長柄粉背蕨 鳳尾蕨科 長期乾旱下葉背會朝上並朝內反捲 藉以反射陽光 減少水分蒸散 進入休眠狀態 等待雨季來臨 The silver cloak fern (Cheilanthes argentea) is a member of the family Pteridaceae. During long

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1 植物方舟 辜嚴倬雲植物保種中心 A Noah s Ark for Plants 文 張瓊方圖 辜嚴倬雲植物保種中心提供 layout by Wei Chin-hua Did you know that the world s largest center dedicated to the conservation of tropical plants is located in Taiwan? The preservation of species is a race with time. The very survival of these plants and the future of ecologies in Taiwan and around the world are at stake. The Dr. Cecilia Koo Botanic Conservation Center is located in Ping tung County s Gao shu Township. On a site of over 20 hectares, the center has built 16 greenhouses one after another. It plans on bringing the total to 26 over the next five years. They are like leafy Noah s arks, carrying the hopes of humanity for a botanical revival. 88 台灣光華 Taiwan Panorama 2015/11

2 長柄粉背蕨 鳳尾蕨科 長期乾旱下葉背會朝上並朝內反捲 藉以反射陽光 減少水分蒸散 進入休眠狀態 等待雨季來臨 The silver cloak fern (Cheilanthes argentea) is a member of the family Pteridaceae. During long dry spells, the leaves curl up and inward, leaving only the backs of the leaves exposed, so as to provide protection against the sun and retain water. The plant enters a dormant state, awaiting the next rainfall. 三蕊蘭 蘭科 三蕊蘭屬 產於東南亞至新幾內亞島和太平洋島嶼 The orchid species Neuwiedia zollingeri is native to Southeast Asia, New Guinea, and the islands of the Pacific. 斷崖女王 苦苣苔科 巴西特有種 葉具銀長絨毛 喜強光 耐乾旱 為著名多肉植物 Brazilian edelweiss (Sinningia leucotricha) is a member of the family Gesneriaceae and native to Brazil. Its leaves feature silver hairs. A famous succulent, it likes sun and is drought tolerant. 89

3 如果有一天 宇宙中某顆慧星撞上地球 或者 火山爆發 天崩地裂 生物滅絕 世界走向萬劫 不復的末日 還有沒有機會讓大地恢復生機 使 生命得以延續 科學家們苦思對策 認為應該設法保存野生 植物與糧食作物的種子 讓大自然有機會恢復生 機 於是 保種 成為本世紀重要的課題 多個職務的李家維 是保種中心的發起人 也是 靈魂 涵養動植物生態的熱帶雨林 正以每年4個 台灣大小的速度消失中 估計到2050年 地球上的植物有四分之一會走向滅絕 到本世紀 末 有一半的物種可能已消失不見 這些駭人的訊息讓李家維驚覺 今天不保 種 明天會後悔 保種是人類良心發現後 搶救植物大作戰 事實上 無須等天外飛來橫禍 長久以來人 逆勢而為的手段 李家維說 於是 內容不一的保種計畫在各地陸續展開 類過度開發 砍伐雨林 污染環境 等種種行 英國倫敦皇家邱園於2000年揭竿而起 大舉籌 徑 已造成地球暖化 動 植物棲地減少 物種 募50億台幣 開始 千禧年種子銀行 計畫 以 不斷消失滅絕 10年的時間達成蒐集2萬4,000種野生植物種子的 物種滅絕的速度有多快 說來令人吃驚 目標 身兼清大生命科學系教授 科學人 雜誌 2008年 挪威成立 斯瓦爾巴全球種子庫 中文版總編輯 辜嚴倬雲植物保種中心執行長等 將世界各地共計150萬品系糧食作物種子儲存在 90 台灣光華 Taiwan Panorama 2015/11

