The EPA and the Ministry of Education co-organized the third “Environmental Map Creation" competition. On 17 February, awards were presented in the Sunshine Hall of Taipei’s Daan Park MRT Station to commend a total of 70 works submitted by middle-grade and upper-grade elementary students. The top prizes for middle-grade and upper-grade groups were awarded to the Affiliated Experimental Elementary School of National Chiayi University for "Exploring with the Purple Butterfly -- A Fantastic Journey of Taiwan Purple Crow Butterflies" and Lihu Elementary School in Taipei City for "Getting Close to Neihu’s Waters, Enjoying Living Green."

To encourage parents, children, teachers, and students to break away from 3C (computers, cellphones, and video games), go outdoors, observe and express something about the surrounding environment, appreciate its beauty, and become environmental explorers who protect the environment, since 2020 the EPA and the Ministry of Education have held the yearly Environmental Map Creation competition. The third edition of the competition has just ended. Unlike previous years, the winning teams of this year's competition not only showcased daily environmental protection actions but also used delicate and creative artistic works to portray changes in the environment.

The top prize-winning work of the middle-grade group, "Exploring with the Purple Butterfly -- A Fantastic Journey of Taiwan Purple Crow Butterflies," used the concept of a foldable book to create an interesting interactive experience for viewers by allowing them to move the purple butterfly icon and understand the seasonal migration pattern. The work is excellent in terms of ecological information and aesthetic presentation. The top prize-winning work for the upper-grade group, "Getting Close to Neihu’s Waters, Enjoying Living Green," expressed a sense of connection to the past, current and future of the environment around one's own home, and combines delicate map drawing with the concept of water resource protection, exploring the environmental stories of the region. Among many works, it stood out and demonstrated outstanding insight and an environmental protection perspective.

"Each work represents the voice of a child," said Ya-Fen Wang, Deputy Minister of the EPA. These works showcase the beauty of different regions in Taiwan while also documenting environmental changes. We would like to thank all the teachers who have led their students to participate in the competition. After carefully observing the people and things around them, the students linked these elements together to create environmental maps. Through the creative process, they have gained a better understanding of the environment and become more aware of the need to protect it.

The award-winning works of the environmental map competitions over the years can be found on the official website https://www.environmentalmap.com.tw .

Excerpt from Major Environmental Policies, February 2023