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1. WWF and developer in wetlands project

1. WWF and developer in wetlands project
AGNES LAM, SCMP 15 December 2005

A green group will co-operate with a property giant to develop a wetland nature reserve at Yuen Long.

The project will cover 95 per cent of an 80-hectare site in Fung Lok Wai which is owned by a subsidiary of Cheung Kong (Holdings) Limited. The rest of the land will be reserved for housing.

Under the partnership, the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) will advise the developer on the planning, construction and operation of the wetland nature reserve. It also will help the developer prepare the environmental impact assessment of the site and provide advice on establishing a wetland nature foundation.

"We will provide a lump sum to set up the foundation, which will be managed by a board consisting of representatives from the education sector, government, green groups and academics," Grace Woo Chia-ching, executive director of Cheung Kong (Holdings) Limited, said.

WWF Hong Kong's Mai Po reserve manager, Lew Young, said the group would use its experience from Mai Po to manage the nature reserve.

"There are fish ponds at the site in the Deep Bay area where farmers grow common carp and grey mullet. We are considering turning the ponds into a business selling fish," Dr Lew said. "We also want to educate the younger generation about fish farming. School children will be allowed to visit the wetland and ponds."

He said fish farmers would be hired to manage the ponds, which would provide habitats for wildlife, especially water birds.

"We also have proposals to manage these fish ponds as water marshes to encourage dragonflies and frogs. The reserve will also include a mixture of different types of habitats," he said.

The wetland project is expected to be completed in 2010.

Dr Lew said the partnership between a green group and a private developer was unprecedented and he hoped it could serve as a model for others to follow.

"Though our project is not under the government's public-private partnership scheme, I hope more non government organisations will work with the private sector so that more lands of ecological importance in Hong Kong can be conserved," he said.