The report “EPGs report overdevelopment of National Forestland in Tianliau, Hsinchu” is indeed a case which demonstrates public-private partnership. The NPA provided the opportunity for EPGs to adopt national non-public use marginal lands (hereinafter referred to as national marginal lands), and, through its cooperation with EPGs and the police, quickly tracked down the perpetrators who caused damage to national lands.
According to the NPA, the main goal is to promote sustainable environmental development, taking into account the large area of national marginal lands, and to enhance the effectiveness of land management. The mechanism for EPGs to adopt national marginal lands was established in 2019, focusing on national marginal lands with rich ecological resources, such as mountains, coasts, wetlands, ponds, etc. The NPA actively promotes the adoption of these lands by EPGs to establish a public-private partnership between the NPA and EPGs. The NPA provides the national marginal lands to EPGs for environmental conservation, and assistance in the regular inspection of the land. Any occupancy or unkempt environment found should be immediately reported to the respective Administration branch office, saving the NPA’s manpower for management, and achieving the goal of sustainable environmental management of national lands.
The NPA also stated that the national land in the Tianliau mountain area of Hsinchu County — Land No. 971, Sec. Tianliau, Hengshan Township, Hsinchu County – was provided to the Society of Wilderness (hereinafter referred to as the SOW) for adoption on April 29, 2022. On January 8, 2023, the society notified the Hsinchu Office of the Central Region Branch (hereinafter referred to as the Hsinchu Office) that the area of the adopted land had been excavated by unknown persons, and the excavated area was expanding. On January 10, the Hsinchu Office, along with the SOW, immediately contacted the Hengshan Police Station of Hsinchu County Police Bureau (hereinafter referred to as Hengshan Police Station) to confirm the current situation. However, the perpetrators were not found on the site, but the Hsinchu Office persistently asked the Hsinchu County Police Bureau to investigate the criminal case of unlawfully occupation, and sent official letters requesting the Hsinchu County Government and the Hengshan Township Office to examine and deal with the case in accordance with the regulations for industry regulatory authority. Later, on January 31, the Hengshan Police Station informed that the identities of the perpetrators were discovered. The Hsinchu Office cooperated in providing the records, and helped the prosecutors and the police during the progress of criminal case investigation afterwards.
The NPA actively promotes the abovementioned adoption mechanism, and introduces private forces to protect national lands through a public-private partnership, which enhances the effectiveness of professional land management. An adoption organization uncovering ongoing damage perpetrated on national land is a real success story in public-private partnership! The NPA has signed 11 adoption contracts with eight EPGs, including the SOW, covering an area of up to 1,941 hectares, and matching 9 financial institutes to sponsor 7 contracted EPGs. On January 16, we witnessed the signing of the environmental declaration by the NPA, EPGs, and banks at the result presentation hosted by Ms. Chuang, Minister of Finance, which was well received by all communities. The NPA continues to promote policies to expand these benefits, and has accepted three new applications from EPGs for adoption (in Taipei City, New Taipei City, and Yilan County), all of which have completed examination and are waiting for the environmental groups to complete the revision of the adoption plan and other related procedures, in accordance with the opinions of the review committee. The signing of the contracts is expected to be completed in early April.
Contact person of the press release: Chou Fu-Chen, Section Chief
Tel.: +886-2-27718121 ext.1211