On the Jiaming Lake National Trail at an altitude of 3,000 meters, there’s a group of people implementing the concept of “using local materials” to restore the trail by hand through hard work and sweat instead of relying on heavy machinery. The Taitung Branch of the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency (FANCA Taitung), held the preview of the “10th Anniversary Special Exhibition of Jiaming Lake Eco-craft Trail” at the Sunshine Hall of Da’an Forest Park Station of the Taipei Metro today (12/01). The public was invited to experience this meaningful decade-long conservation campaign up close. As an iconic national trail in Taiwan, the Jiaming Lake Trail faces pressure from climate change and the increasing number of hikers. This has resulted in traditional engineering methods becoming no longer sufficient to meet the needs of the high-altitude environment. Since 2016, FANCA Taitung has implemented an eco-craft trail construction method that relies primarily on manual labor, adapts to the terrain, and uses locally sourced materials. This approach not only protects the ecosystem but also incorporates total amount control and research monitoring. Director General Lin Hwa-Ching of the FANCA, said that the Jiaming Lake Eco-craft Trail project was implemented through public-private partnership, involving the participation of construction crews, research teams, and volunteers. It has transformed environmental conservation from an abstract concept into concrete and sustainable action. The “One Person, One Kilogram” campaign initiated by hikers has transformed climbers from “travelers” into “mountain guardians,” with everyone working together to safeguard the mountains and becoming an important model of public governance. The preview exhibition held in Taipei conveys the core spirit of the Jiaming Lake Eco-craft Trail through video footage, illustrations, as well as on-site displays of tools and installation art related to the trail construction. It offers the public insight into the expertise and dedication behind the management of high-altitude mountain trails. The main exhibition, fully showcasing the decade-long action plan and research results, will officially open in Taitung on January 21. By reducing disturbance to surrounding habitats and maintaining ecosystem continuity, this project establishes high-altitude environments as vital linkages supporting biodiversity and the National Green Network. FANCA Taitung Director Wu Chang-You expressed his deep gratitude to the partners who have worked alongside FANCA Taitung over the past ten years. These include the Taiwan Thousand Miles Trail Association (TMI Trail) for providing technical expertise, Professor Wang Chih-Chiang from National Pingtung University of Science and Technology (NPUST) for assisting in long-term monitoring and research, as well as the Miasan Outdoor Center and local tribal communities for overseeing on-site operations and high-altitude mountain collaboration. FANCA Taitung stated that it will continue to use the Jiaming Lake National Trail as an important venue for high-altitude mountain education. The focus will be on deepening local empowerment, while connecting research units, local constructions crews, and volunteer networks to cultivate local eco-craft trail practitioners, thus jointly forging a sustainable path for Taiwan’s high-altitude environment.
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