The Sustainable Lantau Office recently launched the “Research Proposal for the South Lantau Ecological Recreation Corridor” and invited the public to submit their comments.
Having reviewed the proposal, we are concerned that the proposals may turn out to be contrary to the long emphasized principle of “development in the North, conservation in the South”. The original intention of this principle is to strike a balance between development and conservation. This study has, however, proposed a large amount of tourist and leisure infrastructure, public transport and support facilities in the south, and has not taken into account the ecological, socio-cultural and psychological carrying capacity of the local area.
There is already a significant increase of illegal construction on wetlands and illegal waste dumping in recent years, and effective enforcement by government authorities is lacking. These new proposed projects may just pile up additional problems on top of existing ones.
The proposed walking trail in the form of a treetop corridor to connect Pui O Beach with the catchwater section on the hillside is simply a massive and artificial construction project destroying the hillside ecology when the existing 11th section of Lantau Trail is easily accessible from Pui O.
Cheung Sha is one of the longest beaches in Hong Kong and the proposed beach walk may destroy its unique coastal landscape. Whilst we agree with the need for more barrier-free access, additional access should be built outside the existing beach area. This area is also the key habitat of finless porpoises. The proposed project of building a new pier will bring about water and noise pollution, the movement of ferries and boats will also endanger the lives of these species.
Shui Hau Wan is an important breeding ground for horseshoe crabs. The proposed project of building a new trail near sandflat will inevitably bring tourists to this high ecological value area, causing irreparable damage to the habitat of horseshoe crabs. Resources should instead be allocated to the proposed Shui Hau Education Center and to manage guided tours, education and conservation of horseshoe crabs.
The proposed reservoir walk is artificial and there is no need to destroy the current beautiful natural landscape. Instead, the current sidewalks should be preserved and enhanced to better connect the reservoir, reservoir monuments, stone carvings and other scenic spots with a circular walking trail.
In summary, we believe that the vision of the “Eco-Recreation Corridor” can only be truly realized by protecting the natural ecology of South Lantau, limiting the scale of recreational facilities development, and adopting a sustainable tourism approach that balances the needs of conservation, communities and tourism experience.
