Conservation Actions: Starting from Us
Students' Reflections on Bird Restoration
Q1: What are your thoughts on the restoration of collared scops owls, Malayan night-herons, and Formosan blue magpies?
Q2: What is your feedback or suggestions toward Environmental Conservation in Taiwan?
Chency Chi
Kang Chiao is like a castle in the forest. There are a lot of insects and small animals in our school. When I take care of these animals, I like birds the most . I love nature. When I am learning to protect our mother nature, I see some problems that we need to prevent, such as littering and human disturbance. Most importantly, as long as we love nature, we should protect it from man-made destruction.
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Bryant Lee
Kang Chiao is like a large castle in the forest with diverse ecosystems, which often attracts rare bird species to visit or stay. For the past few years, we saw some protected birds like Taiwan blue magpies, collared scops owls, and Malayan night-herons. The number of these protected species is decreasing. Helping all those birds with nature study teachers made me think about the importance of helping out birds and keeping the environment clean.
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Alvin Lee
Taiwan is a beautiful island. We have many different kinds of rare birds. These years, our school noticed that some rare birds like collared scops owls, Taiwan blue magpies, and Malayan night herons have come to visit our school, so the school's nature study teachers - Mr.Kai, and Ms.Tree started protecting them. They started with making a home for them. They observed and watched the chicks slowly grow and then fly away from the home we made them. Through this restoration activity, we provide these rare birds a home sweet home. Due to overdevelopment, birds have lost their habitats and are forced to migrate to cities; in the meantime, these poor creatures end up being killed by cars. I hope everyone devotes themselves in protecting birds and keeping our environment clean, so birds are willing to stay with us.
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Joanne Lo
It’s easy to see a lot of birds in Taiwan, including some rare species like collared scops owls, Taiwan blue magpies, and Malayan night herons, etc. However, these years, overdevelopment has caused their population to reduce drastically. Kang Chiao wanted to help these ’’homeless’’ birds, so our school set up the Natural Area. This area shows us how valuable life is , and it allows us students to join the teachers with the activities of protecting birds. Bird’s restoration is very meaningful to me because I think that if I can give birds a home, I save lives. I was especially surprised to see a collared scops owl family living in the birdhouse we made them. There are many trees in the forest, why had they chosen our birdhouse? After thinking very thoroughly, I knew why. They lived in the birdhouse because the trees outside were all cut down by humans, and there are almost no trees. Therefore, helpless mother owls lived in the house that we made. I also think that bird protection and restoration should not take place only in Kang Chiao, it should be happening all over Taiwan. In doing so we can preserve our ecosystem and biodiversity.
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Alex Wu
Taiwan is a beautiful island with a diverse ecosystem. The numbers of bird species in Taiwan are not inferior to other countries. However, because of their beautiful feathers, these beautiful birds are hunted in large numbers. There are many protected birds in Taiwan, such as Taiwanese blue magpies with slender tail feathers, and the cute collared scops owls. Kang Chiao wanted these beautiful birds to continue to reproduce, so our school set aside QingXin Garden and Forest Whisper to protect these birds, which allow them to continue living on this island.
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Isa Chen
Kang Chiao is half way up on the mountain. While we are learning, we can also feel the nature surrounding us. In such a friendly environment, many precious lives have been bred. Kang Chiao attracts a lot of rare birds to visit, including collared owls, Taiwan blue magpies, black-crowned sphinx, etc. Due to deforestation these years, many birds became homeless. Our natural study teachers made a nest box, so birds can come and breed here with peace of mind, continuing their lives. Collared owls, one of the protected bird species, are our unexpected visitors at Kang Chiao. I have always wanted to have a close up look of a collared owl. Once, a collared owl actually came to live in our nest box! For us to observe it, the natural study teachers set up an infrared camera in the nest box. I would watch the live broadcast every day after finishing my homework. At night, you could hear it cooing in the bushes. The collared owl is very cute. It has a big face, a coat of fluff, and a pair of innocent big eyes. Soon after, the mother owl laid three eggs, and everyone paid more attention to them. After the eggs were hatched, watching the baby collared owl grow up day by day, I felt an inexplicable sense of accomplishment. Now, the collared owl babies have left the nest. In my heart I hope they have a pleasant journey, and I also hope they come back to visit and build their nest here again.
