Dongshih Forestry Culture Park

Formerly the Taiwan Daxueshan Forestry Corporation founded to make use of Daxueshan’s forest resources, the Dongshih Forestry Culture Park possessed the biggest 1960s-era lumber factory in East Asia. The first Taiwanese site to introduce American-style logging operations and factory processes from start to finish, it served as a paradigmatic example of the Taiwanese forestry industry. The company mainly sold wood to piano and furniture makers and wood shops in Fengyuan, Houli and Dongshih, and hence also provided impetus for the prosperity of Taichung’s mountain towns.
 
Daxueshan Forest Area, full of primary forests, was first built in 1956 in the aftermath of Taiwan’s Retrocession in 1945 by the nationalist government. Then, in 1960, the Taiwan Daxueshan Forestry Corporation was further established to collaborate with the US government who provided funds and assistance. The US government recommended an American machinery and tooling system, and advised use of trucks rather than forest railways to freight lumber, to increase the forest area’s efficiency and output. The total area of the lumber processing compound is around 28 hectares, with a staff count of 275 at peak. Again, at that time, Daxueshan Forest Area was the most advanced and largest lumber processing site in East Asia. Yet in 1973 it became clear that the machinery and tooling system were not best suited to Taiwanese logs, and the significant wastage of forest trees led to the ceasing of operations. In the following year, the site was reincorporated into the Forestry Bureau’s Daxueshan Forest District Demonstration Office. In 1988 the landlord of the factory site asked for the site to be returned. To preserve the history and the ecology of this precious forest industry,the Forestry Bureau undertook a plan to turn the site into a forestry museum so that the entire population could enjoy it together.
 
The factory site retains many historical vestiges of the wood industry, such as lumber works, general offices, and wooden dormitories, unlike other industry sites that lack such resources. In 2004, a plan was unveiled to create the Dongshih Forestry Culture Park. Yet misfortune struck on the 13th of May, 2006 as fire destroyed more than half of Daxueshan’s expansive lumber works and inflicted serious damage on the site. After a review of options by the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency, related organizations, and local public figures, important lumber works facilities such as the surviving wood barns, boiler rooms, fuel storehouses and large-scale machinery and tooling became targets for reconstruction under a plan to protect the ruins and bring them back in for original use. To bring about a rebirth of the forestry industry, it was necessary to not only perpetuate the past, but also to transform it into a new kind of creative industry. On the 24th of December 2014, in accordance with the Act for Promotion of Private Participation in Infrastructure Projects, the Executive Yuan ratified the development of a plan for the local area to attract private investment through a BOT (built-operate transfer) investment model.

The park’s tourist facilities are divided into several areas. The old log storage pool has been adapted into a scenic site decorated with drift wood, “floating islets” and lotus after the closing of the Taiwan Daxueshan Forestry Corporation. A trail surrounding the pool has also been created along with a scenic platform, which has become a well-known lotus watching spot in Taichung. The focal points of the wood carving exhibition are entries of the Sanyi International Wood Carving Festival created by artists from all over the world. Smaller wood carving pieces are presented in the indoor exhibition hall, with larger pieces installed in the forest along the round-the-pool trail. As tourists meander unhurriedly, they may enjoy the cool forest breeze and appreciate artistic beauty at the same time.
 
The forest industry exhibition area gives a snapshot of an integrated lumber production system, featuring the original lumber works, a wood storage pool, slicing machines, a fuel storehouse, a boiler room, log ladders, and an auto-repair yard. In 2004, the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency began to oversee the refurbishments and engineering projects at the Dongshih Branchs. After the fire of 2006, the remains of some buildings have been preserved and will later be restored and used for displays. They are not yet open to visitors, but from exterior appearance alone, it is possible to get a feel for the grandeur and scale of the works area in the golden days.

On the 26th of February 2015, the Council of Agriculture authorized the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency to make use of a BOT (build-operate-transfer) model to raise funds for the creation of Dongshih Forestry Culture Park. In light of details listed within Article 46 of the Act for Promotion of Private Participation in Infrastructure Projects, in order for this plan to be announced, it is first necessary to consult with citizens, then to ensure thorough audit and investigation, and then to take on board any suggestion before signing a contract. It is hoped that collaborations between citizens and the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency can bring to fruition the goals of implementing a policy that creates a valuable hybrid forestry culture park. This park shall take forestry culture as its foundation, help to bring back to life the distinctive style of the Daxueshan forest industry and wood industry, and develop wood-related creative industries. Through the integration of culture, industry, and local characteristics, the local economy can be driven towards prosperity.