Minutes from the International Forum on Intertidal Symbiosis of Black-faced Spoonbill and Wetland Conservation: Past, Present, and Future Symposium

 

Date: 2 December 2025

Venue: 3rd Floor, Future Venue, National Cheng Kung University (NCKU)

Minutes Taken by Henry Lee (Water Sustainability Lab, NCKU)

Opening and Briefing on the Global Black-faced Spoonbill population

 

1. Ping-Sheng Wu (Senior Vice President, NCKU)

In his opening remarks, Senior Vice President Wu began by welcoming all distinguished guests on behalf of NCKU, with special thanks to scholars, practitioners, government leaders, and community partners from Taiwan and abroad for their participation in the forum. He expressed particular appreciation to Professor Hsiao-Wen Wang and her Water Sustainability Laboratory at NCKU, acknowledging their long-term research on critical habitats in Qigu, which has demonstrated how scientific knowledge can be translated into practice through hydrological science, cross-disciplinary collaboration, and wetland planning, thereby making the value of wetlands more visible.

Wu noted that since its establishment in 1997, SAVE International has been dedicated to safeguarding Qigu and promoting transnational wetland conservation along the migratory flyway from East Asia to Australia. He stressed that the transnational and cross-sector dialogue realized through this forum is the result of many organizations’ sustained efforts over the years.

Speaking as a scholar of architecture and urban studies, Wu underscored the importance of spatial governance. For architects and planners, he argued, the focus is not limited to individual buildings, but extends to governance models that engage ecological networks, landscape resilience, and community participation. Wetlands, he suggested, are precisely where these elements converge and thus serve as a key arena for examining how societies collectively respond to nature. In this sense, sustainability is not merely a technical challenge but a governance task that requires sustained collaboration among people, land, and society.

Wu emphasized that the line-up of this forum—bringing together central ministries, local governments, the private sector, academia, local communities, and international organizations—highlights that wetland conservation has become a shared responsibility of society at large and marks an important moment in Taiwan’s environmental governance. Over the past three decades, the presence of the Black-faced Spoonbill along Taiwan’s coasts has borne witness to environmental change and to the joint engagement of communities, scholars, and government agencies. In his view, the collaborative work carried out in wetlands from Qigu to Budai has produced a distinctive Taiwanese experience of governance, showing the world that what Taiwan seeks to protect is not only a species, but also the value and future of its land.

 

In conclusion, Wu stated that in the face of the global climate crisis and escalating ecological risks, conservation cannot be accomplished by any single actor; it must be addressed collectively by science, policy, industry, and society. Genuine sustainability, he argued, grows from long-term bonds of care and responsibility between people and place. He expressed the hope that through international exchange, participants could jointly consider how wetlands might serve as the frontline of climate adaptation, how communities might become governance partners, and how scientific knowledge might support policies that can be effectively implemented.

 

2. Derek Schubert (President, SAVE International)

In his video remarks, Schubert, President of SAVE International, expressed his respect for the participants and stressed that their presence attests to a shared commitment to protecting the Black-faced Spoonbill and its habitats through collaboration. He observed that the forum upholds an important idea of a community that transcends national boundaries, which stands in sharp contrast to rising currents of isolationism worldwide—an outlook he characterized as naïve and ultimately untenable.

Schubert emphasized that human beings share more commonalities than differences, and that such interconnectedness is equally evident in the natural world, as air, water, and wildlife freely cross human-drawn borders. Birds themselves do not recognize nation-states, he remarked; they respond only to whether humans choose to protect and enhance their habitats. He recalled that some thirty years ago the global population of Black-faced Spoonbills was only about 300 individuals, but thanks to sustained conservation efforts, their numbers have steadily increased to more than 7,000 today, representing a remarkable recovery. While this outcome is encouraging, he cautioned that it remains fragile. Ongoing vigilance is needed, including efforts to resist proposals to downlist the species in the IUCN Red List. As wetlands along the migratory flyway continue to face threats, he underscored the need for coordination across multiple countries and languages, especially the involvement of local actors who know their home landscapes, can locate the birds, and can count them reliably.

 

3. Marcia McNally (Emeritus Professor, Department of Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning, University of California, Berkeley; Co-founder and Treasurer, SAVE International)

McNally began by briefly outlining the history, composition, and mission of SAVE International. Established in 1997, SAVE is composed of planners, designers, and scientists from the United States, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, and other places. Its clear yet ambitious mission is to protect the Black-faced Spoonbill and its habitats by promoting alternative development pathways and ensuring the long-term sustainability of both ecosystems and local communities. To this end, SAVE has worked to understand habitat requirements, apply international pressure, foster sustainable economic development and local employment, and collaborate closely with community-based organizations.

McNally reviewed a series of campaigns in which SAVE has been involved with along the spoonbill’s flyway including successful efforts to halt the construction of four airports, a petrochemical complex, a tidal power plant, a solar power project, and several coastal reclamation schemes for urban development. She started with SAVE’s involvement in South Korea, which, despite being a Contracting Party to the Ramsar Convention, has lost at least 50 percent of its tidal flats in recent decades. Yet South Korea remains both the summer breeding ground of the Black-faced Spoonbill and one of the most critical stopover sites along the East Asian–Australasian Flyway.

In Taiwan, she continued, Qigu has been the locus of SAVE’s deepest engagement. Even before the anti-Binnan industrial complex movement gained momentum, SAVE had already joined forces with professors and student teams from NTU to support the local resistance. Together with local partners, they explored strategies to stop the petrochemical complex and developed alternative development proposals. Their analysis demonstrated that while the petrochemical project might deliver short-term job gains, these would diminish over time, whereas an alternative pathway could sustain fisheries employment in the long term and stimulate local economic development.

McNally went on to highlight the spatial governance dimension of conservation. SAVE, working with scientists, identified the critical water regimes and habitat conditions necessary for the spoonbills’ foraging and roosting, then translated these requirements into spatial configurations they referred to as “geometries,” arguing that simple numerical tables were insufficient to guide effective action. They also advanced the concept of “stepping stones,” designed to encourage the Black-faced Spoonbill to move along Taiwan’s southwestern coast, and drafted the first outline of priority conservation areas for the newly formed National Scenic Area, designating key sites that must be safeguarded under any circumstances.

 

4. Yat-tung Yu (Director, The Hong Kong Bird Watching Society/ Coordinator, International Black-faced Spoonbill Census)

As the coordinator of the global census of the Black-faced Spoonbill, Yu provided an international perspective on conservation efforts for the species. He stated with pride that after three decades of work, conservation has achieved significant progress. The global population has increased from roughly 200–300 individuals to more than 7,000, with the most recent global census recording 7,780 birds in early 2025, 58 percent of which were counted in Taiwan. He noted that October of this year was particularly significant, as the IUCN formally downlisted the Black-faced Spoonbill from “Endangered” to “Vulnerable.” While this change is cause for celebration, he cautioned that “Vulnerable” still indicates a high risk of extinction. He referred to the IUCN Green Status assessment, which confirms that recovery is feasible and that conservation actions have already improved the situation, but emphasizes that the work is far from complete.

Yu pointed out that the Black-faced Spoonbill is restricted to narrow coastal habitats along parts of the East Asian–Australasian Flyway, areas that are often targeted for intensive human development, creating a central challenge for conservation strategies. The strength of successful conservation, he argued, lies in collective action, with the international census serving as a mechanism linking partners across different sites. Current major threats include habitat loss, disease and pollution, climate-related impacts, and human disturbance. He drew particular attention to conflicts associated with offshore wind power, using maps to show how wind farms can obstruct migratory routes, force birds to turn back, and lead to high mortality after long-distance flights. He called for the impacts on birds to be fully considered when planning renewable energy projects. Looking ahead, he identified several priorities: updating action plans, strengthening legal protection informed by public input, maintaining long-term monitoring of populations and habitats, and improving habitat management. Above all, he stressed that conservation must engage diverse stakeholders—including fishers, government agencies, the business sector, and younger generations—to ensure the species’ long-term survival and security.

Session I: From Wetland Breadbasket to Sustainable Governance – Challenges and Opportunities for Wetland Wise Use and Black-faced Spoonbill Conservation in Promoting Local Economic Transformation

 

1. Fu-Chang Tsai (Former CEO and Board Member, National Taiwan University Building and Planning Research Foundation)

As the moderator for this session, Tsai first reviewed the history of Budai Salt Fields, from their “golden age” to their eventual closure without salt production, and emphasized that the concept of “wetland breadbasket” originated from discussions rooted in local wisdom and processes. He noted that the Budai Salt Fields had a history spanning 218 years, once occupying one-third of Budai Township’s area, with one-third of the local population relying on the salt industry for livelihood. Following the salt plant’s closure in 2001, Budai faced industrial hollowing-out and population outflow. As the lowest-priced land in Taiwan, the salt fields attracted numerous development proposals; Budai was once designated for the “Eighth Naphtha Cracker” project and later planned as a water-based resort village.

