日治時期臺灣保安林初探：環境保育的一項遺產

A Preliminary Study on Taiwan's Forest Reserves in the Japanese Colonial Period: A Legacy of Environmental Conservation

本文的重點在於探討日治時期臺灣保安林的設置與成長。日本殖民政府在臺灣立的第一個保安林是在1900年，位於二林附近的一個村庄，占地26.07甲。在1942年，臺灣保安林面積達373,694甲，約占臺灣林野總面積的百分之十五。以現有的統計資料加以分析，我們發現保安林的成長情形大致可以1927－1928年間為轉捩點分為前後兩期。前期成長率高於後期；然而，前期的成長趨勢呈現漸璔，後期則呈現漸增。本文結論認為，在日治時期掌理森林業務的官署雖數度更動，然其推動之政策並未因官署之異動而放棄，直至1942年都還有新的計畫提出。日本殖民政府不但致力於臺灣林野的調查，林產的經營，也注意相關的研究與試驗。更重要的是推動保安林的設置。以臺灣的地形條件觀之，保安林的設置對國土保安與公眾福祉是絕對必要的。臺灣的保安林在第二次大戰後期曾受到損壞，但其面積在戰後數年間即恢復到戰前的水準，故保安林可視為殖民地時期的一項遺產。

This paper's focal point traces the establishment and growth of Taiwan's forest reserves (保安林，pronounced as hoanrin in Japanese and pao-an-lin in Chinese) during the Japanese colonial period. The first forest reserve was set up in 1900 with an area of 26.07 chia甲 (1 chia is approximately 0.97 hectares) in a village around Erhlin二林. In 1942 there were 373.694 chia of forest reserves that accounted for 15 percent of Taiwan's total area of woodlands and forests. Analyzing the available statistics, we find that the growth of forest reserves appeared in different patterns with 1927-1928 as a turning point. The growth rate was higher in the first phase than in the second, however, the growth momentum appeared to decrease in the first phase while increasing in the second. This paper concludes that although the office in charge of forest affairs did change hands several times, the succeeding offices carried on most of the policies. Moreover, new programs were added up until 1942. These policies reflected that the colonial authority not only paid attention to the investigation and management of forests and woodlands as well as the disposition of forest products, but also made many efforts to do research and experiment. More important, the colonial authority initiated the establishment of forest reserves in Taiwan where natural geographical conditions made such a measure indispensable for territory security and public benefit. As the areas of forest reserves recovered to the pre-war level shortly after the war, it certainly can be considered as a legacy from the colonial period.