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NTU Experimental Forest: from occupying ancestral lands to community co-prosperity, transforming into a good neighbor to the tribes

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From "plains people occupying ancestral lands" to "community co-prosperity," NTU Experimental Forest transforms to become a good neighbor to the tribes

The NTU Experimental Forest is located in Nantou County, and its management office jurisdiction spans Xinyi Township, Shuili Township, Lugu Township and other areas. Much of the land within its boundaries is Indigenous Peoples' Reserved Land, and there have been frequent conflicts with neighboring communities. In recent years, it launched the "Community Co-Prosperity Project," allowing land use rights to be moderately opened, and providing woodworking skills teaching resources, establishing a joint woodworking workshop, assisting local crops in developing processed products, and enabling community residents to help with mountain patrols and ecological tours, jointly protecting the local ecological environment.

Honey tree bean Fischer's nan (photo / Lin Yijun)

From past conflict to future co-prosperity, the Experimental Forest releases resources to share with communities

In the past, when people mentioned the NTU Experimental Forest, neighboring communities generally had a poor impression. Indigenous communities in particular believed that "the NTU Experimental Forest has occupied our ancestral lands." Due to land issues, there were frequent conflicts with neighboring communities, and it was not until the 97th year of the Republic of China that an opportunity for change began to emerge.

Current Experimental Forest Management Office Director Cai Mingzhe said that former Director Wang Yanan began extending goodwill by inviting communities to jointly protect the ecological environment through a community forestry program. Five years ago, after Cai Mingzhe took office, he hoped to go a step further and also take economic considerations into account on the basis of maintaining the environment, so he began visiting communities to understand their needs.

"After visiting, I found that everyone was watching the Experimental Forest's performance," Cai Mingzhe said. Communities generally hoped that the Experimental Forest would release land. Under current regulations, the Experimental Forest is state-owned land, and the management office has no right to return it, but it can moderately open land use rights and share the resources held by the Experimental Forest with communities, which gave rise to the co-prosperity project.

Director Cai Mingzhe (second from left) and Wangmei Community Cooperative Chairman Quat (second from right)

Supporting woodworking expertise and equipment, opening limited access to natural resources

Cai Mingzhe said that the "Co-Prosperity Project" is based on maintaining ecological resources, sharing the Experimental Forest's resources with neighboring communities, and helping each community develop industries and preserve traditional culture and customs. Cai Mingzhe said that the Experimental Forest represents National Taiwan University locally, and a university has its social responsibility to help local development.

Liu Xingwang, deputy director of the NTU Experimental Forest Management Office, said that the Experimental Forest's greatest resource is forestry, while nearby communities are mostly engaged in agriculture. Therefore, building on past forestry programs, the Experimental Forest combines its strengths to develop woodworking while also enhancing the value of local agricultural products.

Starting in the 103rd year of the Republic of China, the Experimental Forest held professional woodworking courses, with instructors from the wood utilization practice factory serving as course teachers, allowing neighboring communities to participate. Over two years, 15 people participated in the courses, and in the end 14 obtained Grade C furniture woodworking licenses. The course content used wood and bamboo to make small furniture and handicrafts, and incorporated Indigenous elements, such as wooden round stools with totems and bamboo piggy banks inspired by the Eight-Part Polyphonic Chorus.

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