Ma called Ilan Mother Nature’s classroom and that Taipei residents learned a lot about the environment through the exposition.

“The Green Expo has attracted tens of thousands of visits from the greater Taipei area as a living classroom of Mother Nature,” Ma said at a press conference yesterday. “It gives the people of Taipei a chance for rest and relaxation and the proper concepts regarding the care of plants and wildlife.”

Lu announced that primary and middle school students in Taipei would be given a preferential price for entrance tickets compared to local Ilan students.

The Ilan Green Expo, which runs from March 18 to May 14 this year, is an annual fair that celebrates the natural environment of Ilan County.

For the spring, Ilan County goes to work at Wulaokeng Scenic Area to prepare for the event which has become a favorite for family entertainment and this year organizers have worked to bring a variety of interesting and curious items into one space.

With an emphasis on fun for kids as well as education, exhibitions include a Beetle Pavilion, Spider Pavilion, Water Plants Pavilion and Brazil Pavilion. In addition, a 3D Forest Theater will show educational performances such as “A Forest Adventure,” “Undersea Mission,” and “Buddy in Body” which will serve to teach children about ecology as well as the inner workings of people.

For both children and adults alike, gardens featuring local agriculture will be open and a number of local and international music performances will be held regularly during the two months of the fair. The agricultural exhibits include the “Gold Tunnel,” a path lined with various produce such as melons and red pearl tomatoes, and the wood crafts workshop. Folk musicians and ecological-minded performers from as far away as South Africa, Russia and Korea will provide the music.

At the press conference yesterday, Ma also took the opportunity to call for the Chiang Wei-shui Memorial Freeway to be opened to passenger cars, saying that the convenience would benefit the entire region.

“Northern Ilan County and Taipei County are inseparable with people constantly going back and forth,” Ma said. “We hope that before long that the Taipei-Ilan expressway will be completely open to traffic, making it an economic lifeline between the two areas, bringing us even closer and more intimate.”

Following Ma and Lu’s announcements, the mayor and county commissioner watched a skit about the environment put on by school children and mascots of the fair.

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