Aberdeen Reservoir is the selected route this year. It is not only a mere country park with friendly facilities for the physically disabled on Hong Kong Island but also an ecological and historical hub. Hiking trails with various difficulties can be found whilst visitors can explore the rich biodiversity along the nature trail and tree walk. Being one of the oldest country parks in Hong Kong, more World War monuments can be probed in line with the Aberdeen Country Park and Lady Clementi’s Ride.

Two suggested routes are suggested this year, the “Barrier-free Route”, and the “Aberdeen Reservoir (Whole Trail)”. Participants with physically disabled or family teams are welcome to select the “Barrier-free Route” to explore the Aberdeen Reservoir in a chill and relaxing way. Alternatively, participants can opt for the “Aberdeen Reservoir (Whole Trail)” to continue their adventure along the Lady Clementi’s Ride to Wanchai Gap Park.

Event will be held from 22 April to 22 May 2022 in accordance with the latest guidelines of the Prevention and Control of Disease (Prohibition on Gathering) Regulation (Cap. 599G). We sincerely invite you to support us!

Enroll Now! (Green Sense Charity Hike 2022 website:http://greensense.org.hk/charityhike）

Route Preview
Barrier-free Charity Hike: Aberdeen Reservoir Road
Distance ~ 3 km | Duration ~ 1.5 hours
Start at Aberdeen Reservoir Road → Aberdeen PHAB Barbecue Site → Aberdeen Upper Reservoir → End at Aberdeen Reservoir Road
(Retrace along the original route)

Aberdeen Reservoir Charity Hike (Whole Trail): Aberdeen Reservoir Road to Wanchai Gap Park
Distance ~ 4 km | Duration ~ 2 hours
Start at Aberdeen Reservoir Road → Aberdeen Lower Reservoir → Aberdeen Upper Reservoir → Lady Clementi’s Ride → End at Wanchai Gap Park

Starting point: Aberdeen Reservoir Road

Turn left for the “Barrier-free Route”, aiming Upper Aberdeen Reservoir as ending point.

The Kids Walk and the Aberdeen PHAB Barbecue Site can be reached along the path. With the extensive facilities such as the wheelchair trails, Braille map, and barbecue place, newbie hikers and people with physical disabled can enjoy their field time here. Going further ahead will be a huge resting place with a Kiosk, where we may slow down our pace here and enjoy the calling song from the Black-throated Laughingthrush and the nectar-feeding scene from the butterflies. After that, we may stroll to the Dam of the Upper Reservoir through the catchwater channel.

Turn right for the “Aberdeen Reservoir Whole Trail” option; aiming Wanchai Gap Park as ending point.

A tiny red-brick structure can be found, when taking the right side of the country park entrance, next to the service reservoir. With this cubic appearance, it may be hard to convince that a Chemical House and Air Vents, which was even rated as Grade 3 Historical Building, is here in our sight. A few steps later, another declared monument, the Dam of Lower Aberdeen Reservoir, can be reached. This fabulous reservoir has been famed for not only its astonishing momentum but also the history of water supply in the west of Hong Kong Island.

The Dam of Lower Aberdeen Reservoir was built in 1890 and privately owned by Tai Shing Paper Mill. It was used as the drinking water supply for the residents in Aberdeen and Ap Lei Chau voluntarily. However, the drinking water supply in the west of Hong Kong Island was still under concern despite the supply from Tai Tam Reservoir, due to the narrow water pipeline, which connected Tai Tam to the west. Thus, the residents in the west of Hong Kong Island used to rely heavily on Pok Fu Lam Reservoir. As a result, the Lower Aberdeen Reservoir was acquired and expanded by the Hong Kong Governor to alleviate the drinking water supply in the west. Besides, we may also find a secretive reddish pump house, a Grade 2 Historical Building, at the other end when we look down from the dam. After the short tour on the Lower Reservoir, we may stroll to the Upper Dam alongside the glassy reservoir.

The Dam of Upper Reservoir, the other granite-built declared monument can be found. The rich biodiversity here with the fishes in the reservoir, which will be fed by various birds like the egret, black kite, and even the Large-billed Crow may be seen. Besides, the breathtaking scenery with mountain breeze will surely get us away from the urban hectic life temporarily. Looking down from the dam, we may also find another declared monument, a classical Masonry Bridge, that teems with historical rudiments. Apart from the bridge that locates downward, there is another cubic declared monument, the Valve House, in the middle of the dam and under the Italian pragmatism style.

Lady Clementi’s Ride will be the next destination after passing through the dam. It was named for such a special name due to the pastime in horsing of Lady Clementi along this path. During the way up to the Wanchai Gap Park, we may find several Military Pillboxes alongside, which indicated the history of how the British army protected the reservoirs and prevented the war extension to the south of Hong Kong Island. Other than the military remains, we can also encounter some masonry bridges along the trail. One of the bridges even spanned the river across Lady Clementi’s Ride and Aberdeen.

When approaching the Wanchai Gap Park, Hong Kong rose, a protected species under the Forestry Regulations, may be found. It draws a wonderful end of the journey.

Please support Green Sense Charity Hike 2022 by:

1. Individual participation
A minimum donation amount of HKD200 for a souvenir pack (include ONE event badge, ONE set of eco-products from The Overlander, ONE set of gift coupons and ONE HYKE micro-insurance package for FIVE hiking trips from YAS Hong Kong)

2. Family participation
A minimum donation amount of HKD 500 for TWO souvenir packs and ONE family set of “Charity Hike Bingo”

3. Corporates/ Team participation
A minimum donation amount of HKD 2000 for FOUR souvenir packs, ONE team set of “Charity Hike Bingo” and ONE e-certificate. Extra donation amount of HKD 500 for each additional participant.

