201905/22
In response to the International Day for Biological Diversity on May 22, the Forestry Bureau organized a Biodiversity Forum to provide the public with the latest information and knowledge on global biodiversity, as well as the results of Taiwan's efforts on biodiversity over the years. At the same time, it was the launch of the book "Learning Time! Biodiversity V: Aichi Biodiversity Targets, Global Action" co-published by the Forestry Bureau and the Taiwan Environmental Information Association. The publication contains a collection of exciting conservation actions from across the five continents and Taiwan, to understand international conservation trends and actions from a Taiwanese perspective.
The Forestry Bureau pointed out that the countries committed to biodiversity across the globe hold the "Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD-COP)" once every two years to jointly review the current status of global conservation, exchange conservation strategies, and establish conservation goals that must be jointly maintained and achieved. The Fourteenth Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP14) was held in Egypt in November 2018 with the theme "Investing in Biodiversity for People and Planet", to emphasize that maintaining biodiversity is a long-term investment for humans and the planet.
In response to the Aichi Biodiversity Targets, which is due to expire in 2020, the Forestry Bureau has specially planned two Biodiversity Forums. In addition to today's forum held at the international conference hall on 2F of the Forestry Bureau on the May 22 International Day for Biological Diversity, a Biodiversity Forum will also be held at the Yangming Building of the Taichung City Government on June 1st. Experts who participated in the COP14 meeting will be invited to share the latest developments in international biodiversity and biodiversity information on long-term focused issues. The topics include "Taiwan's Biodiversity Promotion - Stop, Look Listen", "Countdown to 2020", "The 17% and 10% of the Aichi Biodiversity TARGET 11", "Permanent Infrastructure: Starting from Biodiversity Mainstreaming", "From Biodiversity Data to Global Reports", and "New Horizons for Coral Reef Ecological Conservation". Many people registered for the events, and more than 200 people from government agencies, NGO representatives, and members of the public concerned about biodiversity conservation participated in the forum today, bearing a clear testament that the Taiwanese people hold great concern over biodiversity.
The forum on May 22 was also the launch of the book "Learning Time! Biodiversity V: Aichi Biodiversity Targets, Global Action" co-published by the Forestry Bureau and the Taiwan Environmental Information Association. This was the first book in Taiwan to provide an in-depth discussion on the UN's biodiversity targets. It details the actions implemented internationally to work towards the Aichi Biodiversity Targets and the nine cases of conservation actions in Taiwan. Many of the cases are worthy of reflection and reference for Taiwan.
Lin Hwa-ching, Director General of the Forestry Bureau, said that biodiversity conservation is not only about the implementation of tasks between central authorities, but the local government's environmental protection policies, as well as the participation of the indigenous people and local communities can all make a contribution to the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity. Since the beginning of this year (2019), the Forestry Bureau has fully implemented ecological evaluations for all management projects of the national forest working circles, to show the importance as well as to strengthen the benefit sharing of the forest ecosystem service values. The proposal of the cross-departmental "National Ecology Green Network" project in recent years is the most important partnership that promotes the "Aichi Biodiversity Targets". With the national forest working circles as the axis, the society-production-ecological landscape for environmentally-friendly and community participation is promoted. Through ecological afforestation and using green belts and the blue belts to connect the eastbound and westbound rivers and linking the mountains to the coasts, the "forest, river, plain, sea" corridors will be created to form a national biosafety network.
In order to promote the concept of biodiversity, the Forestry Bureau has linked together ecological conservation related departments, the eight Forest District Offices under its jurisdiction, county (city) governments and private organizations to organize a wide variety of biodiversity activities throughout Taiwan. These include lectures, special exhibitions, concerts, markets, and guided tours to transmit the concept of biodiversity conservation. The public is welcome to participate in these events. For more details, please visit the
Forestry Bureau Nature Conservation and
Society for Wildlife and Nature websites.