Taiwan’s plant hunters race to protect biodiversity

Taiwan’s plant hunters are in a race against time to protect the country’s biodiversity.

They’re trying to collect as many rare species as they can before they are lost to climate change and human encroachment.

Hung Hsin-Chieh is a research assistant at the Dr. Cecilia Koo Botanic Conservation Centre which oversees the project.

"I started collecting plants when I was still at school. I didn't used to think it was that important. But since I began working at the conservation centre, I have realised that many (living) things that used to be there, are no longer there. So for many (living) things, if you don't conserve them properly then perhaps in the future you'll no longer be able to find them."

The non-governmental conservation centre currently stores over 33,000 different species that have been collected across Taiwan.

Manager at KBCC, Chen Ken-Yu:

"This approach is obviously something we are only doing because there's no alternative. Obviously if we could, if we had the financial resources to, and the local government allowed it, of course it would be ideal to conserve them in their wild habitat. But the reality is we don't have the power to change a whole environment. It's hard for us to persuade the local government and realistically it's not like I could lock myself away in that habitat so as to ensure the conservation of that species."

The goal is to collect 40,000 different species and become the largest shelter of tropical plants on Earth by 2027.

In the end, researchers hope to re-introduce rare species to their natural habitat.

Manager at KBCC, Chen Ken-Yu:

"We hope that these species have a chance to return to their original habitat. Or one day, when we wish to create a (new) habitat, these species are able to live there happily."

The plant hunters don’t have an easy job though.

They often have to navigate through heavy rains, steep cliff-faces or climb up trees to find specific plants.

Hung Hsin-Chieh:

"Not everyone can get to the places I go to. I can stay a long time out in the wild, in the mountains or forests. I go in scattered directions. I am very good at climbing trees. Not everyone can climb trees."

About 70% of Taiwan is covered in dense, mountainous forest, home to deer, wild boar and a highly threatened population of bears.

But the island is best known for its mass production of technological goods.

Even though the government has made environmental protection and shifting to renewable energy a key priority, the island ranks poorly when it comes to tackling climate change.

In 2019, Climate Change Performance Index placed Taiwan third to last in the world, the worst rating it has ever received.

Taiwan's government disputed the data.