Forestry agency honors conservation efforts

• By Esme Yeh / Staff reporter

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The Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency on Saturday held an award ceremony honoring three organizations and 15 individuals for their contributions to sustainable forestry and ecological conservation in Taiwan.

Agency Director-General Lin Hwa-ching (林華慶) said at the ceremony that Taiwan’s conservation efforts depended not only on government agencies but also on local communities and academic researchers.

The agency would continue to bring together resources and expertise from different fields to improve Taiwan’s forest environment, he said.

Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency officials and award recipients pose for a group photo at a ceremony in Taipei on Saturday honoring individuals for their contributions to sustainable forestry and ecological conservation.

Photo: CNA

Deputy Minister of Agriculture Huang Chao-chin (黃昭欽) said about 60 percent of Taiwan’s land area is forested, yet only about four percent of the population lives in these areas.

The agency alone cannot protect such vast woodland areas, Huang said, stressing the importance of frontline personnel in forest conservation, law enforcement and disaster prevention.

Forests take decades or even centuries to grow, but illegal loggers can destroy them with a chainsaw in a matter of moments, he said, adding that law enforcement officers, forest rangers and civic groups play important roles in deterring illegal logging.

In addition to forestry and conservation, preventing and mitigating disasters caused by landslide-dammed lakes is another key responsibility of the agency, Huang said. Such lakes can form easily in Taiwan’s mountainous terrain.

He thanked those who took part in disaster response and relief efforts following the overflow of the Mataian barrier lake last year.

The ceremony honored 15 individuals and three organizations for their contributions.

Prosecutors Yen Wei-te (嚴維德), Su Hou-jen (蘇厚仁) and Chang Ya-ching (張雅晴) were recognized for helping dismantle major criminal networks involved in illegal waste disposal and logging.

Police officer Hsieh Jui-hsuan (謝睿軒) was honored for using digital technology to identify leopard cat poaching and the illegal collection of driftwood. Pilot Shih Yu-ping (石宇平) received an award for spotting a newly formed barrier lake and participating in wildfire suppression efforts over many years.

Several award recipients were recognized for their long-standing contributions to conservation research.

Taiwan Forestry Research Institute researcher Lu Sheng-shan (陸聲山) established a specimen database covering more than 200 bee species in Taiwan.

Taiwan Biodiversity Research Institute researcher Lin Te-en (林德恩) founded the Taiwan Roadkill Observation Network, which has compiled more than 330,000 records involving more than 600 species of terrestrial vertebrates.

National Dong Hwa University geology professor Liu Ying-san (劉瑩三) completed inventories and assessments of 106 geological sites in eastern Taiwan and helped establish the Fugang and Liji Badlands geoparks.

National Taiwan Normal University life science professor Lin Si-min (林思民) compiled foundational conservation data through research on amphibians, reptiles and raptors. He also actively participated in raptor monitoring, rescue and tracking.

Civic contributions to conservation, sustainable forestry and disaster relief were also recognized.

Society of Wilderness Hualien branch president Chung Hsiu-chou (鍾綉綢) devoted herself to the rescue and conservation of Formosan flying foxes, while Taiwan Etude Education Association president Hu Wen-wei (胡文偉) developed educational materials using wood resources.

Jia Nan Machinery Co. chairman Huang Kuo-pao (黃國寶) has long assisted with major disaster relief efforts. Following last year’s Mataian barrier lake overflow, he led an engineering team in conducting topographical surveys, excavating river channels and carrying out water diversion works.

Environmental Arts Design Co. design director Pan Yi-ju (潘一如) was recognized for incorporating ecological and biodiversity conservation principles into landscape and urban design.

For contributions to institutional development, National Property Administration Director-General Tseng Kuo-chi (曾國基) was honored for promoting afforestation on state-owned land, carbon sink mechanisms and environmental land stewardship in support of Taiwan’s goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.

National Taiwan University Office of International Affairs vice president Yuan Hsiao-wei (袁孝維), a key contributor to the development of Taiwan’s forest therapy industry, helped establish a training and certification system for forest therapists.

Three organizations were also honored for their contributions.

The Chiayi Presbyterian Church Office coordinated efforts among government agencies, private businesses and local volunteers to plant more than 16,000 horsetail trees over the past decade, helping restore four hectares of coastal windbreak forests.

San Hong Wooden Co. used domestically produced Japanese cedar to manufacture more than 17,000 sets of desks and chairs for schools across Taiwan.

The Kaohsiung Wild Bird Society was recognized for its long-standing efforts to conserve critically endangered bird species and restore wetland habitats.