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INTRODUCTION OF
TAINAN COUNTY BLACK-FACED SPOONBILL CONSERVATION ASSOICATION
April 2002
I BACKGROUND
¡@The beautiful island of Taiwan, once well-known as Formosa, has been over-developed due to industrial and economic priorities. This makes the lagoon at Chi-Ku on the western seashore very precious for two reasons. First, more than half of the entire global population of the famous black-faced spoonbills winter at this site every year. Secondly, thousands of seagulls, snipes, and geese visit this area several times a year. The facts show that Chi-Ku is a treasure of ecological sources. On September 27 of 1998, Tainan county Black-Faced Spoonbill Association(BFSA) was established by local, enthusiastic, young men and the fishermen who have made a living on inland seas for generations. With love for their hometown and a passion for life, the members of this organization devoted themselves to ecological conservation and tourism development in hopes that the collected information from ecological studies would inspire young people to take an interest in the science of nature.
II OBJECTIVES
¡@In order to prevent the wild black-faced spoonbill from extinction, there has been an emphasis on academic research and the dissemination of its findings through interpretation to the public. Hopefully, this will help to protect the spoonbill¡¦s wintering area and in turn, help to preserve their existence. Furthermore, by means of tour-guiding, it is hoped that people come to understand the concerns of natural ecology and come to value and protect their land and home. The ideal goal is to establish a national park with favoring nature, ecology and conservation instead of the proposed large-scale petroleum-chemical industrial districts.
III ACTIVITIES
A. Academic Research:
At present, the research begins with a study of the black-faced spoonbill, the ecology of their natural habitats and the particular environment of their winter habitat. From these studies, a seminar or an academic exchange meeting can be held annually.B. Editing interpretation publications:
The tour-guides¡¦ experiences along with the study results are collected into interpretation manuals. The series of Feelings for Chi-Ku and spoonbills at countryside include birds, the plants at seashore, human knowledge and geography, the ecology around tideway, feelings attaching to flying spoonbills and lagoon. Three of the five books have been published for the purpose of spreading knowledge of environmental conservation and the information about the ecology, value and history of the surrounding countryside.C. Interpretation/tour-guiding education:
There are interpretation services on weekends and holidays at the bird-watching kiosks. All volunteers receive training in the interpretation and education of ecological conservation before they are posted to the bird-watching kiosks near the black-faced spoonbill habitat.D. Tour-guiding of ecological trips:
Groups can request and reserve a personal tour-guide to accompany them on an ecological tour of Chi-Ku.E. Teachers are being trained in environmental education to assist in educational field trips for elementary school and junior high school students.
F. Tables of ecological statistics and data are on exhibit, and video tapes about the black-faced spoonbills are available at the BFSA office.
IV FUTURE GOALS
A. To promote the establishment and management of the natural ecological sanctuary at the estuary of the Tsen-Wen River for the sake of the black-faced spoonbills.
B. To assist the local fisherman and encourage them to share in the management of the natural ecological sanctuary. (It is suggested that the conservation foundation of the estuary of the Tsen-Wen River be mainly comprised of the local people and fishermen).
C. To promote travel and tourism to points of ecological interest such as the lagoons, sandbanks and seaboard. To emphasize the cultural value and encourage interest in native modes of production such as farming, fishing, and salt-making.
V HONORS
3.20.1999 ¡§Outstanding public good organization of society awards¡¨ by
Buddhist World Culture and Education Foundation
honored by Executive Yuan Chief Chiun-Shon Chang
honored by Tainan County
