County government and industry join forces for Kouhu wetland conservation

(中央社訊息服務20260515 17:43:29)In recent years, the Yunlin County Government has guided many businesses in Kouhu Township to participate in the wetland labeling certification program. Using environmental friendliness and smart utilization as a development framework, the government is working with local industries in Kouhu to contribute to ecological conservation efforts. Through environmentally friendly production practices and ecological education initiatives, the government aims to help consumers gain a deeper understanding of the ecological value of important wetlands and promote the common development of local industries.

Chenglong and Yiwu Wetlands were designated in 2019 to protect the important coastal landscape and ecological resources of Kouhu Township, providing a habitat for abundant biodiversity, especially during migratory bird season, when a rich variety and number of geese, ducks, and swans gather in the area. Beyond their ecological importance, the surrounding coastal wetlands also support productive fisheries and aquaculture, with abundant fish, shrimp and shellfish providing a breeding environment that forms the basis for the lives and production of nearby communities, demonstrating the interaction and coexistence of human society and nature, and becoming an important location on the southwest coastal wetland conservation axis.

Yunlin County Magistrate Chang Li-shan stated that protecting wetland biodiversity is essential to protecting the well-being of the public. The Chenglong and Yiwu Wetlands are not merely natural resources; they are the cornerstone of Yunlin County's future sustainable development. To this end, since 2023, the county government has commissioned Professor Wang Po-ching of National Chiayi University to lead wetland labeling guidance initiatives. The team gained a deep understanding of the local wetland industry. This year, the county government plans to an application for wetland label certification to the Ministry of the Interior. Currently, the first phase of review is expected to involve eight aquaculture operators. The government hopes to bring new value to agricultural and fishery products and ecotourism around the wetlands, further gain more market recognition and economic benefits, and allow consumers' purchasing support to directly benefit agricultural and fishery operators, taking into account both local industry livelihoods and ecological conservation benefits.

County Magistrate Chang further stated that in addition to the wetland labeling and certification program to be promoted this year, the county government has also made progress in other ecological conservation efforts. For example, in collaboration with Professor Lai Hung-chih of National Chiayi University and Professor Chen Yi-hsiung of National Taiwan Ocean University, the county supported the publication of a study on the Taiwan-endemic fish species “Chenglong ricefish (Oryzias chenglongensis),” bringing the name of Chenglong Wetland to the international academic stage. The county government has also worked with Taiwan’s Forestry and Nature Conservation Administration to promote the “Important Habitat Ecosystem Service Payment Promotion Program.” Through this initiative, 80 farmers participated in the creation of approximately 111 hectares of bird-friendly fishponds, contributing to both habitat conservation and sustainable agricultural practices. Last year, the government partnered with six elementary and junior high schools across the county to implement wetland education programs, helping raise public awareness that wetlands offer rich natural ecological resources. These initiatives highlighted that wetlands are not only venues for art festivals, but rich ecological resources that deserve to be shared and protected.