Hutian residents create a new style of agricultural community

Though situated only a few kilometers from the city center, the Hutian Community in Yangmingshan National Park is imbued with the sweet scent of Mother Nature. Hutian is not just the birthplace of japonica rice cultivation in Taiwan but also a rare example of a rural community harmoniously existing within a national park.

Although the Bamboo Lake (竹子湖) area is a community dominated by leisure and sightseeing, it maintains a stunning natural environment. There are strict controls on local stores and wastewater from the catering industry is first discharged into a field of giant taro to be filtered and cleaned before entering rivers. As a result, the natural environment remains largely intact with crystal clear water and riverbanks that provide a home for many small creatures.

At present, the Hutian community is actively developing the tourism industry and has applied to be designated as an agritourism zone. Hutian hopes that visiting tourists will cherish the community and help to sustain it long into the future.

以下為中文對照

位在陽明山國家公園內的湖田社區，離市中心不過幾公里遠，空氣中卻呈現一種自然的芬芳，這裡是台灣蓬萊米中山種的發源地，更是世界少見與國家公園共生的都市型農村社區。

雖然竹子湖地區是以休閒觀光為主的社區，但他的自然環境仍然維持的相當良好，社區對當地的店家嚴格把關，將餐飲業使用過的廢水先排到海芋田裡，經過植物過濾再流入到河川，因此湖田裡的河川清澈見底，還能看到許多小動物在沿岸活動，將生態維持得相當良好。

目前湖田社區正在積極發展觀光產業，除了申請休閒農業專區的劃設外，希望遊客在近來湖田觀光的同時，也要愛惜這片土地，讓他能夠長久的經營下去。

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