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TOPACTIVITIESIPSI Collaborative Activities2025 IPSI and ARDSWC Collaborative Activities

IPSI Collaborative Activities

2025 IPSI and ARDSWC Collaborative Activities

Lead organization:Soil and Water Conservation Bureau; currently Named Agency of Rural Development and Soil and Water Conservation (ARDSWC)

Other participating organizations: Taiwan Landscape Environment Association (TLEA); National Chung Hsing University (NCHU)

Activity Proposal

Background

Since 2010, Taiwan has been implementing the Rural Regeneration Act, intending to promote the sustainable development of rural community life, production, and ecology in an orderly and planned manner. Fundamental work in ecology includes protecting rare species, restoring habitats, and promoting ecosystem recovery in rural areas. Rural communities have begun to promote the ecological economy industry chain, undertaking environmental protection of streams and mountains, resulting in excellent water resources for agricultural production and habitat protection. Additionally, organic farming methods are being promoted to reduce the impact on the environment, habitats, and species. The processing of organic agricultural products is being advanced, and ecological concept product brands are being established. Activities such as friendly species and habitat protection, environmental education, and eco-tourism are being organized.

Taiwan comprises 4,232 rural communities. To date, over 2,700 communities, representing more than 63% of the total, have engaged in the rural regeneration program. Seventy communities have been identified as potential candidates for promoting the Satoyama Initiative, with ten communities having already submitted case studies. This highlights that the Satoyama Initiative has become a primary focus in the development of rural communities in Taiwan.

IPSI and the Soil and Water Conservation Bureau have worked closely for many years. In 2021, IPSI collaborated with the Soil and Water Conservation Bureau (current ARDSWC), Forest Bureau, Hualien District Agricultural Research and Extension Station, National Dong-Hwa University, SWAN International, Taiwan Landscape Environment Association (TLEA) to publish a set of 4 narrative picture books depicting 4 SEPLS case studies that SWCB has supported and engaged with, which are:

  1. SEPLS restored by the Gongrong community in northern Taiwan;
  2. Gonglaoping community in central Taiwan;
  3. Kavalan Xinshe tribe and Amis Dipit tribe in eastern Taiwan; and
  4. Shangde community in southeastern Taiwan).

These books used simple, everyday language and hand-drawn illustrations to help the general public understand, accept, and support SEPLS concepts and practices. They were published in Chinese, Japanese, and English.

On April 11, 2023, the Soil and Water Conservation Bureau (current ARDSWC) hosted the Taiwan Rural Satoyama-Satoumi Symposium. The event specially invited three representatives from the IPSI, Dr. Tsunao Watanabe, the Director of the Secretariat, Miss. Makikou Yanagiya, Deputy Director, and Dr. Suneetha M. Subramanian, Research Fellow. They visited Taiwan to share insights on two significant topics: “The Role of the Satoyama Initiative under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework towards 2030” and “The Biodiversity, Climate, and Community Linkages in Socio-Ecological Production Landscapes and Seascapes.” The symposium received high praise from participants, who expressed great anticipation for continuing such international exchange activities.

From July 8 to 11, 2023, a delegation of 16 representatives from the Soil and Water Conservation Bureau, TLEA, NCHU, and several community representatives attended the 2023 IPSI-9 Global Conference in Akita, Japan. They actively engaged in experience sharing and exchanges with international participants and aimed to bring the experiences of the Satoyama Initiative from various countries to Taiwan’s rural communities.

Activities

  1. We plan to host the International Symposium on Community-based SELPs Management and Green Economics in Taiwan in April 2025. The ARDSWC (previously known as Soil and Water Conservation Bureau, COA) will organize the event, which will be co-organized by the TLEA and NCHU. We plan to invite three members of the IPSI Steering Committee or Secretariat staff to share recent key strategies and actions of the Satoyama Initiative promoted by IPSI.
  2. In June 2025, with the consent of IPSI and under the premise of non-commercial use, six documents were allowed to translated from English to Chinese and printed. These translations will be provided to the Soil and Water Conservation Bureau and rural communities for the promotion of the Satoyama Initiative. The list of Proposed Target Documents includes:
    1. Report on the Activities by the IPSI Secretariat
    2. Report on Membership and Collaborative Activities by SC Chair
    3. Presentation of Satoyama Initiative Thematic Review Vol 8 by IPSI Secretariat Location of Use
    4. Guidance Document on Integrating Landscape Approaches into NBSAPs by IPSI Secretariat
    5. Strategy and Plan of Action 2023 -2030 of the International Partnership for the Satoyama Initiative
    6. Summary Report of the Ninth Global Conference of the International Partnership for the Satoyama Initiative
  3. In June 2025, we will collaborate with IPSI to create 2nd set of four illustrated books featuring more rural Satoyama communities in Taiwan, including:
    1. Government – Community collaboration for natural ecological sustainability－Yi Hsin Community, Nantou
    2. Cooperative of Farmers’ Association with Communities for Ecological and Organic Scale Production of Rice Industry
    3. Youth participation in the restoration of socio-ecological production landscapes and seascapes (SEPLS) towards sustainability in oceanic islands–Penghu
  4. In 2025, we are planning to send representatives attending the 10th IPSI Global Conference, where the ARDSWC can offer the following collaborative activities:
    1. General Assembly: Opening Plenary Introduce Satoyama community cases through storytelling and illustrated books to convey the concepts and practices of the Satoyama Initiative.
    2. Keynote Presentations: Besides Japan, Taiwan is the most active country in promoting the Satoyama Initiative, primarily due to the support from government departments, the involvement of academic institutions and NGOs, and the actions of community organizations. The keynote presentations will highlight this collaboration by sharing Taiwan’s framework of cross-sectoral cooperation.
    3. Break time: Free ecological and green economic products produced by Taiwan’s rural Satoyama communities, such as Oriental Beauty tea and various snacks, will be provided, showcasing the equilibrium of society, environment, and economy under the Satoyama Initiative.
    4. Side event: The achievements of ten Taiwanese rural communities in promoting the Satoyama Initiative will be on full display at a dedicated booth. This interactive showcase, featuring posters, books, illustrated books, and green products, will engage you in the success stories of these communities.

