In the face of intensifying global climate extremes and rapid urbanization, "shallow mountain areas" act as critical yet fragile buffers. This study assesses environmental vulnerability and adaptive strategies in the Daxi and Sanxia Districts, two townships located in the middle reaches of the Tamsui River basin in Western Taiwan. Adopting a rigorous mixed-methods approach comprising field investigations, community observations, and semi-structured interviews with core community organizers, the research analyzes the dual pressures of environmental degradation and demographic shifts.

Findings reveal that unchecked over-development has significantly compromised ecological integrity and disaster resistance. Simultaneously, urbanization-induced out-migration has resulted in an aging population, exacerbating social vulnerability. Crucially, the study identifies a distinct mode of adaptation that challenges standard governance models. Unlike urban centers that depend on modern cross-sector cooperation, these communities rely heavily on cohesive community organizational networks. The analysis demonstrates that despite limited external resources, these strong community bonds are deeply integrated with local operations, effectively converting bonding social capital into resilience. Although mainstream economic discourse often undervalues such models due to their insular nature, this research argues that these indigenous social structures are essential for local sustainability. Consequently, the study concludes that adaptive governance in shallow mountain regions must pivot from imposing urban-centric policies to explicitly leveraging these existing community networks for effective disaster mitigation.

Authors:
Bo Han Chen, National Taipei University, Taiwan

About the Presenter(s)
Bo-Han Chen is a Ph.D. Candidate in the Department of Real Estate and Built Environment at National Taipei University, holding a Master’s degree in Urban Planning from the National Taipei University of Education

See this presentation on the full schedule – Tuesday Schedule

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