對話之後：一個生態藝術行動的探索 Beyond Dialogue: A Journey of Transforming Place through Climate Change

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《對話之後：一個生態藝術行動的探索》
Beyond Dialogue: A Journey of Transforming Place through Climate Change

We made the book like making an art, with meaningful contents and beautiful design.

Introduction

This research is like a journey through time and space. It leads back to the Conference of Oyster Shell Land Art, within the programme of Art as Environment: A Cultural Action on Tropic of Cancer 2008. The Conference was initiated with an aim to manage waste oyster shells by using them as the material for land art works on the abandoned salt fields of the Chaiyi coast of southwest Taiwan. With participant observation, interviews, literature reviews and critical analysis the author of this study examines the on-going dialogues of the attendees and the developments following the Conference, revealing new configurations of the relationship between humans and their environment as it emerges through the wetlands of this endangered coast of Taiwan.

The outcome of this research text is divided into eight chapters, starting with an interpretation of 'Dialogue as an Art Form'. It then reviews the background and process of the Conference of Oyster Shell Land Art, and the role British ecological artist David Haley played in presenting the project, 'A Dialogue with Oysters: The Art of Facilitation' to the conference. The components of the conference and the evolution of environmental concerns are discussed to reveal that through 'dialogue', the perception of the value of oyster shells and abandoned salt fields was changed, and a new perspective of seeing local environmental issues from a global context of climate change was presented. The author then provides an analysis of the outcomes of the oyster shell land art proposals and their related environments, as well as additional complimentary suggestions to the proposals.

To develop the thread and provide a broader context for the above discussion, the author investigated the environmental change on the southwest coast by reviewing the achievements of Taiwan's researchers on geography, geology, archaeology, and history.

The findings showed that the environmental change of southwest Taiwan was caused by factors such as climate change, global warming and sea-level rising, coastal erosion by typhoons and high-tides. Other factors include, river sediment discharge and its effect on the sandbanks, along with human interference that caused the destruction of the original topography, changed land use that created unforeseen forces and consequences.

For example, rivers were intercepted, reservoirs and sand-blocking dams were built upstream; the river flow was restrained by embankments on the middle and lower stream; and the coastline lost its sand source due to the land reclamation that extracted sand which further induced seawater incursion and loss of windbreaks. The groin effect made another impact on the changing coastline, as did the over-extraction of groundwater from the coastal aquifers by the freshwater fish-farming industry. The short supply of groundwater recharge from the upper- middle stream further exacerbated the disastrous cycle of land subsidence and seawater incursion. Climate change is making all these above challenges even more drastic.

Facing these challenges, senior planner of the National Taiwan University Building and Planning Research Foundation, and the convener of the Conference of Oyster Shell Land Art, Tsai Fu-Chang took on the task of extending and expanding the multi-layered dialogue of the conference. He was commissioned to deliver planning projects at the coast of Chiayi by Chiayi County Government and the Southwest Coast National Scenic Area Administration, which led to several in-depth investigations on the Chiayi coast, including hydrology, ecology, community, local history, and industry. Tsai and his team discovered that, after the salt industry ceased to exist along the southwest coast, through ecological succession, the abandoned salt fields turned into wetlands, providing natural habitat for birds. Many species were present, including the endangered, international protected black-faced spoonbill. On the regional plan, Tsai and his team applied the concept of biosphere reserves, made ecological conservation as a priority, and paid respect to the original topography and geomorphology. They examined the resources, the location, the traffic flow, and the existing facilities of the planned area, making evaluations and recommendations. They concluded that five thematic areas should be established as the spatial governance framework for the future conservation and improvements of the coastal wetlands. From the planning it showed that ecological conservation and climate change were the two core values, while 'art' was considered as a vital medium for activism.

In practice, Tsai and his team adopted a strategy of 'rolling correction and unified management'. The intention is to extend the time axis, launch the priority action plan at the current stage to interact with the environment, then reflect on and evaluate the process. The goal and vision will then be modified to develop another action plan for next stage.

Their priority action plan included different workshops for wetlands ecology and environment. Artists residencies empowered the community for creative learning to adapt to the climate change. Local participation was encouraged by connecting schools, education institutions, communities, private enterprises and professional organizations, to improve interdisciplinary partnerships and expertise to support networks, and consolidate the foundation for sustainable life. These actions referred to different fields of interest, such as the changing geography, ecological conservation, green energy, coastal forestation, future challenges, industries and environmental education. Among them, some were related to the basic needs of local life, such as food production, wind power, and water issues. Art was a method to integrate these fields and to communicate with people within and without. Art was, also a way to creatively question the way we think about all these challenges, turning them into opportunities.

In 2012, Tsai Fu-Chang presented the concept of 'Wetlands Breadbasket'. It encompassed all sets of issues of the changing geography, migrating birds habitat protection, fishery and salt industries revitalization, land subsidence, and the transition development of the lowland settlements. He further promoted a way of 'making cultural diversity to restore the bio-diversity', which corresponded to the remarks David Haley made earlier, that '… active living as community becomes art work, not about a static object. … (As) community as process, as on-going thing, that process can change to a changing landscape and what will become a changing sea-scape.'

Lastly, the author of this research discusses the roles of local participation and local organizations, contrasted by the inadequacies of national policies and in particular the shifting attitudes of the Southwest Coast National Scenic Area Administration. Being the authority charged to supervise the vast land of the abandoned salt fields along the southwest coast, the administration has changed its policies due to the replacement of its directorship. The recent administration gave up its responsibilities of conservation, restoration and education for the coast.

Rather, they were comissioning a series of ill-informed and inappropriate constructions that they boasted are installation art to attract tourism. These self-proclaimed art installations provide neither art context, nor ecological thinking. However, since the administration receives huge national funding and influence, their controversial deed won support from local politicians. Unfortunately this short-sighted act only aggravates the hardship of under-resourced local involvement, and regretfully disregards the impending challenges of climate change, that are certain.

Presently, the directorship of the Southwest Coast National Scenic Area Administration has been changed again. But the vast salt fields still fall to be the hunt of economic development and facing various challenges from central and local governments. How to protect the environment and ecosystems of the national land on southwest coast of Taiwan, that remains an important task for all of us.