2-1. Ecology of Taoyuan
The species of birds, aquatic plants, wetland plants, and terrestrial plants vary according to the different nature and location of each pond in Taoyuan. Biological research is crucial to understanding the relationship between different species and their habitats in the ecosystem . 

According toestablished documentation, research on the biodiversity of birds provides the foundation for formulating an environmental management strategy to protect Taoyuan’s ponds. At this stage, a concerted survey of bird species is much needed to advance Taiwan’s environmental protection efforts. 

The greater Taoyuan areaencompasses land from ground level to 3,000 meters above the sea, providing a rich range of habitats for a wide variety of bird species. Birds are found in abundance near Shimen Reservoir, ponds, and coastal areas, and bird hotspots can be found in the cities, rice paddies, plains, forests, and creeks of Taoyuan. 

However, only two spots in Taoyuan – the alluvial fan of Dapingding and Xucuogang Wetland – have been granted the title of Important Bird and Biodiversity Area (IBA). The 1,400 ponds that Taoyuan is known for have yet to be recognized by the IBA program. 

Dapingding faces damage caused by a coastal expressway that passes through the alluvial fan, and further land use by rice farmers are encroaching upon natural bird habitats. Xucuogang Wetland is also facing habitat destruction, as nearby factories are polluting coastal waters. 

2-2. Migratory Birds of Taoyuan
Different seasons bring different species of birds to Taoyuan’s pond habitats. Herons of the Ardeidae family fly in between fall and winter, peaking during November. In December, ducks, geese, and swans of the Anatidae family land here as part of their annual migration to the south. 

During their stay in Taoyuan, Ardeidae birds predominantly feed on aquatic prey such as fish, shrimps, insects, and amphibians of the pond habitat. They also forage in the surrounding area for secondary food sources such as terrestrial insects and mollusks, as well as snails and other arthropods. 

Anatidae birds reside in pond habitats, but prefer to hunt for food in nearby rice paddies, crop fields, creeks, marshlands, and wetlands. Their main diet includes plant leaves, buds, and seeds, as well as insects and snails. Some also feed on pond shrimps. 

Sandpipers of the Scolopacidae family are shorebirds that prefer sandy beaches. They feed on fruits, insects, shrimps, and snails, and don’t always hunt for food in ponds .

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The short and rapid rivers of Taoyuan Tableland are inadequate for retaining rainwater, so the region was once scarce and limited in freshwater supplies. As dryland farming is highly dependent on climate conditions, Taoyuan farmers mitigated the risk by building ponds in the lower tableland region to store rainfall for irrigation.

By the early 20th century, there were over 27,000 hectares of arable land, accompanied by 8,000 hectares of irrigation ponds. Numbering more than 10,000, these ponds varied in size and location, creating a unique landscape in which the ponds dotted the tableland like stars in the skies.

However, even with the stored pond water, the unpredictable weather did not provide enough rainfall for two annual harvest cycles. Droughts occurred as well, and the long shortage of water caused rice crops to wither away and left the bottom of ponds cracked. Farmers had to resort to growing sweet potatoes or tea trees, or leave the land barren.

To resolve the supply issue, Japanese colonial authorities formulated a canal irrigation system by directing water from the Shimen area of upper Dahan Creek to Taoyuan, using a combination of 132 weirs and 231 ponds to channel the water over an 846.5km stretch of land. Completed in 1928, the 2,218-hectare canal system had a water capacity of 66 million square meters and was maintained by the Taoyuan Irrigation Association (TIA).

The TIA irrigation system supplied water to 34,568 hectares of farmland in 1970; 28,241 hectares in 1984; 26,235 hectares in 1989; and 25,967 hectares in 1999, reflecting the decline of agricultural land in face of urban expansion and industrial development.

The industrial and urban development of Taoyuan over the past three decades have altered the tableland terrain, damaging its ecosystem and ponds. The Taoyuan Irrigation Association has since come to understand the bionetwork value of rice paddies, and is working with local communities to preserve the history and landscapes associated with Taoyuan’s irrigation ponds. 

Criterion V:

Population growthand industrial development of Taoyuan have led to the destruction of historic irrigation ponds, many of which were filled in to make way for schools, buildings, government facilities, and airports.

The remaining ponds – estimated at 3,000 – represent a unique irrigation system that made life possible in the tablelands. The sparkling landscape of artificially constructed pools is an outstanding example of human interaction with the environment, representing a specific way of traditional life in accordance with the fifth selection criterion of UNESCO’s world heritage register.

The merits of pond restoration will provide more information on ecology, geology, culture, archeology, history, and education regarding Taoyuan, and offer practical applications for agriculture, environmental protection, tourism, and water resource management . 

However, to execute such a restoration project requires a comprehensive field study and standardized procedures. Its contents cannot be based on the individual needs of each pond .  

First, the plan must have a clear and viable purpose that conducts research on the current landscape condition, natural habitat, spatial arrangement, aesthetics, and time limitations. Social, economic, and cultural factors must be investigated in addition to environmental factors. 

Humans are not mere observers, but players in the world of nature where human behavior and activity have influenced the progression of the environment. Humans developed Taoyuan Tableland; now, the current use of land, contemporary social and economic values, and administrative jurisdiction will all affect the possible objectives for pond restoration. 

Therefore, the ecological restoration project has to take into account the aforementioned factors and circumstances, and then secure an even higher objective – the reconciliation of relations between human civilization and nature. 

An ecosystem is considered balanced when co-existence is possible.. Consequentially, the objectives of this restoration plan will be considered met only when co-existence of human and nature is achieved. Core methodology and strategy will both be aimed at enhancing biodiversity. 

