The story of the Fengbin water terrace wetland restoration comes from the Port Tribe

The Port Tribe, located between Shitiping and the Changhong Bridge, belongs to Gangkou Village in Fengbin Township, Hualien County. To the east lies the vast Pacific Ocean, while to the west stands the barrier of the steep Coastal Mountain Range. Situated at the mouth of the Xiuguluan River, the Port Tribe sees dense, vigorous and diverse plant and animal growth thanks to the shifting winds and moisture of the four seasons. Because it maintains a tightly knit tribal organization, the Port Tribe has become the settlement with the most concentrated residents, the largest population and the fewest Han Chinese in the area.

In such pristine natural scenery, the attitude with which humans use the land determines the scale of local biodiversity. The rice cultivation techniques here date back to the Qing Dynasty, pushing land at the boundary between sea and shore to its fullest use. From the road extending down to the coast, water terraces formed by different height drops create, at every autumn harvest, golden waves of rice that echo the ocean waves, forming a scene of ultimate natural beauty.

The rebirth of the Fengbin water terraces not only takes ecology into account but also pragmatically integrates what tribal members need for daily life, feeding both humans and all living things. Sumi Runi's spontaneous efforts have mobilized tribal members and will also change the face of the Port Tribe.

※ This article is reprinted from "Taiwan Wetland Network"