COVID-19: Trails, beaches shut to halt virus’ spread
REMAIN HOME: The Forestry Bureau said enforcement of mask rules for hikers was not feasible, and there was a shortage of medical personnel to rescue stranded hikers
By Lee Li-fa and Jonathan Chin / Staff reporter, with staff writer
The Council of Agriculture’s Forestry Bureau on Saturday closed a dozen hiking trails in Kaohsiung and Pingtung County to tourists until Friday over COVID-19 concerns.
The enforcement of mask rules for hikers was not feasible, the agency said, adding that due to the outbreak, there was a shortage of medical personnel to rescue stranded hikers.
EDITORIAL: Fire must bring respect for nature
A fire at Yushan National Park, allegedly caused by a government official, shows again how consequential indifference to safety among hikers can be.
Since Sunday last week, when the blaze began reportedly because of a group of five hikers nearly 65 hectares of forest at an altitude of more than 3,000m has been destroyed.
After National Communications Commission senior specialist Joseph Chiao (喬建中) wrote about the incident on Facebook, the commission apologized and the post on a hikers’ page was amended.
Chiao wrote that he was preparing breakfast at a campground at about 2am on Sunday last week when he knocked over a “campfire” later edited to say “gas stove.” He called firefighters at about 4am after trying but failing to extinguish the blaze.
助力十四运会 高陵区 怡阳杯 乒乓球邀请赛收拍 xiancn.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from xiancn.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Fire at Yushan spreads across 52 hectares of forest
By Jason Pan / Staff reporter
A forest fire in Yushan National Park (玉山國家公園) that has been burning since last weekend has spread, with the Forestry Bureau and local authorities deploying firefighters and aircraft in the area of Taiwan’s highest mountain at up to 3,952m.
The fire was first reported on Sunday, when about 1.5 hectares of forest were on fire, and has since spread to bushland in higher altitudes. As of yesterday, 52 hectares were on fire.
Chiayi Forest District Office deputy director Lee Ting-chung (李定忠) said that it was hard to predict when firefighters would be able to put out the flames.
Taiwan Business TOPICS Taiwan acacia - also known as Formosan koa - is traditionally used as firewood and to
make charcoal. However, the lumber from this endemic species has become prized for
its distinctive wavy grain pattern. Photo: Pei-yin Hsieh
Taiwan acacia is traditionally used as firewood, but Taiwan’s king of carton packaging, Caho Chen, and a team of innovative young people have developed methods to turn this neglected endemic hardwood into pricey bathtubs, customized guitars, and novel whiskey barrels. How did they transform this once-cheap commodity into a sought-after luxury material?
By Kuo-chen Lu and Chi-wei Lin, CommonWealth Magazine