202507/16
The Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency (FANCA), Ministry of Agriculture, and the Taiwan Institute for Sustainable Energy (TAISE) co-organized the third “2025 Taiwan Biodiversity Forum,” where Director General Lin Hwa-Ching of the FANCA and Director General Lu Shiau-Yun of the Ocean Conservation Administration, Ocean Affairs Council, delivered keynote speeches on the development and strategies for terrestrial and marine biodiversity in Taiwan, respectively. At the event, the 2025 Taiwan Biodiversity Awards were also presented. The Chiayi Branch (FANCA Chiayi) and Hsinchu Branch (FANCA Hsinchu) were awarded the Gold Prize in the Non-Profit Organization category for their outstanding biodiversity development strategies.
Since 2009, the FANCA has been promoting the ecological conservation of rice terraces, focusing on the restoration and linkage of habitats outside protected areas. In 2018, the FANCA launched the Taiwan Ecological Network (TEN) project, which aims to establish ecological corridors connecting the Central Mountain Range to the coast through inter-departmental government cooperation and public-private collaboration, thereby establishing a national biodiversity spatial blueprint. In response to the global 2030 biodiversity target, Taiwan is revising its National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP), focusing on 30x30 protected areas and Human-Biodiversity Coexistence Areas (Taiwan’s certified terrestrial OECMs), ecosystem restoration, and nature-based solutions. In addition, the policy also emphasizes the participation of indigenous peoples and local communities. This includes the co-management of forest resources with the Saisiyat Tribe in Nanzhuang, promoting species restoration and local economic development, and practicing the concept of balancing ecological conservation and sustainable use, in response to the spirit of the Convention on Biological Diversity.
Eugene Chien, Chairman of TAISE, stated that TAISE continued to organize the “2025 Taiwan Biodiversity Awards”to align with international biodiversity development trends and encourage all sectors to prioritize biodiversity issues and proactively participate in international initiatives such as the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD). This year, 16 outstanding projects were selected, recognizing both private and public leadership in advancing biodiversity initiatives and aligning with international issues, prompting all sectors to pay more attention to biodiversity.
With the vision of “Sustainable Forestry, Ecological Taiwan,” FANCA Chiayi is promoting the Taiwan EcologicalNetwork project across the Chiayi-Tainan region. Six conservation corridors have been planned to implement species and habitat conservation actions, as well as foster cross-agency collaboration. For endangered species such as the russet sparrow (
Passer cinnamomeus) and farmland green treefrog (
Zhangixalus arvalis), habitat creation and payments for ecosystem services are being promoted, in conjunction with community patrols and eco-friendly farming practices. Through public-private collaborations, abandoned salt fields are being revitalized into bird-friendly habitats. Long-term guidance is provided to communities to promote forestry projects and develop local features and partnerships. FANCA Chiayi also partnered up with the Tsou people to promote hunting autonomous governance as to preserve their traditional culture, promote scientific management, and practice harmonious coexistence between man and nature. This aligns with global biodiversity action goals and has achieved excellent results.
FANCA Hsinchu is dedicated to preserving biodiversity in northwestern Taiwan and the Matsu islands. It has actively leveraged the Carbon Sink and Biodiversity ESG Project Matching Platform to match businesses with various conservation initiatives, such as bamboo forest renewal, adopting afforestation projects to enhance carbon sinks, integrating indigenous knowledge to restore trails to promote cultural and ecological compatibility, and using smart lighting to protect glowworm firefly (Rhagophthalmidae) populations. FANCA Hsinchu also promotes coastal cleanup, geological monitoring, and environmental education initiatives, deepening the mainstreaming of biodiversity through on-site participation by corporate employees and the public. Through cross-domain collaboration and innovative models, FANCA Hsinchu effectively promotes ecosystem health and social integration, showcasing a new paradigm for integrating corporate ESG with the TEN to promote biodiversity conservation.
Director General Lin Hwa-Ching of the FANCA stated that Taiwan has long followed the United Nations’ biodiversity promotion direction, advancing biodiversity conservation efforts across ministriesactively participating in successive Conferences of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity, keeping pace with international biodiversity development trends, and demonstrating Taiwan’s proactivity and potential in issues such as indigenous peoples’ participation, resource sustainability, and corporate responsibility. In response to the United Nations’ 2030 Global Biodiversity Goals, the FANCA is promoting the certification of terrestrial Human-Biodiversity Coexistence Areas (OECMs) in Taiwan, encouraging diverse stakeholders, including government agencies, indigenous peoples and local community organizations, non-governmental organizations, and businesses, to collaborate in biodiversity conservation.
Director General Lin stated that “corporate participation” and “financial policies” have become key measures in promoting and implementing biodiversity conservation. Focusing on the collaborative efforts between businesses, finance, and biodiversity, the FANCA has completed the “Carbon Sink and Biodiversity ESG Project Matching Platform.” Through this platform, 13 companies have been successfully matched with various types of biodiversity protection and restoration projects, aligning corporate activities with nature conservation actions, as well as encouraging companies to incorporate biodiversity into their ESG frameworks and economic activities, while the FANCA is also planning to develop local TNFD guidelines to further support corporative biodiversity responsibility. By aligning conservation with economic activity, Taiwan aims to safeguard its natural resources and realize a future of harmonious coexistence between man and nature.