NCUE has undertaken multiple ongoing projects and activities, including: Environmental Education Center’s “Environmental Educator 24-hour 33- and 100- hour Certification Course”; Biology Department’s “Commercialization Model for Integrated Control Techniques of Harmful Ants”, “Expansion of Drone-Based Management System for Invasive Fire Ant Control and Agricultural Pesticide Application”, “Enhanced Containment and Control of Invasive Red Imported Fire Ants”, “Project of the National Natural Park Management Office/Shoushan National Natural Park Plan of Survey, Monitoring and Controlling Yellow Crazy Ants”; Center of General Education’s “Little Purple Crow Butterfly and Its Elf Friends,” and “You Are My Eyes-Walking with Dogs”, as indicated in Table 1.They are briefly introduced in the following section.

Table 1: Related projects and events

1. 24-, 33-,100 Hour Courses for Environmental Education Personnel Certification

The Environmental Education Center (EEC) nurtures relevant environmental education talents. In conjunction with the “Beautiful and Treasured Clams in Fangyuan and Dacheng: Sustainable Industry and Environment Project of Changhua’s Two Cities Amid Climate Change” project, EEC provided relevant education courses for the local and nationwide communities from July to October 2023, with the details shown in Table 2 and the activities shown in Figure 1-3:

Table 2. Environmental education course activities

Figure 1. Environmental Education Personnel Caohu Junior High School Specialized Program

Figure 2. 33-Hour Environmental Education Personnel Course: Classroom Learning

Figure 3. 100-Hour Environmental Education Personnel Course: Classroom Learning

Course Media Information Link:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.855111933068837&type=3

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.855111176402246&type=3

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.855114876401876&type=3

2. Commercialization Model for Integrated Control Techniques of Harmful Ants

"The Terrifying Red Fire Ant". Since 2003, the invasive red fire ant, known for its painful stings and potential fatality, has been spreading in northern Taiwan. Initially not a major concern, it quickly became headline news. In response to issues such as the excessive use of chemical baits, control effectiveness, and costs, research has focused on developing a pathogenic virus for red fire ants (SIVN-1) and using competitive ant species as virus carriers to reduce the population density of these invasive ants.

The research results were presented at the 2nd Invasive/Urban Ant Workshop at Kyoto University in 2019 and at the 41st Taiwan Entomological Society Annual Meeting in 2020. The virus-related technology has been patented in Taiwan (Insect Liquid Feeding Device/I562727), and the composite biological control technology for fire ants is in the commercialization process, showing significant potential for development as a biological control agent.

Figure 4. Fire Ant Virus Bait Kit

Figure 5. Project-Related Patents and Journal Publications

3. Expansion of Drone-Based Management System for Invasive Fire Ant Control and Agricultural Pesticide Application

First detected in Taiwan in October 2003, invasive red fire ants (Solenopsis invicta) inhabit a variety of environments including agricultural lands, nurseries, roadside plantings, residential areas, parks, schools, airports, and military camps. Current primary control areas are the northern regions (mainly New Taipei City, Taoyuan City, Hsinchu County and City, and Miaoli County), eastern region (Hualien County), and offshore islands (Kinmen County).

In December 2021, a new invasive species, the Little Fire Ant (Wasmannia auropunctata), was discovered in the Wuri and Heping districts of Taichung City. Many sites affected by these invasive fire ants face unique challenges such as steep slopes, river areas, valleys, fenced agricultural lands, and military-controlled zones. These conditions prevent access for control personnel and vehicles, resulting in incomplete application of control agents and suboptimal control outcomes.

To address these issues and prevent these areas from becoming weak points in pest control, the project aims to test the application of control agents using agricultural drones. By employing drones for large-scale or difficult terrain treatments, the project seeks to establish standardized guidelines for the use of agricultural drones in the control of invasive fire ants, ensuring more precise and effective management.

Figure 6. Drone Aerial Spraying System

4. Enhanced Containment and Control of Invasive Red Imported Fire Ants

In Hualien, the distribution range of invasive red fire ants increased from an initial 1,538 hectares, detected in June 2021, to 3,000 hectares by May 2023, indicating significant spread. This expansion is largely due to inadequate initial control efforts, which failed to curb the fire ant density effectively. In contrast, the Fenglin Environmental Technology Park and nearby photovoltaic panel areas, where proactive control measures were implemented by responsible authorities and stakeholders, have successfully managed to contain the infestation to a localized extent, demonstrating that aggressive control efforts can effectively suppress the spread of red fire ants.

Currently, the main areas affected in Hualien are Fenglin Township and Guangfu Township. Despite some spread, the situation remains within controllable limits. Immediate and intensified control measures are essential to prevent further significant spread. To address the continued expansion of the red fire ant infestation in Hualien County, this year’s plan includes commissioning the Red Fire Ant Center to focus on enhanced control efforts in Guangfu Township, aiming to reduce population density and mitigate the risk of southward spread.

Figure 7. In Hualien County, the distribution range of invasive red fire ants has been as follows

5. Center for General Education

All units of NCUE offered related general education lectures in 2023. The information of the lecture is as follows:

(1) The General Education Center offered relevant general education courses “Plants and Human Civilization“ in the 2023 academic year.

https://webap0.ncue.edu.tw/DEANV2/UploadDEAN/SUBJECT/1122/00242_0CCGE0179120.pdf

(2) The General Education Center offered a range of diverse learning courses in the 2023 academic year. Information is as follows Table 3.

Table 3: Diverse learning courses

In the 2023 academic year, various departments at our university offered relevant general education lectures. The lecture information is as follows Table 4.

Table 4: General education lectures