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2021.11.29

Removing Mt. Apoi's Deer Netting

On Tuesday, November 16th we removed some of the anti-deer netting on Mt. Apoi. It was very cold that day and it even hailed. The wind above the 7th Station was quite strong.
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The deer nets were installed by the Rakuno Gakuen University and the Mt. Apoi Fanclub in 2011. 55 nets were setup in order to survey how the Ezo deer affect the vegetation on Mt. Apoi. Today we had four people split into two groups take down the last 15 nets. Thank you very much for your hard work.

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This net was used for I or S's graduation research/doctorate research and teacher S's vegetation survey. The survey was designed to compare the vegetation in the covered and non-covered spaces and reveal the impact that the Ezo deer have on the surrounding area. Only miyakozasa, a variety of bamboo grass, remained inside the nets along the base of the mountain. I was reminded of the surprising effects of the deer and memories about setting up the nets from 10 years ago came rushing back to me.

Members of the Mt. Apoi Fanclub, town curators and survey volunteers have climbed this mountain countless times. Over many years I've been asked by hikers and students alike what the nets are for. But now it's time for the nets to retire. The only ones left are the square and metal nets. Those will probably be removed next April.

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Lastly, I finally found the mistletoe that was a popular topic at a guide meeting in March of last year. (photos above and below)

It was easier to see now that the leaves have fallen. The bushy parts attach to other trees to steal nourishment. In other words, mistletoe is a parasitic plant. When the waxwing bird, most likely the Hokkaido bohemian waxwing, eats the berries, the hard seeds are excreted since it cannot be digested. The excrement is very sticky and strong so it stays where it drops onto the tree trunks. The seeds then adhere to the trees and begin to grow. In other words, the waxwing bird and mistletoe have a mutually helpful relationship. Thanks to T & T for teaching me about mistletoe.

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