Two decades of afforestation destroyed in an instant: Taiwan Sugar plans to cut 200 hectares of trees and convert the land into a "solar power zone"; Wanluan residents say cutting trees for power is putting the cart before the horse

The beautiful Pingtung Highway 185, also known as the "Road Along the Mountains," sits at the foot of the Dawu Mountains. Along its sides lie 5,000 hectares of 20-year lowland afforestation, stretching from Fangliao in the south to Gaoshu in the north, and it is an ecological travel route that the local area takes great pride in. Recently the landowner, Taiwan Sugar Corporation, announced plans to cut 200 hectares of trees and turn the area into a "solar power zone," sparking strong local protests.

Yesterday (the 18th), the first public hearing was held for coordination. Taiwan Sugar Corporation stated that, in order to develop green energy, it is planning "agriculture-compatible solar power" (note), in which the land beneath the solar panels would remain in agricultural use and would not impact the existing environment. Wanluan residents, however, voiced opposition, arguing that 20 years of afforestation already carries the value of water retention, air purification, and wildlife habitat, and that cutting trees for power does not align with the values of energy transition. The briefing ended in deadlock with no consensus reached. Taiwan Sugar Corporation said it would collect opinions and redraft its plans, while Wanluan Township Mayor Lin Guoshun demanded that Taiwan Sugar Corporation abandon the plan outright, saying there was no need for further talk.

The Road Along the Mountains is lush and green, with 5,000 hectares of 20-year afforestation

Pingtung County Highway 185, also known as the "Road Along the Mountains," winds through open countryside, passing through Minnan villages, Hakka settlements, and indigenous tribal communities, making it a famous road-trip route. Local groups have even formed the Road Along the Mountains Tourism Strategy Development Alliance to promote community ecological travel.

The success of the Road Along the Mountains is attributed to the achievements of past farmland protection movements. During the tenure of County Magistrate Cao Qihong, in order to prevent the loss of Taiwan Sugar's prime farmland along the route to arbitrary development, and on the recommendation of civic environmental groups, 5,000 hectares of lowland afforestation were coordinated, creating today's lush green highway scenery.

In line with the Executive Yuan's energy policy and growing electricity demand, Taiwan Sugar Corporation has since late last year been planning multiple solar power zones in Pingtung. Among these, on 650 hectares of farmland owned by Taiwan Sugar in Wanluan Township, after deducting 200 hectares leased to farmers for pineapple cultivation, Taiwan Sugar Corporation plans to select 200 hectares of poorer-quality forest land from the original afforestation area and roll out several agriculture-compatible solar power zones.

On February 18, Taiwan Sugar Corporation held its first local briefing at Wanluan Township Office, with Liang Yaoguang, head of the Biomass Energy Assessment and Development Section of Taiwan Sugar's Renewable Energy Group, and planning units presenting the plan. They were met with collective opposition from residents and local groups, who believe the beautiful green highway will come to nothing because of the green energy development project.

Taiwan Sugar: Agriculture-compatible solar power will keep the land in agricultural use and will not impact the existing environment

Yuan Shumei, manager of Liyang Company, which was commissioned by Taiwan Sugar to plan the project, stated in her briefing that economic forests were planted in the past to retain farmland, and that agriculture-compatible solar power zones are meant to restore farmland to agricultural use while also generating green energy, which is a boost to environmental protection. Yuan said the originally planted economic forests had reached their felling age, and that because they were in poor growing condition and planted with windbreak species such as horsetail she-oak, paperbark, lumnitzera, and pongamia, they also lacked economic value.

She emphasized that if the solar power park is developed in the future, the environmental protection forests and bicycle paths on both sides of the highway will be preserved, and only areas with poor forest conditions will be selected for development. Agriculture-compatible solar power zones restore afforestation land to agricultural use rather than destroying farmland, and will involve cooperation with local young farmers returning home and farmers' groups to promote agricultural development.

Yuan Shumei stated that the management and maintenance of the solar panels over the 20-year period will also employ local residents, sustaining the local area. She emphasized that the existing tourism and recreation functions and flood control functions will all be implemented in future planning, and that agriculture-compatible solar power will also become a future site for environmental education.

Local opinion: Cutting trees for power puts the cart before the horse; residents suffer the harm before seeing any benefit

Wanluan Township Mayor Lin Guosheng stated that local residents were previously mobilized by the Forestry Bureau to participate in 20 years of lowland afforestation and have an emotional investment in this large forest. Now the trees are at their finest, and the local community sees the forest's value as an asset for developing community tourism, and will absolutely not accept a logging and development plan.

Lin Guoshun stated: "Taiwan Sugar's land is state-owned and belongs to all citizens; land use must respect local residents. Cutting trees for power puts the cart before the horse, and Wanluan people suffer the harm before seeing any benefit." He also questioned that Taiwan Sugar is merely a public enterprise managing state-owned land on behalf of the state, and that solar power development is a decision at a higher level, yet no representative attended, showing a lack of sincerity in communication; if it was merely policy promotion, there was no need for it at all.

Xu Fengzhu, secretary-general of the Road Along the Mountains Tourism Development Strategy Alliance, said: "When I learned of this plan, I was close to tears. Such a beautiful place, and it took more than 20 years of community building to create the rich stories along this stretch of highway. The community's ecological experience of calling owls has moved many people