[Written by Summer Sun (孫夏天), National Dong
Hwa University]
Each year regional exchange workshops are the most anticipated and exciting
flagship activity of Taiwan Partnership for
the Satoyama Initiative (TPSI). As two-day events conducted by each of
TPSI regional exchange bases – TPSI-North (TPSI-N), TPSI-West (TPSI-W),
TPSI-South (TPSI-S), and TPSI-East (TPSI-E), they provide an opportunity for
TPSI partners to visit TPSI SEPLS, exchange on-the-ground experiences, share
ideas, and search for partnership opportunities. The workshop participants
include government agencies, research and academia, NGOs and NPOs, community
organisations, green enterprises, farms, agro-parks, and other interested
individuals. Over 2016-2021, the annual themes of exchange workshops have
included a diverse range of SEPLS topics: revitalisation of SEPLS, regional
and
national networking, youth participation, intergenerational communication,
knowledge transfer and role of women, SEPLS resilience and biodiversity,
marketing and socio-economic development in SEPLS. By December 2022, almost
250
organisations and 1250 participants have taken part in TPSI regional exchange
workshops.
2022 has been a special year that marked 20 years of
Community
Forestry in Taiwan (since 2002), 10+ years of the
Satoyama
Initiative in Taiwan (since 2011) and a start of the second phase of Taiwan Ecological Network
(2022-2025). The intrinsic linkage between these three projects was
announced by Professor Mei-Hui Chen – the leader of TPSI-S regional exchange
base and the facilitator of TPSI network – as a “three in one” strategy of
TPSI.
Thus, the annual theme for 2022 TPSI regional exchange workshops has reflected
the triple strategy and focused on enhancing community-based production
activities, strengthening ecosystem connectivity and fostering SEPLS-to-SEPLS
partnership networks. In adherence with the main annual theme, each regional
workshop demonstrated its own unique focus and agenda, while all of them
included on-site visits to TPSI SEPLS, sharing of case study experiences and
group discussions. Cross-regional cooperation and experience sharing has been
an
important part of TPSI exchanges. Below we invite you to explore some of 2022
workshops highlights.
TPSI-North: conservation by production and the art of
taking a deep forest
breath
On 4-5 August 2022, TPSI-N team led by Dharma Drum Institute of Liberal Arts
(DILA) with support from Hsinchu and Yilan branchs of the Forestry and Nature
Conservation Agency and co-partnership with Fuxing Nanhe Leisure Farm,
Observer
Ecological Consultant Co., Ltd and Guanshu Educational Foundation piloted this
year’s series of TPSI regional exchange workshops in Miaoli County.
The workshop was focused on building on-the-ground capacity, strengthening
SEPLS management and promotion of satoyama green network. To foster
cross-regional cooperation and peer-to-peer learning, TPSI-N invited partners
from TPSI-W regional exchange base to share their experiences. On-site visits
on
the first day of the workshop included eco-friendly rice cultivation and
giant water-bug conservation site (Tongxiao Township, Miaoli County), Lishanshu Satoyama
School
environmental education farm (Yuanli Township, Miaoli County) and Fuxing Nanhe Leisure Farm
(Tongxiao Township, Miaoli County).
The second day of the workshop started with a forest therapy activity and a
nourishing breakfast prepared by the locals from Fuxing Nanhe Leisure Farm.
Indoor activities of the day consisted of case studies and group discussions
for
both in-person and online audiences. They included presentations about
farmers-led Leopard cat conservation by
eco-friendly production (Nantou County), community-based restoration and
sustainable management of Shunglianpi wetlands
(Yilan County) and conservation of
Chinese box turtle (New Taipei City). A total of 36 organisations and 61
participants took part in TPSI-N 2022 regional exchange workshop.
