DaAiTV_DaAi Headlines_20110311_Sugarcane to organic rice
When the Taiwan Sugar Corporation closed down its Hualien plant in 2002, apart from reforesting the Guangfu Township area, 5 years ago, the company started growing organic rice. Since no chemical fertilizers or pesticides are used, to control the blight of borers, which are pesky moth caterpillars, that chew on rice and corn, Tai Sugar encouraged the grub's natural enemy - the parasitic wasp - to eat up the little pests. We went to Hualien on the east coast of Taiwan, to find out more.
( Parasitic wasps control rice borers)
Attached to corncobs in a field in eastern Taiwan, these 2cm strips of paper are covered with eggs of a parasitic wasps. When they hatch, the wasps will look for corn borer eggs to host their young,effectively stopping the pest from hatching and forming into larvae.
Tai Sugar Hualien District Office vice manager, Lin Xiangzhen : In the last 20-30 years, we've found that after the eggs hatch into wasps, they very effectively control pests. Putting them in sugarcane or sweet corn fields, they prevent borers very well, and increase sugarcane yield.
(Biological pest control)
Since the days of Japanese rule, the Taiwan Sugar Corporation has been developing growing techniques. Researchers discovered that the parasitic wasp is the natural enemy of the moth larvae, known as corn borer.
(From sugarcane to organic rice)
On a large strip of land, which used to be a sugarcane plantation, Tai Sugar now grows a locally-developed strain of rice, and is applying for organic certification.
Tai Sugar Hualien Office vice manager, Gao Zhongxian: Sugarcane is easier to grow and paddy rice is trickier, and the work is totally organic. We never use pesticide or chemical fertilizer. It's all done by hand, even pulling the weeds is done by hand.
(Nice rice beats sweet sugar)
Organic growing is labor intensive, the cost is three times higher than regular farming, but yield is three times lower.
Tai Sugar Hualien Office vice manager, Gao Zhongxian : Sometimes the weather is bad, the soil or climate can change unexpectedly, and you can't predict insect attacks.
After Tai Sugar made the switch from sugar making to organic farming, the sweet smell of sugarcane no longer fills the air in Guangfu Township, but the golden ears of naturally grown rice are kinder to both the villagers and the local countryside.
DaAiTV_DaAi Headlines_20110310_Sweet reforestation on old sugar plant
In a wise move by the Taiwanese authorities, a large area of farming land in Hualien County, which used to be a sugarcane plantation, has been made into a forest. Since 2002, over 600,000 trees, of 23 different varieties, have been planted. We went to the east coast of Taiwan to see how the forest is doing.
---Hualien sugar factory closed in 2002---
The signature chimney no longer smokes, and the sweet smell of burning sugarcane no longer fills the air. Here in Hualien, on the east coast of Taiwan, the sugar factory closed down in 2002.
---600,000 trees planted---
Today the sugarcane fields are planted with over 600,000 saplings.
Hualien Forest District Office director, Zhang Bin: Forestation is not creating a virgin forest, but reforesting the area. There is a mixed variety of a lot of different tree types, to make a diverse forest.
Eight years ago, Typhoon Toraji ripped through Guangfu Township, stripping the once green mountain slopes, and turning them muddy grey.
---Forestation protects mountain slopes---
Eight years later, the Forest District Office is turning around the fortunes of the damaged hills. What were small saplings are now mature trees, which can be seen on both sides of Provincial Highway No. 9.
Magnolias, elaeocarpus, maples, cinnamon are just some of the 23 varieties of Taiwanese indigenous trees that thrive in this climate and soil, and are highly resistant to pest attacks.
---10-15m wide firebreak---
The forest also has an added safety feature.
Tai Sugar Hualien Forestry division director, Huang Ande: Between the sections there is a farm track. At 10 hectares we leave a firebreak about 5 meters across. Added together with the farm tracks, its about 10-15 meters wide.
