Introduction

In 2023, the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency was established through the reorganization of the former Forestry Bureau, which had primarily focused on timber harvesting and cultivation. The Agency was transformed into a dedicated authority for forest governance and natural resource management, with forestry and conservation as its core values. This change marked a pivotal shift in Taiwan’s forestry sector, from timber harvesting and environmental protection to biodiversity conservation and the sustainable use of resources.

After Taiwan’s restoration, the Taiwan Provincial Administrative Executive Office took over forestry and silviculture affairs from the Government-General of Taiwan during Japanese rule, placing them under the Forestry Bureau of the Department of Agriculture and Forestry. A major institutional reform occurred in 1989 when natural forest logging was terminated, transforming the Bureau from a business-oriented entity into a government agency. Another significant reform took place in 1999, when the Bureau was reassigned from the Taiwan Provincial Government’s Department of Agriculture and Forestry to the Council of Agriculture, Executive Yuan, following the downsizing of the provincial government. In 2004, it also assumed forestry and nature conservation functions from the Forestry Department of the Council of Agriculture. As part of central government restructuring, the Council of Agriculture was reorganized into the Ministry of Agriculture, and the Forestry Bureau was restructured as the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency. This reform officially incorporated “nature conservation” into the agency’s name, making it a core value and key development goal.

Even before the reorganization, several policy instruments had been introduced to pave the way for the transformation of Taiwan’s forestry sector. While state-owned forest business areas, primarily along the Central Mountain Range, have been well protected, lands outside these areas continue to face fragmentation due to various forms of development and use, which could potentially isolate them as ecological islands. To address this, the National Ecological Conservation Green Network Development Plan was launched in May 2018 to expand habitat conservation networks beyond state-owned forests. This initiative brings together government agencies and private partners to connect habitats from forests to coastal areas, thereby enhancing the overall ecological security of the nation. Also in 2018, the Ecological-friendly Review Mechanism was fully applied to state-owned forest management projects. Starting from the project proposal stage, environmental and ecological characteristics along with potential impacts are carefully assessed. Throughout the project life cycle, ecological review strategies such as avoidance, minimization, mitigation, and compensation are employed to ensure a balanced outcome that benefits both disaster prevention and ecological conservation.

Following the reorganization, the division of responsibilities has been realigned to reflect the Agency’s strategic vision through its formal structure. The former Forest Planning Division of the Forestry Bureau, which was responsible for spatial planning of state-owned forest areas and the formulation of forest management policies, has been restructured as the Conservation Planning Division. Its mandate has expanded to include conservation spatial planning across all of Taiwan, extending beyond state-owned forests. The implementation of conservation initiatives, including management of natural ecosystems as well as the conservation and use of wildlife, is now carried out by the Conservation Management Division. The Watershed Management Division continues to maintain the foundation of forest lands and forest road networks, ensuring the ecological support and regulatory services provided by forest ecosystems. The Forest Management Division safeguards forest lands and resources, serving as the basis for the Forest Industry Division, which promotes the use of tangible forest products, and the Forest Recreation Division, which develops intangible values such as forest therapy and recreation. 

The Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency is at the forefront of international trends, placing people at the heart of forest and mountain governance. We remain committed to protecting Taiwan’s natural capital and ensuring that the benefits and dividends of ecosystem services are shared by all, thereby fulfilling our vision of “Sustainable Forestry and Ecological Taiwan.”