Inspired by the SAVE International alliance’s advocacy to preserve idle salt flats as “stepping stone” habitats for Black-faced Spoonbills, Budai began promoting community-based ecotourism planning. Over nearly 20 years of effort, the transformation of Budai Salt Fields has yielded several achievements:

• School environmental education: Assisting local elementary schools to incorporate wetland education into curricula, thereby preventing school closures due to declining birth rates.
• Ecological stocking: Conducting experiments in aquatic ecological stocking to provide a base for wild-style seedling cultivation.
• Saline soil planting restoration: Following local wisdom, using oyster shells to block capillary action from subsurface saltwater, thereby increasing survival rates of saline soil plantings and gradually succeeding into oasis habitat islands.
• Reconstruction of gun towers: Local advocacy to rebuild salt field gun towers, serving as a symbolic declaration of Budai’s formal transition from salt production to ecological wetlands.
• Wetland certification and environmental education center: In the past two years, Chiayi County Government has promoted wetland certification to encourage winter-friendly aquaculture by fishers, positioning fish ponds as ecologically friendly habitats. The recently constructed Coastal Environmental Education Center by Chiayi County Government will serve as a new milestone and summary of these nearly 20 years of effort.

In summary, Tsai concluded that wetland restoration efforts must consider not only ecology but also connections to surrounding communities and industries, such as through activities like the Migratory Bird Birdwatching Marathon to build a migratory bird economy circle. Looking ahead, local stakeholders hope to utilize the old salt industry rail paths to link northern and southern Budai, developing ecology, industry, and literature, while integrating local specialty products with the “Satoyama Spirit” concept.

(Note: Satoyama is a Japanese concept that describes a traditional rural landscape where people and nature coexist in a balanced, sustainable way.)

 

2. Renata Selma Tanan (LA 205 Project Student, NCKU)

Tanan shared a vision for the future planning of Chiayi Budai Salt Fields. The core methodology of the LA205 studio is multi-layered: it must be interdisciplinary, emphasize continuous communication (constantly “zooming in and out” perspectives), foster the capacity to make decisions even with incomplete information, and uphold values of respectfully resolving conflicts within firm political processes.

(Note: LA205 studio is a graduate-level course at University of California, Berkeley in the Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning program.)

The team first assessed Budai’s ecological value from an international perspective using the Ramsar Wetland Convention framework, finding that Budai Salt Pan Wetland meets five of the nine criteria. Despite Budai’s significant ecological importance, the speaker noted that due to political constraints in Taiwan, Budai cannot currently be formally nominated as a Ramsar wetland. Wetland functions for Black-faced Spoonbills highly depend on connectivity; birds require shifts across different habitat types, not merely a single protected site. This underscores Budai’s pivotal hub role within the entire migratory corridor.

However, the team also highlighted Budai’s severe challenges: its landscape is fragmented, mixing wetlands, aquaculture ponds, farmlands, and solar facilities. Current zoning plans are inconsistent with Black-faced Spoonbill ecological functions, making it difficult to support a large-scale ecological corridor while sustaining local livelihoods.

To address these issues, the LA 205 studio proposed two core solutions:

1. Functional Wetland Zoning (Working Wetland Zone): This strategy ensures bird habitats remain connected at all times, permitting only compatible uses and gradually phasing out incompatible ones.
2. Ecotourism: Many tourism points in Budai are already interconnected;. Specific quick-impact measures to further enhance local ecotourism efforts include separating bicycle paths from highways and repurposing abandoned buildings into small commercial facilities.

In design, the planning for these facilities emphasizes balancing economic growth with Black-faced Spoonbill needs, as birds require distance from humans. Thus, future birdwatching infrastructure should abandon current overly conspicuous designs in favor of those blending with nature.​

She concluded with a personal reflection, stating that through this course and field investigations, curiosity about nature and wildlife was sparked. She hopes the project contributes meaningfully, allowing future generations in Budai to retain this sense of wonder and more easily observe Black-faced Spoonbills.​

3. Jeffrey Hou (Director, Department of Architecture of National University of Singapore)

Hou reviewed Qigu’s past transformation experiences, noting that local innovation and transition require a series of strategies and methods. He considered Qigu’s most important achievement to be the establishment of a new “narrative,” successfully overturning external stereotypes of lagoons and coastal areas, transforming resources once seen as valueless into key local assets.​

Qigu’s transformation strategies included the following key elements which are useful to consider moving forward:

• Narrative, cultural festivals, and guided tours: Integrating history, culture, and ecology through cultural festivals, and using guided tours to allow visitors to experience local cultural-ecological resources firsthand, laying the foundation for subsequent ecotourism.
• Organization and networks: All conservation actions require organizations to drive them and form multi-organizational networks; even with initial frictions among groups, they developed constructive competition, collectively expanding outcomes from single points to linear networks.
• Pilots: Creating tourism-Black-faced Spoonbill integration pilots through small-scale successes like bicycle rentals at the historical museum, fostering a shift in local atmosphere.
• Research and collaboration: Local transition needs research support; for instance, knowledge discourses from international experts (e.g., the 35-kilometer radius concept) formed the basis for promoting stepping-stone habitat strategies. Ongoing local surveys and data collection are also crucial.
• Collaboration and localization: Scaling up transitions requires cross-sector collaboration, particularly temple participation, seen as a key indicator of local attitudinal shifts.

In summary, Hou noted that 30 years ago, similar forums would typically involve only NGOs in discussions, but today’s forum features full participation from public sector representatives and related units, marking a substantial transformation. He suggested that the future should revive past dynamic organizational networks and strengthen the migratory bird economy circle, which requires external resources including customer bases, businesses, and public sector involvement. Simultaneously, ecological protection, information exchange, and international collaboration must continue.

 

4. Ting-Chung Lee (Director, Chiayi Branch, Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency, Ministry of Agriculture)

Lee first provided the latest census data for Black-faced Spoonbills: in early 2025, the global total was 7,780 individuals, with Taiwan accounting for 58% (4,481 birds), and the Yunlin-Chiayi-Tainan coastal area hosting the highest numbers.

He detailed the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency’s “National Ecological Green Network Plan”, launched in 2018. The plan aims to map Taiwan’s overall conservation spaces, restore ecosystems, and enhance resilience and adaptability in low-elevation plains, wetlands, and coasts through linking points, lines, and areas to maintain ecosystem services. The ultimate goals are preservation, activation, maintenance, and utilization, creating socio-ecological production landscapes and bolstering community resilience. Lee noted that the Green Network’s advancement is a cross-ministerial, multi-agency collaboration platform that incorporates local residents’ rights in discussions.

Regarding habitat creation in Budai’s 9^th Salt Pan, he mentioned that since Kaohsiung Bird Society adopted 343 hectares of land, the Chiayi Branch has collaborated with them via the Green Network Plan since 2022 to invest in habitat improvements. Key works include environmental patrols and surveys, gradual dredging of blocked waterways, adding simple connecting pipes, creating artificial embankments and mounds, regulating salt field water levels, siphoning pipe water intake, and dredging channels to excavate shallow ditches for wetland environments. In 2025, an OECM application for the Budai 9^th Salt Pan was submitted. (Note: OECM stands for Other Effective area-based Conservation Measures. It’s a conservation concept recognized by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and the Convention on Biological Diversity.)

 

Lee summarized that the National Ecological Green Network Plan seeks to connect mountain, river, and sea systems, hoping through ecosystem services and vegetation restoration to enable conservation species to inhabit these areas. The goal is to drive ongoing regional protection actions via platform meetings, integrating community and indigenous collaboration as core concepts, ultimately achieving harmonious coexistence between people and nature.

 

5. Ruey-Shin Lin (Researcher & Chief, Ecosystem Management Division, Taiwan Biodiversity Research Institute, Ministry of Agriculture)

Lin stated that the Biodiversity Research Institute’s role in Budai primarily addresses past deficiencies in scientific foundations and management experience for conservation. He noted that although Budai and Qigu have become important habitats, a decade ago, understanding of Black-faced Spoonbill habitat needs was quite limited across sectors.

Thus, since 2016, the Institute has meticulously compiled data for each Budai salt pan patch, collaborating with groups like Kaohsiung Wild Bird Society to deeply grasp ecological dynamics. He pointed out that conflicts over solar power from late 2016 to 2018 provided a turning point, allowing in-depth discussions on Budai’s transition.

Post-conflict, the Institute conducted numerous small-scale experimental studies, with the key aim of positioning Budai as a base emphasizing wetland habitat management operations. These operations across different salt pan patches are outcomes of scientific deliberation. He expressed special thanks to the Forestry Agency for support during his tenure via adoption mechanisms and corporate ESG initiatives. In conclusion, Lin viewed Budai’s conservation as a successful case, but disseminating its experiences elsewhere requires long-term effort.

 

6. Ming-Hao Chuang (Deputy Director, Southwest Coast National Scenic Area Headquarters, Tourism Administration)

Chuang first noted that the migratory bird economy is crucial for Yunlin-Chiayi-Tainan region’s development. He mentioned that South Budai Wetland is a national key wetland and an East Asian Important Area, akin to a migratory bird paradise. Local surveys first discovered non-migratory resident Black-faced Spoonbills there. The wetland currently hosts over 6,000 migratory birds (including nearly 900 Black-faced Spoonbills), as well as protected species like little terns and Black-winged Stilts.

The Scenic Area Administration plays its governmental role through cross-domain collaboration and promoting the migratory bird economy. In habitat management, it oversees approximately 636 hectares of abandoned salt flats, partnering with Chiayi County Government on water level regulation and wetland creation, particularly stressing the importance of water gate control.

He highlighted South Budai Wetland’s challenges: stray dog disturbances to bird habitats are increasingly severe, with dogs chasing birds, preying on eggs and chicks, severely impacting survival. The Administration is discussing with the county government and conservation groups options like fencing to block dogs without affecting habitats.

