Sustainability is no longer an unfamiliar term in today's world. However, if someone asked you to explain it in a single phrase, could you? Fortunately, the UN's World Commission on Environment and Development (WCED) answered this question in 1987: "Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs." Therefore, sustainability doesn’t just include environmental protection. In 2015, the United Nations further proposed the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which include both marine and terrestrial conservation.

Our cover stories this issue are themed on two topics: Zero carbon National Parks, and Technology Applications in Conservation Action. Through these stories, we explore how people are moving toward sustainability along two different paths. Cover Story 1 shares how our National Parks' zerocarbon transition can be seen within Taiwan-Japan exchange, and how Japan demonstrates that national parks can adapt their plans related to transportation, energy,construction, and more to achieve the net-zero carbon goals. Cover Story 2 introduces how our National Parks are applying innovative technologies to conservation of Formosan sika deer, Great cormorants, nocturnal animals, and more, to implement conservation in smarter ways.

Learning from the Japanese Alps The Green Power in Zero-Carbon Parks

Driven by global environmental protection trends, the “zero-carbon park” has gradually become a core sustainable development goal, and Japan is undoubtedly the forerunner in technologies, Japan’s zero-carbon parks demonstrate how to facilitate ecotourism without negatively impacting the natural environment; furthermore, they serve as paradigms of environmental protection that employ clever low-carbon management models to illustrate how humans can coexist harmoniously with nature. The National Park Service, Ministry of the Interior organized extensive exchange activities with Japan this year, in the hope that Taiwan and Japan can jointly promote Asia’s sustainable development in the future and bring new momentum to the development of zero-carbon tourism.

Morning sunlight filters through trees and scatters gently on the surface of Taisho Pond, which mirrors Morning sunlight filters through trees and scatters gently on the surface of Taisho Pond, which mirrors Mount Yake to create a scene akin to a tranquil painting. Kamikochi, which is located in Nagano Prefecture, Japan, is known as the Japanese Alps due to its magnificent scenery. Every year, millions of tourists flock to the area to enjoy the pure air and the serenity of nature. In fact, Kamikochi is not only an international tourist attraction, but also a pioneer in zero-carbon park practices.

In March 2021, Chubusangaku National Park, which is home to Kamikochi and Norikura Plateau, became the first zero-carbon park in Japan. A zero-carbon park, as the name suggests, aims to reduce carbon emissions or even achieve net-zero carbon emissions through innovative design and management models while maintaining the park’s ecological conservation, tourism, and recreational functions.

今In July 2024, NPS led a delegation from three alpinetypenational parks—Yushan, Shei-Pa, and Taroko—to visit Japan. The delegation was accompanied during the trip by Mr. Toshio Torii, Executive Director of Japan’s Natural Parks Foundation. In September 2024, Mr. Torii reciprocated by visiting Taiwan to participate in the 2024 Taiwan Mountaineering Conference, during which he shared the experience of implementing sustainable development goals through park management in Chubusangaku National Park.

Chubusangaku National Park

The Chubusangaku National Park spans across the Gifu, Nagano, and Toyama prefectures, featuring a rich variety of landscapes such as glacial valleys, lava plateaus, and riverfront forests. It is famous for its hot springs, natural hiking trails, and waterfalls, covering much of the Northern Japanese Alps. It is home to 10 peaks over 3,000 meters (there are 21 mountains over 3,000 meters high in Japan). The park's southernmost point is located at the Norikura Plateau and Mount Norikura (3,026 meters).

Due to the high altitude, snow will only begin to melt in most areas of the park in early summer, while places such as Daisekkei near Shiroumadake have snow all year round. The trailheads of Kamikochi, Happo and Murodo can be reached by public transportation, and the autumn scenery at these three places also has its own unique flavor.

Prioritizing Green Energy and Reducing Construction

“We hope to build a completely new model for nature conservation and ecotourism through the introduction of renewable energy and the reduction of carbon emissions.” As indicated by Mr. Torii, renewable energy infrastructure is an important part of a zero-carbon park.

Mr. Torii explained that the local accommodation facilities on Norikura Plateau have introduced solar power and small hydropower generation systems to reduce dependence on traditional energy sources and achieve energy self-sufficiency. Moreover, the park has introduced electric buses, biomass heating systems, and other related equipment to provide visitors with additional low-carbon transportation and accommodation options. Furthermore, visitors can enjoy a low-carbon electric bike ride around Kamikochi. These green-energy-based destination transfer systems make travel more convenient and enhance tourists’ awareness of environmental protection.

Mei-Chiung, Chang, Chief of the Interpretation and Education Section at Shei-Pa National Park Headquarters, said that when she visited Chubusangaku National Park, she discovered that the park’s architectural design principle reduced man-made architectural structures to maximally preserve natural landscapes, thereby achieving visual harmony and protecting the ecosystem. Additionally, in-park architectural structures were built from local materials; for example, in Kamikochi, many facilities were constructed from local wood and stone materials, which helped the structures blend in with their surroundings.

