TAIPEI (TVBS News) — In a promising development for ecological conservation, the Nantou Branch of Taiwan's Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency (FANCA, 林業保育署) announced Thursday (May 22) the successful completion of a water level control experiment at Chenglong Wetland (成龍濕地) in Yunlin County. The carefully executed project has created an optimal balance between effective drainage and hospitable habitats for diverse waterbird species.
Following this success, the Nantou Branch has developed a comprehensive strategy to implement monthly water level adjustments from September through March each year, coinciding with critical migratory bird seasons. "The experiment demonstrated that adjusting the water a little can attract more life," explained Nantou Branch Director Lee Cheng-hsien (李政賢), who characterized the approach as both a technical breakthrough and exemplary model of harmonious coexistence with nature.
The ecological challenges at Chenglong Wetland developed gradually over decades, according to FANCA officials. The area transformed into a saline marshland primarily due to land subsidence resulting from excessive groundwater extraction and periodic seawater intrusion during typhoon seasons. Local residents had increasingly voiced concerns that excessively deep water throughout the wetland left insufficient shallow areas for waterbirds to land and feed.
The successful water management initiative represents the culmination of collaborative efforts beginning in 2023, when the Nantou Branch partnered with the Taiwan Biodiversity Research Institute (農業部生物多樣性研究所), Yunlin County Government, and Chenglong Community Development Association (成龍社區發展協會). The team conducted two low-interference experiments during February and March, strategically opening the Hanziliao drainage system to facilitate natural water release while local community members meticulously documented changing water levels. ◼
