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MAGAZINE, June 1999. VOL. 6 ISSUE
6
Hsitou Forest
By Nick Cupaiuolo
Just two hours south of Taichung's sprawling metropolis lies a
beautiful forest area known as Hsitou. Well-known among the locals
but often snubbed by the ex-pats, it actually makes for a pleasant
excursion. It also offers a glimpse into Taiwan's efforts in environmental
conservation.
Provided you can make it on a weekday, you'll enjoy peaceful strolls
along quiet mountain trails. Avoid weekends; Sundays in particular,
become rather re nau, hardly the best environment to appreciate
nature.
Hsitou actually comprises only a small part of a larger entity:
the National Taiwan University Experimental Forest. The Experimental
Forest was established ninety-seven years ago, when Taiwan was still
under Japanese occupation. Its major objectives are research, teaching,
conservation and recreation.
Hsitou was established as a recreation area in 1970 and since then,
the number of annual visitors has averaged about one million.
There are currently over 150 projects in progress, including several
long-experiments. The area is divided into six tracts, each with
its own classrooms and student dormitories. The forest provides
a natural, open-air laboratory for forestry students to conduct
field practice.
Originally, the Experimental Forest was funded through the sale
of timber products. Subsequently, focus shifted from timber production
to forest protection, and funding went through an evolution as well.
As logging decreased and tourism increased, revenue became increasingly
generated by visitors.
In recent years, as the Experimental Forest grew in importance as
a teaching and research center, it was decided that economic self-sufficiency
was not a practical goal and in 1993, the area's operating expenses
became included in the government budget. This was good news for
forest management officials who no longer had to deal with financial
shortages and could tend to the business of running a forest.
Forest operations involve a surprising amount of work. The first
step toward a healthy and growing forest is regeneration. To this
effect, 700,000 seedlings are raised each year in the forest nurseries.
Due to the cessation of logging in recent years, there has been
a corresponding reduction in reforestation; now the majority of
replacement planting is in cases of damage from human destruction
and natural causes.
To address the problem of human destruction, management officials
attend village meetings to discourage the illegal cultivation of
forest property. To back up their words, they can legally reclaim
and reforest improperly appropriated land. The main criminal element
from the natural world are squirrels. Squirrel damage has long been
a problem in the experimental forests. When an area comes under
particular attack, measures are then taken, normally in the form
of poisoned bait. Recently, planting squirrel-resistant hardwood
trees and growing squirrel food plants has proven to be an effective
alternative method.
Geographically, the Experimental Forest encompasses an area 37 kilometers
long and 6 to 14 kilometers wide and stretches roughly from Sun
Moon Lake to Jade Mountain, Taiwan's highest peak. It ranges in
altitude from 220 to 3,952 meters above sea level, due to the inclusion
of Jade Mountain within its boundaries. Due to its topographical
range, it represents the four climatic zones in Taiwan: tropical,
sub-tropical, temperate and frigid, making it a particularly convenient
site for conducting research and field practice.
Hsitou is very green for a good reason: it rains a lot. On the average,
nearly a meter of rain per year falls on Hsitou's forests, making
an umbrella a useful accessory to bring along.
Within the Experimental Forest, there are a large variety of mammals
you would not expect to see in Taiwan such as the Formosan black
bear, Formosan wild boar and leopard cat. Don't expect to see them
at Hsitou, however; they are residing in the more remote regions
of the area.
Hsitou is known for its forests, over 30 percent of which are man-made.
There are over 40 species of trees represented, with the first grove
having been established in 1908. The more common varieties of trees
include conifers, bamboo, ginkgo and numerous hardwood species.
There are also many introduced species such as eucalyptus and acacia.
Hsitou has a few interesting sites to investigate such as its longest-residing
inhabitant, a red cypress estimated at 2,800 years old. The bamboo
plantation, with over 50 different species, is also worth a visit
as is the picturesque, terraced seedling nursery. Another Hsitou
landmark is the arched bamboo bridge at the University Pond. But
the most rewarding activity to be had is simply absorbing the beauty
and serenity, two things which are not always easy to find in Taichung.
For residents of central Taiwan, Hsitou makes an easy day-trip.
For those who want to make a longer getaway, there is plenty of
accommodation during the week.
The most inexpensive option will run about NT1,000 for a comfortable
double. Restaurants are notoriously expensive here, so if you are
on a budget, bring your own snacks.
There are direct buses to Hsitou from Taichung and Chiayi; from
other locations, you can get to Hsitou via Chushan, the town at
the base of the mountain. Tickets are about NT$100 one way for the
2 hour bus ride from Taichung.
A WORD OF WARNING: This area has been
badly damaged by typhoons and so we recommend you find out how safe
it is to travel there before you go.
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