Land management

Categorization and grading of farmland resources

　　In order for the agencies in charge of agricultural administration to get a firm understanding of the situation with respect to farmland resources across Taiwan—a factor which is essential to efficient land use planning—in 2015 the COA continued to assist 15 local governments in categorizing, grading, zoning, and inspecting their farmland. This information and the maps that are based on it need to be continually kept up-to-date.

　　The COA is concurrently continuing to inventory the most important agricultural production areas, based on which we will: (a) define and designate “Agricultural Enterprise Zones” (AEZs); (b) promote the concept of developing agricultural production spaces at the city and county level; and (c) gain a handle on the distribution of areas where we are undertaking production guidance. If we can do these things successfully, policy resources can be committed with optimal effectiveness to the highest-quality agricultural production areas.

　　The results of this process of categorization and grading of farmland are being provided to the Ministry of the Interior, which will incorporate them into regional plans and use them as reference for re-assessment of current land-use zoning and regulation.

Policy measures governing the use and management of farmland

　　In order to assist local governments in their efforts to strengthen farmland management, in 2015 the COA held 11 educational events, including: (i) training programs on farmland management laws and regulations, (ii) meetings with and among local officials to exchange ideas and experiences about their duties, and (iii) legal consultation conferences. These events help local governments to understand and resolve practical problems with their implementation of farmland management policies.

　　At the same time, the COA has expanded the on-site survey functions of the “Agricultural Land Management Information System” App. In 2015 we held 20 training sessions about this information system, in order to assist local governments in doing on-site surveys and inspection work, thereby raising efficiency in case-by-case policy implementation. Finally, in conjunction with law enforcement work by the Ministry of the Interior, local governments are intensifying farmland inspections and sending back seasonal reports to the COA on implementation of farmland management measures. The COA can use this information to improve monitoring, supervision, and assistance in the enforcement of land-use regulations.

　　The COA has also revised land-use policies to accommodate the country’s “Renewable Energy” policy. The first step in this process was to categorize “green energy facilities” (GEFs)—which are defined in the Renewable Energy Development Act as facilities for solar power, wind power, or non-pumped-storage hydropower—as one type of permissible “agricultural facility.” This allows farmers to install GEFs on rooftops under the rubric of “agricultural facilities,” provided they adhere to two conditions: (1) The GEFs are for agricultural uses within the context of the farmer’s operational plan for his or her farm. (2) They do not adversely impact nearby animal or plant life.

　　In addition, we are also making areas that are affected by severe subsidence of the land available for GEFs. If such land is officially declared to be “unsuitable for agricultural cultivation” or “polluted farmland,” then it is permissible to construct GEFs on the surface of such land, even if the GEFs are not themselves for agricultural uses. This makes it possible to productively use land that is nominally zoned for agriculture but which cannot actually be cultivated.

The modified Golden Corridor project

　　In 2012, in conformity with the government’s strategic axis of “Agriculture of Health and Sustainability,” the COA drafted the “Golden Agricultural Corridor Project.” This was designed to make a model high-efficiency agricultural zone on land within a range of 1.5 kilometers on both sides of the high-speed railway as it passes through Changhua and Yunlin counties. However, taking into account the situations of local farmers in the proposed zone as well as limitations on policy resources, the COA had to re-evaluate the project and in 2013 devised the “Modified Golden Agricultural Corridor Proposal and Action Plan.”

　　The new proposal was approved by the Executive Yuan (Cabinet) on December 13 of 2013. At that point the COA immediately launched into collaborative implementation with the Changhua and Yunlin county governments. The project has been continually re-evaluated on a rolling basis, and the implementation schedule is set in accordance with the opinions and needs of local farmers. Each item of the plan is discussed and amended when necessary, and on November 23 of 2015 the COA approved the first set of formal modifications to the project.

　　In 2016 the COA will continue to promote the measures provided for in the proposal while strengthening the mechanisms for assisting local governments. We will pro-actively guide and assist farmers in the Corridor to adopt agricultural methods that require less water in order to reduce their dependence on underground water. At the same time we will protect the rights and interests of farmers, comprehensively energize economic activity among rural industries in the Corridor, and promote diversified development of industries there.

