Facebook and conservation in Hong Kong

[DocMartin Williams]

Several Facebook groups and pages have recently been launched, with focus on conservation in Hong Kong. A few are territory-wide, but several concern certain threatened areas. They suggest Facebook is playing a role in HK conservation – helping show that people care about our environment, don't want developers screwing with lovely rural sites, and hope to breathe air that doesn't kill 2000 or more people per year. Here are a few groups and pages; you can still join [for page, this means hitting Like button], add your "vote" for a better Hong Kong.

Perhaps the best known and most successful of the Facebook groups was founded to protest development at Sai Wan, Tai Long Wan, on the Sai Kung Peninsula. This attracted media attention as membership skyrocketed, surpassing 80,000 – and played some role in encouraging the government to restrict types of development at Sai Wan. The group is 強烈譴責魯連城破壞大浪西灣自然景觀生態, 要求立即停止有關建築工程！ [there is some English info; 10 May 2012 update: group membership reported at just 179, maybe after Facebook changed groups and in process removed all but administrators from existing groups].

Another group protests planned developments at Hoi Ha Wan, also on Sai Kung Peninsula: 反對海下灣發展低密度豪宅; there's another page for same place at Save Hoi Ha.

Another concerns plans for a stretch of coastline near Tai Mei Tuk in the eastern New Territories: We oppose turning of Lung Mei Coastline into a beach 反對在大埔龍尾發展人工泳灘.

A page protests Henderson Land's plans for developing housing at Nam Sang Wai, in Deep Bay Wetland: 南生圍唔係用黎起豪宅. A newer page is based on objection to these plans by a coalition of green groups: 要求保護濕地和反對發展商在南生圍興建豪宅聯合聲明 請參與聯署.

Groups with concerns applying across Hong Kong include: 還藍天一個清白 | Campaign for HK Adoption of International Air Quality Standards

and Designing Hong Kong – which began with focus on Victoria Harbour, but now also includes rural areas.

I've started a page regarding planned siting of waste incinerator: 石鼓洲並非一個合適處理垃圾的地點 Shek Kwu Chau wrong place for burning Hong Kong lap sap.

Lamma has another page, against plans for luxury property development etc in south of the island: 反對雅居樂及李建強於南丫島農地大規模興建豪宅 Oppose large property development on Lamma Island. {maybe helped lead to Town Planning Board turning down the project]

With development pressures facing Lantau, I'm among people who started a Page: 保護大嶼山美貌 Keep Lantau Beautiful.

Adding to the list: 保護沙螺洞 Protect Sha Lo Tung.

Then, there's even a page allied to this site: Hong Kong Outdoors.

– Note that checking groups and pages for this article, I found a couple that had become moribund, with various spam posts on the walls (about marvellous diets etc). So before joining a group or page, it's best to have a look at posts, ensure it is maintained.

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