TPSI-South: community resilience and biodiversity
conservation –
agroforestry has it all
TPSI-S regional exchange workshop took place in Chiayi County on 26-27 August
2022. It was organised by National Pingtung University of Science and
Technology
(NPUST) and Community Forestry
Centre with support from Chiayi and Pingtung branchs of the Forestry and
Nature Conservation Agency and in co-partnership with community development
associations from Gongxing community (Fanlu Township, Chiayi County), Shanglin
community (Dalin Township, Chiayi County), Chashan community (Alishan
Township,
Chiayi County), and community cooperative of Chashan Tribe (Chiayi County).
Partners from all TPSI regions, all branchs of the Forestry and Nature
Conservation Agency in particular, were invited to attend the workshop: a
total
of 28 organisations and 45 participants.
Visits to TPSI communities brought to the forefront eco-friendly production
activities, agroforestry successes and challenges, eco-tourism and
revitalisation of local culture, and resilient local livelihoods. The workshop
participants explored cultivation, processing and marketing of Marbled
jewel orchid and its products such as facial cream and probiotics,
learned
about conservation of Farmland green treefrog
by
eco-friendly bamboo cultivation, and took part in eco-cultural tour organised
by
Chashan Tribe. The case
studies shared by Mingde
community (Miaoli Couonty) and Baolai community (Kaohsiung City)
provided insights on apiculture, local handicrafts and post-disaster community
development. They were followed by a lively group discussion and experience
sharing at Jiayama Cultural Centre of Chashan Tribe.
TPSI-West: home-grown produce, Indigenous culture and …
chicken
On 22-23 September 2022, the Endemic Species Research Institute (ESRI) team
with support from Nantou Branch of the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency
and in co-partnership with Taichung Branch of the Forestry and Nature
Conservation Agency and National Taiwan University (NTU) Experimental Forest
organised TPSI-W regional exchange workshop at Indigenous Seediq Songlin Tribe (Aixiang
Township, Nantou County).
The workshop took participants (46 partners from 28 organisations) on
exploration of local culture and Indigenous production practices, which
included
chicken farming, growing shiitake mushrooms on wood logs and traditional Seediq
weaving. Presentation of cross-regional case studies was curiously built
around “the chicken theme” – experiences with raising local chicken breeds by
SEPLS communities from western and southern parts of Taiwan. Participants of
the
workshop enjoyed their stay at Aowanda
National Forest Recreation Area, which included morning eco-tours and
forest therapy programme. The workshop concluded with a much-anticipated group
discussion and sharing of impressions at the community centre of Songlin
tribe.
TPSI-East: SEPLS gems connected by a watershed
As the weather was getting cooler and the autumn coastal breeze was picking
up
in Hualien County, TPSI-E regional exchange base led by National Dong Hwa
University (NDHU) was last to conduct its regional exchange workshop on 7-8
November. It was organised with support from Hualien and Taitung branchs of
the
Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency, Yushan National Park Management
Office,
Tse-Xin Organic Agriculture Foundation, Fuli Farmers Association, and local
communities of Luoshan Village (Fuli Township, Hualien County), Indigenous
Amis
Gangkou
and Jingpu villages
(Fengbin Township, Hualien County), and Indigenous Bunun Nan’An Tribe (Zhuoxi
Township, Hualien County).
TPSI-E SEPLS community visits were built around the watershed connectivity
theme of the Xiuguluan River – from the river mouth at Gangkou and Jingpu
villages with a focus on coastal protection, satoumi governance and resource
use, to organic cultivation and circular charcoal bamboo production at Luoshan
Village (middle reaches of the
Xiuguluan River watershed), to restoration of traditional Bunun bean
cultivation
practices in Nan’An
Tribe located near Yushan National Park. Together, both indoors and
outdoors, coming from various walks of life, 51 workshop participants from 22
organisations took a deep dive into exploration of existing and potential
opportunities for realising the “Three in One” TPSI strategy in eastern
Taiwan.
OUR INTERNATIONAL SATOYAMA FAMILY
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