Wushanding Mud Volcano / 烏山頂泥火山
Wushanding Mud Volcano
◎English translation: Marie Pelchat
◎Photos by Pao Chung-hui
Wushanding Mud Volcano, New Yangnu Lake and New Sun Valley are all located in Yanchao District in Kaohsiung City. The Wushanding Mud Volcano covers an area of 4.89 hectares and is Kaohsiung's only nature reserve. It is also Taiwan's biggest, most spectacular and best preserved mud volcano. Two large, disk-shaped mud volcanoes are located just a short distance from the entrance. Mud can be seen flowing slowly from the cone of the mud volcano, creating river-like waves. The surface of the mud flow reveals a black oily layer, which is in fact crude oil .Even at 50 feet away the sound of loud bubbling fills the air. The vast landscape and volcanic phenomena are certainly some of Kaohsiung's most 
stunning attractions.
The Yuanjiao Cultural Association was established 16 years ago and is the leading authority on the mud volcano. Mr. Lin Wu-siou, the Association's Director General, explains that Wushanding's Mud Volcano is actually made up of over 30 volcanoes, of which nine are still active. One interesting observation he shares is the change of volcanic barometric pressure due to typhoon activity in the area. Lin Wu-siou also explains the three factors necessary for the formation of mud volcanoes: crevices created by the penetration of groundwater in the mud, high-pressure gas and a fault caused by the subduction of tectonic plates. Lin Wu-siou states by observing the changes in the flow of mud, one can truly appreciate its beauty.
The landscape and its ecosystems are also spectacular. The Council of Agriculture established the nature reserve in 1992 and initiated a reforestation project. Mr. Lin Wu-siou points out various types of trees such as mahogany, acacia and teak. Rose wood and Formosan ash trees can also be found, often inhabited by Japanese rhinoceros beetles. Flora and fauna include Lingzhi mushroom and straw mushroom, with monkeys, frogs, snakes and rabbits also living in the reserve. Due to high levels of salinity in the mud pools and volcanic flows, treeless areas can be found, giving the forest a unique landscape. From the incision left by the Japanese rhinoceros beetles to the rich details of the surrounding ecosystems, it is an awe inspiring reserve.
※New Yangnu Lake and New Sun Valley
New Yangnu Lake and New Sun Valley are also close by. Mud basins and mud pools produce a cacophony of bubbling sounds. If a fire is lit at the opening of the mud spray, it will burn for a while. New Sun Valley is a mudstone formations and a famous local attraction. The landscape is barren due to the loose structure and low permeability in the mudstone which subsequently creates water erosion.
烏山頂泥火山
◎文／侯雅婷、蔡乙甄 ◎攝影／鮑忠暉
沸騰的泡泡聲響、宏大的泥漿景觀，搭配大自然匠心獨具的雕工，位於高雄市燕巢區的烏山頂泥火山、新養女湖和新太陽谷共同演繹了這處熱鬧卻帶靜謐的風光。
佔地4.89公頃的烏山頂泥火山是高雄市唯一的自然保留區，同時也是規模最大、最壯觀和保存最完整的泥火山。入口處走一小段路，即可看見兩座規模最巨大的椎狀式泥火山。50尺之遠就能聽到「啵啵啵」的巨大聲音，既讓人為之詫異，但又不致不安，置身其中讓人盡享大自然的神奇力量。
成立16年的「援剿人文協會」長期觀察、紀錄烏山頂泥火山，總幹事林武秀表示，烏山頂泥火山有超過30個火山，其中有9個是活躍的，每當颱風將至，氣壓受到影響，泥火山就會發生變化。林武秀說，泥火山形成需具備三要素：由地下水滲透的泥漿形成裂隙、高壓氣體和板塊擠壓造成的斷層。現場可見由泥火錐湧出的泥漿緩緩流出，形成河流般的波面，湊近端詳，泥漿上面有一層黑色的油脂就是原油。林武秀說，靜靜地觀看泥漿流動的變化就能領略其自成一格的美感。
烏山頂泥火山除了景觀相當有看頭之外，周圍的生態環境更是豐富，林武秀說，民國81年農委會在烏山頂泥火山成立自然保留區之際，開始造林，隨著林武秀走入由桃花心木、相思木和柚木等多種樹種構成的樹林，地上可見靈芝和草菇，林武秀說這片樹林棲息許多猴子 、蛙類、蛇、兔子，樹林裏也還有大小不一的噴泥池，泥漿流過的泥道地區因鹽份過高，樹木無法存活，也成為森林中的特殊景致。烏山頂泥火山入口處外圍，還有印度紫檀和獨角仙最喜歡的
光蠟樹，現在光蠟樹樹皮還留有獨角仙的刻痕，豐富的生態讓人大開眼界。
鄰近地區還有新養女湖，參觀前不妨先打聽地名來源的浪漫傳說，增加故事性。現場噴泥盆和噴泥池的波波聲非常猛烈，在噴泥口處點火，還燃燒好一陣子，足見當地累積旺盛能量。
泥岩地層所構成新太陽谷亦是當地知名景點，由於泥岩結構疏鬆，透水性低，遇水沖蝕嚴重，草木難生，形成不毛之地的惡地形。