Contents

Page

9 ECOLOGY 1

9.1 Introduction 1

9.2 Legislation, Standards and Guidelines 3

9.3 Methodology for Baseline Establishment 6

9.4 Ecological Baseline Conditions 18

9.5 Impact Identification and Prediction 139

9.6 Impact Evaluation for Terrestrial Ecology 145

9.7 Impact Evaluation for Marine Ecology 184

9.8 Mitigation Measures 258

9.9 Cumulative Impacts 277

9.10 Residual Impacts 295

9.11 Environmental Monitoring and Audit (EM&A) 301

9.12 Enhancement Measures 304

9.13 Conclusions 306

9.14 References 311

Figures

Figure 9.1 Sampling locations

Figure 9.2a Recognised Sites of Conservation Importance

Figure 9.2b Locations of Species of Conservation Importance in Tung Chung area from Literature Review

Figure 9.2c Locations of Species of Conservation Importance in Tai Ho area from Literature Review

Figure 9.3a SPSE and DPSE of CWD in 2014

Figure 9.3b SPSE and DPSE of CWD during 2011-2014

Figure 9.4a Habitat Map - overall

Figure 9.4b Habitat Map – western (southern half)

Figure 9.4c Habitat Map – western (northern half)

Figure 9.4d Habitat Map – middle

Figure 9.4e Habitat Map – eastern

Figure 9.4f Habitat Map – Fong Yuen area

Figure 9.5a Locations of plant species of conservation importance recorded during the survey – western (southern half)

Figure 9.5b Locations of plant species of conservation importance recorded during the survey – western (northern half)

Figure 9.5c Locations of plant species of conservation importance recorded during the survey – eastern

Figure 9.6a Locations of terrestrial fauna of conservation importance recorded during the survey – western (southern half)

Figure 9.6b Locations of terrestrial fauna of conservation importance recorded during the survey – western (northern half)

Figure 9.6c Locations of terrestrial fauna of conservation importance recorded during the survey – eastern

Figure 9.7a Locations of aquatic fauna of conservation importance recorded during the survey – western (southern half)

Figure 9.7b Locations of aquatic fauna of conservation importance recorded during the survey – western (northern half)

Figure 9.7c Locations of aquatic fauna of conservation importance recorded during the survey – eastern

Figure 9.8a Habitat Map overlaid with RODP

Figure 9.8b(i) Habitat Map overlaid with land zoning in TCW (southern half, part 1)

Figure 9.8b(ii) Habitat Map overlaid with land zoning in TCW (southern half, part 2)

Figure 9.8c Habitat Map overlaid with land zoning in TCW (northern half)

Figure 9.8d Habitat Map overlaid with polders in TCW

Figure 9.8e Conceptual Design of SUDS

Figure 9.8f Habitat Map overlaid with areas zoned for Stormwater Attenuation and Treatment Ponds in TCW

Figure 9.9a Potential Movement Corridors in Tung Chung West (Current Condition)

Figure 9.9b Potential Movement Corridors in Tung Chung West (Operation Phase)

Figure 9.9c Potential Movement Corridors in lowland areas of Tung Chung Valley (Operation Phase)

Figure 9.10 Marine Works Area

Figure 9.11 Proposed Compensation Woodland Planting areas

Appendices

Appendix 9.1a Photos of Habitats and Plant Species of Conservation Importance

Appendix 9.1b Photos of Selected Faunal Species Recorded during the Surveys

Appendix 9.2 Plant Species Recorded within the Assessment Area

Appendix 9.3 Mammal Species Recorded during the Field Survey

Appendix 9.4 Bird Species Recorded during the Field Survey

Appendix 9.5 Reptile Species Recorded during the Field Survey

Appendix 9.6 Amphibian Species Recorded during the Field Survey

Appendix 9.7 Butterfly Species Recorded during the Field Survey

Appendix 9.8 Dragonfly Species Recorded during the Field Survey

Appendix 9.9 Fish Species Recorded in Tung Chung Stream and the Estuarine Area

Appendix 9.10a Aquatic Fauna Recorded in Tai Ho Stream and the Estuarine Area

Appendix 9.10b Aquatic Fauna Recorded in Wong Lung Hang Stream

Appendix 9.11a Aquatic Invertebrates Recorded in Tung Chung Stream

Appendix 9.11b Aquatic Fauna Collected in Baited Fish Cage and Kick Sampling during Wet Season

Appendix 9.11c Aquatic Fauna Collected in Baited Fish Cage and Kick Sampling during Dry season

Appendix 9.12 Full List of Intertidal Faunal Species Recorded in Tung Chung Bay

Appendix 9.13 Intertidal Organisms Recorded in the Stratified Random Sampling

Appendix 9.14a Intertidal Organisms Recorded in the Quantitative Survey of Mudflat during Wet Season

Appendix 9.14b Intertidal Organisms Recorded in the Quantitative Survey of Mudflat during Dry Season

Appendix 9.15 Results of Semi-quantitative Survey on the Soft Shore Habitats

Appendix 9.16a Intertidal Organisms Recorded in the Quantitative Survey of Rocky Shore during Wet Season

Appendix 9.16b Intertidal Organisms Recorded in the Quantitative Survey of Rocky Shore during Dry Season

Appendix 9.17a Intertidal Organisms Recorded in the Quantitative Survey of Seawalls during Wet Season

Appendix 9.17b Intertidal Organisms Recorded in the Quantitative Survey of Seawalls during Dry Season

Appendix 9.18a Benthic Organisms Recorded in the Benthic Grab Survey during Wet Season

Appendix 9.18b Benthic Organisms Recorded in the Benthic Grab Survey during Dry Season

Appendix 9.19 Rapid Ecological Assessment Method

Appendix 9.20 Full List of Fauna Species of Conservation Importance recorded in the present survey, stipulated in EIA SB and reported by previous studies

Appendix 9.21 Proposed Plant List for Compensatory Woodland Planting

Appendix 9.22 Recommended Plant List for the future River Park

Appendix 9.23 Examples of Eco-Shoreline

Appendix 9.24 Schematic Diagram of Polders

9 ECOLOGY

9.1 Introduction

9.1.1 Requirements of EIA Study Brief

9.1.1.1 The EIA Study Brief (EIA Study Brief No.: ESB-285/2015) was formally issued by EPD in April 2015, to replace the previous EIA Study Brief (EIA Study Brief No.: ESB-251/2012 issued in August 2012 and EIA Study Brief No.: ESB-283/2014 issued in January 2015) and technical requirements for ecological impact assessment (EcoIA) are stipulated in the EIA Study Brief, including Section 3.4.7 and Appendix H. The aim of the EcoIA shall be to protect, maintain or rehabilitate the natural environment, in particular, to avoid or minimise impacts on recognised sites of conservation importance.

9.1.2 Project Area and Assessment Area

9.1.2.1 The proposed study involves the investigation of two Possible Development Areas (PDAs) in Tung Chung East and Tung Chung West (hereafter TCE PDA and TCW PDA), and related elements including Road P1 (Tung Chung - Tai Ho Section), service reservoirs and sewer pipeline networks. These project elements constitute the Project Area for the present EcoIA (see Figure 1.1).

9.1.2.2 As set out in Section 3.4.7.2 of the EIA Study Brief (EIA Study Brief No.: ESB-285/2015), the Assessment Area for the terrestrial ecological impact assessment shall include areas within 500m from the boundary of the PDAs as well as other project elements and/or works areas, and areas likely to be impacted by the Project.

9.1.2.3 For marine ecological impact assessment, the assessment area shall be the same as the assessment area for water quality assessment, i.e. North Western WCZ, North Western Supplementary WCZ, and Western Buffer WCZ as designated under the Water Pollution Control Ordinance (Cap 358) and the water sensitive receivers in the vicinity of the Project, or the areas likely to be impacted by the Project.

9.1.3 Key Ecological Issues stipulated in EIA Study Brief

9.1.3.1 A number of sites of conservation importance, important habitats, and species of conservation importance were listed out in the EIA Study Brief. These sites, habitats and species highlighted for the ecological impact assessment include:

Recognised Sites of Conservation Importance

· San Tau Beach Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), and Tai Ho Stream SSSI;

· Tung Chung Ecologically Important Stream (EIS), Wong Lung Hang EIS, Tai Ho EIS;

· Pok To Yan and Por Kai Shan SSSI;

· Lantau North (Extension) Country Park;

· Sha Chau and Lung Kwu Chau Marine Park; and

· The proposed Marine Parks at the Brothers, Southwest Lantau and the Sokos.

Important Habitats

· Woodland habitats (including Fung Shui Woods and secondary woodlands);

· Natural Streams including Tung Chung Ecologically Important Stream (EIS), Wong Lung Hang EIS, Tai Ho EIS, Tai Ho Stream SSSI, and any other natural stream courses (including their estuaries and tributaries);

· Coastal/marine waters;

· Intertidal shores / subtidal shores / benthic communities / coral communities;

· Mangroves, mudflats and seagrass beds at Tung Chung Bay, San Tau Beach SSSI, and Tai Ho Wan;

· Wetlands (including freshwater and brackish-water marshes); and

· Breeding and nursery grounds for horseshoe crabs (e.g. Tachypleus tridentatus and Carcinoscorpius rotundicauda);

Species of conservation importance

· Chinese White Dolphin Sousa chinensis;

· Horseshoe Crab Tachypleus tridentatus and Carcinoscorpius rotundicauda;

· Vertebrates, including mammals, avifauna (e.g. Chinese Egret Egretta eulophotes), and herpetofauna (e.g. Romer’s Tree Frog Liuixalus romeri, Hong Kong Newt Paramesotriton hongkongensis, South China Cascade Frog Amolops ricketti and Short-legged Toad Xenophyrs brachykolos);

· Stream/estuarine fauna, in particular fish species of conservation importance at Tung Chung EIS, Tung Chung Bay, Wong Lung Hang EIS, Tai Ho EIS, and Tai Ho Stream SSSI (e.g. Acrossocheilus beijiangensis, Giant Mottled Eel Anguilla marmorata, Japanese Eel Anguilla japonica, Black-spotted Gudgeon Butis butis (= Butis melanostigma); Alligator Pipefish Syngnathoides biaculeatus, Pipefish Syngnathus. schlegeli, Ayu Plecoglossus altivelis and Spotty Band Goby Glossogobius olivaceus;

· Macroinvertebrates, including Butterflies (e.g. Common Birdwing Troides helena, Golden Birdwing Troides aecus, Jhora Scrub Hopper Aeromachus jhora, Oriental Striped Blue Leptotes plinius and Peacock Royal Tajuria cippus; and

· Any other habitats and wildlife groups identified as having special conservation interest by the EIA study.

9.2 Legislation, Standards and Guidelines

9.2.1 General

9.2.1.1 Ordinances and regulations that are relevant to this Ecological Impact Assessment (EcoIA) include the followings:

· Forests and Countryside Ordinance (Cap. 96) and its subsidiary legislation, the Forestry Regulations; and

· Wild Animals Protection Ordinance (Cap. 170);

· Country Parks Ordinance (Cap. 208) and its subsidiary legislation;

· The Marine Parks Ordinance (Cap. 476);

· The Environmental Impact Assessment Ordinance (Cap. 499) and the associated TM; and

· The Protection of Endangered Species of Animals and Plants Ordinance (Cap. 586) and its subsidiary legislation.

9.2.1.2 This EcoIA also makes reference to the following guidelines and standards:

· Hong Kong Planning Standards and Guidelines (HKPSG) Chapter 10, "Conservation";

· PELB Technical Circular 1/97 / Works Branch Technical Circular 4/97, "Guidelines for Implementing the Policy on Off-site Ecological Mitigation Measures";

· EIAO Guidance Note No. 3/2010 – Flexibility and Enforceability of Mitigation Measures Proposed in an EIA Report;

· EIAO Guidance Note No. 6/2010 - Some Observations on Ecological Assessment from the Environmental Impact Assessment Ordinance Perspective;

· EIAO Guidance Note No. 7/2010 – Ecological Baseline Survey for Ecological Assessment;

· EIAO Guidance Note No. 10/2010 – Methodologies for Terrestrial and Freshwater Ecological Baseline Surveys; and

· EIAO Guidance Note No. 11/2010 – Methodologies for Marine Ecological Baseline Surveys.

9.2.1.3 This EcoIA also makes reference to the following Mainland legislation:

· List of State Protected Wild Animals, promulgated by the State Council 國家重點保護野生動物名錄; and

· List of Wild Plants under State Protection國家重點保護野生植物名錄(第一批).

9.2.1.4 Other international conventions and guidelines that are relevant to this EcoIA include the following:

· Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora ("CITES"). This Convention regulates international trade in animal and plant species considered to be at risk from such trade. Depending on the degree of threat posed by international trade, CITES classifies endangered species of animals and plants into three Appendices. Appendix I includes highly endangered species threatened with extinction. Commercial trade in specimens of these species is prohibited. Appendix II includes species which are not presently threatened with extinction but may become so unless trade is controlled. Their trade is allowed but subject to licensing controls. Appendix III species are species identified by any Party to CITES as requiring cooperation in controlling their trade. Their trade is subject to permits or certificates of origin. Hong Kong's obligations under this Convention are enforced via the Protection of Endangered Species of Animals and Plants Ordinance (Cap. 586).

· IUCN. The World Conservation Union maintains, through its Species Survival Commission, a “Red List” of globally threatened species of wild plants and animals (see http://www.iucnredlist.org). The Red List is considered the authoritative publication to classify species into nine groups as Extinct (EX) - No individuals remaining; Extinct in the Wild (EW) - Known only to survive in captivity, or as a naturalized population outside its historic range; Critically Endangered (CR) - Extremely high risk of extinction in the wild; Endangered (EN) - Very high risk of extinction in the wild; Vulnerable (VU) - High risk of extinction in the wild; Near Threatened (NT) - Likely to become endangered in the near future; Least Concern (LC) - Lowest risk. Does not qualify for a more at risk category. Widespread and abundant taxa are included in this category; Data Deficient (DD) - Not enough data to make an assessment of its risk of extinction; Not Evaluated (NE) - Has not yet been evaluated against the criteria.

· United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity. This convention requires parties to regulate or manage biological resources important for the conservation of biological diversity whether within or outside protected areas, with a view to ensuring their conservation and sustainable use. It also requires parties to promote the protection of ecosystems, natural habitats and the maintenance of viable populations of species in natural surroundings. The People’s Republic of China (PRC) ratified the Convention on Biological Diversity on 5^thJanuary 1993. The HKSAR Government has stated that it is "committed to meeting the environmental objectives" of the Convention (PELB 1996).

· Convention on Wetlands of International Importance Especially as Waterfowl Habitat (the "Ramsar Convention"), which requires parties to conserve and make wise use of wetlands, particularly those supporting waterfowl populations. The PRC ratified the Ramsar Convention on 31^st July 1992, and various wetlands have since been listed as wetlands of international importance (i.e. Ramsar sites). One of these, Mai Po Marshes and Inner Deep Bay Ramsar site in Hong Kong SAR, was listed on 4 September 1995.

· Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (the Bonn Convention), which requires parties to protect listed threatened or endangered migratory species occurring within their boundaries

9.2.2 Criteria of Evaluating Species of conservation importance

9.2.2.1 Species listed under local legislation and international conventions for conservation of flora and fauna were given special attention. In accordance with Table 3, Annex 8 of the EIAO-TM, the ecological value of fauna species was assessed in terms of protection status (e.g. fauna protected under Cap. 170 (except birds), Cap. 586, and/or regional/global legislations/conventions), species distribution (e.g. endemic), rarity (e.g. rare or restricted) and level of concern highlighted in Fellowes et al. (2002). References were also made to those protected by law in China. Flora species are considered of conservation importance when it is 1) listed under Protection of Endangered Species of Animals and Plants Ordinance (Cap.586) in Hong Kong, 2) Forestry Regulations or 3) considered rare by AFCD (2003, 2007), Xing et al. (2000), Wu and Lee (2000), or Siu (2000), 4) Category I or II protected species in mainland China, or 5) listed by IUCN (2015) or CITES, excluding non-native species or cultivated species. Specifically speaking, flora or fauna species protected by the following laws/regulations or listed under the following conventions were considered to be species of conservation importance. However this excludes exotic weeds, escaped cultivars or captive species, vagrants and introduced species which have lower ecological value. Species which are classified by IUCN as Least Concern (LC), Data Deficient (DD), or Not Evaluated (NE), and not covered by any other laws/regulations/conventions are not considered of conservation importance in the present EcoIA.

· Forestry Regulations (Cap. 96A) which are subsidiary legislation of the Forests and Countryside Ordinance (Cap. 96) ;

· Considered ‘Rare’ or ‘Very Rare’ plant species listed in in AFCD (2003, 2007), Xing et al. (2000), Wu and Lee (2000), or Siu (2000);

· Category I or II protected species in mainland China;

· Wild Animals Protection Ordinance (Cap 170);

· Protection of Endangered Species of Animals and Plants Ordinance (Cap 586);

· PRC Wild Animal Protection Law;

· China Red Data Book of Endangered Animals;

· China Plant Red Data Book;

· China Species Red List;

· The International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species;

· The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES); and

· Fauna species considered of concern in Fellowes et al. (2002).

9.2.2.2 The species identified as having conservation importance are further categorised in accordance with their relevancy with the identified impacts, and the potential impacts on them were assessed in accordance with the EIAO-TM criteria.

9.3 Methodology for Baseline Establishment

9.3.1 Literature Review Methodology

9.3.1.1 A Baseline Review for Ecology was conducted. The relevant literatures was reviewed and information was extracted to establish a preliminary ecological baseline of the Assessment Area.

9.3.1.2 Ecological conditions of different parts of the Assessment Area were covered by different previous EIA studies. The latest EIA in the area is the Expansion of Hong Kong International Airport into a Three-Runway System (3RS EIA), which also covered the whole sketch of North Lantau waters and the coastal area of North Lantau Island. EIAs related to Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HZMB), including Hong Kong Boundary Crossing Facilities (HKBCF), Hong Kong Link Road (HKLR) and Tuen Mun-Chek Lap Kok Link (TM-CLKL), covered the terrestrial and marine habitats of North Lantau. The ecological survey for HKLR, which covered a vast area from Tai Ho to Sham Wat as well as the Airport Island, was firstly conducted between 2003 and 2004 (EBS), with verification survey and supplementary survey between 2008 and 2009 (EVS and ESS). The EIA study of HKBCF also had its own ecological survey conducted in 2008 to 2009. The southern portion of the Assessment Area for the EIA study of TM-CLKL covered the north Lantau coastline and was conducted in 2008. Present study also made reference to the Ecological Monitoring and Audit of HKBCF, HKLR and TM-CLKL conducted from 2012 to 2015. Tung Chung Bay was covered by the EIA study for “Ngong Ping Cable Car” in 2003, while Tung Chung Stream was also covered by the EIA study for “Tung Chung Road Improvement” in 2002. Other relevant publications of government departments and non-government organisation were also reviewed. A government study commissioned by CEDD investigated the cumulative impacts from three potential nearshore reclamations in the Western Hong Kong waters recommended by the Land Supply Study (AECOM 2014). This study reviewed all available information, performed site surveys, and also incorporated the results from site specific CWD surveys for the shallow waters of the three potential reclamation sites (ibid).

9.3.1.3 Flora and fauna in Tung Chung Valley, Tung Chung Stream and Tung Chung Bay were surveyed by Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden (KFBG) in 2011 and 2012. Survey results and evaluation of ecological resources in the Tung Chung areas were summarized in “Ecological and Conservation Importance of Tung Chung, Lantau (1^st Edition)” (KFBG 2013). Additional information on faunal groups in Tung Chung areas provided by Conservancy Association, WWF-HK, Hong Kong Bird Watching Society and Green Power were also included in the same report. A review study aiming to provide ecological attributes of Lantau by assembling available biodiversity data on Lantau was also published in 2014 (Yip and Noffke 2014).

9.3.1.4 A summary of the EIAs, investigation studies and surveys considered in establishing the ecological baseline condition is given below:

· Tung Chung Road Improvement (EIA Register No: AEIAR-061/2002);

· Ngong Ping Cable Car (EIA Register No : AEIAR-074/2003);

· The Biology and Ecology of Juvenile Horseshoe Crabs along the Northwestern Coastline of the New Territories, Hong Kong: Prospects and Recommendations for Conservation (2003);

· Hong Kong - Zhuhai - Macao Bridge Hong Kong Link Road (EIA Register No: AEIAR-144/2009);

· Hong Kong - Zhuhai - Macao Bridge Hong Kong Boundary Crossing Facilities (EIA Register No: AEIAR-145/2009);

· Tuen Mun - Chek Lap Kok Link (EIA Register No: AEIAR-174//2009);

· Hong Kong - Zhuhai - Macao Bridge Hong Kong Boundary Crossing Facilities EM&A (2012 – 2015);

· Hong Kong - Zhuhai - Macao Bridge Hong Kong Link Road EM&A (2012 – 2015);

· Tuen Mun – Chek Lap Kok Link EM&A (2013 – 2015);

· Monitoring of Marine Mammals in Hong Kong (annual reports from 2009 to 2015);

· Ecological and Conservation Importance of Tung Chung, Lantau (1^stEdition) (2013);

· Expansion of Hong Kong International Airport into a Three-Runway System (EIA Register No.: AEIAR-185/2014); and

· Agreement CE 14/2013 (CE) Cumulative Environmental Impact Assessment Study for the Three Potential Nearshore Reclamation Sites in the Western Waters of Hong Kong – Investigation.

9.3.1.5 Species of conservation importance/interest/concerns recorded in these previous studies were screened under the criteria mentioned in the previous section, e.g. excluding non-native or cultivated plant species.

9.3.2 Ecological Field Survey Methodology

9.3.2.1 The methodology of the ecological surveys makes reference to the technical guidelines of ecological assessment in Annex 16 of EIAO-TM and the relevant EIAO Guidance Notes (GN 7/2010, GN 10/2010, and GN 11/2010).

9.3.2.2 Ecological field surveys are carried out to verify the preliminary ecological baseline established from reviewed literatures, update baseline information, and fill identified information gaps to facilitate the establishment of a complete ecological baseline of the Assessment Area and to facilitate the ecological assessment.

9.3.2.3 The ecological survey programme covered terrestrial, aquatic, intertidal and marine habitats, identified sites of conservation importance, and important habitats within the Assessment Area during wet and dry seasons. The ecological surveys included habitat and vegetation, terrestrial mammal, birds, herpetofauna, dragonflies and butterflies, aquatic fauna, intertidal, subtidal and benthic biota. Details of the survey methodology are discussed in the following sections.

