The legislature has passed three acts that set out new regulations on the conservation and management of land.
The National Land Planning Act, Coastal Zone Management Act and Wetlands Conservation Act are the result of the government’s long-term push for new strategies for land management. This push began in 2009 after Typhoon Morakot brought catastrophic damage to Taiwan.
Interior Minister Chen Wei-zen said Wednesday that the National Land Planning Act will divide Taiwan’s land into different zones. It will limit urban planning to dedicated “rural development areas” in order to conserve other areas for agricultural development.
The act will require the interior ministry to publish a national land management plan within two years. Local governments will also be required to draw up and publish plans for the use and division of different types of land. The government will set up a national land sustainability fund of NT$50 billion in the next ten years to cover the costs of conservation and the restoration of damaged land.
The Coastal Zone Management Act and Wetlands Conservation Act also set out detailed management strategies for Taiwan’s coastal areas and wetlands.