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This thread discusses the Content article: Beautiful Lantau – and the Concrete Plans Are there better resolution versions of these files? pfds?
got larger jpg files of the Lantau maps, for up to A3 printing
just added files for A4 printing to the article on the maps
Post edited by: martin, at: 2006/05/02 13:01
New maps highlight threats to Lantau’s natural beauty
Hong Kong’s largest and most beautiful island facing slew of developments
Hong Kong, May 2006 — Civic Exchange – an independent public policy think tank – has commissioned two maps to raise public awareness of the unprecedented and sustained development pressures facing Lantau. One, Beautiful Lantau Island, shows the unique and priceless natural assets Lantau currently offers. The other, Lantau Concrete Plans, illustrates the possible effects of those development proposals currently on the table.
“Lantau is a beautiful island with wild mountains, ravines, a stunning coastline and an immense biodiversity – Lantau is an essential green lung both for Hong Kong and for the entire Southern China” says Christine Loh, Chief Executive Officer of Civic Exchange. “A number of haphazard development proposals have been tabled in a top-down government report and if these proposals are implemented, irreparable damage would be done to one of Southern China’s last wild and natural places.”
Many of the potential developments have been proposed in the government’s Concept Plan for Lantau. They range from a huge bridge across the Pearl River to Zhuhai and extensive reclamations to support an industrial park, to hotels and concrete cycle trails bulldozed through the coastal bush. Others were omitted from the Concept Plan, notably a massive, 245-hectare reclamation off uniquely scenic Tai O for a yet-to-be-justified container port, and a Liquified Natural Gas Terminal on the Soko Islands, which had previously been shelved, after public consultation, for a marine reserve.
“Lantau has become the ‘wishing tree’ for every conceivable undertaking,” said Clive Noffke of the Green Lantau Association. “There have been suggestions for everything from a casino and a motor racing track, to a ski slope and a man-made beach on one of our finest natural beaches.”
Villages dot the lowlands beside old rice fields roamed by cattle and water buffalo. There are so many temples than Lantau was once known as ‘The Island of Prayer’. Isolated by many years by a lack of road access, Lantau has been preserved from the frenetic development that characterizes urban areas.
Generations of Hong Kong people have come to love Lantau, its huge vistas, magnificent beaches, and the peace and contentment that being in contact with nature brings. Today, legions of children visit Lantau as part of their school curriculum; picnickers, hikers and campers are among the many other Hongkongers and overseas tourists who enjoy Lantau. Financial Secretary Henry Tang heads the taskforce charged with planning Lantau developments, yet has acknowledged, “Lantau is Hong Kong’s biggest and most beautiful island”.
Sadly, if development protagonists have their way all that is going to irrevocably change. “The Concept Plan asserts that the government aim is for sustainable development and that the plans are balanced,” says Noffke. “Yet the emphasis is solely on development, and there is no mention of future generations who are supposedly crucial in the governments own definition of sustainable development.”
There are no measures proposed to protect coastlines, streams and rivers, heritage sites, or key sites for bio-diversity.
“We hope that these maps will serve to bring the issues to the attention of legislators and the public, and bring increasing pressure on government to embark on an integrated and visionary planning approach for this magnificent and unique island,” says Loh.
Copies of the maps will be sent tomorrow to legislators, concern groups, consultative bodies, academics and the government departments responsible. Copies can be obtained on application from Civic Exchange (Tel: 2893 0213) and low resolution copies are available on Civic Exchange’s website at http://www.civic-exchange.org.
