Appeal for canal walkways
Another of Taipei's treasured nature areas is vanishing due to haphazard reconstruction. The old canals in Yangmingshan's Pingdengli have a 167-year history and were once vital sources of irrigation and drinking water. Today, they still provide important habitat for aquatic life and wildlife and nurture a diverse ecosystem and bountiful agriculture.
Most old canals in Taiwan are either filled in or badly polluted. However, Pingdengli has managed to protect its canals and maintain their ancient and natural appearance. They still carry crystal-clear, cool water through lush forests. As much of Taipei's mountain areas succumb to urbanization, it is quite extraordinary that Pingdengli is still endowed with such pristine natural resources.
The area is home to a host of unique plants and animals such as wild peonies, eagles, the Formosan magpie, the pangolin and fireflies. One of the protected species in the area is the brown tree frog. Many city residents come to Pingdengli to enjoy the outdoors and find that the canal pathways are most ideal for observing nature. The forests and mountain views along these canals provide people with a place to reconnect with nature and their historic roots, and most visitors leave in awe of such a pristine area so close to downtown Taipei.
Unfortunately, it is difficult for this part of rustic Taipei to avoid so-called modernization. In November this year, the Taipei City Department of Development began tearing up the pathways along Pingdengli's canals without the slightest warning to area residents. Apparently, Pingdengli's village chief, Zou Zhihe (鄒枝和), has taken it upon himself in his last months in office, to spend the remaining budget on one last reconstruction project.
Right now, the pathways' local Yangmingshan stones are being haphazardly dug out and tossed aside to be replaced by imported granite. Many residents are questioning why anyone would go through the trouble to replace such beautiful local stone with foreign, sharp, white granite square blocks of uniform dimensions.
When residents voice their opposition to the Taipei City Government, the Department of Development replies that the new pathway construction is part of plans to promote ecotourism, and as the old stones have grown moss upon their surface, the administration fears that the tourists may slip and fall. Therefore, the bureau says, it is necessary to replace all the stones.
To this, I would like to share the following thoughts.
Ecotourism is based on the premise that visitors enter local ecosystems with the lightest impact possible, so that they can deeply experience and get to know local cultures and natural ecosystems as they are. Therefore, it is quite strange that the administration finds it essential to replace unique local natural resources with imported out-of-place materials and carry out inappropriate construction in this natural area. The construction is already having a noticeable impact on the local ecology through careless actions such as spilling cement down forested hillsides, cutting trees and slicing a gaping path straight down the mountain to bring in the new stone.
I enjoy the outdoors and have come to Pingdengli close to a hundred times in the past several years, and am familiar with the canal pathways. Although the paths are not in perfect condition, there is little wrong with them. Why then is it necessary to replace the whole pathway? Is there no other way to deal with rocks that have grown a little moss? Does it follow that all pathways in Taiwan must be replaced when moss invades? Moreover, as there are now restrictions against mining stone in Yangmingshan, shouldn't we treasure the stones that we already have? As there are only a few portions of the pathway that require maintenance, it is an utter waste of resources to replace the whole path. This glaringly shows that the administration lacks thorough consideration and the power to overcome difficulties of the maintenance of these pathways.
Owing to the uniqueness of Pingdengli's canals, as there are different authorities in charge of the area (Yangmingshan National Park, Taipei City Bureau of Reconstruction, Pingdengli Village and Chihsing Irrigation Association), shouldn't they all be informed about development plans here? Shouldn't these groups meet to discuss and brainstorm ways to best preserve the rustic quality of the canals when setting out to maintain its pathways?
Some people may feel that there is little reason to be concerned with such a small reconstruction project, and may even feel that granite actually is appropriate for this pathway. Even though these aren't the only nature paths in Taipei, they tell a story of the earlier inhabitants that came to live in the mountains around the Taipei Basin.
When earlier generations search for the Taipei of old and try to picture how our ancestors lived, the paths along Pingdengli's canals are a must-see. As citizens of Taipei, how can we allow such thoughtless policy and construction ruin this precious vein that connects us to our past? At this moment, workers are hauling granite blocks to the pathways and preparing to rip out the remaining rustic stairways. We hope that the Department of Development immediately halts construction and preserves the parts that have not already been demolished. We demand that preservation methods take in mind the original appearance of this area, so that younger generations will have a chance to recall the memories of historic Taipei. And finally, we also appeal to other citizens to voice their opinions to the Department of Development (2725-6630) and the Pingdengli chief (2861-2889).
Meng Lei
Yangmingshan, Taipei
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