************************************************************
Following is a question by the Hon Yiu Si-wing and a written reply by the Secretary for the Environment, Mr Wong Kam-sing, in the Legislative Council today (February 11):
Question:
It has been reported by some media that some picnickers plucked red leaves at Tai Tong Shan Road in Tai Lam Country Park and its vicinity early last month, while some others left behind a lot of garbage after watching sunrise at Lantau Peak in the early morning of the New Year's Day this year. Some people even cooked food in naked flame as well as urinated and defecated casually at the Peak, which raised many eyebrows. It has also been reported that such damaging acts to the ecological environment of country parks have occurred from time to time. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) of the number of complaints received by the authorities in each of the past three years about picnickers damaging the ecological environment of country parks (including littering, illegal use of fire and damaging plants), and whether such numbers are on a rising trend;
(2) of the number of prosecutions instituted by the authorities in the past three years against persons who damaged the ecological environment of country parks, with a breakdown of (i) such number and (ii) prosecution outcome by type of offence; and
(3) of the specific improvement measures in place to prevent picnickers from damaging the ecological environment of country parks?
Reply:
President,
(1) In the past three years, the numbers of complaint that the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) received in relation to the damage of country park environment are as follow: 95 cases (2011-12), 103 cases (2012-13) and 110 cases (2013-14). These complaints were mainly related to littering and damage of vegetation. There were slight increases in the number of complaints received in the past three years.
(2) In the past three years, the numbers of prosecution and results for offences involving damage of country park environment are set out at Annex.
(3) The AFCD has been conducting regular patrols in country parks. Appropriate enforcement action will be taken in accordance with the Forests and Countryside Ordinance (Cap 96), Wild Animals Protection Ordinance (Cap 170) and Country Parks and Special Areas Regulations (Cap 208A) if any act of damaging the country park environment is detected. The AFCD officers will also issue fixed penalty notice to offenders who littered and spitted in country parks.
Taking into account the circumstances of certain locations and periods that countryside visitors aggregate, such as Mid-Autumn Festival, country park areas adjoining burial grounds during Ching Ming Festival and Chung Yeung Festival, and the season for appreciation of red leaves in Tai Tong, the AFCD will step up publicity to promulgate to visitors the protection of countryside in order to safeguard the country park environment and facilities. The AFCD will also arrange for special operations in the light of the actual situation to take enforcement actions against offenders.
To promote public awareness on the protection of the environment and country parks, the AFCD has been organising educational and publicity activities among students and members of the public on these messages. For example, from December 2014 to mid-January 2015, the AFCD organised guided tours, workshops and waste reduction game booths in Tai Tong, Tai Lam Country Park to gather public support for protecting the environment. Also, country park volunteers were deployed at Sweet Gum Woods to remind visitors to care for the trees.
To promote waste reduction, along with different activities to step up publicity, additional signplates had been erected along the hiking trails to remind hikers to support waste reduction and to take litter away. The AFCD implemented "Country Park Waste Reduction Campaign", which comprised a series of publicity and education activities, during the peak hiking season from October 2014 to March 2015. Under the Campaign, Country Parks Nature Ambassadors disseminated waste reduction tips and messages for protecting countryside to park visitors at hiking trails, picnic sites and barbecue sites. Country park volunteer patrol team also conducts patrol at various hiking trails and collects garbage, with a view to calling for concerted efforts to reduce waste.
The AFCD will continue to protect the countryside environment through enforcement of relevant legislation, management of country parks and organising various educational and publicity activities.
Ends/Wednesday, February 11, 2015
Issued at HKT 13:09
NNNN
