We have prepared three options for you to choose from, all scheduled for October 16, 2025. Please select the location you prefer. Participants who join the field trip will need to pay an additional fee of 27-150 USD to cover transportation and lunch costs.

Xitou

    Xitou Nature Education Area is a concave valley terrain surrounded by mountains on three sides. The highest altitude is Lingtou Mountain in the south at 2,025m. It extends to the north to the Fenghuang Mountains, forming the area's eastern boundary, and to the west extends to the Neishu and Mountains. And turns to the north, forming the boundary between the mountain ridges on the south and west sides of the area. The valley flows between the two mountains and exits from the north. The main range is between 800 and 2,000m above sea level. According to the observation data of the Xitou Weather Station, the monthly average temperature in Xitou ranges from 11.0 to 20.8°C, the annual average temperature is 16.6°C, and the average yearly rainfall is 2,635.18mm. It has a warm and humid climate, with no water shortage throughout the year, and the effective temperature is not concentrated in summer, making it quite suitable for Chinese people to come here to escape the summer heat.

    This place's habitat is planted with Cryptomeria japonica. Here, Leucobryum, Bazzania, and Pyrrhobryum grow on the tree trunk, and Marchantia and Conocephalum grow on the soil. We plan to start at Picnic Area and Plant Evolution Exploration Park, pass through Ginkgo Plantion and Riverside Trail, and then arrive at the Giant Tree Scenic Platform. After that, we will go back through Sky Walk and Giant Tree Logging Road. The elevation of the trail is between 1,130 to 1,330.

    More information about Xitou Nature Education Area is on the following website.

    https://www.exfo.ntu.edu.tw/xitou/page.php?id=1

Schedule

16 October

08:30 Taiwan Biodiversity Research Institute. Take a rented bus.

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09:10 Arrive Xitou. Investigate from the entrance of the Xitou Nature Education Area, walk through Ginkgo Plantation and Riverside Trail, and then meet at Giant Tree.

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11:40 Lunch (we will prepare the lunch box).

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12:40 Walk through the Forest Shower Trail, University Pond, and University Pond Trail, then meet at the entrance. The route can be referenced from the GPX file above.

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16:00 Meet at the Entrance of the Xitou Nature Education Area. Take a rented bus.

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17:20 Arrive at Taiwan High-Speed Rail Taichung Station.