IPSI Case Study Summary Sheet
Basic Information
Title of case study
Submitting IPSI
member organization

Promoting Under-Forest Economy under the concept of Satoyama Initiative:
A Case Study of Wutai Township, Pingtung County, Chinese Taipei
National Pingtung University of Science and Technology (NPUST)IPSI members: Forestry Bureau, Council of Agriculture, Executive Yuan, ChineseTaipei
Other contributing
Non-members: Ministry of Education, Chinese Taipeiorganization
National Dong-Hwa University (NDHU), Chinese Taipei
Taiwan Forestry Research Institute, Council of Agriculture, Executive
Yuan, Chinese Taipei
Authors andDr. Meihui Chen, Professor, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology,
affiliations
Chinese Taipei, corresponding author
Format of case study Manuscript
Language
EnglishKeywords
Community forestry, Under-Forest Economy, Ecotourism, Collaborative management
Date of submission
31 Dec 2018
Web link
http://mportal.npust.edu.tw/bin/home.php?Lang=en
Geographical Information
Country
Chinese Taipei
Location
Wutai Township, Pingtung County, Chinese Taipei
Longitude/latitude or Google Maps link https://goo.gl/maps/H5nbSmTkGmP2
Ecosystem(s)Forestx
Grassland
Agriculturalx
In-land water
CoastalDryland
MountainxUrban/peri-urban
Other
Socioeconomic and environmental characteristics of the area
Wutai Township (Vedai in the Rukai language) has a total area of roughly 280 square kilometers, with anaverage elevation of more than 1,000 meters, and the forest coverage is nearly 98%. There is no railway or
highway system cutting in the territory, and there is no large-scale development and construction, thus
maintaining the most complete traditional aboriginal areas. According to official statistics from 2018, thepopulation of Wutai Township is about 3,400. The main ethnic group is the Taiwanese aborigines, the Rukai,accounting for 99%. Wutai is the center of the Rukai ethnic group culture in Taiwan.
Description of human-nature interactions in the area
Wutai Township, except for some of the Aboriginal reservations, is mostly a national forest. The surrounding
environment is an ecosystem consisting of secondary forests connecting agricultural land and streams, a diverse
and rich habitat, and a variety of natural resources. It is a hunting ground for tribal traditions. At present, mostof the traditional crops such as millet, red quinoa, taro, and peas, and conduct small family-style breeding ofmountain pigs, chickens or hunt for survival.
Contents
StatusRationale

Ongoing

Period2009 to present

Taiwan is 60% forest, and its natural environment is rich and varied. The areas surrounding forests are often
weak in economic activity and are marginalized. Nowadays, under the influence of extreme climate change andsevere population migration, how to maintain living conditions, preserve traditional knowledge, and encourage
young people to return home is a very important issue. The "Under-Forest Economy", which replaces
deforestation with the development of forest by-products, is an important strategy that has been promoted by
the Taiwan government in recent years to aid the local area’s cultural. social and economic development.
Objectives

In order to help the Rukai people in Wutai Township, the research team and the Rukai people work together topromote the under-forest economy, marketing and selling eco-friendly agricultural and livestock products. The
objectives of the project are as follows:
1. Guide the growing method for under-forest crops and encourage young people to join the under-forest
cultivation and farming work.
2. Develop eco-tourism and environmental education programs, such as tribal study tours, farmers' markets,
and working holidays.
3. Strengthen the competitiveness of Wutai agricultural and livestock products.
Activities and/or practices employed
We collaborate with government, teachers and students of NPUST from different departments to develop theinterdisciplinary talent education and six-grade industry of the communities, including growing forest produce(primary sector), manufacturing and food processing: (secondary sector) and foodservice and marketing(tertiary sector). We have devoted ourselves to promoting the forest ecotourism, environmental education andunder-forest economy with tribal people over the long term, aiming to create a forest environmentally
sustainable system. We promote the forest beekeeping which plays an important role in maintaining the healthof ecosystems. Forest beekeeping can not only maintain the delicate balance of the forest ecosystem, but alsosustain the plant biodiversity of the forest. We also raise bees in several forest areas to harvest diverse
Taiwanese flavors honey. In addition, we use different kinds of woods to cultivate various shapes and flavorsof woodland mushrooms. We also take agricultural waste and mycelium to make Mushroom Grow Bags. Theseactivities fulfil the dual purpose of practicing circular economy and Satoyama Initiative. At present, the concept
of under-forest economy has been promoted and developed to Wutai Township. Tribal produces, such as
Labuwan Forest Chicken, Labuwan Fresh Eggs, Angelica, Labuwan Fresh Mushrooms, are successful sold on
the market and was very beneficial to the environment and economy of local communities.
Results
Through the maintenance of farming and the development of the economy under the forest, Wutai Townshiprebuilds the self-sufficient lifestyle of the tribe. At present, when a moderate typhoon strikes, the tribe canalready have enough food to live in peace if the road outside the city is interrupted, and there is no need toevacuate. This is especially in response to one of the actions of the Satoyama initiative, which has made thetribe more resilient. Through the research and development of the academic circle, the team plans the economicand environmental education plan of the tribe under the forest, combines the local eco-tourism and handles therelevant under-forest economic workshops, promotes the forest economy under the Wutai Township, and lets
the outside world understand its value.
Lessons learned
The Satoyama Initiative emphasizes the connection between residents and the land, through the revitalization of
traditional ecological knowledge, and learning contemporary natural resource management methods (ecologicalsurveys, monitoring) to ensure the sustainability of resource use and create a better model of forest governance.
This knowledge and technologies can not only protect the environment inside the tribe, but also expand andapply to the communities around the state-owned forest land and give back to the practical work of Taiwan's
collaborative forest management.
Key messages
The project focuses on interdisciplinary knowledge and integration, from the under-forest cultivation,
environmental friendly production to building a forest brand. We believe that only with the most effort in every
detail, from the production to marketing, will the forest industry last forever, and the young population have theconfidence to return home.
Relationship to other IPSI activities
NoneFunding
We are supported by Forestry Bureau, Council of Agriculture, Executive Yuan and University Social
Responsibility Project of Ministry of Education, Chinese Taipei.

Contributions to Global Agendas
CBD Aichi Biodiversity Targets (https://www.cbd.int/sp/targets/)
The table below shows based on the self-evaluation by author(s).  and  indicates the “direct” or “indirect” contributions tothe CBD’s Aichi Biodiversity Targets respectively to which the work described in this case study contributes to.
Strategic Goal A
Strategic Goal BStrategic Goal C

Strategic Goal D

Strategic Goal E

UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) (https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/sdgs)
The table below shows based on the self-evaluation by author(s).  and  indicates the “direct” or “indirect” contributions tothe SDGs respectively to which the work described in this case study contributes to.
