Over the past five years, the Forestry Bureau has worked with indigenous tribes to crack 37 illegal logging cases with good results. Today, it partners with four university mountaineering clubs, providing them with equipment subsidies and assistance in reporting illegal logger activities. The top reward is NT$3 million, and the public can also sign up.

The Council of Agriculture’s Forestry Bureau today held a press conference titled “First Recruitment of Forest Patrol Volunteers and Alliance with Mountaineering Groups – The Public Jointly Protects Forests.”

At the event, the Forestry Bureau unveiled for the first time “high-risk areas for illegal logging in state-owned forests,” distributed across seven counties and cities, including: Taiping Mountain area in Datong Township, and Nanao Mountain area in Nanao Township, both in Yilan County; mountain areas in Nanzhuang Township and Mabihuo Tribe area in Tai’an Township, Miaoli County; Shanlinxi Asaping Forest Road and Luku Mountain in Zhushan Township, Nantou County; Qianren Cave in Fengshan Village and Alishan area in Alishan Township, Chiayi County.

As well as Qishan River and mountain areas in Namasia District, Kaohsiung City; Hongshi Forest Road in Guanshan Township and Yongkang Mountain area in Luoyi Township, Taitung County; as well as Zhongping area in Yuli Township and Yongfeng Mountain area in Fuli Township, Hualien County.

Lin Hua-ching, Director of the Forestry Bureau, said that in the past, such data was not made public due to concerns about negative effects. In reality, making it public can attract more people to help protect the forests. Over the past five years, the Forestry Bureau has worked with 20 indigenous tribes and communities, cracking 37 illegal logging cases through community reports. Among them, the Liyiga Community Development Association in Taitung County has performed excellently in reporting illegal logging and was awarded the Executive Yuan’s “Sustainable Development Award.”

Making good use of civilian power, he said the Forestry Bureau is further expanding cooperation with social forces by recruiting four universities (Yilan, Tzu Chi, Chung Hsing, and Chiayi) for the first time to participate in the “University Mountaineering Club Collaborative Forest Protection Patrol Program.” Each year, they can receive up to NT$150,000 in patrol subsidy allowances.

Li, a member of Yilan University’s mountaineering club, said they will use GPS to locate suspicious sites on-site and provide the Forestry Bureau with information such as location data, photos, and routes. However, their personal identities will not be disclosed, nor will they have direct contact with illegal loggers — an arrangement acceptable to all club members.

Lin Hua-ching also said that anyone aged 18 to 65, with at least a high school diploma or above, in good physical and mental health, and with enthusiasm and interest in forestry and conservation work, can sign up with the local forest district office. After completing training and passing evaluations to obtain volunteer status, they can join in protecting the forests.

Lin Hua-ching said that for each case of illegal logging reported and caught, the top reward is NT$50,000. After the case is prosecuted by a prosecutor, an additional reward of up to NT$3 million — equivalent to one-tenth of the value of the stolen timber — can be issued, minus the previously given NT$50,000. This amount is better than the pay for being an illegal logger’s porter, and porters are also welcome to report. Related information is published on the Forestry Bureau’s official website and Facebook page.

The Forestry Bureau added that Article 52 of the “Forest Law,” amended in 2015, allows prosecutors to request reduced sentences or acquittal for illegal loggers who cooperate under the “turncoat clause.” 1060216

(Central News Agency)