Water management, irrigation, and disaster prevention

　　Water management and irrigation infrastructure (irrigation and drainage channels, aqueducts, and other related technologies to distribute and deliver water) are integral to agricultural development and the well-being of rural residents. Proper water management reduces the chances of both drought and flooding, thereby minimizing economic losses and keeping the supply of food dependable. It makes important contributions to improving the living environment in rural areas, promoting safety and prosperity in rural communities, and contributing to ecological and environmental conservation.

　　In 2015 the COA: (a) renovated or improved 260 kilometers of irrigation and drainage channels; (b) completed 1203 infrastructure items (projects/structures); (c) renovated or improved “water roads” (combined water channels and service roads) on 1148 hectares of “early-phase consolidated farmland”; (d) assisted farmers in installing water-saving equipment, such as spray irrigation and drip irrigation, on 2300 hectares of land; (e) renovated or improved hydrological automatic measuring and reporting systems in 94 locations; and (f) guided local irrigation associations to operate 2360 water-quality monitoring stations and do 38,150 water-quality tests.

　　As a result of these measures, we have been able to pro-actively improve water management hardware facilities and their operating environment, and stay up-to-date on the usage rates and quality of irrigation water. We have been able to ensure a reliable supply of high-quality water, construct mechanisms for management of water use, upgrade the efficiency of irrigation services and water use, uphold the rights and interests of farmers, and improve farm operations. As a result we have upgraded the quality of life in rural communities, promoted production efficiency, and contributed to the prevention or mitigation of natural disasters.

　　Finally, we have been working to upgrade the water delivery systems in COA-designated “consolidated farmland” zones. The “water road” networks (combined water channels and service roads) in these zones—critical to water management and delivery—are aging and dilapidated. We have set aside a special budget for a three-year project (2014-2016) for improvement of the infrastructure in these zones and in 2015 we completed improvements on 317 kilometers of “water roads.”

Conservation of agricultural and other rural resources

Conservation of forest resources and wildlife

　　In order to collect information about the nation’s forests, in 2008 we launched the Fourth Forest Resources and Land Use Inventory. This was completed in 2014. Based on the outcome of the Inventory, in 2015 the COA continued monitoring of 560 permanent plots (sample locations), to create a foundation for carbon storage in national forest. We also initiated a survey of plantation forest to understand the current status of plantation resources. We identified potential sites for development of the lumber industry that meet the following criteria: (1) The site is located in a “timber management area.” (2) The site is accessible by existing logging service roads. (3) The site is of production area. (4) The trees have reached rotation age suitable for logging. In 2015 commercial thinning was conducted on 331 hectares of such land, with production totaling 15,655 cubic meters of lumber.

　　Management of forest resources is based on the precondition of protecting national resources of forest and land. We have continually promoted afforestation, conservation, and effective management of national forest. In 2015 the COA completed afforestation on 2257 hectares of land; reclaimed 1329 hectares of forest land that was being illegally occupied or used; compensated renters to reclaim 437 hectares of rented national forest land (on which we then did afforestation); handled 54 forest fires, covering 59.72 hectares; interdicted 265 violations of the Forestry Act, sending 395 persons to be prosecuted; interdicted 311 violations of the Wildlife Conservation Act, sending 77 persons to be prosecuted; and conducted regular habitat patrols during which rangers removed 753 illegal traps.

　　The COA also continued to work with Indigenous Peoples to patrol forest areas; in 2015 fourteen Aboriginal communities participated. We have also developed a “Micro Camera Remote Monitoring System” to combat illegal activities in the most threatened areas. Finally, the Forestry Bureau of the COA won an award from the Executive Yuan for “outstanding sustainable development plans” (one of the categories in the 2015 Taiwan Sustainable Development Awards) for the COA’s “Forest Protection and Forest Ecosystem Services Promotion Program.”

　　In the interests of sustainable development of resources, the COA has continually promoted nature conservation, protection of wildlife resources, and management of invasive species. In 2015 we undertook evaluations of management of 85 prevention and protected areas, did additional capacity-building where needed, and conducted 8607 patrols of habitat areas. We also: (a) created three terraced-field demonstration zones, which are hotspots for biodiversity; and (b) encouraged local governments to strengthen work on construction of 62.40 hectares of wetlands ecological parks and on restoring biodiversity in park areas.

