Green spaces at heart of Taipei’s livable city planning

2020/03/09

Local governments across Taiwan have made management of urban green spaces a priority in efforts to restore ecological balance and maintain a livable environment, with Taipei City leading the way.

 The city government was among the first to draft a law in 2003 protecting trees exceeding 15 meters in height and over 50 years of age. The legislation also covers any tree with a trunk diameter of 80 centimeters, circumference of 2.5 meters and crown of 1.3 meters, as well as those deemed culturally significant.

A committee was set up the same year tasked with various duties, including identifying suitable trees and reviewing conservation plans submitted by land developers. The body comprises city officials and representatives from environmental groups as well as academics.

 There are more than 2,000 trees in Taipei eligible for protection under the tree law by Taipei City Government’s Department of Cultural Affairs, with technical assistance from the Public Works Department’s Parks and Street Lights Office. Director Michael Chen said around 88,000 trees in the city are managed in a registration system recording each one’s height, size and species. “People can scan QR codes attached to the trunks to obtain this information.”

By year-end 2019, green spaces in downtown areas accounted for 15.71 square kilometers or 5.94 square meters per capita. “They provide somewhere for residents to relax and conduct daily leisure activities,” Chen said. In total, taking in the surrounding foothills and nature reserves like Yangmingshan National Park, the 142.49 square kilometers of vegetation cover 52 percent of Taipei’s land.

In 2015, as per TCG’s so-called sponge city policy, new pavements, ponds and other facilities began to be installed at a number of parks to absorb and capture rainwater, with the help of plants, for further use and flood control.

 The measures are part of an ongoing park project in Taipei adopting eco-friendly construction methods. A dozen facilities across the city have been selected to conduct analysis of target fauna disturbance, humidity, light, plant growth, soil, temperature and water. These actions are paying off; since 2014, habitats of indigenous Aquatica ficta fireflies have been conserved at Daan, Muzha and Rongxing Garden parks with considerable success.

 The capital city was also among the first to introduce international standards for arborist training. Locals with certificates from U.S.-based International Society of Arboriculture have been helping perform environmental due diligence on protected trees. “They can play a big role in shaping a future filled with green, livable cities,” Chen said.

Source: Taiwan Today (https://taiwantoday.tw/index.php)