Corporate Volunteers Join Forest Conservation Efforts to Restore Handmade Trails at Dasyueshan
To help preserve forest ecosystems and maintain natural hiking trails, the Taichung Branch of the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency (FNCA) organized a two-day Handmade Trail Work Holiday on August 1–2 at Dasyueshan National Forest Recreation Area. The event brought together 23 volunteers from Taya Electric Wire & Cable Co., Ltd. to participate in trail restoration work. Handmade trail expert Mr. Ming-Chien Hsu was invited to provide on-site guidance, introducing environmentally friendly handmade trail construction techniques. Together, participants restored a damaged slope along the Huanzhan Trail and rehabilitated approximately 25 meters of trail, demonstrating how public-private collaboration can help protect forest ecosystems through practical conservation actions.
According to the Taichung Branch of the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency, sections of the Huanzhan Trail had suffered erosion caused by heavy rainfall, resulting in undercut slopes and damaged trail surfaces that affected both visitor safety and the surrounding natural landscape. Following professional assessment, the restoration adopted the handmade trail approach, which minimizes environmental impact by following the principles of "using local materials for on-site restoration." Volunteers manually transported fallen logs and natural stones found nearby to rebuild the trail. Restoration work included constructing dry-stone retaining walls to stabilize slopes, installing timber check bars to retain trail materials, creating permeable surfaces with crushed stone backfill, and improving trail drainage by adjusting water flow gradients. These measures enhanced trail safety while preserving the area's natural scenery and ecological integrity.
The activity was led by Mr. Shang-Hung Shen, Chairman of Taya Group, together with 24 members of the Taya Pristine Homeland Foundation Trail Volunteer Team and other company volunteers. In addition to participating in trail restoration, the group joined an ecological interpretation walk along the historic Timber Railway Trail, where they learned about forest ecology and sustainable trail management through hands-on observation and field experiences. The program reinforced the concept that "every trail user is also a steward of nature," highlighting Taya's commitment to ESG principles and corporate social responsibility.
The Taichung Branch of the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency noted that handmade trail projects are more than trail maintenance—they also serve as valuable opportunities for environmental education. Through expert guidance, corporate volunteer participation, and government resource integration, the project successfully combined trail restoration, environmental education, and nature conservation. It also promoted the principles of Leave No Trace (LNT) by putting sustainable outdoor ethics into practice. Looking ahead, the agency will continue to strengthen public-private partnerships and encourage greater participation from businesses and the public to protect Taiwan's precious forest ecosystems while creating sustainable, safe, and environmentally friendly trail environments.
Mr. Shang-Hung Shen, Chairman of Taya Group, leads Taya trail volunteers in trail restoration activities.
Handmade trail expert Mr. Ming-Chien Hsu demonstrates the proper use of handmade trail construction tools.
Volunteers install timber check bars to stabilize the trail surface and retain soil and gravel.
Before-and-after comparison showing the installation of stone curbs and stone steps to protect exposed tree roots.
Source: Taichung Branch, Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency
https://www.cna.com.tw/postwrite/chi/440604