History

Taiwan's first forestry agency was established during the Qing Dynasty in 1873, but was soon dissolved. Taiwan was ceded to Japan after the Sino-Japanese War of 1895, and an Office of Agricultural Production, which was in charge of forestry matters, was established under the Japanese Governor General's Office.

With the return of Taiwan to the Chinese government in October 1945, the authorities in Taiwan established the Office of Forestry Administration under the Department of Agriculture and Forestry in order to take over forestry affairs from the Governor General's Office. Taiwan was divided into ten forestry administration zones, and district forest management offices were established in Taipei, Luodong, Hsinchu, Taichung, Puli, Chiayi, Tainan, Kaohsiung, Taitung, and Hualien, some with branch offices. Four model logging stations and three forestry research institutes were also established to share responsibilities.

In June 1947, in order to strengthen forestry management, the Taiwan Provincial Government dissolved the Office of Forestry Administration and reorganized it as the Forestry Administration Division. In September of the same year, forest management duties were transferred to the Department of Agriculture and Forestry, and the Division retained only afforestation and lumber production/supply affairs. in June 1948, forest management and model forest management duties were again returned to the Division, and in June 1949, the original ten Forestry District Offices were reduced to seven and transferred to county governments.

In November 1950, the seven Forestry District Offices were returned to the Division. In December 1952, employees of the defunct Taiwan Camphor Office were transferred to the Division. In October of 1958, Mt. Mugua Tree Farm in Huaiien County was transferred to the Division. The Division was reorganized on February 15, 1960, and renamed the Forestry Bureau. At that time the Bureau had six divisions, six offices, and a total of thirteen forestry district offices. In July 1973, the Aerial Survey Squad was placed under the Bureau's control and renamed the Aerial Survey Office. In September 1973, the Mugua Forestry District Office took over the Taiwan Chung Hsing Paper Corporation Lintienshan Forest. On January 1, 1974, the Dasyueshan Forestry Company became the Bureau's Dasyueshan Model Forest Management Office.

On July 1, 1989, the Bureau's status was changed from an "enterprise organization" to a "civil service agency" with a civil service budget. The original seven divisions and five offices containing 34 sections, plus 13 subordinate forestry district offices with 72 work stations, were reorganized as five divisions and three offices containing 27 sections, and eight subordinate forestry district offices with 34 ranger stations. The Alishan and Kenting forest recreation area management offices were dissolved, and their affairs assigned to the Chiayi and Pingtung Forestry District Offices. A new forest railroad section was established at the Chiayi Forestry District Office. The Aerial Survey Office remained unchanged.

Following the promulgation of the Provisional Statute for the Reorganization of Taiwan Provincial Government, on July 1, 1999 the Bureau was placed under the central government as the Forestry Bureau of the Council of Agriculture, Executive Yuan. The Bureau was assigned the services of the Forestry and Conservation divisions of the Forestry Department, Council of Agriculture on January 30, 2004. This Bureau has borne responsibility for Taiwan's forestry matters for over sixty years, and accomplished its mission throughout each period. Today, traditional forestry work must be balanced against the needs of nature conservation. In this time of public awareness of the need for ecological protection, the Bureau is again evolving and assuming new responsibilities.

Following the internal structural reform, the Forestry Bureau was renamed as Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency (FANCA), Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) since 1st August 2023. To strengthen the management of Taiwan's national forests, the newly formed FANCA consolidates the Forestry Bureau of Council of Agriculture (COA) and the Forest Conservation and Management Administration of Veterans Affairs Council (VAC). The FANCA is responsible for Taiwan's forests management, utilization, recreation, and the conservation of land-area ecosystem, and in charge of developments and implementations of related policies.