For internationalization, the Administration holds that “the more local, the more international.” It has hosted 13 consecutive Taiwan International Birdwatching Marathon, rated this year as a “highlight event” among Taiwan’s international activities.

In innovative technology applications (smart tourism):

• 3D AI Wing: The Administration created four 3D Wing units using 3D AI scanning to recreate wetland bird ecology, installed at visitor centers to attract close-up observations.
• AI Smart Birdwatching: Collaborating with National Taiwan University professors to build AI smart scenic areas. Using AI with high-resolution cameras analyzing bird visual features, it now identifies 23 species, surpassing traditional manual surveys, aiming to draw diverse groups to enjoy birdwatching.

Chuang summarized that South Budai Wetland’s governance and development exemplify public sector cross-domain collaboration, community participation, and integration of conservation with economic development, targeting exemplary base status.

 

7. Huei-Lin Shih (Section Chief, Animal Science & Conservation Section, Agriculture Department, Chiayi County Government)

Shih first redefined Budai Salt Fields historical role from “white breadbasket” supplying edible salt to “ecological breadbasket” supplying migratory birds like Black-faced Spoonbills. She noted Chiayi County’s challenge lies in managing wetland wise use while enabling wetlands and local industries to prosper together.​

Chiayi County’s policy directions encompass three major strategies: ecology-first, industry value-addition, and regional co-prosperity.

• Ecology-first: The primary principle. After the Executive Yuan designated Budai Salt Pan as a solar demonstration site, efforts by conservation groups, feature centers, and various units reduced the original 370 hectares to 102 hectares. The county secured Energy Agency subsidies of NT$20 million annually for environmental and ecological maintenance around the demonstration zone. Since 2020, the county established the Budai Salt Pan Conservation Platform, annually inviting government, NGOs, academia, and solar developers to discuss and resolve habitat maintenance, hydrology regulation, and issues like stray dogs.
• Industry value-addition: Centered on elevating “wetland breadbasket” value. The county guides fishers to apply for wetland certification, encouraging winter (October to April next year) friendly aquaculture compliant with no bycatch harvesting or bird disturbance. Five operators have obtained certification. Combining with the “Chiayi Premium Fresh” brand, the county assists marketing, enabling public support for ecology via seafood purchases.
• Regional co-prosperity: Achieved by linking business districts, cultural assets, and ecotourism. The county commissioned an overall planning project to inventory resources, connect tour routes, and inform outsiders about Budai Wetland ecology.

She stated that Chiayi County Government is working toward elevating Budai Wetland to international key wetland status. Facing local residents’ concerns of “ecology over livelihoods,” the county’s direction is to eliminate conservation-economy conflicts, continue advocating migratory bird economy, and create win-win outcomes in the future.

 

8. Chien-Chih Wang (Division Chief, Taijiang National Park Headquarters, National Park Service, Ministry of the Interior)

Wang shared Taijiang National Park’s experiences in promoting wetland wise use. Since 2016, Taijiang has surveyed and researched Black-faced Spoonbill food sources. The Friendly Habitat Program, started in 2020, expanded from initial 3 participating fishers to 47 currently, covering over 350 hectares.

He emphasized Taijiang National Park’s greatest asset is its “brand” value. Leveraging the national park brand, Taijiang combined “Black-faced Spoonbill Brand” with “Wetland Brand”, successfully upgrading fisher products’ value. Through this model, Tainan developed 5 ecotour routes, accumulating NT$100 million in value over three years. These results attracted multiple enterprises to invest ESG funds.

He summarized two keys to successfully promoting wise use:

• Finding the right people: Success hinges on identifying leaders like village heads, team leaders, and returnee youth who mobilize others and provide good ideas.
• Local learning: Conservation is a two-way learning process. The national park learns professional aquaculture techniques from fishers, while fishers learn bird survey courses to understand habitat protection.

He noted Taijiang’s friendly habitat model aligns with OECM principles, hoping for comprehensive assessment of wetland ecosystem services ahead. Tailoring overall conservation strategies to community strengths and characteristics, the ultimate goal is establishing wetland ecological corridors interfacing with the National Ecological Green Network, realizing local co-existence and core values of harmonious human-nature coexistence.

Feedback Session

9. Ruey-Shin Lin (Researcher & Chief, Ecosystem Management Division, Taiwan Biodiversity Research Institute, Ministry of Agriculture)

In the feedback session, Lin offered key suggestions on future governance directions amid ongoing challenges for Budai Wetlands. He particularly recommended that agencies promoting wetland conservation consider wetlands’ functions for flood detention. Given Taiwan’s flooding issues, he pointed out that Nature-based Solutions (NbS) can generate substantial benefits for local economies. Thus, comprehensive analysis and discourse are essential to help more people understand that beyond ecological value, wetlands play critical roles in personal safety, thereby elevating wetland adaptation value to national development discussions.​

 

10. Jeffrey Hou (Director, Department of Architecture of National University of Singapore)

In summarizing the first session, Hou expressed deep impressions, noting that 30 years ago similar seminars typically involved only NGOs discussing conservation independently. But today’s forum attendees are a lot from public sectors and related units, marking a tremendous transformation in his view. He affirmed the rich local resources and important work by multiple units in their positions. Recalling how the SAVE International, under relatively resource-scarce conditions back then, relied on external support (e.g., international experts), he argued that Taiwan still needs more external resources to strengthen the migratory bird economy circle, as it cannot rely solely on local forces but requires broader networks including public sector, civil groups, and enterprises. He suggested that the next steps for Budai, Qigu, and similar areas should focus on reviving past dynamic organizational networks. Most importantly, the economy circle must be built more robustly. He stressed that future efforts must sustain ecological protection, information exchange, and international collaboration—these are directions warranting continued pursuit.

 

Session II: Opportunities for Climate Adaptation – The Opportunities of Working Wetlands; Participatory Climate Adaptation Research and Planning

 

1.William Lien (Registered Landscape Architect, State of Mississippi/ PhD student, Bren School of Environmental Science and Management, UCSB)

Lien began by noting that, as an island, Taiwan faces recurrent shocks from typhoons, earthquakes, floods, and droughts. Under climate change, shifts in extreme events and rainfall patterns are placing mounting pressure on the country. He argued that responses to global climate adaptation should be guided by science-based targets (SBTs), which cannot rely solely on expert surveys, computer models, or a few rounds of local fieldwork. In his view, science must be integrated with local research capacities, focus on “hotspot” issues, and be directed toward policy thinking that is explicitly informed by research.

For example, understanding how residents in Qigu concretely perceive climate impacts, and how public agencies and water authorities respond to issues such as barrier island retreat and siltation, requires sustained effort. He pointed out that in Europe and North America, various land-use instruments are commonly used to protect residents’ rights, such as relocation programs to move people out from high-risk zones, which raises questions that spatial planning in Taiwan will also have to confront.

Lien then elaborated on the concept of working wetlands. He noted that wetlands in Taiwan are under heavy land-use pressure. He described working wetlands as quasi-wetlands, functional wetlands, or atypical wetlands, and suggested that while each term is appropriate, none is fully adequate on its own. The idea of working wetlands, he argued, opens up an opportunity to use scientific data to enhance the resilience of wetland ecosystems while providing crucial ecosystem services to communities. He proposed three directions for future reflection: (1) improve the ecological functions and services of existing wetlands; (2) bring functional wetlands under explicit management and protection; and (3) rethink current non-wetland spaces that have historical wetland value or restoration potential, and reconsider their development trajectories together with local communities.

 

2. Hsiao-Wen Wang (Professor, Department of Hydraulic and Ocean Engineering, National Cheng Kung University)

Wang noted that Taiwan passed the Climate Change Response Act in 2023, which centers on mitigation (net-zero emissions) but also includes a dedicated chapter emphasizing capacity-building and community-based principles for climate adaptation. She argued that focusing solely on climate-related risks would ignore non-climatic pressures such as human activities and socio-economic development. Climate action, she stressed, must therefore address the interplay of multiple issues in an integrated way, seeking synergies between mitigation and adaptation. Using solar photovoltaics as an example, she observed that projects sited in environmentally sensitive areas can create trade-offs that undermine local resilience and adaptive capacity, resulting in maladaptation.

She explained that climate risk is no longer defined only by hazard, vulnerability, and exposure; response strategies are equally critical because they determine whether risk rises or falls. Community-based adaptation, in her view, must be a community-led process that combines scientific information with local knowledge, including local histories, cultural contexts, and accumulated experience in dealing with past disasters. Qigu currently faces a complex set of overlapping challenges: continued barrier island retreat (up to 800 meters in the most severe sections), lagoon siltation, sea-level rise, and conflicts between solar development and ecological conservation.

She described future envisions, scenario simulations and iterative community discussions conducted with the LA205 international collaboration. Two adaptation options were proposed to strengthen local resilience:

• Horizontal levees: Gently sloping, vegetated coastal wetland features that function as nature-based solutions, attenuating storm surges and waves before they strike traditional seawalls, while simultaneously preserving wetland habitats.
• Working wetlands (functional wetlands): New zoning provisions that permit only land uses compatible with wetland ecology (such as sustainable aquaculture and low-intensity tourism) and gradually phase out incompatible uses (such as large-scale solar farms and industrial expansion). Functional wetlands can restore connectivity, provide flood buffers, and serve as retreat habitats for Black-faced Spoonbills.

She concluded that successful adaptation must fully reflect the community’s “sense of place”—including what people care about and how they perceive climate change—and must be continuously nurtured to support constructive dialogue around shared responsibility.

