National Parks of Taiwan

Within theTaijiang National Park there are 2 national grade wetlands: Cigu Salt PanWetland and the Yanshuei Estuary Wetland, and 2 international grade wetlands: ZengwunEstuary Wetland and Sihcao Wetland. The large area of wetlands is has nurturedvarious wetland animals and plants, and attracted a large number of protectedbirds, including Ciconia boyciana, Tringa guttifer, Falco peregrinus and Tytocapensis, to make it their home, this also includes the rare migrant birdthat comes from the north every winter –Black-faced Spoonbill.

Beforethe national park was established, the wetlands were at risk of beingdeveloped, some parts were filled with earth and became residential areas, fishfarms or industrial areas, and a part was even used as a landfill. Threats towetland conservation include over-development, over-pumping underground water,and over-emission of pollutants; invasive species are also gradually becoming athreat. When Taijiang National Park was first established, the parkheadquarters began reorganizing the wetland’s surrounding environment, and theInterpretation and Education Section began planning “Taijiang Wetland School,”unfolding a series of environmental education activities.

Taijiang Wetland School developed 14 teaching plans under four themes,namely “Nature and Ecology,”“Culture and History,”“Economy and Industry,” and “NationalParks,” and has dedicated its efforts to promoting environmental education,holding over a hundred events, during which professional teachers andvolunteers led different outdoor experience courses for different subjects,achieving “education through entertainment.”

Taijiang National Park Headquarters takes delight and never gets tiredin implementing environmental education, constantly developing new approachesin hopes of reinforcing school education and for concepts of ecologicalconservation to strike root, passing down the torch of care for the naturalenvironment to future generations.