Doors to Diplomacy Participants

Jhaigang Elementary School (2013 CyberFair Project ID 7459)
Taiwan, Taiwan, Tainan City
Official Status: Final Project: Ready for Judging
Teacher:
Category: 7. Environmental Awareness

We estimate 5 student(s) from 11 to 12 will work on this entry.

Description of Our Community: The area where we reside is called the Xuejia District, located in the northwestern part of Tainan City. Being close to the coast, the land has a higher level of salinity. The Bazhang River, Jishui River and Jiangjyun River flow through the region, and given the flat terrain, flooding is frequent during heavy rain. The early residents of Xuejia District were the Pingpu Siraya tribe (Xuejia branch of the Soulang Community). Later, the Han Chinese migrated to Taiwan and settled along the river before moving further inland and developing the area into the Thirteen Villages of Xuejia, hence making Xuejia a Han Chinese settlement. The residents primarily worship Emperor Pao-sheng of Ciji Temple (Level Three Ancient Monument). Religious activities such as the Xuejia Fragrance (a pilgrimage procession) and the Upper White Reef (yezu ceremony) were further developed and became major religious and cultural activities in Tainan City. Moreover, the temple also specially constructed a Koji Pottery Museum to house and preserve works of Koji pottery by Yeh Wang. Due to its proximity to the sea and higher soil salinity, we mainly specialize in milkfish farming, milkfish fishball production and cultivation of drought-resistant and salt tolerant crops such as sorghum, corn, watermelon and cherry tomatoes. Our line of milkfish products, watermelon and tomatoes are famous throughout the nation, and visitors to Xuejia must try these specialties to make their trip worthwhile.

Project Description: The Xuejia Wetland Ecological Park, which officially opened on February 21, 2012, is located on the Jishui River bank, and covers an area of more than ten hectares. The wetland was originally a spread of farmland and settlement called the Ganzailiao (previously named Northern Fazaitou). However, due to severe earth subsidence, the land became increasingly eroded by seawater, making farming and living impossible. On October 1997, the entire village had no choice but move away. Untended and invaded by seawater, the abandoned land became a prime habitat for waterfowls, crabs and mangroves. Later, the Xuejia District Farmers' Association lobbied and obtained governmental subsidy for farmer's rent, and commissioned the Xuejia District Farmers' Association and the Wildlife Conservation Institute of Tainan City to construct the land into new wetland scenic spots in Tainan. According to a survey by the Wildlife Conservation Institute of Tainan City, the Xuejia wetland has an abundance of species, including birds such as the Black-faced Spoonbills, Sacred Ibises, Wood Sandpipers, Whiskered Terns, Common Redshanks and Common Moorhens, various kinds of fiddler crabs, and plants such as Grey Mangroves, Indian Camphorweed, Black Mangroves and Kandelia. This area of the new wetland is near our residential community, and makes the best ecological classroom for our school. We hope that through methods such as field visits, interviews, introduction to the various species and data statistics, people will not only become more familiar with the Xuejia wetland, but also have more in-depth knowledge of the Xuejia wetland and therefore understanding of the balance between the conservation of nature and human development.

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