Professor Chien-Chih, Chen
- ◆ Becoming a Conservation Expert
- ◆ From Biodiversity to Ecological Civilization
- ◆ Ecosystem Conservation Techniques
- ◆ Contribution to the Community
Tea Grower You-Li, Wang
Tea Grower You-Li, Wang
◆ Origin of His Tea Field
Wang You-li was one of the pioneers of organic tea in Taiwan, leading the way for the industry by beginning to cultivate organic tea in the Pinglin district of New Taipei City in the early 1980s. Like all other farmers in the area, he initially relied heavily on the use of pesticides and fertilizers in his tea field. Tragically, this changed when his third younger brother died as a result of using these chemicals without taking the proper precautions. His brother had been using pesticides and fertilizers for some time and had neglected to take the necessary safety precautions such as washing his hands after spraying. This carelessness ultimately led to his death as he was slowly poisoned through his hands, which he had used to take cigarettes out of the pack and put them in his mouth to smoke. His younger brother was only 19 years old when he passed away. This experience had a profound effect on Mr. Wang, making him realize that he had to make a change. Not only was he deeply affected by the death of his brother, but he also realized the importance of knowing the effects of using these chemicals. This tragedy sparked a transformation in Mr. Wang, ultimately leading him to become a pioneer of organic tea in Taiwan.
Since then, Mr. Wang did a lot of research and found out the detrimental effects of chemical use, especially in the tea field in Pinglin. Pinglin is situated close to the source of the rivers that supply water to the city of Taipei. He discovered that using chemicals not only takes away the essential nutrients necessary for the tea trees to grow healthy and strong but also causes soil and water pollution. Furthermore, while the chemicals initially appear to be effective in eliminating pests, they create a phenomenon whereby the insects become increasingly resistant to the treatments, resulting in decreasing beneficial insect populations. As a result of his findings, Mr. Wang decided to take a stance against the use of chemicals in his tea field and initiated a campaign to raise awareness amongst other farmers of the importance of organic farming. He has worked to promote sustainable farming practices and to protect the biodiversity of his own tea field.
