There are about 470,000 hectares of protection forests in Taiwan, which bear the important tasks of headwater protection and erosion control to protect the safety of the people. However, the public may still be very unfamiliar with protection forests. The Forestry Bureau and Kwang Yang Motor Co, Ltd (KYMCO) announced today (Nov. 20th) that they will be collaborating on the event Guarding the Protection Forests Round-Island, where eight protection forest experience activities will be organized for KYMCO riders. KYMCO also specially sponsored 18 Ionex electric scooters, which are symbolic of zero emissions, to be used as official vehicles by the National Forest Recreation Areas of the Forestry Bureau. Together, the Forestry Bureau and KYMCO are helping to protect the mountains and forests. Director General Lin Hwa-Ching of the Forestry Bureau also announced at the meeting that in order to bring the public more awareness towards protection forests, local communities adjacent to protection forests will be invited to name their respective protection forests. This will replace the cold and impersonal serial numbering system currently used for the protection forests. The Forestry Bureau said that the 470,000 hectares of protection forests in Taiwan serve to promote public welfare, contributing to homeland security, water and soil stability, and natural disaster prevention, among others. Under the premise of not affecting the functions of the protection forests, participation or adoption by communities and enterprises will be launched in order to maximize the value of the diversified ecosystem services of protection forests. This way, both the public and private sectors can cooperate to guard the protection forests together, enabling protection forests to truly become closer to people’s hearts. The Forestry Bureau further stated that purpose of the co-organized event Guarding the Protection Forests Round-Island with KYMCO is to allow more people to become familiar with the protection forests, experience the benefits brought about by them, and then take the initiative to guard them. This event will run from November 24, 2019 to June 21, 2020, taking place at the Seaside Forest Park of Longfeng Fishing Harbor, Zhunan Township, Miaoli; Liyu Lake, Shoufeng Township, Hualien; Haomei Village, Budai Township, Chiayi; Torik Tribe, Chenggong Township, Taitung; Wuweigang Port, Su’ao Township, Yilan; Haikou Beach, Checheng Township, Pingtung; Erlun Nature Trail, Yunlin; and Gaobei Village, Qingshui District, Taichung. The activities include Forest Knowledge Walk, Protection Forest Book Fair, Protection Forest Pruning Working Holiday, beach cleanups, walking and picking up plastic trash, and ecological guided tours. These activities will help the public understand the importance of protection forests, allowing them to personally experience the ecological wonders that lay therein. In the near future, we will also cooperate with many local communities, where residents will jointly name their neighboring protection forest. In addition to promoting mutual understanding and a sense of identification, we also hope that the communities will further enjoy services from the forests and pursue a better quality of life. In addition, 11 of the 18 National Forest Recreation Areas under the jurisdiction of the Forestry Bureau are located within protection forests. When people go to the recreation areas for leisure, recreation, aesthetic appreciation, healing, and other activities, they are in fact experiencing the cultural service and value of protection forests. Therefore, this event also extends a special invitation to vehicle owners and members of the public to jointly participate in the Protection Forest Visit: Forest Book Market at Chinan National Forest Recreation Area in Liyu Lake, Shoufeng Township, Hualien. In a positive response to the government’s environmental protection and carbon reduction policies, KYMCO also made a special public welfare donation of 18 Ionex MANY 110EV electric scooters to the Forestry Bureau to be used as official vehicles in the National Forest Recreation Areas, as to protect mountains and forests through zero emissions, and implement social care. The green vehicles donated by KYMCO will be used as emergency vehicles by the various National Forest Recreation Areas. [Interesting Facts About: Protection Forests] Everyone must have heard of "coniferous forests" or "broadleaved forests", but have you heard of "protection forests"? We all know that forests (or leaves) can be classified as "coniferous" or "broadleaved", but all of these can also be protection forests! A "protection forests" is a functional forest, and its purposes are public welfare and the preservation of specific targets. Parts of the forest land that have functions such as headwater protection, erosion control, and guarding against ocean wind and drift sand are listed as protection forests. More stringent laws and regulations restrict development on protection forests. The purpose of their management is to promote functions including homeland security, stabilization of soil and water, and protection against natural disasters. There are 524 protection forests in Taiwan, covering an area of 470,000 hectares. The forests have been planned into different categories according to different functions. There are 11 types of protection forests, including headwater protection forests, erosion control protection forests, drift sand stabilization protection forests, windbreak protection forests, landscape protection forests, tide protection forests, flood control protection forests, fishery protection forests, rock falling prevention protection forests, health protection forests, and nature conservation protection forests. Among them, headwater protection and erosion control protection forests have the widest coverage. Protection forests are valuable forest resources in Taiwan. They can delay the occurrence of natural disasters; protect the safety of our land, life and property; and improve our living environment. Let us get to know and protect these forests which can both protect and safeguard our homeland!
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