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Taiwan 2002 |
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Environmental Protection |
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Habitat ProtectionOne of the best ways to protect wild animals is to preserve their natural habitat. Unfortunately, this is not easily done in Taiwan, since it contains roughly 612 persons per square kilometer and nearly as many motor vehicles as people, making it one of the most crowded places in the world. While the ROC government has been able to put a cap on serious pollution problems, the fact remains that much of Taiwan's unique habitat has suffered from human encroachment.Taiwan's location between three major climatic zones and its diverse topography have endowed the area with a wide range of flora and fauna. Some 70 species of mammals, around 500 species of birds (40 percent of which reside on Taiwan year-round), 100 species of reptiles, 34 species of amphibians, nearly 2,500 species of fish, and 18,000 identified species of insects (including 400 butterfly species) are known to exist in the Taiwan area. With regard to plant species, Taiwan has 610 species of ferns, 28 species of gymnosperms, and 3,600 species of angiosperms. Moreover, because of the successful implementation of habitat conservation, species once thought to be extinct have been reappearing again in the Taiwan area. For example, on August 7, 2000, a flock of Chinese crested terns was found in the Matsu Islands tern refuge. The Chinese crested tern was first discovered in 1863 and thought to have become extinct during the past century. Its reappearance suggests that the ROC's wildlife protection policy has begun to enjoy some success. The different land formations, climates, and forest types, not to mention the impact of large-scale human development, have combined to create ecological havens within the physical entity that is Taiwan. To protect these ecological havens, the ROC government has set aside 19.5 percent of Taiwan's total land area as part of a multitiered conservation system that comprises six national parks 國家公園, 19 nature reserves 自然保留區, 8 forest reserves 國有林自然保護區, 13 wildlife refuges 野生動物保護區, and 28 major wildlife habitats 野生動物重要棲息環境. Three laws specifically authorize the designation and protection of natural areas and wildlife refuges: the Cultural Heritage Preservation Law, which authorizes the creation of nature reserves and identifies endangered species of flora and fauna; the Wildlife Conservation Law, which establishes wildlife refuges; and the National Park Law 國家公園法, which allows for the designation of national parks. The central government agencies that supervise Taiwan's protected areas are the Ministry of the Interior's Department of National Parks 內政部營建署國家公園組 and the Council of Agriculture. Answerable to the COA are the Taiwan Forestry Bureau 農委會林務局 and the Taiwan Forestry Research Institute 農委會林業試驗所; the Bureaus of Reconstruction 建設局 under the Taipei and Kaohsiung City governments; and the agriculture bureaus 農業局 of all city and county governments in the Taiwan area.
National ParksThe Republic of China has created a comprehensive national park system that balances conservation, recreation, and research. This has taken only ten years to implement, compared to over a hundred years for many other countries. Since the process has not begun until the island's population density was already quite high, park officials have faced a constant tug of war over land rights. Ownership of park land has been contested by businesses that previously occupied it, aborigines who claim it as ancestral land, investors who would like to develop hotels and other tourist facilities there, and even a veterans' agency that runs a farm in the middle of one of the parks.The quick and continuous development of land did not give Taiwan the luxury of building its park system gradually. Instead, it has done the best it could, pushing through an ambitious park program that has placed 8.5 percent of its total land area under protection. Additional land acquisitions combined with the 52 existing protected nature and wildlife areas will eventually push the percentage of protected territory to over 12 percent of Taiwan's total area.
Taiwan's national park system was inaugurated in 1984 with the establishment of Kenting National Park 墾丁國家公園 at the southern tip of the island. In 1985 and 1986, Taiwan moved swiftly to set up Yushan National Park 玉山國家公園, Yangmingshan National Park 陽明山國家公園, and Taroko National Park 太魯閣國家公園 in central, northern, and eastern Taiwan, respectively. In 1992, Shei-Pa National Park 雪霸國家公園 was established in north-central Taiwan, and in October 1995, a sixth national parkKinmen National Park 金門國家公園, occupying 25.5 percent of the Kinmen Islands--was opened to the public. Each national park has a headquarters, which is supervised by the Department of National Parks. In fiscal 1999, the combined budget for all national park headquarters and the Department of National Parks exceeded US$104 million. Each national park has at least one visitor center and one nature display center. Most of the parks also have trailhead nature centers. Guided tours may be arranged by contacting the park headquarters in advance. Taiwan's national parks received 12.4 million visitors in 1999. To minimize the impact of large crowds, all parks are divided into management zones. These zones identify the best use for each area within a park, classifying them as general protection areas, recreational areas, scenic areas, ecological protection areas, or cultural and historical sites.