---Natural benefits---
Standing on a 1,250 hectare plot of green land, this is a fairytale forest. (CG in) If one tree absorbs 25kg of carbon dioxide a year, then the 600,000 trees in the wood will take 15,000 tons of CO2 out of the atmosphere. (CG out )This unique national resource is also the perfect habitat for wildlife.
NDHU Dept. of Natural Resources assoc. prof. Yang Yiru: There are a lot of pheasants inside, which like to live on the forest border, and jog along the roads. When you bump into them, it's a really wonderful feeling. The variety of wildlife there is amazing, especially birds. We've spotted 65 species of bird.
---Low-profile development---
The county government wanted to develop a race track and a tourist hotel for the area, (CG in) but the Forest District Office demands that any development be low carbon, low density, and not over commercialized (CG out) to protect the forest.
Hualien Forest District Office director, Zhang Bin: Activities there will mainly be cycling and nature tours, as well as forest preservation events. I think its a very good breakthrough to introduce Hualien to this new idea.
---2,248.87 hectares by 2012---
The Office will complete 2,248.87 hectares of forest by the year 2012, and develop eco-tourism to preserve its natural beauty. After all, the future of the planet depends on human beings living in harmony with our forests.
DaAiTV_DaAiHeadline 20110315 Lemongrass oil back in fashion
During their rule of Taiwan, the Japanese introduced lemongrass to the country, to make economically valuable lemongrass oil. But with the rising popularity of chemically produced fragrances in the 1960s, lemongrass started to go out of fashion. Then, a few years ago, someone discovered lemongrass oil was quite a good mosquito repellant, and the traditional industry took off again.
日治時代。日本人就將香茅草引進台灣大量種植，來提煉香茅油，經濟價值相當高，不過1960年代時期各式化學香料問世後，香茅身價慘跌乏人問津，這幾年有人發現，用香茅精油防蚊蟲的效果不錯，使得這項傳統產業再度復甦。
( Extracting oil from lemongrass )
To make the best lemongrass oil, dry grass is stuffed into a steamer, while someone stamps it from above, because the more crammed it is, the easier it is to extract oil.
The steam that comes is condensed, and drips into a collection container. The glass colored liquid is lemongrass oil.
Tai Sugar Hualien Office deputy manager, Lin Xiangzhen : In the Guangfu area there are a lot of mosquitoes around the sugar factory, so we thought of lemongrass oil as a traditional repellant.
( 35kg makes 400g of oil )
Guangfu Township, in east Taiwan, started making lemongrass oil in 1912. 35kg steamed for four hours only produces 400g of oil, making it an expensive commodity for the older generation.
Tai Sugar Hualien Office deputy manager, Lin Xiangzhen: With changing times, there were more varieties, and after chemical fragrances came out, lemongrass oil started to wane, and slowly disappear.
( Lemongrass is back )
With rising demand for natural products, Guangfu restarted lemongrass oil extraction in 2005. After the sugarcane plantation closed, 3.2 hectares of the spare land was set aside for lemongrass. But harvesting the crop hasn't gotten any easier.
【花蓮旅遊攻略】為什麼花蓮觀光發展不如台東 宜蘭｜光復鄉一日遊 【Taiwan】Hualien travel Guangfu Day Tour( English subtitles)
說到花蓮光復鄉
大家比較知道的就只有一個
就是「光復糖廠」
因為這裡是夏季消暑的最佳聖地
但其實光復這裡還有很多景點
以及好吃的小吃
而這些景點
有些是歷史悠久的建築物
有些是親近大自然的園區
那究竟我們會跟各位推薦哪裡呢
就來跟我們一起進入「光復鄉」
讓我們帶你們玩遍整個花蓮吧
裡面也會說到為何花蓮觀光發展不如台東與宜蘭呢
#花蓮旅遊 #花蓮景點
#光復糖廠 #光復鄉
#大農大富 #天主堂
Why is Hualien County's tourism development
not as good as Taitung County and Yilan County in Taiwan?
合作邀約：qwe611030h@gmail.com
花蓮光復 大農大富 晨光晨霧 空拍
Danongdafu Forest Park
Taiwan (R.O.C.)
Guangfu Township, Hualien County
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