The name of the mountain Lalashan comes from a word in the local Atayal language meaning “beautiful”, and you only have to visit once to see how well the name fits. It’s a place in the interior of Taoyuan in northern Taiwan, where fruit orchards and stands of ancient trees both grow, and dramatic sunsets and thick mountain mists are both regular parts of life. The air is clear and temperatures cool. Since 1986, the Lalashan Nature Reserve has protected all this beauty, leaving local trees and animals alone to thrive. On the line this week to tell us about the reserve is Yeh Tson-Fu, head of Taoyuan’s Scenic Area Service Agency.