A public participation program is being conducted to involve people in the pollution cleanup projects of Erhjen, Yenshui and Chiangchun rivers, which were declared as the Priority Cleanup Rivers by the Taiwan Environmental Protection Administration in 2002 and 2003. The objectives of this program are: (1) to form a partnership among various groups of people for river restoration; (2) to establish a river volunteer monitoring and patrolling mechanism; (3) to promote communications among stakeholders through various meetings and volunteer training courses; (4) to raise a general awareness on watershed environmental protection.The project is the 4th year of the public participation program. Prior to this project, we held stakeholder meetings, volunteer training workshops, and established an office named “River Restoration Center” in a series of project from year 2001 to 2003. The River Restoration Center was established under the joined project between Taiwan Environmental Protection Administration (TEPA) and Chang Jung Christian University. The center functions as promotion, communication, volunteer training, and progress evaluation for the program. Seven iversities, seven environmental NGOs,two communities, four elementary schools, one high school, and one radio station had since signed on as the volunteer groups for river patrolling, water quality monitoring, environmental education, and/or program broadcasting. The tasks that we are aiming to accomplish this year include:(1) further involving people to river patrolling; (2) enhancing communication between volunteer groups and the government agencies; (3)assisting TEPA to inform the public of river cleanup measures; (4)coordinating the integration of the river patrolling project and the pollution surveillance system.

Public Participation, River Patrolling