The“Recognition Ceremony of Forestry and Nature Conservation Achievements,”also known as the“Green Oscars,”honored 15 exemplary forest and nature conservation practitioners and three groups of wildlife education organizations on September 16 for their efforts in forestry and nature conservation. Their outstanding deeds stands as proof of concrete actions and achievements in “Sustainable Forestry, Ecological Taiwan.”
These exceptional frontline warriors in forestry and nature conservation hold a diverse range of roles, including diligent law enforcement officials who successfully combated illegal logging syndicates to preserve the forest resources and national ecosystems of Taiwan and flight instructors who coordinated airborne firefighting efforts during forest fires. There were also researchers and citizens who focused on wildlife conservation and biodiversity preservation, dedicating themselves to activities such as long-term bird species surveys in Aogu Wetlands, improving Taiwan’s lepidoptera research, and the conservation of waterfowl habitats in Budai salt fields. There were also individuals instrumental in advancing Taiwan’s sustainable forestry by promoting the domestic timber industry and pioneering bamboo construction. Partners from indigenous tribal communities also successfully attracted flying squirrels back to the mountains by facilitating the autonomous management of tribal hunting, such as introducing flying squirrel nesting boxes and wildlife monitoring cameras, thereby demonstrating the harmonious coexistence of hunting and nature conservation. These efforts serve as benchmark models for fostering a harmonious symbiotic relationship between humans and nature.
Tu Wen-Jane, Deputy Minister of Agriculture, said that the annual selection process for those who contributed to forestry and nature conservation has uncovered many partners who have been quietly working in a wide range of fields. These include professionals in various sectors, as well as civil organizations, educational and academic institutions, and public sector partners. She expressed her sincere gratitude to these award recipients for their dedication and commitment to Taiwan’s forestry and nature conservation.
In particular, Tu stated her appreciation for the collaboration of various units during wildfire rescue operations. According to statistics, an average of 52 forest fires occur in Taiwan each year. Apart from the ground firefighting efforts by the forest rangers of the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency (FANCA), the assistance of the National Airborne Service Corps is also required for hard-to-reach places. These agencies collaborate to prevent and put out forest fires together. Tu commended these units that engaged in inter-ministerial cooperation for their joint efforts in protecting the land, as well as the selfless contributions of civilian experts, scholars, and numerous volunteers in safeguarding Taiwan.
Lin Hwa-Ching, Director General of the FANCA, said that this year’s recipients at the recognition ceremony were selected through a rigorous selection process by members of the committee, which resulted in 15 outstanding individuals and three exemplary groups earning their place at the Forestry and Nature Conservation commendation event. Individual awards were given to public sector partners, professional researchers, and scholars in various fields, private sector experts promoting domestic timber and bamboo industries, and representatives of environmental-friendly groups actively practicing their work locally. On the group front, awards went to the Society for Taiwan Amphibian Conservation, dedicated to the conservation of Taiwan’s amphibians and the preservation of Taiwan's biodiversity; Jiaopu Elementary School in Yuanli Township, Miaoli County, for its long-term promotion of wildlife education and for the incorporation of the protected species leopard cat as a theme into the school curriculum, so that children can be exposed to the concept of conservation from an early age; and to the Taichung Wildlife Conservation Association for mobilizing the efforts of the local communities to implement conservation locally. The diversity of efforts demonstrate that environmental values can be realized in many different fields, and it is hoped that the inspiring stories of the award recipients will encourage more people to join in the protection of forests and the promotion of conservation.
Preservation of Forest Resources and National Ecosystems
With his experience as a criminal investigator, Captain Liu Yin-Nan conducted an integrated investigation that successfully uncovered an illegal logging operation and the larger network of upstream beneficiaries, effectively combating criminal organizations involved in illegal logging and disrupting their sources of profit. The “Root Digging Project” implemented by Liu for eradicating illegal logging successfully traced and cut off the illegal operations at the roots, preventing further incidents of illegal logging in mountainous areas. Flight instructor Jin Lee-Ping has been involved in several missions, including aerial firefighting using helicopters, training firefighting personnel for hoist operations, and participating in the transportation of the Nan’an Formosan black bear. He has spared no effort to maintain forest health, strengthen national security, and promote natural conservation. With a strong passion for combating illegal activities, Officer Chen Bi-Chiu voluntarily took on the responsibility of detecting and preventing illegal logging, using her wit and courage to fight against these criminal operators. Between 2021 and 2022, she uncovered five Vietnamese illegal logging syndicates, seizing approximately 1.9 metric tons of stolen timber. Her efforts have effectively curbed related illegal logging activities and protected Taiwan’s precious forests. Prosecutor Lin Yu-Hung from the Taiwan Yilan District Prosecutors Office joined the National Land Conservation Task Force to combat illegal logging. Working together with the forest investigation team of the Prosecutor Office and the police force, the team consolidated their investigation resources and successfully cracked the largest illegal logging case in recent years in the mountainous areas along the North-Cross Island Highway. Seven people were arrested and detained and twelve people were prosecuted in court, with all of them charged with heavy penalties. This has struck a heavy blow against illegal logging operations, and has achieved a positive impact on the detection and investigation of illegal logging cases. Investigator Chen Chi-Tsong, who took the initiative to participate in the Taiwan Cypress DNA identification work, has assisted in the investigation of illegal logging of Taiwan Cypress and the strengthening of the forest protection network. He has developed a Taiwan Cypress DNA identification system based on the human DNA identification system, and is committed to the Taiwan Cypress DNA personalization identification technology, which provides more powerful corroborative information for the investigation of illegal cypress logging cases. He has made significant contributions to the preservation of valuable forest resources.