　　In addition, in 2015 the COA: (a) rescued, sheltered, and/or treated 4688 wild animals; (b) collected data on 338 species of wild animals, done by the “wildlife online forensic center” for the purpose of using digital images to identify protected species for law enforcement (forensic) purposes; (c) handled 88 cases of beached whales and 69 of beached sea turtles; and (d) worked with religious groups to create three special zones for release of captive animals (an action which in Buddhism earns merit). Also the COA’s Endemic Species Research Institute proceeded with a conservation plan for endangered species and ecological systems, building a database of over 80,000 items of data on 304 species.

　　Environmental Education (EE) is also a critical element in conservation of resources. The COA’s Forestry Bureau operates a comprehensive network of eight nature centers. The Bureau has also signed a new extension of five years of its Memorandum of Understanding with the UK’s Field Studies Council, further extending international cooperation in promoting EE. In 2015 we provided more than 100,000 visitors with high-quality environmental learning opportunities. We also held a national conference on nature centers which was attended by more than 200 persons, who discussed strategies to strengthen the content and quality of environmental learning experiences.

　　In 2015, the Jhihben Nature Education Center, the COA’s Soil and Water Conservation Bureau (SWCB), and the Tianpu Rural Regeneration Community in the Yujing District of Tainan (guided by the SWCB) won awards from the 3rd National Environmental Education Awards and were graded as “outstanding” in the evaluation of their EE facilities and venues. The SWCB guides rural communities and “soil-and-water-conservation outdoor classrooms” to apply for certification as “environmental education facilities and venues.” We have already assisted 10 locations (including the aforementioned Tianpu Community as well as Huashan Community in Gukeng Township in Yunlin County) to receive certification. In 2015 the COA also held three core courses with 30 hours of instruction on EE, assisting 21 people to gain certification as full-time EE personnel.

Construction of the National Geographic Information System

　　The COA is responsible for overall planning for the “Natural Resources and Ecological Database Workgroup” (NREDW) of the National Geographic Information System (NGIS). Projects that the NREDW has been promoting include: (a) collection and organization of geo-spatial data on ecological resources; (b) promotion of a standardization system for data; (c) expansion of the platform for the “Aerial Survey Office Taiwan Image Service and Supply System” (ATIS); (d) planning of the “agricultural cloud”; and (e) development and expansion of the functions of sub-systems of the Taiwan Agricultural Land Information System (TALIS). In addition, the Forestry Bureau has continued to maintain the website and integrate bio-diversity data for the NREDW.

　　Other major accomplishments of various units of the COA in 2015 with respect to construction of data systems included the following: (1) We updated 20 kinds of geo-spatial data on the theme of agricultural land use. (2) We organized and collated data on 2000 livestock farms. (3) We constructed 509 1:5000-scale data frames of geo-spatial data on the current status of farming patches in northern Taiwan. (4) We completed maps of the distribution of paddy contract production for the first and second growing seasons of 2015. (5) Total data of ecological surveys reached three million items. (6) We produced 5827 1:5000-scale data frames of orthophotos. (7) We utilized 145,000 items of field-survey data of farmland to interpret the farmland land-cover on 19,200 square kilometers and completed updating of 2102 1:5000-scale data frames of geo-spatial data. (8) We collected 692 nature photographs of wild animals and plants from members of the public. (9) We enlarged the accumulated amount of plant and insect sample-collection spatial-distribution data to 5165 items.

　　Moreover, the COA’s Forestry Bureau and Endemic Species Research Institute started drafting plans for data standards for (respectively) habitats and animal life. The standards are expected to be completed and announced in 2016.

Sustainability and conservation of fisheries resources

　　The COA has been working for many years to strengthen conservation of coastal fisheries resources and the marine life environment. The COA’s Fisheries Agency has adopted a number of regulatory measures that include designating areas where fishing is banned, designating seasons when fishing is banned, setting a maximum number of fishing boats, and setting a maximum total catch. These measures are applied to regulate several types of fishing, including the trawling, gill-netting, larval anchovy, flying-fish roe, mackerel, scad, eel fry, and sea-crab industries.

　　In terms of management of, and law enforcement in, coastal fisheries, in 2015 the COA continued to conduct inspections of fish catches at fishing harbors, assign observers to fishing boats, and interdict illegal fishing. In 2015, the COA’s Fisheries Bureau (using the patrol craft “Yujian No.2”), the Coast Guard Administration, and local governments combined to conduct 184 patrols (330 days) of coastal fisheries.

