202411/23
The 2024 Recognition Ceremony of Forestry and Nature Conservation Achievements was held today (11/23) to honor individuals and organizations with outstanding performance in the fields of forestry and nature conservation, and to highlight their long-term dedication to protecting Taiwan’s natural resources and contributing to its sustainable development. Dubbed the “Green Oscars,” the ceremony honored the “Forestry and Nature Conservation Achievement Award” and “Wildlife Education Exemplar Award” to a total of 15 outstanding individuals and three organizations for their remarkable achievements in promoting “Sustainable Forestry, Ecological Taiwan.”
Among these contributors in the fields of forestry or nature conservation, there are scholars who have devoted their lives to the research and promotion of Taiwan’s bamboo industry, assisting in the development of this emerging industry. They serve as role models for future generations and as practitioners promoting sustainable forestry. There are also tribal elders who have strengthened tribal solidarity to jointly promote the protection of mountains and forests, ecological conservation and environmental education, as well as the development of the forest industry economy, eco-tourism, and cultural heritage. They have also brought the tribal community’s Satoyama practices to the international stage, and are innovators in leading the community to coexist with the ecosystem. There are also members of the public who are actively contributing to wildlife conservation. They have successfully rehabilitated and released a number of Formosan black bears back into the wild, as well as rehabilitated other wildlife such as yellow-margined box turtles and Formosan pangolins. They have also promoted environmental education and cooperated with schools to promote animal and habitat conservation, serving as guardians of biodiversity. There are also investigators who have cracked many major cases of illegal logging in national forests and trafficking of protected species. Their job is to protect the natural resources and the ecosystems of Taiwan, and, without a doubt, they stand as the unwavering front line in the defense of forest and mountain resources.
Minister of Agriculture Chen Junne-Jih said that every year, the selection of forestry and nature conservation award recipients reveals many professionals who have long been dedicated to conservation work in different fields. These award recipients have combined the strengths of the civil society, academic institutions, and the public sector to make significant contributions to the conservation of Taiwan’s natural resources. Among them are dedicated personnel on combating illegal logging activities have effectively curbed illegal forest logging and poaching through the well-planned “mountain rat” crackdown project, effectively safeguarding valuable forest resources. There are also experts who have long been committed to the conservation of the leopard cat. They promoted the restoration of leopard cat habitats and the Wild Animal Friendly Farming label program, so as to provide a sustainable protection solution for the conservation of leopard cats. Furthermore, there are experts who focus on resolving conflicts between wildlife and humans, improving the harmonious coexistence between biodiversity and humans through effective management of the activities of different species. Inter-ministerial collaboration and the selfless dedication of experts and scholars have steadily promoted nature conservation and sustainable development in 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 with great achievements in “Forestry and Nature Conservation” and three exemplary groups advocating “Wildlife Education.” For the individual awards, there are experts who have devoted themselves to bamboo cultivation and conservation for many years, actively promoting the sustainable utilization of bamboo materials and boosting mutual benefits for the industry and the environment. There are also scholars who have assisted domestic enterprises and related organizations to establish the concept of forest ecosystem services in line with Taiwan’s policy of moving towards net-zero emissions by 2050. They are promoting the importance of forest carbon sinks and forest ecosystem services and the related benefits. They have also assisted in the establishment of mechanisms for converting forest carbon sinks into carbon offsets, providing policy advice to decision-makers. In addition, there are also tribal elders who have led their community to establish a partnership with the FANCA. They have actively participated in co-management committee meetings and gradually set up patrols and volunteer fire-fighting teams for national forests, as well as developed eco-tourism. Taking into account social, environmental, and economic aspects, they are working together to protect the resources of mountains and forests. These award recipients have demonstrated that they have made significant contributions to Taiwan’s biodiversity and sustainable development with regards to resource conservation, local actions, and academic research.
For the organizations, the award recipients include organizations focusing on the conservation of Taiwan’s amphibians, which promote the protection of Taiwan’s ecosystem through citizen science and ecological education. Meanwhile, Jiao Pu Elementary School in Yuanli Township, Miaoli County, has adopted the conservation of the leopard cat as a theme of the school curriculum, promoting life education at the foundation level. There are also teams that have showed excellent performance in the promotion of local ecological conservation. Through patrols and community cooperation, they brought about concrete results for local habitat conservation. The joint efforts of these individuals and organizations demonstrate the diversity and value of environmental conservation, and it is hoped that their achievements will inspire more people to join in the conservation efforts and work together to protect Taiwan’s natural resources.