9.3.2.4 The objectives of the baseline ecological surveys are as follows:

· to identify sensitive receivers (i.e. important ecological resources) present within the Assessment Area;

· to establish an update general ecological baseline of the Assessment Area in particular areas likely to be affected by the Project and describe the characteristics of each habitat and assemblage found;

· to update the distribution of flora/fauna of conservation importance identified from reviewed literatures; and

· to provide baseline ecological conditions for assessment of potential environmental impacts caused by the proposed Project activities and recommendation of mitigation measures to mitigate such impacts.

9.3.3 Survey Locations

9.3.3.1 Ecological field surveys were conducted to verify and update the information collected from literature review.

9.3.3.2 As the project elements are mainly located at or near Tung Chung and coastal area, more sampling efforts were spent around Tung Chung and the coastline of North Lantau Island. The areas covered by the ecological field survey covered both land and marine areas, primarily the impact areas, and secondarily on the areas adjacent to the impact areas (see Figure 9.1).

9.3.3.3 Tai Ho is an important area in Hong Kong for nature conservation and is located to the east of Tung Chung. Terrestrial habitats in Tai Ho is outside the 500m Assessment Area for terrestrial ecology defined in the EIA Study Brief, and is not likely to be impacted by the present Project, terrestrial field survey thus did not cover the land areas of Tai Ho. For marine ecology, however, aquatic habitats within the same hydrological area were also covered by the present EcoIA, and thus aquatic habitats in Tai Ho including Tai Ho Wan and Tai Ho Stream SSSI were surveyed under intertidal survey and stream survey.

9.3.4 Survey Period

9.3.4.1 According to the Clause 2(iii) in Appendix H of the EIA Study Brief, ecological field surveys were carried out for a duration of at least 9 months.

9.3.4.2 The presented ecological survey programme covered several time durations. The first survey period covered from May 2012 to March 2013 of 11 months. A wet season updated survey was also performed from June 2013 to August 2013. A further survey was conducted between August 2014 and February 2015 to address the additional project elements.

9.3.4.3 The surveys appropriately covered wet and dry seasons to ensure that the field data obtained are representative, and the survey frequency was also be properly planned, and therefore the requirements set out in the EIA Study Brief are fulfilled.

9.3.5 Terrestrial Survey

Habitat & Vegetation Survey

9.3.5.1 Habitats were mapped based on latest aerial photos and verified by field ground-truthing. Plant species within each habitat type were identified and their relative abundances were recorded with special attention to rare or protected species. Nomenclature and protection of the plant species followed those documented in the AFCD’s biodiversity database. Similar to the criteria used in literature review, plant species recorded during the survey are considered of conservation importance when it is 1) listed under Protection of Endangered Species of Animals and Plants Ordinance (Cap.586) in Hong Kong, 2) Forestry Regulations or 3) considered rare by AFCD (2003, 2007), Xing et al. (2000), Wu and Lee (2000), or Siu (2000), 4) Category I or II protected species in mainland China, or 5) listed by IUCN (2015) or CITES, excluding non-native species or cultivated species.

9.3.5.2 Habitat maps of the assessment area were produced at the required scale using GIS software. Colour photographs were taken of all habitats encountered on site and of ecological features of special importance.

Terrestrial Mammal Survey

9.3.5.3 Mammals within the Assessment Area were surveyed qualitatively. All sightings, tracks, and signs of mammals (including scats, footprints, burrows) along survey transects within the Assessment Area were recorded. The survey transects were established after initial surveys, and are presented in Figure 9.1. As mammals are mostly nocturnal, night surveys were also conducted, to actively search nocturnal mammals using spot-light. Nomenclature of the mammal species followed Shek (2006).

Avifauna Survey

9.3.5.4 Birds in each habitat type within the Assessment Area were surveyed quantitatively using transect count method. The survey transects were established after initial surveys, and are presented in Figure 9.1. Signs of breeding (e.g. nests, recently fledged juveniles) within the Assessment Area were also recorded. Special attention was paid to habitats for bird species of conservation importance, stipulated in EIA SB, and/or from reviewed literatures. Surveys were conducted in early morning when birds are more active. As some birds are nocturnal (e.g., owls, nightjars), night surveys were conducted. Avifauna surveys were conducted monthly from May 2012 to March 2013, from June to August 2013, and from August 2014 to February 2015. Nomenclature of the bird species followed the latest version of List of Hong Kong Birds by Hong Kong Bird Watching Society (HKBWS).

Herpetofauna Survey

9.3.5.5 Herpetofauna within the Assessment Area were surveyed through direct observation and active searching in potential habitats (e.g., streams). Herpetofauna are mostly nocturnal in habit and more active during wet season. Night surveys were conducted during wet season, particularly during the breeding season of amphibian species of conservation importance. Potential microhabitats including leaf litter, holes, underneath of stones and logs were searched. Auditory detection of species-specific calls was used to survey frogs and toads. Particular attention were given to the frog species of conservation importance, including Romer’s Tree Frog (endemic), Hong Kong Newt, South China Cascade Frog (restricted distribution in Hong Kong), and Short-legged Toad (potentially endemic). Survey locations included those with previous records of these species and other potential habitats of these species in the Assessment Area. Surveys were performed within the active period of most herpetofauna species (i.e. from March to October). Dry season survey were also conducted (together with stream survey) to cover the breeding season of Hong Kong Newt. Nomenclature and status used for reptiles followed Karsen et al. (1998) and Chan et al. (2006) while those of amphibians followed Chan et al. (2005).

Butterfly and Odonate Surveys

9.3.5.6 Butterflies and odonates in different habitat types within the Assessment Area were surveyed quantitatively. The survey transects were established after initial surveys, and are presented in Figure 9.1. More efforts were spent on sites of identified importance, e.g., Butterfly hotspots within the 500m Assessment Area in Shek Mun Kap, and other important habitats of these fauna, e.g., streams for odonates, woodland for butterflies. Butterfly surveys were conducted monthly within the active period of most butterfly species (i.e. from March to November each year), and there were also surveys in winter to cover some species which are still active in winter (Walthew 1997). For odonates, surveys were performed within the active period of most odonate species (i.e. from April to October). Nomenclature for butterflies followed Chan et al. (2011), and nomenclature for odonates followed Tam et al. (2011).

Freshwater Aquatic Assemblage Survey

9.3.5.7 Aquatic fauna, including freshwater macro-invertebrates (e.g. freshwater crabs, shrimps, freshwater molluscs, and aquatic insects) and fishes, in stream courses within the 500m Assessment Area as well as Tai Ho Stream SSSI were investigated. Within each surveyed stream, direct observation and active searching were carried out for most parts of the stream course where accessible. Stream surveys for the present EIA Study covered wet and dry seasons. There were also active search fish survey performed in estuarine areas and the connecting intertidal zone at Tung Chung Bay and Tai Ho Wan.

9.3.5.8 For Tung Chung Stream and Wong Lung Hang, it was also supplemented by other standard field sampling techniques (e.g. kick sampling, baited fish cage) at selected survey points. These selected stream survey points are presented in Figure 9.1.

9.3.5.9 There are a total of six aquatic sampling points in Tung Chung Stream, two at the eastern branch and two at the western branch of Tung Chung Stream, and another two at the concourse section near the stream outlet. For Wong Lung Hang, there were a total of three sampling points at the high, middle and low reach of the stream respectively.

9.3.5.10 At each sampling point, baited fish caging were performed by two netting cages for a duration of at least 15 minutes. Kick sampling was also performed. A 30 cm x 30 cm kick sampler with 1 mm mesh net was put on the stream bed and the boulders just upstream of the sampler were kicked and disturbed. The animals were then be carried downstream by the current into the sampler. Following rinsing any material remaining on the sampler was carefully rinsed using a minimal volume of freshwater into pre-labelled plastic bottle. 70% ethanol was then added to the bottle to ensure tissue preservation. Care should be taken to ensure the concentration of ethanol is not adversely diluted through rinsing into the bottle. Samples were sealed and transfer to the laboratory for sorting and identification. As the flow in the concourse section of Tung Chung Stream is relatively slow and not suitable for kick sampling, kick sampling in Tung Chung Stream were conducted at the 4 sampling points in the two branches only.

9.3.5.11 Individual samples were gently rinsed with fresh water into a 500 μm sieve to remove the ethanol from the debris. Sieves were partially filled while rinsing a specific sample to maximize washing efficiency and prevent loss of material.

9.3.5.12 Standard and accepted techniques were used for sorting organisms from the samples. Small fractions of a sample were placed in a petri dish under a 10-power magnification dissecting microscope and scanned systematically with all animals and fragments removed using forceps. Each petri dish was sorted at least twice to ensure removal of all animals. Organisms were kept into separate, labelled vials containing 70% ethanol.

9.3.5.13 Taxonomic identifications were performed using stereo dissecting and high-power compound microscopes. Taxa were identified to the lowest practicable level. The careful sampling procedure employed minimized fragmentation of organisms.

9.3.5.14 Organisms, expected to be mostly fish and aquatic macro-invertebrates (e.g. freshwater crabs & shrimps, freshwater molluscs and aquatic insects) were recorded and identified to the lowest possible taxon, and their abundance to be reported. Nomenclature for fish followed Lee et al (2004), while those for the macro-invertebrates followed Dudgeon (1999).

9.3.6 Marine and Intertidal Survey

Intertidal Survey

9.3.6.1 The intertidal surveys covered the coastlines of Tung Chung Bay, Tung Chung New Town, Tai Ho Wan and North Lantau shore near Siu Ho Wan, and consisted of qualitative walk-through surveys along the coastlines accessible (both natural and artificial), and quantitative transect surveys at selected survey locations (see Figure 9.1), so as to produce a comprehensive species lists of the survey areas. Photos of the recorded species were taken where possible. The conservation status (including local, regional and international such as China Red List and IUCN (2015) of the recorded biota is provided.

9.3.6.2 Intertidal surveys for the present EIA Study cover wet and dry seasons. Local tide tables were used to select suitable tidal height at the site and times of surveys.

9.3.6.3 For qualitative walk-through surveys, the accessible coastlines in Tung Chung Bay and within the Assessment Area (including natural and artificial coastlines) were surveyed. Organisms encountered were recorded and their relative abundance noted. As stated above, active search fish survey targeting for estuarine areas and the connecting intertidal zone was also performed at Tung Chung Bay and Tai Ho Wan. The results were also incorporated into the full list of intertidal fauna.

9.3.6.4 It was found that different types of substrates (pebble, sandy, muddy etc.) occurred on Tung Chung Bay mudflats, on which great variations of macrofauna density and composition were observed. A stratified random sampling was conducted on different substrates to investigate the level of heterogeneity in the mudflat fauna. Three quadrats (25 cm × 25 cm) were placed randomly in each substrate type to record the abundance and diversity of mudflat fauna. All organisms found in each quadrat (as well as in the top 5 cm of sediment if soft substrates) were identified and recorded to the lowest possible taxonomic level to allow density calculation.

9.3.6.5 For quantitative transect surveys, at each survey location, one 50 m horizontal transect along the coastline was surveyed at each of the three tidal levels: 1.5 m (high), 1.0 m (middle) and 0.5 m (low) above Chart Datum (CD). On each transect, five quadrats (25 cm × 25 cm) were placed randomly to assess the abundance and diversity of flora and fauna. All organisms found in each quadrat were identified and recorded to the lowest possible taxonomic level to allow density to be calculated. Sessile species, such as algae (encrusting, foliose and filamentous), barnacles and oysters, in each quadrat were identified to the lowest possible taxonomic level and estimated as percentage cover on the rock surface. In addition, should the transect locations prove to be soft shore, all organisms found in the top 25 cm × 25 cm × 5 cm layer (length x width x depth) of the substrate were identified to the lowest possible taxonomic level and recorded. Besides the quadrats, intertidal fauna on the three tidal levels at each of the transect sites within Tung Chung Bay were also recorded semi-quantitatively, in order to provide relative abundance of each species, particular in each tidal level. In semi-quantitative survey, organisms in the vicinity of the transects deployed for quantitative surveys were actively searched. Organisms encountered were recorded and their relative abundance noted.

9.3.6.6 Species and abundance of biota in both sediments and surface of the quadrats were reported. Diversity index and evenness index were provided for evaluating and ranking the ecological values.

Horseshoe Crab and Seagrass Survey

9.3.6.7 Active searches of Seagrass and horseshoe crab were also conducted at the above soft shore sites (locations with suitable substrates and previous records, i.e. Tung Chung Bay, San Tau Beach, and Tai Ho Wan), to confirm whether seagrasses and horseshoe crabs are presented at these soft shores.

9.3.6.8 The sites were thoroughly searched for the seagrasses and horseshoe crabs during suitable ebbing tides. The searches for horseshoe crabs covered the active period of horseshoe crab juveniles (i.e. April to October), while searches during dry season were also performed as it is known that seagrass beds would have larger coverage during winter.

9.3.6.9 The species, number, sizes of horseshoe crabs and the species, area sizes and coverage percentages of seagrasses were recorded, and the locations of horseshoe crabs and the locations and extents of seagrasses were mapped. Photos of seagrasses and horseshoe crabs found during the surveys were taken.

9.3.6.10 During the horseshoe crab and seagrass survey, attention was also paid to the occurrence of fishes in estuaries including Pipefish, which were recently reported in Tung Chung Bay by the Public.

Benthic Grab Survey

9.3.6.11 Benthic sediment samples were collected from sampling sites in the subtidal soft-bottom habitats within and near the proposed reclamation site. The sampling locations are shown in Figure 9.1. The numbers of survey sitess (three inside Tung Chung Bay, 4 inside TCE PDA, and 5 along/near North Lantau coastline) are considered sufficient given the likely relatively homogeneous nature of sediments in Western Hong Kong waters. Subtidal benthos surveys were conducted in both wet and dry seasons.

9.3.6.12 At each survey site, three grab samples were collected. Survey sites were sampled using a grab sampler of 0.1 m² and 15 cm biting depth. Each grab sample collected was photographed and its conditions and physical characteristics documented. Sediments from the grab samples were sieved on board the survey vessel, washed onto a sieve stack (comprising 1 mm and 500 μm meshes) and gently rinsed with seawater to remove all fine material. Following rinsing any materials remaining on the two screens were combined and carefully rinsed using a minimal volume of seawater into pre-labelled thick triple-bagged Ziploc plastic bags. A 5% solution of formalin containing Rose Bengal in seawater was then added to the bag to ensure tissue preservation. Care should be taken to ensure the concentration of solution is not adversely diluted through rinsing into the bags. Samples were sealed in plastic containers for transfer to the laboratory for sorting and identification.

9.3.6.13 Before sorting, the samples were held in formalin for a minimum of 24 hours to ensure adequate fixation of the organisms. Individual samples were gently rinsed with fresh water into a 250 μm sieve to remove the formalin from the sediments. Sieves were partially filled while rinsing a specific sample to maximize washing efficiency and prevent loss of material. All material retained on the sieve was placed in a labelled plastic jar, covered with 70% ethanol, and lightly agitated to ensure complete mixing of the alcohol with the sediments. Original labels were retained with the rescreened sample material.

9.3.6.14 Standard and accepted techniques were used for sorting organisms from the sediments. Small fractions of a sample were placed in a petri dish under a 10-power magnification dissecting microscope and scanned systematically with all animals and fragments removed using forceps. Each petri dish was sorted at least twice to ensure removal of all animals. Organisms were kept into separate, labelled vials containing 70% ethanol.

9.3.6.15 Taxonomic identifications were performed using stereo dissecting and high-power compound microscopes. Taxa, were identified to the lowest practicable level. The careful sampling procedure employed minimized fragmentation of organisms. If breakage of soft-bodied organisms occurs, only anterior portions of fragments were counted, although all fragments were retained and weighed for biomass determinations (wet weight).

9.3.6.16 Species and abundance of biota in the samples were reported. Diversity index and evenness index were provided for evaluating and ranking the ecological values.

Marine Fish Survey

9.3.6.17 As stated above, active search fish survey targeting for estuarine areas and the connecting intertidal zone was also performed at Tung Chung Bay and Tai Ho Wan. Under the Fisheries Impact Assessment, fish surveys by gill netting and cage trapping were performed in both wet and dry seasons in 2013, at eight sampling locations covering TCE PDA and near Road P1 (Tung Chung - Tai Ho Section), Tung Chung Bay, Hau Hok Wan, Sha Lo Wan and Sham Shui Kok. Details methodology and locations are stated in Section 10. Results of the fish surveys could provide information for present EcoIA.

Dive Survey

9.3.6.18 Dive surveys for corals and other hard substrate marine organisms were conducted. The subtidal coral survey has been designed to encompass subtidal hard bottom habitat in Tung Chung on both natural and artificial coastlines, with a focus along the coastline of the proposed reclamation that will potentially be subject to direct loss impact. Subtidal coral survey was conducted in one season for each dive location in the present EIA Study as there is no special seasonality for coral communities. Two types of subtidal dive survey were carried out, including: Spot dive checks; and Rapid Ecological Assessment (REA) survey.

9.3.6.19 Locations for spot dive checks at Tung Chung are indicated on Figure 9.1, which covered areas along the shoreline within and in close vicinity to the proposed reclamation. At each survey location, a spot dive reconnaissance check was conducted. As the underwater visibility is low in North Lantau waters, during the reconnaissance dives circular paths at each dive spots were adopted. The substrate type, associated sessile benthos, particularly the presence of coral communities (including all hard corals, octocorals and black corals) were recorded. Representative photographs of the seabed and associated fauna were taken using suitable camera, where the visibility allowed.

9.3.6.20 Three locations for Rapid Ecological Assessment were selected from the surveyed spot dive check points, after the spot check dive survey is finished. At each REA survey location, dive was conducted along a 100 m transect, and the substrate type, associated sessile benthos, particularly the presence of coral communities (including all hard corals, octocorals and black corals) as well as their locations and abundance were recorded. In addition, the standardised REA survey technique was also conducted to obtain semi-quantitative data on the benthic communities. Representative photographs of the seabed and associated fauna were taken where the visibility allows.

Dolphin Survey

9.3.6.21 Information on Chinese White Dolphins in Hong Kong Waters are available from AFCD annual monitoring programmes, Three Runway System EIA, CEIA (Cumulative EIA for the Three Potential Nearshore Reclamation Sites), and other on-going EM&A programmes for construction projects (including the construction phase EM&A for HKBCF, HKLR and TM-CLKL), which provide comprehensive and quantitative data in Hong Kong waters, including the waters near Tung Chung area. Waters near Tung Chung are known of very low use by dolphins. Based upon these findings, it is considered that the literatures can provide sufficient information for assessment, and thus no dolphin survey was proposed for the present Ecological Impact Assessment.

9.4 Ecological Baseline Conditions

9.4.1 General descriptions of the Project Area and Assessment Area

9.4.1.1 As mentioned in Section 9.1.2, the proposed study involves the investigation of TCE PDA and TCW PDA, and related elements including Road P1 (Tung Chung - Tai Ho Section), service reservoirs and sewer pipeline network. These project elements constitute the Project Area. The Project Area is located in Tung Chung on North Lantau to the southeast of the Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA). The TCE PDA and TCW PDA are the core elements of the study. The TCE PDA is a proposed reclamation and mainly covers the coastal North Lantau waters immediately offshore to the existing Town and North Lantau Highway, while the TCW PDA, not involving marine area, covers the lowland area of Tung Chung Valley and a hill to the east of Yat Tung Estate.

9.4.1.2 The Assessment Area for the terrestrial ecological impact assessment includes areas within 500m from the boundary of the PDAs and other elements, and areas likely to be impacted by the Project. Tung Chung Town is a new town and has been developed for about 2 decades. Though a highly developed new town, there are still natural habitats in the surroundings, including some of high conservation value, such as Tung Chung Stream, Tung Chung Bay, and Tung Chung Valley.

9.4.1.3 For marine ecological impact assessment, the assessment area is the same as the assessment area for water quality assessment, i.e. North Western WCZ, North Western Supplementary WCZ, Western Buffer WCZ as designated under the Water Pollution Control Ordinance (Cap 358) and the water sensitive receivers in the vicinity of the Project, or the areas likely to be impacted by the Project.

9.4.1.4 Tai Ho to the east of Tung Chung is an important area in Hong Kong for nature conservation. Tai Ho Stream is one of the Ecologically Important Stream (EIS) in Hong Kong. Part of Tai Ho Wan and Tai Ho Stream constituted the Tai Ho Stream SSSI. There is also a Priority Site for Enhanced Conservation covering Tai Ho area. While Tai Ho is over the 500m distance from the PDAs and also Road P1 (Tung Chung - Tai Ho Section) (i.e. away from the Assessment Area for terrestrial ecology as defined in the EIA Study Brief). For marine ecology, the aquatic habitats in Tai Ho areas were covered by the present EcoIA (intertidal surveys and freshwater aquatic assemblage surveys were conducted) as they are within the same hydrological area.

9.4.1.5 The key ecological resources in the Assessment Area include a number of sites of conservation importance, important habitats, and species of conservation importance, identified from the above literatures.

9.4.2 Recognised Sites of Conservation Importance

9.4.2.1 A number of sites of conservation importance were listed in the EIA Study Brief and described in reviewed literatures. The location of these sites are shown in Figure 9.2a, and are discussed as follows:

Terrestrial Sites

· Lantau North (Extension) Country Park;

· Pok To Yan and Por Kai Shan SSSI;

· Tai Ho Stream SSSI; and

· Tai Ho Priority Site for Enhanced Conservation

Marine and intertidal Sites

· San Tau Beach SSSI;

· Sha Chau and Lung Kwu Chau Marine Park;

· Proposed The Brothers Marine Park;

· Proposed Marine Park at Southwest Lantau; and

· Proposed Marine Park at the Sokos.

9.4.2.2 Lantau North (Extension) Country Park covers the hill slopes to the south of North Lantau Highway between Sunny Bay and Sham Wat, and partially falls within the Assessment Area of the present study. In addition to the existing 7,800ha of designated Lantau North and South Country Parks, the Lantau North (Extension) Country Park was proposed in the 1999 Policy Address as a positive means to conserve the natural environment of Lantau, and was designated in 2008.

9.4.2.3 Besides the above, other sites of conservation importance on the fringe of the 500m boundary of the Assessment Area were also identified as follows:

9.4.2.4 Pok To Yan and Por Kai Shan SSSI falls partly within the 500m Assessment Area. This SSSI was designated in 1994 for protecting plant species of conservation importance (e.g., orchids, pitcher plants).

