2017-05-25

Sunday Special: Let’s Walk together in Tai Lam

“Hands off our country parks!”

It’s time to show our determination in protecting Hong Kong country parks.

Let’s hike together this Sunday morning!

We hope that through this joint action, expressing a message to the Government and the public: “Losing One inch , Country Parks are lost”.

[Event Details]

Start Time: 9:00 am
Gathering point: Ma On Kong Warden Post
Itinerary: Ma On Kong Warden Post to the Lookout
(the Lookout to Kam Sheung Road Station~45 mins or back to the gathering point)
Difficulty: 3 Stars (5 is the hardest)
Endpoints: the Lookout
(the Lookout to Kam Sheung Road Station~45 mins or back to the gathering point)
Duration: 3 hours

[Note]

1).If the Hong Kong Observatory issues thunderstorm warning, typhoon signal No. 3 or above, Red or Black Rainstorm warning two hours before the start time, the event will be automatically cancelled.
2).Please bring your own drinks and adequate food, avoiding the use of disposable items.
3.) Please don’t leave any litter in country parks.
4). Bring umbrellas and natural insect repellent.
5). Activities do not include insurance, please beware your own personal safety.

More about the event: https://goo.gl/sYZ1Hn

Green Groups Joint Statement: in response to the Government’s invitation to Hong Kong Housing Society to study housing development in Country Parks
No progress on the broad consensus of “brownfield first”
Taking country parks is against public will
The study is not neutral but with assumptions
Stop the study immediately to avoid unnecessary conflict

(19 May 2017) There were great objections from green groups and the public back in January 2017 when the chief executive CY Leung said he already directed government departments to investigate the development of country parks. It is now even confirmed that the Hong Kong Housing Society will study two potential sites in the country park for public housing and elderly home development. Green groups criticise the government for ignoring opposition voices in society and other feasible counter proposals. This study is clearly against the public will.

A broad consensus was reached in using New Territories brownfields (estimated to be about 1,200 hectares in area), abandoned urban barracks and golf courses first for our developments, yet the Government has been reluctant to review and develop these lands. Obviously, there are areas more suitable for development, but elders and people queuing for public housings were instead “taken hostage” by the Government for the commission of the so-called feasibility study which in fact is the destruction of country parks. This is completely unacceptable.

Moreover, the two potential sites with exact locations (i.e. next to Tai Lam tunnel and Shui Chuen O Estate) and areas (each of around 20 hectares) indicate that in-depth discussions were already held within the Government, while this so-called “feasibility study” is just a cover up. The “study” is actually to promote the idea of development of country parks, thus it is not neutral but with assumptions and hidden agenda.

The purpose of country parks is to prevent over-urbanization of the city and to protect the natural environment. Large areas of country parks is an important highlight of Hong Kong. Every one of them has their own unique location, landscape, environment and ecology, and also has social functions in tourism, urban planning and well-being of society. “Low ecological value” is inadequate to determine if country parks can be developed or not, whereas “the development potential of land” should not be used as an excuse for the development of country parks.

The planning objective is wrong to propose country park development when existing formed land such as brownfields and barracks are not fully utilized. Land supply without limits to meet the never ending demand cannot solve our housing problem. There is a need for an appropriate and comprehensive population policy and housing demand management policy. Destroyed habitats cannot be restored and country parks, which Hong Kong people are proud of, should not be sacrificed in this way. We urge the Government to stop the study immediately to avoid further tearing of society.

 Co-signing organizations (In alphabetical order): 

Association for Geoconservation, Hong Kong,
Designing Hong Kong,
Environmental Life Science Society, SS, HKUSU
Friends of the Earth(HK)
Friends of Hoi Ha
Friends of Tai Long Wan
Green Lantau Association
Green Peace East Asia
Green Power
Green Sense
Greeners Action
HK350
hkwildlife.net
Lantau Buffalo Association
Living Islands Movement
Save Lantau Alliance
The Conservancy Association
The Green Earth
The Hong Kong Bird Watching Society
Trailwatch

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