Visit Tai O 28 Mar 08 and help protect area

[DocMartin Williams]

Email just in; the visit on 28 Mar is open to all who are interested – help needed in stopping a potentially destructive project

Dear Friends,

 

      Wong wai king of Tai O workshop would like to invite you to have a look of Tai O environment on 28th March,2009(sat).As I sincerely hope that you or your association will come and share  our views after this fieldtrip to Tai O in order to avoid a possible destruction of Tai O environment in the near future.Please see the attached document.If you have any inquiry,Pls feel free to phone Wong Wai King directly.

 

Best regards!

Wong Wai King of Tai O Cultural Workshop

請關注大澳發展工程對生態影響

邀請各環保團體實地觀察

致本港各環保組織的同事

Please Consider the Impact of the Tai O Development Project on the Ecology

Invitation to Green Groups for a Site Visit

25 March 2009

To all the green groups in Hong Kong

We note that the Civil Engineering and Development Department will hold a briefing and consultation session on the Tai O Development Scheme for all green groups on 30 March. As the Government scheme will cause significant changes to Tai O, we hope that before they express their views, the green groups will make a site visit to Pak Shan for an understanding of Tai O’s actual circumstances and the impact the project will have on the ecology.

Under the government scheme, the focus is on constructing tourist facilities in Tai O. There is no plan for strengthening the infrastructure. In the area of stilt houses, there is no sewerage system at all. The domestic sewage directly discharges into the stream course. On top of that silt has built up over time in the streams, resulting in the health conditions being far from satisfactory. It has long been the aspiration of Tai O residents for better health conditions but that has not been properly addressed. The landslide in June and the flooding caused by Typhoon Hagupit in September last year have paralyzed the life of Tai O residents. In addition, residents’ lives and business were exposed to immediate threat. Environmental hygiene and safety is of personal concern. It is vital for safeguarding residents’ continuous living in the district and is the basic requirement for development in Tai O. We hope that all the green groups will take this aspect into account.

There are three aspects in the government’s Tai O project that would have impact on the ecology. They are:

Adding boardwalks to the wetland

The government proposes to build boardwalks through the mangrove area along Pak Shan, Leung Uk, the bus terminus and the pier, with an aim of providing an enhanced experience for the visitors over the mangrove. We consider that unnecessary because there is an existing access to the mangrove in the two areas. For a visitor to have a taste of the beauty of the mangrove, he only needs to watch quietly from a little distance. If visitors are allowed to penetrate into the mangrove, their activity and noise will disturb the living things inside the mangrove.

Bird-watching hide

Regarding the government’s proposal to set up bird-watching hide in Pak Shan, we consider that unnecessary as well. Bird-watchers can enjoy a clear view of the birds in the mangrove from the trail outside it or on the top of Pak Shan. The number of locations for bird-watching is quite adequate. The bird-watching hide will only be a facility for the visitors at most rather than a necessary one for bird-watching.

Restoring the salt pans in Pak Shan

Pak Shan, a relic of salt pans, is now a mangrove area. The government proposes to allocate a considerable proportion of Pak Shan for restoring salt pans. We consider restoring salt pans will destroy a sizable portion of mangrove, apart from having no actual demonstrative use. Moreover, following the completion of this tourist attraction, the increased flow of visitors will cause disturbance to the local living things and the residents nearby.

We expect that the government’s development scheme should follow the principle of sustainable development, including

Improving the community infrastructure and residents’ living conditions so that the Tai O community will remain in existence for generations

Protecting the ecological environment and keeping human disturbance to a minimum

Preserving the place in its original form as far as possible. Artificial enhancement will merely distort and destroy the rustic simplicity of Tai O

The sheltered boat anchorage built in 2005 is a scheme supported by green groups at that time. The outcome is not only the beautiful sea landscape of Tai O has been damaged, but also no fishing boat has ever come to use its service since the completion of the anchorage. Beautiful sunsets are no longer seen in Tai O. The seabed and water flow have changed, adversely affecting the structure of stilted houses along the shore. We hope that green groups will take a serious look at the effects that the project will have on the environment, ecology and landscape when they consider the Tai O development scheme, bearing in mind the residents’ actual needs. Please express views that are really in the interest of Tai O.

We would like to invite all green groups to Tai O on 28 March. A guided visit to the proposed site of development will be given and our comments will be explained in detail. Please gather at Tai O Bus Terminus for the visit at 11 a.m.. For enquiries, please call 9626 9671 (Ms Wong Wai King).