Nature Reserves and Wildlife RefugesThe Council of Agriculture administers land protected under two designations: nature reserves and wildlife refuges. The COA has overseen the establishment of 19 nature reserves in Taiwan. These reserves range from a five-hectare plot to protect volcanic land forms in Kaohsiung to the 47,000 hectare forest reserve surrounding Mount Tawu 大武山. Altogether, 64,477 hectares of land have been designated as nature reserves. Twelve of these nature reserves are directly managed by the Taiwan Forestry Bureau under the Council of Agriculture, while the rest are managed by such agencies as the Taipei City Government's Bureau of Reconstruction 臺北市建設局, the Penghu County Government 澎湖縣政府, the Lienchiang County Government 連江縣政府, and the Taiwan Forestry Research Institute. Each of these managing bodies must still report to the COA, though, and this ensures that all of the reserves are run in full accordance with the law.In addition to nature reserves, 13 wildlife refuges encompassing 23,201 hectares of land have been established in the Taiwan area. The first to be established was the Cat Islets Seabird Refuge 貓嶼海鳥保護區, which is located in the southwestern corner of the Pescadores 澎湖群島 and encompasses both the Greater and Lesser Cat Islets. The refuge serves as a rookery and breeding ground for thousands of terns, and over 16 families and 26 kinds of sea birds--most of them migratory--have been sighted here. Designated as a seabird refuge in May 1991, the Cat Islets refuge is a little over 36 hectares in area. Next to be established was the Nantzuhsien River Wildlife Refuge 楠梓仙溪野生動物保護區 in Kaohsiung County's Sanmin Township 高雄縣三民鄉. This refuge is home to 10 species of freshwater fish and 80 species of birds, including the plumbeous water redstart, the little forktail, the gray-throated minivet, and the Formosan whistling thrush. The Nantzuhsien refuge covers 274 hectares and was set up in May 1993. The Wuwei Harbor Waterbird Refuge 無尾港水鳥保護區 is located near Suao 蘇澳 in Taiwan's northeastern county of Ilan. Surrounded by diverse coastal forests, the 102 hectare site was designated as a bird refuge in September 1993 to protect its wetlands and bird habitats. Lakes, marshes, and streams within the site create an ideal environment for wildfowl such as the migratory ducks and geese that stop in Taiwan during the winter. According to one survey, close to 140 kinds of birds frequent the Wuwei Creek site. Every winter, from November to February, some 3,000 ducks and geese from 12 different species rest here. The Taipei City Waterbird Refuge 臺北市野雁保護區 is home to 79 species of waterfowl and 41 species of plants. This 203 hectare wildlife refuge, set up in November 1993, serves as a natural classroom for Taipei citizens during the bird-watching season. Another urban area refuge is the Ssutsao Wildlife Refuge 四草野生動物保護區 in Tainan City. An important wetland site in southern Taiwan, this refuge is the permanent home to some 40 species of wild birds, and an additional 21 endangered and rare species of birds have been sighted here. Designated as a wildlife refuge in November 1994, the 515 hectare site also contains three kinds of rare mangroves. In addition to the Cat Islets refuge, the Pescadores also contain the Wangan Island Green Turtle Refuge 望安島綠蠵龜產卵棲地保護區. Since the number of green turtles in the Taiwan area has fallen due to environmental degradation and poaching, the 23 hectare refuge was set aside in January 1995 to serve as a breeding ground and refuge for nesting green turtles. Wangan Island is one of the few green turtle habitats still largely untouched by human intrusion. The Tatu River Mouth Wildlife Refuge 大肚溪口野生動物保護區, which straddles the border between Taichung County 臺中縣 and Changhua County 彰化縣, is a diverse collection of coastal waters, rivers, sandbanks, tidal flats, farmland, and fish farms. The refuge's wide plains and abundance of nourishing organisms brought in by the tides attract an enormous number of migratory birds, and 24 protected species have been sighted here. Established in February 1995, the 2,670 hectare refuge serves as an outdoor classroom for the residents of central Taiwan. The Mienhua Islet and Huaping Islet Wildlife Refuge 棉花嶼花瓶嶼野生動物保護區 is located in the waters north of Keelung City 基隆市. Home to rare bird species and characterized by fascinating geology, the two uninhabited islets were classified as major wildlife habitats in June 1995 and then upgraded to wildlife refuges in March 1996. Established in September 1996, the Lanyang River Mouth Waterbird Refuge 蘭陽溪口水鳥保護區 is located on the Lanyang Plain at the confluence of the Lanyang, Ilan, and Tungshan Rivers in Ilan County. The 206 hectare site is characterized by a wide range of topographical features, including coastal waters, rivers, sand bars, and