Satoyama Initiative
- ◆ An Overview on the Satoyama Initiative
- ◆ International Partnership
- ◆ Satoyama Initiative in Taiwan
Taiwan Ecological Network
Taiwan Ecological Network
◆ Green Conservation Labels
The Forestry Bureau C.O.A cooperated with the Tse-Xin Organic Agriculture Foundation to produce Green Conservation Labels. The Green Conservation Label, or Green Label for short, is a certification for agricultural products that not only assures consumers that the products were grown safely but also in a way that preserves the environment and habitats during the production process. The system aims to find a win-win situation for both agricultural economic activities and ecological conservation. The development of the Green Conservation Labels encompasses both economic production and ecological conservation. Farmers who wish to receive this certification must not apply chemical synthetic pesticides, chemical fertilizers, herbicides, or materials that are harmful to the environment or harm protected or endangered species. In the case of Guantian, Tainan, it was not possible to switch directly to organic farming. Therefore, the Tse-Xin Organic Agriculture Foundation turned to the development of friendly farming, an operational model that emphasizes environmental protection and the value of farmers' production.
There are two categories of Green Conservation Label applications: one is for species and the other is for habitat creations. If any of the categories of conservation animals, rare species, momentous species, or indicator species are present in the agricultural production area, farmers are eligible to apply for this species category. To expand the scope of application, farmers can apply for the habitat creation category if they have created three types of environments around their farmland that are suitable for animal habitats, including water habitats, land habitats, and diverse habitats. Farmers can choose one of the above seven categories to apply for the Green Conservation Label. The Green Conservation Label is based on the balance between ecology and agriculture. The Tse-Xin Organic Agriculture Foundation attaches great importance to the farmers' production side and tries its best to maintain the producers' original plan and ensure a certain quality of farmers’ lives.
As of January 31, 2023, a total of 474 farmers and 745.9364 hectares of land have been conserved for 42 species, including wildlife such as Formosan Reeve's muntjacs, Leopard Cats, Formosan pangolins, ring-necked pheasants, and emerald tree frogs. The number of cases for habitat conservation is 273. Through the system of the Green Conservation Labels, the government and the foundation hope to maintain soil and water resources, ecological environment, and biodiversity, and to promote a friendly agricultural environment and sustainable use of resources. The goal is to achieve the vision of an ecological green network which echoes the national ecological network where everything can coexist and share a clean and beautiful environment. Eventually, people in Taiwan can achieve environmental and agricultural sustainability.