Conservation with an eye on tomorrow

This article was written by Allen Hsu and published by the Taiwan Journal on May 29, 2008. It reports that according to Shih Chin-fang, director of Kenting National Park since 2006, there are plenty of challenges associated with administering one of Taiwan's most environmentally diverse habitats that attracts millions of visitors every year.

Shih explained that one of her primary tasks when taking over the park was to implement a comprehensive project of community empowerment. "Local residents, as well as park authorities, collaborated on identifying necessary programs, such as protection of the environment, promotion of environmental education and implementing greening policies," she said.

Sheding, a small community next to the Kenting Forest Recreation Area, is the first site designed as an eco-tourism destination due to its plentiful natural resources. "We have a specific area for reviving the Sika deer, which is located in this region," Shih said. The Sika once roamed Kenting and its coastal plains but was hunted to the verge of extinction. In 1990, the captive deer population totaled just 60. These days however, the animal's numbers have rebounded and it is now one of the most popular attractions in the park.

But efforts to restore the Sika are for naught unless accompanied by environmental education. To this end, local residents are trained as guides so they can then help visitors to experience Kenting's natural and cultural assets.

"Experiencing with your eyes, your hands and your heart is the real essence of eco-tourism," Shih said. "The perspective of a resident who introduces their home is definitely different from that of non-local guides and touches visitors far more deeply."

Along with community empowerment, the director is making every effort to green the park's resorts and bed-and-breakfasts. "The issue of global warming is in the spotlight nowadays," Shih said. "These businesses need to play their part in decreasing the unnecessary waste of limited resources," she stated.