Solar power invades the largest wetland on the east coast; the Zhiben tribe and environmental groups demand the project be withdrawn

The Zhiben Wetland in Taitung, recognized by BirdLife International as an A1-grade "Important Bird Area," is the largest grassy marsh wetland on the east coast and the traditional territory of the Puyuma "Katratripulr" tribe, but the Taitung County Government plans to set up a 226-hectare solar power zone here, which will deal a huge impact to the wetland.

Because the Zhiben Wetland belongs to indigenous land, solar development requires tribal consent. Last year (2019), the Taitung City Office held a meeting on behalf of the tribe, but the process was full of flaws, including non-tribal members taking part in the vote, and the result was 187 votes in favor to 173 against, approving the solar developer's project. The three major families of traditional leaders of the Katratripulr tribe, the "Laham" (leaders), angrily filed a lawsuit, demanding that the Bureau of Energy suspend review of the Zhiben solar project before the litigation concludes.

Lu Hung-wen, spokesperson for the opposition representing the tribe's traditional organization, said that on July 16 of this year, the tribe held a tribal meeting in accordance with the "standard meeting procedure" required by the Council of Indigenous Peoples and the Taitung County Government, and resolved by an overwhelming vote that "solar panels shall forever withdraw from the Zhiben Wetland." The Society of Wilderness, meanwhile, launched a petition calling on the public to care together about the future of the Zhiben Wetland.