 

3. Matt Kondolf (Professor, Department of Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning, University of California, Berkeley)

Kondolf focused on the physical processes that underpin coastal stability, emphasizing that Taiwan’s geological setting is highly active, with very high uplift and erosion rates. Historically, the Zengwen River delivered roughly 9–16 million tons of sediment per year to the sea, and, through seasonally varying longshore drift, maintained the dynamic equilibrium of the delta and offshore sandbars.

The core contemporary problem, he argued, is that dams and reservoirs have trapped most of the sediment in upland catchments, producing “hungry water” downstream and causing severe coastal erosion. The dramatic decline in sediment deposition at the Zengwen River mouth between 1947 and 2023 clearly demonstrates this shortage of sediment supply. Coastal engineering structures that interrupt longshore transport further intensify erosion. He noted that although Taiwan has some small-scale efforts to retain beach sand, it has yet to adopt large-scale beach nourishment projects of the kind common in the United States. He also cited the Netherlands’ “Sand Motor” project, in which a massive one-time addition of sand into the North Sea serves both as a physical coastal defense measure and as a powerful public education tool on coastal sediment dynamics.

 

4. Yekang Ko (Associate Professor, School for Environment and Sustainability, University of Michigan)

Ko observed that the two major priorities of climate action—climate change mitigation (energy infrastructure and emissions reduction) and adaptation (land and habitat conservation)—often come into conflict in coastal and rural regions. She advocated a place-based landscape approach to turn these conflicts into synergies by jointly planning mitigation and adaptation so that communities can accept and co-own climate goals. She outlined six pathways to achieve such synergies: (1) multifunctionality, integrating energy facilities with other land uses and natural capital; (2) place-based values, leveraging socio-ecological benefits; (3) co-design, ensuring projects reflect community priorities; (4) decentralization, embedding technologies in everyday environments; (5) resilience, strengthening adaptive capacity; and (6) energy justice, promoting fairness in processes and benefit-sharing.

She highlighted practical examples of synergy, such as green or “biosolar” roofs where vegetation cools solar panels to increase efficiency while managing stormwater and enhancing biodiversity. She also described solar-over-canal projects in the western United States, where solar arrays installed above irrigation canals generate power, reduce evaporation, and help secure water supplies. She concluded that effective climate action requires co-designed projects grounded in community priorities and committed to protecting wetlands.

 

5. Ling-Yi Tsai (Director General, Climate Change Administration, Ministry of Environment)

Tsai noted that the recently concluded 30th Conference of the Parties (COP30) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change discussed the Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA) and ultimately agreed on 59 global adaptation indicators. Although the GGA is voluntary, she emphasized its importance in guiding global climate response work.

Focusing on indicators related to ecosystems and biodiversity, she highlighted three key areas: (1) Nature-based Solutions (NbS), which must be incorporated into each country’s National Adaptation Plan (NAP) to reduce the area of land impacted by development; (2) ecosystem services, particularly functions provided by wetlands, such as coastal protection and water purification; and (3) impact reduction, namely, the need to lessen human pressures on ecosystems. She stressed that adaptation planning must be tailored to local conditions. In her view, Qigu is a critical base for advancing NbS, green infrastructure that functions like a sponge, and community-based participatory governance in Taiwan.

 

6. Shiau-Yun Lu (Director General, Ocean Conservation Administration, Ocean Affairs Council)

Lu described her agency’s work from three perspectives: spatial structure, climate change, and local linkages.

• Spatial structure: The agency aims to extend the National Ecological Green Network seaward to connect a network of marine protected areas. She emphasized that estuarine intertidal zones are critical junctions between land and sea, linking habitats that provide prey for the Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin with offshore sandbar systems such as Wai-Sanding. These connections involve the systemic flow of matter, energy, and species. She noted that the dolphins feed primarily on 15–20 cm fish in estuarine waters, making estuary health vital to their survival.
• Climate change: The agency has shifted its focus from blue carbon alone to the broader “blue carbon ecosystems,” examining how these systems sustain surrounding industries and communities. She singled out seagrass restoration pilot projects as exemplary cases that combine mitigation (carbon sequestration) and adaptation (habitat protection and coastal defense) in mutually reinforcing ways.
• Local linkages and narratives: Adaptation requires community-based capacity-building. She called for more affirmative narratives that highlight positive developments, rather than framing coastal regions solely in terms of loss and crisis. Stories of active restoration—such as seagrass recovery—can help build shared strength and hope.

7. Chih-An Chang (Division Director, National Park Service, Ministry of the Interior)

Chang noted that the National Park Service is responsible for implementing both the Wetland Conservation Act and the Coastal Management Act, enabling it to address the linkage between the terrestrial Ecological Green Network and marine ecosystems from both wetland and coastal perspectives. He acknowledged that past reviews of conservation and utilization plans of wetlands of importance tended to emphasize ecological aspects while giving insufficient attention to climate adaptation, an imbalance now being rectified.

In reviewing conservation and wise-use plans, the agency sets regulatory principles to exclude inappropriate industrial development from wetlands. Drawing from coastal management practice, Chang explained that in reviewing solar projects, the agency requires that detention basins cover at least 70 percent of the site—higher than standard requirements—to enhance natural flood retention capacity, while paying close attention to water quality and sluice gate control.

Regarding working wetlands, Chang pointed out that the concept currently has no formal legal status under the Wetland Conservation Act. However, future pilot projects using nature-based solutions may allow working wetland management models to be incorporated into subsequent revisions of conservation and wise-use plans.

 

8. Kuang-Chih Chang (Director, Water Resources Planning Institute, Water Resources Agency, Ministry of Economic Affairs)

Chang stressed that as the climate changes, everything else must also change, including prevailing mindsets. He described biodiversity as a systemic issue of sky, earth, water, and soil, noting that the institute conducts surveys on 250 ecological indicators every two years, covering fish, crustaceans, aquatic insects, and birds. At the Zengwen River estuary, he reminded participants that attention should extend beyond Black-faced Spoonbills to include unique and irreplaceable fish species, urging a broader perspective.

Responding to Professor Hsiao-Wen Wang, he emphasized that adaptation cannot be “built” solely through hard infrastructure; it must be “cultivated”. Human relationships are even more important. Scientific information, he argued, must be translated into language that local residents can understand, remember, and confidently articulate, enabling immediate action. Taiwan does not lack data, he suggested; it lacks integration and translation. Government agencies should use data and system simulations to visualize past 80-year trends and projected conditions over the next 30 years, helping residents to grasp what is at stake. He advocated a framework of self-help, mutual aid, and public assistance, maintaining that community solidarity and interpersonal connections will be crucial for future adaptation.

 

9. Hsin-Chi Li (Deputy Division Director, Climate Change Division, National Science and Technology Center for Disaster Reduction)

Li observed that anthropogenic pressures and development can sometimes have greater impacts on wetland change than climate itself. To communicate climate impacts effectively, he argued, one must begin with history rather than jumping directly to the future. The center is analyzing 80 years of historical data so that residents in different regions can trace and sense local climate changes, such as the disappearance of skiable snow at Hehuanshan or 100-meter shoreline retreat.

Regarding data resolution, he reported that his center has refined its analysis grid from 5 km × 5 km to 1 km × 1 km to better support community-scale action, acknowledging that finer resolution introduces uncertainty but still provides useful long-term trend information. In the face of enduring uncertainty, he advocated a no-regrets policy: actions that are beneficial regardless of the severity of future climate change, such as improving drainage systems, maintaining waterways, and conserving ecosystems. Such measures can deliver both climate adaptation and disaster risk reduction benefits and serve as practical first steps.

Feedback Session

10. Ling-Yi Tsai (Director General, Climate Change Administration, Ministry of Environment)

In her feedback, Tsai stated that the key challenge is transforming Qigu from a case of largely passive ecological conservation into an example of proactive adaptation. Because “adaptation” is often difficult for the general public to grasp, she argued that government must act as a knowledge broker, explaining complex adaptation work to communities in accessible ways and reframing existing conservation efforts—such as the Qigu experience—as integral components of active adaptation.

 

11. Shiau-Yun Lu (Director General, Ocean Conservation Administration, Ocean Affairs Council)

Lu reiterated that the agency will continue to build and integrate scientific data from terrestrial, intertidal, coastal, and marine environments. She noted that seagrass–aquaculture pilot projects will be promoted to demonstrate that conservation actions can generate tangible economic benefits for fishers, thereby securing local buy-in and supporting the expansion of protected area networks.

 

12. Chih-An Chang (Division Director, National Park Service, Ministry of the Interior)

In his feedback, Chang stressed that in coastal protection, the National Park Service will continue cooperating with the Water Resources Agency. For wetlands, he underscored the need to factor in their flood retention functions and to resolve coordination issues surrounding sluice gate control. In higher-level spatial planning, he added, the agency will identify areas that should be designated as retreat or buffer zones for climate adaptation.

 

13. Huan-Chih Su (Former Magistrate, Tainan County)

Former magistrate Su voiced concern about the growing pressures on Qigu. Recent typhoons, he noted, have breached barrier islands, sharply shrinking lagoon aquaculture areas so that less than one-third of the former water surface now remains, while flooding in nearby settlements has worsened. Even with ecologically informed sand extraction to reinforce barrier islands, he observed, new breaches may only exist within five to ten years. He also contended that the Wetland Conservation Act prohibits aquaculture in wetlands, severely constraining fishers’ livelihoods and even exposing some to legal prosecution, and appealed for a sustainable balance between human needs and wildlife.