　　Also, in order to sustain marine bio-diversity and fisheries resources, we continued to release fish fry, buy back and de-commission fishing boats, and clear derelict fishing nets from artificial reefs. In 2015 we: (a) bought back three fishing boats and 32 smaller fishing craft; (b) released 20.09 million fish fry of a variety of species; and (c) cleared 2272.5 kilograms of abandoned fishing nets from nine artificial reefs.

　　The COA also began implementation of the four-year program entitled “Growth of the Blue Economy in Coastal Taiwan,” which was proposed by the Fisheries Agency. Under this plan we selected four locations (Mao’ao Fishing Harbor in Gongliao District, New Taipei City; Longfeng Fishing Harbor in Zhunan Township, Miaoli County; Boziliao Fishing Harbor in Sihu Township, Yunlin County; and Nanliao Fishing Harbor in Mituo District, Kaohsiung City) and conducted large-scale releases of marked fish fry. Species included black seabream, silver seabream, snubnose pompano, mangrove red snapper, and East Asian fourfinger threadfin. A total of over 560,000 marked fish fry were released.

　　The COA has also continued efforts to protect shark resources. In 2008, we acted on our own initiative to prohibit catching of whale sharks. In 2012 we launched measures to prevent “finning” (the practice of catching sharks, cutting off only the fins, and then throwing the remains back in the ocean). In terms of enforcement, in 2015 the authorities inspected 838 fishing boats and discovered 16 violations of shark-related rules.

Protection and management of household pets and stray animals

　　The COA has been working strenuously to ensure the welfare of household pets. Critical policies have included the following: (1) For many years now the COA has been working on pet owners to build up a “lifetime commitment” to their pets and to stop pet abandonment. A pet registration system has been in place since 1999, requiring dog owners to register and implant identity chips in their pets. In 2015 there were 167,722 new dog registrations, bringing the total to 1.6 million. (2) In order to effectively control household pet populations, the COA operates a neutering program in “critical” locations. This involves short-term high-volume neutering in selected areas. In 2015, nationwide 109,358 dogs and cats were neutered under this program.

　　The COA has also been continuously working to resolve the problem of homeless and stray animals by promoting diversified and locality-appropriate measures for adoption of animals from shelters. An online adoption platform with nationwide information about adoptable pets has been established to promote effective communication of adoption information. In 2015, the adoption rate from animal shelters was 69.85%, up from 57.78% in 2014, while the rate of humane euthanasia was 13.74%, down from 26.45% in 2014.

　　On the regulatory front, following amendments to the Animal Protection Act, the COA finalized or amended various complementary regulations including: (i) “Regulations Governing Awards for Reporting Animal Protection Offenses”; (ii) “Regulations for Administration of Care for Labor Dogs of Government Organizations”; (iii) “Regulations for Animal Protection Courses”; and (iv) “Directions to Filing Management Plans on Exemption from Neutering and for Breeding Specific Pets.”

Energy savings, carbon reduction, pollution control,
and recycling at livestock operations

　　The COA has formed a team of specialists and experts to advise livestock farms on how to raise their energy efficiency, upgrade their waste-water treatment technology, and install or improve the effectiveness of pollution-control equipment. In 2015, the team made 630 consultations.

　　Via demonstrations and promotional work, we continued to assist more and more livestock farms to make considerable advances in becoming more environmentally friendly and less polluting. Achievements in 2015 included: (a) switching over to energy-saving lighting at 63 farms; (b) installing biogas-utilization facilities at 4 farms; (c) installing second-stage solid-liquid separators at 23 farms; (d) switching over to red plastic biogas fermentation bags at 48 farms; (e) elimination of anaerobic sludge at 21 farms; (f) switching over to water-saving livestock drinking systems at 15 farms; and (g) installing deodorizing spray equipment at 17 farms.

　　The COA has also put into execution a program to more efficiently dispose of poultry excrement. Under this program, local governments encourage poultry farmers to adopt a self-managed mechanism for handling of excrement, and teach farmers of fruits and vegetables how to compost it for fertilizer. In 2015 the COA helped arrange sales of 4542 metric tons of such fertilizer.

