Journal of Tourism & Hospitality
Open Access

Abstract

Restoration Outcomes of the Wugu Wetland in the Erchong Floodway in New Taipei City

Liao YT and Chern SG

Taiwan is surrounded by seas and has diverse soils and landscapes, a temperate climate, abundant rainfall, and longitudinal and transverse valleys and mountain ranges. These conditions afford Taiwan a rich variety of wetland environments on coasts and around its lakes and rivers. On July 3, 2013, the legislature of the Taiwanese government passed the third reading of the Wetland Conservation Act, which took effect on February 2, 2015. The act lists a total of 42 wetlands of international and national prominence and 41 others of regional prominence (provisional designation) across Taiwan. In addition, before the implementation of the act, the Ministry of the Interior reduced the total area of designated wetlands nationwide from the 56,860 hectares established in 2011 to 47,627 hectares. This study investigated the Wugu Wetland in the Erchong Floodway in New Taipei City, a wetland located in a metropolitan area of northern Taiwan that had been partially damaged from misuse, and examined the recent restoration policies for the wetland implemented by the New Taipei City government. A SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) analysis was subsequently conducted to propose feasible strategies for positive restoration outcomes of the wetland.