山茶屬植物深具農藝與園藝上的價值，因此可被視為台灣重要之野生植物資源，但是也因此長期遭受人類採集利用，使其野生族群受到嚴重人為干擾而受害。根據目前最新的分類處理結果，台灣的原生山茶屬植物共有12種，然而並無詳細之族群調查資料，可以用來做為保育之基準。由於原生山茶屬植物廣布在台灣中低海拔山區，所以本計畫預計以兩年之時間，經由現地調查來估計目前台灣原生山茶屬植物之族群量。第一年 (98年度) 已完中央山脈西側各族群的調查，今年 (99年度) 預計再以同樣的方法，移至中央山脈東側施作。最後，再根據IUCN所頒定之最新準則，評估台灣原生山茶屬植物之受威脅等級。同時，為保護台灣原生山茶屬植物種原，預計透過扦插苗之培育，進行種原保存措施。本計畫所保存之種原，亦可經由適當的繁殖規劃，提供各界對原生山茶利用之需求，以防止有心人士再對野生山茶族群進行不當破壞。
Camellia plants are economically valuable, which suggests they act as important nature resources. Therefore, the native Camellia plants are vulnerable for the intensive collections of humans. Based on the taxonomic treatments published recently, there are 12 native Camellia species in Taiwan. However, the population size of each species is still unknown. This plan is subjected to gather the population information for all the native Camellia species. For the wide- ranged distribution of the Camellia plants, we plan the investigation in two years. The populations in the west part of the Central Mountain Range had been investigated in 2009 and those in the east part will be investigated in 2010. Subsequently, the conservation status for each species will be determined based on the publication of IUCN. For preserving the native Camellia germplasm in practice, we will propagate all the species clonally by cutting. The preserved germplasm could meet the economic needs by way of an adequate propagation plan, which will prevent the wild populations from the damages by humans.
