Arbor day is celebrated on March 12th. Mayor of Taichung City, Lu Shiow-Yen went to Houli Forest Park in person to join the Executive Chairman of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), Mark Liu and Chairwoman of TSMC Foundation, Sophie Chang, to plant the Tree of Hope as an act to jointly promote a tree plantation project. She at the same time announced today's opening of the 7.2-hectare area east to "A Family of Four" Exhibition Hall at Houli Forest Park as a permanent park after one-year long preparation. Everyone is welcome to visit the Park.
The Tree Plantation Heritage Project was initiated by TSMC by working with four metropolises, Taoyuan, Hsinchu, Taichung and Tainan. Mayor Lu, Executive Chairman Liu and Chairwoman Chang today (the 12th) arrived at Taichung Houli Forest Park to join three other mayors online: Taoyuan Mayor Cheng Wen-Tsan at Pingzhan Sport Park, Hsinchu Mayor, Lin Chih-Chien on Qing Qing Grassland and Tainan Mayor Huang Wei-che at Tainan Shan-Shang Garden and Old Waterworks Museum to start the tree planting ceremony that aims to give a more sustainable and greener environment for future generations.
Mayor Lu especially put on secondhand clothes prepared by the grandson of "Want Show Laundry," Allen Chang. A plaid shoulder pad coat, a narrow belt and a newsboy hat, Mayor Lu was dressed in a classic fashion style. She said that Want Show Laundry has been operating for a long history and it turns clothes forgotten by their customers into the secondhand fashion goods to respond to environmental protection. Their action inspired us to cherish resources and promote sustainability.
Mayor Lu said that on today's Arbor Day, the Taichung City Government demonstrated its determination for building a green homeland with two featured projects: the first one was the tree plantation project with TSMC to plant vast Taiwanese and Taichung's native tree species to improve the urban landscape, reduce carbon emission and create fresh air and conserve the water and soil. The second project was to transform the use of "Houli Forest Park" from military and national defense use to a people's park. Houli Forest Park was transformed from a temporary exhibition venue used for the Taichung Flora Expo and the Taiwan Lantern Festival into a permanent park.
Mayor Lu pointed out that that the park occupies an area of 15 hectares. At Stage 1, 7.2 hectares were open to preserve the exhibition hall of "A Family of Four" and installation artwork of "Listen to the Flower Blooming Sound." Walking paths, lighting and toilets were equipped and future maintenance operations were expected to be enhanced to welcome all visitors.
The Executive Chairman of TSMC, Mark Liu, said, "Caring for Our Earth and Caring for the Future Generation" has always been the important contents of TSMC's corporate social responsibility. To respond to global climate change, TSMC continuously realized environmental measures and promoted green sustainability. Today's commencement of Tree Plantation Heritage Project demonstrates our act for caring for the Earth and inspires our society to take concrete action. He would like to especially thank the great help and support of four metropolises: Taichung, Taoyuan, Hsinchu and Tainan for jointly promoting green ecology in both urban areas and communities and to contribute to this land.
The Chairwoman of TSMC Foundation, Sophie Chang, pointed out that this event has a significant meaning and touches many people. Each tree planted represents love and green hope to call for all people to protect our environment. Volunteers from her Foundation will continuously and actively promote environmental education and to safeguard our environment with concrete actions for the protection of the future of our children.
"Plant a tree for a promise for our children's future," said Director General of Construction Bureau, Chen Da-Tien and he thanked TSMC for their care for environmental issues such as climate change, urban heat island effect and carbon emission reduction and the willingness to work with Taichung City by promising to at least plant 15,000 saplings, equivalent to the tree numbers of 2.5 Daan Forest Parks to plant sustainable hope for the next generation. At Stage 1, four tree plantation sites included Houli Forest Park, green lands of Beitun Phase 14 Replotting Area, Fengyuan Cemetery NO.6 and Taichung Metropolitan Park starting from February 1st with the target to plant 1,029 saplings.
Additionally, Director General Chen said the Exhibition Hall of "A Family of Four" and "Listen to Flower Blooming Sound" installation artwork, ecological pond and landscape vegetation under trees, and landscape toilets were preserved at Houli Forest Park. Landscape spaces were optimized including creation of theme plantation and improvement of bare land and enhancement of service facility functions including parking space, road signs, walk paths, recreational space and outdoors lighting. Today the 7.2-hectare area east to "A Family of Four" was opened and the rest areas were expected to also be open after they are gradually completed by the end of this year.