在2009年莫拉克風災中，屏東縣災情嚴重，魯凱族聚居的霧台鄉更是首當其衝，總計八個部落中有五個部落面臨遷村的命運，這個事實不僅造成西魯凱群社會文化的急遽動盪，甚且可能導致魯凱族崩解的危機。近來，極端氣候對原住民族的文化永續及社會發展帶來嚴重的衝擊，因此逐漸成為國際社會關注的議題。許多研究顯示，部落重建或遷村的討論，不僅需要考量族人生命財產的安全與國土的復育，更需要顧及文化的傳承、部落社會的完整與族人發展的意願。我們認為現階段，維持族人與鄉土的連結，甚而讓族人直接參與相關的大地和自然資源復育的工作，並在過程中醞釀符合各界期待的山林方案，才是災後重建工作能否有效推展的關鍵。基於這樣的觀點，本計畫在霧台鄉公所協助之下，召募並雇用了18位在地族人接受培力，擔任山林巡守員的角色，執行部落周邊及傳統領域的巡護及監測作業。總計在過去近一年的時間裡，山林巡守隊進行了187次（日間182次、夜間5次）短程的部落周邊巡守和4次長程的傳統領域巡守工作。過程中，巡守隊員除了標定許多傳統文化載點、重要野生動植物位置以及風災後造成的崩塌地點之外，還舉發了5起重大的林木採伐違法及異常事件。事實展現，以在地族人為主體的山林巡守所產生的效益，除了巡護、記錄與監測山林資源並提供科學性資訊之外，還可發揮強化在地警政、防災和水土保持等相關業務的功能。本計畫由原住民族委員會及鄉公所主導，有別於過去由林務單位、國家公園或其他生態環境治理機關推動的方案，不僅展現其族群特色，更凸顯共管機制在地方實踐的可行性。本研究發現，傳統知識的引進，部落實務能力的建構、中高階管理人才的培育、各公部門間的合作協商、專業團隊的輔導、部落，以及族人的支持和加盟，都將是原住民族山林守護制度常態化運作的關鍵議題。

The 2009 Typhoon Morakot was a serious disaster for Pingtung County in southern Taiwan. The indigenous Rukai-inhabited Wutai Township bore the brunt of the damage: of Wutai's eight villages, five were relocated from the mountains to the lowlands. For the southern Rukai this sudden and turbulent socio-cultural change is a serious matter, potentially resulting in the collapse of Rukai society. Recently, extreme climate change has severely impacted the sustainable development of indigenous culture across the world, resulting in this issue gradually becoming a part of the international community's agenda. Many studies have shown that when discussing the relocation and reconstruction of communities, not only must peoples' lives and property along with national land restoration be considered; even more attention must be given to cultural heritage, the intactness of tribal institutions and societies, and the aspirations of tribespeople regarding community development. We believe that at the present stage, maintaining the relationship that the Rukai have with their land and directly involving the tribespeople in natural resource restoration and management work, in the process keeping in mind the expectations that all involved parties may have for the forests, is crucial in successful post-disaster reconstruction. In light of this, the Wutai Township Office recruited 18 local Rukai tribesmen to receive mountain forest patrol training, the monitored areas including village peripheries and traditional tribal territories. Besides demarcating many traditional points of cultural relevance, identifying wild plants and animals in the area, and detecting the precise zones of collapse post-typhoon, patrol team members also played a significant role in detecting the illegal felling of five great trees and suspicious activity. This illustrates the effectiveness of the mountain patrol; in addition to monitoring forest resources and providing scientific information, they can also strengthen local authorities, contribute to soil conservation and disaster prevention. Implemented by the Council of Indigenous Peoples and the township office, unlike past instances where the Forestry Bureau, National Park Services, or other environmental management agencies dominated, this effort not only allows ethnic characteristics to emerge, but also highlights the feasibility of putting co-management of the region into practice. Our study found that the keys issues of concern when initiating an indigenous forest guard system include the incorporation of traditional knowledge, tribal capacity building, cultivation of individuals at high-level management positions, cooperation between public sectors, counsel from specialized experts, and the support and participation of local tribespeople.