The forestry protection department’s natural carbon sink and biodiversity matching platform has been in operation for 3 years, creating 842 tons of carbon reduction benefits every year.

The Forestry Conservation Service of the Ministry of Agriculture launched the "Natural Carbon Sink and Biodiversity Project Matching Platform" in 2024 to encourage companies to invest in mountain forest natural conservation. In the past three years, it has connected 50 companies to participate in 60 projects, with an investment of more than 100 million yuan, and is estimated to create carbon reduction benefits of 842 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent per year.

As corporate demand for ESG increases, the Forestry Conservation Department has launched a platform for companies to participate in natural forest ecological conservation projects. The platform project covers natural carbon sequestration, biodiversity, forestry culture, mountain forest culture, etc. Lin Huaqing, director of the Forestry Conservation Department, said that so far, the platform has connected 50 companies and facilitated 60 projects, with a cumulative investment of 114.31 million yuan. 68 local communities and 54 professional teams have participated to conserve 12 species of plants and 28 species of animals.

Lin Huaqing said that companies investing in these projects are estimated to create carbon reduction benefits of 842 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent every year. This year, companies are investing in more diverse ways. Instead of giving resources to the community, companies are participating, including TSMC working with a professional afforestation team to promote the transformation of Taichung News Society’s Betel Nut Garden into a sustainable forest and planting 2,600 Taiwanese native tree species, and Federal Bank’s investment in Hualien papaya. Exotic tree species such as Leucaena were removed from the Xigao beach area and native vegetation was rehabilitated, and native nectar tree species were planted along the Gulu Forest Road with the help of the Hanxi community in Yilan. Shenghe Biotechnology established an overseas species conservation base for the thunder frog and created an artificial wetland. Chunghwa Telecom also used AI technology to invest in the Miaoli stone tiger roadkill prevention campaign. Many companies have also invested in the restoration of the Mataian collapse site.

The Forestry Protection Bureau stated that natural carbon sinks and biodiversity require long-term investment and public-private collaboration, and it hopes that more companies will invest together in the future.