9.4.2.5 Tai Ho Stream SSSI is about 5ha in area and comprises the lower reach of Tai Ho Stream and the inner part of Tai Ho Wan. "Tai Ho Stream" includes several tributaries that lie to the south and east of Tai Ho Wan, passing Tin Liu, Tai Ho San Tsuen, and merging just below Ngau Kwu Long, and entering Tai Ho Wan at its southern end. The importance of Tai Ho Stream to Hong Kong's freshwater fish fauna, and the linkages to other ecologically important intertidal habitats in Tai Ho Wan, qualify Tai Ho Stream as a habitat of high ecological value. Conservation and prevention of damage to the stream channel and riparian zone is essential. Part of the Tai Ho Stream and its estuary was designated as an SSSI in 1999 in recognition of the ecological importance of the stream and its fish fauna.

9.4.2.6 Tai Ho Priority Site is one of 12 sites for enhanced conservation under New Nature Conservation Policy. It consists of a natural stream with several tributaries running from upland to lowland estuary. The site comprises four major habitat types, namely natural stream, mangrove stand / mudflat, agricultural land woodland. It is a medium-sized natural stream running from upland to estuary without any fragmentation. The stream is impossible to be recreated. Moderate diversity of freshwater fish (53 species) and amphibians (10 species) including the endemic Romer’s Tree Frog were recorded.

9.4.2.7 San Tau Beach SSSI was designated in 1994 and is a shallow sheltering beach of about 2.7 ha with fine sand and silt at the west coast of Tung Chung Bay. It harbours the largest seagrass area on Lantau. Two species of seagrasses, Zostera japonica and Halophila ovalis, were recorded at San Tau Beach. San Tau is the only site located in western waters among the three known sites in Hong Kong where Zostera japonica is found. This species of seagrass was previously thought to be limited to the temperate regions, and is thus of special interest to plant biogeography. Besides seagrass beds, it is also one of the three most important horseshoe crab nursery sites in Hong Kong (Chiu and Morton 1999).

9.4.2.8 Sha Chau and Lung Kwu Chau Marine Park was designated for conservation of Chinese White Dolphin, but is located in the western part of North Lantau waters and far away from the project elements and is sheltered by the Airport Island.

9.4.2.9 Proposed The Brothers Marine Park is a mitigation measure for the HKBCF reclamation. The authority made a firm commitment to seek the designation of a Marine Park at the Brothers Islands, to mitigate the habitat loss of Chinese White Dolphin caused by HKBCF. The detailed study for the proposed Marine Park is still on-going, and the boundary has been proposed. The proposed The Brothers Marine Park would be designated by end 2016 tentatively.

9.4.2.10 Proposed Marine Park at Southwest Lantau was proposed in 2000 with a preliminary boundary as the area is considered a high use area for Chinese White Dolphin. The study for this potential Marine Park is still on-going. This site is far away from the project elements and is sheltered by the landmass of Lantau Island and Airport Island.

9.4.2.11 Proposed Marine Park at the Sokos was proposed in 2000 as the area is used by both Chinese White Dolphin and Finless Porpoise. The study for this potential Marine Park is still on-going. This site is far away from the project elements and is sheltered by the landmass of Lantau Island.

9.4.3 Important Habitats

9.4.3.1 A number of terrestrial, aquatic, coastal and marine habitats were identified within the Assessment Area during previous studies, including secondary woodland, fung shui woods, plantation, cultivated field/orchard, urbanised/disturbed & wasteland, shrubland, grassland, mangroves & mudflat and stream. The EIA Study Brief has also identified some habitats considered of ecological importance including secondary woodland, fung shui woods, streams, mangroves, mudflats, and seagrass beds. These habitats supported a number of flora and fauna of conservation importance.

9.4.3.2 Woodlands could be found on the hillsides between Ngau Au and San Tau in Tung Chung, and lower slopes of Por Kai Shan. Rare and protected flora species were found in these woodlands.

9.4.3.3 Fung shui woods could be found in Sheung Ling Pei, Shek Mun Kap and Mok Ka within the Assessment Area. In North Lantau area there are also fung shui woods in Pak Mong and San Tau, which are outside the Assessment Area. Fung shui woods are woodland composed of a mixture of native (mostly low-elevation broad-leaved trees) and exotic (mostly fruit trees) plant species preserved during village development and are often characterised by old age and high flora diversity. Usually it is also defined as forests present in 1945 government aerial photos and remained present nowadays (adopted from Chu 1998). Chu (1998) conducted preliminary surveys for 112 fung shui woods, including Mok Ka, Shek Mun Kap, and Sheung Ling Pei in Tung Chung, and Pak Mong in Tai Ho within the current Assessment Area. These fung shui woods were not in the list of the sixteen covered by his detailed surveys. The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department initiated a territory-wide fung shui wood survey in 2002 and also surveyed 116 fung shui woods (AFCD website 2015), including Pak Mong, Shek Mun Kap, and Sheung Ling Pei within the current Assessment Area. Mott Connell (1999) identified other fung shui woods at Ngau Au (with few old mature trees but mainly composed of trees of younger ages probably due to disturbances) and Shek Lau Po (with isolated tree stands remained after village development) in addition to those previously recorded. The study considered Shek Mun Kap and Sheung Ling Pei FSW as being of special conservation value due to their structure, plant diversity and presence of conservation-worthy species.

9.4.3.4 Natural Streams: Within the Assessment Area for Terrestrial Ecology, Wong Lung Stream and Tung Chung Stream are considered as Ecologically Important Stream (EISs), as stipulated in the Government’s Technical Circular ETWB (W) No. 5/2005 Protection of Natural Streams/Rivers from Adverse Impacts arising from Construction Works.

9.4.3.5 Tung Chung Stream is located to the southwest of Tung Chung New Town, and is one of the major stream courses in North Lantau. It catchment covers the eastern slope of Nei Lak Shan, the northern slope of Lantau Peak, and the western slope of Sunset Peak. There are two main branches of this stream, one eastern and one western. The eastern branch origins from the western slope of Sunset Peak. It flows northward from Pak Kung Au down to the bottom of the valley, and then passes Shek Mun Kap, Fong Yuen, and Shek Lau Po. The western branch origins from Tei Tong Tsai of Nei Lak Shan, and passes Chap Mun Tau, Mok Ka, Nim Yuen, and Ngau Au. The two tributaries join together near Ngau Au and then flow into Tung Chung Bay.

9.4.3.6 This stream is considered of high conservation value. Chong and Dudgeon (1992) reported that the Tung Chung Stream is the second-most species-rich stream in the Territory (after Tai Ho Stream, also on north Lantau), with 23 species of indigenous freshwater fish including species of conservation importance such as the rare freshwater fish Acrossocheilus beijiangensis (Wu et Lin, 1977). In the early 2000’s, both major branches were found dominated by native fish species and of high fish abundance, and the western branch was considered of highest ecological value. During the EIA study for Tung Chung Road Improvement, the uncommon Philippine Neon Goby Stiphodon atropurpureus and the Predaceous Chub Parazacco spilurus, which is listed as ‘Vulnerable’ in China Red Data Book, were also recorded in Tung Chung Stream. Another uncommon freshwater fish, Rice Fish Oryzias curvinotus, was recorded during the first ecological survey for HZMB-HKLR EIA study in Tung Chung Stream. Although it is generally considered to be a freshwater species, Rice Fish can inhabit brackish environments (Froses & Pauly 2008) and a large population was seen in the mangrove area of Tung Chung Bay during the verification survey for HZMB-HKLR EIA study (ARUP 2009a). Tung Chung Stream together with other 32 natural streams including Wong Lung Hang and Tai Ho Stream were identified by the government as Ecologically Important Streams (EIS) (see Figure 9.2a) in 2005. EIS are natural streams and rivers with important ecological functions such as providing habitats for diverse or rare animal or plant communities. Except a section of the eastern branch near Shek Lau Po, Tung Chung Stream is basically in natural conditions from the headwater to the outlet. Part of the areas of its headwater and upstream section was included by the Lantau North Country Park and Lantau South Country Park designated in 1978. The northern slope below the summit of Lantau Peak was also designated in 1980 as a SSSI owing to the floral interest there. In 2008, more lands of the Tung Chung upstream section was covered by the latest Lantau North (Extension) Country Park. This stream is one of the few larger watercourses in Hong Kong that has not been subjected to significant pollution (Dudgeon and Corlett 1994).

9.4.3.7 A section of Tung Chung Stream downstream to Shek Mun Kap had been impacted by unauthorised removal of boulders and rocks around the end of 2003. After enforcement actions by relevant authorities/ departments, the Government also proposed and implemented a reinstatement programme for ecological restoration of the stream. The reinstatement works aimed to restore the natural setting of the stream including the width, depth, topography, substrates and riparian habitats, so as to promote natural recovery of the aquatic communities. The results from a two-year ecological monitoring programme revealed that the ecological recovery of Tung Chung Stream is considered successful, in particular with the presence of the fish species of conservation importance Acrossocheilus beijiangensis in the reinstated section.

9.4.3.8 The findings for estuarine macroinvertebrates from 3RS EIA study indicated that Tung Chung Stream has Shannon diversity 2.59 and evenness index 0.64. Hippocampus kuda Spotted Seahorse and Syngnathus schlegeli Seaweed pipefish were recorded in Tung Chung Bay.

9.4.3.9 Wong Lung Hang Stream is another major stream course on North Lantau. This stream lost its original lowland section and outlet due to the Tung Chung New Town development and replaced by vertical concrete drainage channel, but the midstream and upstream sections still remain natural. Previously the nearby Tung Chung Stream was considered the only site in Hong Kong for the rare Beijiang Thick-lipped Barb Acrossocheilus beijiangensis (Wu et Lin, 1977). However this fish was later recorded in Wong Lung Hang Stream (Chan, 1998). This finding demonstrated that Wong Lung Hang Stream, like the nearby Tung Chung Stream, also contains diverse aquatic fauna and freshwater fish, and attributed to its status of Ecologically Important Stream (EISs) (see Figure 9.2a).

9.4.3.10 Tai Ho Stream is hydrologically linked with Tai Ho Wan which is within the Assessment Area for marine ecology. Like Tung Chung Stream and Wong Long Hang Stream, Tai Ho Stream is also an EIS.

9.4.3.11 Tai Ho Stream is one of the most ecologically valuable fresh water streams in Hong Kong. The instream and riparian habitat is excellent, and the stream and its extensive tributaries run from upland to the lowland estuary without fragmentation. In extensive surveys from 1980-1991, this stream was the richest in freshwater fish species of the 31 field sites studied (Chong and Dudgeon 1992). A total of 46 fish species were recorded in Tai Ho Stream in that study (at least 53 fish species have been recorded so far). Based on this published study of stream fish fauna in the HKSAR, the Tai Ho Stream is ranked as the richest in freshwater fish species in the HKSAR. Chong and Dudgeon (1992) also recorded the salmonid fish Ayu ("sweetfish") Plecoglossus altivelis at Tai Ho Stream, the first record of this species for Hong Kong or Guangdong (Dudgeon 1993). It is the only known breeding site for the globally threatened Ayu in Hong Kong. This species requires unobstructed passage between salt and fresh water to breed. The high water quality and natural state of Tai Ho Stream are likely very important to this species. Other freshwater fish species recorded include Giant Mottled Eel Anguilla marmorata (a Class II protected species in China), Japanese Eel A. japonica, Largesnout Goby Awaous melanocephalus and Rice-paddy Eel Pisodonophis boro. Owing to its great diversity of fresh water and brackish water fish, Tai Ho Stream was designated as an SSSI in 1999 and identified by the government as Ecologically Important Streams (EIS) in 2005 (see Figure 9.2a). The findings for estuarine macroinvertebrates from 3RS EIA study indicated that estuarine fish of conservation importance included Hemigobius hoevenii Banded mulletgoby, Hippocampus kuda Spotted Seahorse and Syngnathus schlegeli Seaweed pipefish recorded in Tai Ho.

9.4.3.12 Coastal/Marine waters in North Lantau constitute the majority of the Marine Ecological Assessment Area, which covers three WCZs (North Western WCZ, North Western Supplementary WCZ, and Western Buffer WCZ). The proposed reclamation of the study, TCE PDA, is situated in the North Western WCZ. As the areas outside North Lantau waters are far away and sheltered from the Project Area by the land mass of Lantau Island, they would be unlikely to be impacted by the project. The present EcoIA would thus focus on North Lantau waters. The marine waters of North Lantau provide habitats for a number of marine organisms, including some species of conservation importance such as subtidal hard and soft bottom assemblages, marine fishes and Chinese White Dolphin, though the coastal waters near Tung Chung are rarely used by CWD. Water depths within North Lantau waters vary with locations, with the deepest waters in the swift tidal channel of Urmston Road and near the Brothers up to 20m, while the water depths in the area just off the North Lantau Highway are much shallower, generally less than 5 m. The western Hong Kong waters including North Lantau waters are characterised by the influences from Pearl River discharge, and are of estuarine environment. The estuarine environment do not favour some more oceanic faunal groups such as the hard coral communities, but low coral coverage was occasionally found.

9.4.3.13 Intertidal shores / subtidal shores, Intertidal and subtidal zones along coastlines, with the suitable substrates, facilitate the formation of intertidal habitats such as mangroves and mudflats and/or colonization of faunal communities such as coral communities. Descriptions of these habitats and faunal communities are provided in below sections.

9.4.3.14 Mangroves are found in Tung Chung Bay (including San Tau) and Tai Ho Wan within the Assessment Area. The mangrove habitat at San Tau is considered to be of particular ecological importance because of its size and seagrass beds. This habitat is dominated by the mangroves Aegiceras corniculatum, Kandelia obovata and Bruguiera gymnorhiza. Other mangroves Avicennia marina and Acanthus ilicifolius are also well represented. Rattus rattus flavipectus was recorded at the back of the Tung Chung mangal, near cultivated land during the field surveys for the EIA of Tung Chung Cable Car Project (Mott Connell 2003). Several burrows of the species were present in adjacent bunds at the backshore and in adjacent abandoned cultivated land. Mangroves in Tai Ho Wan are 1.86 ha in area and are the third largest mangrove on Lantau, after Tung Chung and San Tau. The Tai Ho Bay mangroves harboured all of Hong Kong's mangrove species except Lumnitzera racemosa and the extremely restricted Heritiera littoralis (ibid.).

9.4.3.15 Mudflats are found in Tung Chung Bay (including San Tau) and the inner embayment of Tai Ho Wan. Mudflats in both areas are important not only because they provide habitats to infauna which are in turn the prey items of many waterfowl, but also it is the suitable substrate for the colonization of mangroves and seagrasses, both are important habitat types in Hong Kong. The structures of the mudflat habitat would be diversified by the colonizing vegetation. Ecological functions provided by these communities include energy cycling, coastal stabilisation, and habitat for wildlife such as coastal birds and horseshoe crabs.

9.4.3.16 Tung Chung Bay is the largest embayment on North Lantau, and has extensive mudflats with both mangroves and seagrass beds. The seagrass beds are also an important nursery and feeding ground of horseshoe crabs. A large variety of microhabitat types in Tung Chung Bay may contribute to a diverse intertidal fauna. For example, the high species richness of crabs in Mai Po, was also attributed to the large variety of microhabitats there (Lee & Leung 1999).

9.4.3.17 Intertidal softshore communities of Tung Chung Bay were studied in the EM&A of HKLR. Mollusks were the significantly abundant phylum in the baseline environmental monitoring (relative abundance of 96.6%), followed by arthropod (relative abundance of 3.1%) at the sampling zones. Sand Snail Batillaria multiformis, Mud Creeper Cerithidea djadjariensis, Cerithidea cingulata, Lipped Top Shell Monodonta labio, Mud Whelk Nassarius festivus, and Rock Oyster Saccostrea cucullata were the dominant species in Tung Chung Bay. From the study, over 80 intertidal species were recorded in Tung Chung Bay. No species of conservation importance was recorded except Horseshoe Crabs. No significant temporal change of any biological parameters was observed at the sampling locations during the subsequent monitoring surveys.

9.4.3.18 Sedimentation rate of Tung Chung Bay was monitored under the HKLR construction phase monitoring programme using a high precision Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) real time location fixing system, and the baseline sedimentation rate monitoring was conducted in September 2012. In the December 2014 monitoring, it was found that the mean surface levels at the four monitoring stations increased 0.1 mPD, which indicated an increase of the mudflat level.

9.4.3.19 The intertidal habitats inside the embayment at Tai Ho Wan are dominated by intertidal mudflats, with patches of seagrass beds and mangroves along the coastline.

9.4.3.20 Seagrasses were reported in San Tau and Tai Ho Wan within the Assessment Area. The seagrass bed in San Tau is one of the largest on Lantau. During the EBS of the HZMB EIA, the field surveys confirmed that the seagrass bed at San Tau Beach SSSI still supported the two seagrass species, Halophila ovalis and Zostera japonica. During the EVS of HKZMB EIA in 2008, a third species of seagrass, Halophila minor, was recorded in San Tau. San Tau is the only site in western waters among the six known sites in Hong Kong where Zostera japonica can be found. Patches of the seagrass Halophila beccarii were also recorded in Tai Ho Wan and at the stream mouth within Tai Ho Stream SSSI. During the April 2004 survey of EBS of HZMB EIA, the seagrass Halophila beccarii habitat was found during low tide at Tai Ho Wan and supported more than 20 colonies each approximately 30cm x 30cm in area (ARUP 2009). The Tai Ho seagrass beds are of importance due to the presence of a locally restricted seagrass species and that it is a nursery site for horseshoe crabs which are threatened by habitat loss in Hong Kong. During the field survey for TM-CLKL, however, no seagrass beds were found on the mudflat in Tai Ho Wan (Maunsell 2009). During the quarterly mudflat monitoring surveys between 2012 and 2013 under the HKLR construction environmental monitoring programme, among the various sampling locations within Tung Chung Bay, patches of seagrass Halophila ovalis were only observed at San Tau (CSCE 2012, 2013). The estimated total area of the patches ranged from 332.3m² to 763.6m². Another seagrass species Zostera japonica, was also found together with Halophila ovalis, but of much smaller sizes, ranging from 10.4 to 14.6 m². All established seagrass beds are considered to be an important habitat under the Environmental Impact Assessment Ordinances and any potential developmental disturbances and/or impacts should be properly mitigated.

9.4.3.21 During the survey for the 3RS EIA, two seagrass species Zostera japonica and Halophila ovalis were recorded in San Tau (Mott MacDonald 2014). Zostera japonica was found along the mangrove fringe with a length of approximately 30m. Halophila ovalis was found abundant, covering the mudflats in dense patches next to Z. japonica and extended seaward. Another rarer seagrass Halophila beccarii was recorded in Tai Ho Wan.

9.4.3.22 Four patches of seagrass Halophila ovalis were observed at San Tau during the baseline environmental monitoring of HKLR construction phase EM&A programme (CSCE 2014), but no H. ovalis were found at other sampling locations within Tung Chung Bay. The estimated total area of the patches was 332.3m². In the subsequent monitoring in 2014, another seagrass species Zostera japonica was found within the long strand of Halophila ovalis. Seasonal fluctuations were observed during the monitoring period. No seagrass was found in Tung Chung Bay except San Tau during the monitoring period.

9.4.3.23 Wetlands (including freshwater and brackish-water marshes) – An area of wet abandoned agricultural land near an existing school site and to the west of Tung Chung Road was named “Fong Yuen Marsh” in the “Comprehensive Feasibility Study for Tung Chung and Tai Ho” (or referred as CFS) (Mott Connell 1999). Typical vegetation of freshwater wetland was recorded in this area. The majority of this “Fong Yuen Marsh” was, however, classified as “Bare Ground” in a later EIA Study for Tung Chung Road Improvement (Mouchel 2002). Instead another area of abandoned agricultural land further south (immediately to the north of Shek Mun Kap Road) was classified as marsh habitat (ibid.). It is possible that the condition of the marsh habitat reported in the 1999 CFS had changed when the survey for the Tung Chung Road Improvement EIA was performed. The marsh habitat in the later study (also referred as Fong Yuen Marsh, but at a different location) was considered to have originated from an abandoned agricultural field, and flooded with water during the wet season. Though the vegetation within the marsh was described as mainly grassy, the ecological value of this habitat was considered as high due to the presence of Rice Fish inside (ibid.).

9.4.3.24 Breeding and Nursery Grounds for Horseshoe Crabs – Juvenile Horseshoe Crabs were previously recorded in San Tau, Tung Chung Bay and Tai Ho. Sau Tau is considered as one of the three most important horseshoe crab nursery sites in Hong Kong, other than Shui Hau and Pak Nai.

9.4.4 Species of Conservation Importance/Wildlife Groups with Conservation Interest from Reviewed Literatures

9.4.4.1 A number of flora and fauna species of conservation importance were reported in literatures (mainly previous EIA studies) in Tung Chung and Tai Ho areas. Those recorded within the 500m Terrestrial Ecology Assessment Area and the aquatic habitats in Tai Ho (i.e. Tai Ho Wan and Tai Ho Stream) are considered potentially relevant with the present EIA study and considered as species of conservation importance. Besides those species reported by previous studies, further species also considered of conservation importance are those listed in the EIA Study Brief for the present EIA as well as raised by Public. All these species (i.e. relevant species recorded in previous studies, species listed in EIA Study Brief, and species raised by Public) are shown in Table 9.1 and Table 9.2, and their sighting locations, if available, are shown in Figures 9.2b & 9.2c.

9.4.4.2 Records and ecology of those flora and fauna species are discussed in following sections.

9.4.4.3 Plants – Plant species of conservation importance previously recorded within the current 500m Assessment Area, their recorded locations and conservation status are summarised in Table 9.1.

9.4.4.4 A number of plant species which are very common (e.g. Antirhea chinensis) or of restricted distribution (e.g. Thespesia populnea, Lipocarpha chinensis, Macaranga sampsonii, Xyris indica, Cansjera rheedii) were also recorded within the current Assessment Area by previous studies and EIAs (e.g. Mott Connell 1999). Since these species have no protection status by law in Hong Kong, regionally or internationally, nor considered rare locally, they will not be listed under species of conservation importance in the present EIA study. Similarly, plant species which were previously considered as species of ecological importance but are planted/exotic (e.g. Rhododendron spp., Hylocereus undatus), are also excluded from the list.

