2017-05-08

Thank you for joining “Monthly Green” on 6th May: “Lok Ma Chau Loop – Exploring the Edge”

Green Sense “Monthly Green in May: Lok Ma Chau Loop – Exploring the Edge” was held successfully on last Saturday(6th May), even the weather had been inconsistent. The aim of this guided tour was to deeper participants understanding on the impact of “Joint Task Force on the Development of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park in the Loop” [1] to the Lok Ma Chau Loop. The journey was led by Mr. Tam Hoi-Pong, Roy, chief executive (voluntary) of Green Sense.

We first arrived at Lok Ma Chau Garden and had a glance of the Loop. Following the border line towards the east, the tour was finished at Ho Sheung Heung. At the end of the border where the old Shenzhen River was just in front us, we were amazed by its peacefulness. Throughout the journey, Roy introduced different animal and plant species with their distinct characteristics. After this guided tour, we could have a better grasp of the current situation of Lok Ma Chau Loop and the potential changes after the development.

The Planning Department aims to develop the Loop for higher education complemented by high-tech research. Yet, the necessity is controversial. The government claimed that the development will not bring in unacceptable environmental harm on the Loop, where reedbed habitat will be set up as a mitigation. Yet, the sufficiency of such mitigation area is a matter to concern. Moreover, the development might also disturb the flying pathway of birds or the crossing path of small mammals. The usefulness of the remedy plan for government is sceptical.

As the Loop is at the heart of the border, once if we loss this buffer zone, the problems of urbanization bring along will directly affect the nearby countryside. HKSAR Government keeps emphasizing the cooperation between HK and Shenzhen should be enhanced for our mutual benefit. But such development plan is not only damaging our natural habitat but also lead to a concern about the entry and exit of Chinese citizen and the foreigners through the border. The Government should response properly to these questions before they take any further action.

More about the Planning and Engineering Study on Development of Lok Ma Chau: http://www.pland.gov.hk/pland_en/p_study/comp_s/lmcloop/eng/index.html

Please stay tuned on our next “Monthly Green” activity! See you next time!

Highlights can be viewed at the photo gallery: https://flic.kr/s/aHskUv1ky7


[1] The signing of the “Memorandum of Understanding on Jointly Developing the Lok Ma Chau Loop by Hong Kong and Shenzhen” on 3rd Jan 2017 assure the jointly development of the Hong Kong/Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park.

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