Taiwan’s vast subtropical forests are filled with trees well-regarded for their healing essential oils, and the robustness of their wood. Ancient thousand-year-old trees—mostly Taiwan cypress and Taiwan red cypress—are referred to as “holy trees”. Most of these are now protected from harvesting under Taiwanese law, and many groves of these ancient trees are popular destinations in Taiwan’s Forest Recreation Areas. Taiwan’s oldest tree, a 4600-year-old Taiwan Cypress, is just a 30-minute walk from the Guanwu Forest Recreation Area in the mountains of Hsinchu. Taiwan is also home to many endemic species including the colorful Swinhoe’s pheasant, the cute Siberian weasel, the cunning Yellow-throated marten, and the majestic high-mountain Sambar deer. For bird enthusiasts over 550 species of birds have been observed in Taiwan.