Practitioners of Sustainable Forestry
Lu Chin-Ming, Taiwan’s first doctor of bamboo, has been dedicated to the study and promotion of Taiwan’s bamboo species since the 1970s, with a research career that has spanned more than half a century. He has published numerous bamboo monographs, including the Taiwan Bamboo Encyclopedia. He has established a bamboo seed restoration system to conserve rare bamboo species, contributing significantly to global bamboo conservation. In the face of the net-zero carbon reduction trend, he is setting an example for future generations by promoting bamboo as a sustainable resource and assisting in the development of the emerging bamboo industry. Professor Kuo Shing-Rong has achieved significant success in the promotion of ecological afforestation and seedling planting techniques. He has assisted in the development of forestry conservation regulations, as well as compiled the “Afforestation Handbook” and the “Afforestation and Seedling Planting” professional manuals, providing technical support to forest administration authorities. He also teaches forestry at National Taiwan University to foster conservationist talents. He advocates for the removal of exotic species, ecological afforestation, and landscaping programs. He has made significant contributions to the sustainable development of the forestry industry and ecological conservation. Associate Professor Liu Wan-Yu specializes in climate change and forest carbon sinks, and promotes the natural carbon sink strategy and the net-zero emissions by 2050 target. She has actively assisted the government and enterprises to understand the importance of forest carbon sinks, and has been involved in many policy formulation and promotion initiatives for forest resource management and conservation. She has also contributed to the international visibility of Taiwan’s forest conservation efforts. Professor Monica Kuo teaches at the Department of Landscape Architecture, Chinese Culture University, and serves as a member of the Executive Board of the National Park Association in Taiwan, specializing in landscape ecology and environmental planning. She has served as an advisor to many national and local government forestry programs, promoted the development of the national trail system and forest recreation areas, and has been actively involved in academic exchanges both domestically and internationally. Professor Kuo has made significant contributions to forestry and nature conservation, particularly through her expertise in landscape and forestry in the Asia-Pacific region.
Innovators in Community and Ecological Co-Existence
Elder Ken Chih You has promoted cooperation between the Saisiyat people and the FANCA, creating tribal solidarity to establish the “Miaoli County Saisiyat Indigenous Peoples Forestry and Worker Limited Liability Cooperative.” He has led the Saisiyat community to participate in community forestry programs, establish forest disaster prevention patrol teams, and develop diversified green forest industries. He has effectively helped boost the tribal economy, develop forest therapy activities, and revive the traditional mountain village culture. He promoted the restoration of the endangered Citrus taiwanica and brought the Satoyama practices of the Saisiyat people to the international stage, becoming a model of excellence. Between 2019 and 2023, President Yangui Poiconʉ promoted the hunting autonomous governance of the Tsou people and assisted 8 indigenous tribal communities in setting up hunting associations. She has promoted the hunting culture and a modern management system. She organized legal affairs lectures, cultural forums, and ecological experience camps. She led the associations in efforts to improve hunting equipment and enhance the monitoring of wildlife diseases, removing 3,639 exotic African Sacred Ibis. She has effectively protected the local ecosystems and contributed much to forestry and nature conservation. Director Kuo Yu-Jen has long assisted in the operation and conservation work of the Alishan National Forest Recreation Area. He supported the implementation of various programs, successfully trained tour guides, and promoted the transmission of local stories and the spread of ecological knowledge. He actively participates in the compilation of forestry publications, providing professional advice, and has made significant contributions to the operation of forest recreation areas and the training programs for guides.
Guardians of Biodiversity
Lin Kun-Hai, Secretary-General of the Kaohsiung Wild Bird Society, specializes in species conservation and habitat management. He has adopted and maintained habitats such as the Niaosong Wetland Park and Lake Meinong, and promotes the restoration of endangered species. He founded the “Southern Birds Lectures” and the “New Year Birds Carnival - NYBC” to raise awareness for ecological conservation, becoming a model for public-private collaboration in environmental protection. Associate Professor Wu Hsin-Ju is committed to resolving conflicts between wildlife and humans in Taiwan. She promotes the hunting autonomous governance of indigenous peoples and has set up a number of hunting associations. She has guided tribal communities to carry out wildlife monitoring and ecological conservation. She has helped improve the hunting management system, promoted the design of animal-friendly traps, and participated in the Formosan black bear patrol program and African swine fever prevention. She has made significant contributions to the sustainable use and conservation of indigenous resources. Secretary General Chi Meng-Jou founded WildOne Taiwan, which actively promotes wildlife conservation. They successfully rehabilitated and released multiple Formosan black bears into the wild in 2023, including the black bears Jinlunwan and Da qu-ali. WildOne Taiwan continually carries out wildlife rescue tasks, including yellow-margined box turtles and pangolins. They also promote environmental education and cooperate with schools to promote animal and habitat conservation, making significant contributions to Taiwan’s nature conservation. Associate Researcher Lin Yu-Hsiu, known as the “big sister” of leopard cats, has long been involved in the conservation of leopard cats in Taiwan. She has promoted the ex situ conservation of leopard cats, the Leopard Cat Friendly Farming Label, and the Payments for Ecosystem Services Program. She has participated in the Formosan Leopard Cat Conservation Action Plan and promoted Wild Animal Friendly Farming to enhance the quality of habitats. She has also participated in the leopard cat breeding program, conducted research on captive breeding techniques and release training, making significant contributions to the conservation and policy promotion of the leopard cat. Associate Professor Lu Dau-Jye has long been committed to the management of protected areas, assisting the FANCA and the National Park Service in evaluating the effectiveness of protected area management. As of the end of 2023, more than a hundred protected area evaluations had been conducted, covering 57% of the land area of Taiwan’s forest reserves. He has proposed improvement plans, compiled technical manuals, and organized training workshops to enhance the management efficiency of protected areas. He has also adopted a participatory approach to help tribal communities participate in resource management, and actively promoted international exchanges. He has made significant contributions to the conservation of Taiwan’s biodiversity.
