Taomi residents thus found out that they possess a unique nature treasure and decided to take advantage of this fact.
But people did not have jobs after the earthquake so it was a good time to engage them and teach them about Taomi's natural environment.
The New Homeland foundation created a work program under a government contract: residents could earn 600 NT$ helping to clean up the village, but they had to attend classes about the local environment every weekend.
After a few months of study, 30 Taomi residents earned certificates and became a tour guides for tourists.
The community also found work for older residents, whose age range from 40 to 80 made it difficult for them to learn a new profession.
Since around 20 ecological B&Bs were opened in Taomi, tourists have the opportunity to slow down their pace of life and commune with Mother Nature.
Therefore, the Taomi community[2] managed not only to rebuild their village after a devastating earthquake, but also to create one of the most successful ecological tourist attractions in Taiwan and the world.
In 2010 the number of tourists who came to Taomi to visit the wetlands and observe frogs, dragonflies and fireflies reached 400,000 people.