Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4
Following is a question by the Hon Stanley Li and a written reply by the Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Mr Tse Chin-wan, in the Legislative Council today (July 23):
Question:
There are views that the geopark in Sai Kung (geopark), as part of Hong Kong’s precious natural and geological heritage, has ecological conservation, scientific research and tourism education values. However, it has been reported that with the increase in the number of tourists recently, the pollution problem of the geopark has been worsening, posing challenges to the natural environment and the sustainable development of scenic areas. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) of the current numbers and distribution of litter bins and waste separation facilities in the geopark, as well as the frequency of waste removal and conveyance at such facilities; in view of the waste disposal pressure arising from the surge in the number of tourists, whether the Government has specific plans to increase the number of temporary cleansing facilities, optimise the waste conveyance routes or introduce smart waste monitoring equipment to enhance the efficiency of disposal; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
(2) whether it has launched publicity and educational measures on the conservation of the geopark (such as by placing publicity notices in the geopark and producing guidebooks); whether it will make use of multimedia to step up multilingual publicity and introduce interactive environmental education experience projects, and publicise “Leave No Trace” tourism through travel agencies and at the entrances of scenic areas; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
(3) regarding littering in the geopark, of the relevant law enforcement manpower and frequency of inspections at present, as well as the number of relevant prosecutions instituted in the past three years; whether it will consider installing additional surveillance devices at the key areas where littering is often detected; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
(4) whether the Government will establish an interdepartmental working group (comprising the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, the Environmental Protection Department, the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, etc) to co-ordinate the geopark’s waste management; whether it will promote tripartite co-operation among the Government, environmental groups and local villagers/business operators in handling refuse in the geopark, such as by encouraging business operators in neighbouring areas to take part in the cleaning work, recruiting community volunteers to go to the geopark for cleaning on a regular basis, or introducing an “Environmental Contribution Award Scheme” to attract the input of community resources; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
(5) in the light of the ecological sensitivity of the geopark, whether the Government has plans to assess its visitor carrying capacity, and formulate measures such as booking of time slots or limiting visitor flows to strike a balance between visitor demand and environmental conservation; whether the Government will, in the long run, devise a Development Strategy for Hong Kong Geopark and incorporate waste management into its contents, while formulating systematic improvement proposals by combining ecological restoration, low-carbon tourism facilities (e.g. setting up distribution points for degradable rubbish bags) and the environmental impact assessment mechanism; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Reply:
President,
Hong Kong UNESCO Global Geopark (Hong Kong Geopark) consists of two geological regions, the Northeast New Territories Sedimentary Rock Region and Sai Kung Volcanic Rock Region. Most of the geopark attractions are located within country parks and special areas, and the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) is responsible for the regular management work. In response to the question raised by Hon Stanley Li, a detailed reply is provided as follows:
(1) The AFCD has been committed to keeping the country parks clean and educating the public to cherish nature. Since 2015, through the “take your litter home” campaign, visitors have been encouraged to cultivate a sense of stewardship towards the natural environmental. To tie in with this initiative, litter bins and recycling bins along hiking trails have been removed since the end of 2017, while litter collection facilities are retained at recreational sites (e.g. barbecue sites and campsites) for use by visitors if needed. The AFCD collects litter from recreational sites, hiking trails and public toilets. The litter is then either transported to landfills or handed over to recycling service contractors for processing. The AFCD would flexibly adjust the arrangement for and frequency of litter collection and handling according to actual needs at different locations in country parks, as well as the usage and hygiene conditions of popular sites. In particular, during long holidays and weekends, the AFCD would strengthen relevant cleaning work. In response to the recent upsurge of visitors at some popular Hong Kong Geopark attractions, the AFCD has enhanced cleaning and management efforts, and the environmental conditions at these sites remain generally good.
(2) In regard to the issue of countryside litter, it is crucial to promote the message of reducing waste at source and caring for nature to the public. The AFCD has organised a variety of education activities, such as roving exhibitions, nature interpretation services, etc, to raise public awareness on responsible hiking practices. These messages have also been disseminated through multimedia, such as online videos (website: www.youtube.com/@HongKongCountryParks) and social media channels (Hong Kong Country Parks Facebook: www.facebook.com/hongkongcountryparks), in a lively manner to continuously raise the public’s awareness. Posters, promotion banners and signages have been displayed at suitable locations in Hong Kong Geopark and at the entrances and exits of hiking trails to remind visitors to take their litter away and observe hiking etiquette. In collaboration with the Travel Industry Council of Hong Kong, seminars and field trips have been organised for tourist guides to enhance their understanding of Hong Kong Geopark attractions, and the message of “take your litter home”. The AFCD has also co-operated with the Economic and Trade Offices in the Mainland and the Forestry Administration of Guangdong Province to publicise relevant messages through social media channels in the Mainland, and will continue to promote the relevant messages of “leave no trace” through various channels and initiatives.
