Above 2,100 meters there is a mixture of confiers and indigenous hardwoods, and below that mostly sub-tropical hardwood forest. The area is 87 percent forested, and can be considered a national treasure in itself. In addition, three of the largest rivers flowing through central and southern Taiwan originate in the area, and part of the purpose of setting up the park is to keep them pollution-free.
更重要的是，這片森林是本省中南部地區三大溪流（濁水溪、高屏溪、秀姑巒溪）最主要的上游集水區，如果它不幸因人為的開發而遭致破壞，將會造成下游地區嚴重的水患。