9.4.4.5 Mammals - Bat: All bats are protected locally under the Wild Animals Protection Ordinance. There was a Bat roost in Tai Ho Wan which was a cave just above the intertidal zone along the east shore of Tai Ho Bay. This cave was probably excavated for mineral exploration and subsequently abandoned has been colonised by bats (Mott Connell 1999). The cave was used as a day-time roost by at least three species of insectivorous bats. These were the Pomona Leaf-nosed Bat Hipposideros pomona (approx. 100 individuals), Least Horseshoe Bat Rhinolophus pusillus (1 male) and Chinese Horseshoe Bat Rhinolophus sinicus (1 individual). The mine was a nursery site for Pomona Leaf-nosed Bat. The 20 females were each carrying a single young (approx. 2-3 week old). This species is very common in Hong Kong. The cave was probably also used as a winter hibernaculum. A Least Horseshoe Bat Rhinolophus pusillus roost was also found near Pak Mong (Ades 1999). Two species of non-cave dwelling bats were recorded in Tai Ho and nearby areas by AFCD (Shek and Chan 2006). These were Japanese Pipistrelle Pipistrellus abramus and Brown Noctule Nyctalus noctula. Japanese Pipistrelle is very common and Brown Noctule is common in Hong Kong (ibid.). Japanese Pipistrelle was also recorded in Tai Ho during the baseline survey of investigation study for Lantau Logistics Park (ARUP 2005). This species can be found in many types of habitats (Shek 2006).

9.4.4.6 Four bat species were reported in Tung Chung (Lin 2001). These included Leschenault’s Rousette Bat Rousettus leschenaulti, Chinese Horseshoe Bat Rhinolophus sinicus, Lesser Bamboo Bat Tylonycteris pachypus and Himalayan Leaf-nosed Bat Hipposideros armiger (ibid.). The Lesser Bamboo Bat was first discovered in Hong Kong in 1996 (Ades 1999).

9.4.4.7 Apart from Eurasian Wild Boar Sus scrofa, there was no other medium-sized mammal reported in the upland areas surrounding the Tung Chung Valley by Shek (2006).

9.4.4.8 Birds: Coastal birds, which forage in soft shores, were recorded within the Assessment Area in previous studies. These included Grey Heron Ardea cinerea, Great Egret Ardea alba, Little Egret Egretta garzetta, Pacific Reef Heron Egretta sacra, Chinese Egret Egretta eulphotes, Eastern Cattle Egret Bubulcus coromandus, Chinese Pond Heron Ardeola bacchus, Striated Heron Butorides striatus, Black-crowned Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax, Black-winged Stilt Himanoptus himanotpus, Grey-tailed Tattler Tringa brevipes and White-throated Kingfisher Halcyon smyrnensis (ARUP 2009, Mott MacDonald 2014). Apart from Chinese Egret and Grey-tailed Tattler, all these species are resident species and can be seen all year round. Grey-tailed Tattler is a passage migrant, and common in spring and scarce in autumn. Chinese Egret is a scarce spring passage migrant.

9.4.4.9 Great Egret, Little Egret, Eastern Cattle Egret, Black-crowned Night Heron and Chinese Pond Heron are common resident in Hong Kong. These species are found in wetland habitats (e.g., fishponds, mangroves, channels) and widely distributed in Hong Kong, but more abundant in the Deep Bay Area. These ardeid species are colonial nesting in habit, and the nesting locality is known as egretry. No active egretry was reported in Lantau between 2012 and 2014 (Anon 2012, 2013, 2014).

9.4.4.10 Pacific Reef Heron is mainly found along rocky coastlines in southern areas of Hong Kong Island (Carey et al. 2001). Striated Heron is an uncommon resident, and is mainly found in coastal mangrove areas (ibid.).

9.4.4.11 Chinese Egret Egretta eulophotes was recorded near the shoreline of Tung Chung Bay during the Ecological Baseline Survey for Hong Kong Link Road (ARUP 2009b). Chinese Egret mainly occurs in Hong Kong from late March to May (Carey et al. 2001). This species is mainly recorded feeding on intertidal mudflats of Deep Bay, and are rarely seen in man-made wetlands (e.g., gei wais, fishponds) (ibid.). Chinese Egret formerly bred in Hong Kong (Lee et al. 2007), and last confirmed nesting was recorded in Yim Tso Ha Egretry in 1982 (Young and Cha 1995).

9.4.4.12 Grey-tailed Tattler is mostly found in the Deep Bay area (Carey et al. 2001). Small numbers are reported from widespread coastal areas, including shorelines of soft mud or sand or on rocky coast.

9.4.4.13 White-throated Kingfisher is widely distributed in Hong Kong. This species is mainly recorded from coastal areas (e.g., mudflat, mangroves) in autumn and winter, and inland (e.g., hillsides, wooded areas) in spring and summer (Carey et al. 2001).

9.4.4.14 Other bird species of conservation importance recorded within the Assessment Area by previous studies included Black Kite, Common Kestrel, Common Emerald Dove, Greater Coucal, Lesser Coucal and Chinese Hwamei. Black Kite, Greater Coucal and Lesser Coucal are common resident species and are found in a wide variety of habitats. Common Kestrel is a common autumn migrant and an uncommon winter visitor (Carey et al. 2001). This species utilizes a wide variety of open habitats in both rural and urban areas, including marshes, fishponds, agricultural areas and grassy hills (ibid.). This species is most often recorded over fishponds, and occasionally over hillsides and mountains. Common Emerald Dove is found in a variety of wooded habitats in Hong Kong (ibid.). Chinese Hwamei is a common resident, and found in shrubland (ibid.).

9.4.4.15 Three bird species were considered as concern by Publics – Eurasian Eagle Owl Bubo bubo, Common Emerald Dove Chalcophaps indica and Collared Crow Corvus torquatus. Both Eurasian Eagle Owl and Common Emerald Dove are scarce but widespread resident in Hong Kong (Carey et al. 2001). Eurasian Eagle Owl usually utilizes poorly-vegetated boulder-strewn hillsides with grass, low shrubland or scattered pines (ibid.). Common Emerald Dove is found in a variety of wooded habitats, including forest, forest-edge, fung shui woods, small wooded groves and shrubland (ibid.). Collared Crow is uncommon in Hong Kong, and mainly occurs in coastal areas (ibid.).

9.4.4.16 Herpetofauna - Romer’s Tree Frog Liuixalus romeri is endemic to Hong Kong. This frog was first discovered in 1952 in Lamma Island (Karsen et al. 1986). Romer’s Tree Frog was reported from Tung Chung and Tai Ho within the Assessment Area. During the EIA study for Tung Chung Road Improvement, Romer’s Tree Frogs were recorded in scattered locations in agricultural land alongside the lower reach of the Tung Chung Stream. Romer’s Tree Frogs were recorded in woodland, orchards and riparian habitats in Tung Chung Valley by KFBG (KFBG 2013). Romer’s Tree Frog was also reported in Scenic Hill outside the boundary of the Assessment Area during the 3RS EIA (Mott MacDonald 2014). The habitat characteristics of Romer’s Tree Frog were studied in details by Lau (1998). This species lives on forest floor and breed in shaded, slow-flowing or stagnant waters including man-made structure. The diet of Romer’s Tree Frog consists of small forest litter invertebrates (Lau 1998).

9.4.4.17 Hong Kong Newt Paramesotriton hongkongensis was recorded at upstream section of Tung Chung Stream, which fell outside the Assessment Area. This species was not found within the TCW PDA during the surveys by KFBG (KFBG 2013). This species inhabits natural mountain streams with clear water, large boulders and vegetated areas (Chan et al. 2005). Juveniles of Hong Kong Newt might inhabit terrestrial habitats and hence the disturbance of riparian habitat would cause impact on this species (Fu 2010 in KFBG 2013). Hong Kong Newt is common and widely distributed in Hong Kong, in particular the eastern, central and northern New Territories (ibid.). This species is also found in Lantau Island, but is more localized in distribution. Hong Kong Newt is the only newt native to Hong Kong, and once believed to be endemic to Hong Kong. This species is found in Southeast China (Li et al. 2011). Hong Kong Newt breeds between September and March (Chan et al. 2005). Eggs are glued singly to submerged plants.

9.4.4.18 Short-legged Toad Xenophryx brachykolos is possibly endemic to Hong Kong. The records of this species in Fujian in China and Northeastern Vietnam were considered doubtful (Chan et al. 2005). Short-legged Toad inhabits upland forest streams. This species is mainly found in Southern Lantau, and with only a few records in Northern Lantau (ibid.). Short-legged Toad was found in cultivated land in Tai Ho during the 3RS EIA. This species was also heard from the middle section of the eastern branch of Tung Chung Stream near Shek Mun Kap during the surveys by KFBG (KFBG 2013). This species is secretive and seldom seen in open areas. Breeding season of Short-legged Toad is unknown but mating calls can be heard in early spring and summer. Tadpoles have characteristic funnel-shaped mouthpart, and can be found all year round (ibid.).

9.4.4.19 South China Cascade Frog Amolops ricketti has only been found on Lantau Island (Tang 2010). This cascade frog is found in Pak Kung Au, Tei Tong Tsai and a stream near Shek Pik (Lau 2005, Tang 2010). All these locations are outside the Assessment Area. This frog was not found within the TCW PDA during the surveys by KFBG (KFBG 2013). South China Cascade Frog inhabits fast-flowing mountain streams shaded by vegetation (Chan et al. 2005). The altitude of the location in Tei Tong Tsai where this frog was found is 270m (Lau 2005). This species may mainly inhabit the upstream section of Tung Chung Stream. This species is widely distributed in Central and South China (Li et al. 2011).

9.4.4.20 Chinese Bullfrog Hoplobatrachus rugulosus was recorded in Scenic Hill during the EIA study of Hong Kong Link Road, just outside the Assessment Area (ARUP 2009b). This species was found in Tung Chung Valley by KFBG (KFBG 2013). Chinese Bullfrog is found in lowland cultivated lands, ponds, river and marshes (Chan et al. 2005).

9.4.4.21 Four species of reptile were recorded within the Assessment Area during previous EIA studies. These were Tokay Gecko Gekko gecko, Common Rat Snake Ptyas mucosus, King Cobra Ophiophagus hannah and Chinese Cobra Naja atra. All the three species of snake occur in many types of habitats in Hong Kong (Karsen et al. 1998, Chan et al. 2006). Common Rat Snake is found in agricultural lands, grassland, shrubland and around ponds, but less common in woodland (Karsen et al. 1998). King Cobra and Chinese Cobra are found in grassland, shrubland and woodland (Chan et al. 2006). Chinese Cobra is also found in mangroves (ibid.). Tokay Gecko is the largest gecko species in Hong Kong (Karsen et al. 1998). This species was first recorded in Hong Kong in 1951 in rocky cliffs at Tung Chung. Tokay Gecko was heard in the wooded area at Shek Mun Kap (within the potential development area) by KFBG (KFBG 2013). The habits of Tokay Gecko are not well known, as it is rare locally. This species is usually found in rocky cliffs or boulder piles surrounded by thick brush or forest (ibid.).

9.4.4.22 Another reptile species considered of concern by the publics – Burmese Python Python bivittatus – was reported by KFBG (2013). Burmese Python is the largest snake in Hong Kong. This species is widely distributed in Hong Kong, and is found in a variety of habitats, but seems to prefer well-grown shrubland, broad-leaf woodland and edge of mangrove swamps (Karsen et al. 1998). A Burmese Python was observed swimming at the mouth of the Tung Chung Stream by Conservancy Association in 2012 (KFBG 2013). A

9.4.4.23 Butterfly hotspots - At least three locations within or near the Assessment Area were considered as “hotspots of butterflies” by the Hong Kong Lepidopterist’s Society (Yiu 2004). These included Shek Mun Kap, San Tau Village, and Wong Lung Hang. These three sites are also among 42 butterfly hotspots/overwintering sites recognised by AFCD in a paper submitted to Advisory Council on the Environment In 2010 (AFCD 2010). Most of the San Tau butterfly hotspot falls within the Assessment Area. At least 148 species of butterfly have been recorded in this butterfly hotspot (Chan et al. 2012). Uncommon/rare butterfly species reported in this location include Malayan Megisba Malaya, Oriental Striped Blue Leptotes plinius, Common Cerulean Jamides celeno, Painted Lady Vanessa cardui, Golden Birdwing Troides aeacus, White Dragontail Lamproptera curius, Plain Cupid Chilades pandava, Falcate Oak Blue Mahathala ameria, Red Lacewing Cethosia biblis, White-edged Blue Baron Euthalia phemius (Yiu 2004, Chan et al. 2012). Important butterfly habitats identified in San Tau butterfly hotspot include ravine woodland, fung shui wood and orchard (ibid.).

9.4.4.24 The Shek Mun Kap butterfly hotspot is located between Tei Tong Tsai Country Trail and Fong Yuen (Chan et al. 2012). Part of this butterfly hotspot falls outside the Assessment Area. At least 100 species of butterfly have been recorded in this hotspot. Uncommon/rare/very rare species included Brown Owl Badamia exclamationis, Powdered Oak Blue Arhopala bazalus, Peacock Royal Tajuria cippus, Rounded 6-line Blue Nacaduba berenice, Golden Birdwing, Swallowtail Papilio xuthus, Quaker Neopithecops zalmora and Chocolate Royal Remelana jangala (Yiu 2004, Chan et al. 2012). Important butterfly habitats identified in Shek Mun Kap butterfly hotspot include ravine woodland, abandoned agricultural land and orchard (Chan et al. 2012).

9.4.4.25 The Wong Lung Hang butterfly hotspot mainly followed the Wong Lung Hang Road (Chan et al. 2012). Only a small part of this butterfly hotspot falls within the Assessment Area. At least 86 species of butterfly have been recorded in this hotspot. Uncommon/rare species included Colon Swift Caltoris bromus, Purple and Gold Flitter Zographetus satwa, Ypthima motschulskyi, Bush Hopper Ampittia dioscorides, Common Redeye Matapa aria, Golden Birdwing, Common Birdwing, Yellow Rajah Charaxes marmax, Striped Blue Crow Euploea mulciber, Yellow Pansy Junonia hierta and Shan Nawab Polyura nepenthes (Yiu 2004, Chan et al. 2012). Shrubland along the Wong Lung Hang Stream are considered important butterfly habitats identified in this butterfly hotspot (Chan et al. 2012).

9.4.4.26 In 2012, 69 butterfly species were recorded in Tung Chung by Green Power, which included eight rare/ very rare species: Small Grass Yellow Eurema brigitta, Golden Birdwing, Swallowtail, Sullied Sailer Neptis soma, Grass Demon, Peacock Royal, Tiny Grass Blue Zizula hylax and Oriental Striped Blue Leptotes plinius (KFBG 2013). Locations of recording and abundance of these species, however, were not specified.

9.4.4.27 Besides the above mentioned hotspots and species, some further butterfly species are also highlighted in the EIA Stud Brief, including Common Birdwing Troides helena, Golden Birdwing and, Oriental Striped Blue Leptotes plinius. Jhora Scrub Hopper Aeromachus jhora and Peacock Royal Tajuria cippus are also of concern by Public.

9.4.4.28 Common Birdwing was recorded in Fung Shui Woodland at Shek Mun Kap by KFBG during the surveys in 2011 and 2012 (KFBG 2013). Golden Birdwing was recorded in Tung Chung by Green Power in 2012 (ibid.). Common Birdwing is protected under Cap. 170 and all Troides species are listed in Appendix 2 of CITES. Both species are widely distributed in Hong Kong. Common Birdwing mainly occurs between March and November, while Golden Birdwing between April and October. The caterpillars of both species feed on India Birthwort Aristolochia tagala, which is also protected by law in Hong Kong. Troides spp. in Hong Kong are considered threatened by loss of breeding sites due to development of rural areas (Young and Reels 1998). New breeding sites, however, can be created by planting of the host plant (ibid.).

9.4.4.29 Oriental Striped Blue was first discovered in Lai Chi Wo in December 1998 (Yiu 2004). This butterfly was also found in Kat O. No more sighting was reported until 2003, when this species was recorded in Tung Chung. Oriental Striped Blue was found in a bush at Hau Wong Temple by KFBG (KFBG 2013). This species was also recorded by Green Power in Tung Chung in 2012 (ibid.). Oriental Striped Blue is very rare in Hong Kong. Apart from Tung Chung, this species is only found in Lai Chi Wo, Kat O and Tung Ping Chau. Oriental Striped Blue occurs in June and December to February, and usually appears in localities where their host plants Plumbago zeylanica is found.

9.4.4.30 Jhora Scrub Hopper was first discovered in Hong Kong in 2009 (莊詩玲，單家驊 2012). However, due to the resemble with a closely related species Pigmy Scrub Hopper Aeromachus pygmaeus in appearance and habitat uses, it is believed that Jhora Scrub Hopper has long existed in Hong Kong but just mistaken as Pigmy Scrub Hopper before. Jhora Scrub Hopper was recorded in a marshy area within the middle section of Tung Chung Stream by KFBG (KFBG 2013). This species inhabits wet active/abandoned agricultural land and ponds, where their host plants Leersia hexandra can be found. Jhora Scrub Hopper was also recorded in Fung Yuen in 2010. This species is considered threatened by loss of wetland and wet agricultural land in Hong Kong.

9.4.4.31 Peacock Royal is rare in Hong Kong. This butterfly species is only recorded from a few scattered localities, including Ma On Shan, Wu Kau Tang, Tai Po Kau, Mount Nicholson, Victoria Peak and Cloudy Hill. This species was also recorded by Green Power in Tung Chung in 2012 (ibid.). Peacock Royal is seen between in Hong Kong between March and December (Bascombe et al. 1999). This species is usually found in woodland and orchard (Lo 2005). Their caterpillars feed on Macrosolon cochinchinensis.

9.4.4.32 Dragonfly of estuary to upper courses of Tung Chung Streams were surveyed by Green Power in 2012. Twenty-seven species were recorded, including an uncommon exotic species Elusive Adjutant Aethriamanta brevipennis. An uncommon dragonfly species, Mangrove Skimmer Orthetrum poecilops, was reported in Tai Ho. This species is considered “vulnerable” by IUCN (2015) and “global concern” by Fellowes et al. (2002). Mangrove Skimmer occurs in locations where small streams cascades into mangroves (Tam et al. 2010). However, suitable habitats of this species are present in Tung Chung.

9.4.4.33 Freshwater and estuarine fauna of conservation importance recorded within the 500m Assessment Area, Tung Chung EIS, Wong Lung Hang EIS, and Tai Ho Stream SSSI in previous studies included Beijiang Thick-lipped Barb, Philippine Neon Goby, Rice Fish, Predaceous Chub (Mouchel 2002), Alligator Pipefish & Seaweed Pipefish (Green Power 2012), Archpatch Puffer, Giant Mottled Eel, Ayu, Small Snakehead, Dark-margined Flagtail, Indo-Pacific Tropical Sand Goby, Snowy Puffer (ARUP 2009), Japanese Eel, Giant Marbled Eel, White-lined Chinese-catfish, , Spotty Band Goby, Mangrove Gobies (Eugnathogobius polylepis and Hemigobius hoevenii) and Green Mudskipper (KFBG 2013). Beijiang Thick-lipped Barb Acrossocheilus beijiangensis belongs to the fish family Cyprinidae. It can be distinguished by the presence of five to six vertical bands on its yellowish body. It inhabits streams and rivers of sandy rocky substrata and swiftly flowing waters. A. beijiangensis is found in streams on Lantau Island and Hong Kong Island. As distribution is restricted, it is listed as a rare species. Philippine Neon Goby Stiphodon atropurpureus was discovered in Hong Kong in the early 2000’s and was initially known to occur in only one site locally (Chan, 1999). It was later recorded at Tong Fuk, San Shek Wan in Pui O, TKO, and Tung Chung Stream, and is considered uncommon (Lee et al. 2004) and a Species of conservation importance (AFCD website) and reported by the public. Ricefish Oryzias curvinotus was previously considered globally-restricted and highly endangered locally (and endangered globally) (Chong and Dudgeon, 1992). It was later known from several sites in the HKSAR: Chi Ma Wan on Lantau and Sam A Tsuen in the North-East New Territories (Chong and Dudgeon, 1992), and a locality in Sai Kung. It is now considered an uncommon fish species. In Tung Chung, it is firstly found in Fong Yuen, then in Tung Chung Stream and mangrove. The locally common Predaceous Chub Parazacco spilurus is listed as ‘Vulnerable’ in the China Red Data Book, and was recorded in Tung Chung Stream. Recently two species of Pipe Fish, i.e. Alligator Pipefish Syngnathoides biaculeatus and juveniles of Seaweed Pipefish Syngnathus schlegeli, were recorded in Tung Chung Bay (Green Power 2012). Among them, Alligator Pipefish is ranked as “Data Deficient”, while Seaweed Pipefish is ranked as “Least Concern” by IUCN (2015). Pipefish is usually common in estuaries and sheltered coastal shallow waters in association with vegetation such as seagrasses. Archpatch Puffer Takifugu ocellatus is a rare species locally, a few individuals were recorded at the Cape d’Aguilar Marine Reserve and a single fish at Ping Chau (Sadovy and Cornish 2000). Giant Mottled Eel Anguilla marmorata was recorded in Tung Chung Stream and Wong Lung Hang Stream (ARUP 2009). It is a catadromous fish, whose adults live in lowland rivers, lakes, reservoirs and migrate downstream to the sea during breeding season in late autumn. The young hatch in the sea and drift to the coast from where they make their way upstream. It is an uncommon species and records from Lantau Island, Sai Kung and Tsuen Wan (Lee et al. 2004). Ayu Plecoglossus altivelis is a rare species in Hong Kong, and only recorded in Tai Ho Stream. It is a commercially important fish. However, due to water pollution, habitat destructions and overfishing, the wild population is reported to reduce remarkably, and is considered as “Vulnerable” species in China (Lee et al. 2004). Small Snakehead is an uncommon species in the wild. It records from a few streams in North District and on Lantau Island. This fish is also cultivated in some fish farms and are available from fish market. It is listed as “Least Concern” in IUCN (2015). Dark-margined Flagtail Kuhlia marginata was regarded as locally endangered. It is regarded to be of Regional Concern by Fellowes et al. (2002), but its status was not evaluated by Lee et al. (2004) or AFCD (2009). Indo-Pacific Tropical Sand Goby Favonigobius reichei which is regarded as “Lower Risk / Near Threatened” by IUCN (2015), was found in the lower sections of several streams within Tung Chung Bay (ARUP 2009). Whilst it is regarded globally as Near Threatened, this species is common and widespread in the intertidal area in Hong Kong (Lee et al. 2004). Snowy Puffer Takifugu niphobles was recorded in Tung Chung Bay (ARUP 2009b) which is listed as “Data Deficient” in IUCN (2015). However, it is a common species in Hong Kong.

