NCUE has at least four ongoing projects and activities, including: Environmental Education Center’s “24-, 33-, 100-Hour Courses for Environmental Educator Certification”, Biology Department’s “Project of Taoyuan International Airport Corporation / Entrusted Planning and Design for Red Imported Fire Ants (RIFA) Control”, “Project of the Division of Science and Technology/Discussion and Solution Strategies on the Ant Infestation Problems in the Qianshan Caused by the Impact of Climate Change on the Ecology of Qianshan and the Changes in the Community”, “Management Office of Hualien Forest Zone, Forestry Bureau, Council of Agriculture/Entrusted Professional Service Case for Ant Investigation Project in Masadi Forest Park”, a project of the Division of Science and Technology, “Development Microbial Control technology of Agricultural Pest Ant”, a project of the Bureau of Animal and Plant Health Inspection and Quarantine, “Council of Agriculture/Development of Core Technologies and Establishment of Safety Assessment Model of the Agricultural Spraying Drone Industry Chain–Field Trials for Using Agricultural Drones to Control RIFA through the Management of Drone Pesticide Spraying Delegation System”, a project of Kenting National Park, “Yellow Crazy Ant Invasion Status Investigation and Control Strategy Research in Kenting National Park”, and related activities organized by the Science Education Center，as listed in Table 1. They will be briefly described in the following.

Table 1. Related activities and projects

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. Taoyuan International Airport Corporation Program/ Commissioned Planning and Design for Invasive Red Fire Ant Control Operations

Taoyuan International Airport is located in the Dayuan District. In 2004, Taoyuan International Airport determined that the area around Taoyuan Airport, the airport traffic lane, and some parts of the lawn that divide the running chute were invaded by RIFA. The project team has achieved remarkable results after years of prevention and control work. The entire airport area has been lifted from the list management by the government in May 2018. However, because Taoyuan International Airport is located in the Dayuan District of Taoyuan City, and the current RIFA population distribution and density in the district is still relatively serious, Taoyuan International Airport is still in an area susceptible to RIFA recurrence. Sporadic ant nests are frequently detected in some lawn areas of the airport, which are related to the watercourses, drainage ditches, lawn water, and boundary walls in the airport. Heavy rains or typhoons have caused the water levels in rivers and streams outside the airport to rise rapidly, and RIFA enter the ponding lawns of the drainage ditches in the airport from the outside through the waterway system. The Airport RIFA Office has labelled and managed the waterways and drainage ditches in the airport and strengthened the detection operations after typhoons and heavy rains, related event photos as shown in Figure 4.

Figure 4. NCUE Taoyuan International Airport RIFA Control Team has strengthened fire ant control work in the airport's drainage channels

Link for reference information:

https://www.facebook.com/NCUEEEC/videos/a.1053897732014001/549273452851485

3. Management Office of Hualien Forest Zone, Forestry Bureau, Council of Agriculture: ‘Entrusted Professional Service Case for Ant Investigation Project in Danongdafu Forest Park’

This project aims to conduct a full ant survey project for the Danongdafu Forest Park. Through standardized survey methods and habitat analysis, this project understands the ecological role ant colony structures play in forest development under the aforementioned management on flat terrain. Furthermore, instead of using ants as biological indicators, the ecological function groups of different ants can be analysed to understand the environmental conditions of Danongdafu Forest Park. The research results of ants in the Danongdafu Forest Park are integrated into the activities and curriculum planning of environmental education, designed considering the role of ants (Environmental Education and Training Course for Ants in Flat Forest), as well as environmental education promotion materials (Environmental Education Manual and Environmental Education Folded Flyer for Ants in Flat Forests). Related event photos are shown in Figure 5.

Figure 5. Educational Explanation and Study of Ant Environment in Danongdafu Forest Park

Link for reference information: https://drive.google.com/file/d/11TeM7yw558m7apxa5OFG_2ZXAWbhMfPY/view

4. Project of Kenting National Park: ‘Yellow Crazy Ant Invasion Status Investigation and Control Strategy Research in Kenting National Park’

This project assists Kenting National Park in investigating the invasion of Anoplolepis gracilipes (commonly known as yellow crazy ant), one of the world’s top 100 harmful invasive species in the distribution hotspots of land crabs (Houwan, Banana Bay, Barrier Island, and Yungchuan port). Furthermore, cooperating with the Taiwanese, land crab research expert Dr. Liu Hung-Chang used the data analysis of the number of female crabs during the breeding period when female crabs release eggs as the sea level lowers.  Dr. Liu found that the invasion of Anoplolepis gracilipes is closely related to the decline of the land crab population, which has severely impacted the survival of the native land crab population in the Hengchun Peninsula. It has also been found that in areas with high human disturbance (such as farmland, farmhouse, forest edges, or fishing ports), the number of Anoplolepis gracilipes is significantly higher. Nesting close to man-made buildings allows members in the ant nest to obtain various resources, such as food, nesting space, and irrigation water. In addition to highlighting the importance of preventing and controlling Anoplolepis gracilipes, this project also provides suggestions on prevention and control. In addition to traditional chemical control, habitat restoration and removal of objects that can be used for nesting by Anoplolepis gracilipes seem like possible control measures, because they will not only increase the habitat suitable for land crabs, but also hinder the establishment of the colonies of Anoplolepis gracilipes. In view of the impact of Anoplolepis gracilipes on the ecological environment, ant control is a long-term work that must be continued to reduce the probability of land crabs being ‘killed by ants’, thereby maintaining the biodiversity in Kenting National Park. This project also organized a Yellow Crazy Ant Prevention Workshop in Kenting National Park. Related event photos are shown in Figure 6.

Figure 6. Yellow Crazy Ant Prevention Workshop in Kenting National Park

Link to reference information:

https://www.facebook.com/NCUEEEC/photos/a.1053897732014001/1053898902013884