Professor Hsiao-Wen Wang immediately clarified that the Wetland Conservation Act does not, in fact, ban aquaculture. Rather, it promotes “wise use” and permits utilization under environmentally sustainable conditions. She suggested that the constraints felt by local fishers may stem from gaps between on-the-ground practice and local interpretations of the law.

 

Session III: Grassroots Actions – The Enduring Efficacy of Local Grassroot Action

 

1. Po-Hsiu Kuo (Executive member, SAVE International)

Kuo noted over the past few years, we have seen that NGO actions have shifted from a primarily advocacy-based approach to public–private collaboration, implementing long-term, stable habitat stewardship or adoption programs. What enables this shift should be further explored and examined in greater depth to better support ongoing and future actions.

 

2. Marcy Lîm (Kaohsiung Ka-tiann-á Association)

Lîm first outlined the grassroots action transformation process of the Kaohsiung Ka-tiann-á Association. The association initially participated in citizen consultations on the Jiading Wetland branch road project in the role of “Jiading Wetlands Youth,” but upon recognizing that this would entail a protracted struggle, and given the overwhelming controversy surrounding Jiading Wetland coupled with limited capacity, they shifted northward to Baisalun Wetland for learning and capacity-building. This period also represented a journey of rediscovering roots for her. She noted that many Jiading natives who pursued studies away from home often feel like outsiders upon returning, with limited knowledge of their hometown’s culture and history.

At Baisalun Wetland, they reconnected with the historical landscape of the Erhjen River through ecological walks and environmental education, integrating local culture into ecotourism. To raise broader awareness of wetlands, the association organized a year-long local market and lifestyle exhibition, developing products that foster local identity to encourage Jiading residents to return and engage, with proceeds directed toward community welfare.

The Kaohsiung Ka-tiann-á Association was established independently following the controversy, employing public archaeology to guide elementary school students in exploring forgotten pollution histories and uncovering the Erhjen River’s past role as a low-carbon bamboo transport route. They repurposed 90% of upstream abandoned bamboo into biochar biodegradable planters, a circular economy product with five times the carbon sequestration capacity of typical broadleaf trees, thereby revitalizing a disrupted bamboo industry chain.

During implementation, they encountered severe misinformation and a lack of socially oriented discourse; the association produced in-depth articles spanning thousands of words for clarification, such as mapping Jiading’s road network to demonstrate the dispensability of a direct through-road.

She called for central authorities to adopt a “wetland-centric” approach in wetland designation reviews and urged local governments to move beyond viewing wetlands as mere “parks,” instead seriously assessing their flood and disaster mitigation functions to harness their retention potential and dispel misconceptions about wetlands. She also expressed hope for a collaborative platform, with commissioned management entities strengthening social communication.

 

3. Kuan-Chieh Hung (Kaohsiung Wild Bird Society)

Hung shared the Kaohsiung Wild Bird Society’s conservation experiences in Budai Salt Pan Weltand, emphasizing that these fields, as a working wetland, provide a practical space for conservation groups to translate theory into action.

The site’s baseline conditions involved disconnected waterways and reliance on natural rainfall. Through the National Property Administration’s “Adoption Mechanism for Environmental Protection of National Non-Public Marginal Lands,” the society adopted 343 hectares of non-protected salt field land from 2019 to 2022. To safeguard adoption outcomes, they conducted weekly habitat patrols and monthly free guided tours and activities, promoting Budai as one of Taiwan’s premier sites for migratory bird viewing.

In habitat creation, they identified water shortages in the 9^th Salt Pan in 2021, necessitating human intervention. Methods such as pumping, optimizing intake points, excavating soil to build mounds, and creating water level heterogeneity (high-low variations) successfully expanded bird habitats while reducing management costs. They collaborated actively with solar developers (e.g., 8^th Salt Pan Solar Power Plant) on bird monitoring and habitat enhancement in reserved areas, recommending interpretive facilities and water level control diversion systems. To counter stray dog threats to fledglings, they installed fencing within the power plant perimeter to protect habitats.

Hung stressed annual regular discussions to clarify and consolidate consensus, ensuring consistent action directions. The society’s long-term goal is to incorporate Budai Salt Pan into state-protected zones and develop models for ecological industries and local co-prosperity.

He concluded that Taiwan’s civil society holds substantial capacity, though government agencies face organizational constraints. Thus, they seek a public-private collaboration platform centered on civil groups, enabling joint efforts to make both protected and non-protected areas bird-friendly, so that “environmental protection is no longer a pejorative in public discourse.”

 

4. Chun-Zu Liu (Taiwan Environmental Planning Association)

Liu presented on behalf of the Qigu General Salt Pan Wetland Restoration Alliance, comprising six environmental conservation groups with expertise spanning birds, wetlands, habitat creation, environmental education, and social communication—a cross-group professional alliance.

In 2022, the alliance adopted nearly 1,600 hectares of abandoned salt wetlands via the “Adoption Mechanism for Environmental Protection of National Non-Public Marginal Lands.” This land release stemmed from early solar plant development interests; with National Property Administration support, the solar proposal was withdrawn, redirecting the land to civil adoption.

Tainan City Government’s requirement for off-site and ecological compensation funds from developments provided an opportunity; the alliance partnered with E.Sun Bank to establish a “Community Benefit Trust Fund Agreement.” These funds, co-managed through the trust, are dedicated to habitat management/creation, protection, and education in adopted areas.

Beyond habitat creation and ecological surveys, adoption work includes internal organizational training to build consensus on shared use of vast, heterogeneous lands (wetlands and drylands). They prioritize local relations, collaborating with nearby schools on education and hosting walks highlighting cultural values like fire-roasted shrimp and agriculture. They actively foster positive interactions with farmers and fishers, aiming for co-management of land.

Liu also noted internal discussions following the severe damage from Typhoon Danas in July 2024, seeking not only environmental but also direct aid to local residents. The alliance’s goals include building robust survey databases to maximize ecosystem services, promote local exchange, and foster community recognition of the land’s value.

 

5. Min-Horng Tsai (General Manager, Tainan Operation Branch, Chunghwa Telecom)

Tsai shared Chunghwa Telecom’s technology-driven contributions to Black-faced Spoonbill conservation, from Black-faced Spoonbill 1.0 to its upgrade to 2.0.

In the Black-faced Spoonbill 1.0 phase at Ding Shan Elementary School, four major components were established:

• Digital infrastructure: Deployed fiber optics and 5G networks.
• Electronic fencing: Installed to prevent human photography disturbances and stray dog attacks, with immediate alerts upon anomaly detection.
• Hydrological management: Monitored water levels to regulate habitats, averting fish decay and botulism.
• AI imagery and operations center (monitoring): AI image recognition aided bird counting and identification, aggregating data to a dashboard at the school as the operations center.

Black-faced Spoonbill 1.0 increased local spoonbill numbers by 35%. However, Typhoon Danas in July 2024 destroyed all facilities. Facing the October arrival pressure, the team prepared in 90 days via manual transport reconstruction, directly advancing to 2.0.

Black-faced Spoonbill 2.0 expanded monitoring scope and technology:

• Smart hydrology monitoring: Added temperature, humidity, and pH beyond water levels.
• Path tracking: GPS for injured birds to trace activity paths.
• Observing 13 migratory species: Expanded AI recognition to 13 beyond spoonbills.
• Acoustic bird identification: Introduced sound recognition to boost data volume.
• Citizen engagement: Incorporated citizen science for education outreach.

Tsai emphasized that electronic fencing significantly reduced patrol manpower.

 

6. Marcia McNally (Co-founder and Treasurer, SAVE International/ Emeritus Professor, Department of Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning, University of California, Berkeley)

McNally first expressed surprise at Taiwan’s current public-private collaboration landscape, contrasting it with the traditional grassroots model she knew—small, independent groups self-funding in opposition to government forces. She observed an emerging form of government-supported grassroots action.

She posed the question: “What is the highest vision that captures you?” It is the driving force sustaining momentum and passion. Amid urgent climate change and action needs, she inquired how these grassroots groups might advance. She stressed that organizations must evolve into knowledge brokers beyond conventional environmental educators. Grassroots groups are essential, she argued, as they generate place-based narratives rooted in local knowledge, conferring dignity on communities while meeting broader external needs.

For species sustainability and cohabiting communities, groups must contemplate adaptation to change. She reaffirmed her decades-long view: “These grassroots groups need our professional skills, and we need their energy and passion.” Bridging that gap, she noted, is the most central and rewarding aspect of conservation work.

McNally also expressed concern over government boundaries (e.g., river-defined limits) restricting support for grassroots groups, suggesting that government programs extend beyond such lines to aid those in need, such as Jiading Wetlands Youth.

 

7. Cheng-Chi Wang (Director General, National Park Service, Ministry of the Interior)

Wang thanked the four sharing groups and, as the wetland authority, articulated the government’s position.

On Jiading Wetland, he stated that central authorities have heard local voices; the National Park Service will discuss upgrades and management with Kaohsiung City Government. Though some Budai and Qigu salt pan wetlands fall outside the designated national important wetlands, they embody working wetland concepts; he commended local operations and public-private partnerships. He revealed potential inclusion of Qigu’s fan-shaped salt pan in Taijiang National Park protections.

He emphasized that government must execute wetland work through sustainable, systematic, planned initiatives. He acknowledged that many grassroots actions are matters government should undertake, advocating NGO integration. He called for internal cross-ministry collaboration—including Forestry Agency, Ocean Conservation, Climate Change Administration, National Park Service, and National Property Administration—to align plans and funding effectively.

