¹Ï»¡¡GThe beautiful Kuandu Park is a result of the efforts of conservationists.

Kuandu not only presents an opportunity to be close to nature, it also offers a glimpse into the past of this land, where the vigilance of conservation groups helped saved it from oblivion.

Picture a warm April day in Kuandu a hundred and fifty years ago, when an English naturalist with a moustache first stepped foot into the place. He was overwhelmed. The little paddle boat he was in startled hundreds of thousands of water birds into flight. He spotted a rare crested ibis. The experienced and extensive traveller could hardly believe his eyes. The breathless naturalist was Robert Swinhoe, known as ¡§the best ornithologist in East Asia¡¨, understood then that Kuandu was Taiwan¡¦s largest and most intact swarm area.

The beauty of the land did not last. Destruction was brought about as humans sought to develop the area. The 1950s saw the local extinction of both Tagal mangrove (Ceriops tagal) and red mangrove (Bruguiera gymnorrhiza), due to the construction of Kaohsiung Port. During the 1980s, northern mangroves faced the same threat. The water resource bureau planned to remove the mangroves along the mouth of Tamshui River to make way for public housing, a plan that was eventually shelved in face of conservation protest. The developers did not give up. Thousands of tons of mud were removed stealthily from the wetland, and along with that tens of thousands of mangroves as well. A 6 kilometer concrete riverbank was built. This was done to dry up the mangroves, making development possible again. Other threats include water motorcycles, ultralight planes, trash, and dumping. The magnificence that Swinhoe experienced was gone. Research showed that the number of species of birds in that region had dropped from 139 to 47.

Conservationists put in their best fight to save the land. The importance and plight of the wetland was made known to the public through the mass media. Petitions and lobbying were carried out constatnly. Birdwatching events were held to promote the cause. After years of effort, the Taipei City Council approved the special budget to conserve Kuandu Nature Park. It was officially open to the public on July 2001.

It is a happy ending, yet we should bear in mind that this is the result of many people¡¦s hard work and time. The ending is also a new start in many ways. Over-development in upper Tamshui River has increased the sand and organic matter content of the river as well. The Kandelia candel population has enjoyed a growth surge, and is affecting the habitats of the birds and other estuary creatures. Volunteers now face a new task: they have to manually remove the infringing plants and recreate wetland habitats.

Visit the park during the weekend and enjoy the mangroves. Better still, be a volunteer and help conserve the mangroves actively.