History
History of Erren River Involvement
2012-11-12 Dr. Jane Goodall visited the Erren River for the first time.
For more than fifteen years, Dr. Ching-Yi Horng, the Dean of the International College of Practice and Education for the Environment at Chang Jung Christian University (CJCU), has spearheaded efforts to coordinate the cleanup and restoration of local watersheds. Since 2002, he has directed the River Restoration Center, a joint project of the Taiwan Environmental Protection Agency (TEPA) and CJCU, which coordinates a strategic coalition of local governments, environmental NGOs, schools and universities, and private individuals to work alongside the TEPA to restore the Erren River. These cooperative efforts have raised public awareness of local environmental issues and have yielded significant improvements in water quality and biodiversity in the Erren watershed.
In 2009, following the successful involvement of the public in the Erren River project, the TEPA commissioned Dr. Horng to assist county Environmental Protection Bureaus to establish river watch teams in five counties of southern Taiwan. Teams of volunteers help to conduct river patrols, make pollution reports, clean river banks, and monitor water quality. The water quality data is uploaded to the Ecolife online database for environmental volunteers; the database is maintained through another TEPA project, for which Dr. Horng serves as Co-Investigator.
Cooperation between CJCU and the Jane Goodall Institute of Taiwan
2014-11-06 Dr. Jane Goodall visited CJCU a second time, and attended the Grand Opening of the International Jane Goodall Roots & Shoots Eco-Center.
Acknowledging CJCU's leading role in directing the Erren River Coalition Program and promoting public involvement in watershed management, the Jane Goodall Institute (JGI) of Taiwan initiated a joint venture with the River Restoration Center of CJCU to promote a Roots & Shoots Program in Tainan.
The Roots & Shoots program supports educators in leading youth through the creation of holistic and long-term services for the communities, animals, and the environment. The visit of Dr. Jane Goodall on November 2014 deepened cooperation between CJCU and JGI, and resulted in a plan to establish a Roots and Shoots Eco-Center on the CJCU campus.
From Action to Environmental Education
The International Program for Sustainable Development was established in 2016, and opened enrollment in 2017.
The Eco-Center provides a base for the expansion of CJCU's environmental action from Erren River remediation to overall environmental sustainability. We have found that students are able to learn and reflect on their learning through volunteer service and community action, and develop a better understanding of their custodial relationship with the Erren River.
In 2015, CJCU received the Environmental Education Award from the Tainan City Government. In 2016, CJCU further received the National Environmental Education Award from Taiwan's Environmental Protection Administration, a first for any university in Taiwan.
We have gradually converted our experiences into teaching materials for environmental education, and the International Program for Sustainable Development is an outcome of our long environmental conservation efforts. We are committed to promoting sustainable development and share our experiences in environmental education with the world.
In 2016, CJCU received the National Environmental Education Award from the Environmental Protection Administration, ROC (Taiwan).