 

8. Kuo-Chi Tseng (Director General, National Property Administration, Ministry of Finance)

Tseng noted that as Taiwan’s largest land manager, the agency must navigate diverse policy pressures on multifunctional land use and conflicts. His role involves seeking coordination mechanisms amid varied opinions to achieve the “maximum acceptable level of change.”

To resolve solar development-conservation conflicts, the agency proactively designated ecological sensitive zones for waterbirds and launched adoption mechanisms from 2019, rigorously screening committed conservation groups. This also aids habitat provision elsewhere, easing bird-fisher pond conflicts.

Over recent years, nearly 1,924 hectares of national land have been adopted by conservation groups, projected to exceed 2,000 next year. To address groups’ financial needs, the agency introduced corporate ESG resources, securing over NT$19 million from public and private banks in four years, plus tech support from Chunghwa Telecom.

Tseng pointed out ongoing adoption resource gaps, particularly in geo- and riverine conservation.

Feedback Session

9. Min-Horng Tsai, (General Manager, Tainan Operation Branch, Chunghwa Telecom)

Tsai reiterated the importance of public-private partnerships and ESG, urging enterprises to contribute specialized expertise (e.g., AI, cameras) rather than mere funding to cut conservation costs. He proposed packaging these outcomes as marketable new products, with profits partially donated back to groups, forming scalable, replicable ecological economic models.

 

10. Cheng-Chi Wang (Director General, National Park Service, Ministry of the Interior)

Director General Wang acknowledged that nationwide wetland governance funding is only NT$80–90 million annually, far insufficient. He advocated long-term platform planning incorporating corporate ESG. Government should nurture ecological conservation industry or encourage NGO transitions to enterprise models for greater resources. He hoped to advance a “Wetland Policy White Paper” as a long-term policy foundation.

 

11. Huan-Chih Su (Former Magistrate, Tainan County)

Former Magistrate Su strongly contended that national Taiwan Salt lands should not lie idle; government funding for groups to raise birds is misguided and “foolish”. These lands should permit partial aquaculture to make wetlands true “breadbasket,” avoiding stifling local development. He suggested large-scale planning with separate intake-drainage, limited to eco-friendly fishers, combined with ecotourism.

 

12. Kuo-Chi Tseng (Director General, National Property Administration, Ministry of Finance)

Tseng responded cautiously to Su, noting aquaculture causes major surface disturbances. He worried coastal public land releases could enable solar development, while salt flats proved vital flood regulation during Danas.

He reiterated: Is aquaculture suitable in key protected zones? Or promote indoor variants, with all large-scale operations undergoing environmental impact assessments?

 

13. Ho-Chen Tan (Former Minister, Ministry of Transportation and Communications)

Ho-Chen responded to Tseng, viewing partial wetland aquaculture as non-commercial and integrated with local experiences. He asked if government would allow “more marginal practices,” permitting “small vices” without system harm. Such flexibility, he argued, effectively guides tourism, culture, and community cohesion, akin to Japan’s “satoyama spirit.”

 

14. Cheng-Chi Wang (Director General, National Park Service, Ministry of the Interior)

Wang summarized that wetland conservation’s core is “wise use.” Packaging such economic activities is key; government advances via wetland labels encouraging local livelihoods. Wise use entails sustaining original practices, enlivened through ecotourism and education.

 

15. Marcy Lîm (Kaohsiung Ka-tiann-á Association)

Lin concluded by posing the core question: “What do we leave for the next generation?” Without livable environments in Jiading, more developments are futile. She reiterated against forcing national plans into Jiading, urging focus on true local needs. From a “mother’s perspective,” all should start with local education to instill land love and identity in children. Jiading, she viewed, is a “gateway to the world,” not Kaohsiung’s periphery. She criticized low drainage takeover rates yet blame on wetlands for flooding, evidencing profoundly ineffective social communication.

Declaration Signing

Professor Hsiao-Wen Wang first outlined the background and drafting process of the “International Declaration for Black-faced Spoonbill and Wetland Conservation,” which aims to provide a constructive response to the pressing challenges posed by current social and climate change issues. The drafting began several months ago, by engaging in discussions with representatives from several Taiwanese local conservation groups, including the Kaohsiung Wild Bird Society, Black-faced Spoonbill Society, Tainan Wild Bird Society, Wetland Alliance, Chinese Wild Bird Federation, Kaohsiung Ka-tiann-á Association, and SAVE International. Together, they reviewed four previous declarations, confirmed the structure of the new one, and incorporated numerous revision suggestions, integrating international perspectives alongside long-term on-site observations and practical experiences to bridge local depth with global vision.

Professor Wang emphasized that this declaration differs from prior documents through three key focal points, representing breakthrough thinking on contemporary conservation realities:

1. Positive Response to Climate Change and Social Challenges
   The declaration clearly states that wetland conservation extends beyond ecological protection alone, and the Black-faced Spoonbill is more than a single-species symbol. As an umbrella species, its conservation reflects the critical functions of wetland ecosystems in addressing climate challenges. Accordingly, the declaration positions wetlands as essential foundations for climate adaptation, disaster resilience, and water resource management.
2. Addressing Policy Coordination and Cross-Ministry Governance Realities
   Wang noted that amid increasingly specialized administrative divisions and complex problems, policy coherence often remains unclear. This declaration seeks to move beyond mere ideological advocacy by explicitly calling for cross-ministry coordination and accountability mechanisms, including strategies that span electoral cycles to enable policy accumulation rather than interruption with political changes.
3. Expanding the Scope of Actors and Public-Private Collaboration Models
   Recognizing substantial advances in Taiwan’s grassroots action models since 2019, the declaration advocates broadening participation to include diverse government agencies, civil society organizations, and public-private enterprises, fostering implementable change through collaborative public-private approaches.​

The declaration’s objective is not merely a one-time consensus document but an evolving one subject to ongoing review to continually spur further actions and possibilities. Professor Wang mentioned that, even during the forum, she had received two revision suggestions and committed to incorporating them.

To ensure actionability, the declaration proposes several priority measures:

1. Operational Collaboration Platform: Establish a cross-disciplinary, cross-agency working mechanism.
2. Regular Progress Reporting: Ensure full transparency of information.
3. Cross-Level Cooperation Mechanisms.
4. Long-Term Stable Financial and Governance Structures.

In conclusion, Professor Wang observed that regardless of how idealistic these elements may appear in the short term, wetland conservation must transcend political cycles and administrative silos to achieve long-term accumulation. Thus, signing the declaration signifies treating it as a starting point for action rather than a formal endpoint.

Following Wang’s explanation, the forum proceeded to the signing ceremony for the International Declaration. This ceremony demonstrated high consensus and collaborative intent among government agencies, international academics, businesses, and local NGOs, with more than twenty representatives jointly completing the signing.

 

 

Session IV: Future Action

1. Randy Hester (Co-founder, SAVE International / Emeritus Professor, Department of Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning, University of California, Berkeley)

In the opening speech of the “Future Action” session, Hester first referred to the current conservation achievements as a “7,081 to-do list” and called on everyone to pause for a moment to jointly celebrate that the Black-faced Spoonbill population has reached more than 7,000 individuals, which is largely attributable to the efforts of all participants. He reviewed that the species once faced an extinction crisis; if the Binnan Industrial development project at that time had been approved, the Black-faced Spoonbill might have already disappeared. Since then, dozens of similarly poor and unsustainable development proposals have emerged. He believes that although the Black-faced Spoonbill population has now exceeded 7,000, future challenges will only become more complex.

Professor Randy Hester pointed out that the ultimate goal is actually very simple: to allow wetland ecosystem species to continue proliferating. The Black-faced Spoonbill is not merely a sigle species; it is an umbrella species in wetlands. If we can maintain a healthy population of Black-faced Spoonbills, it equates to ensuring the ecosystem resilience of the entire region, thereby guaranteeing that local communities can have a prosperous, climate-safe, and place-based economy. He emphasized that this should not be an economic model imposed from outside, but must naturally develop from local culture and land. The following elaborates in five points.

(1) Vision and Long-Term Planning to Combat Climate Change
Hester pointed out that the survival needs of the Black-faced Spoonbill reflect the fundamental problems facing wetlands given climate change: they require sufficient wetlands to forage and rest safely in the future. To achieve climate adaptation, their habitats must not be fragmented by development, roads, or any elements incompatible with wetlands. He emphasized that the most important and currently lacking plan is that Taiwan needs a visionary long-term plan; this plan should not be aimed at wetland retreat, but rather at planning for wetlands to expand inland as sea levels rise.

If wetlands follow natural laws, they will expand inland, reclaiming land occupied by humans. Due to the impact of sea-level rise, by 2100, Taiwan will be unable to build seawalls that are sufficiently high and sturdy to protect areas that are not economically worth protecting. Pretending this will not happen invites worse disasters . We must formulate a land-use plan to prepare for wetland expansion. This plan must be visionary and bold, just like the early national park planning. This plan must delineate future habitats for the Black-faced Spoonbill, while also planning future development locations for industries such as fisheries and oyster farming. If we do not plan land use for wetland expansion now, the result will be the continuous construction of larger and higher seawalls to protect coastlines, ultimately leading to the disappearance of wetlands and the loss of job opportunities.

