Professor Meihui Chen from the NPUST Department of Forestry has been leading Under Forest Economy projects with community tribes for nearly 20 years. Most recently, in order to inspire tribe’s people and college youths in Kaohsiung and Pingtung to participate in food-related R&D, Professor Chen and her team have drawing attention to “copper plate delicacies with local characteristics”. As part of this initiative, the researchers cooperated with the Wutai and Mudan townships to put on the “Flavors of the Forest ~ Copper Plate Creative Cuisine Competition”. A five-member jury composed of professional hotel chefs, local food experts and teachers of Chinese and Western cuisine was put together to judge the works. Fifteen groups made the cut for the finals which were held on May 31 at the Department of Forestry Department.
NPUST President Chang-Hsien Tai made some remarks at the event, saying “thank you to Professor Meihui Chen for her dedicated efforts in promoting Under-Forest Economies and cooperating on development with local tribes and communities. Through their activities they have moved from “protecting mountain forests” all the way to the current concept of “community forestry”. With government support, they established the Community Forestry Center and through the processes have had a positive impact on local residents and government agencies. Their hard work, and practical cooperation has created fruitful results. In today’s creative cooking competition, students from our university and experts from various sectors will participated in these finals. I wish everyone the best results for your hard work.”
Professor Chen said “for the current initiative, the Community Forestry team assisted Mudan Township to conduct research for a Local Placemaking Project proposal to the National Development Council and they are now the first township in Taiwan to have received approval. With the support of the Pingtung County Government and the Forestry Bureau, we launched this Local Placemaking Project based on the theme of Under-Forest Economies. Last year (2021) we held a copper plate cooking event in Mudan Township for the first time and it was very well received. And since it is our hope to encourage more people to participate in cooking competitions, this year the event will be expanded to the entire Kaohsiung and Pingtung area. Through the activity, we will be able to showcase real products produced according to the concept of Under-Forest Economies and combined with special local ingredients to make creative dishes.”
Yang Jui-fen, director of the Pingtung Forestry District Management Office, said “NPUST’s University Social Responsibility (USR) project won Global View’s Magazine USR Award for three consecutive years. This year they won it again. It can be seen that NPUST’s contribution to society has been recognized by many different sectors. This event combines wisdom from the mountain forests with the creativity of the youth. Through the fusion of these two, unique and priceless copper plate delicacies are being created.”
At the “Flavors of the Forest ~ Copper Plate Creative Cuisine Competition”, the first place award in the “Under-Forest Economies” group went to the “Mudan Honey Flavor Charcoal Grilled Zhongxing Red Feather Chicken Wrap”, and second place was given to the “Crispy Log-grown Mushroom Mini Burgers”. Both of these creations were submitted by Yuying Lu, Jiahui Chen and Jiajie Lin, a team from the NPUST Department of Hotel and Restaurant Management. Ming-Fang Chung from Mudan Township took the third place award for her “Indigenous People’s Chicken Zongzi”. In the “Local Features” group, the first place award went to Kabalelradhane Community Development Association in Wutai Township for their taro puffs. Hotel and Restaurant Management student Yi-zhen Chen won second for her “Dorayaki” and Mei-Juan Wang from Mudan Township won third for her “Honey Lycopus Asper Tea”. In the “Best Creativity” group, Chin-Chiu Mai from the Kabalelradhane Tribe was awarded for her millet donuts and Chia-chi Tang and Ya-Hui Kao from the Tadidirivane Tribe were also awarded for their “Red Plum & Honey Heavy Cheese Cake”.
Hopes are that the competition will inspire more people to visit Wutai and Mudan townships to enjoy their rich and exciting local foods, and that ideas of “local consumption”, “food and agriculture education” and “low-carbon diet” will spread. The development of Under-Forest Economies is in line with Taiwan’s goal of net-zero emissions by 2050 and can contribute to the creation of agricultural carbon sinks by utilizing under-canopy forest spaces, promoting new methods of agriculture, and applying concepts from “circular economies”.
