​Following is a question by the Hon Rock Chen and a reply by the Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Mr Tse Chin-wan, in the Legislative Council today (June 24):

Question:

     It is reported that some country parks and campsites in Sai Kung have reportedly attracted large numbers of visitors in recent years. However, the ancillary transport and other facilities (such as litter bins and toilets) at these locations are severely inadequate, which has an adverse effect on both the environment and the visitor experience. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) of the following information regarding complaints received by the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department and the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department concerning country parks and campsites in Sai Kung (e.g. Sai Kung East Country Park, Ham Tin Wan, Long Ke Wan and Sai Wan campsites) in the past three years: (i) the number of complaints; (ii) the main categories of complaints; and (iii) staffing levels and follow-up actions taken in handling such complaints;

(2) as there have been reports of rubbish accumulating at the aforementioned locations during public holidays, whether the authorities will consider (i) exploring the use of drones and exoskeletons to assist workers in transporting rubbish, and (ii) introducing closed-circuit television systems equipped with artificial intelligence at illegal refuse deposits black spots, which would immediately notify law enforcement officers upon detecting illegal refuse deposits; and

(3) whether consideration has been given to developing water transport routes in Sai Kung to alleviate pressure on road traffic in the area, and to deploying additional staff at the aforementioned locations during public holidays to manage tourist flows?

Reply:

President,

     Hong Kong has diverse habitats and rich biodiversity. These precious natural resources are one of the tourism elements for which Hong Kong is highly praised. To date, the Government has designated 25 country parks and 22 special areas, covering more than 40 per cent of Hong Kong's land area, for nature conservation, recreation and educational purposes. On the premise of respecting ecology and protecting the environment, the Government appropriately showcases to the public Hong Kong's valuable ecological resources, while at the same time minimizing the potential impact that excessive visitors may have on the environment, ensuring that ecotourism and conservation of the natural environment proceed in parallel. In planning some popular countryside destinations such as the Hong Kong Geopark, the Government has established principles to avoid adding any facilities that would be detrimental to the environment within the parks, and, according to the actual conditions of different attractions in the parks, including whether the place can accommodate a higher number of visitors and the sensitivity of the ecological environment, plans appropriate supporting facilities. In addition, the Government has also been taking a series of measures to publicise important messages while promoting green tourism to visitors, including hiking safety information, caring for the countryside environment and "take your litter home".

     Regarding the recent significant increase in visitor numbers at popular attractions such as Sai Kung East Country Park during the Golden Week period, the Government has made advance interdepartmental deployment and co-ordination arrangements. In terms of overall co-ordination, the interdepartmental working group on festival arrangements, chaired by the Chief Secretary for Administration, co-ordinates relevant policy bureaux and departments to make overall arrangements on visitor flow management, transport support, facility capacity, and publicity and education during the Golden Week period for popular countryside destinations such as Sai Kung East Country Park. Under the co-ordination of the working group, the relevant departments have formulated and implemented specific action plans according to their functions. Among them, the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) has formulated targeted measures regarding country park management, nature conservation and visitor education, including strengthening patrols and enforcement, optimising campsite management, strengthening publicity and education, and formulating contingency arrangements to deal with peak visitor flows. At the same time, the Transport Department (TD) and relevant departments have also made corresponding arrangements regarding public transport services and traffic management to meet the overall need for crowd dispersal.

     During the Labour Day Golden Week holiday in May this year, the AFCD deployed staff and, with the assistance of drones, patrolled and enforced at Sai Kung East Country Park and other places, and carried out publicity and education on camping and hiking rules and on caring for nature, plants and animals. It also deployed staff to conduct day-and-night patrols and stationing at popular camping sites as planned. At the same time, the AFCD strengthened facility cleaning and management at the camping sites of Sai Kung Country Park and around the East Dam, and implemented temporary crowd-control measures when visitor flow was very heavy, so as to avoid excessive congestion at the Po Pin Chau viewing platform and along the hiking trails. The TD and the Police also strengthened public transport services and traffic management around the East Dam. All measures were implemented in an orderly manner according to the established plan. Interdepartmental collaboration and on-site operations were generally smooth. Overall order in the East Dam area was good. The use of the campsites at Ham Tin Wan, Sai Wan and Long Ke Wan, environmental hygiene and order were all generally in line with Government expectations, and there was no accumulation of large amounts of rubbish under the established cleansing arrangements.

     In response to the question raised by Hon Rock Chen, and in consultation with the Transport and Logistics Bureau, the consolidated reply is as follows: 

(1) Over the past three years, the AFCD and the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) have received a total of 867 complaints or reports involving Sai Kung Country Park, mainly about illegal activities, improper conduct by visitors, environmental hygiene, facility management and plant management. At present, the AFCD has an establishment of about 157 staff responsible for routine patrols and enforcement work in country parks and special areas across Hong Kong. Handling the above complaints is part of the regular management work of the country parks, and the AFCD does not keep separate figures on manpower deployment involved in handling complaints at individual locations.

(2) In order to manage rural areas more effectively, the Government has all along actively used technology to enhance management work, including the use of drones and closed-circuit television systems to assist in monitoring visitor flow and campsite usage, and the installation of network cameras to monitor the use and cleanliness of facilities outside public toilets. In future, the Government will continue to explore technologies suitable for countryside environments, including the use of drones to carry trail maintenance materials, the use of mechanical exoskeletons to assist staff working in remote areas, and the application of intelligent monitoring systems, so as to strengthen the management and protection of country parks. On the other hand, the AFCD also encourages members of the public and visitors to practise waste reduction at source in countryside locations, especially in areas where waste collection services are limited, and to develop the good habits of "take your litter home" when hiking and camping.

     As mentioned above, the usage of campsites in the Sai Kung Country Park area, as well as the environmental hygiene and order, were generally in line with the Government's expectations. Under the established cleansing arrangements, no large accumulation of garbage has been found. 

(3) In view of the sharp increase in visitor numbers during the Golden Week period, the Government has completed the temporary road improvement works on Sai Kung Man Yee Road as planned, and has strengthened public transport services and traffic management around the East Dam, including increasing the service of Green Minibus Route No. 9A during the Golden Week period in accordance with passenger demand through co-ordination between the TD and the operator, and reserving spare vehicles and drivers to flexibly disperse passengers, and setting up information display screens at suitable locations in Pak Tam Chung to release road traffic conditions for the East Dam area to improve passenger queuing arrangements. In terms of traffic management, the Police conducted traffic control and crowd management at strategic locations such as Pak Tam Chung, Man Yee Road and the East Dam during peak periods, and adopted temporary traffic control measures as needed to disperse traffic and ensure safety, while continuing to crack down on illegal taxi activities. The AFCD also worked with the Hong Kong Tourism Board to publish East Dam crowd-flow information through websites to help visitors plan their trips, and to promote other hiking routes and countryside rules. In addition to land transport, there are currently four fixed-schedule and 54 demand-responsive kaito ferry routes in Sai Kung District, including the kaito route between Sai Kung Pier and Leung Shuen Wan, with a journey time of about 45 minutes. Visitors may proceed from Leung Shuen Wan Pier to the East Dam of the High Island Reservoir (about one hour's walk). The feasibility of introducing more routes depends on factors including the geographical conditions of the relevant location, and therefore a detailed assessment is required. The government will consider whether to conduct further study at an appropriate time.

     Thank you, President.

Ends/Wednesday, June 24, 2026
Issued at HKT 14:38

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