Agency reiterates alpine lake ban after online hoax

• By Yang Yuan-ting and Esme Yeh / Staff reporter, with staff writer

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The Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency yesterday reminded people that swimming is prohibited in alpine lakes after a hoax announcement of a Jiaming Lake (嘉明湖) “swimming carnival” was circulated on social media.

A person posted the event online claiming that a minimum of seven people could join in on Double Ten National Day for NT$81,000 per person.

They also asked potential participants to complete a 48-hour trek to reach the Taitung County lake, which is at an elevation of more than 3,000m, and then a 300m swim within 10 minutes.

Jiaming Lake in Taitung County is pictured in an undated photograph.

Photo courtesy of the Taitung Forest District Office

Organizers of competitions or events that could cause environmental disruption in natural forests, except regular hiking, existing ecological tours or traditional indigenous activities, must apply to the agency, it said.

Such events are restricted to existing hiking trails, forest roads or recreational public space, it added.

The agency would not approve any activity that might affect ecological environments, including operating motor vehicles on trails or closed roads, water activities such as swimming or standup paddleboarding in alpine lakes, or large-scale competitions or events at cultural heritage sites, former indigenous settlements or ecologically sensitive areas, it said.

It also prohibits use of bright lighting or loudspeaker equipment that could affect wildlife, or any activities involving feeding, luring or repelling wildlife, the agency said.

Swimming in Jiaming Lake not only disrupts ecological environments, but carries high safety risks, as alpine rescue would be time-consuming with limited resources, it said.

The agency reiterated that it would not allow such an activity, which is clearly inconsistent with the site’s conservation and management objectives.