The Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the
United States (TECRO) and the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT)
, hereinafter referred to as the "Parties", recognized the impo-
rtance of international efforts to protect and sustain forests
and other natural ecosystems. In particular, the Parties desire
to strengthen technical cooperation through their designated re-
presentatives the Forestry Bureau in the Council of Agriculture
and the Forest Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture,
respectively, in order to further the goal of sustainable forest
management and nature conservation and have agreed as follows：
Article I
1.The Parties will cooperate through their designated represent-
atives on the basis of reciprocity and equality in the field
of forestry to promote the protection and sustainable managem-
ent of forest resources.
2.For the purposes of this Agreement, "forestry" means the scie-
nce, principles and practices of managing, conserving, and us-
ing for human benefits the natural resources on and in associ-
ation with forestlands. "Forest resources" means the total fo-
rest ecosystem of trees, soils, water, and other biodiversity,
including commodity and non-commodity inventory on and in ass-
ociation with forestlands.
Article II
1.Cooperation under this Agreement is intended to address impor-
tant problems in the management of forest resources.
2.Cooperation may include, but not be limited to, the following
technical areas:
a.Forest regeneration, including natural regeneration and tree
planting, and issues of genetics and selection;
b.Forest protection against fires,( including fire suppression
, prevention, planning and fire management), pests, and dis-
eases;
c.Forest recreation and eco-tourism;
d.Forest resource assessment and inventory;
e.Monitoring the condition of forest ecosystem;
f.Administrative, legal, and socio-economic aspects of forest
management;
g.Forest conservation and sustainable use, including the impl-
ementation of new technologies;
h.Forest watershed protection and restoration;
i.Forest conservation biology;
j.Development of opportunities to support cooperative work in
science and technology exchange;
k.Research to advance forest sciences and management policy;
and
l.Information sharing about the implementation of criteria and
indicators for sustainable forest management and other init-
iatives.
3.Particular attention in the course of cooperation will be giv-
en to those issues of mutual interest, which may contribute to
solving global ecological problems.
Article III
Cooperation may be implemented in the following forms:
a.Cooperative research and/or investigation;
b.Exchange of professionals and scientists;
c.Exchange of non-proprietary scientific and technical informat-
ion, documentation, and results of research and/or investigat-
ion;
d.Exchange and provision of samples, materials, and data;
e.Joint organization of symposia, conferences, workshops, semin-
ars, training courses and lectures;
f.Publication of reports, articles, and monographs; and
g.As otherwise agree by the Parties.
Article IV
The Parties' designated representatives shall each designate a
technical coordinator to implement this Agreement. For TECRO's
designated representative, the technical coordinator shall be
the Director General of Taiwan Forestry Bureau, Council of Agri-
culture. For AIT's designated representative, the technical coo-
rdinator shall be the Chief of Forest Service, US Department of
Agriculture. The coordinators or their designators shall commun-
icate with each other regularly concerning implementation of th-
eir Agreement.
Article V
1.Nothing in this Agreement shall obligate the Parties or their
designated representatives to obligate or transfer any funds.
Specific work projects or activities that involve the transfer
of funds, services or property among the various agencies and
offices will require execution of separate implementing arran-
gements and be contingent upon availability of appropriated
funds. Such activities must be independently authorized by
appropriate legal authority. This agreement does not provide
such authority. Negotiation, execution, and administration of
each such implementing arrangement must comply with all appli-
cable laws and regulations.
2.Activities under this Agreement are conducted on a fully reim-
bursable basis unless other arrangements are specified and mu-
tually agreed to in Implementing Arrangements to this Agreeme-
nt. The funds for such activities will be provided in advance-
by TECRO to AIT. The amount of funds to be paid in advance wi-
ll be determined by the activities and related budget for an
upcoming 12 month period as mutually agreed by the Parties'
Designated Representatives, plus 18 percent overhead for admi-
nistrative purposes. Funds provided by TECRO for these purpos-
ed that are not used within the 12-month period will be refun-
ded by AIT to TECRO.
3.This instrument in no way restricts the Partied or their desi-
gnated representatives from participating in similar activiti-
es with other private agencies, organizations, and individuals
.
Article VI
This Agreement shall enter into force on the date of the last
signature, and shall remain in force for 5 years from the date
of execution unless a formally terminated by either of the Part-
ies. This Agreement may be extended or amended upon written req-
uest by either Party and the subsequent written concurrence of
the other. Either Party may terminate this Agreement at any time
by giving a ninety day notice in writing to the other Party and
concurrently that Party's designated representative.
Any unused funds provided by TECRO for the purpose specified ab-
ove will be returned to TECRO upon termination of this Agreement
.
Done at Washington, D. C., in duplicate, in the English language
.
For the Taipei Economic For the American Institute in
and Cultural Taiwan
Representative Office in
the United States
Name: Name:
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Title: Title:
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Date: Date:
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