　　Lastly, the COA has continuously strengthened oversight of the disposal of animal carcasses by livestock farms. In 2015 we: (a) conducted a total of 13,329 inspections of the methods used by livestock farms to dispose of carcasses; (b) assisted in the signing of contracts between livestock farms and rendering plants; and (c) provided services to farms in remote areas to handle and transport animal carcasses.

Disaster-preparedness and response mechanisms

　　In 2015, the main accomplishments in this area included the following: (1) We constructed an agricultural disaster-prevention database which can interface in real time with flood data and weather forecasting data to provide farmers with an integrated information platform they can consult to prepare for and respond to natural disasters. (2) We analyzed the relationship between flooding events and agricultural losses, constructing a systematic list of factors that determine the impact of flooding. (3) We proposed a disaster-risk analytical methodology (including flood tolerance and loss curves) and created flood-risk maps for areas producing paddy rice, scallions, and short-term leafy vegetables, as well as areas with livestock ranches; we also proposed a disaster-response mechanism for these specialized areas. (4) We expanded the functions of the “comprehensive agricultural disaster-prevention information platform” to include multi-layer image spatial information that users can access and search for graded levels of management. (5) We provided agricultural flood-risk maps and images from the disaster-preparedness database to the “agricultural flood warning system,” thereby upgrading the ability of the agricultural sector to respond to flooding.

Integrated management of mountain and river-basin areas

Integrated management and disaster preparedness in mountain areas

● The COA has continually worked to manage mountain areas; minimize landslides, sediment accumulation, and other risks; and conserve soil and water resources. Major work in 2015 included 567 projects related to: (a) conservation and management of major reservoir catchment areas; (b) preventive measures against, and emergency responses to, landslides, concurrent with maintenance of land-management infrastructure projects; (c) measures to manage and conserve regional soil and water resources and construct green environments; (d) management of areas delineated as “designated water and soil conservation areas.” We stabilized an estimated 8.70 million cubic meters of land.

● We also conducted 39 research projects related to: (i) surveying, mapping, and planning of watershed areas, (ii) monitoring and analysis of movement and shifting of soil, and (iii) upgrading of technology for managing mountain areas and preventing or preparing for disasters.

● The COA also continued our long-standing efforts to improve emergency-use rural roads, starting with those most urgently in need of upgrading. We strengthened soil-and-water infrastructure, braced slopes for greater stability, improved road drainage, and verified that the ground underlying the roads will remain stable and the roads passable in the event of an emergency. It is essential to do whatever we can to prevent landslides, collapses, and debris flow that can threaten the safety of residents of mountain and slopeland areas. In 2015 we oversaw 440 engineering projects and improved about 230 kilometers of road.

● Another essential task of the COA is to maintain overall preparedness for landslide (debris flow) disasters in rural areas. The COA maintains and publicizes a list of waterway areas that pose the highest risk of debris-flow disasters. In 2015 there were 1673 potential debris-flow torrents (two new torrents were added), spread across 17 counties and cities, 159 townships, and 684 villages. We also keep lists of residents (a total of 48,116 people in 2015) within reach of debris flow and landslides in 582 villages.

● To upgrade response capabilities at the local level, in 2015 we: (a) conducted 34 evacuation drills; (b) held 243 informational and educational activities; (c) trained 2505 volunteer specialists to do preparedness work in their communities; and (d) continued to encourage the creation of more community organizations that can function independently if disaster temporarily cuts them off from help (we helped 60 locales in 2015). In addition, the COA has continually upgraded landslide (debris-flow) monitoring technology, and as of the end of 2015, we had constructed 60 debris-flow monitoring stations (40 fixed, 3 mobile, and 17 simplified).

Management of the Tsengwen, Nanhua, and Wutoushan reservoirs

● In managing slopeland within the catchment areas of our nation’s key reservoirs, we continued to pursue two main tasks: management of natural waterways and handling of collapsed land. In 2015, we budgeted NT$200 million to undertake 36 projects to prevent sedimentation and to stabilize slopeland. Using multi-scale monitoring technology, we are able to evaluate progress in this policy area, and in 2015 we recorded a total of 336.8 hectares of restored vegetation/forest area on slopeland in reservoir catchment areas, and stabilized a total volume of 6.95 million cubic meters of soil and potential sediment.