9.4.4.34 Japanese Eel Anguilla japonica is an uncommon species, which records from Lantau Island, Hong Kong Island, Sai Kung and Tsuen Wan in low abundance (Lee et al. 2004). White-lined Chinese-catfish is restricted to North Lantau, this species is considered to be extremely rare and of high conservation importance in Hong Kong (Nip and Cheng 2012). It is also considered to be of conservation concern by AFCD (2011), and of Global Conservation Concern by Fellowes et al. (2002). Spotty Band Goby Glossogobius olivaceus is considered to be uncommon in Hong Kong (Lee et al. 2004). A population can be found at the estuary of Tung Chung Stream (KFBG 2013). Mangrove goby Eugnathogobius polylepis was first formally reported from Hong Kong by Nip (2011). In Hong Kong, it is restricted to mangrove areas and has only been found in several locations, usually in very low numbers. This species is also rare in other places and in China, it is considered to be Endangered (Wu and Zhong 2008). Two individuals were observed at Sha Tsui Tau, and another one at the south-western corner of Tung Chung Bay (KFBG 2013). Another Mangrove Goby Hemigobius hoevenii is considered could be only found in Lantau (Lee et al. 2004). This species was found along the mangal coastline within Tung Chung Bay (KFBG 2013). Green Mudskipper Scartelaos histophorus is not common in Hong Kong and a small population has been found at Ma Wan Chung mudflat (KFBG 2013).

9.4.4.35 Horseshoe Crab has been identified as a species of conservation importance in Hong Kong. Though three species have been reported in HKSAR waters: (i.e. Tachypleus tridentatus, T. gigas and Carcinoscorpius rotundicauda), usually the individuals encountered in the field are T. tridentatus and C. rotundicauda. Horseshoe crabs appear to be undergoing rapid population declines and are thought to be under severe pressure in the South China Sea, including Hong Kong waters, due to habitat loss, pollution and over exploitation. Sau Tau is considered as one of the three most important horseshoe crab nursery sites in Hong Kong. During the EBS study of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge (HZMB) between 2003 and 2004 (ARUP 2009b), juvenile horseshoe crab were recorded in Tai Ho Wan and Pak Mong (fourteen live and three molts of Carcinoscorpius rotundicauda), San Tau (10 Tachypleus tridentatus and 1 Carcinoscorpius rotundicauda) and Tung Chung Bay (26 Tachypleus tridentatus). During the EVS surveys of HZMB in 2008, horseshoe crab Tachypleus tridentatus was recorded at Tung Chung Bay and San Tau. During the TM-CLKL EIA study in July 2008, two Tachypleus tridentatus and three Carcinoscorpius rotundicauda were recorded at San Tau, and there were also two Carcinoscorpius rotundicauda recorded at Tung Chung Bay. The EM&A programme of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Hong Kong Link Road (HZMB HKLR) (Contract No. HY/2011/03) includes quarterly ecological monitoring of the mudflats in San Tau and Tung Chung Bay. Four locations were covered by the monitoring survey, i.e. San Tau, western Tung Chung Bay, Hau Wong Temple, and eastern Tung Chung Bay (Ma Wan Chung). According to the baseline environmental monitoring report of Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Hong Kong Link Road (Contract No. HY/201/02) conducted in September 2012, there were 1, 9 and 16 individuals of Horseshoe Crab Tachypleus tridentatus observed at Ma Wan Chung (eastern Tung Chung Bay), western Tung Chung Bay and San Tau, respectively. The range of prosomal width was from 8.45mm to 59.32mm, which corresponds to an age of 9 months to 8 years old. Subsequent monitoring in 2012-2015 found both horseshoe crab species Tachypleus tridentatus and Carcinoscorpius rotundicauda all over Tung Chung Bay and San Tau, while San Tau believed a more important nursery ground for horseshoe crab especially newly hatched individuals. The horseshoe crabs were reported inactive and burrowed in the sediments during cold weather (<15℃). Similar results of low search record in dry seasons were also reported in a previous territory-wide survey of horseshoe crab. Numbers of horseshoe crabs found in Tung Chung Bay near Hau Wong Temple were the lowest, which may due to the substrate is not appropriate for Horseshoe Crabs.

9.4.4.36 Two horseshoe crab species, Tachypleus tridentatus and Carcinoscorpius rotundicauda were recorded in the 3RS EIA study (Mott MacDonald 2014). T. tridentatus was recorded at San Tau, Tung Chung Bay and Tai Ho Wan, while C. rotundicauda was recorded at Tung Chung Bay and Tai Ho Wan.

9.4.4.37 Coral were recorded in coastal areas within the Assessment Area. The recorded species are common in Hong Kong and coverage in the Assessment Area was low. The North Lantau waters are within the estuarine western waters. In contrast to the oceanic eastern waters, the abundance and diversity of corals are low in western Hong Kong waters (in particular North-western waters which are closer to Pearl River Estuary). North Lantau waters are thus characterized by domination of gorgonian and soft corals. Soft corals, sea pens and gorgonian corals (sea fans) were reported to be present throughout the North-western waters (Mouchel 2002). A dive survey targeting on corals was conducted along the coastline from Sham Wat to Kei Tau Kok (to the east of Tung Chung near Tai Ho) during the HZMB-HKLR EBS survey. No hermatypic hard coral was found at any of the 27 dive sites. Although ahermatypic corals were recorded, but they were concentrated in sites to the west of the airport island. The only widespread and common octocoral recorded in the survey was one species of gorgonians Echinomuricea sp. which was found both to the east and to the west of the airport island, but not inside the Airport Channel. In TM-CLKL EIA study (AECOM 2009), dive survey was also conducted at the Brothers, and low coverage (<5%) of gorgonian and ahermatypic corals were recorded.

9.4.4.38 A dive survey was conducted at the artificial seawalls near MTR depot at Siu Ho during the baseline survey of investigation study for Lantau Logistics Park (ARUP 2005). The survey site is basically facing to the Brothers in North Lantau waters. It is to the east of the outlet of Tai Ho Wan. Freshwater input from Tai Ho Stream is discharged into the nearby waters through this only outlet of Tai Ho Wan with the open sea. Though no alive or dead hard corals, colonies of gorgonian were found on the boulders of the artificial seawalls. They were all of small sizes (less than 10 cm in length) and scattered on the boulders, resulting in a low coverage (<1%). Partially mortality was also observed in many colonies, which indicated that these gorgonians were under stress.

9.4.4.39 Balanophyllia sp. and Guaiagorgia sp. were recorded in hard bottom substrates during the 3RS EIA study (Mott MacDonald 2014). The highest coral coverage was found in Sha Chau, where the seabed consisted mostly of large boulder rocks. For soft bottom substrates, four coral species (Guaiagorgia sp., Echinomuricea sp., Paracyathus rotundatus and Balanophyllia sp.) were observed in Sha Chau Lung Kwu Chau Marine Park, where the bottom substrate was rock or soft mud with broken shells. The coral cover was less than 5%. The Brothers is also one of the reference site for dive survey, and the coral coverage was very low (<1%) with only Balanophyllia sp. recorded.

9.4.4.40 Marine benthic communities in the western Hong Kong waters had been investigated by many different studies.

9.4.4.41 In a territory-wide benthic survey commissioned by AFCD (CCPC 2002), the subtidal benthic communities, with respect to spatial distribution, abundance, and species composition, was collected at 120 sampling stations over the territorial waters of Hong Kong which was divided into 5 strata (regions). One of the strata, Western waters with 29 sampling stations, covers Urmston Road, Deep Bay and North Lantau, and is more relevant with the works areas of the Project. Station 18 and 20 are more relevant with the Project as these two stations are located nearer to the Project footprint.

9.4.4.42 Station 18 is located in the north of Airport Northeast corner. During summer, 38 species was recorded with the density of benthos at 1,444 no./m², and the biomass at 1,347.68 g/m². During winter, 52 species was recorded with the density of benthos at 1,120 no./m2, and the biomass at 263.38 g/m². The Shannon diversity indexes were 1.52 and 2.14 during wet season and dry season, respectively, which regarded as moderate.

9.4.4.43 Station 20 is located between the Brothers Islands and Sham Shui Kok. During summer, 27 species was recorded with the density of benthos at 218 no./m², and the biomass at 38.58 g/m². During winter, 13 species was recorded with the density of benthos at 36 no./m2, and the biomass at 18.38 g/m². The Shannon diversity indexes were 2.69 and 2.48 during wet season and dry season, respectively, which regarded as moderate.

9.4.4.44 In the HKBCF and HKLR EIA studies, grab sampling were conducted at 15 sampling stations in North Lantau inshore waters at both wet and dry seasons during the Ecological Baseline Survey study (EBS). 15 sampling stations were sampled from three zones, i.e. HKS (to the west of Airport Island), NLHC (within Airport Channel) and THW (to the east of Airport Island), and the THW stations were more relevant with the present project. The marine benthic macrofauna was comprised of a high diversity of polychaete species, in which Sigambra hanaokai was the dominant species in the wet season, while Eunice indica and Prionospio sp. dominated in the dry season. Species diversity of other taxa (mainly crustaceans, echinoderms and molluscs) and the overall biomass were, however, low, which is typical in the North-western waters of Hong Kong (ERM 2000, CPCC 2002, Mouchel 2002). All the species recorded occur frequently in Hong Kong and no rare species were observed (CPCC 2002). The biotic index of ~ 2 – 3 and the dominant species recorded implies the community is slightly disturbed.

9.4.4.45 During wet season, the recorded benthic species number in THW Area was 23 taxa including annelid (with the dominant families of Spionidae, Pilargiidae, Poecilochaetidae, and Capitellidae) and crustacean (with the most abundant group of amphipod Corophiidae), the individual number was 163, the density of benthos was 32.6 individual/grab (or 326 individual/m²), and the biomass was 0.76 g/grab (or 7.6 g/m²)

9.4.4.46 In dry season (winter), the recorded benthic species number in THW Area was 28 taxa also including annelid (with the dominant families of Spionidae and Capitellidae) and crustacean (with the most abundant group of amphipod Corophiidae), the individual number was 115, the density of benthos was 23.0 individual/grab (or 230 individual/m²), and the biomass was 0.54 g/grab (or 5.4 g/m²)

9.4.4.47 The benthic communities in the waters offshore to the southeast coast of Airport Island were also investigated in the Marine Supplementary Survey study (MSS) during the HKBCF and HKLR EIA. From the 8 sampling stations, a total of 917 organisms from 83 taxa were identified from the dry season survey. The most diverse group was polychaetes (46 species). In terms of number of individuals, 43% of collected organisms were polychaetes, followed by crustaceans (35%).

9.4.4.48 During the dry season benthic survey under the MSS study, 345 organisms were identified from the sediment samples collected. In wet season, 58%, 15%, 12%, 8% and 7% of organisms collected were polychaetes, molluscs, crustaceans, echinoderms and other phyla, respectively. The total biomass was 130.87 g, in which 52%, 27%, 15% and 6% of total biomass were accounted by echinoderms, molluscs, crustaceans and other phyla, respectively.

9.4.4.49 During the TMCLKL study, benthic samplings were conducted at 8 stations along the alignment in October 2008 and February 2009. No species of conservation importance was recorded at any stations including two stations near the Brothers. And the Station B1 and B2 were offshore to MTR depot and relevant with the present project.

9.4.4.50 For Station B1, During summer, species richness was 3.81, with the density of benthos at 223 no./m², and the biomass at 8.91 g/m². During winter, species richness was 2.8 with the density of benthos at 170 no./m², and the biomass at 2.2 g/m². The Shannon diversity indexes were 2.37 and 0.84 during wet season and dry season, respectively.

9.4.4.51 For Station B2, during summer, the species richness was 4.99 with the density of benthos at 123 no./m², and the biomass at 13.72 g/m². During winter, the species richness was 5.04 with the density of benthos at 477 no./m², and the biomass at 31.4 g/m². The Shannon diversity indexes were 2.69 and 2.48 during wet season and dry season, respectively.

9.4.4.52 In the 3RS EIA, marine benthos survey were conducted at 22 sampling points between July 2012 and April 2013 in the wet season and November 2013 in the dry season covering runway footprint, potential alignments of the submarine pipeline and cable and adjacent waters, three locations within SCLKCMP, locations to the west, to the north and to the east (near the Brothers) of the airport island. Among them, B17 was located to the southeast of the Brothers Islands and more relevant with the present Project.

9.4.4.53 For Station B17, during wet season, 20 species was recorded with the density of benthos at 450 no./m², and the biomass at 1.957 g/m². During dry season, 26 species was recorded with the density of benthos at 180 no./m², and the biomass at 13.713 g/m². The Shannon diversity indexes were 2.72 and 2.84 during wet season and dry season, respectively, which regarded as moderate.

9.4.4.54 According to the benthic surveys of 3RS study, almost all species recorded were not species of conservation importance, except one single individual of Amphioxus Branchiostoma belcheri, which was recorded in one station at northern Chek Lap Kok waters. The single individual recorded was probably being washed from other preferred habitats outside the area, as northern Lantau waters covered by mainly muddy sediment, which is different from the sandy substrate preferred by amphioxus as reported by previous study. No other record of benthic species of conservation importance was found at any other stations.

9.4.5 Marine Fish

9.4.5.1 Marine Fish - According to the 3RS EIA study, fisheries field surveys including fish trawl, purse-seine, gill net, underwater visual counts, and ichthyoplankton and fish post-larvae were conducted in various locations of the North Lantau waters, from Sha Chau and Lung Kwu Chau, runway footprint, to the Brothers.

9.4.5.2 A total of 134 species of fishes from 75 families were recorded. Most of the fisheries species recorded in that survey are categorized as “Not Evaluated”, “Data Deficient” or “Least Concern” by the IUCN (2015). However, there were nine species which are of conservation importance, including Pale-edged Stingray Dasyatis zugei, Banded Tuna Scomberomorus comerson and Orange-spotted Grouper Epinephelus coioides which are listed as “near Threatened”; Longtooth Grouper Epinephelus bruneus, Spotted Seahorse Hippocampus kuda which are listed as “Vulnerable”; and Longheaded Eagle Ray Aetobatus flagellum which is listed as “Endangered” ; Goatee Croaker Dendrophysa russelii, Yellow Croaker Larimichthys crocea and Tiger-toothed Croaker Otolithes ruber which are listed as “Vulnerable” in China Species Red List. Among them, Banded Tuna, Longtooth Grouper, Goatee Croaker, and Spotted Seahorse were recorded near the Brothers.

9.4.6 Chinese White Dolphin

9.4.6.1 Besides CWD, Finless porpoise (Neophocaena phocaenoides) is the only other resident cetaceans of Hong Kong. Within Hong Kong, but they occur in the southern and eastern Hong Kong waters, and thus their habitat range does not fall within the assessment area for marine ecology for the present EcoIA.

9.4.6.2 Chinese White Dolphin Sousa chinensis (CWD in short form, also commonly known as Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin) is one of the only two resident marine mammal species in Hong Kong. Recently, this species is separated from the species in Australia (Sousa sahulensis), and the distribution of Sousa chinensis is now changed to waters from central China (near the mouth of the Yangtze River), south throughout the waters of Southeast Asia as far southeast at least as Borneo, and as far west as the Orissa coast of India (Sutaria and Jefferson 2004; Jefferson and Rosenbaum 2014). Off the coast of South China, at least seven separate populations were identified from Guangxi up to the mouth of the Yangtze River, and all coincide with the presence of river mouths (Jefferson and Hung 2004). One of these CWD populations lives in the Pearl River Estuary, where they inhabit waters of the HKSAR, Macau SAR and Guangdong Province. Located at the eastern side of the Pearl River Estuary, the waters in Hong Kong form part of the habitat for this CWD population, but CWD in Hong Kong only concentrates in the more estuarine-influenced waters, i.e. all the waters of western Hong Kong. They are present commonly year-round in the waters north and west of Lantau, and also occur seasonally or in small numbers to the south and east of Lantau Island, as well as in southern Deep Bay and to the west of Lamma Island (Jefferson 2000, Jefferson & Hung 2004). They are not present in the waters to the east of Lamma Island, except for occasional wanderings. The dolphins appear to shift their grounds seasonally with the extent of river influence, moving farther south and east from the Pearl River in the wet season, and farther into the estuary proper in the dry season. Western and Northern Lantau waters are the most important range of the CWD in HKSAR waters. This has been concluded from systematic boat surveys for CWD in Hong Kong waters since 1996.

9.4.6.3 CWD might be one of the most well studied fauna in Hong Kong. Besides the AFCD long term marine mammal monitoring, there are many studies and surveys on CWD in particular in North Lantau waters, and thus produced sufficient baseline information of this species. The AFCD long term monitoring originated from the surveys on this species in the mid 1990’s when the Hong Kong International Airport was proposed and CWD inhabiting the Western Hong Kong waters was a concern. Systematic surveys are performed every year to monitor marine mammals in Hong Kong, including the CWD and Finless Porpoise and data of over a decade have been collected.

9.4.6.4 From the latest annual monitoring survey in 2014-2015, CWDs were sighted regularly in north, west and south of Lantau Island, except the areas near the HKBCF and HKLR construction (Hung 2015). Habitat use patterns of dolphins 2011-2014 revealed that their high density areas included the west coast of Lantau (particularly around Tai O Peninsula, Kai Kung Shan, Peaked Hill, Fan Lau and Kau Ling Chung), around Lung Kwu Chau, and these areas should be recognised as the most important dolphin habitats in recent years.

9.4.6.5 When compared with the distribution records in earlier time (2006-2010), habitat use pattern of CWD in the period of 2011-2014 were largely similar. Trends in dolphin abundance in North Lantau waters have also been examined as a possible indicator of the overall population trend. The combined dolphin encounter rate around Lantau showed a downward trend in recent years. However, North Lantau waters still constitute a significant portion of dolphin habitats within Hong Kong boundary.

9.4.6.6 The coastal waters immediately adjacent to Tung Chung New Town are very low use by CWD. As shown by Figure 8 of the 2014-2015 monitoring report, there was no dolphin sighting in the waters to the east of Airport Island (a triangular area between the north-eastern corner of Airport Island, the western end of the MTR depot in Siu Ho, and the bridge connecting Tung Chung to Airport Island). This was also caused by the fact that the waters adjacent to the east side of the airport platform was blocked off since 2012 by the HKBCF reclamation works and no longer available for dolphins. When reviewing a longer time duration (i.e. from 2011-2014, see Figure 12 of the 2014-2015 monitoring report), it has been basically the same pattern, except some occasional sightings. The SPSE and DPSE of 2014 in north Lantau waters revealed that the reclamation area of the TCE PDA has no ranking while that for the Road P1 (Tung Chung - Tai Ho Section) is also of low ranking (i.e. 0.1-5.0 for SPSE and 0.1-20.0 for DPSE) (See Figure 9.3a). From the data for a longer time duration (2011-2014), both the TCE PDA and Road P1 (Tung Chung - Tai Ho Section) are of the lowest ranking (i.e. 0.1-5.0 for DPSE and 0.1-20.0 for DPSE, see Figure 9.3b). A marine park was proposed in the waters around the Brothers Islands as the mitigation measure for HKBCF under HZMB. A preliminary boundary of the proposed marine park has been released recently and the footprint of the marine park would basically be outside the triangular area mentioned above. Activity ranges of individual dolphins were also investigated in recent years. It was found that some individuals shifted their core area away from the Brothers Islands in 2013. For some other individuals which showed no apparent shifting of core area, their core areas do not have overlap with the waters off Tung Chung New Town. However, one individual NL123, its core area in 2013 covered the waters from the Brothers Islands to the shore of MRT depot and thus partly overlap with the location of Road P1 (Tung Chung - Tai Ho Section) (see Figures 49 of AFCD 2013-2014 monitoring report), but still not close to the eastern shore of Airport Island or Tung Chung. Land-based theodolite survey was also conducted at a station of Tai Ho Wan in 2014 for the monitoring of dolphin movement in relation to the construction works of the TMCLKL, and it found that the waters near Tai Ho Wan have been rarely visited by CWD (ibid).

9.4.6.7 There have also been CWD surveys performed for EIA studies in North Lantau area. 18 systematic line-transect dolphin vessel surveys were conducted from July 2008 to March 2009 under the TMCLKL project for the HZMB EIA Study (including HKLR, HKBCF and TMCLKL EIAs). The survey area covered the central portion of North Lantau waters between Pillar Point and the Brothers Islands. 30 groups of CWD numbering 100 individuals were sighted, with most sightings (22 sightings) made in the western section of Northeast Lantau survey area (the transect covering the Brothers Islands), while another eight sightings were made in the eastern section of Northwest Lantau survey area. Given the high dolphin use in the Brothers Islands as shown by this survey and the AFCD long term monitoring, the government committed to designate a marine park in the Brothers Islands as a mitigation measure for HZMB project.

9.4.6.8 The HZMB (comprising HKBCF and HKLR contracts, both have individual monitoring survey covering the waters between Ma Wan and Airport Island) construction phase ecological monitoring surveys since 2012, which follow the same survey transects as those adopted for AFCD annual survey and are performed twice a month, did not report so far dolphin sighting at this location neither.

9.4.6.9 The 3RS EIA included a 14-month dolphin survey programme between October 2012 and November 2013 in North Lantau waters, in particular to the north of the airport island and to the west of the airport island which were not previously surveyed due to the restrictions of HKIA Exclusion Zone. The programme comprised three major types of field survey, i.e. vessel line transect surveys, land-based theodolite surveys, and Autonomous passive acoustic monitoring (PAM). A total of 77 groups of CWDs numbering 277 individuals were sighted from 56 vessel surveys. The majority of these sightings (75%) were to the north of the airport island (considerably larger surveyed area) while the remaining (25%) were to the west of the airport island. CWD sightings were shown to be distributed throughout the entire survey areas, demonstrating that the CWDs do use the entire survey area to some extent. Land-based theodolite surveys were conducted to track dolphin movements. Based on data collected from the four land-based stations, it can be concluded that the CWDs use the waters to the north, northeast and west of Chek Lap Kok and off Sha Chau. The highest percentage of dolphins per survey effort was observed off Chek Lap Kok and more CWDs per survey effort were observed during the winter season.

9.4.6.10 The passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) by an Ecological Acoustic Recorder (EAR) was also undertaken at five stations (Sha Chau, the west, the north, and the northeast of Airport Island) to collect CWD occurrence patterns in all seasons and to obtain anthropogenic noise information simultaneously. The results indicated CWD use the airport north and airport west survey areas as part of their general habitat, with a variety of activities occurring in these areas.

