In 2011, the Taiwanese city of Taoyuan initiated a project to remediate the 36.7-km Laojie River and its surrounding waterfronts in an effort to improve the river’s water quality and resilience capacities and provide green public spaces for an area that will continue to grow as a commercial and transit node. The completed first phase of the project reduced the amount of flood-prone land by 192,500 m2, allowing the region to successfully ride out the flood of 2012 without major damages. In an effort to revitalize the river’s shorelines, adaptable and low-maintenance native plants were added to the area, protecting the land and making the riverfront more attractive and inviting for residents. The Laojie River remediation is one of several adaptation projects in the city seeking to conserve water bodies and increase the amount of green public space in the city. Together with other leading projects such as the restoration of the Nankan riverfront and the revitalization of Taoyuan’s city ponds, the river remediation project is helping Taoyuan climate-proof its future.
- FriendsOfRiversMalaysia