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Kinmen was once covered with lush forests in earlier times. However, starting from the Yuan and Ming dynasties, successive wars and human-induced disasters nearly destroyed its woodlands. By modern times, the land had become barren and desolate, with much of it reduced to infertile terrain and severely degraded ecological conditions. In the winter of 1950, the late President Chiang Kai-shek, upon inspecting Kinmen and witnessing the sky darkened by sandstorms, the hardships faced by the people, and the pressing defense concerns, instructed General Hu Lien of the Kinmen Defense Command to actively “plant trees, conserve water, and green Kinmen.”
The afforestation campaign began in 1951, aiming to reforest and restore Kinmen. After decades of persistent and arduous efforts, the groundwork for reforestation was eventually laid, and the once-exposed land was successfully covered. These efforts significantly improved the ecological environment of the Kinmen area and greatly enhanced the quality of life for both military and civilians.
The predecessor of the current Forestry Bureau was the Xiaojing Nursery, which was directly under the Kinmen County Government. In 1951, the Kinmen Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station was established, responsible for the research, experimentation, and promotion of agronomic crops, seedling cultivation, afforestation, and animal husbandry. In response to growing forestry needs, the Kinmen County Forestry Bureau was officially established on May 1, 1956, and has continued to operate to this day.
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