Taiwan’s Coastlines Threatened: Trust in Nature Foundation Calls for Action
The Trust in Nature Foundation has raised concerns about the increasing threat to Taiwan’s coastlines due to man-made structures. A decade-long survey revealed severe erosion, prompting calls for a strong coastline protection policy.
Survey Findings
The foundation began monitoring Taiwan’s coasts ten years ago, identifying nine priority areas for protection. However, a recent survey found that only 23.3% of these areas remain free of artificial structures. The survey covered 103 sites across 300 kilometers of coastline.
Priority Areas
The nine key areas include:
- Reefs in Taoyuan’s Guanyin District
- Taoyuan’s Caota Sand Dunes
- Yuanli Beach in Miaoli County
- Sishu to Shuangchun in Tainan
- Changhua County’s coastal wetlands
- Manfeng to Nanren Fishing Harbor in Pingtung County
- Jhuan Village to Nanao Township in Yilan County
- Shiti Harbor in Hualien County to Changbin Township in Taitung County
- The coast between Nanren Fishing Port and Nantian Village in Taitung County
Issues Identified
The survey revealed that 37.9% of sites were affected by concrete installations, 35% by transportation and recreational facilities, and 3.9% by green energy facilities. Project manager Chou No-heng noted that wave-dissipating blocks, traditionally used to mitigate erosion, may worsen the problem and incur high maintenance costs.
Recommendations
Foundation director Sun Hsiu-ju emphasized the need for government collaboration with the public to prevent coastline loss. Sun called for a comprehensive review of the Coastal Management Act, highlighting inconsistencies across agencies. Chou suggested establishing professional auditing standards for coastal structures.
Doubts Revealed
Taiwan -: Taiwan is an island located in East Asia, near China. It has beautiful coastlines that are important for nature and people living there.
Coastlines -: Coastlines are the areas where the land meets the sea. They are important for the environment and for people who live near the sea.
Trust in Nature Foundation -: The Trust in Nature Foundation is an organization that works to protect the environment and nature. They study and try to solve problems that harm nature.
Man-made structures -: Man-made structures are things built by people, like buildings, roads, or concrete walls. These can sometimes harm natural places like coastlines.
Artificial structures -: Artificial structures are things made by humans, not by nature. On coastlines, these can include things like concrete barriers or buildings.
Concrete installations -: Concrete installations are structures made from concrete, a hard material used in construction. They can be harmful to natural coastlines.
Recreational facilities -: Recreational facilities are places built for fun activities, like parks or sports areas. Sometimes, building these can harm natural areas.
Coastal Management Act -: The Coastal Management Act is a set of rules and laws that help protect and manage coastlines. It aims to keep coastlines safe and healthy.
Ecological solutions -: Ecological solutions are ways to solve problems by working with nature, not against it. They help protect the environment in a natural way.