＊Souvenirs are subject to a first-come-first-served basis while stock last.
＊HYKE micro-insurance product from YAS Hong Kong is only eligible for 8-65 years old participants

If you cannot join the Charity Hike 2021, donations are also welcomed.【Click here to make an online donation】

Participants are required to study the activity route and adjust the difficulties based on their body conditions before the trip.
Participants are needed to
1. Upload route record to TrailWatch or YAS Hong Kong (Subject: GS2022),
2. email checkpoint photos with event badge and route record. E-certificate will be awarded after uploading completion record. (Bingo players should submit their mission completed record according to the reminder and hints in email.
Nalgene Sustain Water Bottles will be awarded to the fastest completion and submission of “Charity Hike Bingo” from family and corporate/ team.

Deadline for route or photos submission: 22nd May 2022 (Sun) 11:59 PM

Disclaimer, Terms and Conditions
The organiser, its contractors and employees and representatives will not be responsible for any accidents or injuries to participants or spectators during the event.
Donation is non-refundable. The Organiser reserves the right to refuse entry to participants who declare false information on their application form, do not make the minimum donation, or fail to meet application requirements as stated.
The organiser reserves the right to use the photos that are submitted by participants for event promotion and record.
The souvenir packs will be delivered via local mail. The organiser does not responsible for any risks of parcel destruction or loss during delivery.
Souvenirs are subject to a first-come-first-served basis while stock last.

Other details can refer to http://greensense.org.hk/charityhike

BirdLife International
The David Attenborough Building,
Pembroke Street, Cambridge,
CB2 3QZ, UNITED KINGDOM

Dear Sir/Madam,

We are Green Sense, a registered charitable green group in Hong Kong. Our work ranges from highlighting non-environmental friendly practices in society through research and monitoring, to enhancing the environmental consciousness of individuals through education and publicity.

We are disappointed to know that the BirdLife International has removed the Chinese Wild Bird Federation (CWBF), a Taiwan bird conservation group, from its partnership.

According to the official statement of CWBF, it was told that its legally registered Chinese name posed a risk to the BirdLife International. CWBF is required to change its Chinese name, as well as to sign a document formally committing to not promote or advocate the legitimacy of the Republic of China. As a non-political conservation organization, CWBF decided not to sign the document, but is willing to discuss changing its Chinese name at the General Assembly on 7th September 2020. Yet, the BirdLife International has removed CWBF from the partnership before the Assembly, stating that the latter has not addressed the “risks”.

We see CWBF as a devoted member in wild bird conservation. We hope that the BirdLife International could provide a clear justification on its decision to remove CWBF from the partnership, as well as not giving the chance for CWBF to discuss at the General Assembly on 7th September 2020.

Taiwan is an important stopover site for migratory birds along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway, allowing them to refuel, roost and rest. Bird conservation groups in Taiwan can record and study the patterns and habits of migratory birds. With the help of CWBF, such useful ecological data can be circulated to other studying parties of the world.

We believe that the removal of CWBF from the BirdLife International, without justified ground, is a loss to global wild bird conservation. This case, as a demonstration of political factors hindering nature conservation efforts, may also weaken the authority and legitimacy of the BirdLife International.

We hope that the BirdLife International may reconsider and rectify its decision to remove CWBF from the partnership, for the sake of global bird conservation.

Yours faithfully,

Green Sense

In response to the 2018-19 Budget as announced by the government, Green Sense’s response is as followed:

Subsidizing Ocean Park

The government plans to appropriate over $300 million to Ocean Park over the coming few years, while Ocean Park will offer 10,000 free entrance tickets to primary and secondary school students. However, there have been lots of criticisms against Ocean Park. It buys animals from other countries, traps them and forces them to perform – these are not what a proper educator should do. Encouraging students to visit Ocean Park is equal to instilling wrong environmental values and life values to the next generation actively. In face of lots of environmental issues, it is very disappointing to see the government using taxpayers’ money to subsidize such an entity instead of devoting resources to the education system for environmental protection education directly.

Green Bonds

The government intends to issue green bonds and the sums will be credited to the Capital Works Reserve Fund (CWRF) to provide funding for “green public works projects”  of the government. But there is no clear definition of “green public works projects”, and the public can never know what such projects are. The government usually adopts an all-or-nothing approach in seeking funds from LegCo. There are quite some controversial projects in such projects, such as Lung Kwu Tan, Siu Ho Wan and Wang Chau. The environment is thus damaged, and the extent of lawmakers’ supervision over these projects is disproportionate. “Green public works projects” is likely an empty concept, and the funds might eventually be used for more “white elephant” projects.

“One-for-one” replacement for new electric private car; extension of first registration tax concessions

The roadside emission of electric private car is lower than ordinary cars, but they still take up road spaces and cause traffic congestion. In terms of energy efficiency, electric car cannot be compared with public transportation. The government has no measures to force drivers to give up driving or to control car toll growth. This is disappointing in the perspective of improving air pollution and improving traffic efficiency.

Lok Ma Chau loop

The habitat there is valuable. We express our deepest regret as the government insists on developing tech and education facilities with Shenzhen there and damaging the natural environment there.