January 12, 2010
Black-faced Spoonbill workshop B2 at the 20th IAVE World Volunteer Conference, Panama 2008
Volunteers of Black-faced Spoonbill Conservation Association
Hui-Chu Tseng, Yu-Yun Chen, Tzu-yao Tai, Shyh-HongWn, Jong-Cherng kuo, Fwn-Shing Hwang, Pai-YiWang
Black-Faced Spoonbill Conservation Association, Tainan County, Taiwan Department of Leisure & Recreation Studies, Matou, Tainan, Taiwan
Abstract
The Black-faced Spoonbill Conservation Association (BFSA) was founded by a group of volunteers in 1998, which including teachers, local fishermen, college students and scholars for the preservation of habitats to construct the basic biological database, including birds, coastal plants, hydrology, topology and the traditional business majoring in farming, fishing, and salt-processing. Besides, interpreting guidebooks have been published in efforts to promote the ideas of habitat protecting. “Black-faced Spoonbill Conservation Area ”set up in 2002, which is located on a sheltered area at the northern side along the estuary of Tsengwen River where is the main-habitat of black-faced spoonbill in winter season of Taiwan. This habitat belongs to a shallow and tidal pond with lots of sand encircled by an artificial riverbanks. Tidal water could flows in and out through a water gate. Normally water levels would fluctuate during the daily tidal cycle and the tidal range is hardly higher than one meter. The total conservation area is about 300 hectares, which is not only to make this land for BFS, but also build an environment for the diverse creatures. The BFSA has been awarded Henry Ford Environmental Award on 2001.The BFSA is used to visit environmental protection associations in Germany and Netherlands to interchange the experiences of ecotourism management. There are lots of works carried on each month, which including mastication of coastal resources, BFS, fish and other coastal creature, 2.The international black-faced spoonbill census (Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macao, Vietnam and Japan). Besides, international seminars and conferences are also held here. Through the efforts and planning of the above, the BFSA keeps promotion of ecological conservation and helps people to appreciate the beauty of diversity endemic ecology and local culture, and both the environment and local community will be kept in a beneficial and sustainable way.
