Project title: Wetland friendly environment promotion project with Fataan Important Wetland as example
Organizer: Urban and Rural Development Branch, Construction and Planning Agency, Ministry of the Interior
Project executive unit: Hualien Land Creative Ltd.

The features of a wetland:
Fataan Important Wetland is located at the foot of Maxi Mountain, Guangfu Township. Being a natural inland wetland, it is the traditional domain of the Fataan, Amis tribe. Its resourceful fountain provides a diverse environment that is an ideal habitat for various organisms, for example, Aphyocypris Kikuchii (endangered species), Tanakia Himantegus, and more. Birds, such as Ardeidae, Rallidae, Anatidae, and others find their homes here. Protected birds such as Phasianus Colchicum, Pycnonotus Taivanus, and others are always seen among the fields. In the early times, the indigenous people developed a special manner of catching fish – Palakaw – to adapt to the swamp environment. Now, agriculture and ecological tourism are the major items for development in the local area.

Project results and contents:
Most parts of the Fataan Important Wetland are privately owned. To allow the landlords to agree with the management ideas of the wetland, participative management should be implemented to build consensus. The major strategies of this project include: (1) Investigations of the current conditions and data sorting are conducted to understand the current production conditions of the wetland and the model of land usage. (2) Visit local residents and institutions to collect comments and suggestions to offer suggestions for agriculture, aquaculture, and wetland engineering. An advisory team is formed to discuss and follow-up the issues. (3) To cooperate with the Hualien District Agricultural Research and Extension Station to seek landlords who intend to put the protection model of friendly environment into testing. Working with the specialists’ consultation and empowerment workshop, partnership is built up with landlords. These strategies encouraged the local tribe to participate in the wetland management and the development of friendly industry, working for the future of the wetland.

Help landlords test the soil. Cooperate with the Hualien District Agricultural Research and Extension Station to understand the features of the land and soil to facilitate the finding “suitable featured wetland crops” here.

Providing specialists’ counseling and empowerment workshop, we provide farmers with professional consultation and help farmers to conduct the production model of friendly environment.

Apply the traditional fishing method – Palakaw – of the Fataan tribe to conduct fishing workshops. In addition to continuing the traditional skills and culture, it also helps understand the potential problems of invasive species in the wetland environment. Now, after repeated discussions of the issues, a wetland patrol team is established. With the help of indigenous people, invasive fish species – “Channa striata” – are eliminated, with the hope of protecting indigenous fishes in the wetland and restoring former health water condition there.

Meetings were held in the tribe and an advisory team was formed. With this platform, consensus is built regarding the issues of agriculture, aquaculture, and wetland engineering for further promotion.