Nature Conservation in Hong Kong
FoundationHong Kong holds country parks, marine parks and the Mai Po wetlands, home to precious creatures such as the Chinese white dolphin. Conservation means knowing the species, guarding their habitats, and carrying your own rubbish away on hikes.
- About forty per cent of Hong Kong is country park, with marine parks and Mai Po wetlands as natural treasures.
- The Chinese white dolphin, Chinese horseshoe crab and Romer's tree frog are precious species of Hong Kong.
- Conservation means protected areas, laws against trading endangered species, and restoring habitats.
文體小知識：自然保育知識文帶我們認識香港的郊野公園、濕地和稀有生物，學會珍惜和保護自然。
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1Though Hong Kong is full of tall buildings, its natural resources are rich: about forty per cent of the land is country park, and there are marine parks and marine reserves too. The woods of Lion Rock and Tai Mo Shan are home to wild animals; the marine parks of Sai Kung and Hoi Ha Wan protect coral communities; and the Mai Po wetlands are a paradise for migratory birds, with tens of thousands of waterbirds wintering there every year.
2Hong Kong has many creatures worth cherishing: the Chinese white dolphin swims in the waters around Lantau; the Chinese horseshoe crab is called a living fossil; and there are rare plants and animals such as pitcher plants and Romer's tree frog. These species are few in number, and once their habitats are destroyed they may disappear forever. Endangered species are those so few that they face extinction, and protecting them cannot wait.
3Conservation takes many forms: setting up country parks, nature reserves and marine parks to protect important habitats; making laws against hunting and trading endangered species; and restoring damaged environments by planting trees and cleaning beaches. Green groups such as the World Wide Fund for Nature have long run conservation and education projects in Hong Kong.
4Everyone can help conserve: on hikes keep to the trails, pick no flowers, catch no wild animals; carry your own rubbish away; when watching Chinese white dolphins, never feed or chase them; choose sustainably sourced seafood. Know nature and cherish it, and Hong Kong's green hills and clean waters will pass on to the next generation.
1Summary 重點摘要
Hong Kong holds country parks, marine parks and the Mai Po wetlands, home to precious creatures such as the Chinese white dolphin. Conservation means knowing the species, guarding their habitats, and carrying your own rubbish away on hikes.
2Vocabulary cards Vocabulary
Woodland set aside by the government for nature and recreation, about forty per cent of Hong Kong.
A sea area protected for marine life and corals, such as Hoi Ha Wan Marine Park.
Land between water and land, such as marshes, where many waterbirds live, such as Mai Po.
Living things so few in number that they face extinction.
The precious dolphin found around Lantau, a symbol of conservation in Hong Kong.
An area protected by law from human disturbance for its ecology.
The richness of the kinds of plants and animals in an area.
The natural home where plants and animals live and feed.
Protecting and managing nature so that it can continue for the future.
3Step by step Steps
- Step 1: Know Hong Kong's natural treasuresAlthough Hong Kong is a busy city, it is rich in natural resources. For example, about forty per cent of the land is country park; Hoi Ha Wan in Sai Kung holds beautiful corals, and the Mai Po wetlands welcome tens of thousands of migratory birds each winter. These natural treasures lie right beside us, a bus or train ride away. Knowing them helps us understand why protecting nature matters, and teaches us to cherish the green hills and clean waters around us.
- Step 2: Know Hong Kong's precious speciesMany precious and unique wild animals live in Hong Kong, and they deserve our care. For example, the young Chinese white dolphin is grey and turns pink-white when grown, swimming in the waters around Lantau; the Chinese horseshoe crab has lived on Earth for over four hundred million years — a living fossil; and Romer's tree frog lives only in a few corners of Hong Kong. Recognising these species, we learn to admire them on country walks without disturbing or hurting them.
- Step 3: Understand why habitats matterEvery wild animal needs a suitable habitat to survive, and once the habitat is destroyed the species disappears. For example, Romer's tree frog lives only in a few Hong Kong streams; once the water is polluted or the trees beside the stream are felled, it has nowhere to live and its numbers keep falling. So conservation is not only about the animals themselves — we must also protect the homes they live in: clean streams, thick woodland and unspoilt coasts.
- Step 4: Learn the ways of conservationProtecting nature needs effort from both the government and citizens, in several ways. For example, the government protects habitats with country parks and marine parks and bans the trade of endangered products such as ivory; citizens can follow the country park rules and report illegal hunting and careless releasing of animals. When everyone does their part, wild animals keep a safe home, and Hong Kong's natural beauty lasts on and on.
- Step 5: Build green hiking habitsSmall habits on a country walk directly affect the environment, so we should build conservation habits. For example, keep to the existing trails, pick no flowers, catch no tadpoles or little fish; carry fruit peel and rubbish down the hill to a bin, never leaving them on the mountain. These seemingly tiny acts protect fragile plants and small animals and keep the beautiful hills as they are, so the next visitor can enjoy the very same view.
- Step 6: Support sustainable choicesThe choices we make as consumers every day also affect nature's resources, so we should support sustainable consumption. For example, avoid shark fin and young fish when buying seafood, and choose certified sustainable products, so the sea's resources never run dry; using fewer disposable items and choosing stationery made of green materials are also ways of caring for the Earth. Think one step more before buying, and our choices become a force that protects nature.
- Step 7: Join conservation activitiesBesides building habits, we can also take part in conservation activities ourselves. For example, join beach clean-ups, tree-planting days and guided visits to Mai Po, learning about nature while lending a hand. Cleaning a beach or planting a sapling with our own hands not only helps nature, but also roots the idea of conservation in our hearts, so we keep protecting the environment as we grow up and pass the love of nature to those around us.
4Diagrams Diagrams
5Worked example Example
Example: the class plans a field trip to Hoi Ha Wan Marine Park in Sai Kung. Design a code of conservation conduct with at least four rules, and explain the reason for each.
- Rule one: keep to the marked paths and wooden bridge — trampling everywhere damages shore plants and soil, causing erosion that is hard to reverse.
- Rule two: pick nothing, catch nothing — the corals and fish of Hoi Ha Wan are protected by law; breaking coral or scooping fish is illegal.
- Rule three: carry your own rubbish away — rubbish blown into the sea harms sea life, so take every piece with you when leaving.
- Rule four: watch quietly and never feed — feeding changes wild animals' habits, and noise drives them away.
- Answer: The four rules: keep to the paths, take nothing, carry the rubbish away, and stay quiet without feeding. Observe with the eyes and cherish with the heart, so nature lasts and the next trip finds the same beauty.
6Common mistakes Mistakes
7Quick check Quick check
Q1About what proportion of Hong Kong is country park?
Q2Where do Chinese white dolphins usually appear?
Q3Why is the Mai Po wetland important?
Q4What are endangered species?
Q5How do we practise carrying our own rubbish away on hikes?
8Recap Recap
- About forty per cent of Hong Kong is country park, with marine parks and Mai Po wetlands as natural treasures.
- The Chinese white dolphin, Chinese horseshoe crab and Romer's tree frog are precious species of Hong Kong.
- Conservation means protected areas, laws against trading endangered species, and restoring habitats.
- On hikes keep to trails, take nothing, and carry your own rubbish away.
- Choose sustainably and join conservation activities — everyone can guard nature.