TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Conservationists and members of the public recently participated in a planting effort to push back against the erosion of the Waiyuding Sandbar (外傘頂洲) in Chiayi County.

The Nantou Branch of the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency said on Wednesday (July 17) that a “green sand-fixing lattice” of beach bean and bayhops was planted along the sandbar, per CNA. About 80 community members and staff participated in the project off Chiayi County’s coast.

The sandbar shrunk by 823 hectares between 2003 and 2023, the conservation agency said. This was caused by strong winds and waves that washed away the sandbar’s top layer, resulting in its sand moving into surrounding waterways, impacting waterflow and fisheries in the area.

The conservation team used bamboo tubes to protect the plants from the high waves, winds, and heat. The surface of the sandbar can reach temperatures of 70 C, the conservation agency said.

Despite the erosion, the 1,000-hectare Waiyuding Sandbar remains the largest in Taiwan. It protects large parts of Chiayi’s coastline from the elements, allowing oyster farming to flourish in the area.