Wildlife Conservation and Preservation of Biodiversity
Associate Professor Hsu Fu-Hsiung, who has long been involved in wildlife conservation, is committed to promoting long-term monitoring of bird resources and surveys of various wildlife resources in the Aogu Wetlands Forest Park. He has applied his professional knowledge of ecological conservation to promote the conservation of birds and preservation of exotic species. In recent years, he has been assisting the Chiayi Forest District Office of the FANCA in sheltering and caring for tortoises in the Chukou Tortoise Conservation and Education Park, and to promote the restoration of the yellow-margined box turtle and related educational work. Professor Hsu Yu-Feng has long been engaged in butterfly research and conservation work, presented many new species of butterflies and moths, published a number of Lepidoptera atlases to enhance the standard of Lepidoptera research in Taiwan, and collaborated with community conservation groups to promote butterfly conservation education and promotion work. He is committed to enhancing the concept of nationwide butterfly conservation. Associate Researcher Huang Jui-Chang, who specializes in soil ecology, organic farming, fertilizer production and precision fertilization, has been assisting in soil improvement in various areas. These include Chiayi’s black-shelled green bamboo shoots, Pheasant-tailed Jacana Habitat Education Park in Guantian, Tainan, and the Chiayi coastal wetland conservation corridor. From a production point of view, he has been mentoring farmers in management techniques to maintain normal yields, so that habitat preservation and farmer’s livelihoods can co-exist harmoniously. This will enable the area of friendly agriculture to be enlarged to reduce the problem of animal poisoning, and increase the number of protected species populations and biodiversity. Chiu Tsai-Chou, a project manager who has long been concerned about the development of the wetlands of the Budai salt fields, has made the Budai salt fields an important habitat for waterfowl, and is committed to promoting the concept of ecological conservation of birds and the conservation of the salt field wetlands. She assisted the Kaohsiung Wild Bird Society in adopting state-owned non-civil service marginal land of the Central Region Branch, National Property Administration, on a pro bono basis. She is dedicated to the promotion of nature conservation through regular environmental inspections, ecological surveys, habitat improvement, and education promotion.
Major Promoters of Taiwan’s Sustainable Forestry
Professor Tsai Ming-Jer, equipped with professional knowledge and skills in forestry, has made contributions to the industry, government, and academia, and has devoted himself to the promotion of afforestation and greening, forest management and utilization, and the preservation of woodcraft cultural heritage. He has also been an important pioneer in the implementation of forest therapy, and has been active in the promotion of environmental education, the establishment of partnerships with the surrounding communities, and the involvement of more local communities in forest protection and nature conservation. He has made outstanding research innovations and substantive contributions in various aspects of forestry and natural conservation. Professor Yang Te-Hsin from the Department of Forestry at the National Chung Hsing University has actively promoted the revitalization of the domestic timber industry and assisted in establishing a certification system for domestic timber materials. He has mentored five companies in obtaining CAS Excellent Forest Product Wood Product Certification and two companies in obtaining TAP certification. His efforts have included assistance in setting up five domestic timber standard material reserve sites and promoting the transformation and upgrading of the forest products industry. His remarkable contributions to sustainable forestry operations are apparent. Executive Secretary Chang Su-Hua of Fuli Township Farmers' Association in Hualien County has helped to promote the diversified development and utilization of domestic timber and bamboo. She has cooperated with the Hualien Forest District Office of the FANCA to revitalize the old Fuli workstation into the Hualien Southern District Domestic Timber and Specialty Agricultural and Forestry Products Promotion Center (Fuchatang). She has also built a local micro-industry chain of domestic timber in Hualien, which has led to the development of a six-tiered diversified industry, including the production of Makino bamboo, bamboo processing, bamboo weaving and bamboo trails for eco-tourism experience. Architect Kan Ming-Yuan, former Chairperson of the Taiwan Bamboo Society, has led initiatives related to bamboo construction by architects and bamboo structure talent development. He has made significant efforts to introduce more people to bamboo materials and create bamboo structures and buildings unique to Taiwan. Simultaneously, he has actively strived to make Taiwan the host country for the 2024 “World Bamboo Congress,” creating opportunities for exchanges with bamboo industries from around the world.
