| Proposed
Lantau North (Extension) Country Park
(ACE
Paper 16/2000)
For discussion
Purpose
This
paper consults Members on the proposed designation of the
Lantau North (Extension) Country Park.
Background
2.Country-side
areas that are confirmed to contain high ecological value
are designated as country parks under the Country Parks Ordinance
(Chapter 208). Once designated, the Agriculture, Fisheries
and Conservation Department will undertake management of the
area for the purposes of protecting natural resources including
vegetation and wildlife, promoting education on the natural
environment, providing recreation opportunities, and preserving
and maintaining buildings and sites of historic or cultural
significance. Where appropriate, facilities and services for
public enjoyment and recreation will be provided.
The
Proposed Country Park
3.The
proposed country park extension at North Lantau covers an
area of approximately 2,000 hectares that runs to the north,
north-east and east of the existing Lantau North Country Park.
It embraces most of the undeveloped land stretching from Tai
Shan above Penny's Bay in the east to Tai Ho, Tung Chung and
Sham Wat in the west. It is bounded to the south by the Lantau
North Country Park and to the north by the North Lantau Highway
and the new town at Tung Chung. The hilly area north of Silvermine
Bay and south of Discovery Bay is also included in the proposed
extension area. A map showing the preliminary boundary of
the proposed country park extension is at Annex.
4.The
area of the proposed country park has been identified as one
of the potential country parks in the Territorial Development
Strategy Review in 1993. Further in-house study on the ecological
value of the area conducted by the Agriculture, Fisheries
and Conservation Department confirmed that the area is suitable
to be designated as a country park in terms of its conservation
value, landscape amenity and recreational potential, for the
following reasons -
(a)
the proposed area covers large areas of secondary woodlands,
shrubland, grassland and fresh water habitats. It contains
high biological diversity which includes 76 hectares of montane
shrub forests, over 200 species of native and protected indigenous
plants, and vast area of well-developed upland forests;
(b)
the hilly landscape in the proposed area with upland valleys
provides highly scenic backdrop for the urban area on Lantau
Island; and
(c)
the proposed area has the potential for development into a
variety of recreational sites such as hiking trails, picnic
sites, footpaths for family walk, and other suitable educational
facilities. The upland areas also provide scenic spots for
viewing the new airport to the north, rural landscape to the
south and wilderness among the mountainous areas and upland
valleys.
Consultation
5.We
have consulted relevant parties including the Islands District
Council, various green groups and interested parties, and
the Legislative Council Panel on Environmental Affairs regarding
the proposed designation. All parties except the Islands District
Council have given in-principle support to the proposed designation.
The Islands District Council objected to the proposed designation
on the grounds that the existing country parks on Lantau Island
already cover large areas of land and extension of the country
park may further restrict developments on Lantau. The Islands
District Council also requested that the proposed North-South
Road Link that bridges up Tai Ho Wan and Mui Wo should be
built before proceeding to extend the country park area.
Way
Forward
6.The
draft map of the proposed country park, after incorporating
comments gathered during the consultation, will be gazetted,
tentatively in June 2000. The gazetted draft map will then
be made available for public inspection when the public can
raise objections against the designation. All objections will
be heard by the Country and Marine Parks Board. Our plan is
to designate the proposed country park in early 2001.
Advice
sought
7.Members
are invited to comment on the proposed designation of the
Lantau North (Extension) Country Park.
Environment
and Food Bureau
April 2000
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