The NPUST Department of Forestry has undertaken the Ministry of Education’s “Project for the Promotion of Tree-Loving Education” in the Second Southern District (Kaohsiung, Pingtung, Penghu and Taitung) and is working to conduct an inventory of trees in campus environments and promote tree planting. The activity follows the principle of “planting small trees, suitable trees, and native tree species”. On March 14, teachers and fifth-grade students from Shengli Elementary School were invited to visit Shengli New Village and tour the old trees in the area. The activity was designed to allow school children and the general public to get involved in the community and to learn about trees and local community culture. It is also an opportunity to spread accurate information about tree conservation and local history while encouraging care for nature and the protection of community resources.
Professor Chih-chiang Wang of the Department of Forestry said that “since we began executing this project, we have provided services to 710 primary and middle schools and 36 high schools and vocational schools in the district. We are currently working with Shengli Elementary School, which is a demonstration base for sustainable campuses in Pingtung County. New Shengli Village is rich with old trees and cultural assets. The students can follow the map to explore the area and observe the old mango trees, longan trees, and lychee trees. This way, they can become familiar with the trees, the history, and the patterns of life in their neighborhood.”
The location of the current activity was the New Shengli Village Victory Star V.I.P. Zone. The walking tour took the students through the city block which is delineated by Shengli Rd., Zhongshan Rd., Qingdao St. and Chonching Rd. The school children were divided into 2 to 4-member teams and competed with one another in a 21-question game. Working together to answer correctly as quickly as possible, a sense of excitement strengthened the students’ teamwork skills and allowed them to practice expressing opinions, discussing topics, and thinking rapidly. The schoolchildren said the activity was very fun and also helped them to learn new things. In the future, Shengli Elementary School will offer more courses that explore trees on county government properties and introduce students to various government agencies. They will also hold more of the “Tree-Loving Education and Sustainable Campus” outdoor field trip competitions for young learners.
NPUST co-organized the event with Shengli Elementary as part of its mission to promote SDGs as a basis for development. The university also aims to cultivate talent according to concepts of sustainability by letting the “Tree-Loving Education and Sustainable Campus” initiative take root. Combined with environmental sections in the “108 Syllabus” (for 12-year Basic Education), primary and secondary students can learn to cherish trees and care for the environment while enhancing their knowledge about nature. Hopes are that in the future, the program will spread to all the major communities in the county, so that the public can learn more about local trees and local history, and the work to promote a harmonious and sustainable society can continue.
