202507/23
The Pingtung Branch of the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency (FANCA Pingtung), the Agriculture Bureau of Kaohsiung City Government, and the Pingtung County Government jointly promoted the “Conservation Action on the Dining Table—Australasian Grass-Owl Friendly Label Achievement Presentation,” which was held at the Chateau de Chine Hotel Kaohsiung on July 23. The event brought together eight farmers from Kaohsiung and Pingtung who have obtained the “Australasian Grass-Owl Friendly Label” to partner with four Green Dining Guide-listed restaurants. Using agricultural products certified by the Australasian Grass-Owl Friendly Label as ingredients, they served eco-friendly dishes that blend sustainable principles with local flavors, showcasing the conservation efforts from farm to table. The “Australasian Grass-Owl Friendly Agricultural Products Information Network” was also launched on the day of the event to allow the public to better understand the significance of the label and learn about the production locations and farmers’ stories behind each agricultural product. It is hoped that through this open platform, more people will be inspired to support Australasian grass-owl conservation.
The dinner was based on the concept of “Conservation Action on the Dining Table,” which integrated Australasian grass-owl conservation into the menu, concretely incorporating ecological conservation into people’s daily diet. The menu, which incorporated the Australasian grass-owl into the naming and design of the dishes, was curated by the culinary teams of four well-known restaurants listed in the Green Dining Guide, including GIEN JIA Bistro, Mei Shu Zhai, Goöod Time, and the Chateau de Chine Hotel Kaohsiung. From garden vegetables grown using eco-friendly vegetation management farming to aquatic products and local crops grown using natural farming methods, dishes like “Australasian Grass-Owl Garden Vegetables,” “Canal Creek Rice Germ,” and “Micro-Fermented Seasonal Vegetables and Smoked Greater Amberjack” were not only delicious but also conveyed respect for the land and environment.
Yang Jui-Fen, Director of FANCA Pingtung, said that since 2021, they have cooperated with the Kaohsiung City Government and the Pingtung County Government to promote Payments for Ecosystem Services, using an incentive mechanism to encourage farmers to adopt eco-friendly farming methods. These include vegetation management in orchards, avoiding the use of herbicides and rodenticides, and installing raptor perches. Over a hundred farmers have responded to this initiative, covering more than 100 hectares of farmland. Building on this foundation, this year, FANCA Pingtung will further promote the “Eco-Friendly Agricultural Products Label,” which will become the third label system centered on wildlife after the leopard cat (
Prionailurus bengalensis) and the farmland green treefrog (
Zhangixalus arvalis). Through specific standards and certification, the label system ensures that farmers’ conservation efforts are recognized and supported by society.
Director Yang Jui-Fen of FANCA Pingtung further explained that after nine farmers in Pingtung received the Australasian Grass-Owl Friendly Label for their agricultural products on April 16 this year, another eight farmers also received the Australasian Grass-Owl Friendly Label today, demonstrating farmers’ high degree of affirmation for the label system. To create a concrete link between agricultural products and daily life, this event used the Green Dining Guide, with eco-friendly chefs preparing dishes from Australasian grass-owl friendly products. Diners not only enjoyed the natural sweetness and flavor of the ingredients, but the effort also helped achieve conservation goals. FANCA Pingtung will continue to expand the number of farmers receiving guidance and label certification, as well as enhance the integration of the label system with market channels, food procurement, and public sector collaboration.
Section Chief Lo Yu-Chuan of the FANCA stated that the Australasian grass-owl is the only owl species inhabiting grasslands of low-elevation mountains. Nesting in the grass by day and foraging in farmlands at night, the Australasian grass-owl depends on these areas as a critical habitat. Section Chief Lo thanked the Kaohsiung City Government and the Pingtung County Government for jointly promoting Payments for Ecosystem Services for the Australasian grass-owl, which have reduced pesticide use in the farmlands. She also thanked FANCA Pingtung for integrating the label system with green restaurants, enabling consumers to take part in Australasian grass-owl conservation efforts through dining. There was also good news for conservation workers. The latest results of the Australasian grass-owl survey that takes place every four years indicated that Australasian grass-owls have been recorded in the Zhoshui River area. This means that the Australasian grass-owl population is increasing and expanding outward. The FANCA will continue to work hard in the future.
Yao Chih-Wang, Director of the Agriculture Bureau of Kaohsiung City Government, said that the Kaohsiung City Government has long supported ecological conservation efforts, and knowing that the Australasian grass-owl has now expanded into central Taiwan is a testament that such conservation efforts are truly a cause for celebration. Hard-working farmers manage and produce agricultural products in line with five key commitments and ecological conservation promotion activities. This event, featuring demonstrations by the Chateau de Chine Hotel Kaohsiung and green restaurants, seeks to build consumer recognition and support for these Australasian grass-owl friendly products.
Chen Mei-Chi, Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture, Pingtung County Government, stated that the Pingtung County Government has always gone all-out in its nature conservation efforts. After seeing farmers at the event jointly support Australasian grass-owl conservation through their meal choices, she affirmed that the county government has an unshakeable duty to promote eco-friendly agricultural products. She also extended her gratitude to the Chateau de Chine Hotel Kaohsiung and the farmers for their collaborative effort in promoting sustainable ingredients and contributing to grass-owl conservation.
Lin Chun-Yu, General Manager of Chateau de Chine Hotel Kaohsiung, said that while dining has become highly refined, promoting the Australasian Grass-Owl Friendly Label for agricultural products not only enhances culinary refinement, but also takes into account sustainability values, which is of great significance in jointly promoting the eco-friendly label.
Ho Chia-Ying, founder of the Green Dining Guide, said that when she first saw an Australasian grass-owl, she began contemplating how she could use food to help the Australasian grass-owl return to this land and foster a harmonious relationship between the environment, humanity, and ecosystem. Therefore, she brought restaurant chefs to production sites to learn about ingredients, so that they could transform farmers’ eco-friendly agricultural products into delicious food on the table. She noted that the initiative is starting in Kaohsiung today, and she hopes these eco-friendly products will eventually expand to other cities and counties, making healthy and sustainable ingredients a part of everyone’s daily lives.
Assistant Professor Hong Shiao-Yu from the Institute of Wildlife Conservation of the National Pingtung University of Science and Technology said that farmland operations have always had a huge impact on endangered species such as black-winged kites (
Elanus caeruleus) and Australasian grass-owls (
Tyto longimembris pithecops). He believed that with farmers joining conservation efforts to improve the habitats of endangered species, their actions would help to highlight the importance of farmland conservation.
Mr. Wu Yu-Hung, a farmer who received the Australasian Grass-Owl Friendly Label certification today, said that he originally only intended to apply for the installation of Australasian grass-owl perches. After participating in briefing sessions for the Payments for Ecosystem Services and the Australasian Grass-Owl Friendly Label certification, he felt that even though Australasian grass-owls have not yet appeared in his fields, he is willing to join the label certification program to provide the owls with more habitats, allowing him to do his share for Taiwan’s biodiversity.
Concluding the event, FANCA Pingtung described the banquet as not just a culinary feast, but a call to action for the entire country, inviting everyone to begin with their daily meals and collectively work toward protecting Taiwan's biodiversity.