Mango Tree Massacre: Vandalism and Controversy on Taiwan's Highway 9

A dispute over road widening leads to the poisoning of hundreds of mango trees in Hualien, raising questions about infrastructure, agriculture, and justice.

In a shocking act of environmental vandalism, 242 mango trees along Taiwan's Highway 9 in Yuli Township, Hualien County, have been deliberately poisoned, leading to their tragic demise. The incident stems from a dispute surrounding the planned widening of the road and the resulting impact on the trees.

The incident occurred in the Samin section of Highway 9, where over 400 mango trees were originally planted. Authorities discovered that three individuals, including a man identified as 徐姓, were allegedly responsible for drilling holes into the trees and injecting them with poison, ultimately killing a significant portion of the mango orchard.

Prosecutors have filed charges of property damage against the three suspects, and the Hualien District Court has handed down sentences ranging from four to six months, which can be commuted to a fine.

The road widening project, initiated by the Highway Bureau in 2022, originally intended to preserve the trees. However, local farmers raised concerns about the mango trees. They reported that fallen fruit would rot and cause slippery conditions on the road, leading to accidents. Additionally, the trees were seen as obstructions to agricultural machinery. This led to opposition from local farmers and fueled the controversy surrounding the road widening project.