National Parks Cope with Global Warming

Countermeasures to Help Biology inAccordance to Warming

“Taiwan’s best ecological environment is in its NationalParks.” Li Pei-Fen indicated that Taiwan’s eight NationalParks possess more than 40% of Taiwan’s species. It is anabsolute treasure house of Taiwan. The establishment of theNational Parks is the optimal policy of the government inaccordance to the climate change. Facing global warming,we have to act immediately with countermeasures, for itwill be too late if the warming gets to its critical point.

For the longest time, national parks have devoted its effortsto maintaining the biodiversity within protected areas byreducing the impact of climate change. We have muchto do in the face of global warming. Li Hong-Yuan said:“Trust scientists, we have no time to waste!”

Countermeasure 1: Establish ContactBetween the Greenbelt and the Bluebelt

Since the industrialization of society, the cement junglespread immensely which fragmented the habitats of bothanimals and botany. “The fragmented habitats resulted inthe creation of obstacles to biological migration.” Li Pei-Fen said: “For example, the batrachians feeling the weatherwas too hot and dry, searched for a place to avoid thediscomfort may mistakenly travel on the life threateningman made roads. This has largely affected their migration.”

Li Ling-Ling also said that it is necessary to provideconnections between the greenbelt and the bluebelt. Thegreenbelt refers to habitats on land and the bluebelt refersto habitats in the water. Linking the belts will provide asafe way for animals to travel and avoid the dangerousstreets. So far, Yangmingshan National Park and YushanNational Park have these facilities. If the biologicalcorridors are utilized by animals, it will serve its primary purpose.

• upper：Guanwu Salamander Center just opened in April, 2012 / Construction and Planning Agency, Ministry of the Interior

To increase the number of perches between thefragmented habitats is also one the methods to establish aroute. It makes it easier for the birds, insects, and plantssurmounting smaller scopes of impediments to seek asuitable perch environment. “Once the biology move outof their protected environments, there will still be suitableenvironments available for survival,” Li Pei-Fen said. “It issuggested that the newly increased green space and watersbe no smaller than 1 hectare, or else it will not fully serveits function.”

In addition, due to frequent extreme climate in recentyears and frail geology structure of Taiwan, the disasterscaused by wind and rain may possibility bring aboutlandslides. If this occurs, not only will the biology bedestroyed in the affected area, but exposed land will alsobecome an obstacle to migration. Therefore, the effortsto restore the deteriorated ecosystem are protecting thebiology.

Countermeasure 2: Carry on Investigation,Establish the Long-term BiologicalInformation Bank

With the possession of the eco treasure house of 8 nationalParks, we should probably get to know how much treasurewe’ve really got. Li Pei-Fen said that it is necessary notonly to find out the categories but also the quantities ofeach and further to understand the increase and decreaseof each tribal group.

The Britain and the US have established and maintained abiology foundation information bank for over a hundredyears. Britain’s biology research spirit is derived from themysterious historical perspective of Darwin’s discoveryof the evolution of species. In the US, it was establishedwith the massive manpower and capital investment byCBC and BBC, two spontaneous civil organizations. “Inorder to understand the impact that global warming hason the quantity of species, a basic data of at least morethan 20 or 30 years is necessary to ensure its accuracy.”Lyu Guang-Yang suggested that the national parks’volunteers and inspectors, through reinforcing basicknowledge and methods of eco-observation, are good firstline census documenters. Moreover, the mountainousnational parks should open some opportunities for college mountaineering groups to allow them the opportunityto be in touch with nature. And through proper training,they can become assistants in eco-observation.

“Ecological observation is the fundamental work. We mayprovide several accessible locations for observation overtime.” Lyu Guang-Yang said whether or not the biologymoves in accordance to the warming, how far they move,and if their activity areas have increased or decreased, andso on. The foundation information bank is to compareall of those changes. Without reliable data, speculation isall we can do and we will never be able to clearly evaluatebiology. There is value in each living things’ existence.Each takes a part in an inter-related food chain and web,which in turn constitutes a complete ecosystem. We receiveservices from the ecosystem, among them being resourcesfor food, clothing, medication, and so on. Therefore, inhelping biology counteract global warming, we are alsohelping to maintain biodiversity for ourselves. This is themission of the national parks, and ours as well.

• upper：Greenbelt for Formosan macaque (Macaca cyclopis) inYushan National Park / Ku Yi-Fan