Lin Hwa-ching: From education to administration
Over the past few years, the Forestry Bureau has been like a rough gem being polished to reveal a surprising luster. The figure who has presided over this transformation from ugly duckling to elegant swan is the bureau’s director-general, Lin Hwa-ching.
In only four years he has been on the job, the Forestry Bureau has taken many impressive steps. These have included the release of desk calendars, wall calendars and planners with a quirky, hipsterish vibe, as well as publications that look no less fashionable than commercial periodicals. In design circles, these moves have been called “the transformation of public-sector aesthetics.” But from Lin’s perspective, they have but one aim: “two-way communication.”
Government agencies used to be much criticized for being out of touch, wasteful of public funds, and inefficient. How can they avoid these pitfalls? “In the process of formulating policy,” Lin says, “they can explore a variety of perspectives through formal or informal conversations with the public.”
But why has he taken such a mold-breaking approach? Some threads in Lin’s career of government service provide clues. Before entering the Forestry Bureau, he served at the Taipei Zoo and the National Taiwan Museum. Unlike the Forestry Bureau, which is purely an administrative agency, those two institutions also hold research departments and carry out important educational functions.
For example, “There are people who oppose the existence of zoos,” Lin explains. “To make the case that we’re justified in sacrificing these animals’ freedom, we have to show that those sacrifices will bring the greatest value—namely education and the promotion of nature conservation.” Toward that end, the zoo administration adopted prudent methods to enhance communication with the public.
Before taking the reins at the Forestry Bureau, Lin served as deputy director of the National Taiwan Museum. To keep its relevance for society in the modern age, the museum has likewise emphasized public relations, actively staking out a place for itself in the era of digital information to attract people who are not typical museumgoers.
Forestry Bureau director-general Lin Hwa-ching takes joy in communicating with the public as he leads the agency into a new era.