Our Shenkeng District climate custodians, Wen-Yi (Jessica) Liu and Alex Yaning Yen, recently completed their locally led climate risk assessment and adaptation planning workshop—a three-day convening of diverse stakeholders that marked the culmination of months of collaboration. From Taiwan’s innovative National Center for Disaster Reduction to dedicated local community members, they worked together to downscale climate data and explore its impacts on heritage. Their efforts are laying the groundwork to safeguard Shenkeng, and all that it represents, for generations to come.

‍Experiencing Shenkeng’s heritage

Over the past week, the community generously hosted the Preserving Legacies team and several of our first-year custodians to witness this work firsthand and immerse themselves in Shenkeng’s heritage. It was an opportunity not only to learn but also to understand the place itself: a landscape and a way of life shaped by centuries of tradition.

Shenkeng is truly an experience of the senses. Lush green hillsides cradle rows of tea trees, whose harvest fuels not only the local economy but the memories, conversations, and traditions of the people who call this land home. In the historic “old street” center, the scent of sizzling street food mingles with incense drifting from temple doors. And you can’t help but marvel at the attention to detail—from intricate temple rituals to the water drainage covers etched with scenes of the past, everything is done with intention and care. 

That same intentionality is woven into how the community approaches its future. As our Director of Communications reflected, “The intentionality that you see in the streets and fields carries through into their work with Preserving Legacies. The community has clearly taken the climate change learning facilitated by Jessica and Alex in the pre-workshop sessions to heart, integrating that knowledge into daily life and collective action. I am in awe, and deeply grateful for their passionate stewardship of heritage, their commitment to understanding climate change, and their sincere dedication to adapting to its impacts.”

‍The importance of locally led adaptation

Spending time with the community also revealed a deeper story beneath the surface, one that may have been missed without a locally led and values-driven approach. We learned that while Shenkeng may be synonymous with “stinky tofu”, their heritage is steeped in tea. The Jigme River that runs through the District once provided a direct connection to the ports of Taipei. It used to be the main line of transportation for tea, but as the country industrialized and railroads became the preferred mode of transportation, Shenkeng’s tea industry got left behind. But now, through local organizations like the Farmers Association, passionate community leaders like Mr. Chien, and young award-winning producers, Shenkeng is rallying together to revitalize its tea traditions.

Another example of the importance of this approach can be seen in the historic old town. While most are distracted by the colorful chaos of its storefronts and vendors, it is the few unassuming, century-old trees that the community is intent on preserving. Considered sacred keepers of their collective memories, these trees might have been overlooked without the community’s leadership in defining their values.

‍Building on a strong foundation

The community has already laid a strong foundation for preserving Shenkeng’s heritage through a variety of initiatives led by passionate locals. These include co-ops that support local agriculture, tour guide training programs to elevate values that matter most to the community, school field trips that connect youth to their heritage, disaster response teams, and more. By integrating climate change education, data analysis, and adaptation strategies into these existing efforts, the community can strengthen resilience while building on what is already working.

“I haven’t seen a community that’s been this strong for so long,” shared Tina Paterno, our Project Manager when congratulating the community on their risk assessment and adaptation planning workshop. “I’m impressed with the level of engagement and momentum that you’ve sustained since you started this process with us many months ago. Many people come to a workshop and leave, but you have been crafting a vision collectively for quite a long time. It is an incredible recipe for success.”

A model for the future

Shenkeng’s story is a testament to the power of locally led action. From elders to school children, everyone is working together to strengthen resilience and share their heritage with others across the region and the world. By combining local knowledge with climate science, they are taking meaningful steps to prepare for a future with more extreme weather events. But perhaps their greatest strength is their collective mindset—their generosity, joy, pride, and shared sense of purpose are infectious. It fosters a hopeful, proactive attitude that further strengthens their resilience and inspires others to do the same. Our heartfelt congratulations go to the Shenkeng community for their tireless work and enthusiasm, and to our custodians, Alex and Jessica, for helping nurture this engagement.

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