With mudslides being blamed as the main cause of damage resulting from Typhoon Toraji last week, Director-general Y. Star Huang (黃裕星) of the Taiwan Forestry Bureau under the Council of Agriculture yesterday praised a practice known as the natural-maintenance method (自然工法) as a thorough means of mudslide prevention.
Scientists believe that the 921 earthquake in 1999 left the Nantou area prone to mudslides and soil instability.
The natural-maintenance approach has been implemented in the area.
After the completion of the first stage of its implementation -- from February to May of this year -- the method was found to have been very effective
Two photographs taken before and after Typhoon Toraji in Nantou were displayed at the press conference to illustrate the positive impact the program can have when it comes to preventing mudslides.
According to Shih Jiang-shu(施彰樹), the leader of the control team (集水區治理組長), the second stage is scheduled for June to December of this year.
The Forestry Bureau Council plans to apply the method to the whole country.
The rationale behind the natural-maintenance method is simple: Instead of cement, sandbags and natural materials such as bamboo, stone, wood and grass are used to construct channels for water flow and to section the downstream water.
Shih said that although the method may not be the most effective approach to soil conservation, it has the benefit of causing the least disturbance to the environment.
Shih said the bureau is satisfied with the natural-maintenance method's results.
The method also requires trained workers to fill fissures along areas that collapsed during the 921 earthquake.
People affected by the disaster were given priority for implementing the project.
But, Huang said, "The job is dangerous. Some workers had their legs broken while carrying out their work."
Workers risk falling into caves or being struck by falling rocks. Accident insurance is provided by the Forestry Bureau.
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