9.4.6.11 The recent Land Supply Study (i.e. Increasing Land Supply by Reclamation and Rock Cavern Development cum Public Engagement – Feasibility Study) aims at exploring different approaches to increase the local land supply. One of the approaches is to identify suitable location for reclamation outside Victoria Harbour. Among the 5 potential reclamation site identified, three of them are located in the western waters. There are concerns on the potential impacts to CWD, and a survey was commissioned to investigate the three potential reclamation sites in North Lantau waters (Lung Kwu Tan, Siu Ho Wan and Sunny Bay) in terms of CWD habitat use. The surveys included both 6-month Land-based theodolite surveys and passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) by Ecological Acoustic Recorder (EAR). The proposed Siu Ho Wan reclamation site is located near the MTR depot and closest to the Project Area. Theodolite survey results revealed that CWD regularly utilised the areas offshore Lung Kwu Tan and Siu Ho Wan, usually in water deeper than 4-5m, but occasionally within 0.5 km of shore at Siu Ho Wan. Siu Ho Wan has a higher dolphin use than Lung Kwu Tan and Sunny Bay. From the EAR results, CWD detections in Siu Ho Wan were most common in the central part of its Study Area. This more or less coincides with the results from the theodolite surveys in which sightings were plotted and they distributed from off the coastline to the Brothers Islands. For the sightings within the Siu Ho Wan study area boundary, more sightings were at the central part, with the closest sighting at about 160m from the coastline.

9.4.6.12 Daytime and night time activities – It has been aware that there might be differences on the daytime and night time activities of CWD, and recently some surveys have been performed to collect the night time activity information to supplement vessel and theodolite surveys. As mentioned above, PAM surveys were performed at North Lantau waters under 3RS EIA and the Land Supply Study. In the 3RS EIA, a general tendency for more sounds at night than during the daytime was found to the north of airport, or in the evening at (southeast of Sha Chau). This indicates more CWD presence at night in the area north of the airport than was obtained from the visual data alone. It is considered that CWDs often travel through the area during the daytime rather than the night-time, and the increase in vocalisations at night may indicate an increase in habitat use at night. In the surveys for Land Supply study, more CWD detections were made during night time hours than during the day at Lung Kwu Tan and Siu Ho Wan. For Sunny Bay, which was not considered important to CWD based on the results from vessel surveys under AFCD marine mammal monitoring and thus theodolite survey was not covered this site, the PAM survey results recorded a very low CWD detections and suggested low use of the area, with low and probably only occasional CWD use. Based upon the results from the Land Supply study which covered three study areas, areas with considerable CWD daytime use, i.e. Lung Kwu Tan (where CWD were recorded offshore to the study area boundary) and Siu Ho Wan, showed a higher night time use. However, the study area which had very low day time usage, i.e. Sunny Bay, showed only low and probably occasional CWD use by PAM results which covered both day and night time. Tung Chung area is similar to Sunny Bay on having a very low, if not none, CWD use based on existing information mainly from day time record, it is anticipated that the potential of having a significant night time CWD use is low.

9.4.6.13 Movement corridor – It is known that local CWD individuals would travel between different areas inside Hong Kong waters. During 3RS EIA study, the dolphin survey recorded activities of CWD in the waters to the north and to the west of Airport Island. Although these areas do not seem to represent prime feeding areas for the CWDs, all the evidence collected appears to point to their major use for travelling areas between feeding habitats to the east, at the Brothers and Sham Shui Kok, and to the west at the SCLKCMP and west Lantau area (Hung 2012 and 2013).

9.4.6.14 Carrying capacity: There are concerns on the potential reduction of carrying capacity for the local CWD due to the various reclamation projects in North Lantau waters. Carrying capacity could be interpreted as the largest number of individuals of a particular species that can survive over long periods of time in a given environment, under the effect of the limiting factors. In the case of CWD, it would be the maximum number of CWD could be supported by their habitat, i.e. Pearl River Estuary. Previous studies indicated that CWD individuals in Hong Kong waters are part of the Pearl River population. A recent estimation of the Pearl River CWD population size is approximately 2,500 individuals (Chen et al. 2010), and their distributional range was found larger than previously expected, not only the western part of Hong Kong, the adjacent Mainland waters where the National CWD Nature Reserve is designated, and also up to the western exits of Pearl River system, so it virtually covers the entire Pearl River Estuary (ibid). Besides the space available, the carrying capacity is also affected by limiting factors, and food resources might be the most crucial one. CWD mainly prey on estuarine fish. In North Lantau waters, areas around Sha Chau and Lung Kwu Chau, the Brothers, and near Tai O are of high fisheries production, up to 200-400 and 400-600 kg/ha (see AFCD Port Survey 2006). These areas are either being currently protected by designated Marine Park, or will be proposed as marine parks, and thus are likely preserved. Furthermore, with the trawl ban enacted in Hong Kong waters at the end of 2012, it is anticipated that a recovery of fisheries resources will be resulted in a few years. In the adjacent mainland waters, fisheries management measures including the South China Sea fishing moratorium each summer and fish fry release are implemented. It is thus likely that the food resources in the entire Pearl River could be sustained.

9.4.6.15 CWD habitats in the Brothers: Marine waters around the Brothers have been considered a dolphin hotspot in North Lantau waters. As described in the 2007-2008 AFCD marine mammal monitoring report (Hung 2008) and quoted in the HKBCF EIA report, there are several hotspots consistently used by CWD since 2002, and it included the waters around the Brothers Islands (together with the waters around Lung Kwu Chau, near Black Point, and the entire stretch of West Lantau waters from Tai O Peninsula to Fan Lau). It stated in the report that “These hotspots can be considered as the prime dolphin habitats in recent years in Hong Kong” (ibid).

9.4.6.16 However, there was a consistent declining trend at the Brothers Islands, which was once considered important habitat for dolphins, but their densities fluctuated in recent years, with a rebound to a higher level in 2011 but a lowest level in 2014 (Hung 2015).

9.4.6.17 During the EIA study for HKBCF, it was identified that marine habitat would be lost due to the reclamation for HKBCF near the northeast Airport Island. It was found that though the HKBCF lies within the range of dolphin activities and sightings, few sightings were made in the HKBCF reclamation site. But the sea area was still considered of moderate ecological value for dolphin due to the close proximity with dolphin hotspot, and the impact was ranked as Moderate and mitigation measure is required.

9.4.6.18 As a mitigation measure for marine habitat loss by enhancing the Chinese White Dolphin (CWD) habitat, it was stated in the HKBCF EIA that the Administration has made a firm commitment to seek to designate the Brothers Islands as a marine park in accordance with the statutory process stipulated in the Marine Parks Ordinance.

9.4.6.19 After the approval of the HKBCF EIA and the issue of EP in 2009, a preliminary study for the proposed marine park was then conducted to establish the proposal and preliminary plan of the proposed marine park, which was presented to ACE in 2011. In 2012, the detailed study for the proposed marine park commenced to work out the details of the proposed marine park for the statutory procedures as stipulated in the Marine Parks Ordinance. The boundary has recently been proposed, and the proposed The Brothers Marine Park would be designated by end 2016 tentatively.

9.4.7 Summary of Literature Review

9.4.7.1 A number of sites of conservation importance, important habitats, flora and fauna of ecological importance were identified in the Assessment Area from reviewed literatures.

9.4.7.2 San Tau Beach SSSI is of significant conservation importance. This site is close to one of the potential new town expansion area. Many flora and fauna of ecological importance recorded within the Assessment Area are found in coastal areas in Tung Chung Bay and San Tau. A number of fauna of ecological importance were recorded from streams fall into one of the potential new town expansion area. Avoidance of potential impact to San Tau Beach SSSI and flora/fauna in the coastal areas, stream habitat and associated fauna should be considered during design stage.

9.4.7.3 The survey results from the AFCD long-term marine mammal surveys which has covered more than 10 years has shown that the usage of the coastal waters offshore Tung Chung New Town by CWD is very low. The HZMB construction phase ecological monitoring surveys since 2012 so far did not report dolphin sighting at this location neither. In reference to the PAM results from Sunny Bay, it is anticipated that the potential of having a significant night time CWD use in Tung Chung is low. It is thus concluded that the dolphin usage near Tung Chung New Town including the TCE PDA and Road P1 (Tung Chung - Tai Ho Section) is very low. Marine waters around the Brothers have been considered a dolphin hotspot in North Lantau waters. As a mitigation for the HKBCF reclamation, the proposed The Brothers Marine Park would be designated by end 2016 tentatively with the boundary recently proposed.

9.4.7.4 The ecological surveys of previous EIA studies (except for CWD) were conducted between 2002 and 2013. The scopes and focus of these studies might be different from the present proposed project. The information might also need to be updated. Therefore, ecological surveys should be conducted to verification of validity of reviewed information and updating the ecological baseline information of the Assessment Area for impact evaluate and recommendation of mitigation measures. Effort should be spent to study the distribution of seagrass, horseshoe crab and Romer’s Tree Frog within the Assessment Area.

9.4.7.5 The flora and fauna species of conservation importance reported by the above literatures inside the present Assessment Areas for Terrestrial Ecology and Marine Ecology or in the vicinity are listed in Tables 9.1 and 9.2 below. Most of the flora and fauna species of conservation importance were found in locations outside the PDAs (Figures 9.2b & 9.2c). There were only two species of conservation importance recorded within the boundary of TCE PDA and the infrastructure works near Tai Ho from reviewed literatures. These were Black Kite and Balanophyllia sp. Eight species of conservation importance were recorded within the TCW PDA. These were Greater Coucal, Chinese Cobra, Romer’s Tree Frog, Rice Fish, Philippine Neon Goby, Common Cerulean, Pale Palm Dart and Gaudy Baron. It is also noted that some of the species highlighted in the EIA Study Brief were not recorded or discussed in previous EIA studies, and some others were found in locations outside the boundary of the present assessment area. Special attention, however, would be paid to these species during ecological survey, and would also take into account during the impact assessment.

Table 9.1 Evaluation of floral species of conservation importance within the 500m Terrestrial Ecology Assessment Area reported by literatures

No.	Scientific Name	Common Name	Protection / conservation status	Locations / Habitats recorded	Rarity	Sources
1	Aquilaria sinensis	Incense Tree	Cap. 586 Category II Nationally Protected Species in the PRC China Plant Red Data Book: Vulnerable Near Threated (NT) in China (AFCD 2015) Listed in Rare and Precious Plants in Hong Kong (AFCD 2015) Vulnerable in IUCN (2015).	Woodland at foothill of Tai Ho Bay, Woodland at San Tau, along path To Tung Chung Woodland and agricultural land at the west end of Tai Ho Bay	Common (Xing et. al. 2000)	(1), (3), (4), (5)
2	Corydalis racemosa	Nil	Nil	Hau Wong Temple, roadside	Very rare (Xing et al. 2000)	(1)
3	Gymnosphaera hancockii	Toothed Black Tree-fern	Cap. 96A Cap. 586	Mok Ka (village) FSW	Very rare (Wu and Lee 2000)	(1), (4)
4	Goodyera procera	Tall Rattlesnake-plantain	Cap. 96A Cap. 586	Mok Ka (village) FSW, Tung Chung Stream	Very common (Siu 2000)	(1), (4)
5	Halophila beccarii	Beccari’s Halophila	Vulnerable in IUCN (2015)	Mudflat to the west of Tai Ho Wan	Locally Rare (Xing et al. 2000)	(1), (2), (5)
6	Halophila minor		Least Concern in IUCN (2015)	San Tau Beach SSSI	Not previously recorded at San Tau. Locally Rare (Hu et al. 2003)	(2), (5)
7	Halophila ovalis	Oval Halophila	Least Concern (LC) in China (AFCD 2015). Listed in Rare and Precious Plants in Hong Kong (AFCD 2015)	San Tau Beach SSSI	Locally Rare (Xing et al. 2000)	(2)
8	Lespedeza cuneata	Cuneate Lespedeza	Nil	San Tau, along path To Tung Chung, shrubland	Rare (Xing et al. 2000)	(1)
9	Nepenthes mirabilis	Pitcher Plant	Cap. 96A Cap. 586 Vulnerable in the China Plant Red Data Book (AFCD 2015) Listed in Rare and Precious Plants in Hong Kong (AFCD 2015)	Hillside between Tung Chung and Tai Ho, ravine, Tung Chung Stream	Restricted (Xing et al. 2000)	(1), (4)
10	Pavetta hongkongensis	Hong Kong Pavetta	Cap. 96A	Shek Lau Po, Mok Ka, Shek Mun Kap, Sheung Ling Pei, Ha Ling Pei, FSW Tall Shrubland Woodland and shrubland/grassland in Tai Ho	Common (Xing et al. 2000)	(1), (5)
11	Pycreus sanguinolentus	Red-scaled Pycreus	Nil	Fong Yuen, marsh	Rare (Xing et al. 2000)	(1)
12	Spiranthes sinensis	Ladies Treeses	Cap. 96A Cap. 586	Fong Yuen, marsh	Common (Siu 2000)	(1)
13	Uvaria calamistrata	Spiny-fruited Uvaria	Nil	San Tau, along path To Tung Chung, shrubland	Rare (Xing et al. 2000)	(1)
14	Zostera japonica	Dwarf Eel Grass	Least Concern (LC) in China (AFCD 2015) Listed in Rare and Precious Plants in Hong Kong (AFCD 2015)	San Tau Beach SSSI	Locally Rare (Xing et al. 2000, Hu et al. 2003)	(1), (2)
15	Ligustrum punctifolium	Nil	Endemic to Hong Kong (Lai 2001; AFCD 2015) Least Concern (LC) in China (AFCD 2015), Listed in Rare and Precious Plants in Hong Kong (AFC 2015)	Tung Chung Estuary	Very rare (Xing et al. 2000)	(4), (5)
16	Artocarpus hypargyreus	Silver-backed Artocarpus	Near Threatened (NT) in China (AFCD 2015) Listed in Rare and Precious Plants of Hong Kong (AFCD 2015)	At the fringe of Assessment Area boundary in shrubland of Tai Ho	Common (Xing et al. 2000)	(5)
17	Gmelina chinensis	Little-leaved Rourea	Vulnerable (V) in China Listed in Rare and Precious Plants of Hong Kong	Tung Chung Valley, Near carpark in Tai Ho Shrubland/Grassland habitat within the works area of the proposed Service Reservoirs	Locally common in Lantau (AFCD 2015)	(4), (5)
18	Dioscorea hispida	White Yam	Nil	Mok Ka Village FSW	Locally Rare (Xing et al. 2000)	(4)
19	Diospyros vaccinioides	Small Persimmon	Critically Endangered in IUCN (2015)	Near carpark in Tai Ho	Common (Xing et al. 2000)	(5)
20	Spiranthes hongkongensis	Hong Kong Spiranthes	Cap. 96A Cap. 586	Tung Chung Stream	Rare (Siu 2000)	(4)
21	Eulophia graminea	Pale Purple Eulophia	Cap. 96A Cap. 586	Shrubland/Grassland at hillside on Airport Island	Restricted (Xing et. al 2000)	(5)
22	Arundina graminifolia	Bamboo Orchid	Cap. 96A Cap. 586	Ravine in Shrubland/Grassland at Tai Ho	Common (Xing et. al. 2000)	(5)
23	Cibotium barometz	Lamb of Tatary	Cap. 586. Category II nationally protected species in the PRC Vulnerable in China (AFCD 2015)	Woodland in Tung Chung and Tai Ho	Locally very common (Wu and Lee 2000);	(5)

Notes:

(1) Remaining Development in Tung Chung and Tai Ho Comprehensive Feasibility Study (1999)

(2) HZMB Hong Kong Link Road (EIA Register No: AEIAR-144/2009);

(3) HZMB - TMCLKL (EIA Register No: AEIAR-146/2009).

(4) KFBG 2013. Ecological and Conservation Importance of Tung Chung, Lantau. March 2013, first edition. Publication Series No. 11

(5) Expansion of Hong Kong International Airport into a Three-Runway System

Table 9.2 Evaluation of fauna species of conservation importance within the terrestrial ecology and marine ecology of the Assessment Areas reported by literatures (TC = Tung Chung; TH = Tai Ho)

