National Parks of Taiwan

Taroko National Park was founded in 1986 to protect local natural resources with a park combining nature conservation and education. On the park’s 30th anniversary, when looking back at its development and history, we can see the treasure and importance of natural resources.

A long recovery from damage to restoration

Mining is a massive destructive human behavior to nature because people need to remove surface soil and vegetation to dig out what they need under the ground. Before Taroko National Park was founded in 1986, there were 33 mining sites in the park because there are a lot of marbles and dolomites in Taroko. After long-time mining, local soil and water conservation was severely damaged. In addition, the quantity of local wildlife reduced rapidly as a result of human activities and environmental damage.

Therefore, after the park was established, park headquarters immediately tackled the impact of mining on the park area. In 1998, mining activities in the area reduced eventually. Further in 2000, Taroko National Park Headquarters held a meeting with owners of the last 19 mines in the area to convince them to give up on extending their mining right in order to achieve the mission of environmental protection of national parks.

Fair compensations and restoration with indigenous peoples

In 2004, Taroko National Park Headquarters commissioned the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) to investigate the 19 mines in the park. At the same time, the park also negotiated with mine owners and decided to plan compensations for them with the park’s annual budget. After continuous efforts, the park eventually compensated owners for ceasing mining in 2008. From then on, mines and mining in Taroko National Park became history.

“The recuperation power of nature is amazing and beautiful.” According to Teng-wen Chang, deputy director of Taroko National Park Headquarters, after mining ceased in the park in 2008, park headquarters commissioned experts to survey the vegetation index and assess ecological restoration in the park. Experts found that ecological recovery is in progress after man-induced damage has stopped; even traces of wildlife are seen more often. This phenomenon provides hard evidence for the park’s achievements in ecological conservation.

From past to future

Over the past three decades, Taroko National Park has spared no efforts to implement ecological conservation, natural landscape maintenance, indigenous culture preservation, and improvement of the park’s leisure and service quality.

“We will continue our efforts!” said Deputy Director Chang modestly. “At thirty, I stood firm.” To a national park, it was the end of part of its mission, and incessant efforts will be the key to progress for national parks with never-ending missions.。