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Roy Huang
Taiwan is truly a formosa. It’s really amazing that an island can have so many diverse and stunning animal species . Well, this beautiful island’s natural beauty is fastly disappearing. What replaces it are the cities with tall skyscrapers and endless winding roads. Taiwan’s forests, mountains, streams, rivers, and the ocean surrounding us are polluted and destroyed, and the poor animals are suffering threats such as road kills, habitat loss,over hunt, and pollution. Have humans thought about other species’ needs? Have we ever thought that we need other creatures to survive? If we want Taiwan to be the formosa forever, we should stop treating its natural beauty so harshly. The school has a beautiful Nature Area, and in the care of all students and teachers, our Nature Area is getting healthier and greener. It has got a perfect natural environment, which attracts more birds and animals to come. There are even some endangered species that have come to this beautiful area to live and have babies! I’m very glad to learn about these wonderful birds. In my opinion, the world of birds is truly a miracle!
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Luis Kuo
We are lucky to live in Taiwan, with such abundant natural resources.
Because of the climate, landforms, and all kinds of factors, Taiwan fascinates a variety of birds to live in. In fact, we can see different kinds of birds everywhere. Sadly, due to the overdevelopment of forest lands, these birds’ habitats are decreasing. The government hasn’t really enacted laws to solve this problem. Therefore, Kang Chiao set up an area for birds and other animals to live here and give birth to their offspring with peace of mind. After joining the Cyber Club, I knew how serious the problem Taiwan is facing. I feel sad when I think of the forests, rivers, and mountains in Taiwan being bitterly destroyed by pollution; I feel sad when I think that Taiwan is no longer Formosa; I feel sad when I think of animals' lives being threatened. ‘’It's better to go for something rather than just think about it.’’ Don’t just think how to help them, do it by yourself now!
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Richard Mai
Yes, Taiwan is developed and still in progress, but it is also hurting, for people are ignoring the environmental problems caused by the development. After joining the cyber club, I realized the threats nature is facing and their importance. Also, the government didn’t set strict laws for them. People don’t seem to be aware of the consequences of overdevelopment that are bound to happen . In Kang Chiao, nature study teachers always try their best to protect nature and all the animals, which has set a good example for us students to follow. We spend time protecting birds, and we have fun doing it. My greatest memory is putting the nest box for the scops owl, and the process of observing it. Because of interest, we try our best to help; because of the value of this action, we dedicate our time to it. All the enthusiasm is shown because we want to give the scop owl a home. It’s absolutely a different experience. I like how the trees smell, which makes me so comfortable. I enjoy watching plants and birds.
"A single grain of rice can tip the scale." Even though I am just a student, I am trying my best to contribute to environmental conservation, why aren’t you?
If we have the determination, why don’t we start making Taiwan a better place right now? The animals, the trees, and this beautiful island deserve our respect. I remembered Chi Po-lin, the late filmmaker of the documentary Beyond Beauty: Above Taiwan, said that “The more I see its ‘unbearable’ side, the more I want to protect it.” The choice is in our hands. Let us protect our homeland and make it beautiful again!
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Stan Lee
In Taiwan, we often see flocks of birds. The ecological environment of Taiwan is varied, so a lot of migratory birds and resident birds like to stay in Taiwan. However, overdevelopment of the natural environment has caused many bird nests to be destroyed, and the government still hasn’t made relevant regulations to fix the situation.Therefore, the habitats of birds became smaller and smaller. We decided to start our bird protection at our school’s nature area. I think the Nature Area in our school is the most representative feature of Kang Chiao, , which leads to the first appearance of scops owls. The appearance of scops owls made us realize that it is important to protect birds. For Taiwan’s ecological conservation, I want to suggest something. I suggest the government can make regulations to limit reckless factory expansion, so birds won’t have no place to live. Everyone also needs to take action in protecting birds, protecting the environment, and stopping air pollution.