TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan announced the establishment of its second environmental public trust on Friday (Oct. 25), aiming to protect the natural habitat of species like leopard cats.
The new trust in Nantou County comes more than a decade after the country's first such initiative. It will be managed by the Leopard Cat Association of Taiwan to safeguard a small plot of land behind Zhongxing New Village, per CNA.
Environmental trusts are legal mechanisms designed to protect and manage specific natural areas for the benefit of the public. They involve placing natural resources in the hands of a trustworthy organization for long-term preservation.
The donated land, less than 200 ping (7,120 square meters) in size, was originally intended as a personal retreat by its owner. However, the owner donated it to an ecological organization instead, ensuring its preservation as a wildlife habitat.
Lee Ching-hung (李璟泓), a board member of the Leopard Cat Conservation Association and the trust's trustee, initially expressed doubts about the suitability of such a small piece of land for a public trust. Over three years, observations of rare species like leopard cats, fairy pittas, and pangolins convinced him of its ecological significance.
Lee said that even a small area can significantly impact conservation efforts if properly protected. He urged the public to support land trusts and contribute to environmental preservation.
Taiwan was once home to two endemic species of wild cats, the Formosan clouded leopard and the leopard cat. Taiwan has lost its clouded leopard population, but the leopard cat continues to persist, per Leopardcat.
Leopard cats were once common throughout Taiwan, but their population has decreased dramatically since its widespread distribution in the 1930s and 1940s. Now, they are primarily confined to the low-lying hills between Miaoli and Chiayi.
Since 2008, leopard cats have been classified as critically endangered. Leopard cats have been sighted only in Miaoli, Taichung, and Nantou in recent years.
The establishment of the trust faced challenges, including the land's classification as farmland under the Agricultural Development Act, which restricted private ownership and management. A private individual was ultimately appointed as the trustee.
Leopard cats are endangered in Taiwan, and roadkill incidents are expected to rise further this year, Liu Wei-ting (劉威廷), chair of the Leopard Cat Conservation Association noted. Liu stressed the importance of preserving high-quality habitats for these animals.