● Another two work items are land management and watershed conservation in national forest compartments. Major tasks include reclaiming (with compensation) national forest land that had been rented out, managing natural waterways, dealing with collapsed forest land, and afforestation. Original targets for 2015 called for reclaiming 37.5 hectares of rented land and completing management work in 10 watershed areas. In 2015 actual results were as follows: (1) We reclaimed 37.75 hectares of rented land. (2) We conducted work in 31 locations to manage waterways, deal with collapsed land, and do afforestation. (3) We replanted 30.45 hectares of forest land that had collapsed. (4) We stabilized about 628,600 cubic meters of potential sediment. (5) Expenditures were NT$139 million.

Management of river basins

● One critical task in river basin areas is to ensure proper drainage of farmland. As of the end of 2015 the COA had assisted seven local irrigation associations (Yilan, Miaoli, Nantou, Changhua, Yunlin, Chia-nan, and Pingtung) to do 35 farmland drainage improvement projects. A total of 24.3 kilometers of drainage channels and 25 structures were upgraded. In 2015 we also provided subsidies to the Changhua and Yunlin county governments to survey approximately 100,000 agricultural wells. These measures are expected to reduce the flooding problems on 4000 hectares of flood-prone (high inundation) land.

● In 2015 the COA also undertook: (a) soil and water conservation in upstream slopeland along rivers as well as regional drainage within the jurisdiction of local governments (municipalities, counties, and cities) that come within the scope of the comprehensive river-basin management plan; and (b) watershed management and flood control in 55 Aboriginal townships. For the first phase of these projects (2014-2015), the budget is NT$2.8 billion, of which spending for the 2015 fiscal year was NT$1.8 billion. We executed 347 watershed conservation and management engineering projects, effectively stabilizing 2.04 million cubic meters of soil.

● Other items in the comprehensive river-basin management plan include management of natural waterways and collapsed land in national forest in Aboriginal townships. For the first phase (2014-2015) the initial targets were set at completion of 65 projects involving mountain management and flood control, handling of 38 hectares of collapsed land, and stabilization of 1.2 million cubic meters of slopeland. Actual results were as follows: 72 projects were completed; about 51.10 hectares of collapsed were dealt with; and about 1.337 million cubic meters of soil was stabilized. These projects have had a very positive effect in terms of reducing the risk of landslides, curtailed the impact of flooding, and accelerated the recovery of water and soil resources in mountain slopeland after natural disasters.

● Aquaculture also is taken into account in the river basin management plan. During the first phase (2014-2015), the COA: (a) completed testing and inspection of 45,000 meters of water channels on about 8500 hectares of aquaculture land; (b) mapped out seawater delivery facilities in eight locations; and (c) announced regulations governing subsidies for raising of the height of aquaculture-pond dikes and for water circulation facilities. The completion of these projects should improve about 18,000 meters of drainage channels; raise protection standards over 1050 hectares; and increase the size of aquaculture areas drawing seawater by 18 hectares.

● Another item in the overall management of river basins is special measures for protection of staple crops in some river-basin areas. This is divided into two work items: (i) engineering projects, and (ii) reduction of adverse impacts on agriculture. For the first phase (2014-2015), we selected five major vegetable producing regions: Sanxing Township in Yilan County, Xiluo and Erlun townships in Yunlin County, Xingang Township in Chiayi County, and Ziguan Township in Kaohsiung. We anticipate guiding the installation of vegetable production facilities (or equipment) and disaster mitigaton facilities (or equipment) on over 92 hectares. In terms of engineering projects, there are seven projects to deal with farmland drainage bottlenecks, improving about 8.2 kilometers of drainage channels, and reducing inundation problems over 306 hectares of vegetable production districts.

Dredging of waterways

● As a result of the loosening of the rocks and soil in mountain areas produced by the massive “921” earthquake of 1999, and of further destabilization caused over the years by several severe typhoons with extraordinarily heavy rains (the worst being Typhoon Morakot of August of 2009), land has collapsed in a large number of forest compartments in upstream watershed areas of rivers in central and southern Taiwan. The rock and soil that has been washed down has created serious sedimentation in these unprotected natural waterways. In 2015 the COA’s Soil and Water Conservation Bureau continued long-term operations to restore unobstructed flow in these waterways and reduce risks to life and property. We conducted 123 waterway dredging projects, clearing away 5.821 million cubic meters of rock and soil.

