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Achievements | Protect Land and Water Resource in Taiwan
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Background

Have you ever heard of the Erren River? The river originates from the Shanchu Hu Mountain, Neimen District in Kaohsiung City and enters Taiwan Strait in Wanli, South District of Tainan City and Baishalun, Qieding District of Kahoisung City. The total length is 63 kilometers. Have you ever heard of Heilong Jiang in Taiwan? It is also the Erren River. From the late 1970s to the beginning of 2000s, this is the place to recycle metal scraps and where the processing plants were located. The plants utilized toxic acid chemicals, which are tossed to Erren River without pollutant processing. Electric waste (such as PCBs and cables) accumulated on the river banks causing severe pollution of the Erren River. The river has been polluted for over 30 years.

Should economic development and environment protection contradict with each other? If we put sustainable development in the development strategies of public and private sectors and can reach a consensus from the general public, we can pursue economic growth and GDP increase while protecting the environment. We can satisfy people's needs while not damaging the environment for the future generations. Wistron Foundation realizes the pollution of Erren River and takes the responsibility to improve the environment and fulfill its social responsibility.

Since 2011, Wistron Foundation has worked with the Research Development Association of Tainan Community University on two major themes: water resources and business waste pollution. Investigation teams and non-government organizations have been built to work with the governments to solve the pollution issues in Pingtung, Tainan, Changhua, and Hsinchu. Meanwhile, environmental education and promotion activities have been conducted, and suggestions have been proposed by the environmental groups on waste disposal strategies. The hope is that relevant regulations can be amended to protect the soil and water.

Over the years, Wistron Foundation has never stopped protecting our land. We followed Mr. Huang Huan Chang, a teacher who has been dedicated to environmental protection, from Tainan to start the investigations. The investigations covered wastewater pollution (in Erren River), mercury and dioxin pollution (in Tai Chien Anshuan plant), Wasabi garden deforestation (Ali Mountain in Chiayi), and collected dust pollution (at Da Ping Ding state land in Kaohsiung). In 2018, we joined the ecosystem investigation of Niupu Landscape in Long Chi Region, encouraging the organization of Niupu Conservation Area in Tainan.

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participated in the environmental education from 2010 to 2022

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participated in the investigation of beach waste survey from 2019 to 2022

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featuring environment protection were held from 2015 to 2022

As Mr. Huang said, “All disasters have some similarities.” One of the reasons is nature, but manmade factors are irresistible. Human beings need to learn the natural ethics and learn to respect nature instead of thinking that men are the conquerors. Only with humbleness can men live harmoniously with nature.

Thanks to the Research Development Association of Tainan Community University, we completed many improvement plans related to water resources and toxic wastes. We let more people to engage in the protection of our land. In 2018, we put efforts into the survey and environmental recording of Tainan Long Chi Niupu landscape. After helps from different parties, the Tainan City Government approved the organization of 149 hectares of the natural conservation area and 132 hectares of the landscape park during the audit meeting of natural landscape on April 14. In 2019, the improvement project of oyster racks pollution and waste reduction plan were launched, encouraging fishers to avoid using styrofoam and use safe, non-polluted floating tools.

Wistron has always respected nature and lived harmoniously with all living beings. We will continue to take care of the land to let this beautiful island sustainable.

Outcome

2021Carried out the hazardous waste investigation. Conducted survey in 22 pollution sites.Held monthly beach wastes monitoring survey. A total of 43 sessions were held with 327 volunteers participating. Fostering the establishment of Long Chi Landscape Park. In July, Tainan City Government and Forestry Bureau officially founded Long Chi Niupu Landscape Park and Long Chi Niupu Conservation Area. A total of 21 sessions of workshops, promotion activities, and courses were held to promote environmental education with 2,790 participants.

2020Tainan Community University, NGO, and government units improved the electric wastes located under the bridge of the Erren River. A total of 189 container bags (around 98 tonnes) were found. Along the Hsinfun coastline 13800 tonnes of toxic collected dust were cleaned, preventing the toxic materials from the rivers and ocean. Monthly beach waste long-term monitoring was conducted, with 480 volunteers participating. Continuously promoted Long Chi Landscape Park and Long Chi Niupu Mudstone Badland Conservation Area. Thirteen lectures held on citizen environment research.

2019Carried out the improvement plan of oyster racks pollution and waste reduction plan, encouraging fishers to use safe, non-polluted floating tools instead of styrofoam. At Taipei Biennial in Taipei Fine Arts Museum, “Post-Nature: A Museum as an Ecosystem” exhibited the current status of lands and men as well as the illusion among them.

2018Survey and environmental recording of Tainan Long Chi Niupu landscape; facilitating the establishment of Tainan natural conservation area. Tracked the collected dust at Hsinfung coastline, Hsinchu. Relevant units carried out a removal plan.

2017Worked with Taiwan Watch and had exchange and sharing activities with NGOs from Czechia. Students and teachers from Ryukoku University in Japan observed the beach waste long-term monitoring process and visited the Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts, and Wu Yuan Pai Wu in Tainan, where the land status and food issue were displayed.

2016Collaborated with media and the internet to report environmental pollution. Shared the related photos and items with the public. Teachers from the Community University designed courses and activities based on the relevant information. Citizen School, which is issue-oriented, was developed to cultivate a group of people with real actions to protect the homeland. They also disclosed the illegal incident of using incinerator ashes for fish farms in Tainan City.

2015The exhibition of the International Year of Soils was held. Courses and media broadcast on campus and in communities were carried out to encourage environmental education. We collaborated with NGO and residents in Taoyuan to disclose 20 hectares of pollution in Sheng-Mei Pond and successfully forced the government to suspend the construction to carry out investigation.

2014Supported the establishment of Sankandian National Park. Thirty five sessions of environmental education activities were held with 4,187 people participating. Tainan Community University integrated cross-program with education, raising people's environmental awareness. Won the Excellence award in the Group category of the 2nd National Environmental Education Award.

2013Environment issue groups of Tainan Community University made two 10 minute documentary films: Water resource in Southern Taiwan: Ali Mountain Road-The Recording of Mountain Road Maintenance, and Where do the industrial wastes go? The two films respectively won two awards from Chinese Public Television: the News Project Award and the People Civilian News Award. They made a pollution map, using maps to present the pollution status in Taiwan.

2012Continued to investigate the water resource and forest conservation; participated in the meeting on industrial wastes recycling and management and provided references to the government regulation amendments. Thirty three environmental education activities were held with 1,240 participants.

2011Established an Environmental Action Group to carry out a field survey on the river basin and the upstream reservoir, as well as toxic waste pollution. A report was made on Tai No. 61 West Coast Expressway where toxic dust was illegally buried.

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