This paper examines the social-ecological resilience of an indigenous Amis community in Taiwan due to deforestation caused by the introduction of exotic trees such as Eucalyptus camaldulensis and Leucaena leucocephala. The community has struggled to maintain a sustainable livelihood in the midst of environmental and social crises resulting from industrialization, including population decline and migration of younger generations to urban areas. Most of the forests surrounding the community were rented out to a private enterprise paper-making factory in the 1980s, replacing original trees with exotic species. However, the exotic trees caused various environmental problems, such as groundwater depletion and the replacement of native forests. After lengthy negotiations with relevant government departments and the paper company, the indigenous community regained the right to use the land and decided to chop down the most exotic trees and replant over 6000 original trees. Despite intense social pressure, the community established a team, "E'tolan Style," to manage the sustainable business project and revitalize traditional cultural practices.
This paper explores the dynamic social-ecological system of the Amis community to understand how they are navigating and practicing sustainable possibilities. The resilience of the social-ecological system (SES) depends on balancing the social and ecological systems. The Amis community has been working towards revitalizing the social organization and traditional culture since the mid-1990s, forming the base of the social system encountered with the exotic tree forest dominated by the government and private enterprise. This paper emphasizes the importance of developing a new social system to deal with the new conditions of the forest and the land, which is essential for sustainable practices.
