Biodiversity Conservation

As introduced by the Yearbook of the Republic of China:

The government of Taiwan has actively promoted nature conservation since the 1980s. In 1981, it enacted the Cultural Heritage Preservation Act, which mandates the creation of a system of nature reserves and designates five species of rare and valuable plants for protection. In 1989, the Wildlife Conservation Act was enacted, classifying 1,955 species of rare fauna into three levels of protection -- "endangered", "rare and valuable", and "requiring conservation measures" -- and prescribing penalties for violations of the law.

The Council of Agriculture (COA) conducts long-term surveys on local plant ecology and mangrove distribution, as well as research on indigenous or migrant species, such as the landlocked salmon, Formosan serow, Formosan macaque, green turtle, and black-faced spoonbill. In 1993, a Wildlife Protection Unit was established under the COA to investigate violations of related laws. The COA continues to coordinate the implementation of the Wildlife Conservation Act at the local government level.

Biodiversity Conservation

Despite its small area, Taiwan is home to approximately 150,000 different forms of life, or 1.5 percent of all life species found on earth. About 30 percent of these are endemic species. In August 2001, the Executive Yuan formulated an action plan to pursue "the conservation of biological diversity, the sustainable use of its components, and the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of the use of genetic resources" as established under the UN Convention on Biological Diversity. This plan calls for the promotion of biosafety, management of alien species, restoration of degraded ecosystems, research on biological diversity and related changes, establishment of protected areas, and preservation of traditional knowledge through the involvement of indigenous peoples and local communities. Increased public awareness and international cooperation are also paramount to the sustainable conservation of biological diversity in Taiwan.