Kuo, who has designed many of the trails in the Taipei vicinity, emphasizes that Taiwan is very special. It is at the juncture of tropical and sub-tropical climatic regions, with high temperatures and heavy rains year round. Moreover, given its mountainous terrain, all the forest forms of the northern hemisphere are here, layered one on top of the other.
規畫多條台北市近郊步道的郭城孟強調，台灣由於地處熱帶與亞熱帶的交界，終年高溫多雨，加上特殊的高山地形，所有北半球的森林形態，在台灣依垂直分佈幾乎完全呈現。