The MLJCA Aquatic Plant Seedlings Pond (Kaohsiung Wild Bird Society)

For Immediate Release
11/10/2023

Taiwan has gained another internationally recognized Satoyama Initiative case study! The Meinong Lake Jacana Conservation Area (MLJCA) is managed by the by the Kaohsiung Wild Bird Society (KWBS). A project which began officially in 2021, local birders had already begun doing land adoption near Meinong Lake to recreate habitat for the birds as early as 2017. The MLJCA brings together local government and community groups to successfully restore the habitat of Pheasant-tailed Jacanas. The community also works to reward eco-friendly farming practices, expand habitat areas, and create an agricultural environment that coexists with nature. This year, thanks to an application submitted on its behalf by IPSI member the Taiwan Wild Bird Federation (TWBF), the MLJCA successfully became a certified case study by the International Partnership for the Satoyama Initiative (IPSI).

White Water Snowflake Harvesting (Kaohsiung Wild Bird Society)

For over 20 years, conservation work to restore the habitat and population of Pheasant-tailed Jacanas in Taiwan has taken place through the collaborative efforts of government, industry and civil society. Good progress has been made, however more than 90% of the country’s jacana population is now concentrated in the water caltrop agricultural landscapes of Tainan City's Guantian District. Meanwhile nationally, areas of water caltrop cultivation are decreasing annually. This, combined with an aging farmer population, lack of work for young people in rural areas, and the impact of photovoltaic projects makes expanding the habitat range of jacanas outside of water caltrop fields an urgent matter.

Meinong Lake is the second largest lake in Kaohsiung City, covering an area of ​​21 hectares. It is also located in one of the most important areas for white water snowflake production in Taiwan making it a perfect habitat for jacanas who traditionally would use this land in the past for breeding and wintering. In 2017, Kaohsiung birders Liu Hsiao-shen and Huang Shu-mei applied to rent a hectare of farmland by Meinong Lake to create a habitat for Pheasant-tailed Jacanas. In 2020, Liu and Huang began fundraising to do a public land lease of wetland habitat. They accumulated 69 donors, including both individuals and local groups. In 2021, the Kaohsiung Wild Bird Society began to work with the Kaohsiung City Tourism Bureau to create the Meinong Lake Jacana Conservation Area. Since its inception there have been many groups who have helped to make the MLJCA successful via habitat creation and environmental education work. This includes the Meinong People's Association, the Fairy Pitta Conservation Association, Qimei Community College, Dongmen Elementary School, Meinong Elementary School, Shih Chien University, National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology, National Pingtung University.

Subsequently, with the support of the Pingtung Branch of the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency, Ministry of Agriculture and the Kaohsiung City Government's Agriculture Bureau, the KWBS collaborated with the Meinong District Vegetable Agricultural Production and Marketing Group to create a habitat patrol team. This group has helped to maintain an eco-friendly environment for Pheasant-tailed Jacanas. Also, if birds are spotted nesting or breeding in the white-water snowflake paddies, KWBS will not only assist farmers in applying for government subsidies, but also help them to sell their products as being jacana-friendly. It is hoped that such actions can reduce farmers' losses and stimulate local industry, tourism and educational activities. Efforts have been successful, with the number of jacanas recorded in the area increasing from 14 in 2017 to 68 in 2022.

Pheasant-tailed Jacana Nestling and Egg. (Chiu Hsiu-mei)

A farmer patrol team at the Meinong Lake Jacana Conservation Area (Chen Po-Hao)

The Meinong Lake Jacana Conservation Area has its origins in habitat creation yet has strived to forge a strong relationship with local white-water snowflake farmers. It has also worked to help rehabilitate endangered aquatic plants in southern Taiwan. Through its aquatic plant seedlings pond, young plants can be grown and then shared externally with groups interested in recreating traditional freshwater landscapes. Plants have already been shared with the Liudui Hakka Cultural Park in Pingtung County, the Qinan Branch of the Kaohsiung District Agricultural Research and Extension Station and the Dashu Old Railway Bridge and Wetland Eco-Park. This work expands the range of habitat choice for the jacanas as well as other species which use such environments.

Being certified by IPSI is a confirmation of the hard work and efforts the groups involved have made towards the ideals of Satoyama. The MLJCA, the KWBS and the TWBF also hope to learn from other members of the IPSI network on how to better create and maintain socio-economic production landscapes and seascapes. They will also continue to pursue a more sustainable and harmonious relationship between people and nature.

For more information, please contact:
Lin Kun-hai, Executive-Director, Kaohsiung Wild Bird Society 0929-061450
Allen Lyu, Secretary-General, Taiwan Wild Bird Federation 0919-585657

Cover photo: Male jacana disposing of an eggshell (Ho Ko-Chi)