Jianshanpi Reservoir was originally built in the Japanese colonial period to provide water for the Xinying Sugar Factory. After the factory closed in the 1990s, the reservoir was converted into a resort, providing accommodation and dining services. During the operation, we found that there was conflict between tourists and the environment in the foothills, and that climate change caused water shortages, sedimentation, and flooding in the reservoir. As a result, we began to reflect on the need to approach the management of the reservoir from a different perspective, in order to ensure the sustainability of the ecological environment and allow people and nature to coexist.

In 2015, we established an environmental education center and working group at the resort. We began by surveying the species in the reservoir, and then we gradually established an environmental interpretation database, designed environmental education courses, trained interpreters, created ecological habitats, and restored rhinoceros beetles and fireflies. We also collaborated with community volunteers to promote foothills education in nearby elementary schools and organized environmental education lectures and other activities. We hope that by promoting environmental education, we can help to instill a love of nature in young people, and that we can expand our work from within the reservoir to the surrounding area, so that more people can take action to protect the foothills!