Guandu Nature Park

Guandu Nature Park

Guandu Nature Park is situated in northern Taiwan at the junction of Danshui and Jilong Rivers. The landscape consists of a mosaic of freshwater and brackish ponds, mudflats, marsh, rice paddies, and woodland, in which inhabits a rich variety of organisms. The mission of this park is to protect these valuable natural resources. Guandu is a major stopover site for migrating birds, especially waterfowls and shorebirds, as well as an important wintering and breeding ground for many species. 250 species of birds have been recorded at Guandu so far, qualifying this wetland as an Important Bird Area (IBA) recognized by BirdLife International.

In 1983 the government created the "Guandu Waterbird", and the Tourism Bureau classified Guandu as a major tourist attraction. The Nature Park covers 57 hectares divided into the Main Area, Core Reserve Area, Outdoor Observational Areas, and Sustainable Management Area. Facilities comprise primarily of crude boardwalks, birdwatching hides, and interpretive systems.

On December 1, 2001, administration of Guandu Nature Park was handed over to the Wild Bird Society of Taipei, a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) with thirty years of experience in conservation and environmental education. Guandu Nature Park thus became the first protected area in Taiwan to be managed by an NGO. With this unprecedented action, the Wild Bird Society of Taipei aims to combine the resources and energy of both wetland ecosystem for the purposes of both conservation and environmental education.