Island Summits and Seas: Ecology and Landscapes of Taiwan's National Parks

30-Second Overview

Taiwan has 9 national parks + 1 national nature park, encompassing a complete ecosystem ranging from sea level to the 3,952-meter Yushan (Jade Mountain) main peak. These national parks protect Taiwan's most precious natural and cultural assets, including endemic species, Indigenous cultural heritage sites, and world-class geological landscapes. From the establishment of the Kenting National Park Headquarters on January 1, 1984 (the plan was announced in 1982), to the opening of Shoushan National Nature Park on December 6, 2011 (Taiwan's first national nature park), and then to the formal establishment of the National Park Service under the Ministry of the Interior on September 20, 2023, Taiwan's national park system has become an important biodiversity conservation network in Asia. The April 3, 2024 Hualien earthquake caused devastating damage to Taroko National Park and represents the single greatest conservation challenge at present.¹

Keywords: national parks, ecological conservation, endemic species, landscape diversity, environmental education

Why It Matters

On the island of Taiwan, with an area of only 36,000 square kilometers, nine national parks connect a complete ecological gradient from tropical coastlines to alpine snow lines, protecting over 30% of Taiwan's terrestrial area. This density is extremely rare among national park systems worldwide. The parks not only shelter more than 2,500 endemic species but also serve as precious biological refuges in the era of climate change.²

The establishment of national parks has rescued the last remaining pristine landscapes from the wave of industrialization. Yushan National Park protects one of the highest peaks in East Asia, Shei-Pa National Park safeguards the Formosan landlocked salmon, and the marine national parks maintain coral reef ecosystems. These protected areas are treasure troves of Taiwan's biodiversity and places where future generations can learn to understand nature and coexist with the environment.

Ecological Treasures of the Nine National Parks

Terrestrial National Parks: Complete Protection from Mountains to Sea

Kenting National Park (plan announced 1982, headquarters established January 1, 1984)
Located on the Hengchun Peninsula at Taiwan's southernmost tip, this is Taiwan's first national park. It protects Taiwan's only tropical coastal forest, home to more than 1,200 plant species, of which the proportion of endemic species reaches one-quarter. The katamonso (descending mountain winds) from October to March of the following year shape the unique coral reef coastal terrain and grassland ecology. During migratory bird season, the passage of gray-faced buzzards through Manzhou Township is celebrated as the natural spectacle known as the "National Day Bird."

Yushan National Park (established 1985)
Encompassing Taiwan's highest peak, Yushan Main Peak (3,952 meters), and the surrounding mountain ranges, this is Taiwan's largest national park by area. From subtropical broad-leaved forests to alpine grasslands, it fully preserves Taiwan's vertical vegetation zones. Alpine plants such as Yushan juniper and Taiwan fir form high-altitude ecosystems unique to East Asia. Bunun cultural heritage sites within the park bear witness to the millennia of coexistence wisdom between Indigenous peoples and the high-mountain environment.

Yangmingshan National Park (established 1985)
A volcanic landscape conservation area adjacent to the Taipei metropolitan region, protecting the post-volcanic activity landscapes of the Datun Mountain system. The fumaroles of Sulfur Valley and the sulfur crystals of Xiaoyoukou reveal the active geological character of Taiwan. Cherry blossoms in spring, silvergrass flowers in autumn, and abundant hot spring resources make Yangmingshan the most accessible and visitor-friendly national park in Taiwan.

Taroko National Park (established 1986)
World-renowned for the gorge terrain formed by the Liwu River cutting through marble, it is hailed as a "world-class marble gorge landscape." The marble gorges of Swallow Grotto and Nine Turns Tunnel are the geological result of millions of years of tectonic movement and Liwu River erosion. The Truku Indigenous culture within the park forms a unique humanistic and natural landscape together with the gorge terrain.

Shei-Pa National Park (established 1992)
Protecting the finest areas of the Xueshan (Snow Mountain) range, centered on Xueshan Main Peak and Dabajian Mountain. This is the last habitat of the Formosan landlocked salmon; the cold-water environment of Qijiawan溪 sustains the survival of this glacial-era relict species. The giant cypress groves in the Guanwu area bear witness to the thousand-year history of Taiwan's forests.

Kinmen National Park (established 1995)
Protecting Kinmen Island's unique wartime cultural landscape and migratory bird habitats. Traditional Fujian-style house settlements, military facilities, and natural ecology interweave to form a rare military-cultural landscape found few places in the world. Migratory birds such as cormorants and ruddy shelducks winter here, while Cihu and Lingshui Lake are Kinmen's most important wetland ecosystems.

Taijiang National Park (established 2009)
Taiwan's eighth national park, protecting the lagoons, wetlands, and fishpond landscapes along the Tainan coast. The wetlands at the mouth of the Zengwen River are an important wintering habitat for black-faced spoonbills, attracting approximately one-third of the global black-faced spoonbill population each winter. The balance between traditional fishing culture and modern conservation demonstrates the possibility of sustainable use.

