Guarding the Shallow Mountain Ecosystem through Citizen Science Investigation at Matoushan

©Yen-Shau Lin
Publié: 28 juillet 2023
Dernière modification: 28 juillet 2023
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Résumé

Matoushan, located within the Gutingkeng Formation, was designated as a landfill site due to the low water permeability of its mudstone in 2015. However, the decision was opposed by locals, who formed the Anti-Matoushan Landfill Self-Help Association and staged protests. With the help of professionals, they monitored groundwater and provided scientific evidence during environmental impact assessment meetings. Their efforts effectively demonstrated the potential impacts of the proposed landfill on local water sources, ecosystems, and residents’ health, leading to the suspension of the project in 2018. In 2019, the association became the Kaohsiung City Matoushan Nature and Humanity Association and has since led long-term citizen science surveys aimed at raising environmental awareness and increasing knowledge about diverse ecosystems and relevant issues in Matoushan's shallow mountain area. The surveys included habitat and ecosystem observations, monitoring of wildlife corridors, and roadkill checks along patrolling routes.

Classifications

Région
Asie de l'Est
Ampleur de la mise en œuvre
Local
Ecosystème
Forêt de conifères tropicaux
Écosystèmes forestiers
Thème
Acteurs locaux
Gestion des espèces
Gestion et Planification des Aires protégées et conservées
Géodiversité et géoconservation
L'intégration de la biodiversité
One Health
Science et recherche
Conservation des espèces et interventions axées sur l’approche « Une seule santé »
Évaluation du statut de l'espèce
Surveillance des espèces et recherche
Gestion intensive des espèces (in situ ou ex situ)
Planification de la conservation des espèces
Communication des risques, engagement communautaire et changement de comportement
Une seule santé
Bonne gouvernance des paysages
Défis
Dégradation des terres et des forêts
Utilisations conflictuelles / impacts cumulatifs
Perte de l'écosystème
Objectifs de développement durable
ODD 11 - Villes et communautés durables
ODD 15 - Vie terrestre
ODD 17 - Partenariats pour la réalisation des objectifs
Objectifs d’Aichi
Objectif 1: Sensibilisation accrue de la biodiversité
Objectif 2: Valeurs de la biodiversité intégrées
Objectif 5: Perte d'habitat réduite de moitié ou diminuée
Objectif 11: Aires protégées et conservées
Objectif 17: Stratégies de la biodiversité et des plans d'action

Emplacement

Matoushan, Neimen District, Kaohsiung City, Taiwan

Impacts

With the successful halt of the landfill development project, the local residents were able to protect Matoushan's ecosystems and preserve its traditional culture. They formed forest and mountain patrol teams and installed automatic infrared cameras to record the presence of mammals such as Manis pentadactyla pentadactyla, Herpestes urva, Rusa unicolor swinhoii, Cervus nippon taiouanus and Paguma larvata taivana. During ecosystem surveys conducted for the protests, many scholars discovered a large population of Geothelphusa ancylophallus, Taiwan's native Bambusa stenostachya Hackel, and rare plant species such as Biophytum sensitivum, Grewia eriocarpa, Begonia ravenii and Parahemionitis arifolia. This proved the existence of a complete wildlife ecosystem in Matoushan, making it an iconic shallow mountain wildlife corridor in northern Kaohsiung's Moon World. Since 2020, the Kaohsiung City Matoushan Nature and Humanity Association and the Kaohsiung City Neimen District Neinan Community Development Association have been conducting environmental surveys 1-2 times per month. They have also participated in the Ecological Network Project to support national wildlife corridor conservation efforts. It played a crucial role in protecting the local environment and promoting the establishment of a Matoushan geopark and national park.

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Li-Chuan Weng Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency