《TAIPEI TIMES》 New Taipei City favors local lilies

COMMUNITY ACTION: The Agriculture Department is working with communities to plant more lilies, with residents volunteering to take care of the plants

By Lin Hsin-han and Sherry Hsiao / Staff reporter, with staff writer

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Communities in New Taipei City are joining in the city’s efforts to restore the Lilium formosanum, or Taiwanese lily.

The New Taipei City Agriculture Department said it has worked with local communities to push the restoration and promotion of the Taiwanese lily along the north and northeast coast of Taiwan.

Longan Borough （龍安） in Rueifang District （瑞芳） and Longmen Borough （龍門） in Gongliao District （貢寮） have added the Taiwanese lily into their greenery, with local residents taking care of them, the department said.

These efforts have allowed more people to appreciate the beauty of the native plant, it said.

Longan, which includes Ruifang Old Street, is located near the Rueifang Station Rear Station （瑞芳火車站後站）, and borough volunteers have transformed a wasteland outside the walls of Rueifang Vocational High School into the beautiful Longan Garden, the department said.

Due to its unique shape and striking white color, the Taiwanese lily is loved by many, Longan Borough Warden Ko Jui-ho （柯瑞和） said.

The borough applied for 500 seedlings from the department after learning about its restoration efforts at the end of last year, Ko said.

Borough volunteers have been very proactive, and some go to the garden daily to weed and to water the plants, Ko said.

Watching the garden take form has made residents happy and proud, and they are willing to invest more energy into maintaining it, Ko said.

The borough hopes that it can gradually increase the number of Taiwanese lilies, not only to beautify the community, but to allow train passengers to enjoy their beauty, Ko said.

Longmen applied for 1,000 seedlings, which have been planted in Longmen Park and are being cared for by area residents.

Knowing that many animals, insects and plants are facing extinction due to human activity, the department has devoted itself for many years to restoring native plants to the area, department Director Lee Wen （李玟） said.

The department has gradually strengthened its ties and partnerships with the local communities and is promoting greater community participation in conservation efforts, Lee said.

People can join in at home, adding native plants to their gardens or interiors to avoid introduced species from becoming invasive and affecting the environment, Lee said.

新聞來源：TAIPEI TIMES