“The design of every facility is aimed at not only servicing visitors, but also conversing with nature,” Mr. Torii explained. By reducing the impact of buildings on the environment and the carbon emissions from material transport, Kamikochi has achieved the goal of low carbon emissions while preserving its beautiful scenery

Father of Mountaineering in Japan: Walter Weston

On the north bank of the Azusa River, there is a monument commemorating Walter Weston, the father of modern mountaineering in Japan. Walter Weston was an English missionary born in the late 19th century who came to Japan in the 1890s. Deeply enamored by Japan’s mountain scenery, he introduced western mountaineering practices to Japan. In addition to his passion for mountaineering, Weston was also committed to promoting the magnificent natural landscapes in the Japanese Alps, and in 1896 he published Mountaineering and Exploration in the Japanese Alps so the world would know the beautiful mountains in Kamikochi and the surrounding areas.

Weston was not only a mountaineer, but also an advocate who promoted respect for nature and appreciation for the environment. In recognition of his contributions, the Walter Weston Festival is held every year in Kamikochi to commemorate his efforts in promoting mountaineering in Japan and remind people to protect this beautiful land while enjoying everything from nature.

Multi-level Collaboration and User Pays System

Japan’s national park management framework consists of three hierarchical levels: The first level is the central government (Ministr y of the Environment), which is responsible for the formulation of general policies and guiding principles. The second level comprises local governments, which are responsible for policy implementation and super vision of national parks’ day-to-day operations. Not many personnel are assigned to these two levels. The third level consists of local businesses, community residents, and organizations. This multi-level public–private collaboration model facilitates flexible improvement of management efficiency.

In Kamikochi, there is strong cohesion among local community volunteer organizations. They play a major role in everyday cleaning work to maintain the cleanliness of park trails and natural landscapes, and they help reduce the waste piled up in the park. They are also engaged in environmental education activities to advocate the concept of Leave No Trace (LNT) to tourists, which not only reduces the government’s workload but also promotes local communities’ sense of responsibility for and participation in nature conservation, thereby ensuring the park’s long-term sustainable development.

As for the role of local businesses, by donating part of their sales revenue for nature conservation, they become important partners in environmental protection. Through cooperation with the government, businesses can strengthen their brand value, and zero-carbon parks can attract the market segment at the top of the environmental awareness pyramid, which boosts local tourism and brings new momentum to create a sustainable economy.

Natural Parks Foundation: Backbone for Nature Conservation

Of course, the government cannot shift full responsibility for promoting zero-carbon parks to community volunteers and local businesses. The Natural Parks Foundation is an important organization that protects Japan’s natural parks through practical actions. To fulfill its role in promoting nature conservation, the Foundation is taking practical actions to protect all natural parks in Japan. As explained by Mr. Torii, one of the missions of the Natural Parks Foundation is to promote the development of ecotourism without affecting the natural environment. To achieve this, the concept of zero-carbon parks is logically an important task to be accomplished.

The Foundation is responsible for a wide range of tasks, including restoring damaged natural landscapes, protecting biodiversity, maintaining national parkinfrastructure ( hiking trai ls , recreational facilities, etc.), and even carrying out waste classification and recycling.

Chang stated that she was impressed by the User Pays system initiated by the Natural Parks Foundation. In fact, the day-to-day operations of Japan’s national parks are funded by nominal fees paid by visitors for the use of park facilities. In Chang’s opinion, the User Pays system helps park visitors understand how to correctly use park facilities and consciously carry out environmental protection.

With respect to public toilets, the charge for each use is JP¥100 (approximately NT$20–30), but the charge is not compulsory, and can be paid at the user’s discretion. Even so, approximately JP¥40 million is collected annually. Additionally, the park sells Mountain Ridge Butter Cookies to help mountaineers maintain their energy throughout their hiking activities. The main revenue comes from car parks, which generate a total of approximately JP¥50–60 million every year. By opening up different revenue channels, ensure that the park has sufficient working capital, thereby creating a virtuous cycle.

Leave No Trace Tourism: Visitors Play a Critical Role

In fact, the key to a zero-carbon park lies in how visitors treat their trips.

“The main principle of Leave No Trace Tourism is to minimize negative effects on the environment while experiencing nature. In addition to enjoying the park’s scenery, we hope visitors can also help preserve the natural environment,” Mr. Torii said. Zero-carbon parks encourage visitors to bring their own garbage bags and take their own waste out of the parks. This approach not only mitigates the waste disposal problem in environmentally sensitive areas but also helps visitors realize that a little effort can create a great change in the environment. Such rules are not restrictions upon visitors, but reminders that help everyone foster a sense of responsibility and internalize the commitment to environmental protection so that it manifests through their behavior.

