IHI Holds "How Forests and Soils Work" On-site Classes at Two Elementary Schools in Hioki City, Kagoshima Prefecture
On December 20, 2024 and February 7, 2025, IHI held on-site classes at two elementary schools in Hioki City, Kagoshima Prefecture as part of its environmental education efforts. This class was held at the request of Hioki City, where an IHI employee on loan from IHI has been promoting the city's decarbonization efforts.
On December 20, 25 sixth graders attended the class at Hioki City's Hiyoshigakuen school, and on February 7, 6 fifth graders and 6 sixth graders attended the class at Hioki City's Tsuchibashi Elementary School. Through the on-site classes, students learned about how forests and soil work. The classes were led by Project Associate Professor Yoshimura of the Ochanomizu University Institute for Science and Education.
In the classes, students observed animals that live in the soil collected from IHI's former Kagoshima Headquarters Representative's Office and the grounds of the elementary schools. They also learned about how forests grow and about the food chain. In the microscope observation portion of the classes, students discovered rare animals and learned about the rich nature of the environments where the soil samples were taken.
After learning about these topics, they also learned about the ties between Kagoshima Prefecture and the IHI Group. Through easy-to-understand explanations, they found out about the IHI Group's business activities in Kagoshima Prefecture, such as its biomass power generation activities in Kagoshima City's Nanatsujima area and the Epsilon Launch Vehicle launches from the Uchinoura Space Center in Kimotsuki-cho, Kimotsuki District.
Students who attended the classes said, "I was surprised by all the different things that live in the soil," "I want to learn even more," and "I had a lot of fun in the class."
Through on-site classes, the IHI Group will continue to forge stronger relationships with the municipalities where it does business and to develop the next generation of human resources.