The same as it ever was

By Jules Quartly
STAFF REPORTER
Sunday, Sep 28, 2003, Page 17

PHOTO: JULES QUARTLY, TAIPEI TIMES

Deep the back of Taiwan's Central Mountain Range on the western flank in Taichung County, far from the ocean on either side and among the highest mountains in east Asia, there was little else to see in the early light from Ya Kou (啞口) except carpets of clouds separating around the larger peaks as they rolled toward the horizon.

The same scene plays every morning from the vantage point of Ya Kou in Da Shuer Shan National Forest Recreation Area (大雪山國家森林遊樂區) and has done for around 4 million years. Standing at the top it seemed that one of the few things that you can bet on still happening in a million more years would be a new dawn rolling down the same mountains: Da Shuer Shan, Jade Mountain (玉山), Shao Shuer Shan (小雪山) and Goddess of Mercy Mountain (觀音山), among others. No "threats to the environment," whether it be tourism, climate change, lightning, fire or even an earthquake is likely to bring Taiwan's mountains down any time soon, if past history is something to go by.

A bird caught in the early morning light on Ya Kou.

It would seem that the forested mountains of Taiwan can look after themselves. After all, the huge ridge that bisects Taiwan from north to south comprises 50 percent of the land mass of the island and a total of 75 percent of the country is forested peaks.

As for the Da Shuer Shan region, we can find "divine trees," the country's second highest mountain (3,884m) after which the conservation area is named, and Heavenly Lake (天池), a body of water in a depression thought to have been formed by a meteor impact and which draws its water from the fault on which the area lies. Being so high, the lake receives almost no inflow of water other than from the fault, so it is one of nature's minor miracles and pilgrims from all religions gather to pray and arrange flowers by the lakeside.

The view toward Taichung.

Just will get you into the 4,000-hectare park, which is in Heping Township, 43km from Dongshi. Getting there takes one through pine splendor along the winding roads and well laid out walking trails, many of which start at the Anma Mountain Station (鞍馬山工作站). This is where most tourists stay, in the hotel or wooden lodges. Some people do camp, but the rangers discourage it.

The 1,400-year-old "divine tree."

The recreation area also has an information center where you can ask for a guide or get advice on trekking. If you are blessed by good weather then you can enjoy a walk on the wild side, along the primitive juniper forest trails above 2,000m, in the range of the Formosan black bear. Birdsong is guaranteed to cheer you on your way, as the Da Shuer Shan area is an internationally known bird-watching destination. The air is so clean and relatively thin it gives the impression of washing the lungs. The extra positive and negative ions generated by the forest are said to provide a health tonic. Add a starry night and it all sounds idyllic.

Forest ranger Chad Lin keeps an eye on the park.

But, according to rangers and some forest management officials at Da Shuer Shan, this tranquil-looking location is susceptible to human-inflicted pressures. "The area is good for people, but people are not always good for the area," said Chad Lin (林志銓). As if to prove his case, he pointed to the logging exhibition in the museum, near the mountain station. The Da Shuer Shan conservation district was once one of the country's main lumberyards and still is for some people.

Sunrise breaks over Da Shuer Shan.

It is one of Lin's responsibilities to keep an eye on the Taiwan Hinoki giant cypress trees that the area is famed for. Last year a large grove of ancient cypresses was discovered in the northern district of the recreation area. So-called "mountain rats" -- illegal loggers -- hunt and chop these trees down. It is estimated that there previously were over 150,000 Taiwan Hinoki giant cypress trees between 1,000 and 3,000 years old at the beginning of the century and now they are listed and numbered in the hundreds.

A trail through the park.

Japanese in particular seek old Taiwan Hinoki tree products for use in temples, while American companies process the wood mainly for essential oil products. The distilled oil from the tree is said to have properties which can help with insomnia, pneumonia, legionnaire's disease respiration infections, toothache, stomatitis, bad breath and neuro dermatitis, among other ailments, at least according to Zillion Wills Co based in Lungxing, Pali Township. Though many of the companies involved deny they use illegally chopped trees some must do so because there is a demand being met for old trees that cannot feasibly be supplied for a couple of thousand years.

Heavenly Lake.

As for the government, it began initiatives in the 1990s to protect the environment and keep it as an asset and a magnet for tourism. It stopped the harvesting of Taiwan cypress trees in the recreation area and extended the ban to all forests in 1992.

Trees damaged by forest fire.

The current government is trying to increase the number of foreign tourists to Taiwan by 1 million from the current level of about 2.2 million, which is slightly lower this year due to the SARS outbreak, according to June figures from the Tourism Bureau.

Flowers are left by the side of Heavenly Lake as offerings to a range of Gods.

But to Lin and some of his colleagues at the forestry bureau, tourists are also seen as a potential threat to the environment. They litter, get lost or trapped, light fires and go where they shouldn't. The bureau's aim now, they said, is education.

"Taiwan is working to boost tourism and promote the concept of environmental protection among the public. The government aims to have the nation become recognized for its dedication to environmental protection," said Lin Che-mao (林哲茂), Vice Director of the Forestry Bureau Dongshi Department.

Tourism Da Shuer Shan was also affected by the 921 earthquake in 1999. Before the quake, the number of tourists was increasing at an average rate of 10 percent a year, peaking in 1998 at 206,931 visitors. Last year only 83,323 people visited.

Tourism expected to increase to pre-quake levels in the next five years and exceed those numbers with the addition of new attractions, such as the stargazing and exhibition hall to be opened in 2005; and a link with the national trail network that will stretch from Ilan County through the central mountain range to Alishan and then to Pingtung County.

Talk a 500 percent rise in visitor figures was mentioned. The sentiment of some of the officers was that even with about 400,000 visitors, if tourism was controlled as it is now then there would be no adverse impact, large-scale loss of habitat or appreciable degradation of the environment.

"The Dongshi Department prioritizes forestry protection. Boosting tourism is not the most important mission. We try to emulate the operation modes of forestry agencies in the US and Switzerland," forest bureau chief Lin said.

He said Da Shuer Shan was one of the top local tourists spots, after Sun Moon Lake, Alishan and Kenting. But there was no talk of multiplex hotels and spoiling the environment. On the contrary, he said patience was the key word as far as encouraging visitors and making changes to the park. He added the government had been providing sufficient funds to maintain the area and help boost tourist levels

Environmental such as the ones benefiting Da Shuer Shan have been around for a relatively short period and it is clear the area is being treasured as a national asset. And it will bring in tourist dollars, as long as the view stays the same.