The ocean is one of the earth’s vital assets, especially for Kaohsiung. It has a special ecological and historical significance for this ocean city as the Shoushan National Nature Park is a natural gift that rose up from the sea bed.
The world ‘Takao’ originating from the Makattao of two thousand years ago. Old Zuoying City built in the Qing Dynasty marked an important event in the history of here and Shoushan was listed as a military area after the war. Animals and plants were able to live here without disturbance of humans. Allowing us to enjoy a natural environment here, even today.
Shoushan is a mountain witch close to the people who live in Kaohsiung. From the moment people awake in the morning, they breathe in tune with this wild and start a busy life accompany with insect calls and bird song. At dusk, the sun sets accompany with people return home. After nightfall, one can easily get away from the city by hiking in the Shoushan National Nature Park. Families get up early on weekends, greeting the sunrise as they have a joyful trips to Shoushan. Waling in the Park, the older generation share their emotions about the old Kaohsiung with fellow walkers. If a world can be found in a grain of sand, nature offers us even more in Shoushan National Nature Park. There are countless surprises waiting to be discovered here. When you visit Shoushan you will be mesmerized and reluctant to leave!
‘Construction and Planning Agency, Ministry of the Interior’ planned to establish the Shoushan National Nature Park in 2009 to maintain the ecological sustainability of Shoushan. With conservation being the most important thing, it aims is to preserve Shoushan’s diverse and ecological environment. Because Shoushan will be the green heart of future generations.
- Historical culture preserve and extending the sustainable development of the environment
The establishment of Shoushan National Nature Park will achieve the objectives of resource preservation, meet the expectations of sustainable local development.
- Improved the management and operations of ecological resources
A national nature park headquarters will constitute for the exclusive purpose of managing all affairs within the national nature park. As a whole, the establishment of Shoushan National Nature Park will be beneficial in terms of improving the completeness of vital ecological resources and sustainable management in national parks system and in the Kaohsiung County and Kaohsiung City regions.
- Improve environmental safety in the former mining area
Through active measures such as environmental monitoring, management of recreational impact, afforestation, and soil and water conservation, the occurrence of erosion and landslides will be lowered.
- Conserve the coral reef limestone ecological landscape and shell mound sites
Special departments constituted the Shoushan National Nature Park headquarters are charged with the responsibilities of research, conservation management within the park. In addition to protect the coral reef limestone geological landscape, resources and wildlife in the coastal region will be protected. The natural landscape in the region will be conserved.
- Increased the academic research
Academic research in the national nature park includes topographical and geological, animal and plant, cultural and historical research, environmental education, land management, recreation and landscape research, etc. The investigating and monitoring of rare plant and animal species, uplifted coral reef, prehistoric shell mounds, and the history and culture of Pingpu villages will be carried out.
- Increased environmental education
On-site tours by guides and conservation researchers will be provided, and also seminars, speeches, exhibitions etc held. In addition to training volunteer guides, the headquarters will cooperate with schools to provide nature conservation and culture preservation courses, cooperate with private organizations to hold mountain cleanup events, and also cooperate with local governments to hold events and courses to promote environmental education. Promotion of eco-tourism and environmental education will realize the ideal of protecting the natural environment.
- Enhanced effective land management
The parks are designated into various zones to better facilitate protection and ensure appropriate usage. These are the limited use areas, the recreation areas, the cultural/historical areas, and the significant scenic areas.