Publication Date：09/05/2012 •Source： Taiwan Today •By Grace Kuo
A forest trail on the periphery of Jiujiu Peak Nature Reserve in central Taiwan’s Nantou County will open to the public Sept. 9, according to the Forestry Bureau under the Council of Agriculture.
“The peaks are a renowned landmark in Caotun Township,” the Nantou Forest District Office said. “Usually, people have to apply for a permit to visit the reserve since we want to protect the ecology in the park, which houses shrubs and grasslands that help prevent erosion, as well as wildlife such as the Formosan serow, Taiwan blue magpie and Taiwan blue pheasant. But on the new trail, they can get a step closer and enjoy the scenery of the park.
“The path, roughly 2.5 kilometers long with its highest elevation at 485 meters, provides visitors an expansive view over Caotun and Wufeng townships, as well as the Wu River,” the office said, adding that the opening of the trail is expected to boost local tourism.
The reserve is a volcanic region of jagged-tooth mountains formed by seismic activity and weathering. Restoration has been under way after the major earthquake that rattled Taiwan Sept. 21, 1999, caused a large area within the park to collapse.
