Baxianshan National Forest Recreation Area Introduction
Baxian Mountain Forest Recreation Area is located in the Heping District of Taichung City, with its main peak at an elevation of 2,366 meters, approximately 8,000 Taiwanese feet, thus earning the name "Baxian." The area is lush with forests and enjoys a refreshing climate, where Shiwenxi and Jiabao Creek converge. The water flows from the deep mountain forests, clear and pure, with rocks of various sizes dotted throughout, creating a gentle stream. The natural ecological resources are rich, and it was once one of Taiwan's three major logging areas, with a strong forestry cultural atmosphere, making it an ideal spot for leisure and nature experiences on holidays! The Baxian Mountain Forest Recreation Area spans the Heping District of Taichung City with elevations ranging from 700 to 2,938 meters, housing Baxian Mountain, Malun Mountain, and others within its boundaries. The recreation area is situated on the alluvial terrace (Jiabao Terrace) at the junction of Jiabao Creek and Shiwenxi, where the water is clear and plentiful. The Shiwenxi valley is magnificent and picturesque, with rugged rocks in the stream, where white and gray-green boulders are arranged irregularly, allowing visitors to feel detached from the mundane. The blue creek water flows over the giant rocks, creating white foamy waves alongside the lush green forests, creating a pure and simple environment that offers a sense of independence from the world. Currently, the Baxian Mountain area is represented by species such as Taiwan Two-Needle Pine, Taiwan Five-Needle Pine, Chamaecyparis obtusa, Taiwan Cedar, and Fagaceae plants. The Taiwan Two-Needle Pine grows in landslides and sunlit slopes due to its high resin content, making it prone to forest fires. The Taiwan Five-Needle Pine is primarily found on ridges, with older trees in the Baxian Mountain area indicating that this species has existed in the Shiwenxi basin for quite a long time. In addition to being slowly colonized by pioneering plants like the mountain hemp and other first colonizers in the landslide areas, many ferns have also thrived under the humid mist on large boulders: species like Asplenium marinum, Dryopteris crassirhizoma, and others have become the most common flora in the area. With the "pioneering species" expanding their territory, additional plants from the Lauraceae, Podocarpaceae, and Fagaceae families are gradually joining as members of the secondary forest, slowly covering the landslide area, with vine species like Chrysophyllum cainito and others starting to climb on these young trees. With the environment provided by plants, insects slowly inhabit this new forest, attracting birds that feed on insects and plant fruits, such as the Azure-backed Tit, Rufous-bellied Tit, Grey-throated Martin, Little Forktail, Zosterops, and various species migrating down from high-altitude areas in winter, making this valley a vibrant ecosystem, further establishing the Baxian Mountain Forest Recreation Area as the best place for ecological observation in central Taiwan. The geology within the recreation area primarily consists of fragile sandstone, slate, and hard rocks. Due to the erosion by Shiwenxi, the mountains here are quite steep and have not been excessively disturbed, resulting in particularly clean water quality and rich ecological resources. Every autumn, many Brown Tree Frogs born in the forest descend to Jiwenxi to participate in the annual mating event, and after the tadpoles mature into juvenile frogs, they journey back to the forest. Various stream-dwelling birds like kingfishers, lead-colored thrushes, Taiwan whistling thrushes, river crow, little bittern, and more can be spotted in Jiwenxi, marking the area as a habitat for nearly all the stream-inhabiting birds. The development of Baxian Mountain began with the precious cypress forest in the mist. In 1911, the Japanese government, recognizing the elevation of approximately 8,000 Taiwanese feet (7,998 Taiwanese feet, about 2,410 meters), initially planned to name it "Baqianshan," later formally naming it "Baxianshan." However, the overall development began in 1914 when the Japanese Governor-General's Office instructed the Alishan Office to survey the area with the primary goal of developing cypress, incense cedar, and Douglas fir within the logged areas, planning to cover approximately 14,600 hectares, including Baxian Mountain and Baigudashan. The following year, the Forestry Bureau was established under the Governor-General's Office, and management of the Baxian Mountain forestry shifted from the Alishan Office to the Forestry Bureau. A forest railway was laid from Fengyuan into the Baxian Mountain area. During the peak logging period, many lumber workers resided here, and schools, lodges, offices, shrines, and more were constructed on Jiabao Terrace, resembling a small community. Historically, the Baxian Mountain logging area was one of Taiwan's three major logging sites alongside Alishan and Taiping Mountain; after Taiwan's retrocession, it was renamed Baxian Mountain Logging Area and continued forestry operations. Logging ceased altogether in the 1980s, after which the Baxian Mountain area began to develop into a leisure and tourism destination, establishing the forest recreation area. Schools and shrines have disappeared over time due to earthquakes and the passage of time, and the forest railway from Baxian Mountain to Fengyuan gradually disappeared because of landslides and years of disrepair, becoming a historical memory for local residents. Nature continuously evolves, and each year Taiwan confronts typhoons, earthquakes, and other natural disasters, which is part of the cycle of Taiwan's ecosystem and mechanisms that contribute to its biodiversity and richness. By carefully observing in the Baxian Mountain Forest Recreation Area, one can deeply appreciate its wonders, which is one of the most profound gifts nature offers to the people of Taiwan. (This article is excerpted from the official website of Baxian Mountain Forest Recreation Area)
