For the handling of national non-public use land, the National Property Administration (NPA) has always prioritized environmental conservation and adhered to the principle of public land for public use. Recently, the media reported that the Quercus (oak) forest in the Anshuo area, Daren Township, Taitung County (hereinafter referred to as the Anshuo area) was gradually eradicated and developed into ginger fields. In response to the logging of the oak forest for the development of ginger fields, the NPA prioritized the transfer of such national non-public use land to the Forestry Bureau, Council of Agriculture, Executive Yuan (hereinafter referred to as the Forestry Bureau) in collaboration with the Executive Yuan’s “Unitization of forestry and forest administration” policy in order to protect precious local tree species. Suspension of acceptance of national land for lease (leasing) and lessees’ applications for logging takes effect immediately. Environmental protection groups are encouraged to adopt such land to join hands in the protection of the rare and valuable oak forest.

    According to the NPA, in collaboration with the Executive Yuan’s “Unitization of forestry and forest administration” policy, it has been transferring the management of national forests to the Forestry Bureau since 2005 in accordance with the “The Project Plan of the Transfer of National Forest Managed by the National Property Administration, Ministry of Finance to the Forestry Bureau for the Forestry Bureau to take over the land” (hereinafter referred to as the Forest Transfer Plan) approved by the Executive Yuan. Due to practical requirements, after negotiating with the Forestry Bureau, and in response to the supplementary practical guidelines for the Forest Transfer Plan stipulated by the Forestry Bureau on January 16, 2023, the transfer will be continued after the stipulation of the supplemental guidelines. Most of the national non-public use land managed by the NPA in the Anshuo area lies in the categories of Forestry Lands and the Farming and Grazing Lands of the Slope Conservation Zone. Some have been leased according to the law. The NPA will transfer land within the area that meets the criteria of the aforementioned transfer guidelines to the Forestry Bureau for the takeover. The rest of the land will be entrusted to the Forestry Bureau for evaluation in accordance with the overall forestry and conservation planning. Those required for public services or public needs will be appropriated in accordance with the stipulations in Article 38 of the National Property Act. During the process of management transfer to the Forestry Bureau or during the Bureau’s appropriation evaluation period, acceptance of national land for lease (leasing) and applications cases for logging made by lessees of national reforestation areas in accordance with the Forestry Act and the Regulations Governing Disposition of Forest Products of State-owned Forests will be suspended.

    The NPA further stated that, in order to improve the management efficiency of national non-public use marginal land and to achieve sustainable environmental management, it has stipulated “The Directions for Provision of National Non-public Use Marginal Land for Adoption for Environmental Protection Purposes.” It provided national non-public use land in slopeland, areas recognized by related competent authorities as environmentally sensitive areas, or areas where ecological conservation is necessary, to environmental protection groups for adoption. The public-private cooperation allows the parties involved to join hands in the promotion of efficiency in environmental protection. If the aforementioned land in the Anshuo area will not be used for forestry, public service, or public use purposes as evaluated by the Forestry Bureau, and if an environmental protection group is willing to adopt the land, such environmental protection group may, in accordance with the aforementioned Directions, submit applications to the Southern Region Branch, NPA with an Adoption Plan attached.

Contact person of the press release: You Shu-Man, Section Chief

Tel.: +886-2-27718121 ext.1211