Besides historical battlefield sites and cultural assets, Kinmen National Park also boasts of abundant species of birds and ecologically vibrant coastal waters.
Environmental awareness has been gaining attention in recent years, along with growing emphasis on environment education by society. Sustainable development is only attainable when people's values and attitude align with correct environmental knowledge. The government has been promoting environmental education for years, especially after the implementation of "Environmental Education Act" on June 5th, 2011, and through various courses, activities and films, the concepts of sound conservation of natural resources and environmental management have been effectively conveyed to the public.
“The Quest” is a documentarywhose main purpose is to allow the general public to gain an insight into theoverseas development process of the overseas Chinese in Kinmen and the storiesbehind the beautiful western-style buildings. Section Chief Huang Zi-juan ofthe Interpretation Section, Kinmen National Park Headquarters explained thereason for shooting this documentary. In addition to the exhibitions at scenicspots such as the Overseas Chinese Culture Exhibition Hall and JinshuiElementary School, through publicity via the film, the National Park, inaddition to the introduction of the development process of the Kinmen residentsworking overseas through an exhibition, has enabled the general public tobetter understand the painstaking process behind the buildings whileappreciating the western-style buildings.
Internationally recognized as the "Butterfly Kingdom," approximately 400 species of butterflies have been discovered in Taiwan, with 180 sighted within the grounds of Yangmingshan National Park. Every May to July when the weather gradually turns warmer, the emergence of various types of butterflies can be seen in succession. This is also when butterfly food, a network of nectar plants, enters the flowering season. At this time, the Yangmingshan trail is filled with a diversity of butterflies with the Chestnut Tiger (Parantica sita) making up the majority!
Thesudden drop in temperature during the Ice Age transformed the environment, withnumerous species driven to extinction or forced to relocate. The salamander,once located in the low latitude regions during the Ice Age, remained in thealpine regions of Taiwan due to glacial retreat, rising temperatures andbulging plates; therefore, it is now distributed in the southernmost part of earth.Currently, there are five species of salamander, including the GuanwuSalamander, Alishan Salamander, Formosan Salamander, Sonani's Salamander andNanhu Salamander.
Every year, between September and April next year, large flocks of an endangered species, the "Black-faced Spoonbills", visit Taiwan to spend the winter here. In 2011, the global population of Black-faced Spoonbills was approximately 2,600, with 1,500, or more than half of the population, appearing in Tainan. Since being founded on December 28, 2009, the Taijiang National Park headquarters has been dedicated to strengthening relevant conservation and research efforts, and the "Becoming Acquainted with Black-faced Spoonbill" event is also organized annually before they arrive in Taiwan or before they return north, so as to promote the Black-faced Spoonbill and the concept of sustainable habitat through the edutainment approach.
