Our conservation policy gives equal importance to conservation of ecological environment and to economic development. On one hand, the idea is to raise the people’s awareness of ecological conservation, come up with comprehensive conservation regulations, survey rare species and landscapes, train conservation personnel, establish basic conservation database, and actively take part in international conservation activities. Meanwhile, we reinforce preservation of biological resources, monitor restoration of worsening environment and species, and appreciate diversity of indigenous resources, proceeding to develop and tap them but keeping perspective on sustainability.
Facilitation of conservation plan for wildlife, and the keeping and management of wildlife
To realize the implementation of Wildlife Conservation Act, subsidize local government in their conservation plan for wildlife, facilitate implementation of relevant regulations and Wildlife Conservation Act, conduct the registration of endangered wildlife and relevant products, carry out inspection and implementation of registration confirmation, arrest violators of regulations and laws on wildlife, carry out resource investigation and management of wildlife habitat, step up relevant publicity campaign on wildlife regulations, and see to it that conservation personnel’s knowledge on laws is adequate and make sure that the public has the correct conservation concept to realize the spirit of Wildlife Conservation Act.
In order to deal with problems like illegal hunting, selling, or illegal importation of wildlife, abandoned and released animals, runaways, or kept wild animals, the bureau has set up 5 recuse centers for taking in protected wildlife, emergency stations, which receive and take care of about 2,300 animals. Such protection of ecosystems as well as animals of different natures can have a positive effect towards the lowering of the assaults on the local natural environment by exotic animals from outside.
Planning and management of protected area and the conservation of natural landscape
In order to effectively conserve Taiwan’s rare animal and plant resources, the bureau has designated specific ecosystems and rich wildlife resources zones for special protection, and at the moment 19 “Nature Reserve” based on Cultural Heritage preservation Act have been listed. According to the Wildlife conservation law, 17 “Wildlife Refuges” and 31 “Major Wildlife Habitat environments” have been designed, and in 2005 “Regulations Governing the Establishment and Management of Protected Area” have been proclaimed to reinforce the legal provision for the establishment and management of protected areas as well as to conduct preliminary review of protected areas in national forests.
Protected area is designed to protect the habitat of extensive plants and animals, and it needs to resort active management strategy, substantial management plan, and effective measures of implementation so as to reinforce the protection functions of the protected area in order to achieve the objective of stable, safe, and sustainable ecology via the realization of ecology environment and species maintenance. Therefore, to facilitate the management and operation of protected area and items of works, it is through continuous education and training, and cultivation of professionals to enhance the investigation and monitoring capability of Wildlife Resources. In addition with the application of professional auxiliary investigation and instrument to establish long-term monitor information, adjust or modify management and operation approach of the protected area, and control dynamic information of the protected area so as to effectively enhance the functions in protection of plants and, animals and habitat.
Import and export of wildlife and its product, identification and confiscation management of wildlife product
According to the relevant regulation of Wildlife Conservation Act dealing with import and export cases, letter of consent or proof letter for import of the applied wildlife and its products for application has to attached to cope with investigation, and arrest of cases of violation of conservation law, to actively enhance identification system of wildlife and its products, and to shorten time of identification, efficiency of identification, and elevate the primary direction of identification accuracy. To achieve above-mentioned objectives, two identification laboratories for wild life productsand one management center for confiscated wildlife products were established six categories of wildlife research and its products identification technology were developed. more than twenty kinds of wild life and its products identification images are printed, not to mentioned such exchange of international identification technology with the US and many other countries.
Investigation and experiment research for natural conservation
In order to effectively conserve and manage natural resources, we have completed the study of the eating habit and group distribution analysis of the sambhar or Cervus unicolor swinhoei, generation and genetic preservation of Amentotaxus formosana Li, using non-destructive test method on the evaluation and age measurement of old trees’ health and monitor, restoration of broad-tail swallowtail butterfly, winter migration ecology of butterfly, and ecological investigation and exploitation research for 16 species such as pangolin, black eagle, amata perixanthia, and Lilium speciosum Thunb. var. gloriosoides Bak. In addition, each of the investigation and monitor plans for 10 Nature Reserves as Fire Flame Mountain, Alishan, Jiu Jiu Mountain, Hsuehshan Kan Creek, and Kete-leeria davidiana (Franchet) Beissner var. formosana Hayata of Pin Lin.
Investigation of biological resources and establishment of biological database
To understand Taiwan’s indigenous animal and plant species and their distribution locations, the biological resources investigation and database establishment project began in 1998, and universities have been commissioned, dividing groups and assigning them to Taiwan’s northern, central, southern, eastern and western regions. Local experts and scholars were invited to conduct site investigations and do local biglogical resource investigations, and the results obtained have been compiled under “Taiwan Biological Resources Database Center.” After corroboration and cross-reference procedures, about 850,000 bits of information have emerged. In addition, vegetation maps in Taiwan area have been established. For now, 2,124 sampling areas have been covered in completed investigation; as for the vegetation archive, there are now 726 articles, covering 7,561 sampling locations, completing environment analysis of 11 rivers and streams.
Publicity campaign on conservation education, personnel and volunteer training
In order to reinforce the publicity campaign on biodiversity conservation, we have focused training on aboriginal people, students, teachers, administrative personnel, communities, civic groups, and the general public as targets of publicity, training, and seminar. Meanwhile, ecological photography exhibition, migratory bird-watching, butterfly appreciation, special talks, and observation activities are organized. Besides, related articles, posters, publicity handouts and photographs are provided as reference and promotion materials.
International cooperation in nature conservation
Though we are not a signatory of agreement on international conservation, we are still actively sending out representatives to meetings and events, which have to do with international conservation agreements or organizations so as to understand the trends in nature conservation around the world. To support international conservation projects, and reinforce international conservation cooperation and publicity, we have made donations to international conservation projects over the years, including sponsoring various conservation publicity campaigns, such as anti-poaching efforts in Africa, seahorse conservation and research, conservation of tropical rain forests, enforcement of Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.(CITES) and research project for Important Bird Area (IBA). Besides, we have maintained contacts with major international conservation groups, invited conservation specialists from England, Canada, South Africa, United States, Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Pakistan, and Hong Kong to Taiwan or send personnel overseas to learn new skills. Furthermore, we have produced English publications to shed light on the status of our conservation work, disseminate conservation information, and reinforce the publicizing of our conservation work internationally.
Promote community forestry
To train community forestry personnel and enable community to grasp the ecological environment, push for small-scale but fine ecological tours. As a result, pass on aboriginal and traditional culture, and re-vitalize the industrial development of mountain communities or agricultural communities, achieving "community forestry project." Through the implementation of the project, community residents can once again reflect on attitude regarding the ecology of living environment as well as the approach to development and vision for the future of the community. Many communities have integrated with ecological tours and specific industry of the community, resulting in booming economic development of the community. Therefore, many more communities have, thus, changed their ecological and conservation ideas thoroughly and become pioneers in ecology patrol and natural conservation.
