The Concern for the Erren River by the Public Brings it Back to Life
Qieding Association of Boats and Rafts, Kaohsiung City
(+886-7)690-3072
No. 88, Fude Rd., Qieding Dist., Kaohsiung City 852, Taiwan (R.O.C.)
Which river is the dirtiest among the rivers in Taiwan? Everyone may have different answers. According to the monitor of the Environmental Protection Administration in 2000, the Erren River in Tainan City is the dirtiest in Taiwan with “serious pollution” throughout the whole river.
The Erren River mouth situates near the first fishing port established in the original Kaohsiung County, the Baishalun fishing port. The economic development thrived during the 1960s to 1990s, making this period the golden age of the scrap metal smelting industry at the downstream Erren River. Various enterprises gathered near the riverside since the scrap metal treatment requires a great amount of water sources. In an age in which environmental awareness has not been raised, the industrial effluent was discharged into the river then to the sea, dyeing the river mouth with various colors such as black or orange. In the meantime, the river mouth that used to have rich ecological biodiversity became stagnant after years of consumption due to the constant discharge of domestic and industrial wastewater to the river. Groups of dead fishes were often seen along the riverside while the river water was turbid with the color like link. The Erren River was like a Taiwan “Heilongjiang River” that caused the green oyster event afterward.
Suffering from the pollution impact on the environment, a group of fishermen who lived at the riverside decided to form a river patrol to promote environmental protection activities. To recover the graceful scenery of Erren River, the Association was further established to participate in the government remediation meeting and cooperate with collages. The poisonous waste used to cover the open ground at the riverside became the Baishalun wetland with rich ecological biodiversity after the planning of the Association while its stable environment attracted the gathering of mudskippers and fiddler crabs, making it the wetland of mudskippers with the biggest size and highest intensity for easy observation in southern Taiwan. Currently, serving the first vessel with lawful operation in Kaohsiung City, a part-time recreation fishing vessel sailing in the downstream Erren River can lead the public to discover the significant changes of Erren River via the itinerary planned by the Association.
Upholding the care for the ecology and the land, the Association not only strives to recover the environment of the Erren River but also actively promotes environmental education since the establishment of the Association. We have jointly promoted the vision plan with Chang Jung Christian University for more than 18 years. Upon the beginning of the cooperation, our 4 visions are established as no garbage in the river, clear water quality for the reappearance of fishes, elimination of pollution through mutual help, and watching and building a friendly accessible waterfront space. With the cooperation of the university and the Association, the river with severe pollution and poor water quality has been improved and there is only a few scrap metal left at the riverside to date. Moreover, due to the significant reduction of water pollution, fishes and shrimps reappear in the past lifeless river while the riverbank becomes the main living area of the migrant birds. Therefore, the second phase of the cooperation objectives has been achieved currently.
Given that education is the foundation of environmental improvement, the Erren River ecological environment classroom is established in 2012 to create an accessible waterfront space via continuously improving the downstream water quality of the Erren River friendly and promote the correct environmental protection concept. Besides combining the local resources to protect the river, the classroom also positively delivers values of environmental protection, sustainability, and diversified ecology to let the participants understand the process of river remediation and the current outcome while demonstrating the ecological achievements of the Erren River earned with great difficulty to the public. On the other hand, we expect to provide the Erren River with more meaning. Therefore, the university and the Association frequently hold activities and contact the public to promote environmental awareness, optimize the quality of the decision-making as well as the depth and width of the administration via the participation of the citizen. The present Erren River is not only the model of environment remediation but also an environmental classroom to deepen and cultivate the spirit of the citizen.
Major events of the Qieding Association of Boats and Rafts
Year |
Event |
2000 |
The Erren River Remediation Promotion Association is established to activate the government-citizen cooperation for the collective promotion of the Erren River remediation. |
2002 |
The River Restoration Center of Chang Jung Christian University is established to motivate the public to participate in the river restoration. |
2005 |
The Environmental Protection Administration, Water Resources Agency, MOEA, Tainan City, Tainan County, and Kaohsiung County signed the vision agreement for the restoration of the Erren River in the hope of “clear water quality for the reappearance of fishes,” “elimination of pollution through mutual help and watching,” “no garbage in the river,” and “building a friendly accessible waterfront space.” |
2006 |
The Environmental Protection Administration invited the Water Resources Agency, MOEA, Industrial Development Bureau, MOEA, Council of Agriculture, Construction and Planning Agency, Ministry of the Interior, and the Government of Tainan City, Tainan County and Kaohsiung County to hold the first “The Report Meeting of the Erren River Pollution Remediation Team and Restoration Vision” for cross-department negotiation, integration, and supervision. The River Restoration Center of Chang Jung Christian University held the first “Civil Conference of the Erren River” to relate the public opinion with the “Erren River Restoration Vision Report” provided by the River Construction Opinion Volunteer Department. |
2007 |
The completion of the “Sanyei-chi Water Purification Plant Construction” The Qieding Association of Boats and Rafts, Kaohsiung City adopted the Baishalun wetland for ecology rehabilitation. |
2008-2011 |
The scrap metal waste along the Erren River cleaned by the 6th River Management Office, WRA totaled 4,849 tons with NT$1.37 billion of cleaning expense. Places other than the river area were cleaned by the local government with the assistance of the Environmental Protection Administration and the cleaning expense reached NTD 840 million. |
2009-2010 |
The Erren River docent training camp was held to cultivate local seeds and drive the promotion of water environment education. |
2010 |
The Baishalun wetland held the “River Guarding for a Long-lasting Future” to welcome the hundred-year vision by exciting performance. |
2012 |
Governments of the Kaohsiung City and Tainan City planned projects for river bank building and bikeway construction. Dr. Jane Goodall, the United Nations Messengers of Peace, paid a visit to the Erren River. |
2013 |
The official establishment of the “Erren River Ecological Environment Classroom” by the Qieding Association of Boats and Rafts, Kaohsiung City. Publication of the “Renaissance of Erren River” and the “Cool Breeze and Clean Water: A documentary film Reviewing the Pollution Rumination of the Erren River.” The Wetlands Taiwan adopted the Dajia segment of the Erren River for ecology rehabilitation. |
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