4 If one day a comet crashed into earth, so that life as we know it were wiped out, would there be any chance of a sparking a revival so that nature could recover and life on the planet could go on? Scientists have pondered countermeasures, and be- lieve that we ought to be conserving both wild and agricultural seeds, so that nature has a chance to recover. 李家維是保種中心靈魂 也是多項保育計畫的推 手 帶領一群年輕人 企 圖打造出全世界最好的熱 帶植物保種中心 莊坤儒攝 Li Chia-wei, the heart and soul of the the Dr. Cecilia Koo Botanic Conservation Center, is also a mover and shaker behind many conservation plans. He is leading a group of young people to make the KBCC a global leader in the conservation of tropical plants. (photo by Chuang Kung-ju) Consequently, species conservation has become an important endeavor in the first decades of this century. The war to rescue plants In fact, there s no need to wait for a disaster from outer space. Factors such as long-term overdevelopment, the loss of rainforests, environmental pollution, and the burning of fossil fuels resulting in global warming, are destroying much habitat and eliminating many species. How fast are species going extinct? The answer is startling. It is estimated that by 2050, one-fourth of the world s species will have been wiped out, says Professor Li Chia-wei, CEO of the Dr. Cecilia Koo Botanic Conservation Center (KBCC). By the end of the century, half of the world s species may be lost. Species conservation is a way for humanity to act in good conscience to stem this tide, he continues. Consequently, various conservation plans have been launched one after another. 北極永凍層的隧道中 以確保種子能留存千萬 年 為地球留下重生的一線生機 植物的諾亞 方舟 世界末日種子庫 之名不脛而走 地處亞熱帶的台灣 也沒在全球保種的行動中 缺席 農委會林業試驗所已有 林木種子庫 農委會農試所 國家作物種原中心 則負責保存 台灣農作物種子 台泥董事長辜成允以個人及企 業之力 捐地出資成立的 辜嚴倬雲植物保種中 心 則以熱帶 亞熱帶植物活體保種為職志 在短短8年內 保存27,135種活體 已成為全球最 In 2000 London s Kew Gardens launched the Mil- lennium Seed Bank Partnership, aiming to collect the seeds of 24,000 species over a period of ten years. In 2008 Norway established the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, which stores the seeds of 1.5 million strains of staple food crops from around the world in underground tunnels at a temperature of 18 C. By preserving seeds for thousands of years, it provides a vital means of reviving the world s flora. It has quickly earned descriptions such as a Noah s Ark of plants and a seed bank for doomsday. Located in the subtropics, Taiwan is not absent from 豐富的活體植物蒐藏中心 the global seed conservation movement. The Taiwan 目標 熱帶植物庇護所 Seed Pool. The Taiwan Agricultural Research Insti- 2008年1月19日揭幕的 辜嚴倬雲植物保種中 心 以活體保存的方式 庇護熱帶 亞熱帶植 物 為環境的生物多樣性盡一份心力 Forestry Research Institute has established the Forest tute s National Plant Genetic Resources Center, mean- while, preserves seeds of farmed plants. The KBCC, which is funded by Taiwan Cement chairman Leslie Koo, puts its focus on living collections of tropical and 91

5 為什麼選擇熱帶 亞熱帶植物 又為什麼得活 體保存呢 包括 負責薑科 野牡丹科 胡椒科 蕁麻科的 陳威諺 負責水生植物的鄭仲良 照顧天南星 李家維指出 全球的植物六成以上集中在熱 科 單子葉植物的戴勝賢 秋海棠科 蕨類 苦 帶雨林 但熱帶植物種子的含水量高 不適合低 苣苔科 蘭科的蒐藏經理陳俊銘 多肉植物負責 溫 乾燥的保存模式 因為種子很快就脫水壞 人哈斯克橋 鳳梨科以及食蟲植物蒐藏經理郭睿 死 要保存熱帶種源 活體 異地保種是唯一的 軒 他們平均年齡只有三十多歲 年輕人願意棲 選擇 身窮鄉僻壤 終日與植物為伍 若非認同中心理 異地保種困難度不小 念 對植物有濃厚的感情與興趣 恐怕難耐寂 在年均溫28 年雨量2,500毫米的屏東高樹 寞 鄉 非常適合熱帶植物生長 但要從國外引進植 物 卻得經過一段麻煩的檢疫過程 例如 多數由國外引種的多肉植物 負責多 肉植物蒐藏照顧的技術員哈斯克橋以南非為 個性溫和的陳威諺 在溫室中以人工澆一輪水 就得花上3小時 他不以為苦 一邊澆水 一 邊近距離觀察植物生長的狀況 一舉兩得 他 怡然自得地說 例 由於南非是線蟲疫區 植物進口都得先去 據估計 世界上的植物超過35萬種 8年來保 根 因為線蟲寄生在植物根部 木本植物去 種中心透過採集 購買 交換 引種 捐贈 根存活難度很高 還好多肉植物去根還能存 等各種方式 從世界各地蒐羅來的亞熱帶 熱帶 活 另外 與索羅門 聖多美 吉里巴斯等國合作 的保育計畫進口植物入關後 立刻送入保種中心 隔離溫室 防檢局則不定期派員來檢查植物病蟲 害情況 期間長達一 二年 沒問題才能解除管 制 確保植物繼續存活是另一項挑戰 許多植物得 來不易 有些甚至是碩果僅存的唯一 萬一有個 三長兩短怎麼辦 備份是刻不容緩的事 李家維指出 今年 底前中心要開始進行 深層冷凍計畫 也就是 將植物一小部分組織放入零下196度的液態氮中 儲存 這種保存方式不會破壞植物的DNA RNA 與基因表現 此外 保種中心部分來自熱帶高山區雲霧林的 植物 不耐盛夏時節高溫 中心不得不另覓適合 的環境栽植 溪頭全球雲霧林植物保種計畫 鸞鳳玉蘿藦 僅產非洲索馬里 體分四稜 曾經認為已滅絕 近幾年才再 發現小族群 The succulent plant Whitesloanea crassa is found only in Somalia. Its body features four sharply angled ridges. It was once thought to be extinct, but a small group of the plants was found just a few years ago. 也已在著手進行中 保種綠手指 保種中心以李家維為首 帶領6位各有專精領 域的蒐藏經理 再加上技術員等工作人員共計23 位 為照顧中心裡的嬌客們盡心盡力 蒐藏經理個個都是對植物癡迷的 綠手指 92 台灣光華 Taiwan Panorama 2015/11 植物共計2萬7,135種 其中有7成是珍貴的原生 種 3成為經過人為繁殖交配的園藝種 單就台灣4,300種原生種植物來說 保種中心已 蒐羅了千餘種較為稀有或瀕危植物 例如 特有種蕨類 梅山口鐵線蕨 原分