Regards

Tai O Culture Workshop

我們知悉土本工程及拓展署將於3月30日，向各環保機構介紹發展大澳工程方案和諮詢意見。因為政府規劃方案

將對大澳的面貌有很大改變，我們希望各保團體發表意見前，先到北山進行實地觀察，了解大澳的實際情況和工

程對生態的影響。

在政府的規劃方案裡面，只著重在大澳建設旅遊設施，不過沒有計劃加強基礎建設。現時大澳棚區全完沒有排污

系統，家居污水直接排入河道，加上河涌日積月累的淤泥，衛生條件實在很不足夠。改善衛生境是大澳居民長久

以來的訴求，但一直得妥善的處理。上年六月的山泥傾瀉和九月颱風黑格比造成的和水浸，不但令大澳居民生活

陷於癱瘓，更直接威脅居民生命和產業的安全。環境衛生和安全是對居民是十分貼身的問題，是讓居民可以在此

地繼續生活的重要條件，而且是發展大澳前必須做好的基建，我們希望各環保團體能夠關注這方面的問題。

在政府規劃大澳的工程中，有三項會對生態造成影響：

1. 在濕地加入入木板路

政府提議在大澳北山、梁屋和車站碼頭一帶紅樹林設立木板路，穿越紅樹林地帶，的目是增遊人對紅樹

林的體驗。我們應該這是一項沒有必要的工程，因為現時已經有路段通往該兩處紅樹林，遊人只有在稍

遠地方靜心觀察，便可以體味到紅樹林的美。如果遊人可以深入紅樹林地區，遊人的活動和噪音將會對

紅樹林內的生物造成滋擾。

2. 觀鳥屋

政府計劃在北山設立觀鳥屋，我們認為這也是一項沒有必要的工程。現時觀鳥人士只需要在紅樹林外邊

路徑或北山山上，便可以清楚觀察紅樹林的雀鳥，察覺的地點可謂已經相當足夠，觀鳥屋的設置，頂多

是一項遊客設施，並非觀鳥者實際需要。

3. 復修北山鹽田

北山現為紅樹林的地帶，是為鹽場遺址，計劃將在北山劃出相當面積地方作復修鹽田。我們認為復修鹽

田，不但沒有實際的示範用途，而且計劃將會破壞一片面積不少的紅樹林，而且景點建成後，隨之增加

的人流會對當地生物和附近的居民造成滋擾。

我們期望政府的發展方案，必須遵循可持續發展的原則去做，包括

1. 改善社區基建，改善居民生活條件，讓大澳這個社區可以世代承傳

2. 保護生態環境，把人為的滋擾減至最低

3. 盡量保持地方原貌，人工化的修飾只會把大澳純樸的面貌扭曲和破壞

零五年建成的漁船停泊區，是當時得到環保團體支持的方案，結果漁船停泊區建成後，不但沒有一隻漁船在此靠

泊，破壞了大澳海面美麗的景觀，令原來美麗的日落景色不復出現，更改變了大澳海面的海床和水流，對沿海一

帶的棚屋結構造成影響。我們懇請各環保團體在考慮今次大澳發展的方案時，一定要按居民的實際需要，認真評

估工程對環境、生態和景觀的影響，本著良心，去發表真正對大澳有利的意見！

我們敬約各環保團體於3月 28日到臨大澳，我們會帶領實地觀察擬定發展的地點，並情細講解我們的見意。集

合時間和地點是下午十一時於大澳巴士總站。如有任何查詢，請致電，96269671 (黃惠琼)

祝好

大澳文化工作室

2009年3月25日

[DocMartin Williams]

Just sent this in email re above:

I’m a birdwatcher; made several visits to Tai O over the years.

The mangroves presently support rather few birds.

As I recall, there was more open water in the past, just inland of the big new mangrove lagoon (with the boardwalk): now more overgrown with reeds and mangroves.

So, for birds and wildlife, I believe the best thing is habitat improvements: more open water, maybe some exposed mud that’s rich in small life so attracts birds, and so on.

No real need for boardwalks, hide at present; might add some signage re birds to be seen.

Recreating salt pans has always seemed an odd idea to me.

Could be better for birds: salt pans can be excellent for birds such as waders (sandpipers and similar birds).

BUT surely salt pans are hard to maintain; real tough work, including in hot sun. I’ve never really understood idea that anyone would really want to do this work, unless good money.

So, I’d wonder if these are ideas from idiots!

[Author]

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