Biodiversity Management Plan

ACC formulates a Biodiversity Management Plan (BMP) to protect and enhance biodiversity value and ecosystem services during and after mining operations. This plan includes biodiversity baseline data, field surveys to establish baselines, setting target indicators, action and implementation plans (such as sustainable mining, nature-based reforestation, habitat restoration, and land reclamation), monitoring and measurement, and executing the budget. The biodiversity management plan in 2023 covers the Asia Cement Xincheng mountain Quarry and the surrounding Hualien Plant, as well as the Asia Cement Ecological Park, ensuring 100% coverage of operational impact points.

• The background information: Hsinchensheng mining site
• Field Survey: In 2023, twelve ecological surveys were conducted. The results showed a rich diversity of bird and butterfly species and numbers, indicating a stable state of species and numbers over the past three years. Additionally, the survey results for amphibians and mammals further strengthen the evidence that the re-vegetation efforts at the Xincheng mountain Quarry have a positive impact on species diversity and environmental diversity.

• Actions and management plan implementation

1. Sustainable Mining :The original topsoil removed during the mining process is fully recovered and enriched to promote fertility. To preserve native tree species, in addition to transplantation to other locations, seedlings are also propagated through cuttings or seed collection. At the final stage of mining, after excavating planting trenches and refilling with fertile soil, robust seedlings are planted densely in mixed species to enhance tree diversity. This practice creates a favorable habitat for wildlife and fosters ecological restoration.
2. Mimicking natural reforestation: Native tree species are carefully selected for local vegetation and greenification. The process involves seedling propagation, cultivation, strengthening, and on-site soil improvement, along with plant fertilization, maintenance, and irrigation management. These efforts aim to enhance plant growth conditions and drive succession toward a climax community, promoting and accelerating the early establishment of dominant and stable plant communities. This helps restore the natural ecosystem of the mining area as quickly as possible.
3. Habitat and land reclamation: Efforts are made to promote habitat and land reclamation to mitigate ecological impacts and restore habitat environments. This includes using concave mining methods to minimize the area of landscape impact, reducing biodiversity disruptions by controlling blasting vibrations, implementing soil and water conservation plans for the mining site, and conducting ecological surveys and assessments during land reclamation to maintain the habitats of flora and fauna.
4. Enclosed ore transportation: Since 1978, Asia Cement’s Hualien plant, in collaboration with Japan's Onoda Cement, completed Taiwan’s first vertical shaft conveyor system in mining history. After extraction, ore is transported via enclosed, sound-dampening rollers, significantly reducing noise and preventing dust dispersion during transportation. This system saves on fuel consumption and tire wear annually, contributing to environmental protection, energy conservation, and the preservation of natural landscapes.
5. Sustainable mine planning: The sustainable planning and land reuse of the mine includes the creation of 20 hectares of flat land after the final stages of mining, allowing for future land reutilization. Asia Cement commits to working with the government and local communities to develop a mine transformation and land reuse plan four years before mining operations end. This ensures that the goal of maintaining the safety and well-being of residents around the mining area is achieved.

• Status of mining and vegetation restoration: In 2023, approximately 3,094 native trees were planted, bringing the total greening area to 71.9 hectares by the end of 2023, with a greening coverage rate of 80.9%.

• The lowest vibration value of feelingless explosion in the world: In 2023, the average annual vibration velocity was 0.052 cm/sec, which is less than one-third of the self-imposed limit of 0.15 cm/sec. Additionally, all measured values were below 0.15 cm/sec.