Maple Woods is in the suburbs of Bishan village, close to Shanhou Folk Culture Village, and on the way from Bishan to Shanhou. The Woods are broad in area, diverse in vegetation,(1) and used to be the farming land of the villagers of Bishan before becoming one of the reforested(2) areas of Kinmen. Maple trees are planted everywhere here, and a path and an arch bridge have been constructed, making the woods a natural park for recreation. Ambling(3) along the path in the woods to reach the platform top, one can catch a graceful view of Taiwu Mountain in the distance. When autumn comes, the maple leaves immediately paint the woods in red color and add somewhat to the nostalgia(4) of the tourists. Furthermore, the adjacent Bishan village, which has a couple of western style buildings and a tranquil atmosphere, is a scenic site well worth seeing.
　　楓香林在碧山村村郊，靠近山后民俗文化村，由碧山通往山后的途中。楓香林區域內地方遼闊，植物多元化，以前是碧山村民耕種的地方，後來成為金門的造林計畫地之一。園區遍植楓樹，並設有景觀步道、曲橋造景，是一座天然遊憩的絕佳公園。在楓香林沿著步道登上景觀平台，可以眺望太武山的優美景色。秋天的楓香林，滿山遍野的楓紅，更增添了幾許思鄉情懷。臨近的碧山村有數棟古洋樓建築，寧謐幽靜，是一個值得參觀品味的地方。

Tourist: As soon as autumn comes, the maple woods must be very beautiful with red leaves everywhere.
遊客：這座楓香林，秋天一到，滿地楓紅，一定很美。

Tour guide: You bet! The maple trees have spread throughout the woods, and their leaves fall down with the autumn winds. Here, people feel as though they are living in a painting.
導遊：是的。這園區遍佈楓樹，入秋後，紅紅的楓葉隨風吹落，在這裡真有住在畫中的感覺！

Tourist: Here maple trees have been planted, but most of the trees I've seen planted in Kinmen are of a tall variety. What's the name of that kind of tree?
遊客：這裡種的是楓樹，不過金門還遍佈著一種高高大大的樹。叫什麼來著？

Tour Guide: The trees you are talking about are called "casuarinas."(5) In the early days in Kinmen, That kind of tree was widely grown mainly because the casuarinas branches can survive the strong winds. As Kinmen is surrounded by the sea, in the early days a large number of casuarinas trees were planted to serve as the best windbreak forest.(6)
導遊：你指的是「木麻黃」。金門早期所種植的樹大多是「木麻黃」；主要是因為木麻黃樹不怕強風的吹襲；而金門是四面環海的小島，所以，早期種植大量的木麻黃形成最佳的防風林。

Tourist: So that explains it. But why are the maple trees replacing the older trees?
遊客：原來如此。那這裡為什麼改種植楓樹呢？

Tour Guide: The replacement of old casuarinas by maple trees is one of the special reforestation projects in Kinmen. Some of the casuarinas are too old to survive typhoons and may cause damage.
導遊：這區域種植楓樹來取代樹齡高的木麻黃，是金門的造林計畫之一。有許多高齡的木麻黃樹，禁不起颱風吹襲而傾倒，形成災害。

Tourist: Are there any other sightseeing spots near here?
遊客：在這園區附近還有其他的景點嗎？
Tour Guide: Yes, there are. The scenic sites around here are Shanhou Folk Culture Village, Shi Mountain, Wuhu Mountain and so on. Bicycle riding is proper for tourists around these sites. By the way, there is a village nearby called "Bishan", which has some western style buildings and is culturally rich. It is well worth a visit.
導遊：附近的景點有：山后民俗文化村、獅山、五虎山等；景點之間非常適合騎自行車。此外，臨近的碧山村有數棟古洋樓建築，很有文化氣息，也是一個值得參觀的地方。

Tourist: You've got to take me there.
遊客：一定要帶我去參觀一下。

Tour Guide: Yes. However, one other thing worthy of noting is that a shooting range(7) is located outside Bishan village. In the early day it used to be a soldiers' training ground. Now that Kinmen is no longer a battlefield, and the number of soldiers has been reduced a lot, this shooting range has long been discarded. Now the residents just take advantage of the range and make it a place for raising cattle. So people have turned the old shooting range into a natural pasture.(8)
導遊：是的。值得一提的是，碧山村郊有一座靶場。早期是阿兵哥練習打靶的地方；但現在金門已經不是戰地，阿兵哥也大量減少，靶場便慢慢廢棄不用了。現在反而常見附近居民把家裡養的黃牛牽到這裡餵食和棲息，所以，昔日的靶場已經成了現在的牧場了。

Tourist: I have heard that Kinmen is famous for its oxen and their juicy beef. Is that true?
遊客：聽說金門的黃牛很有名，非常好吃，是嗎？

Tour Guide: Absolutely. Kinmen beef is really mouthwatering(9) and delicious.
導遊：金門的黃牛餐的確非常有名，令人垂涎三尺。

Tourist: Will I have the opportunity to taste it?
遊客：有機會去品嚐看看嗎？

Tour Guide: Of course you will.
導遊：那是一定要的。（二十六）


■1. vegetation-(n)植物的總稱；植被。
■2. reforest-(vt.)在～重新造林。名詞形式是reforestation。
■3. amble-(vi)散步、輕鬆漫步。
■4. nostalgia-(n)懷舊之情。
■5. casuarinas-(n)木麻黃的學名，俗稱beefwood。
■6. windbreak-(n)防風林。
■7. shooting range-射擊場、靶場。
■8. pasture-(n)牧場。亦可當動詞使用，指「放牧」或「吃草」。
■9. mouth-watering-(adj)指美味，與delicious為同義詞。

資料來源：金門縣政府
原書作者：陳建民、漢貴恩

【本系列及新聞英文解說，由金門技術學院Patti老師指導，本報編輯部提供，歡迎各界指正或提供建議】