Roads In High Mountains

According to the Taiwan News, there are plans to repair a section of the Central Cross-Island Highway, which has been closed since the 9-21 Earthquake of 1999.

Minister of Transportation and Communications Mao Chi-kuo promised on Tuesday to open an access road on an earthquake-damaged section of the east-west cross-island highway in central Taiwan to allow traffic between lower Guguan and the Deji reservoir in Taichung County's Heping township.

Answering questions from Legislator Yen Ching-piao, Mao said he hopes the partial repair work will begin next year.

Yen said that re-opening the highway -- which runs through one of the country's most scenic mountain ranges -- will boost Taiwan's tourism industry, especially now that the government has decided to allow tourists from China into Taiwan from next month.

Mao said his ministry is not sure that the whole central cross-island highway can be reopened because the geological instability of the mountain region in the location of the damaged road section has made the repair work extremely difficult.

He said he could only promise that a five-kilometer access road will be completed to allow residents and farmers between lower Guguan and the Deji reservoir to have easier access to population centers.

The Highway Bureau has estimated that it will cost at least NT$10 billion (US$328 million) and take more than 10 years to repair the 24-km section totally destroyed in the 1999 earthquake.

If boosting tourism is the main goal, the money could be better spent. Picking up the trash that litters Taiwan's countryside would be a good start. Using the money to expand nature reserves, which would attract eco-tourists, should also come before road rebuilding.

Leave Guandu To The Birds

The TV news talked about this yesterday, and it's in all the newspapers: President-elect Ma Ying-jeou has apparently welcomed suggestions that the Presidential Office be relocated, and that the building currently used for the purpose - the old Japanese governor's residence - be turned into a museum about the Japanese colonization era.

I'm not going to discuss the merits of the museum proposal. I'm more concerned about the environmental impact of moving the Presidential Office.

According to the China Post's report, the Guandu Plain in Taipei County was mentioned as an ideal site for a brand new Presidential Office. However:

"Some said it could cause communication problems and inconveniences for other government agencies and the people if the president's office is moved away from the downtown area of the capital city. The Presidential Office, a six-story red-brick building with a central tower, is within walking distance of the Foreign Ministry, the Defense Ministry, the Judicial Yuan, the Finance Ministry, and the Central Bank."

Of course, civil servants and their bosses don't actually walk anywhere when they can drive or be driven. Still, if the distances are shorter, that's better for everyone.

"Real estate developers said the move will shift the commercial and realty development in the greater Taipei area. The plan will help bring faster development and prosperity to the Guandu area."

What about the birds? Guandu Nature Park is one of Taiwan's most-popular and best-known birding areas.

"The vast plain, lying to the west of Taipei City... has been left idle and undeveloped for many years."

That's typical Taiwanese thinking, I'm sad to say. A piece of land is "idle" - going to waste - if it's not being farmed or hasn't been built on. The idea that it might be visually appealing and be beneficial for those living nearby, never occurs to some people.

Septic Tank To Scenic Spot

A teacher in Taichung County has organized efforts to convert his school's septic pit into a garden. The article doesn't say if the septic system was redundant. It may well be, as in many parts of Taiwan, proper sewers are being built - finally.

Why Birds Are Important

In a recent email exchange, Robert W. Butler, a Canadian research scientist and professor of biological sciences, told me:

"Ecosystems require all of their components to function, and native birds are part of natural ecosystems. When the birds are healthy and abundant, it means the ecosystems that provide us with natural products - air, water and food - are also functioning."

Unfortunately, many of Taiwan's birds are threatened by habitat loss. The Hushan Dam Project, if it goes ahead, would be a very serious blow for the Fairy Pitta, a globally endangered migrant. The photo above was taken by Richard Yu.

I met Dr. Butler when he was co-chairing the Waterbirds 2005 Conference in Tainan City. He's also involved with the Taiwan International Birding Association.