Mr. Torii stressed that Leave No Trace Tourism is not only environmental protection, but also the passing on of a certain spirit. Through these measures, zero-carbon parks not only preserve the natural environment, but also provide a perfect educational venue where visitors can practice how to get along with nature

“Japan’s mountaineering culture emphasizes selfdiscipline and respect for nature, which coincides with the concepts emphasized in zero-carbon park practices.” Continuing the conversation where Mr. Torii and Chang left off, Ching-Cheng, Hu, a Technical Specialist at the Recreation Service Section of SheiPa NationalPark Headquarters, shared his own observations of Japanese mountaineering culture. Hu stated that in addition to challenging themselves, Japanese mountaineers learn how to respect nature and take responsibility for environmental protection in the process of mountaineering.

What impressed him most was the critical role the mountain hut system played in ecologically sensitive mountain areas. Mountain huts are private accommodation facilities located in high-altitude mountains or remote areas. The huts provide accommodation, meals, and basic services for mountaineers. They also play an important role in maintaining the intactness of mountain trails.

Using his own lodgings of Yokoo Sanso and Karasawa Hut as an example, Hu explained that accommodation facilities are usually equipped with small-scale waste incinerators to dispose of the burnable food and accommodation waste generated by mountain visitors. Non-burnable and recyclable waste is transported off the mountains by helicopters, ensuring that the sensitive alpine ecosystems are not damaged.

Hu shared that mountain huts conduct basic environmental education courses for mountain visitors during mountaineering seasons, reminding mountaineers to stand in awe of and respect the mountains, and try their best to minimize human interference. For example, mountaineers must change their shoes before entering mountain huts, and they are asked to bring their own waste down the mountain to reduce the burden on the environment. They are repeatedly reminded to uphold the concept of environmental protection and learn to coexist with nature.

“There are almost no interpretive signs or distance markers along mountain trails in Japan.”Hu pointed out that the mountaineering environment in Japan, which is very different from that in Taiwan, reflects Japanese mountaineers’ emphasis on their own autonomy and sense of responsibility. In Japan, mountaineering administration authorities hope that mountaineers can prepare themselves and rely on their own abilities rather than external guidance. This approach allows mountaineers to get closer to nature and improve their own decision-making skills in the process of mountaineering, without overreliance on man-made facilities.

Future Vision for Building Taiwan’s Zero-carbon Parks

During the speech, Mr. Torii discussed his experience with protecting Oze National Park’s wetlands. Every year, Oze Wetlands in the park attracts scores of tourists to enjoy its natural beauty, especially the Lysichiton camtschatchense (Asian skunk cabbage) that bloom in spring. However, the wetlands are faced with threats stemming from human development, increased park crowds, and climate change impacts. Thus, collaborative wetland restoration programs have been initiated by Oze National Park.

One of the highlights of the Program is the use of locally sourced FSC-certified wood for infrastructure repair and restoration, which not only reduces dependence on non-local transportation but also significantly reduces carbon footprints and is aligned with carbon-free park principles. This approach protects the local ecological environment, promotes local economic development, and further facilitates resource recycling and reuse. Through local procurement, the program promotes the development of local businesses and communities in the process of nature conservation, achieving a win–win for the economy and the environment. In addition, the program also cooperates with outdoor sports brands to promote the concept of bringing your own water bottles and bags to achieve the goal of reducing plastics.

However, Japan’s zero-carbon parks also need to cope with some difficulties in their operations. High transportation costs are one of the most significant problems,as the parks rely on helicopters to transport most of their resources and supplies. Furthermore, mountain trails and facilities tend to be damaged by natural disasters and climate change factors. Because it is difficult for relevant organizations to collect enough funds for comprehensive renewable energy infrastructure upgrade within a short period, the frequent natural disasters caused by climate change have become a great concern. Japan’s declining birthrate has also affected the manpower needed for mountain hut operations.

It is foreseeable that collaboration between Taiwan and Japan will create unlimited potential for both countries in terms of the introduction of green energy technologies, the promotion of Leave No Trace Tourism, and joint protection of the natural environment through community participation. Exchange between Taiwan and Japan will not only create complementary technical benefits but also provide opportunities for both countries to collaboratively cope with the challenges of climate change.

Imagine green-energy buses—like those in Kamikochi—in Taiwan’s mountains, carrying visitors along a low-carbon tourism route. Under the blue sky and white clouds, passengers stop at a service station built from local wood materials, appreciate the beautiful scenery seamlessly connected with nature, and experience the green power generated through Taiwanese–Japanese collaboration. Although zero-carbon park development in Taiwan has only just been initiated, this significant start represents not only a change in travel patterns, but also a completely new low-carbon experience shared with the earth.