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Green Holiday in Taiwan　～International conservation volunteer tour for swallows and wetlands～

Green Holiday in Taiwan　～International conservation volunteer tour for swallows and wetlands～

Green Holiday is quite a new concept for tourism developed by Wild Bird Society of Japan, which entails practical conservation work, lectures set up with NGOs and local people.
The main focus is Barn Swallows, a common migratory bird in both Taiwan and Japan.
Enjoy your holidays by doing significant conservation activities in a healthy and relaxed environment in Taiwan!

Barn swallow (Photo by David Wu)

Gaomei Wetland

Date:: 25th to 28th April 2015 (4days 3nights)
Participants:: 20
Age:: over 18
Cost:: 55000yen／Student 50000yen
(including plane ticket, transportation in Taiwan, 3nights accommodation, meals except on free time)
Accommodation:: “Park City Hotel-Central Taichung” or “City Suites Wuquan”

Programme

Wetland conservation work

Visiting “Green “ School

Swallow watch with students

Day 1:: 25th April (Sat)
10：50 leave Tokyo Haneda airport / 13:30 Arrive at Taipei Song Shan airport
Transfer to Taichung by private coach.
Orientation
Day 2:: 26th April (Sun)
Activity1.
Conservation work at Gaomei wetland with local
NGO and university students.
Activity 2.
Barn Swallow nest watch with Gaomei Elementary School
students.
Activity 3.
Cross communication with Gaomei Elementary School
students.
Day 3:: 27th April (Mon)
Activity1.
Conservation work at Gaomei wetland with local
NGO.
Activity 2.
Barn Swallow nest watch with Kuo Kang Elementary School
students.
Activity 3.
Cross communication with Kuo Kang Elementary School students.
Day 4:: 28th April (Tue)
Free time
11:30 Transfer to Taipei Song Shan airport by private coach
16:00 leave Taipei Song Shan airport/ 19:55 Arrive at Tokyo Haneda airport

Volunteers’voice

Pum Soontornkit (participated the 1st Green Holiday in Taiwan)
International Green Holiday brought together people of different ages, sexes, occupations and nations. It gave all of us chances to get our hand dirty and sweat from hard work, and by feeling, and touching our mother natures. It made us feel and realize why we need to save and preserve our environment and ecology together.
The trip also helped us to appreciate the importance of natures and our ecology system naturally.
With many activities from field works, exchanges ideas and knowledge with local participants, we got so many chances to see many wild birds, dragonflies, butterflies and most impressively barn swallow roost.
By working and seeing, we knew our work to save our natures and ecology were in fact, not for anyone else, but for ourselves, our future generations and our future environments.
I have gained so much from this trip, not just realized the importance of natures, but gained the priceless experience and friendship among the participants both Japanese and Taiwanese.
Work to save our environment can’t be done just by one country, one person, and one time. And we don’t need to be physically strong to get involved in such programme.
The love of nature is by heart and passion in each individual.

Local voice from NGO

Victor Yu (Ecotourism Taiwan)
The first Green Holiday in Taiwan has worked at 2 wetland, Guandu Nature Park in Taipei City and Chu-hong lake in Keelung City. It has worked and had cross communication more or less with volunteers from Wild Bird Society of Taipei, Wilderness Association, Wild Bird Society of Keelung, Xinyi District of Keelung City, and Shen Mei Elementary School. Volunteers from Japan worked very serious and hard under hot summer sun which has touched the heart of Taiwan people deeply.
They shared common enthusiasm of nature conservation and for the love of Swallows.
It also mutually enhanced the belief that it’s our responsibility to work for nature conservation with more effort. The working spirit and the concept of nature conservation should be shared with more people. This is the first time Wild Bird Society of Japan and Ecotourism Taiwan worked together for Green Holiday in Taiwan.
It has created a small ripple in the pond. We firmly believe the ripple will be and can be larger through our close cooperation.

Report of 1st Green Holiday in Taiwan（PDF 2.87MB）

What is Green Holiday?

Green Holiday

Green Holiday is a weekend volunteer tour developed by Wild Bird Society of Japan(WBSJ) for the purpose of encourage people to take action for nature on their holidays.
The project started since 2009 has been hold at 3 sanctuaries of WBSJ, the site of Red-crowned Crane in Kushiro, the site of Blakiston’s Fish Owl in Nemuro, and the site of waterfowl in Kaga.
The programme consists of lecture, guided tour and practical conservation work in each field. Participants are able to have an opportunities of learning conservation and working for nature, and communicating with local society at the same time.

The Concept of Green Holiday

Contribute nature and local society
Creating shared value for conservation with people
Enjoy healthy fulfilling holidays in natural setting

Why do we observe the Barn Swallow

Barn swallow (Photo by David Wu)

Our Tiny Neighbours
Barn Swallow is one of the most familiar birds which has a close association with people for a long time. They travel through both hemispheres from northern breeding areas to southern wintering areas. Barn Swallow can be seen almost all over the world. Everyone even young children can identify our tiny neighbours.
Barn Swallows in trouble
In recent years, Barn Swallows tend to decline in some countries. There are several possible explanations. One of the likely reasons seems to be the changes of land use and farming practice. The management of chemical substances such as insecticides and herbicides may reduce the number of flying insects and make Barn Swallows’ feeding habitat poorer. The other potential reason may be the change of the building materials and style could cause to reduce the number of nest sites.
Quick Environmental Health check in our neighbourhood
Barn Swallow is a good indicator of environmental quality. Let’s observe the swallow in our region/country! Not only we can help to educate children about how to observe nature, but also we can help provide vital and consistent swallow information which will help conservation NGO’s take appropriate actions.