Banping Pond Wetland Park Combining Ecology, Flood Prevention and Relaxation / 半屏湖濕地輕盈現身 集生態、滯洪、休憩多功能於一身
◎English Translation by Sandra Ou ◎English Editor: Adam Steinhoff
Most people are familiar with Banping Shan, however, few have heard of Banping Pond. Located on the southern hill of Banping Shan, Banping Pond was developed by a local cement company to prevent soil from being eroded and consequently blocking the road. Nowadays, for environmental reasons, the digging of cement from Banping Shan is banned and with the relocation of the cement company, control of the area has fallen into the hands of the City Government.
Originally, this area was used with the main purpose being flood prevention. However, such construction also added to the aesthetic beauty of Banping Shan whilst making the area more conducive to plant and animal survival. The City Government has recently developed five artificial lakes and the entire area is now referred to as "Banping Pond Wetland".
Since its redevelopment, Banping Pond not only has five newly created artificial lakes, but also footpaths, signs, a bird watching platform, and an array of plants. This area is more than just a place with flood preventative means; it's also a place to relax.
Banping Shan is an ecological area with more than 72 types of birds and more than 340 types of plants as well as a range of special limestone rocks.
Banping Pond is located at higher altitude than most wetland areas. In order to create a more natural wetland environment, a minimum amount of concrete has been used in the construction of footpaths, using wood instead.
A distinguishing characteristic of Banping Pond Wetland Park is that it boasts both a wet and dry ecological environment throughout different times of the year. In the dry season, visitors can stand on the observation platform overlooking the limestone formations of Banping Shan as well as view the beautiful flora and fauna. Then, with the changing of the seasons, the area becomes a wetland attracting insects and small animals as well as promoting the growth of new plants. Furthermore, with the onset of the "plum rains", the area becomes a breeding ground for water birds.
Banping Pond Wetland is home to the propagation of plants and animals, namely insects, amphibians, birds, wild rabbits, and spotted deer, making the area a flora and fauna paradise. Banping Pond Wetland is just one of a number of Wetland reserves in Kaohsiung. Others include Yuan Chong Gang Wetland at the north, and Zuoying Jhouzih Wetland to the south. Furthermore, there is also the Museum of Fine Arts Wetland, Ban He Li Wetland Park, Love River Wetland and Yen Shuei Gang Si Wetland. All of the above mentioned wetlands enable a natural environment for animals to live in making Kaohsiung a nature-focused city.
◎文／林昀熹
大家都知道半屏山，卻比較少人熟悉半屏湖，半屏湖位於半屏山南側的山腰上，原本是當地水泥業者所興建的沉沙池，目的是防止被雨水從山上沖刷下來的泥土阻塞道路，不過在水土保持的原則下，半屏山的水泥多年前已經停採，水泥業者遷移後，為了不讓這五座連接在一起的沉沙池成為髒亂的都市死角，便由市政府接管。
剛開始這裡被當作防洪計畫中的滯洪池，有鑒於延伸半屏山的景觀，並且讓生物有更多的自然環境可以生存，市政府近年便把這五座人工湖規劃為生態濕地，名為「半屏湖濕地」。
經市府改造後的半屏湖濕地，除了五座帶狀分布的滯洪人工湖泊之外，第一期工程設有景觀步道、木棧道、戶外教室、解說牌、賞鳥景觀平台，並且以植栽將園區做了很好的綠化，因此除了滯洪功能外，還成為一個可以散步、賞鳥的親水休憩空間。
半屏山原本就是一個生態豐富的區域，有紀錄的鳥類有72種、植物約有340多種，還有特殊天然石灰岩層地理景觀。
一般濕地多半位於地勢低漥的水陸交會區域，相對之下，半屏湖濕地就位於較高的海拔。而濕地的營造也力求接近自然，例如步道與平台的設計盡量減少混凝土的使用，讓雨水能夠自然滲透，也營造更自然的生物棲地。
半屏湖濕地有另一個特質，就是它全年分為乾濕兩種不同的生態環境，乾季時期，湖面乾涸呈現乾燥生態環境，由觀景台、戶外教室、步道可清楚觀察欣賞半屏山石灰岩地質景觀及耐旱植物、昆蟲的旺盛生命力。而乾濕交替時期，則展現濕地景觀，吸引植物、昆蟲、兩棲、爬蟲類在此孕育新生命，迎接雨季來臨。到了雨季，充沛的雨水就會讓原本乾涸的半屏湖展現全新濕地景觀，水鳥聚集於此休息或孕育下一代，是一處具有類似非洲乾燥氣候的生態環境。
因此半屏湖濕地也將肩負起動植物復育的責任，復育層次從植物、昆蟲、兩棲、爬蟲和鳥類，到野兔、梅花鹿、山羌等哺乳類都有，讓都會區也能成為動植物的天堂。同時這裡也是高雄濕地生態廊道中很重要的一環，往北有援中港濕地，往南則連接左營洲仔濕地、美術館濕地、本和里滯洪濕地公園、愛河五期濕地及鹽水港溪濕地，讓生物在高雄也可以自由自在地遷移，並長久延續與生長，也使得高雄成為一個真正對所有生命都友善的都市。