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Shei-Pa Mountains Empty Due to Pandemic, But Collaboration with Indigenous Communities Brings Warmth

  • Last edited date:2021-07-29

The Shei-Pa National Park Headquarters closed all hiking routes in the mountains' ecological protection areas during the Level 3 COVID-19 alert period. To provide a more comfortable and safe hiking environment for hikers visiting Shei-Pa after the closure, collaborating indigenous organizations were specially commissioned to clean up remote mountain cabins and maintain the trails. A total of 11 people were employed to clean up the mountain cabins and more than 60 workers were employed to maintain the trails.
These include three mountain cabins and their surroundings—Shei-Pa South Mountain Cabin, Shei-Pa North Mountain Cabin, and Sumida Mountain Cabin, while the popular trails include Taoshan Mountain Trail, Karaheye Mountain Trail, and the eastern slope of Dalu Forest Road. More than 200 kilograms of garbage were cleaned up in total, with a budget totaling around NT$400,000. This gave job opportunities to indigenous collaborators who have no income during the pandemic, allowing them to receive economic relief. During this period, everyone worked together to clean the mountain cabins and give maintenance to the environment of the trails. It is hoped that hikers will enjoy a better quality of hiking in the future after the Shei-Pa National Park is re-opened.

For hikers visiting Shei-Pa after the closure, collaborating indigenous organizations were specially commissioned to clean up remote mountain cabins and maintain the trails.