(2) Place-Based Economy and Climate Adaptation in Land Use
Hester pointed out that we must plan carefully to ensure that industries such as oyster farming and fisheries can continue to expand or transform amid changes in sea levels. He reiterated that if long-term planning is lacking, wetlands will ultimately migrate inland, and we must now determine where these industries should relocate over time.

In addition, he stated explicitly that solar photovoltaics should be placed in appropriate locations. Any areas easily affected by sea-level rise are not suitable locations for solar installations. He could not understand why local governments continue to promote solar and road construction, fragmenting the wetlands that are extremely important at both national and international levels.

(3) Integrating Local Wisdom and Science
Hester mentioned that conservation work requires combining ecological science with local wisdom (native wisdom); only these two can together simultaneously promote conservation and local prosperity. However, we must also be vigilant against “local stupidity”—greedy, selfish individual interests. What we need is local wisdom that serves the public interest.

He cited the case of “Uncle Gao” in Qigu to illustrate the power of local wisdom. In 1997, many mainstream scientists were either bought by the government or conducted poor field surveys. These “bad scientists” erroneously claimed that Black-faced Spoonbills only appeared in specific small areas, thereby supporting the industrial zone’s land reclamation plan. But Uncle Gao, a local fisher, possessed essential local wisdom. Uncle Gao knew that Black-faced Spoonbills mainly forage at night and rest during the day; they only appear in shallow water 4 to 20 cm deep. Uncle Gao spent several days orally marking the Black-faced Spoonbill activity areas he observed on a map. Dr. Malcolm Coulter, the IUCN co-chair of the specialist group on Storks, Ibis, and Spoonbills and the world’s leading scientist on spoonbills, knew that Black-faced Spoonbills would fly to places up to 30 kilometers away to forage. Subsequent field science proved that Uncle Gao’s observations were 98% accurate in areas he knew, and Dr. Coulter was accurate throughout the region. This demonstrated the powerful force contained in local wisdom and good science when they are free from selfishness and greed.

(4) Appeal to Political Leaders
Hester emphasized that conservation work must consider our descendants and requires leadership with courage and long-term vision. Only such leadership can implement visionary plans. He candidly stated that he has seen efforts by government agencies at all levels in terms of innovation, but currently “I don’t sense that courage in the local magistrates” in Taiwan. He believes that it is precisely this lack of visionary leadership that prevents us from implementing necessary long-term planning. He called on the government to provide strong fiscal support to grassroots groups to manage wetlands and financial support for new and visionary planning.

(5) Taiwan’s International Demonstrator Role and Action Recommendations
He suggested that Taiwan should reclaim its responsibility as an international leader. Taiwan has the opportunity to show the world how to adapt to climate change through bold regional plans and implement these plans in legal form.

To achieve this goal, he proposed two specific recommendations:

• Expand National Park Scope: The jurisdiction of national parks should be expanded to demonstrate how to respond to climate change challenges through strategic retreat.
• Establish Jane Goodall Prize: Taiwan should establish the “Jane Goodall Prize,” awarded annually through a fund to groups that have contributed to saving species from extinction. He believes that Jane Goodall has a unique affection for Taiwan, and establishing this prize will inspire more people and sustain the conservation spirit.

2. Mayu KOMORI (Representative, Team SPOON, Japan)

KOMORI spoke on behalf of Japan’s Team SPOON, first expressing sincere gratitude for the invitation to participate in this international forum. She pointed out that the establishment and development of Team SPOON have been deeply influenced by the spirit of ecological democracy, and its organizational vision is “to create a world that cares for the peaceful flight of Black-faced Spoonbills and pass it on to the next generation.”

Team SPOON is celebrating its tenth anniversary this year. They designed badges based on the leg bands used for monitoring Black-faced Spoonbills, linking people and schools with shared ideals through these badges. They publish a publication titled Wings, distributed to members in Japanese, Korean, and English. This publication aims to remind members that, no matter where they are, they can be aware of the existence of Black-faced Spoonbills and encourage each other to learn about the natural and cultural knowledge along the flyway.

Over the past ten years, to realize their vision, Team SPOON has visited many places, explored intertidal zones and wetlands, and listened to numerous stories of dedication and love for bird and wetland conservation. Currently, more than 500 people worldwide have become their “team members,” supporting this conservation work by wearing the badges.

In recent years, Team SPOON has focused on promoting the “Black-faced Spoonbill Flyway Children Exchange Program.” They collaborate with local organizations along the Black-faced Spoonbill flyway to conduct wetland conservation and environmental education activities for children to develop deeper interest in their local wetlands and the entire flyway and strengthen the connections between partner organizations.

Team SPOON is committed to harnessing the value of these connections and using them in international forums, such as advocacy at the 15th Conference of the Parties to the Ramsar Convention. Finally, Komori expressed the hope that in the future, they can jointly host flyway children exchange programs with children from Taiwan and Hong Kong, looking forward to participants providing opportunities for collaboration. Through the practice of ecological democracy and transnational connections, Team SPOON is dedicated to enabling the next generation to truly experience the value of coexistence with nature.

 

3. Tai Chang (Deputy Director General, Nature Conservation Management Division, Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency, Ministry of Agriculture)

Chang first explained that the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency is the national authority for natural conservation and focused on two core strategies promoted by the agency.

The first core initiative is the promotion of the “National Ecological Green Network” plan. This plan’s spatial scope extends from high mountains to coasts, targeting areas outside forests that typically face greater anthropogenic development pressure. The main tasks of the Green Network include inventorying conservation species and habitats, establishing spatial information platforms, and linking biological corridors. Chang emphasized that, beyond foundational surveys and public information disclosure, the key to the plan’s success lies in integrating all civil society organizations and government agencies to strengthen lateral connections and collaboration under a shared conservation vision.

The second core initiative utilizes the “ecological payment” policy to increase Black-faced Spoonbill habitat area. This policy has been initiated in the Tainan region, with plans to expand to Chiayi in the future. The implementation involves subsidizing participating fishers, with a maximum of NT$10,000 per hectare. Fishers must control fish pond water levels to below 20 cm during the Black-faced Spoonbill’s stay in Taiwan, providing shallow water environments suitable for foraging. Currently, more than 180 hectares of roadside fish ponds in Tainan have joined this program, and farmers in Yunlin have also participated. Chang pointed out that as the Black-faced Spoonbill population increases year by year, promoting the ecological payment policy helps address potential habitat shortages.

In addition, the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency is actively addressing the urgent health threat faced by Black-faced Spoonbills—botulism poisoning. Due to international controlled substance restrictions, importing animal-use serums for rescue is difficult. Fortunately, the Biodiversity Research Institute obtained expired human-use serum through special channels, which can be used for emergency Black-faced Spoonbill rescue. At the same time, they are collaborating with National Defense University to develop serums specifically for Black-faced Spoonbills or other animals in the future. Chang stated that through stable serum supply and ongoing rescue drills by local governments, the Black-faced Spoonbill rescue mechanism can reach an optimal level.

 

4. Shuen-Fa Chang (Director, Taijiang National Park Headquarters, National Park Service, Ministry of the Interior)

Chang shared that Taijiang National Park will respond to the “International Declaration for Black-faced Spoonbill and Wetland Conservation” in the future by promoting five action directions, with particular emphasis on shifting from single-species surveys to large ecosystem governance.

• Habitat Improvement and Creation: Collaborating with Professor Hsiao-Wen Wang and other units, through water gate experiments and hydraulic simulations, diverse habitat creation is conducted on existing fish ponds and abandoned salt fields to expand natural Black-faced Spoonbill habitats. At the same time, for mangroves, experiments are underway to study how to manage them so that they maintain carbon sequestration functions while making multifaceted contributions to wetlands and avoiding adverse habitat changes.
• Friendly Habitat Program: Taijiang has expanded the friendly habitat program from the original 10.5 hectares to 350 hectares this year (covering inside and outside the national park), thereby securing food sources for Black-faced Spoonbills, and gradual increases in spoonbill numbers have been observed.
• Integrated Habitat Strategy: Past surveys focused mainly on single species; in the future, “large ecosystem habitat surveys” will be adopted. This involves in-depth exploration of the relationship between Black-faced Spoonbill population numbers and habitat quality to propose more effective integrated governance strategies. In addition, Taijiang Headquarters will install GPS transmitters on rescued Black-faced Spoonbills to understand their movement paths after the peak period, aiding in grasping migratory bird dynamics.
• Cross-Domain Collaboration: Taijiang will integrate UN SDGs, university USR, and corporate ESG resources. Chang particularly emphasized that they hope enterprises will “truly participate in conservation work together,” rather than merely donating. They will establish a platform to promote collaboration among multi-ministry and diverse NGO partners for overall habitat governance.
• Effective Governance and Expansion: Taijiang National Park is currently undergoing its second comprehensive review. This review will incorporate oceans, intertidal zones, and wetlands as a “large ecosystem.” Through this review, Taijiang will expand the national park’s jurisdiction to include important wetland areas such as fan-shaped salt pan, Qingkunqi salt pan, and upstream sections of the Erhjen River estuary. Chang emphasized that although expanding protected areas is not easy, through years of effort and local support, they hope to incorporate these action strategies into national park plans to achieve long-term effective governance.

 

5. Jeffrey Hou, (Director, Department of Architecture of National University of Singapore)

Hou reflected on the phenomenon of government departments overemphasizing “funding” and “plans” when implementing conservation work. He acknowledged that government administration requires planning, but if all actions must wait for plans to be fully completed before starting, many things will not be realized and opportunities will even be missed. Based on experiences from the past twenty to thirty years, many things can be advanced through multi-party collaboration.

