TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The picture book, "The Incredible Island," was released on Earth Day, showcasing Taiwan’s ecological diversity. 

While most plant picture books are from foreign publishers or translations, this new picture book was entirely produced in Taiwan. It can be purchased at bookstores and cultural centers, enhancing citizens' understanding of the local ecology, per CNA.

A press conference on Tuesday, hosted by the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency, announced the picture book, which was designed to encourage more citizens to take an interest in plant science. The book draws upon trees deep in the forest.

Taiwan is an island rich in forests and blessed with lush greenery. On one of the first pages, a world map shows its location and topography. 

Another interesting aspect is that Taiwan’s terrain, from the coast to the mountains, rises and falls nearly 4,000 meters, covering tropical, temperate, and frigid climates. The environment allows vegetation to span from the equator to the poles.

The book calls the island a treasure trove of biodiversity, like a “green ark in the ocean." Detailed information allows readers to appreciate the land's natural beauty.

Author Lai Tsui-han (賴粹涵) said that one of the book's challenges was that plants are quieter and less distinctive than animals. She tried to open a window into the knowledge and culture of plants.

Illustrator Li Yi-ning (李伊甯) said she visited forest parks, walking into fog-covered forests and other areas to get close-up photos of plants and their structures. She can identify the plants she sees, and her relationships with plants have become closer.

Li said that the information in the book takes time to digest. Each chapter should be read individually. 

She encouraged the public to go into nature and listen to plants, putting into practice environmental conservation.