6 2009 The maidenhair fern species Adiantum meishanianum is an endemic plant of Taiwan, first described in With only one group of the plants remaining in the wild, the species is highly vulnerable to habitat loss through human development The Wuwei camellia (Pyrenaria buisanensis) hasn t been seen in the wild for 80 years. One of Taiwan s endemic tea plants, it was first collected by the Irish plantsman and sinologist Augustine Henry in Southern Taiwan in subtropical plants. In a short eight years it has acquired the world s richest collection of living plants. In 2013 it also began a program of animal species conservation, which currently includes tortoises and chickens. Sanctuary for tropical plants Opening on January 19, 2008, the center was founded with a mission to serve as a shelter for tropical and subtropical plants in their living state. Why tropical and subtropical plants? And why in their living state? CEO Li Chia-wei points out that tropical rainforests are home to six out of ten of the world s plants. Yet the seeds of tropical plants contain a lot of water and aren t suited to being stored in arid low-temperature environments. The seeds quickly dry out and lose viability. So if you want to preserve tropical species, growing actual living plants in an artificial environment is the only way to go. Preserving plants out of their natural habitat is extremely difficult. Gaoshu, which has an average yearly temperature of 28 C and 2500 millimeters of annual rainfall, is highly suited to growing tropical plants. But the quarantine process that plants are subject to when they are imported presents major difficulties. Take, for instance, succulents, most of which are purchased abroad. Joshua Haskell, the technician who takes care of the center s succulents, cites the example of South Africa. Because South Africa is an area rife with plant-parasitic nematodes, it s necessary to get rid of the roots of the imported plants, because that s where the nematodes are. Fortunately, many succulents can survive without roots, unlike woody plants, which find it very difficult to do without roots. Thanks to new conservation plans that the ROC has helped to draw up for the Solomon Islands, Sao Tome and Principe, Kiribati and other allied countries, great numbers of plants have been heading to the center from overseas. Imported plants quickly pass through customs, before being immediately brought to one of the isolation rooms at the center, where they are assessed on a monthly basis by government inspectors to see if they are diseased or infested with pests. Only if they are problem free for a year or two can they leave the isolation room. Ensuring the plants continued survival is the next 93

