Regional revitalization based on sustainable communities: The case of Guanshan township, Taiwan

Under the competitive situation of the global economy, small towns in Taiwan are facing the issue of being unable to balance the industrial economy and sustainable community development. The decline of local industries has caused population decline and aging problems. The Taiwanese government promotes regional revitalization and hopes to create local employment opportunities and achieve the goal of local sustainable development. Guanshan is a small town in the East Rift Valley of Taiwan. The region is rich in natural resources, with agriculture and tourism as the main industries, and serious population loss and aging are the most important issues for the sustainable development of the community. This study conducted one-to-one semi-structured interviews with actual operators in Guanshan to verify the relationship between the actual operation mode and concept of regional revitalization, at the same time, observe the local tribal ecology and industrial context. It also discusses the problems encountered by operators returning to their hometowns, and the support and appealing of relevant policies for local sustainable operations, and summarizes the factors that affect the sustainable development of the Guanshan community. The study is based on the results of in-depth interviews and analysis of cases to deduce the factors that affect local sustainable operation: (1) develop non-toxic agriculture, (2) promote plastic-reducing packaging, (3) promote education on food and agriculture, (4) develop diversified platforms, and (5) attract youth to return. Driving the vitality of the local economy through the promotion of sustainable communities achieves the vision and purpose of regional revitalization.