Back in Taiwan!

The Wild Bird Society of Japan were looking for volunteers to go on an eco-tour organised by them and an eco-tourism company in Taiwan to do some conservation work for Barn Swallows in Taichung, Taiwan.

http://www.wbsj.org/activity/event/greenholiday/gh-taiwan-ja2/


It was only for 3 nights and the main itinerary was to get rid of invasive plants in an IBA site (Important Bird and Biodiversity Area) for 2 mornings and to observe the Barn Swallows with local primary school pupils for 2 afternoons.

The beautiful Gaomei Wetland (高美湿地)

a long boardwalk

non-native grass

hard work!

on a wall in a primary school in Taichung, which has special environmental study classes

environmental studies

(What sort of people would be happy to do conservation work and not think money is everything? They are likely to be the people who have been brought up with nature.)

(There were green curtains outside the school building, which is the most natural, economical and efficient way to control the heat in the building. We planted several species of climbing plants to increase the greenery and for it to look pretty at the same time.)



Even a Malayan Night Heron (Zuguromizogoiズグロミゾゴイ) was breeding in a tree by the school building.

It was a great opportunity to take a look at such a school and I was amazed how happy the pupils looked to get involoved voluntarilly in nature.