With the crisp autumn air, it is the perfect season to venture into the mountains and reconnect with nature! In October, the Northguan Scenic Area Headquarters is presenting two themed activities as part of its “2026 Guanyinshan: Hawk-Watching, Then Cherry Blossom Viewing” Program: a “Geological Landscape Guided Tour (Yinghanling Trail)” and “Let Birds See the Glass: Preventing Bird-Window Collisions.” From hiking and exploring geological landscapes to learning about bird conservation and creating bird-friendly glass, the activities invite the participants to rediscover Guanyinshan from different perspectives. Combining outdoor exploration with environmental education, the program aims to help visitors do more than hiking and admiring the scenery; through walking and hands-on experiences, they can also discover Guanyinshan’s rich natural resources and gain a deeper understanding of the importance of humans and nature coexisting in harmony.
The “Geological Landscape Guided Tour (Yinghanling Trail)” will be held in two sessions, on Saturday, October 10, and Sunday, October 18. Through professional geological interpretation, on-trail guided tours, and conservation activities, participants will explore Guanyinshan’s geological features, landforms, and natural ecology from different perspectives.
On the morning of Saturday, October 10, three activities will take place: the “Geological Landscape Guided Tour (Yinghanling Trail),” the “Interpretation Session of the Geological Landscape Guided Tour,” and the “Let Birds See the Glass: Preventing Bird-Window Collisions” activity. Professor Lin Jiun-chuan of the Department of Geography at National Taiwan University will first provide expert geological interpretation, introducing participants to Guanyinshan’s distinctive geology and the formation of its landscapes. Local professional guides will then lead participants up Yinghanling, where on-site observations will help them view Guanyinshan through the lens of geology and landforms. As they hike, participants will discover the natural stories embedded in the land beneath their feet.
The day’s program will also incorporate the conservation theme “let birds see the glass: preventing bird-window collisions.” Instructors from the Raptor Research Group of Taiwan will explain bird-window collisions, describing how transparent or reflective glass can confuse wild birds and cause them to collide with windows. The activity will also introduce the conservation principles of United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 15 (i.e., “Life on Land”). Furthermore, a special lecture on bird-window collisions will be held in the morning at the Guanyinshan Visitor Center, followed by a hands-on workshop on making glass more bird-friendly. Combined with the guided hike along Yinghanling Trail, these activities will deepen participants’ understanding of landscapes and ecological conservation through learning, practical action, and outdoor observations.
On Sunday, October 18, the second session will be organized in collaboration with the Taipei Mountain Climbing Association. Professional guides will lead participants along Yinghanling Trail to explore Guanyinshan’s geological characteristics and large-scale landforms. By encouraging participants to “walk, observe, and learn” along the way, the activity will combine hiking with landscape education, transforming a familiar mountain trail into an outdoor classroom for exploring natural landforms and offering a fresh dimension to the Guanyinshan hiking experience.
Through the “2026 Guanyinshan: Hawk-Watching, Then Cherry Blossom Viewing” Program, the organizer hopes to make Guanyinshan not only a destination for hiking and scenic views but also a “natural” classroom where visitors can explore and learn firsthand. From climbing Yinghanling to take in the expansive landscapes and understand the geological environment, to discovering the connection between a pane of glass and the survival of wild birds, every observation and experience offers a new opportunity to understand this land.
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