Expected Outcomes

  1. International Symposium on Community-based SEPLS Management and Green Economics

The two-day International Symposium on Community-based SEPLS Management and Green Economics is a crucial event. The first day, which will be dedicated to indoor forums, will see the participation of approximately 150 individuals from 20 organizations. The focus will be on the exchange of green economy practices in rural Satoyama communities. The second day will be equally significant, with on-site visits planned. The expected outcomes include increasing awareness among 10 government or NGO organizations about the relationship between the Satoyama Initiative and the green economy and encouraging 15 communities or organizations to start considering how to promote an ecological industrial green economy in their communities.

  1. Documents Translation

Six documents will be translated into Chinese, printed by the Soil and Water Conservation Bureau, and distributed to at least 100 rural communities and organizations in Taiwan. This effort aims to enhance their understanding of the Satoyama Initiative and engage approximately 200 individuals in its practice.

  1. Publish a Set of 4 Narrative Picture Books

Completing four narrative picture books on Satoyama cases in English and Chinese is a significant step. With 300 copies printed, these books will be a valuable resource for participants of the 10th IPSI Global Conference. They will deepen their understanding of the environmental and ecological values of the Satoyama Initiative and the knowledge gained will be shared in their respective countries, encouraging more partners to recognize and participate in the initiative.

  1. The IPSI-10 Global Conference
  • Through storytelling and lively picture books, participants will gain a thorough understanding of the Satoyama Initiative’s spirit. They will take these books back to their countries, sharing the knowledge from the conference and encouraging more partners to recognize and participate in the initiative.
  • Promoting the Satoyama Initiative requires collaboration between the public and private sectors. By showcasing Taiwan’s cases, more countries will understand the methods of cooperation and division of labor between these sectors.
  • Experiencing the Satoyama green economy firsthand will help participants understand its importance and benefits to rural community economic development. Taiwan’s rural communities will provide experience sharing, explanations, and product tastings, allowing participants to gain direct insights.

Actors and task-sharing

Collaborative Activities Soil and Water Conservation Bureau Taiwan Landscape Environment Association National Chung Hsing University IPSI

1. International Symposium on Community-based SELPs Management and Green Economics

Host and funding support the symposium

 Held the symposium Held the symposium

3 steering committee member or IPSI Secretariat participate symposium in Taiwan

2. Documents translation

Funding support and publish

Documents translation from English to Chinese

Chinese editing of the documents

Document Translation Authorization

3. Publish a set of 4 narrative picture books

Funding support

Collect material about 4 case studies for drawn picture books

English and Chinese editing of the 4 picture books.

Agree the collaborative activities

4. The 10th IPSI Global Conference
  1. Funding support Taiwan’s members to visit the conference and relative activities
  2. Keynote Presentations: Taiwan’s experience sharing for cross-sectoral cooperation
  1. Participate conference
  2. Using storytelling and picture books to introduce Satoyama community cases.
  3. Providing free samples of green products made by Taiwan’s rural Satoyama communities.

1. Participate conference

2.Side event:

Showcasing the achievements of 10 Taiwanese rural communities in the implementation of Satoyama Initiative.
  1. Agree with collaborative activities during the conference.
  2. Provide space and equipment.

How the activity relates to the IPSI Strategy and IPSI Plan of Action:

  1. International Symposium on Community-based SEPLS Management and Green Economics

This symposium focuses on Community-based SEPLS management and Green Economics. It will share experiences about Sustainable Value Chain Development in a local scale.

  1. Documents translation

6 IPSI published documents translated into Chinese help conduct research and knowledge management related to landscape and seascape approaches to address direct and underlying causes responsible for the loss of biological and cultural diversity and ecological and socioeconomic services from SEPLS. Moreover, those documents are training material for local communities and NGOs’ capacity development.

  1. Publish a set of 4 narrative picture books

This publication promotes interaction among different sectors to practice landscape, seascape, and biodiversity conservation.

  1. The 10th IPSI Global Conference

The 10th IPSI Global Conference provides a good chance for Knowledge Co-Production among countries.

Resources and funding

  1. All collaboration activity expenses will be funded by the ARDSWC, with the TLEA and NCHU providing expertise and human resources assistance. Partners from rural communities will supply items and products for showcasing and sample tasting.
  2. IPSI agrees to the implementation of the aforementioned collaborative activities.

Monitoring and reporting

A final report of the proposed activities, including a hard copy of the box set (English version) and 6 translated documents (Chinese version), will be submitted to the IPSI Secretariat once the box set is printed.