To convey the significance of habitat and ecological conservation, the Marine National Park Headquarters invited Director Shou-i Yang to create “Enduring Space and Time: The Vitality of South Penghu Marine National Park,” a documentary showcasing the ecological and cultural beauty of South Penghu Marine National Park. The film successfully presented Taiwan’s ecological conservation achievements and the park’s magnificent natural environment to the world, earning a gold award in the Nature & Wildlife category at the 57th WorldFest-Houston International Film Festival.
The documentary focuses on the mountain forests, seas, and culture of Taiwan. Mastering the art of cinematography, Director Yang used a variety of shots to capture nature in motion and told the stories of South Penghu across the land, sea, intertidal zones, islands, history, and culture, conveying the importance of habitat conservation.
To capture both organic and non-organic elements of this habitat from various angles and perspectives, Director Yang incorporated pull-away and overhead shots with drones. By skillfully using FPV drones, he simulated the tilted flight dynamics of bridled terns, capturing rare footage of them laying eggs in basalt rock crevices, with both male and female birds taking turns incubating and raising their chicks.
The filming crew arrived to the currently uninhabited Xiji Island to document the spectacular view of water mist spraying from a sea cave, which locals historically referred to as the “stove chamber.” The team also dived into the ocean to explore the wide-ranging coral reef and fish ecosystems, capturing extraordinary scenes not visible to ordinary spectators in daily life, such as seawater surging and spraying into mist, resembling steam rising from a stove chamber.
South Penghu Marine National Park is known as a “natural geological classroom.” The Marine National Park Headquarters has been collaborating with schools in Penghu at all levels to conduct environmental education courses. Hui-ching Chen, a volunteer guide, was invited to design these courses. Using a variety of teaching tools and DIY materials, the courses encourage students to turn their imaginative visions of habitats into 3D models.
Yu-ting Kao from the Interpretation and Education Section of the Marine National Park Headquarters stated that the success of this series of activities relied on the recognition and encouragement of local teachers, who have expanded the documentary into a world of new possibilities. For example, teachers from the He-Heng Oceanic Experimental Primary School brought their students to the island after watching the documentary, allowing them to witness the unique appearance of basalt rocks firsthand. Students from the College of Tourism and Leisure of the National Penghu University of Science and Technology also developed travel itineraries under the guidance of their professors. Conservation requires everyone’s efforts; the more people who care, the more likely we are to achieve the goal of preserving the ecosystem.
The documentary “Enduring Space and Time: The Vitality of South Penghu Marine National Park” will be uploaded to the Marine National Park Headquarters’ official YouTube channel in September. The headquarters invites netizens from all around the world to witness the beauty of South Penghu Marine National Park’s ecology online!
