從鐵道到果園的旅程——東豐自行車道與東勢產業的再思考
身為一位曾在在跨國企業打拼、習慣快節奏決策的企業主管，我常被問：「你為何如此關心地方發展？」我的回答其實很簡單 - 因為我始終相信，真正具韌性的系統，不只存在於企業策略裡，也深藏在一塊塊仍在呼吸的土地上。
這趟從豐原到東勢、沿著東豐自行車道的旅程，看似一場簡單的單車行，其實讓我再次確認了這個信念。
一條通往心靈的自行車道：舊鐵道的再定義
東豐自行車道全長約13公里，從豐原出發，一路蜿蜒至東勢，沿線綠意盎然。更特別的是，它的前身是日治時期建設、1991年停駛的東勢支線鐵路——一條曾經承載山區農產與物資的命脈。
站在這條路上，我腦中浮現的不只是運輸的歷史，而是資產再定義的可能：當一條退役鐵道，轉型為全台第一條不與車輛共道的專用自行車道，甚至還能與台鐵火車站銜接，我看見的是一種對舊有價值的重新詮釋。
在企業世界裡，我們常談轉型、創新、永續，但這些詞彙若沒有實地落地，其實是空洞的。而這條車道提醒我——轉型，其實可以這麼自然，這麼貼近生活。
紙袋下的智慧：在果園中看見工藝與堅持
進入石岡與東勢之間，那段被綠樹包圍的車道，是這趟旅程最讓我沉靜的時刻。當兩旁出現一排排套著白色紙袋的果樹，我知道，我來到了東勢梨園。
這裡出產的高接梨，是東勢的驕傲。農民們以熟練的嫁接技術，讓台灣梨嫁接上日本品種——幸水、新興等——再用一只只白色紙袋守護果實，防病蟲、避烈日、保品質。那是一種手工與天候共同創造的奇蹟。
作為企業人，我清楚這背後的成本與壓力：高齡化的農村、進口水果的夾擊、消費市場的不確定性。但更讓我感動的，是他們不畏挑戰，選擇導入智慧農業、建立產銷履歷，甚至結合觀光資源，辦梨花季、設採果體驗。這正是一種在逆境中找出路、在傳統中求創新的精神。
一碗麵與一顆梅子：小鎮的氣味與下一步
在東勢，我停下腳步，走進一家名為「怒騾子牛肉麵」的小店。返鄉的年輕人經營得井井有條，菜色簡單卻不失風味。牆上裝飾與餐桌布置中，看得出他們對土地的認同與細節的堅持。
離開小店準備返回后里車站時，我無意間經過一處加工場。幾位婦女正熟練地為梅子去除細毛，原來這裡是早年的青果集散地——東勢青果市場。如今雖不若昔日盛況，卻依然運作著，是地方記憶的活見證。
這些小片段，讓我不禁思考：地方的下一步，不該只是保留，而是創造不凡價值的動能。
不只是一顆梨、一碗麵或一籃梅子，而是能否透過一條文化美食的軸線，將農業、加工、餐飲、市集，甚至文化與教育串連起來。打造「從果園到餐桌」的體驗鏈，這正是企業世界講求的系統思維 - 只是這次，主角不是產品，而是土地。
土地的再想像，是企業創新的靈感源泉
我始終相信，地方與商業不該是兩條平行線。我們可以在轉型企業時，學習地方如何面對限制卻仍然前行；也可以在思索品牌故事時，借鏡地方如何把一顆梨說得動人而深遠。
東豐自行車道與東勢的故事，不只是台灣的在地縮影，更是我在全球奔走多年後，依然感動的答案。它讓我深信，真正長遠的創新，不來自一夕的突破，而是來自一種對土地的理解與對人的尊重。
下一次當你面對複雜的決策、挑戰的轉型，或許不妨也走一趟這條路，看看紙袋下的果實，聽聽輪胎劃過舊鐵道的聲音。那是一種來自土地的回答，一種屬於台灣的韌性。
Seeing Taiwan Anew:
A Journey from Railways to Orchards — Rethinking the Dong Feng Bicycle Trail and Dongshi's Local Industries
As a business executive accustomed to high-speed decisions and the global marketplace, people often ask me why I care so deeply about local development. My answer is simple: I believe that truly resilient systems are not only found in corporate strategies, but also in the living, breathing lands we call home.
Recently, I took a ride along Taiwan’s East Feng Bicycle Trail, stretching from Fengyuan to Dongshi. What seemed like a leisurely cycling trip turned out to be a powerful reminder of this belief.
A Railway Reimagined:
How Infrastructure Can Be Redefined
The Dong Feng Bicycle Trail spans roughly 13 kilometers and follows the path of a former railway — the Dongshi Line — which was built during the Japanese era and decommissioned in 1991. Once a vital artery for transporting agricultural goods, timber, and camphor from central Taiwan’s mountain regions, this railway has been transformed into Taiwan’s first dedicated bike path, separate from vehicle traffic and connected to the national train system via Houli Station.
From a business perspective, this is a textbook case of asset redefinition. What once served as industrial infrastructure is now a cultural and recreational corridor. It reminds me that transformation doesn’t always require disruption — sometimes it simply needs vision and the will to adapt.
Innovation in Every Bag:
The Hidden Craft Behind Dongshi’s Pear Orchards
The most serene stretch of the trail lies between Shigang and Dongshi, where rows of pear trees line the path, each fruit gently protected by a white paper bag. This is where Dongshi's famed “grafted pears” are grown — a product of local climate, careful grafting of Taiwanese and Japanese varieties, and traditional farming wisdom.
What moved me most was how these farmers, facing an aging workforce and international competition, chose not to retreat but to evolve. They introduced smart agriculture technologies, traceability systems, and seasonal agri-tourism like blossom festivals and fruit picking events. This is local resilience at its best — turning challenges into renewed value.
A Bowl of Noodles, A Handful of Plums:
Small Scenes, Big Reflections
In Dongshi, I stopped for lunch at a small noodle shop run by a young entrepreneur who had returned home. The menu was simple, the space clean and thoughtfully designed — a reflection of pride in place and attention to detail.
Later, I passed by a local plum processing center, where women were skillfully removing fine hairs from freshly harvested fruit. This was the Dongshi Fruit Market — once a thriving hub, now quieter but still breathing with memory and meaning.
These seemingly small moments made me wonder: What’s next for local industries like this?
Perhaps the answer lies not in a single product, but in the ability to tell an integrated gastronomy story — one that links agriculture, processing, food, markets, and education into a living, narrative-driven experience. In business, we call this system design. In place-making, it’s simply honoring the land’s full potential.
Local Land, Global Lessons
The Dong Feng Trail and the town of Dongshi are not just stops on a map. They are a microcosm of Taiwan — places where history meets innovation, and where transformation is rooted in context, care, and culture.
As leaders, we often look to strategy, capital, or data for solutions. But sometimes, inspiration lies in the quiet rhythm of a pedal stroke, the craft behind a harvest, or the courage to return home and try again.
Next time you're navigating a tough decision or exploring a pivot point, consider taking a different path — one that listens to the land and learns from its people.
This is what Taiwan has taught me — and what I believe can inspire our work far beyond its borders.
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It's inspiring to see that many former BioCamp participants have gone on to achieve remarkable careers in their fields.