In the last "Policy Address", the last government proposed the "Northern Metropolitan Area", and even "released the wind" and said that it would study to increase the area ratio of the wetland buffer area, and immediately attracted developers to "sharpen the knife" in the wetlands in the Deep Bay area. The newly appointed Secretary for the Environment and Ecology Tse Chin-wan recently threatened that the wetland conservation area and wetland buffer zone in the northern metropolitan area may be re-delimited to release land for development.
Changchun Society has counted planning applications in the past 10 years and found that at least 30 applications are related to the Deep Bay area, involving 20 sites.
The Changchun Society pointed out that the ecological value of the Deep Bay Wetland is extremely high. Even the fish ponds in the wetland buffer zone are no worse than the conservation area. In addition to the black-faced spoonbill, which is an endangered species, there are also heron bird forests. In the future, the scope of the buffer zone will be greatly narrowed, and even the conservation responsibility of the current developers in building houses in the buffer zone will be removed, including ensuring that "there will be no net loss of wetlands" and submitting a 12-month field ecological study. We don’t even need to compensate for wetlands in the future. We are worried that the “restricted development zone” in the Deep Bay area will become a concentration of luxury houses and high-rise buildings, which will cause migratory birds to lose breathing space and destroy the internationally renowned wetland conservation area.
The Deep Bay area has been recognized by BirdLife International as early as 2004, and both the Inner Deep Bay and Shenzhen Watershed have been recognized as key bird areas, covering most of the wetland conservation areas and buffer zones, that is, the ecological environment of the area. The value reaches an internationally recognized level.
(Provided by Changchun Society)
Deep Bay is located between Hong Kong and Shenzhen. The ecological value of the waters is extremely high and there are a wide variety of wildlife. The Inner Bay and Mai Po area were designated as "Ramsar Wetlands" as early as 1995. The "Research Report on the Ecological Value of Fish Ponds in the Bay Area" recommends that fish ponds with a wide area in Deep Bay in Hong Kong should be designated as wetland conservation areas, and 500 meters outside the wetland conservation area should be designated as wetland buffer zones.
Deep Bay is a "Ramsar Wetland"
Zhou Aiquan, Director of Public Affairs of Changchun Society, said that the Deep Bay area has been recognized by BirdLife International as early as 2004, and both Inner Deep Bay and Shenzhen catchment area have been recognized as key bird areas, covering most wetland conservation areas and buffer areas. area, that is, the ecological value of the area has reached an internationally recognized level.
Of the planning applications in the past 10 years, at least 30 were related to the Deep Bay area, involving 20 sites.
(Provided by Changchun Society)
The developer builds nearly 9 houses around Nam Sang Wai, the Victoria Park is concerned about the conservation of the important place in name only
She went on to point out that the fish ponds in the wetland conservation area in the Deep Bay area are very neat and of great ecological value. Outside the conservation area, the fish ponds in the wetland buffer zone are also in good condition, "even comparable to the wetland conservation area." The black-faced spoonbill, an endangered species, is also active in the area of Shan Pui Village, proving that the buffer zone also has its conservation value.
Wu Xiwen, the public affairs manager of the Changchun Society, also added that in addition to the traces of black-faced spoonbills found on the site of the Tanwei Fangcang shelter hospital, egret forests were also found in the wetland buffer zone in the Deep Bay area. Large-scale development, even if it is closer to the local egret forest, in fact, there are some ecological links that will be broken.”
Zhou Aiquan worries that once the development density of the Deep Bay area increases, the habitat integrity of the wetlands will be damaged and the conservation value will be weakened.
She mentioned that among the development pressures in the Deep Bay area, Nam Sang Wai is the hardest hit area. Of the 9 applications submitted after August last year, 4 were located in Nam Sang Wai, and the proposed development area accounted for 30% of the land in Nam Sang Wai. If all applications are approved, Nam Sang Wai will have a "big change".
With the development of the northern metropolitan area and the MTR Northern Link, large-scale development is expected in the San Tin Lok Ma Chau Development Hub, Ngau Tam Mei Station and Au Tau Station.
(Provided by Changchun Society)
With the development of the northern metropolitan area and MTR Northern Link, large-scale development is expected in the San Tin Lok Ma Chau Development Hub, Ngau Tam Mei Station and Au Tau Station, including the ongoing land use review by MTR and the Government in Ngau Tam Mei , "In fact, they are buried in the body", describing that under the high-rise buildings, the wetland buffer zone has become a "breathing position" for people and birds. The "green light" of high-density development in the district will greatly narrow the scope of the buffer zone, and even lose its original meaning as a respite between development and ecology.
The Changchun Society worries that once the government re-defines the wetland buffer zone, it will also take away the developer's current conservation responsibility.
(Photo by Lin Yingxian)
Zhou Aiquan emphasized that the wetland buffer zone is not undeveloped. According to the planning guideline No. 12C, the buffer zone allows limited residential development, recreational activities or wetland restoration, but the developer must propose restoration plans and wetland compensation for the development, and at least manage its Some wetlands in the project, but after re-demarcation, she worries that "not only will the land be taken away, but even the conservation responsibility of buried canals will be taken away." If the damaged land is removed from the wet The “destruction first, development later” gap appears in Deep Bay.
There is no following for land resumption and conservation
Last year's "Policy Address" not only stated that it would "lift the ban" for the wetland buffer zone, but also mentioned that 700 hectares of land would be recovered to build a wetland park for conservation. However, Zhou Aiquan criticized that after nearly a year, there is still no relevant conservation plan. Details and timetable, "The government has already spoken out and will re-demarcate the boundary, or will release part of the land. We are worried that it is actually 'not conservation, first development'". Thinking about conservation or remedial options will greatly discount conservation efforts.
She made two suggestions in this regard:
1. Adhere to the planning principles and requirements in Planning Guidelines No. 12C
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The principle of "there will be no net reduction of wetlands", that is, a reduction in both "area" and "function"
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Conserving the ecological value of fish ponds by "preventing problems before they happen"
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An ecological impact assessment report must be submitted, and an on-site ecological study for a period of not less than 12 months should be conducted
. 2. The northern metropolitan area should "conservation first" and explain the conservation details of the wetland conservation park as soon as possible
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Establish a timetable for land reclamation
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Take measures to maintain the ecological value of the existing wetlands during the transition period
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We should make good use of wetland buffer land and cooperate with the planning and design of wetland conservation parks to ensure the connectivity and functions of wetland ecosystems
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Proposed recreational, educational facilities, infrastructure projects, etc. should all be built to a minimum and oversee their planning, design, construction and operation
Wu Xiwen also took the "Longyuan Natural Ecological Park" as an example, emphasizing that "the wetlands in the Langyuan need to be managed, and the so-called management is someone ploughing the fields." If the wetland park eventually covers an area of 2,000 hectares, the construction time may take several years, and during this period, the fields and fish ponds cannot be allowed to be abandoned. For a period of time, in fact, there is a good chance that it will have a great impact on the habitat and foraging behavior of these migratory birds.”
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