Visiting a Community Below Sea Level - The Cheng Long Wetlands | Latest Information | ASUS ESG website, ASUS ESG goal

After the Paris Agreement, governments and businesses worldwide recognized that climate change would reshape our economic and social landscapes. However, they often overlooked the severe challenges faced by the natural environment have become intertwined with the worsening of climate change, creating a cycle of mutual influence.

ASUS has set science-based reduction targets and taken action against climate change through operational improvements, supply chain management, low-carbon product development, and enhanced product energy efficiency. In 2024, the company expanded its focus on environmental issues by adopting the Task Force on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) framework. ASUS published its first Natural Impact Assessment Report and collaborated with the Kuan-Shu Education Foundation on a biodiversity project in the Daxue Mountain areas. But what comes next?

Recalling the motivation behind this unique visiting experience, ASUS Chief Sustainability Officer TS Wu said, "While these analysis reports and technical terms are familiar to our sustainability team, the true impact of environmental change can only be fully appreciated through firsthand experience. Visiting these locations help us transforming data and analysis from paper into tangible, practical action plans."

ASUS's Sustainability and Green Quality Management Center organized an employee engagement activity to visit the Cheng Long Wetlands in Yunlin County, a community below sea level. This visit aimed to help employees understand the relationship between climate change, ecology, and local communities, experiencing firsthand the impacts of human development and climate change.

 

A Community Below Sea Level: From Farmland to Wetland - Cheng Long Wetlands

The Cheng Long Wetlands in Kouhu Township, Yunlin County, were originally farmland. Due to its low-lying terrain and long-term excessive groundwater extraction, the area experienced severe land subsidence. Between 1980 and 1990, seawater flood the area due to typhoons, rendering the farmland unusable. Since 2005, the Forestry Bureau has implemented an "ecological fallow" concept, leasing affected farmland to prevent further development. They encourage local residents to maintain the wetland environment and promote ecological restoration through the Satoumi Initiative.

The Kuan-Shu Education Foundation collaborates with the local community to conduct regular wetland surveys, manage resources, and monitor biodiversity in the Cheng Long Wetlands. To promote sustainable development and raise public awareness about climate change impacts, the foundation offers environmental education programs and experiential tours. For ASUS employee engagement activity, the foundation provides participants with an authentic, firsthand experience of local culture and environmental challenges.
 

 

Upon arriving at the Cheng Long Wetlands, visitors are greeted by a vast, mirror-like expanse of water. It's hard to imagine that this area was once lush farmland. Even more surprising is the sight of ancestral tombstones partially submerged in the water. The Executive Director of the Kuan-Shu Education Foundation explained that Taiwan's southwest coast has long faced issues such as land subsidence, flood threats, and an aging population. Currently, the ground level in Cheng Long Village is only 30 cm above sea level, while the summer high tide line outside the embankment is about 170 cm. Due to the ground being far below sea level, "Residents now need to use bamboo rafts to reach the center of the water to tend to their ancestors' graves."

Cheng Long Village faces potential pressure from both external (seawater intrusion) and internal (heavy rainfall drainage issues) natural risks. Under the influence of extreme weather events, these pressures on the Cheng Long Wetlands intensify, potentially causing flooding in the settlement. In response to these environmental changes, climate adaptation strategies often discussed by experts have been directly implemented in a demonstration building in the Cheng Long Wetlands: "The Shrimp Boss's Stilt House."

 

A Modern Home Responding to Climate Change: The Shrimp Boss's Stilt House

In 2018, the government and the long-standing Kuan-Shu Education Foundation constructed an innovative stilt house that combines flood prevention, age-friendly spaces and energy-efficient green building features. Aptly named "The Shrimp Boss's Stilt House" due to the prevalence of aquaculture in the Cheng Long Wetlands, this demonstration home showcases adaptive architecture at its finest.

Executive Director Tsui-Jai Hong of the Kuan-Shu Education Foundation, drawing from his architectural background, explains that the house is elevated 90 cm above ground to accommodate an average annual land subsidence of 3 cm. The ground floor remains open, allowing rescue boats access during floods. Living spaces are situated on the upper two floors, truly embodying the concept of a "stilt house".
 

 

This innovative structure incorporates green building concepts with a focus on providing comfort for the elderly. Following the traditional architecture “three-section compound” layout, it features separate wings and a shrine on the top floor, respecting local customs. The west-facing exterior wall ingeniously uses oyster shells in wire cages, embracing circular economy principles to create an insulating barrier that enhances ventilation and reduces indoor temperatures.

Inside, the stilt house serves as an educational hub, showcasing how Cheng Long Village is adapting to extreme climate conditions by "living with water." It highlights initiatives in environmental education, wetland conservation, and the transition to eco-friendly aquaculture practices.

Looking out from the stilt house, one can see the formerly submerged farmlands now teeming with rich aquatic and avian ecosystems. This transformation, coupled with increased community engagement, has not only boosted conservation efforts but also sparked industrial innovation. The village has adopted ecological aquaculture methods, using pure seawater instead of groundwater to slow land subsidence.
 

 

A Winter Feast of Local, Eco-Friendly Ingredients & Tales from the Shrimp Boss

In Cheng Long Village, there's a hidden place not found on Google Maps - "Cheng Long Village No. 100." This renovated three-section compound, once the home of a local school principal, now serves as a community center for visitors and villagers alike, embodying the strong local spirit.

The local community prepared the "Cheng Long Sanheyuan Winter Seafood Table." for lunch. This feast produced from local small-scale farmers practicing sustainable agriculture, seafood from pure seawater aquaculture (avoiding groundwater extraction), and ecological fishing methods. This experience not only introduced local culture and products but also delighted our colleagues with its warmth and flavor.

Executive Director Hong then shared insights from over a decade of community engagement, recounting the Cheng Long Wetlands' history and the community's environmental adaptation journey. These diverse projects and local initiatives deepened our team's understanding of human-environment relationships.
 

 

 

As the afternoon, we embarked on a community walk, encountering art installations like "Connection" and "Regeneration" along the wooden walkways. Though damaged by typhoons, these pieces serve as poignant reminders of climate change's intensifying impact on human activities and the environment. This experience rekindled our team's focus on natural ecosystems.

ASUS continues to drive diverse strategies for nature and biodiversity, guided by ASUS Natural Capital Map's of "Within the value chain" and "Beyond the value chain". For more information, please refer to our Nature Impact Assessment Summary.
 

 

Itinerary Highlights:

This ASUS day trip began at Anlong Temple and included visits to the Cheng Long Wetlands, the Shrimp Boss's Stilt House, lunch at Cheng Long Village No. 100, and the Cheng Long 82 Community Information Station. For those interested in organizing similar trips, please contact the Sustainability and Green Quality Management Center for detailed information.