Tadano builds reliable cranes with an emphasis on safety, quality, and reliability. As a company, they also emphasize employee involvement in kindness towards our Earth. In 2024, Tadano initiated its new Tadano Group Environmental Policy that strives to minimize emissions, save fuel, and have both the company’s products and employees work in harmony with the environment to the greatest extent possible.
This policy includes Tadano’s “Manabi no Mori-zukuri” (Forest of Learning) events, designed to be fun and educational while contributing to environmental initiatives like Kagawa Prefecture’s Forest Matching Collaborative. In this collaborative, participants recognize forest functionality as an asset for all residents and companies and seek contribute to improving quality of life through forest maintenance and enhancements for their own enjoyment as well as future generations.
The sixth Forest of Learning event took place in early October as 18 Tadano employees and their families gathered inside a portion of Sanuki City’s Forest Park. They began by removing six trees that were previously planted but were not developing properly. They dug fresh holes, carefully ensuring their size and depth allowed seedlings to grow. Tree removal and proper planting are difficult, but their results proved impressive. Everyone who visits the park can look forward to these new, healthy young trees that will hopefully thrive.
The next activity brought participants to a walking path for trail maintenance, the first of that type of work with a Forest of Learning event. Some participants used sickles and saws to cut up larger tree branches for easier removal while others removed them and tidied the walking path for easier navigation. While they only had time that day to maintain a segment of the path, future events will extend to additional sections to ensure its full use for walking events and other purposes.
Following a well-deserved break, participants had fun searching for a variety of forest inhabitants using the “Biome” creature collection app, which uses AI to identify various insects and plants. Enthusiastic searching ensued, especially among the children. They found and photographed many species of insects and plants, compiled their findings, and provided the results to Kagawa Prefecture officials. This experience gave participants a deeper understanding of forest creatures and helped them understand the rich ecosystem as part of the “Tadano Forest of Learning.”
The entire event covered approximately two hours and was packed with skill development and learning. The feedback was very positive and considered time well spent connecting to nature.
One participant commented, “Seeing the forest after planting and maintaining the trails gave me a sense of accomplishment.” Another said, “I thought searching for forest creatures was just for kids, but surprisingly, adults enjoyed it too.”
Tadano will continue hosting more of these events to increase employee contact with nature and raise environmental awareness. As with previous Forest of Learning events, this helps Tadano pursue its own SDG goals, including goal #4 (Quality Education), #15 (Life on Land), and #17 (Partnerships for the Goals). Additional events will be announced as Tadano continues a sustainable and prosperous path forward.