fertile land. This wetland area attracts a great number of migratory birds every year because of its abundant food sources, and with some 231 bird species already sighted here, it is one of the best refuges for bird watching. In October 1997, the Taichung County government announced the establishment of the Formosan Landlocked Salmon Refuge 櫻花鉤吻鮭野生動物保護區. A member of the glacial relic species, the Formosan landlocked salmon has been listed as an endangered species since 1989 and inhabits cold, high mountain streams as a result of the alternating effect of the geological changes that occurred during the Ice Age. Exhaustive fishing, water pollution, and other human factors over the years have done great damage to the salmon's natural habitat, causing the distribution and population to shrink dramatically. At present, the salmon is only found in the Chichiawan Stream 七家灣溪 at the Wuling 武陵 section of the upper reaches of the Tachia River 大甲溪 and in certain sections of the river on Mount Snow. Established in January 2000, the Matsu Islands Tern Refuge 馬祖列島燕鷗保謢區 has attracted the attention of international wild bird organizations and major news media to witness a great new discovery--Chinese crested terns 黑嘴端鳳頭燕鷗. Chinese crested terns have long, pointed wings, forked tails, and some black coloring on their beaks, and are listed as a critically endangered species in the World Wild Bird Red Book. Their presence on Matsu has prompted Birdlife International to hold its 2002 international conference on the heavily defended archipelago. Also established in January 2000, the Yuli Wildlife Refuge 玉里野生動物保護區 in Hualien County boasts a wide range of altitudes, endowing it with multifarious climates that include subtropical, temperate, and even frigid. Deep oceanic influences--such as high humidity and plentiful amounts of rain--give this area an abundance of flourishing, diverse vegetation, which consequently contributes to the refuge's bountiful and complex biological species. The 11,414 hectare wildlife refuge is home to 29 species of mammals, 61 species of birds, 7 species of amphibians, and 372 species of plants.
Forest Reserves and the Taiwan Forestry BureauAccording to the most recent survey, about 72 percent of the 1.57 million hectares of national forestland in Taiwan is natural forest. The Taiwan Forestry Bureau (TFB) has classified the forests under its jurisdiction into 459 categories based upon forest distribution, traffic conditions, and the degree to which the forests have been damaged in the past. Two to three rangers patrol each zone to prevent people from illegally felling trees, dumping refuse, or otherwise damaging the forests. These rangers also work to prevent and fight forest fires.Forest reserves are national forest lands recognized as possessing unique natural characteristics. While these reserves are subject to the multiple-use policies of the TFB, managers of these areas are expected to emphasize preservation over development. In the past, several forest reserves have been promoted to nature reserve status, and this practice is expected to continue. The basic law regulating the preservation of forests in Taiwan is the Forest Law 森林法. In accordance with this law, the TFB began a forest conservation program in 1965. This program includes surveying and studying rare plants and animals, as well as drafting plans for long-term studies, experimentation, and educational tourism within protected nature areas. TFB workers are continuing to survey the forests of Taiwan to identify different kinds of representative ecosystems and rare flora and fauna. In addition to entering all data into a computer network and setting up management survey stations for researching and protecting wild plants and animals, the TFB also posts educational information along the perimeters of forest reserves. Until 1989, the TFB was financed through logging operations; since then, however, forest management programs have not been tied to timber harvest receipts. The TFB operates a network of hostels in forest areas that are more than a day's journey from any city, increasing the accessibility of such isolated regions. Such hostels are open to the public for a fee that depends on the services available and the length of stay. The COA has set up a website at http://lovetree.forest.gov.tw for people interested in sponsoring trees. After registering with the COA, people can then choose the areas of sponsorship that interest them and check online for updates on the trees they helped to plant. Officials are also encouraging companies to adopt trees on behalf of their employees, as well as cooperating with local hospitals to promote a parallel program for parents wishing to sponsor trees on behalf of their newborns.
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