Penghu South Sea Islands National Park (established 2014)
Taiwan's ninth national park, protecting the marine ecosystems of the four southern Penghu islands (Dongyu Pingyu, Xiyu Pingyu, Dongjiyu, and Xijiyu). Basalt sea-eroded landforms, coral reef ecosystems, and seabird breeding grounds form a tightly connected island ecological network.

National Nature Parks: Protecting the Urban Green Lung

Shoushan National Nature Park (opened December 6, 2011)
Taiwan's first national nature park (not 2024), protecting the coral limestone terrain and urban biodiversity of the Shoushan area in Kaohsiung. Formosan macaque populations coexist harmoniously with the city here, demonstrating a new model of ecological conservation in urban areas.

Marine National Parks: Guardians of the Blue Territory

Dongsha Atoll National Park (established 2007)
Taiwan's seventh national park and its first marine national park, protecting the Dongsha Atoll ecosystem in the South China Sea. The approximately 25-kilometer-diameter atoll is fully preserved, with high coral reef coverage, serving as a core habitat for marine life such as sea turtles and cetaceans.

Taijiang National Park Marine Area
In addition to its terrestrial wetlands, Taijiang National Park simultaneously protects the lagoon and estuarine ecosystems along the Tainan coast, serving as a marine protected area on Taiwan's southwestern shore.

Conservation Challenges and Future Outlook

Establishment of the National Park Service on September 20, 2023

On September 20, 2023, the Ministry of the Interior formally established the National Park Service (formerly the National Park Division of the Construction and Planning Agency, Ministry of the Interior), representing a major organizational reform of Taiwan's national park management system. The National Park Service coordinates policy formulation and management for all 9 national parks and 1 national nature park across Taiwan, enhancing the professionalism and independence of conservation work.

The April 3, 2024 Hualien Earthquake: The Greatest Conservation Challenge

At 7:58 AM on April 3, 2024, a strong earthquake struck off the coast of Hualien (CWA M_L 7.2 / USGS M_w 7.4, focal depth 15.5 km), with shaking intensity reaching 6+. Taroko National Park was the hardest-hit area—well-known attractions including the Shakadang Trail, Baiyang Trail, Nine Turns Tunnel, and Swallow Grotto were fully closed, with road collapses and rock wall failures at multiple locations. The earthquake caused multiple fatalities, including visitors on the Shakadang Trail, and Taroko National Park immediately closed its main attractions indefinitely.³

This earthquake was the greatest geological impact since Taroko National Park's establishment in 1986, and reconstruction work is expected to take years or even more than a decade. The closure of Taroko has also affected Hualien's tourism industry, with estimated losses to related industries exceeding billions of NT dollars.

The Impact of Climate Change

With global warming, Taiwan's alpine ecosystems face the pressure of "upward migration." The subalpine coniferous forest zones in high-altitude national parks such as Yushan and Shei-Pa are shrinking, and species adapted to cold climates face survival challenges. Marine national parks confront issues such as rising sea temperatures and ocean acidification, with coral bleaching areas continuing to expand over the past decade.

Managing Human Pressures

Taiwan's high population density means that areas surrounding national parks often face development pressure. The urbanization pressure on Yangmingshan National Park and the tourism impact on Taroko National Park both require finding a balance between conservation and utilization.

Indigenous Rights and Conservation

Many national parks are located within Indigenous traditional territories. Finding a balance between conservation goals and Indigenous cultural rights is an important issue in Taiwan's national park management. The "co-management mechanism" promoted in recent years, which involves Indigenous peoples in conservation management, demonstrates a new model of harmonious coexistence between culture and nature.

Ecological Education and Sustainable Tourism

Taiwan's national parks promote environmental education, from geological interpretation in Taroko to alpine ecology education in Yushan and wetland conservation experiences in Taijiang, attracting millions of participants annually. These activities concretely bridge the distance between urban residents and wild ecosystems.

The promotion of sustainable tourism has made national parks models of ecotourism. The cherry blossom viewing activities in Shei-Pa National Park, the migratory bird season in Kenting, and the flower-viewing season in Yangmingshan have all successfully combined conservation with tourism, creating a win-win for both the economy and ecology.

International Cooperation and Research

Taiwan's national parks participate in international conservation networks, establishing research collaborations with Japan, South Korea, the United States, and other countries. Coral reef monitoring data from Dongsha Atoll National Park and alpine ecological research from Yushan National Park have been cited by international organizations such as the IUCN.⁴

The density of ecosystem types in Taiwan ranks among the highest globally, and from molecular biology to ecosystem management, national parks serve as natural laboratories for cross-scale scientific research.

Taiwan's 9 national parks + 1 national nature park preserve the island's most precious natural and cultural heritage. On limited land, they safeguard complete ecosystems from subtropical coastlines to alpine snow lines, bearing witness to Taiwan's deep recognition of environmental protection values during its transformation from an agricultural society to a modern nation.

Facing the challenges of climate change and human pressures, these national parks are evolving into a more resilient network of protected areas. Through scientific research, environmental education, and sustainable management, they protect natural resources for the present generation and preserve the possibility of coexisting with nature for future generations.

Taiwan's national park system is the result of long-term collaboration between ecological conservation and public policy, and it is also a mechanism that allows Indigenous cultural heritage sites and natural landscapes to be preserved together.

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