Shen Po-yang proposes 1 billion TWD urban forest fund for Taipei

Shen Po-yang, a Democratic Progressive Party candidate for Taipei Mayor, has unveiled his ‘Urban Micro-Forest Policy’ aimed at enhancing the city’s greenery and ecological management. The proposal includes the creation of a ‘Taipei Urban Forest Autonomy Ordinance’ and the establishment of an Urban Forest Committee led by a deputy mayor. A central component of the plan is a dedicated Urban Forest Maintenance Fund, projected to have a scale of 1 billion TWD with an annual operating budget of 500 million TWD.

The policy seeks to implement ‘digital twin’ technology for smart tree management, creating dynamic health records for trees to monitor growth and risks. It also proposes a ‘tree version of urban planning’ to ensure root space is prioritized before planting, and a ‘waste wood bank’ to recycle pruned materials into public facilities or biochar rather than incineration. Additionally, the plan aims to upgrade the city’s ‘Cool Map’ to better manage urban heat islands.

Kuomintang Taipei City Council candidate Chen Kuan-an has criticized the proposal, labeling it as fiscally irresponsible. Chen argued that the 1 billion TWD fund is disproportionately large compared to national forestry budgets and noted that Taipei’s forest coverage is significantly lower than the national average. He questioned the rigor of Shen’s financial planning, comparing the proposed spending to other policy areas where budgets are substantially smaller.