An improved trail system in Neidong National Forest Recreation Area, southern New Taipei City, provides easier access to visitors with physical disabilities, the Forestry Bureau said March 19.
The bureau recently unveiled a 1.15-kilometer wooden walkway for the disabled at Neidong as part of its “forests for people, forests for all” initiative to promote public awareness of Taiwan’s woodlands.
“Because of its proximity to urban areas, Neidong is the first of Taiwan’s 18 national forest recreation areas to feature barrier-free access,” the bureau said, adding that similar projects will soon be implemented in other forest parks.
Thanks to the user-friendly facilities such as ramps, boardwalks and spacious restrooms, senior citizens, parents with baby strollers and visitors in wheelchairs can more easily and safely enjoy Neidong’s famous waterfalls, according to the bureau.
The bureau has also initiated a volunteer program to train tour guides to help the elderly, visually impaired and those with restricted mobility enjoy forest parks, officials said. (THN)
Write to Kwangyin Liu at kwangyin.liu@mail.gio.gov.tw