World Environment Day: Civil Groups Call for Preserving 100-Hectare Forest at Qiaotou Sugar Refinery
On World Environment Day (June 5), multiple civil groups including the Forest City Association held a press conference in Taipei, calling for the preservation of the 100-hectare forest at the Qiaotou Sugar Refinery in Kaohsiung, opposing the Kaohsiung New Town Phase 3 development plan. The groups argue the forest is part of the "Love Taiwan 12 Major Construction Projects" afforestation initiative, providing carbon storage and cooling benefits, and urge the renewal of Taiwan Sugar Corporation's flatland afforestation contracts without deforestation.
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- 📰 Published: June 5, 2026 at 13:53
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(Central News Agency, reporter Zeng Yining, Taipei, June 5) The Kaohsiung New Town Phase 3 development plan has sparked a controversy over the preservation of the forest at the Qiaotou Sugar Refinery. On World Environment Day, civil groups such as the Forest City Association advocated for the forest's carbon storage and climate regulation functions, calling for the rescue of the 100-hectare forest at the Qiaotou Sugar Refinery.
The Forest City Association, Taiwan Tree People Association, Wild at Heart Legal Defense Association, Taoyuan Tree Protection Alliance, and other groups jointly held a press conference titled "Responding to World Environment Day: Call for the 100-Hectare Forest at Qiaotou Sugar Refinery to Become the First Flatland Urban Forest Park, and for the Renewal of Contracts for Taiwan Sugar's 10,000 Hectares of Flatland Afforestation Without Deforestation." They proposed demands including saving the 100-hectare forest at Qiaotou Sugar Refinery, protecting Taiwan Sugar's 10,000 hectares of flatland forests, and making tree-lined sidewalks a standard feature of people-oriented transportation.
At the conference, Forest City Association Chairman Zhuang Jieren stated that the Taiwan Sugar afforestation land at Qiaotou Sugar Refinery was subsidized under the "Love Taiwan 12 Major Construction Projects - Green Afforestation Plan." Its purpose was to increase green space, contribute to carbon benefits, respond to international carbon reduction commitments, create recreational park areas, and maintain green resources and biodiversity. He emphasized it was not an economic forest planted for logging, as some outsiders claim.
Regarding the response to international carbon reduction commitments, Zhuang said that Taiwan, in response to the 2007 APEC declaration, had promised to increase its afforestation area by 11,550 hectares. The 100-hectare forest at Qiaotou Sugar Refinery and Taiwan Sugar's 10,000 hectares of afforestation were both created for this reason. He warned that rashly destroying them could create a negative international image of "immediately starting deforestation after fulfilling afforestation commitments."
Chen Xianzheng, Executive Director of the Wild at Heart Legal Defense Association, stated that forests are the most economical natural solution to global climate change and urban heat. Using urban forests as an example, he said they can lower urban air temperatures by about 1 to 2 degrees Celsius. Streets with tree shade can even be 10 to 20 degrees cooler than streets without vegetation.
Chen noted that although it is only June, Tainan City has already recorded temperatures of 39 degrees Celsius, suggesting that high temperatures may become the norm in the future. He expressed hope that by systematically preserving and creating forests like the one at Qiaotou Sugar Refinery, it would be possible to cool down the overheating cities and create a sustainable environment with climate resilience suitable for all living things.
Cai Yaying, a full-time lawyer for the Wild at Heart Legal Defense Association, said that this year's United Nations "World Environment Day" theme focuses on climate change. Proposed solutions include "forests can store carbon, reduce climate risks, and simultaneously protect biodiversity," as well as urban preparedness for extreme heat. Domestically, in recent years, due to climate change and the urban heat island effect, summer temperatures have repeatedly hit new highs. Urban forests are a practical and sustainable cooling solution. (Editor: Lin Shuyuan) 1150605
The Forest City Association, Taiwan Tree People Association, Wild at Heart Legal Defense Association, Taoyuan Tree Protection Alliance, and other groups jointly held a press conference titled "Responding to World Environment Day: Call for the 100-Hectare Forest at Qiaotou Sugar Refinery to Become the First Flatland Urban Forest Park, and for the Renewal of Contracts for Taiwan Sugar's 10,000 Hectares of Flatland Afforestation Without Deforestation." They proposed demands including saving the 100-hectare forest at Qiaotou Sugar Refinery, protecting Taiwan Sugar's 10,000 hectares of flatland forests, and making tree-lined sidewalks a standard feature of people-oriented transportation.
At the conference, Forest City Association Chairman Zhuang Jieren stated that the Taiwan Sugar afforestation land at Qiaotou Sugar Refinery was subsidized under the "Love Taiwan 12 Major Construction Projects - Green Afforestation Plan." Its purpose was to increase green space, contribute to carbon benefits, respond to international carbon reduction commitments, create recreational park areas, and maintain green resources and biodiversity. He emphasized it was not an economic forest planted for logging, as some outsiders claim.
Regarding the response to international carbon reduction commitments, Zhuang said that Taiwan, in response to the 2007 APEC declaration, had promised to increase its afforestation area by 11,550 hectares. The 100-hectare forest at Qiaotou Sugar Refinery and Taiwan Sugar's 10,000 hectares of afforestation were both created for this reason. He warned that rashly destroying them could create a negative international image of "immediately starting deforestation after fulfilling afforestation commitments."
Chen Xianzheng, Executive Director of the Wild at Heart Legal Defense Association, stated that forests are the most economical natural solution to global climate change and urban heat. Using urban forests as an example, he said they can lower urban air temperatures by about 1 to 2 degrees Celsius. Streets with tree shade can even be 10 to 20 degrees cooler than streets without vegetation.
Chen noted that although it is only June, Tainan City has already recorded temperatures of 39 degrees Celsius, suggesting that high temperatures may become the norm in the future. He expressed hope that by systematically preserving and creating forests like the one at Qiaotou Sugar Refinery, it would be possible to cool down the overheating cities and create a sustainable environment with climate resilience suitable for all living things.
Cai Yaying, a full-time lawyer for the Wild at Heart Legal Defense Association, said that this year's United Nations "World Environment Day" theme focuses on climate change. Proposed solutions include "forests can store carbon, reduce climate risks, and simultaneously protect biodiversity," as well as urban preparedness for extreme heat. Domestically, in recent years, due to climate change and the urban heat island effect, summer temperatures have repeatedly hit new highs. Urban forests are a practical and sustainable cooling solution. (Editor: Lin Shuyuan) 1150605