Hilly Areas Based on the Characteristics of Abandoned Charcoal Producing Kilns

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