Park upgrades amid green decline

There was an expedited deterioration of vegetation cover and soil erosion in hiking trails amid a surge in people taking to country parks due to the pandemic, Secretary for the Environment Wong Kam-sing said.

In a written reply to lawmakers yesterday, Wong said some habits among hikers, such as arbitrarily carving new paths and trampling on vegetation cover, had worsened the situation.

"[These habits] have caused varying degrees of impact on the natural environment and vegetation near hiking trails," he said.

Wong said the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department regularly inspect country parks' conditions in response, and the department will roll out rehabilitation works in the involved country parks.

"If severe deterioration occurs, the affected areas will be fenced off followed by replanting," Wong said.

"The AFCD will also strengthen publicity and education efforts to raise public awareness of conserving the natural environment."

Wong said that to promote green tourism, the department will upgrade the facilities of 10 hiking trails, including Sai Kung East Country Park's MacLehose Trail section 1, which is one of three that has already been upgraded.

The rest, including Shek O Country Park's Dragon's Back, are either near completion or in progress.

Wong added that the department has looked into refurbishing public toilets in some country parks, such as in Bride's Pool and Tai Tam Tuk, in addition to constructing a new one in Lantau's Pak Kung Au.

The department will also set up a new viewing platform over Sai Kung East Country Park's Po Pin Chau.

"The new facilities will adopt low-carbon and green designs that integrate with the natural surroundings.

The designs will also consider the needs of people of different ages and physical abilities," Wong said.

The AFCD and the Architectural Services Department have organized design competitions "with an emphasis on simplicity" to induce "visitors' respect for nature," Wong added. The results are expected to be announced this year, and are predicted to roll out gradually in the next two to three years.

He said the department was also delving into enhancement projects of a larger scale, such as revitalizing wartime relics for open museums.

To do so, the department will commence feasibility studies on aspects including site selection, design, the mode of operation and operation requirements, starting early next year.

He said the department would gather views of relevant stakeholders and from the public on these projects as well.