Neigou River Ecological Trail Introduction
Neigou Stream is a tributary of the Keelung River, with a length of approximately 5.5 kilometers and a watershed area of about 7 square kilometers. To the west of Neigou Stream is Taipei City, while to the east is New Taipei City, making it a great place for residents in the Donghu area to walk, relax, and chat. It is also the best spot in Donghu to get close to nature. Starting from the year 2013, an overall landscape transformation project has been carried out in the swimming section of Neigou Stream in Donghu, extending nearly 1 kilometer of waterfront paths from the upper stream. Through the construction of scenic bridges and waterfront walkways, it connects the two sides of Taipei and New Taipei City that were previously separated by Neigou Stream, while clearing silted soil and restoring the environment of Wufen Pond. The project aims to create ecological habitats of varying depths, crafting an ecological education space that allows people to enjoy the mountains, water, and nature both day and night, enhancing residents' willingness to engage with and appreciate the area, facilitating understanding and collaborative conservation, and allowing the beautiful memories once held by local elders to resurface. The project encompasses four key aspects: 1. Unique creativity and restoration of the past natural and cultural living environment, the overall construction and design adapt a lightweight structure, integrated with the desired Jiangnan garden landscape while respecting and blending into the Neigou Stream's natural environment, ensuring aesthetic appeal in water conservancy and drainage structures. 2. Retaining the gradually established waterfront green corridor and increasing opportunities for top dike greening, green areas will be created where space allows on the top of the dike, enriching the waterfront ecology and promoting the growth of greenery. 3. Preservation and improvement of waterfront habitats prioritize embankment safety, but also focus on retaining and enhancing natural ecological aspects. Overall design will embrace existing embankment slopes and topography, avoiding excessive excavation and disturbance to the ecosystem aside from silt removal projects. 4. Considerations for energy saving, carbon reduction, and sustainable development, low-intensity lighting will be used along the waterfront paths to maintain safety for nighttime walkers, with key scenic bridges connecting the two cities planned to feature lighting that creates the imagery of stars along the waterfront. (Part of the information is sourced from the Water Resources Engineering Department of the Taipei City Government.)
