TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency announced major revisions to its reforestation program on Tuesday.

Agriculture Minister Chen Chun-chi (陳駿季) said forests are a strategic asset for Taiwan. He noted that past forest policies often clashed with Indigenous communities, but joint management in recent years has resolved many disputes, per CNA.

FNCA Director General Lin Hwa-ching (林華慶) said the “Regulations of Rewards and Assistance in Reforestation” have remained largely unchanged for over 18 years. Updating the rules on species selection, incentive duration, payments, and reforestation locations will help the government reach its targets, he said.

So far, more than 5,700 hectares of hillside land have been reforested, enhancing forest security and greening, according to Lin. However, he said the original 20-year incentive period was too long, with payments mainly tied to forest survival rates.

Under the new program, subsidies will award NT$500,000 (US$16,600) per hectare in the sixth year, with bonuses raising the total to as much as NT$600,000 per hectare.

The revised plan also distinguishes between “protected forests” and “forests for agroforestry.” Incentives will support goals such as timber production, ecological preservation, forest-based economic development, and forest healing.

Lin said FNCA annually evaluates crops suitable for forest-based economies, first assessing profitability and then compatibility with forest conditions. Crops requiring strong sunlight are excluded, and cultivation must remain eco-friendly.

Current examples include beekeeping, shiitake mushroom cultivation, and limited planting of Taiwan camellia. Five additional crops, including shell ginger, will be added by the end of the year.

DPP Legislator Chuang Jui-hsiung (莊瑞雄) welcomed the measures but urged expanding to Chinese medicinal herbs. Chen responded that chemical pesticides are prohibited in forest crop cultivation and said the Taiwan Forestry Research Institute is studying suitable options.