Standards for Determining Specific Items and Scope of Environmental Impact Assessments for Development Activities. Article 16

With regard to development or use of forest lands or forests as prescribed in the Forestry Act, an environmental impact assessment shall be required when any one of the following situations applies to the cutting of forest trees:I. The site is located in a wildlife refuge or a major wildlife habitat. However, this restriction shall not apply when the area of clear-cutting or the cumulative area of clear-cutting during the most recent five years in the same protection area or major wildlife habitat is less than 1,000 square meters, and the competent authority in charge of the wildlife refuge or major wildlife habitat and forestry competent authority have granted their consent.II. The site is located in an important wetland. However, this restriction shall not apply when the clear-cutting area or the cumulative clear-cutting area cut during the most recent five years in the same wetland is less than 1,000 square meters, and the competent authority in charge of the important wetland and the forestry competent authority have granted their consent.III. The site is located in a nature preserve approved and announced under the Taiwan Coastal Area Natural Environment Protection Plan. However, this restriction shall not apply when the clear-cutting area or the cumulative clear-cutting area cut during the most recent five years in the same nature preserve is less than 1,000 square meters, and the competent authority in charge of the nature reserve approved and announced under the Taiwan Coastal Area Natural Environment Protection Plan and the forestry competent authority have granted their consent.IV. The site is located at an elevation of over 1,500 meters. However, this restriction shall not apply when the clear-cutting area is less than 500 square meters and the forestry competent authority has granted its consent.V. The site is located in a slopeland or a general protected area approved and announced under the Taiwan Coastal Area Natural Environment Protection Plan, and the clear-cutting area is 2 hectares or more.VI. The clear-cutting area is 4 hectares or more.Where the cut forest mentioned in the preceding paragraph refers to a man-made forest, forest damaged by natural disasters or pests, or it is required for protection of endangered or rare species and other wild animals to be protected or for habitat creation, the environmental impact assessment may be exempted upon approval of the forestry competent authority.