TAIPEI (TVBS News) — The Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency (農業部林業及自然保育署) announced on Monday (Dec. 8) that endangered species such as leopard cats and pheasant-tailed jacanas are showing population growth, marking five years of success for the "Ecological Service Payment" initiative. Launched in 2021, this policy has incentivized farmers to engage in eco-friendly practices by offering them an "ecological salary."
Director Lin Hwa-ching (林華慶) explained that the initiative's core spirit is to ensure farmers do not sacrifice their livelihoods while preserving biodiversity. Lin described the policy as a "quiet revolution" that has led to increasing participation without protests, resulting in noticeable ecological changes. Over five years, the range of leopard cat sightings expanded to new areas, including the Taichung Dajia River (台中大甲溪) and the Jhuoshuei River (濁水溪) estuary.
The initiative has also led to more than doubling the reported breeding nests of pheasant-tailed jacanas, with their population exceeding 3,000. Notably, farmer Li Chin-chou (李金洲) in Kaohsiung delayed his harvest to protect a new brood. In black-faced spoonbill conservation, the policy encouraged fishermen to provide safe feeding grounds, resulting in a record global count of 7,081 birds, with Taiwan hosting 4,169.
Farmers like Chang Cheng-liang (張政良) in Taichung and Chen Yun-chu (陳韻竹) in New Taipei have shared their experiences with the program. Chang adopted natural farming after his wife suffered pesticide poisoning. At the same time, Chen returned to her rural roots to help her father with eco-friendly farming, witnessing the return of civets and turtles.