7 美唇嘉德麗亞蘭 布於南橫梅山口 莫拉克風災後 唯一棲地險遭 蘭科 原產巴西 唇瓣為大筒狀 先端張開有皺襞 形狀像披著蕾絲的喇叭 The crimson cattleya (Cattleya labiate) is an orchid native to Brazil. It features a large cylindrical labellum with a wrinkled edge, resembling a trumpet shrouded in lace. 破壞 特有種茶科植物 武威山烏皮茶 野 外僅存少數個體 此外 蘭嶼特有的 蘭嶼法氏 薑 特有種蘭花 流蘇豆蘭 以及野外僅存 極少數個體的特有種 紅衣指柱蘭 等等 都相 黑峰秋海棠 2013年發表的大陸廣西特有種 僅極少量的個體分布 在單一石灰岩洞中 具有非常特殊的葉表結構 Begonia ferox, which was first described by botanists in 2013, is native to mainland China s Guangxi Province. There are only a small number of these begonias growing in a single limestone cave. The plant features a very unique leaf surface morphology. 當罕見稀有 李家維指出 保種中心第一階段以蘭科 鳳 梨科 芭蕉科 棕櫚科 山茶科 薑科 天南星 科 赫蕉科 竹芋科 蘿藦科 苦苣苔科及蕨類 等12類植物為主要蒐藏對象 後來又陸續增加秋 海棠科 水生植物 多肉植物 芸香科 竹亞科 等類群 其中蘭科 鳳梨科 秋海棠科 蕨類植 物的蒐藏種類已高居全球之冠 秋海棠首當其衝 值得一提的是 保種中心有1,190種秋海棠 包 含684種原種 種類高居全球之冠 在保育瀕 危植物上也居功厥偉 秋海棠是環境遭破壞時 最先遭殃的植 物 陳俊銘說 一般人只注意到秋海棠葉子很 漂亮 可以當作室內植物 例如著名的四季秋海 棠 便常被拿來布置花台 但都忽略了秋海棠的 94 台灣光華 Taiwan Panorama 2015/11

8 challenge. Some plants don t propagate easily. Some are the sole survivor of single fruit. What happens if something goes wrong? Having backup is essential, says Li. Before the end of the year, the center wants to start on its Deep Freeze Plan. It plans on taking some of its plants and submerging them in liquid nitrogen at a temperature of 196 C. This method won t damage plants DNA, RNA, or genetic expression. What s more, because the center s plants from tropical mountain cloud forests can t withstand the heat of summer, the center has been forced to look for more suitable environments to transplant them to. To that end, the center has already launched the Xi tou Global Cloud Plant Forest Conservation Plan. Green thumbs of conservation As the KBCC s CEO, Li leads the center s six collection managers, each of whom specializes in a different area, as well as a staff of 23 technicians and workers, to do all they can to care for the center s botanical denizens. Chen Wei-yen, the mild-mannered collection man- ager of the plant families Zingiberaceae (the ginger family), Melastomataceae (a large family of mostly tropical dicotyledonous flowering plants), Piperaceae (the pepper family) and Urticaceae (the nettle family), isn t bothered by spending three hours in the greenhouses watering manually. I both water the plants and observe them up close, he says. It kills two birds with one stone. The world is estimated to have more than 350,000 plant species. Over the past eight years the center has picked, bought, obtained through exchange or donation, or planted from seed a total of 27,135 subtropical and tropical plants. Among these, 70% are rare wild species and 30% are cultivars horticultural varieties developed by artificial breeding and propagation. Looking at just the 4300 native plant species of Tai- Chen Chun-ming (right), a senior staffer at the KBCC, brings tremendous passion and patience to managing plant cultivation and to mentoring interns. (photo by Chuang Kung-ju) 95

9 郭睿軒負責鳳梨科 食蟲植物與雉科鳥類管理 航太工程專業的他本著對植物的熱情投身保種中心 樂此不疲 莊坤儒攝 Kuo Jui-hsuan manages the KBCC s collections of bromeliads, carnivorous plants and birds of the family Phasianidae. Originally an aerospace engineer, he s always had a great passion for plants and has thrown himself happily into his work at the center. (photo by Chuang Kung-ju) 的構造 效用仍有很多未知與待解之謎 且其為 地球生物多樣性的重要組成份子 李家維說 以產自北越的 山峰秋海棠 為例 其葉面構 造彷彿是喀斯特地形般 立體的山峰與溪流 葉 背的紋路也非常特別 為什麼會長成這樣 有人 說 這可以加速葉面排水功能 但實際作用有待 專家研究 狹隘棲地分佈特性 也許是一座山的某個洞口 台灣的秋海棠也有特殊之處 常見秋海棠多為 或者是小溪流旁一片小地方 一旦棲地遭破壞 根莖型 台灣特有種的岩生秋海棠 卻以匍匐莖 就可能全數滅絕 有些地方在進行開發時 竟 為主體 此特性在秋海棠中非常少見 台灣還有 然將整座山頭鏟平 讓人完全沒有備份植物的餘 一種圓果秋海棠 則廣佈在台灣 中國大陸 馬 地 來半島等地 則是突破秋海棠侷限分佈的少見特 保種中心蒐藏產自大陸廣西的 黑峰秋海 棠 目前只有5棵 陳俊銘說 雖然可以葉插 的方式備份 但生長速度相當緩慢 蒐羅 保存稀有原生種用途何在 許多植物 96 台灣光華 Taiwan Panorama 2015/11 例 我 們的工作是負責把種原留下來 活體養 好 只有如此 才能提供很多人做研究 李家 維說

