A Pact with Guandu Nature Park to Safeguard the City’s Important Wetlands

Guandu Nature Park is located at the intersection of Tamsui River and Keelung River in Northern Taiwan. It is a vital natural asset and a national wetland in Taipei City, boasting fresh and brackish fresh water ponds, mud flats, marshes, rice fields, and forests. This year, Wistron Foundation collaborated with the Wild Bird Society of Taipei on the “Guandu Nature Park - Moon Pond Adoption Project”. The aim is to jointly protect the natural habitats in freshwater ponds and to carry out wetland conservation and education works.

In the morning of August 26, distinguished guests—Ying-Hao Che (Director of Taipei City Animal Protection Office), Jui-Lin Chang (Chairman of Wild Bird Society of Taipei), Wen-Ling Chou (CEO of Wistron Foundation), Cheng-Tao Chan (Head of Social Development Department of New Taipei City Teacher’s Association), Hsin-Min Hsieh (President of Bali Ai-Hsin Home for Persons with Disabilities), and Chi-Tsung Huang (Chairman of Quchi Elementary School Teachers' Association)—were invited to the Moon Pond adoption unveiling ceremony at platform of the Moon Pond.

“Earth” is a key element of wetlands. After the unveiling ceremony, the guests were invited to touch and feel Guandu wetlands’ mud, and leave their handprint as a way of making their pact to protect the wetlands. As part of Wistron Foundation's Moon Pond adoption project, a light box installed in the two-storey No. 2 Bird Hide, the largest bird-watching house in the park, was officially switched on. Through this adoption project, a place in Taipei is made available to educate people on the environment and to preserve the freshwater ecosystems in northern Taiwan. It also offers rich educational resources for school field trips and enables non-mountain and non-city schools as well as special needs children to discover the wonder of Guandu Nature Park, appreciate the natural scenes and rich biodiversity of wetlands, learn happily in the outdoor environment, and understand the importance of sustainability to wetlands.

Distinguished guests at the Moon Pod unveiling ceremony. From left to right: Hsin-Min Hsieh (President of Bali Ai-Hsin Home for Persons with Disabilities), Chi-Tsung Huang (Chairman of Quchi Elementary School Teachers' Association), Wen-Ling Chou (CEO of Wistron Foundation), Jui-Lin Chang (Chairman of Wild Bird Society of Taipei), Cheng-Tao Chan (Head of Social Development Department of New Taipei City Teacher’s Association), and Ying-Hao Che (Director of Taipei City Animal Protection Office).

Distinguished guests leave their handprint on a banner, making a pact to adopt the Moon Pond and protect the wetlands. With Wistron Foundation’s assistance, the No. 2 Bird Hide was improved to allow for more air flow and natural light, thereby providing visitors with a comfortable and friendly place to appreciate birds in close range and the natural ecosystem in the Moon Pond Conservation Area. On the right, the light box in the No. 2 Bird Hide provides details about the Moon Pond Adoption Project.