No.	Common names & Scientific names	Protection / Conservation status/	Locations/Habitats recorded	TC	TH	Rarity	Sources
Mammal
1	Chinese White Dolphin* Sousa chinensis	Cap. 170; Cap. 586; CITES: Appendix I;; Class I Protected Animal of PRC; China Species Red List: Endangered; IUCN (2015): Near Threatened	Mostly in waters north and west of Lantau, this species was also recorded in the coastal/marine waters near Tai Ho area.	+	+	Common in the Western Hong Kong waters	(4), (11)
2	Japanese Pipistrelles Pipistrellus abramus	Cap. 170	Tai Ho		+	Very common in Hong Kong	(1), (13)
3	Pomona Leaf-nosed Bat Hipposideros pomona	Cap. 170 Fellowes et al. 2002: LC	A cave on the eastern coastline of Tai Ho Wan		+	Very common	(1)
4	Least Horseshoe Bat Rhinolophus pusillus	Cap. 170 Fellowes et al. 2002: PRC	A cave on the eastern coastline of Tai Ho Wan		+	Uncommon	(1)
5	Chinese Horseshoe Bat Rhinolophus sinicus	Cap. 170	A cave on the eastern coastline of Tai Ho Wan	+	+	Very common	(1), (12)
6	Himalayan Leaf-nosed Bat Hipposideros armiger	Cap. 170 Fellowes et al. 2002: LC	Tung Chung	+		Very common	(12)
7	Leschenault’s Rousette Rousettus leschenaulti	Cap. 170 Fellowes et al. 2002: LC	Tung Chung	+		Common	(12)
8	Lesser Bamboo Bat Tylonycteris pachypus	Cap. 170 Fellowes et al. 2002: LC	Tung Chung	+		Very common	(12)
9	Brown Noctule Nyctalus noctula	Cap. 170 Fellowes et al. 2002: PRC	Tai Ho		+	Common	(13)
Bird (All birds are protected under Cap. 170)
10	Chinese Egret* Egretta eulophotes	China Red Data Book: Endangered; IUCN (2015): vulnerable; Fellowes et al. (2002): GC	Soft Shore	+		Scarce spring passage migrant	(4),NGO
11	Grey Heron Ardea cinerea	Fellowes et al. (2002): PRC	Soft Shore; Hard shore	+	+	Abundant winter visitor	(1), (4), (6)
12	Great Egret Ardea alba	Fellowes et al. (2002): PRC, (RC)	Soft Shore; Hard shore	+	+	Common to abundant resident	(1), (5)
13	Little Egret Egretta garzetta	Fellowes et al. (2002): PRC, (RC)	Soft Shore; Hard shore	+	+	Abundant resident	(1), (4), (6), (5)
14	Pacific Reef Heron Egretta sacra	Fellowes et al. (2002): (LC)	Hard Shore	+	+	Locally uncommon resident	(1), (4), (6), NGO
15	Eastern Cattle Egret Bubulcus coromandus	Fellowes et al. (2002): (LC)	Soft Shore	+	+	Uncommon to common resident	(1), (4)
16	Chinese Pond Heron Ardeola bacchus	Fellowes et al. (2002): PRC, (RC)	Hard Shore	+	+	Common resident	(1), (4), (6)
17	Striated Heron Butorides striatus	Fellowes et al. (2002): (LC)	Intertidal; Streams	+	+	Uncommon in summer, scare in winter	(4), (6)
18	Black-crowned Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax	Fellowes et al. (2002): (LC)	Intertidal; Streams	+		Common to abundant resident	(4), (6)
19	Intermediate Egret Egretta intermedia	Fellowes et al. (2002): RC	Found in mudflat outside the PDAs	+		Common passage migrant.	(4)
20	Black Kite Milvus migrans	Cap. 586; Class 2 Protected Animal of PRC; CITES: Appendix II; Fellowes et al. (2002): (RC)	Soaring above many types of habitats (e.g., seawall, shrubland/grassland)	+	+	Abundant winter visitor and resident	(1), (4), (6), (11)
21	Crested Goshawk Accipiter trivirgatus	Cap. 586; Class 2 Protected Animal of PRC; CITES: Appendix II	Fung Shui Woodland near Chap Mun Tau	+		Uncommon resident	(10)
22	Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus	Cap. 586; Class 2 Protected Animal of PRC; CITES: Appendix II	Grassland/Shrubland in Scenic Hill	+		Common winter visitor	(4)
23	Eurasian Woodcock Scolopax rusticola	Nil	Hillside covered by shrubland/grassland in Tai Ho		+	Scarce winter visitor.	(4)
24	Grey-tailed Tattler Tringa brevipes	Fellowes et al. (2002): LC	Soft Shore	+		Passage migrant	(4)
25	Eurasian Eagle Owl Bubo bubo	Cap. 586; Class 2 Protected Animal of PRC; CITES: Appendix II; Fellowes et al. (2002): RC	Location of record not specified, this species usually inhabits poorly-vegetated boulder-strewn hillsides with grass, low shrubland or scattered pines	+		Scarce resident	(10), NGO
26	Brown Fish Owl Ketupa zeylonensis	Class II Protected Animal of PRC; CITES: Appendix II	Estuary in Tai Ho (outside the Assessment Area)		+	Rare and restricted	(4)
27	Pacific Swift Apus pacificus	Fellowes et al. (2002): (LC)	Overhead	+		Common spring migrant, localized summer visitor, scarce and irregular in autumn and winter	(4)
28	White-throated Kingfisher Halcyon smyrnensis	Fellowes et al. (2002): (LC)	Soft Shore, Hard Shore	+		Resident, locally common in autumn and winter	(1), (4), (6)
29	Greater Coucal Centropus sinensis	China Red Data Book: Vulnerable; Class 2 Protected Animal of PRC	Abandoned agricultural land	+	+	Common resident	(1), (2), (11)
30	Lesser Coucal Centropus bengalensis	China Red Data Book: Vulnerable; Class 2 Protected Animal of PRC	Hillside grassland		+	Common resident	(2)
31	Common Emerald Dove Chalcophaps indica	China Red Data Book: Vulnerable;	Location of record not specified, this species usually inhabit wooded area, e.g., forest	+	+	Rare resident	(10), (11) NGO
32	Chinese Hwamei Garrulax canorus	Cap. 586; CITES: Appendix II	Shrubland	+	+	Common and widespread resident	(1), (4)
33	Collared Crow Corvus torquatus	IUCN (2015): Near-threatened; Fellowes et al. (2002): LC	Location of record not specified, this species usually inhabits coastal areas	+		Uncommon resident	NGO
34	Grey Treepie Dendrocitta formosae	Fellowes et al. (2002): LC	Hillside covered by shrubland/grassland in Tai Ho		+	Scarce winter visitor and resident. Found in Sai Kung, Luk Keng, Tai Po Kau, Tai Tam Reservoir, Ho Chung, Hong Kong University, Lam Tsuen, Hok Tau.	(4)
Herpetofauna
35	Tokay Gecko Gekko gecko	Class 2 Protected Animal of China; China Red Data Book: Endangered; Fellowes et al. (2002): RC	Shek Mun Kap	+		Rare (Karsen et al. 1998)	(10), NGO
36	Common Rat Snake Ptuas mucosus	CITES: Appendix II; China Red Data Book Status: Endangered; Fellowes et al. (2002): PRC	Tai Ho	+	+		(4)
37	King Cobra Ophiophagus hannah	Appendix II of CITES; IUCN (2015): Vulnerable; China Red Data Book: Critically Endangered; Fellowes et al. (2002): PRC	Grassland near the estuary of Tung Chung Stream	+		Widely distributed throughout Hong Kong.	(3)
38	Chinese Cobra Naja atra	CITES: Appendix II; China Red Data Book: Vulnerable	Shek Mun Kap, Ngau Au	+		Common	(2), (11)
39	Burmese Python Python bivittatus	Cap. 170; Class I Protected Animal of PRC; CITES: Appendix I; IUCN (2015): Vulnerable; China Red Data Book: Critically Endangered; Fellowes et al. (2002): PRC	Location of record describe as “the mouth of the main stream”, this species occurs in a wide variety of habitats	+		Widely distributed throughout Hong Kong.	(10), NGO
40	Chinese Bullfrog Hoplobatrachus chinensis	Class II Protected Animal of PRC; Fellowes et al. (2002): PRC	Scenic Hill – concrete drainage system (just outside the Assessment Area)	+		Fairly common and widespread in NT and Lantau (Chan et al. 2005)	(4), (10), NGO
41	Romer’s Tree Frog* Liuixalus romeri	Cap. 170; IUCN (2015): (Endangered); Fellowes et al. (2002): PGC	Scenic Hill; lowlands along Tung Chung Stream Cultivated land in Tai Ho	+	+	Endemic to Hong Kong. Locally Common in protected areas (Chan et al. 2005)	(2), (4), (10), (11) NGO
42	Hong Kong Newt* Paramesotriton hongkongensis	Cap. 170; IUCN (2015): (near threatened); Fellowes et al. (2002): PGC	Upper reach of Tung Chung Stream, outside the Assessment Area	+		Common. Found in natural mountain streams with clear water, large boulders and vegetated areas	(2), NGO
43	South China Cascade Frog* Amolops ricketti	Nil	All three known locations are in Lantau and outside the Assessment Area: Tei Tong Tsai, Pak Kung Au and a stream near Shek Pik			Rare	(7)
44	Short-legged Toad* Xenophrys brachykolos	IUCN (2015): Endangered Fellowes et al. (2002): PGC	Upper reach of Tung Chung Stream Cultivated land in Tai Ho	+	+	Possibly endemic to Hong Kong, found in mountain streams with well-wooded banks	(2), (10), (11) NGO
45	Lesser Spiny Frog Paa exilispinosa	IUCN (2015): vulnerable; Fellowes et al. (2002): PGC	Upper reach of Tung Chung Stream, Stream on hill slope of Por Kat Shan	+	+	Common, found in and near hill streams in a wide range of altitude	(2), (4), (6)
Fish
46	Beijiang Thick-lipped Barb* Acrossocheilus beijiangensis	AFCD Assessment: Species of Conservation Concern Fellowes et al. (2002):GC	Records from reservoir catchments on Hong Kong Island and a few streams on Lantau Island	+		Rare (Lee et al. 2004) ;	(2), (4), (5), (10)
47	Philippine Neon Goby (Purple Neon Goby) Stiphodon atropurpureus	AFCD Assessment: Species of Conservation Concern Fellowes et al. (2002): GC	Tung Chung Stream	+		Uncommon (Lee et al. 2004);	(2), (10)
48	Rice Fish Oryzias curvinotus	AFCD Assessment: Species of Conservation Concern Fellowes et al. (2002):GC	Records from a few streams in North District, Sai Kung and on Lantau Island as well as some reservoirs in North District and Tuen Mun	+		Uncommon (Lee et al. 2004)	(2), (4), (5), (10)
49	Predaceous Chub Parazacco spilurus	China Red Data Book: Vulnerable	A widespread species occurring in most unpolluted hill streams in both upper and lower courses	+		Common (Lee et al. 2004)	(2), (4), (5),(6)
50	White-lined Chinese Chest-catfish Glyptothorax pallozonum	AFCD Assessment: Species of Conservation Concern Fellowes et al. (2002): GC	Tung Chung Stream	+			(10)
51	Alligator Pipefish * Syngnathoides biaculeatus and Seaweed Pipefish* Syngnathus schlegeli	Nil	Tung Chung Bay, Tai Ho	+		Local population unknown	NGO, (11)
52	Spotted Seahorse (Common Seahorse) Hippocampus kuda	Cap.586 CITES: Appendix II; IUCN (2015): Vulnerable	Tai Ho		+	Moderately abundant	(11)
53	Archpatch Puffer Takifugu ocellatus	Fellowes et al. (2002): Local Concern for habitat	Tai Ho		+	Rare (AFCD website)	(4), (5), (6)
54	Japanese Eel * Anguilla japonica	China Red Data Book: Endangered China Key List: II IUCN (2015): Endangered	Tung Chung Stream, Tai Ho	+	+	Uncommon (Lee et al. 2004)	(6)
55	Giant Mottled Eel * Anguilla marmorata	AFCD Assessment: Species of Conservation Concern; Class II Protected Animal in China; China Red Data Book: Endangered ; Fellowes et al. (2002):GC	Tung Chung Stream, Tai Ho	+	+	Uncommon (Lee et al. 2004);	(4), (5), (6), (10)
56	Ayu * Plecoglossus altivelis	AFCD Assessment: Species of Conservation Concern China Red Data Book: Vulnerable Fellowes et al. (2002): RC	Tai Ho		+	Rare (Lee et al. 2004);	(4), (5), (6)
57	Small Snakehead Channa asiatica	Fellowes et al. (2002): Local Concern	Tung Chung Stream, Tai Ho	+	+	Uncommon (Lee et al. 2004)	(4), (5), (6)
58	Dark-margined Flagtail Kuhlia marginata	Fellowes et al. (2002): Regional Concern	Stream within Tung Chung Bay	+		Very rare	(4), (5)
59	Spotty Band Goby* Glossogobius olivaceus	AFCD Assessment: Species of Conservation Concern	Tung Chung Stream	+		Uncommon (Lee et al. 2004)	(10)
60	Eugnathogobius polylepis	Considered “Endangered” in China	Tung Chung Bay	+		Rare in China	(10)
61	Hemigobius hoevenii	Nil	Tung Chung Bay, Tai Ho	+	+	Rare (AFCD website)	(10), (11)
62	Green Mudskipper Scartelaos histophorus	Nil	Ma Wan Chung Bay	+		Uncommon	(10)
63	Indo-Pacific Tropical Sand Goby Favonigobius reichei	Listed as “Near Threatened” in IUCN (2015)	Stream within Tung Chung Bay	+		Common (Lee et al. 2004)	(4), (5)
64	Snowy Puffer Takifugu niphobles	Nil	Tung Chung Bay	+		Common (AFCD, 2008)	(4), (5)
65	Black-spot gutted Gudgeon * Butis butis = Butis melanostigma	Nil	Tung Chung Bay, Tai Ho	+	+	Uncommon (Lee et al. 2004)	(11)
66	Largesnout Goby Awaous melanocephalus	AFCD Assessment: Species of Conservation Concern; Fellowes et al. (2002): Regional Concern	Tai Ho		+	Rare	AFCD
67	Longheaded Eagle Ray Aetobatus flagellum	IUCN (2015): Endangered	Project footprint of 3RS			Unknown	(11)
68	Red Stingray Dasyatis akajei	China Species Red List: Endangered; IUCN (2015): Near Threatened	Tai Ho, Sha Lo Wan and Sham Wat		+	Unknown	(11)
69	Pale-edged Stingray Dasyatis zugei	IUCN (2015): Near Threatened	Recorded in northern and western Chek Lap Kok waters and project footprint of 3RS			Unknown	(11)
70	Goatee Croaker Dendrophysa russelii	China Species Red List: Vulnerable	The Brothers, SCLKCMP, northern and western Chek Lap Kok waters, and project footprint of 3RS			Unknown	(11)
71	Long-toothed Grouper Epinephelus bruneus	IUCN (2015): Vulnerable	Recorded in northern Chek Lap Kok waters of Chek Lap Kok, SCLKCMP			Rare	(11)
72	Orange-spotted Grouper Epinephelus coioides	IUCN (2015): Near Threatened	Recorded in the project footprint of 3RS			Rare	(11)
73	Yellow Croaker Larimichthys crocea	China Species Red List: Vulnerable	Western Chek Lap Kok waters			Disappeared as a local major catch	(11)
74	Tiger-toothed Croaker Otolithes ruber	China Species Red List: Vulnerable	SCLKCMP, project footprint of 3RS			Unknown	(11)
75	Banded Tuna Scomberomorus commerson	IUCN (2015): Near Threatened	Northern Chek Lap Kok waters, the Brothers			Unknonwn	(11)
Butterfly
76	Pale Palm Dart Telicota colon	Fellowes et al. (2002): LC	Cultivated field near Fong Yuen	+		Rare	(2)
77	Grass Demon Udaspes folus	Nil	Cultivated land in Tai Ho	+	+	Rare	(10), (11)
78	Common Cerulean Jamides celeno	Nil	Cultivated field near Shek Mun Kap	+		Rare	(2), (9)
79	Sullied Sailer Neptis soma	Fellowes et al. (2002): LC	Location of record not specified	+		Very rare	(10)
80	Gaudy Baron Euthalia lubentina	Nil	Woodland near Shek Mun Kap	+		Rare	(2)
81	Small Grass Yellow Eurema brigitta	Fellowes et al. (2002): LC	Section of Tung Chung Stream near cemetery Cultivated land in Tai Ho	+	+	Rare	(2), (10), (11)
82	Swallowtail Papilio xuthus	Nil	Location of record not specified	+		Rare (AFCD website)	(10)
83	Common Birdwing * Troides helena	Cap. 170; Cap. 586	Fung Shui Woodland at Shek Mun Kap, Agricultural land in San Tau	+		Uncommon	(3), (8); (10), NGO
84	Golden Birdwing * Troides aecus	Cap. 586; Fellowes et al. (2002): LC	Location of record not specified, this species is usually found in woodland of high altitude	+		Rare	(8), (10); NGO
85	Oriental Striped Blue * Leptotes plinius	Fellowes et al. (2002): LC	A bush at Hau Wong Temple	+		Very Rare	(8), (9), (10),NGO
86	Tiny Grass Blue Zizula hylax	Nil	Location of record not specified, but within the PDA	+		Very Rare	(10)
87	Jhora Scrub Hopper* Aeromachus jhora	Nil	Location of record not specified, this species can be found in wet agricultural land	+		Rare	(10), NGO
88	Peacock Royal* Tajuria cippus	Fellowes et al. (2002): LC	Location of record not specified, only mentioned as “woods” in Tung Chung. This species is usually found in woodland and orchard. Females are usually found in localities where the host plants can be found	+		Rare	(10), NGO
Dragonfly
89	Emerald Cascader Zygonyx iris	Fellowes et al. (2002): PGC	Upstream section of Tung Chung Stream (immediate outside the 500m boundary of the Assessment Area) Just outside the boundary of Assessment Area in Tai Ho	+	+	Abundant	(2), (11)
90	Mangrove Skimmer Orthetrum poecilops	IUCN (2015): vulnerable Fellowes et al. (2002): GC	Tai Ho		+	Uncommon	NGO
Horseshoe Crabs
91	Tachypleus tridentatus*	China Species Red List: Endangered	San Tau, Tung Chung Bay, and Tai Ho Wan	+	+	Uncommon	(3) , (6), (11)
92	Carcinoscorpius rotundicauda*	China Species Red List: Vulnerable	San Tau, Tung Chung Bay, and Tai Ho Wan.	+	+	Uncommon	(3) , (6), (10), (11)
Corals
93	Echinomuricea sp.	Nil	Sham Wat to San Shek Wan; east of Chek Lap Kok; Northeast and southeast shores of Airport Island	+		Common in Hong Kong Waters (AFCD 2004)	(4), (5)
94	Balanophyllia sp.	Cap 586	Sham Wat to San Shek Wan; east of Chek Lap Kok; Northeast shore of Airport Island	+		Common in Hong Kong Waters (AFCD 2004)	(4), (5)

Notes:

* Species stipulated in EIA Study Brief

Level of concern: LC = local concern, PRC = potential regional concern, RC = regional concern, GC = global concern; Letters in parentheses indicate that the assessment is on the basis of restrictedness in breeding and/or roosting sites rather than in general occurrence (Fellowes et al,.2002)

(1) Remaining Development in Tung Chung and Tai Ho Comprehensive Feasibility Study (1999)

(2) Tung Chung Road Improvement (EIA Register No: AEIAR-061/2002);

(3) Ngong Ping Cable Car (EIA Register No : AEIAR-074/2003);

(4) HZMB Hong Kong Link Road (EIA Register No: AEIAR-144/2009);

(5) HZMB Hong Kong Boundary Crossing Facilities (EIA Register No: AEIAR-145/2009);

(6) HZMB - TMCLKL (EIA Register No: AEIAR-146/2009).

(7) Hong Kong Biodiversity (AFCD newsletter)

(8) Encyclopaedia of Hong Kong Butterflies (Chan et al. 2012)

(9) Field Guide to Butterfly Watching in Hong Kong (Yiu 2004)

(10) Ecological and Conservation Importance of Tung Chung, Lantau (KFBG 2013)

(11) Expansion of Hong Kong International Airport into a Three-Runway System (Register No.: AEIAR-185/20

(12) Lin (2001)

(13) Shek and Chan (2006)

9.4.8 Terrestrial Ecological Survey Results

Habitat & Vegetation Survey

9.4.8.1 Habitat types identified within the Assessment Area included secondary woodland, fung shui wood, plantation, shrubland/grassland, agricultural lands (dry active, orchard, dry abandoned, and wet abandoned), urbanized/disturbed/wasteland, watercourse, mangroves, reedbed, rocky shore, mudflat, seawall, and coastal waters (including water column and sub-tidal soft bottom seabed) (refers to Figure 9.4a to 9.4f and Table 9.3). Photos of habitats and plant species of conservation importance are presented in Appendix 9.1a.

9.4.8.2 A total of 496 plant species were recorded, 335 of which are native species (refers to Appendix 9.2). Nine plant species considered of conservation importance were recorded during the ecological field survey: Aquilaria sinensis, Pavetta hongkongensis, Cibotium barometz, Gmelina chinensis, Diospyros vaccinioides, Ligustrum punctifolium, Uvaria calamistrata, Zostera japonica and Halophila ovalis (refers to Figures 9.5a to 9.5c).

Table 9.3 Habitats recorded within the assessment area and TCW- PDA

Habitat	Approximate Size (ha)	Percentage (%)	Approximate Size (ha)
	Assessment Area		TCW PDA
Agricultural Land (Abandoned, Dry)	9.1	0.60	8.81
Agricultural Land (Abandoned, Wet)	3.41	0.22	3.41
Agricultural Land (Active, Dry)	8.62	0.56	3.07
Agricultural Land (Orchard)	31.16	2.04	30.11
Coastal Waters (Water Column)	536.39	35.15	0.24
Coastal Waters (Sub-tidal Soft Bottom Seabed)	Same as water column	Represented by water column	Same as water column
Fung Shui Wood	6.03	0.40	4.21
Mangrove	5.57	0.36	0.97
Mudflat	13.83	0.91	0.9
Plantation	34.57	2.27	2.78
Reedbed	1.06	0.07	0.63
Rocky Shore	0.23 (0.9 km)	0.01	0.02 (140m)
Sandy Shore	0.004 (20 m)	-	0.004 (20 m)
Artificial Seawall	11.24 (8.6 km)	0.74	0.17(120m)
Subtidal Hard Substrates (subtidal parts of seawalls and rocky shore)	8.6 + 0.9 = 9.5km	-	120 + 140 = 260m
Secondary Woodland (mature)	41.55	2.72	10.82
Secondary Woodland (young)	108.09	7.08	11.03
Shrubland/Grassland	362.1	23.73	17.24
Urbanised/Disturbed	340.56	22.32	30.85
Watercourse	12.56 (15.8 km)	0.82	3.56 (4.2 km)

9.4.8.3 Woodland was composed of secondary woodland and fung shui wood. In the Assessment Area, secondary woodland, survived from hillfire given its proximity to water or formed during succession from shrubland/grassland or abandoned agricultural lands, was found mainly along the foothills and ravines. Secondary woodland varied in ages and diversities, the boundaries of which are not well defined. In general, young woodlands in the Assessment Area are defined as those less than 30 year-old (not shown as woodland in 1982 aerial photo) and has lower canopy height (e.g. 5 – 8 m) with trees of smaller size, composed mainly by pioneer species and or with dense understorey with simple structure. It is developed from shrubland (e.g. woodland patches along coastal area near San Tau) or abandoned field (e.g. woodland at Fong Yuen) through natural succession, along streams (e.g. lower section of Tung Chung Stream) or small ravines (e.g. woodland on hillside between Tung Chung and Tai Ho) with relatively less substrate for growth, or spread among mature woodland due to heterogeneity in substrate or between grassland and mature woodland as a transition zone. Mature woodland, on the other hand, was about 30 years or older (shown in aerial photos dated 1982 and after) has taller canopy height (8-12m), well developed layers (canopy, mid and understorey) with more late successional species of larger size (e.g. along Shek Mun Kap Road, at Sheung Ling Pei, and at Ma Wan Chung headland (or Wong Nai Uk). Tree species including Pinus massoniana, Schefflera heptaphylla, Mallotus paniculatus, Rhus succedanea, Sterculia lanceolata, Daphniphyllum calycinum and Sapium sebiferum were found in the open canopy. Along the foothill or footpaths a variety of exotic tree species such as Acacia confusa and Casuarina equisetifolia were also recorded. Woodland also formed a continuous patch with the backshore vegetation composed of coastal trees and shrubs along the shore and stream estuary. Species recorded included Hibiscus tiliaceus and Pandanus tectorius. Species of conservation importance recorded in woodland included Aquilaria sinensis, Pavetta hongkongensis, Cibotium barometz, Uvaria calamistrata, Diospyros vaccinioides and Gmelina chinensis.

9.4.8.4 Aquilaria sinensis is protected under Cap. 586 in Hong Kong and is rather common in lowland forest and fung shui woods. It is also a Category II nationally protected species in China and is listed as vulnerable in the China Plant Red Data Book and by IUCN (2015). Mature trees, young trees, and seedlings of A. sinensis were fairly common within the Assessment Area during the ecological field survey. Many mature trees however were fell or damaged illegally due to collection of resin. Examples of sightings are shown in Figures 9.5a to 9.5c.

9.4.8.5 Pavetta hongkongensis is a shrub native to Hong Kong. It is a common woodland understorey species and is protected under the Forestry Regulations (Cap. 96A).

9.4.8.6 Cibotium barometz is a large tree-like fern native to China including Hong Kong. It is widely distributed and commonly found in Hong Kong, mainly along shrubby and forested valleys and forest margins. Its rhizomes can be used in herbal medicine. It is listed in Appendix 2 of CITES, which is devoted to species that are not necessarily currently threatened with extinction but that may become so unless trade is closely controlled. Colonies of Cibotium barometz were recorded along hillside of Shek Mun Kap Road and at ravine behind Mok Ka.

9.4.8.7 Uvaria calamistrata is not protected in Hong Kong but is a rare shrub species occurring in forest. An individual was recorded in woodland along the trail between Tung Chung and San Tau.

9.4.8.8 Diospyros vaccinioides is a shrub common in Hong Kong but listed as Critically Endangered (CR) in IUCN (2015). An individual is recorded in young woodland along Olympic Trail.

9.4.8.9 Gmelina chinensis is a tree locally rare but common on Lantau Island. It is not protected in Hong Kong, but is considered vulnerable in China and Recorded in Illustration of Rare & endangered plant in Guangdong Province. Individuals of G. chinensis were found in the woodland along Shek Mun Kap road and other areas.

9.4.8.10 Fung shui woods were mainly found behind the villages of Shek Mun Kap, Sheung Ling Pei, Mok Ka, Ngau Au-Tung Hing, Nam Che and Shek Lau Po. Aerial photos from 1945 and 1956 indicate these woodlands have been fairly woody since that date. During field surveys it was found that only fung shui wood at Sheung Ling Pei remained fairly intact probably due to its location which is less accessible. Other fung shui wood (e.g. Shek Mun Kap, Mok Ka) had more or less been cut back for village house construction and farming. Many mature Incense Trees were also fell or damaged possibly for the resin. Fung shui woods at Ngau Au-Tung Hing had the largest coverage but were less diverse and more secondary. A study of aerial photos in the 1970s showed a portion of this fung shui wood had been cleared apparently for farming, but trees regenerated after abandonment of farming. Nam Che and Shek Lau Po fung shui wood had the smallest footprint and least diverse. During the ecological survey it was found that only isolated small stands of fung shui trees consisting mainly of figs and fruit trees remained at Shek Lau Po, which is therefore not classified as Fung Shui Wood in the present Study. Fung shui woods in the assessment area had a canopy of 12 to 20 m in height. Dominant canopy species varied among different fung shui woods, including Cleistocalyx operculata, Syzygium jambos, Bischofia javanica, Aporusa dioica, Aquilaria sinensis, and Endospermum chinense. A variety of tree and shrub species, including Psychotria asiatica, Desmos chinensis, Sterculia lanceolata, Sarcandra glabra, Ardisia quinquegona, Uvaria microcarpa, Maesa perlarius and Glycosmis parviflora colonised the understorey. Species of conservation importance recorded in fung shui woods included Aquilaria sinensis, and Pavetta hongkongensis.

9.4.8.11 Plantation was mainly found on engineered slopes along Shun Tung Road, North Lantau Highway, Yu Tung Court and along Tung Chung Road north of Shek Mun Kap Road. Canopy species were dominated by Acacia confusa and Casuarina equisetifolia. Other trees recorded in the canopy included Macaranga tanarius, Mallotus paniculatus, and Celtis sinensis. The understorey of the plantation included Microcos paniculata, Breynia fruticosa, Blechnum orientale, and Litsea rotundifolia. An individual of Gmelina chinensis was recorded in the plantation at Yu Tung Court.

9.4.8.12 Shrubland-grassland was the dominant habitat on hillsides of the Assessment Area. It was subject to frequent fire and was composed of mainly of common species including Rhodomyrtus tomentosa, Baeckea frutescens, Miscanthus spp., and Dicranopteris pedata. Ravines in shrubland-grassland and woodland habitat are also subject to frequent vegetation clearance probably for mosquito control. One individual of plant species of conservation importance, Gmelina chinensis, was recorded within the works area of the proposed Service Reservoirs in this habitat.