● The COA has also continued to deal concurrently with dredging of sediment in natural waterways in national forest areas using specific strategies as detailed in the “Program to Strengthen Dredging of Rivers, Wild Streams, and Reservoirs.” We have given priority to waterway management and handling of collapsed land at bottleneck sections of waterways or those areas where flooding could present a threat to infrastructure or local Aboriginal communities. Timing is critical for these high-risk locations, so we have followed the principle “clear the right places, clear at the right times,” and we stay fully up-to-date on the progress of all projects. In 2015, our target volume was one million cubic meters, while the actual total dredged was 1.633 million cubic meters, well in excess of the target.

Disaster preparedness and prevention in watersheds in national forest

　　Disaster preparedness and prevention work in national forest areas focuses on watersheds as the unit of management, and is conducted on the basis of (i) surveys of collapsed land in state-owned forest areas and (ii) risk assessments in watershed areas. Also, when necessary we implement emergency response projects to deal with damage caused by typhoons.

　　In 2015 the COA budgeted NT$821 million for 193 projects involving: (a) stabilization of collapsed land in upstream national forest areas; (b) sediment control infrastructure; and (c) repair work and emergency-response actions. We handled 107.4 hectares of landslide areas, conducted road maintenance and slopeland retention work on 136 kilometers of forestry access roads, and checked the downward flow of an estimated 3.705 million cubic meters of sediment. Our consistent goal has always been to protect national forest against natural disasters, and to restore national forest areas as fast as possible if disasters do occur, thereby fulfilling our overall mission of conserving national forest land.

Slopeland monitoring and management

● The COA classifies slopeland into various categories and sets restrictions on what agricultural uses are allowed in specific locations. In 2015 we completed surveying and classification on 6250 hectares. We adopt long-term plans for managing locations where there is an urgent need for stabilizing soil and water resources, which are known as “designated water-and-soil conservation areas” (DWSCAs). So far 10 conservation projects have been completed in such areas. We have also conducted surveys and evaluations of 114 waterways with high risk of debris flow in DWSCAs, publicly announced two new debris-flow DWSCAs, approved comprehensive assessments of long-term water-and-soil conservation plans for two DWSCAs, and constructed a DSWCA system in one location.

● In cases where development of slopeland is allowed, the COA must approve soil-and-water conservation plans (including “simplified notifications”). In 2015 there were 4714 approvals and we did 2019 inspections of ongoing projects that use slopeland. Also in 2015: (1) Using satellite remote-sensing imaging, we discovered transformations of slopeland in 3742 cases. (2) We conducted investigations into and forced a halt to illegal use of slopeland in 2311 cases (with fines totaling NT$144.64 million and persons turned over to the judicial system in 130 cases). (c) We provided guidance to local governments in creating “soil-and-water conservation service teams,” which provided service to citizens in 4746 cases. (d) We continued to work to educate the public about the importance of obeying the relevant laws to ensure that development and use of mountain slopeland is done safely.

Implementing the National Adaptation Programs of Action for Climate Change and reducing greenhouse gas emissions

　　The COA is taking two general directions in response to climate change: “Adaptations” and “Mitigations.” The Executive Yuan (executive branch) of the Government of Taiwan has already approved two policy frameworks: the "National Adaptation Strategy to Climate Change" in 2012 and the “National Adaptation Programs of Action for Climate Change” in 2014. The COA has in turn produced 43 specific action plans to protect agricultural production and biodiversity. We have also continually studied and analyzed the current and potential impacts of climate change and proposed and implemented Adaptation strategies to cope with these challenges.

　　In addition, the COA is also focusing on reducing emissions of greenhouse gases. Several important proposed factors go into our strategic calculations. First, the Environmental Protection Administration has produced statistical calculations of emissions from the agricultural sector and target contributions to overall emissions reductions from this sector. We also take into account Taiwan’s 2015 “Greenhouse Gas Reduction and Management Act” as well as the “Paris Agreement” of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. With these as the backdrop, in 2015 the COA continued to promote: (i) organic farming, (ii) upgrading of the efficiency of agricultural facilities and equipment, (iii) more afforestation and nurturing of forest areas, (iv) reductions in the volume of greenhouse gas emissions, (v) increasing the “carbon sink” effect of forests, and (vi) efforts to ensure that rural development is ecologically sustainable.