Yong'an Wetland Introduction
Yongan Wetland was originally Wushulin Salt Field, established in 1908, and was an important salt production base in southern Taiwan, witnessing the rise and fall of the salt industry in Taiwan. During the Japanese occupation, these salt fields thrived, and in 1952, after the Nationalist government took over, it was restructured into the "Taiwan Salt Manufacturing Corporation," continuing the development of the salt industry. However, with the industrial transformation in the 1970s, the salt industry gradually declined. In 1985, Taiwan Power Company purchased the area with plans for expansion of the Hsingta Power Plant, marking the end of the once prosperous salt fields. The Wushulin Salt Manufacturing Corporation located within Yongan Wetland is the most historically valuable building in this area. The office building adopts a traditional European Dutch Baroque architectural style, blended with some Japanese elements, standing out prominently amid the abandoned salt flats. However, after the salt fields were abandoned, the office suffered from long-term neglect and damage due to the high salinity environment, leading to severe deterioration and at times becoming a dangerous structure. With the rise of local cultural awareness, Taiwan Power Company began to pay attention to this historical site and invested in restoration funds in 2006, allowing this century-old building to regain its former appearance, becoming an important historical site witnessing the rise and fall of Taiwan's salt industry. The Wushulin Salt Manufacturing Corporation, having experienced from the Japanese occupation to the present, features a beautiful facade and exquisite pebble construction; although the office is now empty, standing in the vast salt flats, one can still feel the historical atmosphere, as if telling the story of the salt industry's former prosperity, representing a significant industrial building with historical and cultural value. Yongan Mangrove Natural Park: The Coexistence of Ecology and Human Rights In the past, Yongan Wetland served as a salt field area, but due to Taiwan Power Company establishing the Hsingta Thermal Power Plant here, severe coal ash pollution made salt drying impossible. In 1986, Taiwan Power Company planned to use the area as a coal storage site, but local residents and environmentalists intervened, ultimately gaining government support to establish "Yongan Mangrove Natural Park" in 1996. Today, it not only witnesses Taiwan's industrial transformation but also has become the most ecologically rich area of mangroves along the Kaohsiung coast, home to various bird species and aquatic organisms, serving as an important site for observing natural ecology and promoting environmental education, showcasing the sustainable value of coexistence between humans and nature. An Ecological Paradise for Mangroves and Birds Yongan Wetland boasts a rich mangrove ecosystem that not only helps in windbreak and sand fixation, protects shorelines, and purifies water quality, but also serves as an important habitat for various species. The main mangroves in Taiwan include Kandelia obovata, Avicennia marina, and Bruguiera gymnorrhiza, with the southern region particularly abundant in Avicennia marina and Bruguiera gymnorrhiza, forming a diverse ecological green barrier. From October to April the following year, rare migratory birds such as the Black-faced Spoonbill come from the north, reaching peak numbers from January to March, making this wetland an important habitat for them to winter and forage. Additionally, as the largest salt flat wetland in southern Taiwan, Yongan Salt Field attracts over 110 species of birds, including the first-class protected Black-faced Spoonbill, Eastern White Stork, Peregrine Falcon, as well as second-class protected species such as the Black Stork, Osprey, and Little Tern. During the spring and autumn migration seasons, large numbers of shorebirds stop here, creating a spectacular birdwatching scene, attracting many nature enthusiasts to explore. With its rich ecological resources, Yongan Wetland was listed as an Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International in 1999 and was designated as an important local wetland by the Ministry of the Interior in 2018. This area not only has lush mangrove green corridors but also serves as a paradise for migratory birds, fully showcasing the vibrant vitality of wetland ecology.
