Taiwan Forestry Research InstituteTaiwan Forestry Research Institute

In the 21st year of the reign of Emperor Kuanghsu, Ching Dynasty, (or the 28th year of the reign of Emperor Meiji, Japan, A.D. 1895), during the early years of the Japanese rule of Taiwan, the Regenerative and Products Bureau of the Japanese Governor General's Office planned to establish a nursery, and on January 6, 1896, selected an 8,750-ping (2.89-ha) lot near Nanmen (the south gate) in Taipei City for this purpose. This was the forerunner of the Taiwan Forestry Research Institute. In the 25th year of Kuanghsu's reign (1899), the nursery was relocated to the Talongtung and Yuanshan areas due to construction of an army garrison hospital on the original site. In October 1900, a new plot was purchased at the present location of the Taipei Botanical Garden to reestablish the so-named Taipei Nursery. The nursery endeavored to nurture seedlings and cultivate saplings.

By the 3rd year of Emperor Shuantung's reign, Ching Dynasty, (or the 44th year of Meiji, 1911), on the foundation of the Taipei Nursery, the Forestry Experimental Station under the aegis of the Regenerative and Products Bureau of the Governor General's Office was set up to shoulder the responsibility for forest management in Taiwan and to undertake surveys of forest resources. By the 10th year after the foundation of the Republic of China (or the 10th year of the reign of Emperor Daisho, Japan, 1921), the Japanese unified all research institutions and established the Central Research Institute. The Forestry Experimental Station was included and was named the Forestry Division of the Central Research Institute. On the site of the Station's original Taipei Nursery, the Taipei Botanical Garden was established. By the 28th year of the Republic of China (or the 14th year of the reign of Emperor Showa, Japan, 1939), after restructuring of the Central Research Institute, the Forestry Division was recast as the independent Forestry Research Institute.

The 34th year of the Republic of China (1945) saw the retrocession of Taiwan after the defeat of Japan in World War II. The Taiwan Administrative Offices formally took over the Institute on November 1 of that year. It was then renamed the Taiwan Forestry Research Institute. In September 1949, the Institute was transferred from directly under the Taiwan Provincial Government to a subordinate Administration of Agriculture and Forestry. Upon taking over from Japan, there were 6 divisions, namely, Forest Biology, Silviculture, Management, Utilization, Chemistry, and Wood Pulp; 4 branch stations at Lienhuachih, Chungpu, Hengchun, and Taimalee; as well as a pine rosin experimental post at Pashienshan. With subsequent restructuring and shifts according to research needs, there were 10 divisions, i.e., Forest Biology, Silviculture, Forestry Economics, Forest Management, Watershed Management, Forest Protection, Forest Utilization, Forest Chemistry, Wood Cellulose, and Forestry Extension; there were also 4 administrative offices: the secretariat, accounting, personnel, and ethics morality; as well as 6 branch centers at Fushan, Lienhuachih, Chungpu, Lioukuei, Taimalee, and Hengchun.

In July 1999, the Institute was changed from being subordinate to the Taiwan Provincial Government to the Council of Agriculture, Executive Yuan. It was formally renamed the Taiwan Forestry Research Institute, Council of Agriculture, Executive Yuan.

After the organizational restructuring on May 2, 2002, the Institute had 10 divisions, namely, Forest Biology, Silviculture, Forestry Economy, Forest Management, Watershed Management, Forest Protection, Forest Utilization, Forest Chemistry, Wood Cellulose, and Forestry Extension; it also had 4 administrative offices: the secretariat, accounting, personnel, and ethics morality; as well as 6 research centers at Fushan, Lienhuachih, Chungpu, Lioukuei, Taimalee, and Hengchun.

On May 27, 2009, the Forest Biology Division was renamed the Botanical Garden Division, and the Forestry Extension Division was renamed the Technical Service Division.

With the reconstruction of government organization on August 1, 2023, the Institute was shifted from being subordinate to the Council of Agriculture, Executive Yuan, to the Ministry of Agriculture, and renamed the Taiwan Forestry Research Institute, Ministry of Agriculture. The internal units are currently reorganized into 6 divisions, namely, Silviculture, Forest Management, Forest Protection, Forest Ecology, Forest Products Utilization, and Technical Service; there are also 4 administrative offices: the secretariat, accounting and statistics, personnel, and ethics morality; as well as 6 research centers at Hengchun, Chiayi, Lienhuachih, Taimalee, Lioukuei, and Fushan. The original Forestry Economics Division and Forest Management Division are integrated into the Forest Management Division; the original Botanical Garden Division and Watershed Management Division are integrated into the Forest Ecology Division; the original Forest Utilization Division, Forest Chemistry Division, and Wood Cellulose Division are integrated into the Forest Products Utilization Division; the former Chungpu Research Center is renamed the Chiayi Research Center.

1. To create, manage and operate specialized knowledge and technologies to management and utilization of forest resources, so as to promote sustainable development of Taiwan’s forestry.
2. To cooperate with domestic and foreign academic and management organizations, and through investigation of theories and practical verification to assist in resolving problems facing cultivation of trees, forest management, conservation and utilization.
3. To R&D practically applicable and efficient technologies and information in compliance to the national forestry developmental policies.
4. To provide guidance to industry and forest farmers with safe and sustainable technological services, enhancing the values of forestry.

1. To strengthen multipurpose management models of the plantation forests. Promote FSC international environmental certification, and to persistently monitor the plain afforestation results.
2. To actively engage the national botanical garden ark plan, participating in the ecologic conservation green network establishment plan for national land use.
3. To develop a health management system for urban forests, assisting local governments to forge ecologically based cities.
4. To revitalize mountain village economy, developing and study understory economic crop cultivation, establishing forestscape therapeutic areas so as to build happy villages based on the Satoyama concept.
5. To R&D multifaceted forest products utilization and developing modern forest products with conservation and culture imprinting.
6. To match with the agricultural recycling economic policy, fortifying R&D on wood and bamboo residual materials recycling and reutilization.
7. To comply with the government reorganization plan, reaffirming the core capacities of various professional divisions and research centers so as to R&D advanced science and technology on the one hand, as well as promote forestry knowledge to the public on the other hand.
8. To actively participate in international organizations, enhancing the international contributions, earning international standings through leading professional technology and capabilities.