View count: 3118

Landscape resources


The rugged landscapes are a "specialty" of Yenchao Geopark. Main lietmotifs of this area are pictured via Wushanding mud volcano, Yangnui Lake, Jhongliao Hill and Jiguanshan. In the area with a number of frequent erupting events, being the biggest and highest conical mud volcano visible in Taiwan, Wushanding has its own uniqueness and values of not only geology and geomorphology but also in education and aesthetics. Besides, Yangnui Lake, Jhongliao Hill, Jiguanshan and other famous attractions in Yenchao Geopark appeal to many cycling enthusiasts. They have become a Mecca for cyclists, as cycling has become an eco-friendly and fashionable sport.

Annually from October and April, due to the shortage of rainfall, the badland areas are dominated by gullies and little farming takes place. Local residents build low dikes and reservoirs to keep water for irrigation. Therefore, badland reservoirs and ponds are landscapes of natural and cultural structures, showing how people adapt to the badland environment. Some local farming reservoirs are constructed to keep not only water from precipitation but also avoid mineral rich runoffs coming into the reservoir with muddy clay directly. It is known as a special local traditional wisdom accumulated through time. Mud volcanoes are deposits created by the geo-excreted liquids and are composed of underground mudstone and water. The lifting force of liquids results from the tectonic stress and methane gases emitted from the well-developed fault zones and fold axis. The shape of mud volcanoes is determined by the viscosity (water content) of the mud. The major shapes of mud volcanoes include mud holes, mud cones, mud shields and mud basins.  Aside from the shapes of mud volcanoes, the emission activities of mud, mud flows and subsequent shrinkage help produce unique and sometimes interesting features. In addition, earth fingers formed by rainfall erosion, nature bridges, and small gorges/canyons are geological features unique to mud volcanoes.

 
This is an imageThis is an image
[1] Lin, J. C., Su, S. C. (2019). Geoparks of Taiwan. Their development and Prospects for a Sustainable Future