Steadfast Defenders of Forest and Mountain Resources
Police Officer Ting Hsiu-Ling is responsible for promoting the “Work Plan to Enforce the Fight Against Illegal Logging”. She has coordinated the efforts of various departments and successfully combated and prevented illegal logging. She has stepped up her efforts to track down illegal logging fugitives and updated data to cooperate with the police in making arrests. Since the implementation of the plan, illegal logging cases have dropped significantly, making outstanding contributions to the protection of forest resources and the fight against illegal logging. Detective Chan Hao-Pei is actively involved in the conservation of forests and solved a number of major cases of illegal logging at national forests and trafficking of protected species between 2019 and 2023. He successfully cracked down on illegal logging syndicates that had cross-regional operations and seized valuable forest trees such as Taiwan red cypress and Taiwan incense cedar. In addition, he has demonstrated superb investigative skills by detecting wildlife trafficking cases involving ivory and protected species such as yellow-margined box turtles. As a helicopter mechanic of the National Airborne Service Corps, Ministry of the Interior, Associate Technical Specialist Huang Chi-Chun is responsible for aerial firefighting of wildfires, prevention of illegal logging, and transportation of forestry personnel. To this day, he has transported 342 metric tons of water and 1,500 kilograms of resources, and has also been involved in aerial photography missions for national spatial planning. Leveraging his professional skills, he has coordinated the needs of the FANCA to ensure flight safety and resource safety, fully implementing forest protection and national security.
Wildlife Education Exemplar Award
This year’s (2024) Wildlife Education Exemplar Award goes to the Tainan Wild Bird Society, which has focused on wildlife rescue and habitat conservation in Tainan since 1992, and has successfully rehabilitated nearly 200 black-faced spoonbills by 2023. The society has adopted the Guantian Jacana Ecological Education Park and the Jiangjun Wetland, and has promoted habitat conservation, eco-friendly farming, and citizen science, contributing greatly to ecological protection. The Guofeng Junior High School, Hualien County, has been promoting the conservation of the Formosan flying fox since 2021. They have brought together the academic community, the public, and private sectors to carry out ecological education and habitat protection. The school has launched tree protection campaigns, health surveys, planted edible saplings, and promoted Formosan flying fox conservation through monitoring and reporting systems and citizen science. The Yunlin County Hushan Reservoir Cultural & Ecological Protection Association has promoted the “decrease of bamboos and return of forests” since 2022, and completed the afforestation of 6.16 hectares of forests and habitat sharing. The association also takes part in the conservation of yellow-margined box turtles, promotes the restoration of tree frogs, and sets up infrared cameras to monitor wildlife. They have organized tree-climbing events to raise awareness of ecological protection.
The FANCA hopes that through the recognition ceremony, more people will see the efforts of the award recipients and the organizations, and spread the spirit of environmental protection. Furthermore, the FANCA hopes to inspire more people to participate in the protection of Taiwan’s mountains and forests and ecological conservation, and to do their part for the environment.
※ List of 2024 Forestry and Nature Conservation Achievement Award Recipients
Ting Hsiu-Ling
Wu Hsin-Ju
Lu Chin-Ming
Lin Yu-Hsiu
Lin Kun-Hai
Liu Wan-Yu
Ken Chih Yu
Yangui Poiconʉ
Kuo Yu-Jen
Kuo Shing-Rong
Monica Kuo
Huang Chi-Chun
Chan Hao-Pei
Chi Meng-Jou
Lu Dau-Jye
※ List of 2024 Wildlife Education Exemplar Award Recipients (Organizations)
Tainan Wild Bird Society
Guofeng Junior High School, Hualien County
Yunlin County Hushan Reservoir Cultural & Ecological Protection Association