[Recent Activity] Field Trip to Understand Social-Ecological System of Piyaway Indigenous Village 比亞外部落參訪

Students from the Environmental Planning for Resilience (環境規劃與韌性) course at Disaster Risk Reduction and Resilience (MDR3) of National Taiwan University, led by Associate Professor Wan-Yu Shih, recently visited Piyaway Indigenous Village in Taoyuan. This immersive experience provided them with a unique opportunity to explore the complex socio-ecological systems maintained by local communities, highlighting how traditional beliefs and ecological knowledge are integrated into daily life and shape these systems.

During the visit, students gained first-hand insights into the harmonious relationships the indigenous residents of Piyaway village have with their natural surroundings, focusing on water resource management and agricultural practices. They observed the community’s collaborative decision-making processes aimed at enhancing environmental conditions while preserving cultural integrity.

Notably, the villagers’ recent adoption of solar panels has enabled them to generate electricity, sustaining their livelihoods during extreme weather events typical of their remote mountain location, even when roads were damaged and access to the villages was cut off. This excursion effectively bridged theoretical concepts of social-ecological resilience with practical observations, providing students with a comprehensive understanding of both the challenges and solutions that exist beyond the classroom.

We would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to the priests of the village church, the chief of the tribe for their invaluable guidance during our visit, and the residents for their warm hospitality, which included a traditional welcome ceremony and delicious local meals that showcased the rich flavors of their culture. We also wish to express our sincere thanks to Prof. Wu, Jie-Ying from the University of Taipei for helping with organization, and to Prof. Liao, Kuei-Hsien from National Taipei University for the support.