Fostering Harmonious Coexistence Between People and Nature
Chairman Luo Ming-Hung of the Laiyi Township Traditional Hunting Culture Association in Pingtung County is committed to promoting the autonomous management of hunting among indigenous peoples. In cooperation with the Pingtung Forest District Office of the FANCA, he established the “Laiyi Township Traditional Hunting Culture Association,” which is the first organization in Taiwan to implement autonomous hunting management on a “township-wide” basis. In the area of environmental conservation, he has succeeded in attracting flying squirrels to return to the mountains through the installation of flying squirrel nesting boxes, forest trail patrols, and the installation of water basins and cameras for animal monitoring. He has also actively participated in community forestry and conservation efforts, including the protection of the hawk eagle. He remains an unwavering force in promoting traditional indigenous knowledge and environmental ecological conservation. Chairman Wu Hsiao-Fan has led tribal community members in long-term participation in community forestry and the promotion of the National Green Network Project. Through practical efforts in community building, sustainable production, forest and ecological conservation, he has created an environment that encourages young people to return to their hometowns. This has provided employment opportunities while also contributing to the preservation of traditional knowledge and indigenous culture. By collaborating with the public sector, he has established a symbiotic model for co-management of mountain and marine resources, serving as a noteworthy example of public-private cooperation in promoting the harmonious coexistence of people and nature.
Wildlife Education Exemplar Award:
The 2023 Wildlife Life Education Exemplar Award went to the Society for Taiwan Amphibian Conservation, the Jiaopu Elementary School in Yuanli Township, Miaoli County, and the Taichung Wildlife Conservation Association. With 743 volunteers, the Society for Taiwan Amphibian Conservation has compiled 379,379 counts of survey data, and has been publishing an annual frog newsletter at its own expense starting in 2020 to provide the most up-to-date information on the current situation of frogs in Taiwan. They have organized various studies and educational and promotional activities so that more people can learn about frogs and be willing to support frog conservation efforts. Jiaopu Elementary School has long been promoting wildlife education within the school, focusing on the conservation of the leopard cat, a protected species. This theme is incorporated into the curriculum and enhanced through the use of art and technology, resulting in a unique leopard cat learning curriculum. This initiative enables children to be exposed to conservation concepts from an early age and develop the ability to engage in civic issues. The Taichung Wildlife Conservation Association has taken the initiative to monitor the number of Banarescu’s gudgeon (Squalidus banarescu) in the wild, and has provided information on their ecological habits and habitats, giving recommendations to water resources authorities carrying out habitat restoration. Today, the restoration of a 1-kilometer section of the north bank and a 100-meter section of the south bank of the Xiwei Bridge in Wuri District have been completed, the first instance of habitat restoration of a riverbank in Taiwan. Through the conservation promotion of Banarescu’s gudgeon at elementary schools and civil society organizations in Wuri District, the goal of local conservation is being achieved through the efforts of the local residents.
The FANCA expressed its hopes that through the recognition ceremony, the efforts and dedication of the award recipients and award-winning organizations will be seen by more people, thus spreading the message of environmental conservation and inspiring more individuals to contribute their efforts to the conservation and preservation of the forests and habitats of Taiwan.
※ List of 2023 Forestry and Nature Conservation Achievement Award Recipients
| Liu Yin-Nan |
Jin Lee-Ping |
Chen Bi-Chiu |
Lin Yu-Hung |
Tsai Ming-Jer |
| Yang Te-Hsin |
Chen Chi-Tsong |
Hsu Fu-Hsiung |
Hsu Yu-Feng |
Huang Jui-Chang |
| Luo Ming-Hung |
Chiu Tsai-Chou |
Kan Ming-Yuan |
Wu Hsiao-Fan |
Chang Su-Hua |
※ 2023 Wildlife Education Exemplar Award Recipients (Organizations)
Society for Taiwan Amphibian Conservation
Jiaopu Elementary School, Yuanli Township, Miaoli County
Taichung Wildlife Conservation Association