Impact of the 1952 Tottori Fire on Tree Growth: Linking Local Environmental History and Natural Disasters through Tree-Ring Analysis

This study scientifically investigates the impact of the 1952 Tottori Fire, a significant localized natural disaster, on the growth of surrounding trees. The Tottori Fire destroyed most of the city center and was greatly intensified by the Foehn wind—a meteorological phenomenon common on the Sea of Japan side.

The research focuses on Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba) and Japanese Zelkova (Zelkova serrata) located at SAISHO-IN Temple, which are known to predate the fire. Students used increment borers to extract tree-ring cores for counting, polishing, and precise measurement. By comparing tree-ring widths before and after 1952, the project aims to provide empirical evidence of how heat, smoke, and subsequent environmental changes influenced individual tree growth.

Furthermore, this project serves as an inquiry-based learning initiative that bridges local history with geoscientific methodology. By decoding the "natural records" stored in tree rings, students gain a dynamic understanding of how natural disasters shape urban ecosystems. This presentation reports the results of the core analysis and discusses the role of such inquiry-based activities in enhancing geography and geoscience education. The analysis reveals discernible changes in growth patterns following the 1952 fire.