Yilan uses AI to find gaps in hillside management and retains Taiwan’s top conservation ranking

Yilan County has retained Taiwan’s top ranking for hillside conservation and management, pairing the award with an expanded use of artificial intelligence in its administrative work.

The Agriculture Ministry’s latest assessment placed Yilan first among counties and cities. Yilan’s water and soil conservation service team also received a performance award for the third time.

The county’s Water Resources Department has launched what it calls “Smart Governance 2.0.” It is digitizing paper records, using large language models to create links among cases, and applying AI to violation reports and conservation applications.

For simplified applications, AI reads PDF forms, flags possible errors and handles much of the initial review. The county says AI assists with about 94% of the process, leaving staff to conduct the remaining 6% of key checks. Officials have also built a GIS dashboard to show case progress and introduced an information system intended to support public participation.

The county’s “AI hillside governance file intelligent assistant” received an award of merit in a national government digital-transformation competition. Yilan also credits cooperation with private professionals and academics. Its water and soil conservation team helps with applications, slope management and on-site technical guidance, while its average service capacity increased 423% over the past three years.

Acting County Magistrate Lin Mao-sheng said Yilan would continue expanding AI, GIS and smart monitoring, while strengthening cooperation among agriculture, tourism and environmental agencies to review hillside development and report violations.