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Topic: Hong Kong Bird Watching Map (Read 1334 times) |
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Project Officer, HKBWS
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PRESS RELEASE
Hong Kong Bird Watching Society Publishes "Hong Kong Bird Watching Map"
Partners with Swarovski Optik & HK Tourism Board (HKTB) to promote bird eco-tourism to international visitors
9th October 2003 Hong Kong - The Hong Kong Bird Watching Society (HKBWS)[2] today publishes the "Hong Kong Bird Watching Map", the first guide available at Hong Kong International Airport for visitors wishing to watch birds.
The Map provides visitors with information on 12 of Hong Kong's premier bird watching sites, including individual maps, information on the special birds of each site and detailed directions on how to find the sites using public transport. In addition to the jewel in Hong Kong's bird watching crown, the famous Mai Po Marshes Nature Reserve, the Map also covers habitats ranging from forested hills to rocky shores, mangroves, fishponds and farmlands, highlighting the wonderful diversity of Hong Kong's natural beauty.
Speaking at the ceremony to hand over the map to the Hong Kong Tourism Board's (HKTB) Product Development Senior Manager Mason Hung, HKBWS Chairman Lam Chiu Ying noted: "HKBWS are proud to partner with the "Map" sponsor Swarovski and HKTB to promote eco-tourism and enjoyment in Hong Kong’s birds and wild places."
"We welcome this cooperation opportunity between the non-government organisations, commercial sector, and the HKTB in raising interest and awareness of Hong Kong's ecotourism potential," said Ms Clara Chong, Executive Director of HKTB.
"As a global sponsor of BirdLife International partnership Swarovski is delighted to partner HKBWS in raising awareness of the top bird watching sites in Hong Kong," said Eric Hau, SE Asia & Greater China Sales Manager for Swarovski Optik.
The "Map" has already received acclaim from BirdLife International[3]: " HKBWS have not only created a beautiful and informative guide to Hong Kong's top birding spots, they have also created a model for co-operation which draws on the particular strengths of different sectors of society," said Mr Noritaka Ichida, Director of BirdLife International Asia Division. "It is a model we will share with the other members of the BirdLife International partnership. We further believe that birds and their habitat together constitute an invaluable asset for all countries, being an attraction to an increasing number of global travellers."
In addition to distributing the map to arriving tourists at Chek Lap Kok, HKTB will make it available to tourists at its information centres in town. HKBWS will also distribute copies to teachers through co-operation with the Hong Kong Professional Teachers Union, a long-time partner of HKBWS in raising awareness of birds and bird watching in schools.
- Ends -
For further information please contact:
Carrie Ma, Project Officer
Hong Kong Bird Watching Society
Tel: 2377 4387 (office)
E-mail hkbws@hkbws.org.hk
Notes for Editors
[1] Photograph of birds and bird watching maps is available on the website http://www.hkbws.org.hk/fileServer/Projectofficer/b_map.html. Further information on the birds, and its habitat is available upon request.
[2] The Hong Kong Bird Watching Society is a membership-based organization committed to research and conserve birds and their habitats, and promote the enjoyment of bird watching through monitoring, education and public awareness building, advocacy and community participation.
[3] HKBWS is affiliate of BirdLife International. BirdLife International is a global alliance of conservation organization working to protect the world’s birds and their habitats. BirdLife International is present in more than 100 countries and territories, with a global membership of over 2,500,000.
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| « Last Edit: Oct 3rd, 2004, 4:56pm by HKBWS Office » |
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Re: Hong Kong Bird Watching Map
« Reply #1 on: Oct 9th, 2003, 10:03pm » |
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BirdLife International - News Release
« Reply #2 on: Oct 10th, 2003, 1:30pm » |
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For Immediate Release
Hong Kong birdwatching tourism gets major push
From now on tourists visiting frenetic Hong Kong will be provided with an alternative way to spend their vacation – a free guide to seeing the surprisingly rich bird life on the islands.
Distributed at Hong Kong International Airport, tourist information centres and in schools, so that local children may also benefit from their environment, Hong Kong Bird Watching Map provides visitors with information on 12 of Hong Kong’s premier bird watching sites. This includes individual maps, information on the special birds of each site and detailed directions on how to find the sites using public transport.
Although one of the most densely-populated areas on Earth and a mere 1,100 sq km in area, Hong Kong is home to fourteen species in danger of extinction, including the Endangered Black-faced Spoonbill Platalea minor and Spotted Greenshank Tringa guttifer. [1,2] The guide features the jewel in Hong Kong’s birdwatching crown, the famous Mai Po Marshes Nature Reserve, which has been designated as an Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International and supports important non-breeding populations of several thousand waterbirds. [3,4]
In addition the guide also covers habitats ranging from forested hills to rocky shores, mangroves, fishponds and Hong Kong’s one remaining example of traditionally-managed farmland, Long Valley IBA, highlighting the wonderful diversity of Hong Kong’s natural beauty.
The guide has been published by BirdLife's partner in Hong Kong, Hong Kong Bird Watching Society, together with the HK Tourism Board and Swarovski. HKBWS Chairman Lam Chiu Ying says: "HKBWS are proud to partner with the "Map" sponsor Swarovski and Hong Kong Tourist Board to promote eco-tourism and enjoyment in Hong Kong's birds and wild places. We hope this will set a new trend for co-operation between the commercial sector, non-governmental organisations and the administration in raising interest and awareness of Hong Kong’s ecotourism potential."
Noritaka Ichida, Director of BirdLife International Asia says: "Hong Kong Bird Watching Society have not only created a beautiful and informative guide to Hong Kong's top birding spots, they have also created a model for co-operation which draws on the particular strengths of different sectors of society. We further believe that birds and their habitat together constitute an invaluable asset for all countries, being an attraction to an increasing number of global travellers."
For further information please contact Carrie Ma at Hong Kong Bird Watching Society on +852 2377 4387 or +852 9041 3021. Email: hkbws@hkbws.org.hk
or Gareth Gardiner-Jones at BirdLife International, Cambridge, UK on + 44 (0) 1223 277 318 or 07779 018332 (mobile). E-mail: gareth.gardiner@birdlife.org.uk
NOTES FOR EDITORS
1) BirdLife is the Listing Authority for birds for the IUCN Red List which includes all species judged to be threatened with extinction. IUCN World Conservation Union Red List categories are: Critically Endangered (facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild), Endangered (facing a very high risk of extinction in the wild) and Vulnerable (facing a high risk of extinction in the wild)
2) Photographs of Hong Kong's threatened species are available upon request from the above contacts.
3) The Important Bird Area (IBA) programme is co-ordinated by BirdLife International, and aims to identify and protect a network of critical sites for the world’s birds using standardised, internationally agreed criteria. These sites shelter bird species that (i) are globally threatened, (ii) have restricted ranges, (iii) are confined to particular biomes and/or (iv) congregate in large numbers.
4) BirdLife International is a global alliance of conservation organisations working in more than 100 countries who, together, are the leading authority on the status of birds, their habitats and the issues and problems affecting bird life.
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