Taipei Zoo Kicks-off Annual Countryside Experience Program

Post date：2016-03-09

Updates：2016-03-15

Press bureau：Department of Information Technology, Taipei City Government

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Taipei Zoo Kicks-off Annual Countryside Experience Program

Taipei Zoo is launching its 2016 Countryside Experience program. The short course seeks to educate people on the importance of human-land relationship and the right attitude towards nature—especially at a time when vegetable prices remain at a peak due to the extreme weather conditions.

In addition to offering an arena for environmental education to strengthen the public’s knowledge of fauna and flora, Taipei Zoo has also been working to promote sustainability and harmony with nature through the holding of Countryside Experience camps since 2011.

The program consists of three courses--the knowhow of growing rice, taro and water bamboo. The content of these classes includes introduction of the plants’ traits; hands-on experience in rice paddies; weeding, harvesting, and making of rice products; the role of wetlands in a farming village; and eco-friendly methods to cultivate plants.

Taipei Zoo noted that abundant wildlife can be seen at the paddies located inside the Children’s Zoo area – notably sparrows, light-vented bulbuls, Formosan Blue Magpies, red-banded snakes, and a variety of frogs and dragonflies.

The program begins with rice classes on March 19. Hopefully, members of the public will learn to appreciate the hard work of farmers and cherish food through active involvement in planting activities.

Those interested should sign up here: http://www.zoo.gov.tw/ (Chinese)