In recent years, TOAF has partnered with the Penghu County Government on afforestation efforts. They have discovered that newly afforested coastal areas play a key role in protecting the coral restoration zone in Penghu Hangwan.
On April 20, 2024, TOAF, Penghu County Government, and Wiwynn Corporation officially launched the "Penghu Hangwan Coastal Afforestation and Coral Rehabilitation Vision" project. The initiative aims to improve 2.5 hectares of land over the next three years by utilizing TOAF’s Water-Storing Seedling Pots and planting 10,000 tree seedlings to create a multi-layered coastal forest. In addition, the project will cultivate 8,000 coral fragments and deploy 1,000 coral bricks to support cluster rehabilitation.
TOAF embarks on its first cross-landscape tree planting initiative, with collaborative efforts from the Penghu County Government, Wiwynn Corporation, local community residents, diving businesses, citizen scientists, and other partners. Together, they are planting trees from land to sea, aiming to enhance biodiversity in both terrestrial and marine environments while supporting ocean-dependent communities. The initiative is expected to positively impact 4,000 people, realizing the vision of satoyama and satoumi (biodiversity and sustainability) in Penghu.
The location for this afforestation project is in Suogang village, Penghu, an area exposed to northeast monsoon winds during the winter. This region is close to the coast and lacks natural terrain barriers, facing challenges such as strong winds, salt spray, and wind-blown sand.
To balance the coastal forest’s windbreak and security functions, while also considering the needs of fish-attached forests, tree species such as grass-leafed mangrove (beach naupaka), casuarina (Australian pine), and yellow hibiscus (sea hibiscus) are planted along the frontline near the shore. There are complemented by evergreen trees, deciduous trees, and shrubs to enhance species diversity in the afforestation area.
Coral reef ecosystems are highly productive and biologically rich areas in the ocean, serving as a vital foundation for the daily livelihoods of coastal residents and the marine tourism.
By planting trees and creating forest in the land near Hangwan, the purified rainwater can slowly flow into the ocean, preventing excessive nutrients from rapidly entering the sea and causing harmful algal blooms that impact the coral growth environment.
This afforestation project not only adds value to the marine industry in Penghu but also presents a beautiful ecological vision for the local community.