Secondly, current environmental conditions and limitations should be taken into consideration, and the scope of the project should include alternative plans and restoration management strategies that can resolve environmental degradation and restore ecological functions. These alternative solutions should account for factors such as water body type, buffer zone plantation, aquatic vegetation management, and maintenance of food source for waterfowls. 

The project objectives can only be fulfilled by a combination of measures for fostering natural recovery, assisted natural recovery, and artificially induced recovery. Furthermore, a timeline of long-term protective and maintenance measures should be drafted for the preservation of recovering sites and the surrounding species of aquatic, damp-soil, and terrestrial plants. 

The restoration plan shall be selected base on analysis and risk assessment of its merits and tailored solution that is best suited for the target landscape and ecology. The proposal should also include an approach for establishing and monitoring a control site to produce scientific data for improving the original proposal.

In summary, the restoration plan shall be based on reintroducing the water cycle for the ecological system, reconnecting the green corridor to a water source, and reconstructing the food web for native plant and animal species . 

Threshold factors that affect biodiversity and biological productivity should also be controlled to maintain the basic functions of such habitats and the natural mechanisms that are in place. 

The pond restoration proposal should address the following concerns regarding ecological restoration : 

1.    Find and resolve the issues causing the environmental degradation of ponds and their surrounding area. 
2.    Take a macro approach towards ecological restoration; the current ecological structure may not be the original ecological structure. 
3.    
4.    Respect the landscape and implement the program on an appropriate scale. 
5.    Design landscapes that enhance the diversity of offered resources. 
6.    Design landscapes that connect different species to maintain the wholesomeness of environmental progression.
7.    Design landscapes that encourage the spread of animal and plant species.
8.    Design landscapes that encourage positive interaction among different species. 
9.    Design landscapes that improve the condition of micro habitats in different landscapes. 

The landscape design under discussion will require deft skills to mold the desired landscapes. The pond restoration proposal should address the following concerns regarding biodiversity, including the improvement of homogeneous vegetation surrounding the ponds, to meet the objectives of increasing the number of species, boosting genetic diversity, and diversifying ecology . 

1.    Increase the curvaceous coverage of vegetation along pond banks to reduce the inclination of pond beds. 
2.    Use lower stone dams and barriers to support pond slopes and prevent collapses. 
3.    Grow water plants or erect wooden pillars to protect erosion of pond corners. 
4.    Grow aquatic or damp-soil plants to secure the soil of shallow pond areas. 
5.    Lower the water level if needed, to provide more suitable habitats for different waterfowl species. 
6.    Improve land usage surrounding the ponds to enhance the effects of buffer zones. 

The pond restoration proposal should incorporate the aforementioned six points in its landscape design planning, and provide a cross-sectional analysis of current conditions.  

Ponds should be restored to serve multiple functions to attain the goal of sustainability. This will also help restore balance between the objectives of ecological conservation and technological pursuit. 

The restoration project requires a comprehensive survey of bird ecology, encompassing not only dietary and habitat needs, but also environmental factors such as surrounding ponds and landscapes. 

The following research was conducted in a region that utilized ponds for water storage and aquaculture. Therefore, to meet the three agricultural objectives of enhancing production, ecology, and quality of life in the Taoyuan Canal area, the proposal should delineate the application of hydraulic engineering in preserving coastal ecology.

The restoration design for ponds should retain their water storage function while incorporating information on how bodies of water, ecological nodes, and green corridors interplay with the environment. The resulting design should produce ponds that attract more bird species, thereby improving biodiversity. 

The following research on bird habitat was conducted based on the principles of surveying and landscape ecology, utilizing empirical research on regional bird species and spatial exploration to study the ecological functions, structure, and spatial distribution of Pond No. 18 in Dazhu in comparison to other ponds. 

1.    Consolidation and redistribution of agricultural land have affected bird distribution. 
2.    There is little difference in water quality in ponds found in the Taoyuan Canal area. The quality is general good and has no discernable effect on the number of birds. 
3.    The number of birds can be boosted by increasing the amount of natural fields and open spaces near ponds.
4.    Construction and land development in areas around ponds adversely affect bird habitat. 
5.    The number of birds is correlated with the pond’s proximity to vast forests and wildlands. 
6.    The density of human structures (schools, houses, factories) and roads (freeways, highways, roadways, railways), coupled with long-term construction of new transportation routes (Taiwan High Speed Railway), adversely affect bird habitat. 

The following research explores methods for pond restoration through the enhancement of pond ecology and biodiversity. The research findings include ecological landscape designs and the restoration of original pond landscapes that could provide valuable reference for improving habitat management. 

The research advocates the principles of sustainable development, in which pond restoration could offer balance between also offer economic and environmental benefits: 

1.    Develop environmental projects that highlight pond ecology, promote public awareness on wildlife protection, and raise the international profile of Taoyuan’s ponds and wetlands. 
2.    Utilize Taoyuan’s unique eco-resources to develop eco-tourism for Taoyuan Tableland. Programs such as bird watching, tree spotting, lotus viewing, conservation centers, and wildlife classrooms could create a mutually beneficial solution that promotes both economic development and environmental protection. 
3.    Devisepond conservation policies that provide incentives for the promotion of biodiversity. The old approach of favoring a celebrity species should be abandoned in favor of a comprehensive approach that advocates the preservation of all species within the ecosystem. 
4.    Invite professionals from different areas of study to research and formulate a pond restoration plan by offering administrative resources and encouraging public participation. 
5.    Establish a framework of ecological engineering solutions based on scientific data, and create a mechanism for long-term monitoring of pond ecology and surrounding environment. 

Source: Database on the development of pond ecology survey and the establishment of an ecological monitoring system for index research