Guanyin Algal Reef Ecosystem Wildlife Protected Area

What does time look like? Standing before the Guanyin Algal Reef, the largest algal reef formation on Taiwan proper, the ecological masterpiece shaped by millennia of flowing time is profoundly awe-inspiring, making one deeply aware of humanity's insignificance. Covering approximately 370 hectares, the Guanyin Algal Reef differs from coral reefs formed by animals. Algal reefs are 'plant reefs' formed by the calcification of coralline algae after death, depositing on gravel beaches to create limestone reef bodies. On average, it takes 10 years for only 1 centimeter to form. Taoyuan's algal reef complex once stretched from Dayuan and Guanyin all the way to Xinwu. However, with the development of coastal industrial zones, only about 5 kilometers remain from what was once 27 kilometers. To conserve this 4000-year-old marine treasure, the 'Taoyuan Guanyin Algal Reef Ecosystem Wildlife Protected Area' was designated in 2014, becoming a 'classroom without walls' for understanding the algal reef environment. The annual 'Love Taoyuan Algal Reef Thousand-Person Hike' event also encourages the public to actively protect this coastline.