By June 2024, 626 farmers across Taiwan have supported the “Green Conservation Label” in collaboration with FANCA (the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency) and Tse-Xin foundation, working together to safeguard the rick biodiversity of farmlands through sustainable farming practices. Building on its partnership with the Institute of Biodiversity Research and leveraging the iNaturalist app, the Tse-Xin Foundation has introduced a customized ecological journal for Green Conservation farmers. Embracing the spirit of scientific observations conducted by farmers, this initiative marks a new era of farmland ecological observation through citizen science.

The iNaturalist platform is currently the world’s largest online ecological database, enabling collaboration among participants. Participants can upload ecological records via the platform or mobile app, receiving assistance from other citizen scientists for species identification or using AI image recognition technology to help identify species. With GPS location settings, farmers can define their farm boundaries and create a personalized farm ecology journal. This provides a transparent record of the farm’s ecological status, accessible to the public.

Morris Su, CEO of the Tse-Xin Foundation, noted that despite years of promoting Green Conservation, there was no clear data on the number of species in farmlands. However, after collaborating with the Institute of Biodiversity Research on the iNaturalist initiative last year, the Foundation initially selected a group of elite Green Conservation farmers to participate in the project. Thanks to their dedication, the results have been remarkable. Encouraged by this success, the Foundation now aims to involve all Green Conservation farmers across Taiwan, hoping to showcase the rich biodiversity of farmlands ecosystems.
Currently, 22 Green Conservation farms have recorded 8,510 wildlife observations from the fields. Through this effort, they not only contribute to Taiwan’s conservation database but also seek to raise awareness among consumers and businesses about the ecological value of Green Conservation farmlands, encouraging support for sustainable farming practices.