10 wan, the KBCC has already collected more than 1000 rare or endangered species. Take, for instance, Taiwan s endemic Adiantum meishanianum (a kind of maidenhair fern) and Wuwei camellia (Pyrenaria buisanensis), as well as Vanoverberghia sasakiana, a member of the ginger family that is found only on Orchid Island, and the newly discovered rat-tail orchid species Bulbophyllum fimbriperianthium. All of these are rare plants. Li points out that in its first phase the center focused on 12 groups of plants: Orchidaceae (orchids), Bromeliaceae (bromeliads, which include pineapples), Musaceae (bananas), Arecaceae (palms), Theaceae (the tea family), Zingiberaceae (the ginger family), Araceae (the arum family), Heliconiaceae (heliconias), Marantaceae (arrowroots), Asclepiadoideae (milkweeds), Gesneriaceae (a large family of mostly tropical and subtropical flowering plants) and ferns. It then expanded into Begoniaceae (begonias), water plants, succulents, Rutaceae (citruses) and Bambusoideae (bamboos). Its collections of orchids, bromeliads, begonias and ferns are already the most extensive in the world. Begonias: First affected It s worth noting that the center has 1,190 begonias as of June 2015, including 684 species, the most at any single site in the world. It deserves a lot of credit for conserving endangered species. Begonias are among the first plants to suffer when the environment is damaged, says Chen Chun-ming, the collection manager. A begonia s range may be confined to the mouth of cave or small spot beside a creek. If the habitat suffers damage, the entire population may be wiped out. Begonia ferox, a begonia from mainland China s Guangxi Province collected by the KBCC, currently only has five plants growing in the center. Although they can be propagated from leaf cuttings, they grow very slowly. What s the point in collecting and conserving rare species? In terms of their morphology and possible uses, there s much more to learn about them, and they are an important part of global biodiversity, says Li. Take Begonia montaniformis, from northern Vietnam. The surfaces of its leaves are highly textured, almost resembling a kaarst landscape of tiny mountains and riverbeds. The patterns on the undersides of the leaves are also extremely unusual. Why do they look like they do? Some people conjecture that these features increase the plant s ability to shed water, but in fact their function awaits study by experts. Our work is to ensure that the genetic material is passed down and that the living plants are cared for. Otherwise the plants can t be made available to researchers. Around the world there are more than 1000 botanical gardens. Among them, the largest are Britain s Kew Gardens, with more than 18,000 species, and the Missouri Botanical Garden, with more than 17,500 species. Unlike large botanical gardens, the KBCC isn t open to the general public. Instead, it is the exclusive realm of research scientists. The fanged pitcher plant (Nepenthes bicalcarata), a native of northwest Borneo, is a famous ant plant (myrmecophyte) that enjoys a mutualistic association with a species of ants. Living in the plants hollow tendrils, the ants help by preying on flies that attempt to steal the carnivorous plant s insect quarry. (photo by Chuang Kung-ju) 97

11 負責薑科植物管理的陳威諺 也負責索羅門計畫執行 每年不定期在海外工作 拓展中心新植物蒐藏 Chen Wei-yen manages the collection of plants in the ginger family at KBCC and is responsible for implementing a conservation plan in the Solomon Islands. Every year he goes abroad to collect new plants for the center. 夷帶過來的開英種所改良而來 花市新寵 空氣鳳梨 有 地表最強植物 之稱 郭睿軒指出 其原生地為相對較乾旱的環 境 白天溫度高 很乾燥 但夜間氣溫下降 濕 度變高 所以多數空氣鳳梨像仙人掌一樣 光合 因開發數量倍增的鳳梨 保種中心鳳梨科的蒐藏量也是世界之冠 鳳梨科對環境的容忍度較高 全世界原種有 作用行景天酸代謝模式 並且利用葉片上特化的 鱗片構造吸收空氣中的水分 而來自巴西的松毬龜甲鳳梨在野外已瀕臨絕 滅 保種中心僅有極少量蒐藏 3,200種 保種中心蒐藏了2,516種 包含1,383 食蟲植物則是環境造就的另類 葷食 植物 種原種 尚未收到過半的原因 很大一部 對食蟲植物充滿好奇的郭睿軒指出 全世界大約 份是棲地破壞與其生長地很難到達 長在峭壁 有800種植物靠捕捉昆蟲維生 最為人所熟知的 上 郭睿軒說 今年度鳳梨科新增數量幾乎 是豬籠草與捕蠅草 保種中心蒐藏的四百多種豬 是翻倍成長 因為過去難以到達的地方 現在 籠草中 原生種有80種 目前提供研究單位做相 都可以到了 中心最近收到一些原產自瓜地 關研究 馬拉的鳳梨 就是當地人拉繩索上峭壁採集來 的 園栽植1萬8,000種植物 美國密蘇里植物園栽植1 台灣在西班牙殖民時期 就已經從歐洲引進 鳳梨 現在食用的則是日據時代日本人從夏威 98 台灣光華 放眼全球有上千個植物園 其中英國皇家植物 Taiwan Panorama 2015/11 萬7,500種植物最具規模 與上述植物園不同的是 辜嚴倬雲植物保種

