Facing the globalization, liberalization, and knowledge-based economy of the 21 ^st century, the management of Taiwanese forestry is geared to provide habitats for wildlife, to maintain biodiversity, and to establish the milieu for the development of in-place leisure-related enterprises and regeneration of green resources . The effort, based on the principle of sustainable development of the environment, is also to protect the land and conserve the water.

1. Construction of green corridor

The green corridor is a groundbreaking initiative for generating a green redevelopment of land and forestry resources, and creating a quality environment. The overall goal is to: (1) revitalize rural environment; (2) develop sustainable forestry; (3) increase Taiwan's green restoration rate; (4) establish the ecotourism network that is comprehensive and user-friendly; and (5) present Taiwan to the world as Ilha Formosa (beautiful island in Portugese).

1) The COA is fully engaged in reforestation of the plains and coastal areas to create green belts. Supported by the governmental incentives, the farmers and agricultural entrepreneurs were encouraged to reforest the fallowed farmland in order to generate green resources in the plain areas. Efforts were also taken for vegetation recovery of the coastal windbreak forest in order to improve the coastal areas’ natural landscape. The overall goal is to render the general public with opportunities for ecotourism and environmental education, as well as to create the milieu for developing in-place leisure-related enterprises and regenerating green resources. So far, reforestation efforts in the plain areas have reached 461 hectares, in the forest gardens 266 hectares, and the coastal windbreak forest 76 hectares. In total, the reforestation efforts reached 803 hectares.

2) The national trail system has been established. The system is to promote connecting people to natural environment and improve their quality of life. For this, the COA has completed restoration of 120 km of exiting national forest trails and 43 signpost construction projects, mobilized foster programs for 34 sections of the trails, and published eight issues of e-news on national trails. Furthermore, more than 3.6 million people have participated in various nation-wide seminars, training workshops, and hiking trails clean-up drives.

2. Sustainable management of forestry

1) About 60% of land area in Taiwan is covered with forest. Thus, the sustainable management of forest resources is paramount for national development. The efforts have been focused on the maintenance of proper forest canopy and the protection of watershed areas. Based on the guidance on the management of forest ecology, the reforestation efforts focused on fire-slashed, avalanched or bare areas. A total of 535 hectares of deteriorated areas were reforested. Preventive measures for forest fires, illegal logging, and excessive crop cultivation were implemented. About 180,000 monitoring visits were taken. In the past year, 66 cases of illegal logging and 39 cases of excessive cultivation were intercepted, and 31 cases of forest fire avoided or extinguished.

2) To nurture forest resources, the effort has been focused on tending during the establishment. Plantation's late stand tending to increase stand stocking rate for carbon sequestration has been reinforced in the forested land that was sub-divided as the timber management areas. Furthermore, to diversify plantations for wildlife habitats, conservation of land and water resources, reduction of disease and insect infestation, and prevention of forest fire hazard, stepwise approaches of mixed reforestation and multi-storied stand establishment were taken. So far, a total of 12,587 hectares of plantation have been tended.

3. Maintenance of biodiversity

1) The COA, in collaboration with Academia Sinica and 22 other governmental agencies, has moved forward the government's biodiversity promotion program and has completed 38 project activities. Significant achievements include the establishment of Taiwan Biodiversity Information Facility (TaiBIF) and National Node of GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility). Both facilitate an integration of Taiwan's biodiversity information. TaiBIF is maintaining lists of 691 experts and 46,552 species, geographical information, literatures and publications, etc. The COA also has implemented 34 education program activities on biodiversity, and supported 58 extension projects on the environmental education of biodiversity. Moreover, 7,108 vegetation spots were surveyed and 701 vegetation maps drafted. The COA has also created a new field on "ecological engineering and biodiversity" and implemented various related science and technology projects. With the COA's support, a comprehensive scientific volume on the genetic diversity of Taiwan's wildlife and biodiversity conservation was published in 2006.

2) Taiwan's forest reserve system was re-evaluated. After thorough examination, six forest reserves were installed. They include Syueba Forest Reserve, Jiahsian Sihde Fossil Reserve, Shihbaluohanshan Forest Reserve, Coastal Range Taitung Cycas Reserve, Guanshan Formosan Date Palm Reserve, and Dawu Taiwan Keteleeria Reserve. In addition, the survey of major wildlife habitats in Sihcao, Tainan City was completed, and the conservation plan for Tainan City Sihcao Wildlife Refuge approved. An invasive weed, mile-a-minute ( Mikania micrantha) originated from South America, that infested 243 hectares of land was eliminated. In the past year, the Ministry of the Interior, in collaboration with the COA, has designated 23 places in a total land area of 35,000 hectares as major wetland areas. A panel consisting of experts from different sectors will later categorize them into world-class, state-level, and general level of wetlands.

3) The COA has assisted eight county governments to establish aquatic resource reserves and non-fishing artificial reef. Other completed activities include: (1) survey of 24 fishery resource protection areas for their status of fishery resources and eco-environment; (2) scuttling of abandoned boats and power cement poles as artificial reef; (3) purchase of fishing rafts; (4) release of 8 million fish fry; and (5) stipulating fishing quota of 30 whale sharks for 2007. Besides, the COA-affiliated Taiwan Fisheries Research Institute is conducting research on the culture of spotted Babylon shell ( Babylonia areolata), rock flagtail ( Kuhlia rupestris ), and white culter ( Culter alburnus).