Contact:
Christine Loh, Civic Exchange, tel: 9802-8888
Clive Noffke, Green Lantau Association, tel: 6290 5870
Bob Bunker, Living Islands Movement, tel: 9037-6407
Hong Kong Outdoors, HYPERLINK "https://www.hkoutdoors.com" http://www.hkoutdoors.com
新製作地圖突顯了大嶼山的天然美景所面臨的威脅
香港最大、最美麗的島嶼正面對的一連串發展
公共政策研究組織思匯政策研究所製作了兩幅大嶼山地圖，讓公眾了解大嶼山正受到一連串及前所未有的發展項目所造成的威脅。其中一幅地圖名為《美麗的大嶼山》，它展示出大嶼山現有的天然資源是獨特和無價的；另一幅名為《大嶼山石屎規劃》的地圖，則說明發展建議對大嶼山可能構成的影響。
思匯行政總監陸恭蕙稱：「美麗的大嶼山擁有聳山峻嶺與幽谷、令人目不暇給的優美海岸線及豐富的生物多樣性。它不單是香港、也是整個華南地區不可或缺的市肺。然而，現時政府已準備了一份由其主導的報告書，當中包括多項缺乏計畫的發展建議；一旦落實這些建議，將會對華南這最後一塊大自然靜土，造成無可挽救的破壞。」
政府於《大嶼山發展概念計劃》列出多項發展建議，當中包括興建橫跨珠江直達珠海市的大橋，以及大規模的填海工程以興建工業園、酒店，以及剷平沿岸樹林來興建石屎單車徑；另外，《概念計劃》並沒有提及一些項目，包括在景緻獨特的大澳，進行達245公頃的填海工程，作為有待落實的貨櫃碼頭，以及於公眾諮詢時已選定為海岸保護區的索罟群島上，興建液態天然氣站。
綠色大嶼山協會成員Clive Noffke說：「大嶼山已成為所有發展計劃的『願望樹』；包羅萬有的建議包括賭場、賽車場、滑草場，以及在最美麗的天然海灘上建設一個人工沙灘。」
已荒廢的稻田旁還有不少散落的村莊，而稻田上不少黃牛和水牛遊歷於昔日的工作間，彷彿在緬懷過往的日子。由於大嶼山一直以來缺乏道路，與外界隔絕，因此很多廟宇都以此為修行之地，大嶼山亦因而能夠保存其本身的特色，不像城市般瘋狂地發展起來。
不少香港人都愛上大嶼山的醉人風光、景緻迷人的海灘，以及享受與大自然融為一體所帶來的平和與滿足。時至今日，除了一群群的青少年會到訪大嶼山作課程考察外，還有很多本港郊遊人士、遠足人士、露營人士及海外旅客皆被大嶼山深深吸引而到訪。「大嶼山發展專責小組」主席財政司司長唐英年，亦曾承認大嶼山是香港最大、最美麗的島嶼。
但是如果倡導發展大嶼山的人一意孤行，一切的改變只會陷入無可挽救的境地。Noffke稱：「《概念計劃》聲稱政府旨在達致可持續發展，並會就發展與保育作出平衡。然而政府只着重發展，但卻隻字不提與可持續發展有密切關係的未來主人翁——
我們的下一代，當中更沒有提及可持續發展的定義。」另外，《概念計劃》並沒有列舉措施保護海岸線、河流、溪澗、文化遺跡、景色，以及具有豐富生物多樣性的主要地點。
陸恭蕙表示：「我們希望這些地圖能夠讓立法會議員和公眾，意識到大嶼山正面對的問題，繼而向政府施壓，要求政府以綜合的方式，規劃這壯麗和獨特的島嶼。」
我們將於明天遞送地圖予各立法會議員、關注團體、諮詢機構、學府及有關的政府部門。如欲索取地圖，請聯絡思匯（電話：28930213），亦可於思匯網頁（www.civic-exchange.org）下載低解像度的網上版地圖。
聯絡人資料：
思匯政策研究所，陸恭蕙小姐，電話：9802-8888
綠色大嶼山協會，Clive Noffke先生，電話：6290 5870
島嶼活力行動，Bob Bunker先生，電話：9037-6407
Hong Kong Outdoors，網址：www.hkoutdoors.com
PRESS RELEASE – 2 MAY 2006
Visit us at 網址: HYPERLINK "http://www.civic-exchange.org" http://www.civic-exchange.org
ROOM 701, HOSEINEE HOUSE, 69 WYNDHAM STREET, CENTRAL, HONG KONG
香港中環雲咸街69號賀善尼 商業大廈701室
TEL電話: (852) 2893-0213 FAX 傳真: (852) 3105-9713
新聞稿 — 2006年5月2日
Article in HK Standard, on the multitude of development plans threatening Lantau:
Lantau disappearing under development wave
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