12 中心 不開放一般民眾參觀 只供研究單位進行 相關研究 設立之初 中心就是以保種為唯一目標 我 們只全心全意做好保種工作 李家維表示 全 世界尚有救不完的植物等待拯救 實在沒有餘力 開放參觀 on conservation work. There are endless numbers of plants to rescue around the world, notes Li. The cen- ter lacks the time and energy to put into opening for the public. Ex-situ arks Center staff are actively introducing and protecting 境外方舟 plant species, and are also helping allied and friendly 一方面積極引種 保種 一方面也協助鄰國及 友邦建立種原庫 3年前開始的 索羅門計畫 是踏出去的第一步 李家維指出 索羅門的面積約台灣的三分之 二 但維管束植物種類竟是台灣的兩倍多 植物多樣性十分驚人 索羅門群島植物誌計 畫 原是聯合國支援開發中國家計畫的一部 份 2007年由日本牧野植物園著手進行 但苦 於進度不佳 2011年園長小山鐵夫來台尋求接 手的可能性 幾經研議 保種中心與自然科學 博物館決定承接這個計畫 進而取得外交部 農委會的支持 從3年前開始 國合會支援住宿 交通工具 苗圃 以及一名駐地經理 保種中心一方面開始 大規模地在索羅門引種 台灣一年有十幾位植物 學家到索羅門去採集植物做標本 分別存放在索 國 台灣及日本 一方面幫索國建立植物庫 蓋 溫室 訓練當地的年輕人如何保護物種 2016年初 國合會 自然科學博物館與保種中 心即將聯手在加勒比海的聖文森推動植物保種計 畫 nations to establish seedbanks of their own. Three years ago they took the first step in a plan to help develop such a center for the Solomon Islands. Li points out that the Solomon Islands have only about two-thirds of Taiwan s land area, but the archipelago has more twice as many vascular plants. Its botanical diversity is staggering. Beginning three years ago, Taiwan s International Cooperation and Development Fund began helping to fund housing, vehicles and nurseries, and the cost of stationing a manager there. The KBCC began to actively collect plants there, and it helped to establish a local plant bank, to build greenhouses and to train local youths in botanical conservation. The ICDF, the National Science Museum and the KBCC have also joined hands to devise a plant conservation plan for the Caribbean nation of St. Vincent, which will be launched early next year. Due to rapid development and insufficient lo- cal consciousness and capabilities, plants are under threat, say Li. Consequently, the local governments and Taiwan both want to move together to promote conservation. In comparison with the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, 由於當地的意識與能力都還不足 再加上開 發的速度很快 植物備受威脅 因此在當地 台 with its solemn stance of storing but not using, Taiwan s Dr. Cecilia Koo Botanic Conservation Cen- ter finds itself in an urgent race with time, fervently 灣兩邊都要同步進行保種 李家維說 相對於斯瓦爾巴全球種子庫期望 備而不用 的立場 台灣的保種中心則是急迫地與時間賽 跑 熱切地期待有朝一日這些植物能重返棲息 地 我的終極目標是要復育自然 現階段唯一能 做的就是保種 李家維指出 保種概念代表人 類的一種覺醒 期待全世界有無數的方舟計畫 一起啟動 李家維說 Since it was first established, says Li, the center has had only one goal: We have focused all our energy l awaiting the day when plants can return to their wild habitats. My ultimate goal is to restore nature, says Li Chia-wei. In the current stage we are limited to con- servation efforts! He points out that conservation of plant species represents an awakening of human consciousness: May countless botanical arks be launched throughout the world! l (Chang Chiung-fang/photos courtesy of KBCC/ tr. by Jonathan Barnard) 99

