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        Special Topics 特別主題 >> Nature Conservation Policy 自然保育政策 >>  We should protect birds and key habitats  
        
(Message started by: Mike Kilburn on Sep 3^rd, 2003, 11:14pm)

Title: We should protect birds and key habitats
Post by Mike Kilburn on Sep 3^rd, 2003, 11:14pm

HKBWS is committed to protecting Hong Kong's birds and the habitats they depend on.

Many of these occur outside the protected area system, and the most threatened habitats are lowland wetland areas such as Kam Tin Shuen Wan, Luk Keng, Kuk Po, Ma Tso Lung and Long Valley.

Do you think these will be protected by the government's proposals?

Title: Re: We should protect birds and key habitats &nbsp
Post by mouserat on Jan 15^th, 2004, 10:51pm

The wetland conservation was meaningless to our HK gov, at least, to the big heads in the dept.
Most of the big heads in the Depts were engineers, their major concerns to the environment stay in drainage works or road works. :-X

Title: Re: We should protect birds and key habitats &nbsp
Post by 鳥友Ａ(BWA) on Jan 16^th, 2004, 1:27am

What are the government's proposals? ???

Title: Re: We should protect birds and key habitats &nbsp
Post by AL on Jan 17^th, 2004, 12:20am

on 09/03/03 at 23:14:24, Mike Kilburn wrote:

Hi Mike,

Seems that economic consideration would be the major concern to our government. Knowing that most of them are locating outside country park areas, those biodiversity "hotspots" are mostly under private ownership and hence the Gov. has no authority either to establish conservation campaign or to confine the owners' development activities. >:(

What I think about those hotspots is either:
1. The Gov is wealthy enough to spend a large amount of money to obtain the ownership of those biodiversity hotspots;

2. Owners of those hotspots are nature-lovers and possess the self-awareness of conservation, thus helping to minimize the development activities.

However, above 2 thoughts are unlikely to be true in the foreseeable 3-4 years (until 2007 .. guess what i mean ;) ) ... so the future of those lovely birding grounds remains to be unclear ::)

Title: Re: We should protect birds and key habitats
Post by martin on Jul 16^th, 2006, 12:32pm

Quote:

Owners of those hotspots are nature-lovers

- ah, wouldn't that be good!

Just writing a little about Shuen Wan (after covering Luk Keng, and Sha Lo Tung), and w googling, found this thread.

Still much in limbo it seems.

Great that Sun Hung Kai's hideous plans for Sham Chung didn't go straight thro. Sham Chung not a major birding spot; but have to wonder what might have been there when it was rated second best freshwater wetland in HK.

If govt can keep resolve in rejecting more destructive plans for various areas, perhaps can get some shift w developers (and villagers) towards better options, maybe w more nature tourism.

Lai Chi Wo recently worked w afcd in creating nature trail etc. (Yes, they're too remote to have so much chance of luxury houses and helicopter pads, so maybe nature tourism about the only option there, but progress I think, and good if others can do likewise: Shuen Wan almost tailormade for visitors - seems Wheelock might be interested, but can people dodge the cranky villagers?! Or, villagers maybe cool down some, realise the wetland could be an asset.)

Also via google, HK Govt has webpage on creatures thriving in HK wetlands, including Luk Keng.
Many creatures thrive in Hong Kong wetlands (http://www3.news.gov.hk/ISD/ebulletin/en/category/environment/030411/features/html/030411en04011.htm)
- good to tell the world about such things.
Better still to ensure we have more than one wetland reserve!

(Mui Wo wetland is another that has been degraded, but could also make a great little reserve, including for human visitors.)