Last updated: May 2001
 | Tai Ho - Mui Wo Road |
| Deep Bay Update |
| Past Conservation News |
 Tai Ho - Mui Wo Road
|
By Mike Kilburn
Interesting developments are afoot for this area. Tai Ho Stream has won SSSI designation as a most important site for freshwater fish.
In addition the landowners - Swire Properties and Sun Hung Kei have proposed an Ecology Park be established in the valley. While the valley itself is of little conservation significance for Hong Kong birds (with the possible exception of Little Green Heron which may breed here), this would put further pressure on the plans for the road.
In addition, the Highways Department・s Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for the road was rejected by the Advisory Committee on the Environment (ACE). It is encouraging to see that poorly prepared EIAs are not merely rubber-stamped in the name of commercial expediency.
| Deep Bay Update
|
By Lew Young
Earthmoving this Winter
Over the winter 1999/2000, there have been a number of earthmoving projects going on within Mai Po. One of the earliest, has been the lowering of one of the bunds inside gei
wai 22 (by the southern helicopter pad), so as to give visitors a better view of the whole of gei wai 22 from the FCA Border Fence road. At the same time, the bund which has
been lowered can act as another roosting site for waterbirds because the water level is managed so that it normally just covers the bund. Many waterbirds like to stand in shallow
water, or areas of wet mud.
Gei Wai 15c
This is triangular pond at the back of the Mai Po Education Centre where many of the wintering Cormorants roost. Whilst the aim is to manage this pond as a freshwater pond using
rainwater to provide the freshwater, there had been problems with leaks in the bunds of the pond allowing brackish water in from adjacent ponds. Therefore, the whole pond has had
to be drained and the leaks plugged. It is hoped that the works can be completed before the end of April.
Gei Wai 23
This pond has been managed over the past winter to provide an open freshwater habitat using rain to provide the freshwater as with gei wai 15c. Student volunteers have removed
much of the unwanted vegetation in the pond and earthmoving has begun to repair the leaks in the bunds. Due to the pond being so large, the earthmoving works will have to be
continued during the winter of 2000/01 when work to re-profile the pond bottom will begin.
Changes to the Management of ．the Scrape・
Observant visitors will have noticed that many of the wooden boards across the sluice gates of the Scrape・ have been removed and that as a result, the pond is now tidal. This is another
experiment which the reserve is carrying out to try and attract more shorebirds to use the pond as a roosting site when there is a high tide in Deep Bay. The results have so far been
promising but with the main spring shorebird passage still to come in April (*this piece was written at the end of March), we are all keeping our fingers crossed.
Mini-tower Hide
Visitors to gei wai #20 would have seen a mini-tower hide at the back of the pond made from scaffolding and green tarpaulin. The money to build this mini-tower hide was generously
donated by Dr. Steve Cheung and is for everyone to use. The only access to the hide is only from the footpath between gei wai #18 and 19, and then across a small wooden bridge. If the
hide proves itself to be successful, then we may consider building a slightly larger hide at the point. [During the winter the bare tree close to this hide has often been used by an adult Imperial
Eagle as a vantage point. As the tree is less than 50 yards away, the hide provides a wonderful opportunity to see this magnificent bird up close. Look out for it here next winter - ed.]
Field Trials for Aquatic Plants
The Territory Development Department・s aquatic plant field trials are continuing in gei wai 24b with some modifications, such as the netting having come off the cages now. This is
in order to see if any of the plants are grazed by birds (such as wintering Wigeon), or if their seeds are taken by seed-eating birds. If HKBWS members see any birds feeding on these
plants, then please let Lew Young know and he will pass the message on to TDD.
| Past Conservation News |
