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Volunteers give up their weekend to help clean up Alishan scenic area

A group of 54 people from around the nation embarked on a two-day volunteer holiday last weekend in Alishan (阿里山), Chiayi County, to help clean up hiking trails and restore mountainside areas damaged by Typhoon Morakot in early August.

The volunteer weekend was the first of its kind organized by the Tourism Bureau of Chiayi County, Alishan National Scenic Area Administration and the Chiayi Forest District Office.

Volunteers had the opportunity to tour scenic spots and work on special projects, organizers said.

The volunteers paid the costs of their Alishan tour, which began at the Fencihu Station (奮起湖), part of the Alishan Forest Railway, which was closed after large portions of the track were damaged by massive flooding and landslides during the typhoon.

The volunteers were then divided into three teams, with the first one going to Shihjhuo (石卓), a major tea-growing area, to help clean up the tea gardens and popular hiking trails.

The second team went to Guanghua Village (光華) to assist in restoring the habitat of local flora and fauna, including white-faced flying squirrels, fireflies and fluorescent mushrooms.

The third team was assigned to clean up an antique locomotive parked in Fencihu.

“It was a very meaningful experience,” said one couple, surnamed Wang. “Fencihu was where we spent our honeymoon. Now we are here to clean the locomotive, which brings back so many memories.”

The organizers have recruited two more volunteer groups to help with the clean-up efforts ahead of the planned reopening of the national park at the end of this month. The next group will begin work on Saturday.
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