HONG KONG: THE FACTS
Country Parks and Conservation
COUNTRY PARKS
Although Hong Kong is one of the world's metropolis, out of the total 1 108 square kilometres of land, about three-quarters is countryside. Scenically, Hong Kong has a great deal to offer — a landscape rising from sandy beaches and rocky foreshores to heights of almost 1 000 metres, woodlands and mountain ranges covered by open grassland and a variety of scenic vistas rarely, if ever, matched in so small a territorial unit.
The Country Parks Ordinance provides a legal framework for the designation, development and management of country parks and special areas. It provides for the establishment of a Country and Marine Parks Board to advise the Director of Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation on all matters related to country parks and special areas.
A total of 24 country parks have been designated for the purposes of nature conservation, countryside recreation and outdoor education. There are 22 special areas created mainly for the purpose of nature conservation.
The Parks: The country parks and special areas cover a total area of 44 300 hectares. The country parks comprise scenic hills, woodlands, reservoirs and coastline in all parts of Hong Kong. The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) manages the parks and is responsible for tree planting, plantation enhancement, conservation education, fire prevention and fighting, keeping country parks clean, development control and provision of recreation and education facilities. The country parks are very popular with all sectors of the community and spending a day in a country park is accepted by many as one of the best recreational choices in town. Over 11 million visitors were recorded in 2013 and most visitors engaged in hiking, leisure walking, fitness exercises, barbecuing, family picnics and camping.
Facilities: Park facilities provided in recreational sites include tables and benches, barbecue pits, litter bins, children's play apparatus, shelters, campsites and toilets — all carefully designed to blend in with the environment.
Footpaths and country trails provide easy access to the hills and the woodlands for visitors to enjoy the scenic beauty of these areas. Major paths are regularly improved and waymarked. The four long-distance hiking trails are very popular among hikers. The MacLehose Trail (100 km) traverses the New Territories from Sai Kung in the east to Tuen Mun in the west. The Lantau Trail (70 km) is a circular trail on Lantau Island. The Hong Kong Trail (50 km) traverses all the five country parks on Hong Kong Island. The Wilson Trail (78 km) stretches from Stanley in the south of Hong Kong Island to Nam Chung in the north New Territories.
Education and Visitor Service: Nature books are published to help visitors to enjoy and understand the countryside. The Lions Nature Education Centre at Tsiu Hang Special Area in Sai Kung is a special attraction to visitors as it consists of both indoor and outdoor displays, vegetables, rocks and minerals and other local vegetation. The Woodside Biodiversity Education Centre at 50 Mount Parker Road in Quarry Bay introduces Hong Kong's precious nature resources and biodiversity. Along nature trails and tree walks, there are on-site interpretative signs for those who wish to study the nature. Websites and smartphone applications are developed to provide the public with information about hiking trails and tree walks in country parks and the Hong Kong Global Geopark of China.
Furthermore, community involved conservation programmes such as the Nature in Touch Education Programmes, Great Outdoor Hong Kong, Hiking and Planting Days, School Visit Programme, Country Parks Volunteer Scheme Guided Walks and many other educational activities, have also been organised.
MARINE PARKS
The Marine Parks Ordinance protects and conserves the marine environment and a rich collection of aquatic animals and plants, such as corals, sea grasses and dolphins. The ordinance also provides the legal framework for the designation, control and management of marine parks and marine reserves. The Marine Parks and Marine Reserves Regulation provides for the prohibition and control of certain activities in marine parks and marine reserve.
The Parks/Reserve: There are four marine parks and one marine reserve covering a total area of 2 430 hectares. They comprise scenic coastal areas, seascapes and important marine habitats. Marine parks and reserve are managed for conservation, education, recreation and scientific studies. In marine parks, visitors are encouraged to appreciate the beauty and diversity of marine life. Diving, snorkeling, canoeing, sailing, underwater photography and school visits are popular activities in marine parks.
Conservation and Education: In marine parks, a multiple use approach is adopted. Only activities compatible with the objectives of marine parks would be allowed. Activities destructive to marine environment and coastal features such as trawling, unauthorised fishing, hunting or collecting of marine life are prohibited. On-site information boards, mooring buoys and markers are installed. Educational activities such as guided tours, beach clean-ups, seabed clean-ups and public lectures are regularly organised. The marine reserve is strictly protected for nature conservation and scientific studies, hence no recreational activities are allowed.
