Taiwan should introduce a more sustainable forestry plan, according to researchers attending a workshop in Nantou.
The “Managing Forest Plantations for Biodiversity Conservation” workshop, held at the Lienhuachih Research Centre, heard that Taiwan needed to change its current planting policies of growing large diameter trees with a high timber value to a programme that would meet sustainable development criteria.
The director of the centre, part of the Taiwan Forestry Research Institute, said existing plantations should be managed to take into account the impact of climate change and the threat of biodiversity loss.
He said Taiwan’s entry into the World Trade Organisation, coupled with the Kyoto Protocol taking effect in February, could mean increased pressure on the country due to its heavy reliance on importing timber and wood products.
