1989 was a special year in the conservation history of Taiwan. It is a milestone for the conservationists, and for the diminished pristine forests of Taiwan. Through demonstrating and petitioning with countless volunteers, Lai Chunbiao and Renjian Magazine spent two years persuading the authorities to stop logging natural cypress forests. The government finally announced that its forestry bureau will put an end to its logging policy.

Caption: Lai initiated a walk for the forests in his bid to save the cypress forests.

Lai Chunbiao, aka Prince of the Forests, is often described as a ¡§man who is like a tree¡¨.

He is a conservationist who has fought for the survival of Taiwan¡¦s forests for more than twenty years.

Lai grew up in the country, and so nature played an important part in his childhood. He used to aim his slings and stones at birds with his playmates. But as he grew older, he began to doubt his own actions. ¡§Birds are simply beautiful flying in the skies, why should I hit it?¡¨ This compassion he felt for the birds became the start of his later mission in life.

Mountain climbing became his passion when he grew up. The mountains and forests beckon. He chose jobs that would enable him to change shifts and go for hiking trips easily.
It was indeed full of beautiful sights on these trips, but Lai also noticed that increasing ¡§baldness¡¨ of Taiwan¡¦s mountains. Trees were logged relentlessly along the roads. The logging scenes were reminiscent of killing fields ¡V electric saws cut through age-old trunks brutally, huge logs were heaved onto trucks amidst more sawing. Questions filled Lai¡¦s mind. Why were more and more trees being cut down? How old exactly are these trees that people log with such wanton disregard? He began to photograph these logging activities.

Lai later joined the Renjian Magazine. He reported on the crisis faced by the forests ¡V the threats that came from the government and the people, hoping to raise awareness of the issue. In the beginning he entered these logging zones with journalists, but the hardships in the mountainous areas and threats from the illegal loggers did not work well with most journalists. Lai had to try his own hand at writing, doing research and reading up on relevant literature. He delved deep into the indigenous villages, conducting interviews and piecing together the history of Taiwan¡¦s cypress forests.

Lai once said,¡¨We are willing to spend so much resources protecting relics of the National Museum. We should protect these ancient trees too, who have lived for thousands of years and are alive still.¡¨ He wants more people to understand that trees are a precious natural heritage; they help to protect the soil, and retain water. We would suffer if we cut down every single tree.

Making logging of cypress forests illegal is only a small step for Lai. The problems remain. Lai is regularly shocked by the barbaric and ruthless acts of humans. He continues to uncover illegal loggers who cut down trees to get at priced mushrooms. Trees are cleared on the mountain ridges to trap racing pigeons. Forests are set on fire to hide traces of illegal logging. In 1998, with a group of committed friends, Lai initiated a campaign to preserve the cypress forests in Chilan and to establish the Magao National Park.

Lai believes that one should know one¡¦s value in life. If someone is committed to a cause, then slowly the general public will start to take notice as well. Right now, Lai and his friends are still working towards a common goal yet unachieved.

You too, can be part of Lai¡¦s mission, and help save the forests. Dissuade your family from using too much wood during renovations, and try to pick up second-hand furniture instead of acquiring it brand new. Share Lai¡¦s story and his visions with your friends. As more and more people become aware, Taiwan¡¦s natural environment will benefit.