29 April 2025 | Taipei, Taiwan – The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) officially announces its presence in Taiwan, marking a significant step in advancing a sustainable forestry market in the region. The launch event, “Rooted in Taiwan: FSC's New Chapter for Responsible Forestry and Beyond,” was held today at the Renaissance Taipei Shihlin Hotel and brought together 100 guests from government, industry, academia, NGOs, and across the forestry supply chain. During the ceremony, FSC certificate and licence holders shared encouraging experiences on turning challenges into opportunities, while specialists from FSC introduced innovative tools and solutions designed to empower responsible forest management, support Indigenous and local communities, and drive sustainable market development.
The ceremony opened by acknowledging the significant contributions of stakeholders, including the Taiwan Government, the Standard Development Group for the FSC Forest Stewardship Standard (FSS), and members of the industry, business, and academic communities. This event also highlights the importance of working alongside partners across the entire forestry supply chain— from forest managers and processors to manufacturers, traders, and retailers—to drive responsible forestry practices and market growth. With Market Development Manager Ronnie Huang now leading local efforts, FSC is well-placed to foster collaboration and drive the growth of a robust, sustainable forestry market.
In her welcome speech, Ms. Lieske van Santen, Global Network Director of FSC International, thanked all stakeholders and expressed pride in expanding FSC’s network to Taiwan. She highlighted that the new presence joins a global network spanning more than 90 countries and praised Taiwan’s achievement of 100% FSC certification for all public forests within five years, despite challenges such as COVID-19. “Achieving 100% FSC certification for all public forests in Taiwan sets a high standard in Asia and globally,” she said. “This milestone reflects the dedication and perseverance of everyone involved.” She looked forward to building on this foundation and supporting Taiwan’s leadership in sustainable forestry.
Mr. Lin Hua-qing, Director General of the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency, underscored the vital role of forests in climate change mitigation and outlined strategies to expand forest area, strengthen management, and increase domestic timber use. He noted that FSC certification has helped Taiwan ensure sustainable forestry, respect for indigenous cultures, and stakeholder engagement. “With over 70% of Taiwan’s forests now certified, we are entering a new era for sustainable forestry,” said Mr. Lin. He encouraged the public to choose FSC-certified local wood products to support sustainability and global citizenship.
With this strong foundation and shared vision, the office will work closely with partners to accelerate sustainable market development, foster innovation, and amplify the positive impact of responsible forestry—benefiting communities, the environment, and the broader economy.
About the Forest Stewardship Council™ (FSC®)
FSC is a non-profit organization that provides a proven sustainable forest management solution. Currently, over 200 million hectares of forest worldwide is certified according to FSC standards. It is widely regarded as the most rigorous forest certification system among NGOs, consumers, and businesses alike to tackle today’s deforestation, climate, and biodiversity challenges. The FSC forest management standard is based on ten core principles designed to address a broad range of environmental, social and economic factors. FSC’s “check tree” label is found on millions of forest-based products and verifies that they are sustainably sourced, from forest to consumer.