13 辜成允的 保種藍圖 環境保護是企業的責任 不是成本 台 灣水泥董事長辜成允身處台北中山北路台泥大樓 辦公室 卻對南台灣屏東高樹鄉 辜嚴倬雲植物 保種中心 裡的植物如數家珍 保種 對辜成允來說 是自己年少未竟的夢 想 也是父親遺志的延伸 不少人對於台泥以私人企業之力 投入力挽環 境惡化狂瀾的保種工作 感到突兀或好奇 這與父親當年為台泥訂下的環保理念有關 辜成允釋疑 早期大家都認為水泥業是污染工 業 媒體甚至以 污染大戶 名之 老董事長不願發 聲明更正 反求諸己 為台泥訂下 不但要做好 投入保種對辜成允來說 是偶然 也是必然 For Leslie Koo, the establishment of this plant conservation center was an inevitable coincidence. 污染控制 還要成為環保模範生的理念 台泥還進一步踏入環保產業 成為焚化爐業 者 為450萬人口處理生活垃圾 大家可能不 知道 台灣每5人中就有1人的垃圾是台泥處理 的 辜成允說 只是 地球生態依然持續惡化 辜成允思考 著 除了將產業的環保做好 還能再進一步為全 球的生態做些什麼 我們選擇投入兩大主題 一是 碳捕捉 二是 植物保種中心 植物保種藍圖 辜家捐地出資成立 辜嚴倬雲植物保種中 心 其實是因緣巧合 辜成允與清大教授李家維相識二十餘年 原 就是年齡相近的好友 聽聞李家維計畫在台灣進 行植物保種工作 辜成允興趣濃厚 兩人一拍即 合 最重要的是我母親辜嚴倬雲也同意捐地給 保種中心無償使用 至於經費則由台泥及相關企 業負責 100 台灣光華 Taiwan Panorama 2015/11

14 Leslie Koo s Blueprint for Plant Conservation 文 張瓊方 圖 莊坤儒 layout by Wei Chin-hua nvironmental protection is a corporate respon- not a cost! While Taiwan Cement Esibility, Corporation chairman Leslie Koo is based in Tai pei, he is very familiar with the ecology of the Dr. Cecilia Koo Botanic Conservation Center in southern Taiwan. For Koo, ecological conservation is an as yet unfulfilled dream of his youth, as well as being the sincere wish of his late father Koo Chen-fu. Many people wonder why the Taiwan Cement Corporation (TCC) is willing to put such effort into conservation. After all, the company is a private enterprise. It s related to the ideal of environmental protection that was established for TCC by my father. Leslie Koo explains: Most people regard the cement industry as a polluter; the media has even called us a major polluter. But the company s former chairman my father set a goal to make this company a model of environmental protection for Taiwan. Even further, TCC has become involved in environmental protection handling the garbage of 4.5 million people. Many people will not know that the trash of one in five of Taiwan s population is managed by TCC, says Koo. But the ecology of the Earth continues to deteriorate. Koo pondered what else the enterprise could do to improve global ecology. We chose to invest in two major areas: carbon capture and ecological conservation. Blueprint for conservation It was actually a series of coincidences that led to the Koo family providing land and financial backing for the Dr. Cecilia Koo Botanic Conservation Center (KBCC). Koo had heard that a friend of more than two decades, Li Chia-wei, a professor at National Tsing Hua University, was planning to launch a botanic conservation program in Taiwan. As Koo was immediately captivated by the idea, they resolved to work together. Koo pledged to invest in a 20-year program divided into four phases, with a NT$20 million annual investment in the Cochin chickens, with their curly feathers, are a popular ornamental species. The conservation center has been working with the Academia Sinica in a quest to unlock the genetic secret of their curls. The sulcata tortoise, from the southern rim of the Sahara Desert, is the world s third largest tortoise. Due to habitat loss and constant poaching, its numbers have declined sharply.