(3) According to the Country Parks and Special Areas Regulations (Cap. 208A), anyone who litters in country parks or special areas commits an offence and is liable to prosecution. Upon conviction, the offender may be fined up to $10,000 and imprisoned for three months. In addition, under the Fixed Penalty (Public Cleanliness and Obstruction) Ordinance (Cap. 570), any person who violates the above offence may be subject to a fixed fine of $3,000. Currently, about 150 AFCD staff conduct regular patrols and law enforcement actions in country parks and special areas over the territory. Patrols and law enforcement are part of the regular management work of country parks, and there is no detailed breakdown of the manpower and the number of patrols conducted at each country park and special area for combatting littering offences. The number of patrols conducted, prosecution instituted and fixed penalty notice issued for littering by the AFCD in country parks and special areas across the territory over the past three years are tabulated as follows:
| Year |
Number of patrol |
Number of prosecution (within Hong Kong Geopark) |
Number of fixed penalty notice (within Hong Kong Geopark) |
| 2022 |
13 024 |
1 (0) |
13 (0) |
| 2023 |
13 891 |
0 (0) |
8 (0) |
| 2024 |
14 266 |
0 (0) |
7 (1) |
In light of the recent upsurge of visitors at Hong Kong Geopark Sai Kung High Island Reservoir East Dam, the AFCD has been enhancing efforts in reminding visitors to keep countryside clean by displaying banners at suitable locations, including entrances and exits of hiking trails, and using local and Mainland social media platforms (e.g. Xiaohongshu), as well as taking law enforcement actions against littering and other offences within country parks. The AFCD will continue to review and adjust the patrolling arrangements in country parks from time to time in the light of actual circumstances, and arrange special operations or utilise technology such as smart surveillance when necessary to strengthen law enforcement work against illegal activities within country parks.
(4) Most Hong Kong Geopark attractions are located within the country parks, and the cleaning work is conducted by the AFCD. When litter is identified in public areas outside the country parks, it will be referred to the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) for cleanup. The AFCD has been working closely with various stakeholders to conserve the geological heritage and natural environment of Hong Kong Geopark. This includes assisting villages around the attractions of the park to follow up on environmental hygiene issues. To raise awareness among the youth about protecting the natural environment, the AFCD has invited students to collect litter during field trips to Hong Kong Geopark. In addition, the AFCD has encouraged and co-ordinated volunteer cleanup activities in Hong Kong Geopark. Since last year, over 20 such activities have been organised.
(5) Important geological and ecological sites of Hong Kong Geopark are protected under legislation including the Country Parks Ordinance and the Marine Parks Ordinance. The main objectives of Hong Kong Geopark are nature conservation, education and sustainable development. When planning and establishing Hong Kong Geopark in the early years, the Government formulated guiding principles to avoid the construction of facilities that would adversely affect the environment. The planning of suitable facilities depends on the actual conditions of different attractions, including their capacity to accommodate higher number of visitors and their ecological sensitivity. For example, sites with higher visitor carrying capacity such as the High Island Reservoir East Dam and Sharp Island, visitor facilities to facilitate visit and education purposes are provided therein; for areas that require preservation in their natural state, such as the coastline along Fa Shan of High Island, the Ung Kong Group and the Ninepin Group, visitor facilities like public piers or trails are avoided, and visitors are encouraged to enjoy sightseeing there by boat tours instead.
In response to the recent surge in visitor numbers at popular attractions within Hong Kong Geopark, the AFCD is reviewing the carrying capacity of these popular sites and will develop management strategies, such as co-ordinated traffic control measures with relevant authorities, and enhanced visitor management measures when necessary to prevent overcrowding. During peak hiking seasons, the AFCD will also increase the frequency of patrols, enhance cleaning and management efforts, and strengthen the promotion of hiking etiquette to ensure visitor safety and protection of nature, thereby achieving the co-existence of ecotourism and nature conservation.
MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –