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Achievements | Explore the shining urban emeralds

Background

It is hard to imagine such a natural ecological park in Taipei City, where there is a lot of traffic and towering buildings. In addition, the richness of the forest and the buzzing of insects together with chirping of birds immerses you in a rare tranquil woodland bliss, just like an urban emerald.

Located at the end of Fuyang Street in Taipei City, the 3.8-hectare Fuyang Eco Park used to be a military ammunition depot from 1939 to 1988, and the natural forest ecology and landscape have been preserved well due to long years of control which is rare to see in the city. The species of old trees in the park are complete and the trees are touch the sky. Moreover, the park has a rich botanical ecology with more than 300 species of old trees. The park is also a good place to learn about the ferns in the low-altitude forests of Taiwan. As for animals, there are many insects, snakes and frogs. In addition, the birds are also in a healthy state. Furthermore, valuable sights include the Taipei Tree Frog, a formerly protected insect Pyrops watanabei, and the rare black tail spider. The park is one of the few habitats for them in the urban areas of Taipei, and this is due to the variety of plants here, which in turn increases the diversity of animals.

In order to protect this unique natural ecological environment in the city, Wistron and the Society of Wilderness started a new page to jointly adopt the Fuyang Eco Park in 2006, working together to promote the conservation of the ecological park and establish a maintenance mechanism.

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Participated in the Fuyang Eco Park Tour in 2006-2022

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Participated in habitat restoration in 2007-2022

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Ecological survey conducted from 2007-2022

The Witron Foundation's adoption of the Fuyang Nature Park has three main factors.

  • Habitat Conservation: To build and strengthen the capacity of patrol and report to preserve the original habitat of the forest, and to help establish an effective and clear maintenance and management mechanism for management units so as to present an example of a natural ecological park in a metropolitan area.
  • Environmental Education: Integrating community outreach channels, promoting the beauty of Fuyang with lectures, nature tours, and field-trip activities for elementary schools.
  • Ecological Survey: To conduct multiple ecological surveys and strengthen control and education of invasive exotic species that come from other countries and push out other species.

After years of effort, we have used the Fuyang Eco Park as a model to promote the "Nature and Ecological Park Management Self-government Ordinance" to improve the existing management method that lacks ecological thinking and; furthermore, to establish an ecologically oriented management model and facilitate its implementation so that living creatures can flourish in the area. In 2018, we began to invite experts, academics, and teams to conduct an ecological survey of Fuyang Eco Park, and through professional data accumulation and changes, we developed corresponding operational strategies for improvement. The strategies include establishing the Natural Park Zoning Management Guidelines and the Maintenance and Management Operation Manual. These provide the Parks and Street Lights Office of the Public Works Bureau (Taipei City Government Park Department) and community guardian volunteers with environmental inspection and maintenance management data to follow, which indirectly led to the Park Department's implementation of the Taipei City Park Ecological Zoning Management Plan in 2021.

Since the opening of the Fuyang Eco Park in 2006, resources from all parties such as, government agencies, private organizations, enterprises, and academic institutions have made a joint effort to plan and preserve the natural ecological landscape. The Fuyang volunteers, consisting of the Society of Wilderness team, local residents, and corporate volunteers, are the ones behind the maintenance of the Fuyang Eco Park. In order to enhance the people of Witron’s participation in environmental conservation, the Wistron Foundation promotes the recruitment and training of Wistron Fuyang Conservation Volunteers and Habitat Volunteers inside of the company. Furthermore, organizing volunteer training activities to assist in park maintenance and management and conservation work. Fuyung Volunteers have become the proud identity of the people of Wistron ― they use holidays to take turn scheduling to guide the public and visiting groups. "Making good of our free time to do something for the environment" is every volunteer’s voice in the deep heart. We believe that when people know more about a place, the less they are able to separate the emotion they feel for the land.

In 2023, Wistron and the Society of Wilderness entered their 18th year of cooperation. In the documentary Emerald in the City, the Society of Wilderness told detailed stories from among the 15 years of Fuyang Eco Park. Li Yuan, a well-known writer, also shared his memories of accompanying his mother in the last journey of her life in Fuyang. After his mother passed away, he often returned to the park, choosing an afternoon and each time bringing a little water, a towel, and a book without his cell phone. He often fell asleep in the park, dropping his books on the ground, and encountering many insects and plants as if he was back in his old life a biology field researcher as an undergraduate, as if he was in heaven while recalling his mother at the same time.

In addition to Li Yuan, many residents and volunteers have also expressed their love and affection for the park.

  • Have you ever watched the movie, My Neighbor Totoro? When I first entered Fuyang, it was like entering a forest with shady trees and wafting leaves where Totoro appeared.
  • It is the first time experiencing that there can be ecology in a metropolitan park, and it is totally stunning. No equipment for games, no facilities for sports, what you see is actually very original and has a natural ecological appearance.
  • Fuyang Natural Ecological Park is located near the mountains, but it is a rare park that is not too big, but also not artificial.
  • As long as I walk along the road, I can see the Taipei tree frogs and many other animals and plants that are quick becoming like my family.
  • It is a calling. When it’s time, you will leave everything behind and walk into Fuyang naturally.
  • Walking into the Fuyang Eco Ecological Park, you are able to enjoy the freedom of the outdoors in that moment.

Everyone is automatically an observer of nature. As long as you are willing to observe thoughtfully, there is life everywhere in a nature park. A tree, an insect or a flower will bring distinct feelings and emotions and create your own memories connected with nature. This is a park which is full of lush greenery and natural ecological beauty in the city, with birds in the forests, verdant greenery and animal paradise ― this is what makes the Fuyang Eco Park unique and precious. For this reason, Wistron Foundation has been working hard to preserve the biodiversity and the original look and atmosphere of the forest, so that this emerald in the city will always shine with natures the most beautiful light.

Outcome

2022Inviting experts and scholars to analyze survey data and environmental change information, a plan for enhancing the environmental conditions of Fuyang Park was devised. This plan included conducting 12 insect surveys, 11 amphibian surveys, 12 bird surveys, 4 surveys of aquatic invertebrates, and 2 surveys of herbaceous and woody plants, totaling 41 ecological surveys throughout the year. Regular park patrols, habitat improvement, bare ground enclosures, and removal of invasive species were carried out. Eight working holidays were organized for habitat restoration, involving a total of 141 participants. Additionally, 11 ecological guided tours were conducted in Fuyang Park, with a total of 397 participants. The conservation efforts expanded to include Hsinchu Shulin Head Park in 2022.

2021A documentary made to record 15 years of the Fuyang Eco Park and an online series of Fuyang Eco Week were produced to let the public understand the beauty of Fuyang and the importance of ecological protection through the Internet. In addition to ecological surveys of insects, frogs, birds, plants, and aquatic invertebrates, water quality surveys were added this year, and a total of 33 surveys were completed throughout the year. The successful experience of Fuyang has been extended to Barclay Memorial Park in Tainan and Beixianghu Park in Chiayi.

2020We studied and simulated the environmental improvement operation of Fuyang Eco Park based on the survey data and environmental change data. A total of 44 surveys were completed. A total of 8 sessions of working holiday and advocacy events were held with over 140 participants. Eleven eco-tours were completed in Fuyang Eco Park with over 350 participants.

2019Experts, academics and teams were invited to conduct a general ecological survey of Fuyang Eco Park, through the subsequent accumulation of annual data and changes to develop corresponding operational strategies for improvement and establish the Natural Park Zoning Management Guidelines and the Maintenance and Management Operation Manual to provide environmental inspection and maintenance management data for the Park Department and community volunteers to follow up on afterwards.

2016We have extended the experience of Fuyang Eco Park protection to Rongxing Garden Park, where fireflies are hardly seen in the city but are now seen here. After the protection of Fuyang and Rongxing Garden Park, the next step is to expect Taipei to become an ecological city and start promoting the Ecology of Parks project.

2006-2015More than 280 corporate and community care volunteers have been trained, and outreach seminars and field-trip activities through interpretive experiences were participated in by more than 16,000 students and citizens.

2014We hope that the passing of Natural Ecological Park Act will lead to a better ecological management model, and that the promotion of Natural Ecological Park Act will make living creatures flourish and thrive.

2013Collaborated with Freeway Bureau, MOTC and Observer Ecological Consultant Co., Ltd. to run the Amphibian Restoration Area project.

2006Wistron Foundation and the Society of Wilderness jointly adopted the Fuyang Eco Park in 2006.

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