Three-Generation Wood and Elephant Trunk Wood Introduction
After the first generation fell, the hollow trunk allowed more sunlight to penetrate, and with its horizontal position on the ground in a misty forest climate, moss could grow on the tree's surface to maintain moisture. These factors made it easier for seeds that landed on the dead cedar tree to germinate, giving rise to the second generation. The second generation grew on top of the first, and after several hundred years, they too faced the fate of being cut down. The seeds of the third generation then grew from the second-generation wood, creating this cycle of death and revival in the forest. Next to the three generations of trees is a stump known as the Elephant Trunk Wood, which, when viewed from above along the trail, resembles a reclining elephant's trunk. In fact, these oddly-shaped stumps are scattered throughout the national forest recreation area. Today, we describe the remains of these cedars by their appearance, but from the position of the stumps, it's evident that a century ago, Alishan was filled with massive ancient cedar forests, where these millennia-old cedars grew in dense clusters, creating a spectacular sight!
