今天的重頭戲，是由環境部的阿信大哥擔綱重任，帶領藝術家們騎腳踏車逛逛關渡平原。阿信大哥在關渡自然公園服務已經十三個年頭，平常負責公園的棲地管理和保育工作，什麼時候該割草、該留下哪些植物以供鳥類棲息繁殖、怎樣照顧園區的水牛…這些看似繁瑣的日常工作，可是需要對自然深刻的觀察和長年積累的生態知識，才能游刃有餘呢。阿信大哥帶著大家認識了關渡平原主要的灌溉水道，一路上也見到許多小型的加工廠，平原的外緣充斥著高聳的住宅，部分河段甚至可以看到工業和家庭廢水汙染了河川。至今關渡還保有大片的稻田，綠油油的田園景色令人心曠神怡，沿途還殘存著一些老農舍，很難想像這裡是台北。藝術家們目前還沒有去過台北市區，看隨行的工作人員們感嘆萬分，非常好奇關渡之於台北其他地區，是怎樣地特別。

這幾天藝術家接受了密集的資訊轟炸，關渡的一切對他們來說都是全新的體驗。即使有時候翻譯不見得能夠精準傳達所有訊息，但有些事情卻能夠用心感受到。像阿信大哥這樣專注投入的工作者，對環境的關愛就在他的舉手投足之間流露無遺。阿根廷藝術家Gustavo就說：「希望世界上更多一些像阿信這樣的人。」那真心散發出的光彩，誰都抵擋不住呢。

The highlights today is presented by our staff from the Dept. of Habitat Management—A-Hsin has been working in Guandu Nature Park for 13 years and accumulated much experience in environmental maintenance and habitat creation. His duties, such as cutting grass, distinguishing plants suitable for birds’ nesting, and taking care of buffalos, seems miscellaneous and trivial. However, it takes keen observation as well as deep knowledge about nature to do these tasks. A-Hsin took the artists and our staff to bike around Guandu Plain, to see the waterways and irrigation system of the rice paddies. We came across some little factories along the way, and around the fringe of the rice fields we also found many tall residential buildings, leading to the pollution of rivers by industrial and domestic wastes. The landscape in Guandu is very special due to such big rice fields—a scene that is hardly seen in cities. The artists were curious about how Guandu is different from the other parts of Taipei, so they were eager to explore more about Taipei in the following days.

These past few days the artists have been bombarded with much information since Guandu is a totally a new place for them. Even though it is hard to always communicate precisely through translation, many things can still be felt with hearts. A-Hsin’s love for nature overflows spontaneously in his actions. Gustavo, this year’s artist from Argentina, even said: “I wish there are more people like A-Hsin.” When one is fully devoted to something, he/she turns glorious for sure.