Hou suggested shifting mindsets and adopting an “ecosystem” concept to re-examine collaboration models. In this ecosystem, the respective strengths of government, schools, and civil units should be clearly assessed, determining “which entity is suitable for which role to play to its strengths.”

He emphasized that the key lies in collaboration to avoid concentrating all responsibilities and burdens on a single unit or group. This division of labor and cooperation can more effectively promote the protection of coastal wetlands, economic transformation, and local transitions. He believes that through such cross-disciplinary and cross-organizational professional alliances, where each group finds the most suitable role for itself, it will be a more interesting and effective way to advance.

 

6. Sheng-Lin Elijah Chang (Professor, Graduate Institute of Building and Planning, National Taiwan University)

Chang expressed high admiration and emotion for SAVE’s thirty-year journey, from initial impossibility to successfully increasing the Black-faced Spoonbill population to more than seven thousand. She pointed out that the current era is in a massive period of “sustainability transition.”

She observed that due to the younger generation’s concern for the planet, coupled with the projection that sixty percent of jobs will disappear in the next five years, this provides huge opportunities for eco-friendly new startup industries. These startups may originate from local conservation fields such as oceans, satoyama, and wetlands.

Chang particularly noted that today’s youth are digital natives who are very adept at using technology platforms. Therefore, the key lies in how to transform the operational models of these conservation works (such as bird monitoring, migration data, and scientist data) into “new industries.” She believes that when facing huge challenges like sea-level rise emphasized by Hester, they actually contain entrepreneurial opportunities for planning new land uses and ecological transitions.

In terms of practice, Chang mentioned that NTU is promoting a model of “enterprises pose questions, students solve them” contests. She believes this can serve as an emerging operational model, where enterprises and NGOs provide real-world challenges, and students form teams to offer innovative solutions. She echoed Hester’s suggestion for the “Jane Goodall Prize.” Given Jane Goodall’s special affinity with Taiwan, researching its establishment through enterprise or NGO question-posing could inspire more academic and innovative forces to participate in conservation. She suggested incorporating this proposal into NTU’s Innovation Design College and other institutions’ “enterprise and NGO question-posing” series, allowing students to conceptualize feasible schemes.

 

7. Hsiao-Wen Wang (Professor, Department of Hydraulic and Ocean Engineering, National Cheng Kung University)

Wang first echoed Hester’s views, emphasizing that what Taiwan urgently needs is leadership with “courage” and “long-term vision.”

She used the Budai Salt Pan Wetland’s Conservation and Utilization Plan as an example to illustrate the dilemmas caused by lack of long-term vision. Although the Wetland Act stipulates that areas adjacent to important wetlands should be included in wise use planning, when the plan was formulated in 2020, due to national energy policy (solar development pressure), equally ecologically important surrounding areas (such as the 5^th, 8^th, 9^th, 10^th Salt Pan) could not be included in protection. She stated that there is now an opportunity to reclaim them through comprehensive review, but local opposition still exists, highlighting the necessity of leadership support.

Wang also raised the question: “If the migratory bird economy has been widely recognized, why is it not visible in many local areas?” She believes this may be, as Hester said, due to some people pursuing personal private interests at the expense of public benefits.

Regarding the promotion of working wetlands, she emphasized that supportive resources from ministries are essential. She further proposed a strategy currently under international discussion—”rolling easement.” This is a mechanism for responding to climate change threats such as sea-level rise. Its core concept allows land use to have flexibility and convertibility. Governments can purchase or lease lands at future high risk. Within a certain time limit, land users are allowed to continue certain activities, but when climate change risks reach a specific point, they must relinquish the original use. Wang believes that this new mechanism similarly requires courageous leadership, cross-ministry coordination, and long-term investment to implement it in Taiwan.

 

8. Monica Kuo (Professor, Department of Landscape Architecture, Chinese Culture University)

Kuo, drawing on her long-term experience in landscape and conservation, conducted an in-depth exploration of the leadership issue raised by Hester. She stated candidly that she agrees with Hester’s observation that there is a lack of leadership with “courage” across government levels, and questioned “why is it absent now?”

She believes that Taiwan’s NGO groups are often ideologically advanced, but government departments are frequently constrained by regulations. Since regulations are typically fixed and difficult to change, public sector personnel often self-limit and struggle to break through. Therefore, she called for addressing problems with systemic thinking to seek breakthroughs beyond existing regulatory constraints.

Kuo emphasized the importance of “parallel ministry collaboration,” particularly naming coordination between the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Council of Agriculture, Ministry of the Interior, and Ministry of Environment. Finally, she proposed that Taiwan must build “confidence in itself.” She observed that Taiwan has often benchmarked externally in the past, but the thirty years of Black-faced Spoonbill conservation achievements should serve as a source of “hometown pride” for the Taiwanese people. She believes that this love, pride, and sense of honor for the land is the fundamental driving force for sustained conservation work.

 

9. Fu-Chang Tsai (Former CEO and Board Member, National Taiwan University Building and Planning Research Foundation)

Tsai started from the loca perspective, pointing out that coastal regions’ views of salt fields differ from standardized definitions. For locals, salt fields are primarily lands with “productivity” and also bear important “detention pond” functions, sheltering villages during heavy rain.

He observed that salt fields are mostly enclosed water bodies, but due to climate change and sea-level rise, many species show clear trends of migrating inland. He views these abandoned salt fields as an “inland ark,” emphasizing their key role in ecosystem transitions, which should be cherished.

Tsai supports linking the “wetland breadbasket” concept with “ecosystem service resilience building.” He pointed out that early saltworkers conducted “fish stocking” activities during off-season salt-drying periods, which embodies the spirit of wise use. He advocates viewing wetlands as a “productive enterprise,” sustaining conservation through production and localizing the wise use concept. However, current regulations prohibit aquaculture on salt field land, which is a regulatory constraint faced in local transitions. He emphasized that local knowledge must be recovered, because restoring “cultural diversity” can further restore biodiversity.

Facing climate change, he believes that as enclosed water bodies, salt pans need to address unhealthy hydrological exchanges, requiring negotiation with ministries such as water resources to ensure better water body exchanges in winter and summer seasons to meet ecological needs.

For low-lying high-risk areas, Tsai suggested using the working wetland concept to dialogue with ministries and leveraging “specific area plans” in the national land plan. He believes that through this mechanism, local transitions can be assisted to cope with extreme climate impacts. He summarized, “Where there is water, there is life,” which is the belief foundation for local transitions and conservation.

 

10. Yat-Tung Yu (Director, The Hong Kong Bird Watching Society/ Coordinator, International Black-faced Spoonbill Census)

Yu first expressed shock at the high-level discussions in the Taiwan forum, believing that it showcased government investment, academic research, NGO actions, and local love for the land. Based on the content heard at this forum, he expressed high confidence in the future of the Black-faced Spoonbill. He pointed out that the discussion level of this forum is very high, having surpassed basic issues like “whether the Black-faced Spoonbill is endangered,” and focusing instead on deeper issues such as how to strengthen climate change adaptation and how to perfect financial arrangements. He candidly stated that among the three international conferences he attended in the past year, none discussed topics as deeply.

Despite being full of confidence, Yu also issued an important warning. Since the Black-faced Spoonbill population in Taiwan is already very large, the risk of disease outbreaks has greatly increased. He emphasized the need to strengthen attention to “disease control.” Therefore, he suggested creating more large habitats to disperse bird densities, thereby reducing disease transmission risks. He believes this suggestion is one of the most needed actions for Taiwan in Black-faced Spoonbill conservation at present.

Feedback Session

11. Kuo-Chi Tseng (Director General, National Property Administration, Ministry of Finance)

Tseng responded to the session’s discussions on wetland hydrological control. He pointed out that the adoption mechanism already includes water quality and temperature monitoring. Regarding water resource supply, he had communicated with the Water Resources Agency and county/city governments to ensure water release into wetlands at appropriate times to maintain ecological needs. At the same time, he emphasized that traditional coastal “fish stocking” and other livelihood practices should be agreed upon and respected, as they are “part of local residents’ lives.”

 

12. Ho-Chen Tan (Former Minister of Transportation and Communications)

Ho-Chen suggested that for Taiwan’s southwest coastal low-lying high-risk areas, the nation should designate them as “specific areas” and implement two mechanisms. First, establish an agri-fishery insurance mechanism. Insurance companies will hire professionals for oversight, ensuring that both government and private sectors take responsibility for disaster prevention and conservation, which is the most basic mechanism for risk reduction. Second, promote a “place-appropriate satoyama spirit.” He advocated that ministries should “let go,” allowing non-commercial activities combined with local experiences to exist without damaging the larger system. This can guide localities in ecotourism, cultural revival, and community cohesion.

 

13. Huan-Chih Su (Former Magistrate, Tainan County)

Su proposed a vision for “ecological economies,” hoping that in the future, similar conferences can be held in water resorts within wetlands, realizing tourism and economic integration. He believes this can only be achieved after national salt flat lands are opened. He pointed out that past failures in Taiwan’s community empowerment stemmed from villages/wards not being “legal persons,” unable to invest and manage surpluses. He suggested promoting corporatization of local villages/wards to truly advance ecological products like “Black-faced Spoonbill clams brand” and demonstrate local autonomy. Finally, he emphasized that the Qigu lagoon is disappearing and called for it to be safeguarded as an urgent ecological issue.