Yilan Community
An overview of the NGO's and associations
commited to ocean conservation in Yilan County
海邊的接力賽 Race For the beach
Wendy, aka Crazy Mom (瘋媽), is the founder of Race For the Beach, a coastal cleanup organization which is very active in Yilan county . They have recently reached a hundred beach cleanups, and are still going on.
Following the coastline of Yilan and patrolling it together with local residents, Race for the Beach is an initiative founded in January 2022. Stretching from Shicheng to Hanben, the campaign has so far removed nearly 20 tons of marine debris.
The mission of this campaign is “to give children a safe beach where they can walk barefoot.” By launching beach cleanups, the initiative aims to draw attention to the current state of the marine environment and raise awareness about related issues. More and more ocean advocates are joining the effort in various ways, helping the campaign reach more schools and classrooms to speak up for the ocean and promote advocacy through action.
The color orange represents the golden kumquat, a specialty of the Lanyang Plain. It symbolizes the gift of nature made possible by the region’s beautiful mountains and waters. We are committed to ensuring that this lovely shade of orange—and what it represents—can be sustained for the future.
海波浪 Seabelongings
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Seabelongings is a youth-led initiative based in Toucheng, Yilan, committed to advancing ocean sustainability.
Through their innovative project, “Sea Village Dining Table,” they creatively repurpose low-value fish species into delicious dishes, promoting a culture of food appreciation and waste reduction.
By pairing these efforts with community dining events, they foster greater awareness of marine conservation and the value of sustainable seafood.
Seabelongings also champions marine debris education and plastic reduction campaigns, helping the public better understand ocean pollution and encouraging environmentally responsible behavior.
With every action, they strive to build a future where people live in harmony with the sea.
Wild Ocean Rangers, Northern Yilan Chapter
The Toucheng area is renowned for its excellent surfing spots, including Waiao Beach and Wushi Beach. Over the years, many surfing and ocean enthusiasts have chosen to settle there, forming a close-knit community where care for the ocean is deeply rooted in daily life.
Wild Ocean established its first ranger crew at Waiao Beach, thanks to the support of Garrett and Jean, owners of Drifters Pizza Pub, along with a dedicated group of local surfers who share a genuine concern for the health of Taiwan’s marine environment.
Wild Ocean has also recently begun a collaboration with the Malang aboriginal Cultural Association, offering us the valuable opportunity to build meaningful connections with the local community of Wushi Harbor. Through this partnership, we are able to work alongside people whose families have lived in the area for generations and who maintain a deep bond with the maritime environment and cultural traditions of the region.
We have organized two events in the Toucheng area in 2024 and 2025, featuring beach cleanups, sustainable markets, live concerts, and educational lectures.
These events were made possible thanks to the tremendous support of the local communities—especially the international surfing community and the Malang Aboriginal Cultural Association.
We are now initiating a collaboration with Dr. Tina Lin from the Institute of Oceanography at National Taiwan University to conduct water quality analysis along the Toucheng coastline. T
his effort will be supported by our local Wild Ocean rangers, who will carry out weekly water monitoring throughout the year as part of our project titled “The Chemical Impact.”
The goal of this project is to better understand the state of chemical pollution in Taiwan’s coastal waters and to explore practical solutions to address it.
Wild Ocean Rangers, Southern Yilan Chapter
This is where it all began — the Southern Yilan Chapter of Wild Ocean is based in the Dongshan–Nanfang’ao area and extends south from Dong’ao to Nan’ao.
We began diving in these waters six years ago, and over time, we started to observe noticeable changes in the marine ecosystems — signs of degradation, shifts in biodiversity, and an alarming number of drifting, abandoned fishing nets, also known as “ghost nets.”
After spending significant time collecting ghost nets and other marine debris, we also observed coral reef degradation and damage caused by uncontrolled mass tourism.
We are now developing a collaboration with the local community, particularly with local diving and water sports groups. In addition, we have participated in an underwater cleanup program organized by the local government, strengthening our shared commitment to protecting the marine environment.
n the future, we are committed to protecting the coastal area and raising public awareness about the importance of preserving the marine environment in the Southern Yilan region.