15 辜成允將保種視為企業的社會責任 承諾20年 在索國搶救植物的過程中 發現很多新的物 的計畫 以5年為一期 第一期每年投入2,000萬 種 保種中心公開讓全世界的專家分析 命名 台幣 目前進入第二期 投入經費有增無減 這種模式過去在植物界實在少見 辜成允驕 求學時原想念丙組 對生物有濃厚興趣的辜成 允 不單單只是出資 掛名董事長的他 對於保 種中心的進度 蒐藏 未來計畫瞭如指掌 李家 維之所以選擇與台泥合作 看中的也是辜成允在 生物方面的知識 熱情不同於一般企業家 傲地說 保種也要永續 保種是一種長期的工作 20年後呢 辜嚴倬 雲保種中心 如何持續經營 目前保種中心的成果遠超過預期 速度非常 辜成允表示 保種中心的未來藍圖早有規劃 快 辜成允將進度超前的原因 歸功於台灣蒐 首先 第一個十年致力於植物蒐藏 提供相關單 藏家的無私 台灣有很多隱形的蒐藏家 他們 位研究 願意將自己世界級的珍藏植物 交給保種中心備 份 真的令人感動 8年來 保種中心不但蒐藏數量超過預期 甚 至還跨出國門協助友邦 但辜成允透露 背後其 實有段令人感傷的故事 目前 秋海棠 蘭科 蕨類 鳳梨科 等蒐 藏量都高居世界之冠 對研究人員而言 能在一 個中心裡飽覽 研究所有該科的植物 這是何等 難得的寶藏 辜成允特別看好新藥開發上的潛力 目前醫 以索羅門群島為例 保種中心之所以可以大 療用藥大約7成為植物萃取製成 現在植物多樣 舉引種 是因為索國決定要將原始森林賣給伐木 性被破壞 對人類的保健 醫療間接造成影響 商 許多長在三 四十公尺高樹頂上的植物 過 保種就更加顯得重要 而高雄醫學院目前正與 去根本沒有機會蒐藏 如今樹倒落地 若不趕緊 保種中心合作 進行植物的萃取研究 蒐藏照顧 就會消失滅絕了 102 台灣光華 Taiwan Panorama 2015/11 不過 辜成允強調 另一項重要的工作是讓這

16 些蒐藏重回野地 這是保種中新成立的初衷 first phase. The program is now in its second stage, with investment increasing gradually since the original funding. 不可或忘 Koo is not just the financier: he is also chairman of the conservation center and deeply involved in overseeing 烏龜與雞入列 此外 從2013年開始 保種中心開始從植物跨 足到動物 從事烏龜與雞的保種工作 烏龜保種起因於兩年多前 中心受林務局之 託 代為照顧食蛇龜 保種中心進而發現 全球 330種烏龜 有一半瀕臨滅絕 堪稱是地球上爬 蟲類中最需要保護的物種 因此 義無反顧地成 為全球第一個烏龜保種中心 至於雞 辜成允指出 現在所有雞的育種目的都 在長肉 生蛋或觀賞 原種雞與地方品系沒有人在 乎 但若有一天禽流感或雞瘟大流行 現有的雞 品系無法抵禦時 或許能從原種雞與地方品系身 上找到抗病的基因 雞的品種不多 蒐藏起來也 planning for the future. For the past seven years, the KBCC has not only ex- ceeded expectations in terms of collections; it has also pro- vided assistance abroad but Koo can reveal a number of distressing tales from that sector. For example, the reason they have a massive collection from the Solomon Islands is because the nation decided to sell its old-growth forests to loggers. Many plants growing on the top of meter trees would have become extinct if the center hadn t collected them. Sustainable management As plant conservation is a long-term endeavor, the KBCC has prepared its blueprint well. In their first decade, they dedicated all efforts towards plant collection and 不困難 因此 決定將雞也列入蒐藏項目中 身處窄促的都會叢林 辜成允的心胸卻無限 遼闊 到了這個年紀 還能做點自己有興趣的 事 是人生一大樂事 他說 這種樂事歡迎大家跟 隨 也不介意抄襲 保種 大家一起來 day-to-day operations, coordinating plant collections and providing resources for relevant research institutions. Currently, their collections of Orchidaceae (the orchid family), ferns, Begoniaceae (the begonia family) and Bromeliaceae (the pineapple family) are rated top in the world. In fact the center has developed into a treasure-house for researchers, a place where experts have access to complete collections. Koo is particularly enthused about the potential for new drugs. About 70% of current medications have come from plants, and as plant diversity declines, it s going to impact indirectly on people s health. So the vital task of plant conservation becomes ever more urgent. Kaohsiung Medical University is currently working with the KBCC on a study to extract potentially valuable compounds from plants. However, Koo stresses that another important task is to get these species back into the wild. This was the original idea of funding the center, so it s something we should never forget. Although he lives in the urban jungle, the range of Koo s mind is vast. It s a great pleasure for me that at this age, I can still do things that I m so interested in. He welcomes people who want to follow in his foot- steps, and doesn t mind at all if people copy his ideas. 保種中心有如一葉方舟 承載人們復育自然的想望 The KBCC is like an ark, sustaining people s hopes for a revitalization of nature. For the conservation of species, we need to welcome everyone to work together! l (Chang Chiung-fang/photos by Chuang Kung-ju/ tr. by Geoff Hegarty and Sophia Chen) 103