Welcoming May’s Azalea Season: Over 400kg of Trash Cleared from Hehuanshan

▲ Hehuanshan is about to enter its azalea season. To restore the natural environment to its clean state, last weekend, employees and volunteers from the Forestry Bureau went up the mountain to collect trash. The photo shows the “Taiwan Azalea” on Hehuanshan. (Photo provided by the Dongshih Forest District Office)

Travel Center / Comprehensive Report

Every year after the winter snow season in the Hehuanshan Forest Recreation Area, large amounts of trash are often found left behind in the mountains. Ahead of the arrival of the May azalea season, last weekend, staff from the Forestry Bureau and national forest parks, along with their families and volunteers, headed into Hehuanshan to carry out a mountain cleanup. In just three hours, nearly 400 kilograms of trash were collected.

To strengthen the maintenance of alpine ecological environments and promote the “trash-free” principle, staff from the Nantou, Dongshih, and Hualien Forest District Offices, as well as Taroko National Park Headquarters, and volunteers passionate about mountain conservation, headed up to areas such as Hehuanshan’s Main Peak, East Peak, North Peak, and Wuling last weekend to conduct cleanup efforts. Some even rappelled down into deep valleys to retrieve trash.

After three hours, a total of 38 bags weighing 380 kilograms of trash were collected. Officials from the Nantou Forest District Office stated that although no more exaggerated discarded items like mattresses were found, there were still items such as helmets, diapers, heat packs, dustpans, umbrellas... and even firecrackers, which, if accidentally ignited, could cause a major forest fire.

The Nantou Forest District Office stated that Hehuanshan is a famous snow-viewing destination in Taiwan and boasts precious mountain forest resources. It urged the public to remember to take their trash down the mountain when enjoying the scenery, to jointly protect the forests and practice the concept of “Leave No Trace.” The Dongshih Forest District Office also said that from the azalea season starting in May to the subsequent blooms of Yushan’s stonecrops, Taiwanese lilies, and alpine roses, while admiring the beautiful sea of flowers, everyone should also cherish the mountain environment.