Xinyu Coastal Botanical Garden Introduction
The Xinyu Coastal Botanical Garden is located at the former site of the Yong'an Snow Forest Recreation Area, covering approximately 6 hectares. After the recreation area ceased operations, it became a habitat for various plant and animal species. After a year of investigation by the Coastal Management Office of the government, it was found that there are as many as 250 species of flora and fauna, which hold values in forest recreation, ecological conservation, and environmental education. Thus, the idle land was revitalized to become Taoyuan's first coastal botanical garden, officially opened to the public on October 19, 2020. Although Taoyuan is an industrial cluster, it is also committed to protecting coastal ecology. The botanical garden features abundant plant and animal ecology as well as natural forest characteristics. This includes coastal plant species like Casuarina equisetifolia and Hibiscus tiliaceus, mammals such as the red-bellied tree squirrel and skunk, and protected bird species like the black-winged kite, the black-crowned night heron, and the little tern. In the future, the garden will work with local communities, schools, and NGOs to provide various services and build an ecological demonstration site focused on environmental education. In addition to natural ecology, the park has developed the “Xinyu Coastal Botanical Garden APP” game program aimed at students and family groups, which uses ecological guides and various experiential activities to create an educational ecological environment, allowing the public to experience nature and ecological education in an environmentally friendly manner. The park is designed with minimal human interference and construction, with no artificial light sources, and the entrance signs made from driftwood in coastal areas. Currently, old hardware facilities have been removed, and weeds around the pathways have been cleared, allowing visitors to stroll through and enjoy the various aspects of the forest. Within the botanical garden, one can see various mechanisms that enable coastal plants to withstand wind and drought, such as the fuzzy sea ginger that can be used as a spice, the purslane used for culinary seasoning, and the drought-resistant hairy purslane. The Xinyu Coastal Botanical Garden is close to Yong'an Fishing Port, Houhu River, the Conch Cultural Experience Area, and the Youth Experience Area, and is located within the Xinyu Ocean Hakka Leisure Agricultural Area. In the future, it can integrate surrounding attractions to promote the development of ecological tourism, increase employment opportunities, invigorate economic activities, and facilitate balanced development of tourism and recreation along the coastline of Yong'an Fishing Port. (Source: Coastal Management Office)
