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Environmental Groups Urge Preservation of Ciaotou Forest Area

From Liberty Times · () Chinese

Translated from Chinese, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Environmental groups are calling for the preservation of a 100-hectare forest area at the Ciaotou Sugar Factory.
  • They argue the forest is crucial for cooling cities, storing carbon, and maintaining biodiversity.
  • The groups warn that destroying the forest, planned for development, could create a negative international image of breaking environmental promises.

Environmental organizations are urging the preservation of a significant forest area at the Ciaotou Sugar Factory, emphasizing its role in urban cooling and climate resilience. The call comes as the Kaohsiung City Government plans to develop the over 100-hectare forest for commercial use.

Multiple groups, including the Wild at Heart Ecological Association and the Forest City Association, held a press conference on World Environment Day to advocate for retaining the forest. They highlighted its functions in carbon storage, climate regulation, and biodiversity maintenance. The organizations stressed that urban forests are an economical, nature-based solution to combat rising summer temperatures and the urban heat island effect.

Forests can store carbon, reduce climate risks, and protect biodiversity, and cities should prepare for extreme heat.

— Taiwan Wild at Heart Ecological AssociationReferencing the UN's World Environment Day theme to highlight the importance of forests.

Citing the UN's World Environment Day theme focused on climate change solutions, the groups pointed out that forests are vital for mitigating climate risks and protecting biodiversity. They noted that urban trees can lower ambient temperatures by at least one degree Celsius, with tree-lined streets being significantly cooler than those without shade.

If the government rashly destroys the afforestation from that year, it may give the international community a negative impression of 'promising afforestation and then destroying it'.

— Chuang Chieh-jenChairman of the Forest City Association, warning about the international perception of destroying the forest.

Forest City Association Chairman Chuang Chieh-jen noted that the Ciaotou Sugar Factory's afforestation project was a result of the former President Ma Ying-jeou's "12 Key National Constructions" plan and a response to a 2007 APEC declaration. He warned that destroying these forests after they were established could project a negative international image of breaking environmental commitments.

The activists are also advocating for pedestrian-friendly transportation infrastructure, such as tree-lined sidewalks, as part of their broader vision for sustainable urban environments. They hope the Ciaotou forest will become the first urban forest park in Taiwan, contributing to a more climate-resilient and livable city.

Urban forests are the most economical 'Nature-based Solutions' (NbS) for global climate change and urban high temperatures.

— Chen Hsien-chengStanding Director of the Taiwan Wild at Heart Ecological Association, explaining the benefits of urban forests.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Liberty Times in Chinese. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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