Gangnan used to be one of the key salt mills in the Qing Dynasty. At that time the salt fields were located at Chinshui, Hutze Mountain and Yuchekang. In the mid-1920s, the beach area was gradually silted up into land, the salt industry, in turn, gradually passed into oblivion. Today, the Gangnan area is the paradise of nature for birds.

Gangnan Canal flows from Gangnan to Jincheng, 20 meters wide and 1,500 meters long. In days of old, Gangnan Seaside Area played the role as a buffer between the sea and the land, providing tranquil inland vista along the 17km length. The arched bridge matched with pavilions is a popular background when visitors take photo pictures.

The inland reclaimed tidal land has turned out to become a multifaceted environment with evolution for three decades. It is now the favorable zone where the aquatic birds take a break or simply reside. Very naturally, it is the core area in the eyes of bird viewers. Paddy rice dominates the local crops, with twice harvests every year. Green onion dominates in the winter. Amidst the crisscross paths on the farmland, the paddy rice is swinging while the frogs are occasionally seen. At the area immediately neighboring the coast, you must be impressed by the tranquil pastoral vista which divides the canal and the outer seas into strikingly different scenes for the leisurely life. The beefwood and hibiscus trees and such windbreak forests flourishing alongside the canal and ditches present the enriched ecology.

The pavilion, the wooden planked footpath and the continual landscaping improvement in the wake of the river course dredging formulate the development orientation toward international vision. The Hsinchu City Government earnestly intends to encourage universities and social bodies to conduct studies over the wetland ecology in the vicinity, the sandy bank preservation and, in particular, the characteristic canal. All are welcomed to join the Dragon-Boat Races and boating competitions with those facilities.