Taipei, Jan. 5 (CNA) A habitat of about 100 giant Taiwan cypress trees was found recently near the southern end of the island's Central Mountain Range, with the largest of the trees measuring 15 meters in trunk circumference.
The trees, endemic to Taiwan, were discovered in the Dapu Mountain area by a 13-member team from the Forestry Bureau's Taitung Forest District Office (TFDO) last month during their annual wildlife survey in the mountain range. TFDO official Lin Jun-jung (林潤榮) said the team spent 11 days surveying in the Shuang-guei Lake Major Wildlife Habitat, which is known for having a diverse ecosystem encompassing vast virgin forests, as well as some 26 species of mammals and 86 species of birds.
It is amazing that the biggest tree found required ten people to embrace its trunk, Lin said. To document the wildlife pattern, the team had to first take a helicopter to a mountainous region and then trek for several days across the area, according to the office. Team member Wu Wei-hau (吳偉豪) said it was his first time surveying the natural reserve, adding that the lake enjoys distinctive atmospheric conditions that are favorable for ferns, lycopods and epiphytic orchids."For scholars who study these plants, the lake area is like a sacred place," Wu said. The office's disclosure of the Taiwan cypress' location, however, has raised concerns that it would encourage illegal logging as the trees are highly valuable in the market.
Each 50-kg chunk of the tree, for instance, costs NT$20,000 (US$650) to NT$60,000. But the office responded that logging these trees would not be financially viable due to the their remote location. It further stressed that the best way to protect natural resources is to make public where they are, so as to raise awareness and enable everyone to pay attention to their status.
See the website：http://focustaiwan.tw/news/aall/201901050009.aspx