9.4.8.13 Agricultural lands (active and abandoned) dominated the Tung Chung valley within the assessment area. Active agricultural land included dry vegetable farms, community/organic farms and orchards. A variety of crops including vegetables, fruit trees and flowers were cultivated. Most orchards were densely planted with fruit trees including longan, litchi and wongpei and appeared to be managed (e.g. clearance of understorey vegetation), although little fruit production was seen during the surveys. The dry abandoned agricultural land consisted of remnants of crops and were also colonised by common weeds and herbs. Some abandoned agricultural lands were reverted to active during the current surveys. Other than a seedling of Aquilaria sinensis observed in an orchard near Hau Wong Temple, no plant species of conservation importance was recorded in this habitat.

9.4.8.14 Within the Assessment Area, wet abandoned agricultural land was found in a strip of land at Fong Yuen in between Tung Chung Stream eastern branch and Tung Chung Road. In terms of species composition, the vegetation consisted of a mixture of plant species adopted to wet places (e.g. Leersia hexandra, Melastoma candidum, Cyclosorus interruptus, Ludwigia perennis), weeds (e.g. Mikania micrantha, Panicum maximum), remnants of crops (e.g. Colocasia esculenta, Eleocharis dulcis, Hedychium coronarium), and pioneer tree species (e.g. Bridelia tomentosa, Glochidion zeylanicum).

9.4.8.15 The middle section of Fong Yuen has similar species composition as the wet abandoned agricultural land to the north, except that it is less disturbed and fairly intact. Small stands of Leersia hexandra and abandoned Litchi trees were also found in the middle section. The southern section of Fong Yuen was an abandoned ginger lily field but recently disturbed by earthwork. Vegetation has been cleared.

9.4.8.16 Roads, highways, villages, residential area, wasteland, construction sites and recreation area constituted urbanised/disturbed habitat. Plant species recorded were mainly composed of landscape species and roadside plantation. A plant species of conservation importance was recorded, i.e. Gmelina chinensis. Two individuals of Gmelina chinensis was seen, one on an engineering slope along Olympic Trail and another near roadside near Tai Ho. Another protected species, Rhododendron simsii were commonly seen in the planters along the waterfront near Tung Chung Cable Car Terminal. The genus of Rhododendron is protected under Forestry Regulations. R. simsii is common in the wild and widely planted as landscape species as well. It was mixed-planted with other Rhododendron spp. in the area. Since the plant seen was cultivated it was not listed in plant species of conservation importance in the current study. Corydalis racemosa is a very rare herb only seen near Hau Wong Temple previously (CFS 1999). A few individuals were seen along the roadside and in the planter of the recreation area near Hau Wong Temple. Since C. racemosa is not protected in Hong Kong or in China, its occurrence appeared to be very sporadic and it is weedy/ruderal in nature, it is not included in the plant species of conservation importance.

9.4.8.17 Lower course of two major watercourses, Tung Chung Stream and Wong Lung Hang Stream lied within the Assessment Area. The stream channel and backshore vegetation of Tung Chung Stream were intact from the mouth to about 300 m upstream, where the east and west branches join together. Upstream from this joint, about 600m of the east branch of Tung Chung Stream was channelized; only weedy vegetation colonised on the concrete channel banks and channel bed. Further upstream to the channelized section, the upper section of the east branch was found to be in good condition. The west branch of Tung Chung Stream, though affected by weirs and adjacent agricultural use, was basically intact. Plant species recorded along the natural stream sections included Cleistocalyx operculata, Ficus hispida, Sterculia lanceolata, Microstegium ciliatum, and Phragmites karka. The section of Wong Lung Hang Stream within the Assessment Area was largely channelized, with the exception at the estuary which is lined with mangrove and mudflat. No species of conservation importance was recorded, except that a few patches of Leersia hexandra (larval foodplant of the rare butterfly species Jhora Scrub Hopper) was found along Tung Chung Stream near the middle section of wet abandoned agricultural land at Fong Yuen.

9.4.8.18 Mangrove, reedbed, mudflat and seagrass beds occupied the intertidal zone of Tung Chung Bay. The largest mangrove stand was located to the west of Tung Chung Stream estuary, while a few stands of reedbed were also found along the fringe of the mangrove stand behind. A variety of mangrove and mangrove associated species including Kandelia obovata, Bruguiera gymnorhiza, Aegiceras corniculatum, Phragmites australis, Excoecaria agallocha, and Clerodendrum inerme were recorded. Backshore vegetation along the high tide mark included Zoysia sinica, Suaeda australis, Limonium sinensis and Sesuvium portulacastrum. Zoysia sinica is a grass commonly recorded at coastal area locally, but is listed in the Rare and Precious Plant of Hong Kong and is ranked as “Vulnerable” in China. A few individuals of another plant species of conservation importance, Ligustrum punctifolium, were recorded at the mangrove stand near Tung Chung Stream estuary. L. punctifolium is not protected locally, but is considered very rare and found at coastal habitats. Other known locations include Sam A Chung. Two rare seagrass species, Zostera japonica and Halophila ovalis, were recorded on the mudflat in front of the mangrove at San Tau Beach SSSI. Other known locations of these two seagrasses include Lai Chi Wo.

9.4.8.19 Both natural (rocky and remaining sandy) and artificial (seawalls) coastlines occurred within the Assessment Area. Natural coastline was mainly found on the west side of Tung Chung Bay and inside Tai Ho Wan. It was lined with mangroves and mudflats in the intertidal zone and colonised with backshore woodland on the landward side. The coastline of the existing Tung Chung New Town and to the opposite of Scenic Hill is modified and lined with seawall. Species recorded are mostly ruderal species or weeds including Lantana camara and Bidens alba. Pioneer trees such as Celtis sinensis and Ficus microcarpa occasionally colonised in the crevices.

9.4.8.20 Coastal waters (including water column and sub-tidal soft bottom seabed) occupy the largest area sizes within the 500m assessment area among all the habitat types as the two PDAs and Road P1 are located adjacent to coastlines or on coastal waters. For TCE PDA and Road P1, they are proposed reclamations adjacent to existing artificial seawall, and thus their footprint and further seaward are all coastal waters habitat, which are part of the North Lantau waters characterized by the estuarine nature under Pearl River influences. For the TCW PDA, its northern boundary follows the coastline of Tung Chung Bay, and thus also includes coastal waters habitat within its 500m distance.

Terrestrial Mammal Survey

9.4.8.21 Nine species of mammal were recorded in the Assessment Area (Appendix 9.3). Two species are considered of conservation importance, including Japanese Pipistrelle and Short-nosed Fruit Bat Cynopterus sphinx.

9.4.8.22 Both Japanese Pipistrelle and Short-nosed Fruit Bat are protected under Cap. 170. Short-nosed Fruit Bat is considered of “local concern” by Fellowes et al. (2002).

9.4.8.23 Japanese Pipistrelles were recorded in woodland, urbanized/disturbed, orchards, dry agricultural land (abandoned and active) and watercourses within the TCW PDA, woodland and mangroves outside Project Area. Short-nosed Fruit Bat was recorded in stream near Mok Ka within the TCW PDA. Both Japanese Pipistrelle and Short-nosed Fruit Bat are very common in Hong Kong, and occurs in many types of habitats in Hong Kong (Shek 2006).

Avifauna Survey

9.4.8.24 A total of 104 species of bird have been recorded within and near the Assessment Area (Appendix 9.4). The recorded species included inhabitants of coastal habitats (e.g., Pacific Reef Heron Egretta sacra), open areas (e.g., Long-tailed Shrike Lanius schach, Crested Myna Acridotheres cristatellus) and woodland habitats (e.g., Common Emerald Dove Chalacophaps indica).

9.4.8.25 Breeding records within the Assessment Area included observations of juveniles of Chinese Bulbul Pycnonotus sinensis, Red-whiskered Bulbul Pycnonotus jocosus, Common Tailorbird Orthotomus sutorius, Cinereous Tit Parus cinereus, Masked Laughingthrush Garrulax perspicillatus, Yellow-bellied Prinia Prinia flaviventris, Zitting Cisticola Cisticola juncidis, Crested Myna Acridotheres cristatellus, Black-necked Starling Gracupica nigricollis, Eurasian Magpie Pica pica and Spotted Munia Lonchura punctulata. All except Zitting Cisticola are considered of low conservation importance. Zitting Cisticola is considered of “local concern” by Fellowes et al. (2002). Juveniles of Zitting Cisticola were sighted on seawalls in Tai Ho.

9.4.8.26 Species richness of bird was moderate in woodland, abandoned agricultural land and orchard, low to moderate in urbanized/disturbed, and low in other types of habitats. Abundance of bird was moderate to high in mature woodland, moderate in fung shui wood, abandoned agricultural land, orchard and urbanized/disturbed, low to moderate in stream, and low in other types of habitats including young woodland.

9.4.8.27 Thirty-eight species are considered of conservation importance. Most bird species of conservation importance were recorded from mangroves, mudflat, and older woodland along the footpath to San Tau and near Shek Mun Kap. Locations where those species considered relevant to the Project were recorded are shown in Figures 9.6a and 9.6b. Observations of these species within the Assessment Area are discussed in the following sections. The general habitat uses of these species in Hong Kong are also discussed.

9.4.8.28 Eight species of ardeids recorded in the Assessment Area were considered of conservation importance. These included Little Egret Egretta garzetta, Pacific Reef Heron Egretta sacra, Grey Heron Ardea cinerea, Great Egret Ardea alba, Chinese Pond Heron Ardeola bacchus, Black-crowned Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorx, Striated Heron Butorides striatus and Yellow Bittern Ixobrychus chinensis. Abundance of these ardeid species observed in the Assessment Area was not high in Hong Kong context.

9.4.8.29 Ardeids are usually colonial nesting birds. No nesting colony was identified within the Assessment Area during the surveys. No active egretry was reported in Lantau Island between 2012 and 2014 (Anon 2012, 2013, 2014). No major flight path was observed in the Tung Chung Valley or in the coastal waters in TCE PDA. Ocassional flying ardeids mostly flew above the Tung Chung Bay and along the downstream section of Tung Chung Stream.

9.4.8.30 Little Egret is considered of “potential regional concern” (Fellowes et al. 2002). Little Egret occurs in lowland wetland and coastal areas throughout Hong Kong (Carey et al. 2001). This species was recorded in orchard, watercourses and reedbed within the TCW PDA, and found in seawall in TCE PDA. Little Egret was also urbanised/disturbed, mudflat, mangroves and watercourses outside the Project Area. However, higher numbers of Little Egrets were recorded in mudflat, mangroves and stream. A flock of 75 Little Egrets, with 20 Great Egrets, roosted in trees near the estuary of Tung Chung Stream outside the Project Area in July 2012, but was not observed at the same location again during the study. A flock of 30 Little Egrets also roosted in mangroves near the pier of San Tau outside the Assessment Area in August 2012. Other sightings in the Assessment Area were mostly solitary birds.

9.4.8.31 Pacific Reef Heron is Class 2 Protected Animal of China (Wang 1998). This species usually occurs in rocky shores in Hong Kong (Carey et al. 2001). Pacific Reef Heron were recorded on seawall within the footprint of Road P1, and mudflat and mangroves outside the Project Area during the surveys. Utilisation of seawall by this species was considered very low.

9.4.8.32 Grey Heron is considered of “potential regional concern” (Fellowes et al. 2002). In Hong Kong, Grey Heron occurs mainly in Deep Bay, where they forage in inter-tidal, fish ponds and gei wais (Carey et al. 2001). This species was present in low numbers in watercourse, mudflat and mangroves outside the Project Area.

9.4.8.33 Great Egret is considered of “potential regional concern” (Fellowes et al. 2002). In Hong Kong, records of Great Egret mainly come from wetland habitats in Mai Po, Inner Deep Bay, Starling Inlet and Shuen Wan (Carey et al. 2001). This species was present in low numbers in watercourse, mudflat and mangroves within the TCW PDA.

9.4.8.34 Chinese Pond Heron is considered of “potential regional concern” (Fellowes et al. 2002). Chinese Pond Heron occurs in many types of wetland habitats in Hong Kong (Carey et al. 2001). This species was present in low numbers in orchard, urbanised/disturbed, watercourse, and active agricultural land within the TCW PDA, and mangroves, and mudflat outside the Project Area.

9.4.8.35 Black-crowned Night Heron, Striated Heron and Yellow Bittern were present in low numbers within the Assessment Area. Black-crowned Night Heron was found in orchard, dry abandoned agricultural land within the TCW PDA, and watercourse, mangroves and mudflat outside the Project Area. Striated Heron was recorded in watercourse and mudflat outside the Project Area during the study. Yellow Bittern was found in urbanised/disturbed within the TCW PDA and mudflat outside the Project Area. Black-crowned Night Heron occurs in many types of wetland habitats in Hong Kong (Viney et al. 2005). Striated Heron is usually found in mangroves and streams in wooded area (ibid.). Yellow Bittern is mainly found in reed marsh and mangroves (Carey et al. 2001).

9.4.8.36 Other waterbird species recorded within the Assessment Area included Little Ringed Plover Charadrius dubius, White-throated Kingfisher Halcyon smyrnensis and Black-capped Kingfisher Halcyon pileata. Breeding/roosting sites of these three species were all considered of “local concern” by Fellowes et al. (2002), but no breeding of these species was observed within the Assessment Area. All three species were recorded in mudflat of the estuary of Tung Chung Stream outside the Project Area. Black-capped Kingfishers were also recorded in downstream section of Tung Chung Stream and mangroves in the estuary of Tung Chung Stream and Tai Ho Wan outside the Project Area.

9.4.8.37 Nine species of raptors recorded within the Assessment Area are considered of conservation importance. These were Black Kite Milvus migrans, Eastern Buzzard Buteo buteo, Crested Serpent Eagle Spilornis cheela, Bonelli’s Eagle Aquila fasciatus, Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus, Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus, Eurasian Hobby Falco subbuteo, Crested Goshawk Accipiter trivirgatus and Chinese Sparrowhawk Accipiter soloensis. All these species are Class 2 Protected Animal of China (Gao 2002). All except Peregrine Falcon are listed in Appendix 2 of CITES. Peregrine Falcon is listed in Appendix 1 of CITES. Peregrine Falcon is considered as “local concern” by Fellowes et al. (2002), while Bonellis’ Eagle is “regional concern”. Breeding/roosting sites of Black Kite is considered as “regional concern”, while those of Crested Serpent Eagle and Eurasian Hobby are considered of “local concern”.

9.4.8.38 Black Kite was recorded inin mangroves and dry abandoned agricultural land in the TCW PDA, and found in mudflat, woodland, urbanised/disturbed and shrubland/grassland outside the Project Area. Eastern Buzzard was recorded in dry abandoned agricultural land, woodland and urbanised/disturbed in the TCE PDA, and in mangroves, reedbed, woodland, urbanised/disturbed and shrubland/grassland outside the Project Area. These two species indeed are known to occur in many types of habitats in Hong Kong (Carey et al. 2001).

9.4.8.39 Peregrine Falcon, Bonelli’s Eagle, Common Kestrel and Eurasian Hobby were only recorded once within the Assessment Area. Bonelli’s Eagle was observed soaring above mangroves in Tung Chung Bay outside the Project Area. Peregrine Falcon was recorded in urbanized/disturbed habitat in the TCW PDA, while and Eurasian Hobby were recorded from shrubland/grassland outside the Project Area. Common Kestrel was recorded in urbanised/disturbed within the works area of service reservoirs and shrubland/grassland outside the Project Area. In Hong Kong, Peregrine Falcon and Common Kestrel are reported from many types of habitats from widespread locations (Carey et al. 2001). Eurasian Hobby is usually found in open country on passage, and associated with lightly wooded areas in other times of the year (Viney et al. 2005).

9.4.8.40 Chinese Sparrowhawk and Crested Goshawk recorded in mature woodland near Shek Mun Kap within the TCW PDA. Crested Serpent Eagles were recorded in shrubland/grassland within the TCW PDA woodland outside Project Area. In Hong Kong, Crested Goshawk and Crested Serpent Eagle are usually sighted in well-wooded areas (Carey et al. 2001). Most sightings of Chinese Sparrowhawk came from lightly-wooded hillsides and marshes in widespread locations of the New Territories (ibid.).

9.4.8.41 The other bird species of conservation importance included Collared Scops Owl Otus lettia, Eurasian Eagle Owl Bubo bubo, Common Emerald Dove Chalcophaps indica, Greater Coucal Centropus sinensis, Grey-chinned Minivet Pericrocotus solaris, Black-winged Cuckoo-shrike Coracina melaschistos, Verditer Flycatcher Eumyias thalassinus, Zitting Cisticola Cisticola juncidis, Fire-breasted Flowerpecker Dicaeum ignipectus, Striated Yuhina Yuhina castaniceps, Red-billed Leiothrix Leiothrix lutea, Ashy Drongo Dicrurus leucophaeus, White-shouldered Starling Sturnus sinensis, Red-billed Starling Spodiopsar sericeus, Chinese Hwamei Garrulax canorus and Collared Crow Corvus torquatus.

9.4.8.42 Collared Scops Owl is Class 2 Protected Animal of China and listed in Appendix 2 of CITES. This species was recorded in woodland within the TCW PDA and shrubland/grassland outside the Project Area. Collared Scops Owl utilizes a variety of wooded habitats (e.g., fung shui woods, shrubland with scattered big trees) in Hong Kong (Carey et al. 2001).

9.4.8.43 Eurasian Eagle Owl is Class 2 Protected Animal of China and listed in Appendix 2 of CITES, and is a rare resident in Hong Kong. This species was recorded from shrubland/grassland near Wang Lung Hang outside the Project Area. Eurasian Eagle Owl utilises poorly-vegetated boulder-strewn hillsides with grass, low shrubland or scattered pines (Carey et al. 2001).

9.4.8.44 Common Emerald Dove is rare in Hong Kong (Viney et al. 2005) and considered as “vulnerable” by China Red Data Book (Wang 1998). This species was found in orchard and woodland within the TCW PDA, and woodland outside the Project Area. Common Emerald Dove is found in a variety of wooded habitats in Hong Kong (Carey et al. 2001).

9.4.8.45 Grey-chinned Minivet is considered of “local concern” (Fellowes et al. 2002). This species was present in low numbers in woodland and watercourse outside the Project Area. Grey-chinned Minivet occurs almost exclusively in forested areas in Hong Kong (Carey et al. 2001).

9.4.8.46 Black-winged Cuckooshrike is rare in Hong Kong (Viney et al. 2005). Two birds were recorded in urbanized/disturbed within the TCW PDA. Black-winged Cuckoo-shrike is usually found in areas with some trees (Carey et al. 2001).

9.4.8.47 Chestnut-collared Yuhina is rare in Hong Kong (Viney et al. 2005) and considered of “local concern” by Fellowes et al. (2002). A flock of 22 birds were recorded in orchard within the TCW PDA. Most records of Chestnut-collared Yuhina in Hong Kong come from closed-canopy shrubland (Carey et al. 2001).

9.4.8.48 Fire-breasted Flowerpecker is rare in Hong Kong (Viney et al. 2005) and mainly found in woodland in Hong Kong (Carey et al. 2001). Three birds were recorded in urbanized/disturbed and woodland outside the Project Area.

9.4.8.49 Ashy Drongo is rare in Hong Kong (Viney et al. 2005) and considered of “local concern” by Fellowes et al. (2002). One bird was sighted in woodland along the footpath to San Tau outside the Project Area. In Hong Kong, this species is primarily found in areas with large trees, e.g., fung shui woods (Carey et al. 2001).

9.4.8.50 Recently fledged juveniles of Zitting Cisticola were sighted on seawall habitat in Tai Ho outside the TCE PDA. In Hong Kong, this species is found in open areas with long grasses (Carey et al. 2001).

9.4.8.51 Greater Coucal is Class 2 Protected Animal of China and occurs in many types of habitats in Hong Kong (Carey et al. 2001). This species was found in orchard, dry abandoned agricultural land, active agricultural land and urbanised/disturbed in the TCW PDA, and found in woodland and shrubland/grassland outside the Project Area.

9.4.8.52 White-shouldered Starling is considered of “local concern” in terms of breeding/roosting sites by Fellowes et al. (2002). Low numbers of White-shouldered Starlings were recorded in dry abandoned agricultural land in the TCW PDA and mudflat and mangroves outside the Project Area. This species is mainly found in open areas in Hong Kong (Viney et al. 2005).

9.4.8.53 Red-billed Starling is considered of “global concern” in terms of breeding/roosting sites by Fellowes et al. (2002). One bird was recorded in woodland near Ma Wan Chung within the TCW PDA. This species is mainly recorded from the Deep Bay Area in Hong Kong (Carey et al. 2001).

9.4.8.54 Chinese Hwamei was recorded in urbanised/disturbedoutside the Project Area. Chinese Hwamei mainly occurs in shrubland in Hong Kong (Carey et al. 2001).

9.4.8.55 Black-naped Oriole is considered of “local concern” by Fellowes et al. (2002). This species was recorded in orchard and plantation in the TCW PDA and woodland outside the Project Area. In Hong Kong, Black-naped Oriole is usually found in open areas with some big trees (Carey et al. 2001).

9.4.8.56 Collared Crow is considered of “local concern” by Fellowes et al. (2002). Four birds were recorded from orchard within the TCW PDA, mudflat and woodland orchard outside the Project Area. Collared Crow is usually recorded in areas near coastline in Hong Kong (Carey et al. 2001).

9.4.8.57 Verditer Flycatcher, Red-billed Leiothrix and Rufous-capped Babbler were recorded outside the Assessment Area, in woodland south of Lo Hon Monastery. Both Red-billed Leiothrix and Rufous-capped Babbler are considered of captive origin in Hong Kong (Carey et al. 2001).

9.4.8.58 Chinese Egret was stipulated in the EIA Study Brief. Potential habitats (e.g., mangroves, mudflat) of this species within and outside the Assessment Area and locations where this species was previously recorded were surveyed during the present study. However, Chinese Egret was not recorded.

9.4.8.59 The Chinese Egret is a rare spring migrant and mainly occurs in the Deep Bay Area. A review of records of Chinese Egrets between 1983 and 2012 (Turnbull et al. 2004, 2007, Carey et al. 2001, 2009, 2010, 2011, Welch 2012, 2013a, 2013b) showed that this species was mainly recorded in Mai Po. In Tung Chung area, only one record of Chinese Egret was reported by previous EIA studies from the areas covered by the Assessment Area of the present study. This species was not recorded in the ecological surveys of the 3RS EIA, which were conducted between September 2012 and September 2013, about the similar time period of ecological surveys of the present EIA. This showed that utilisation of the coastal habitats in Tung Chung by Chinese Egret might be very low, and is in line with the present survey findings.

Herpetofauna Survey

9.4.8.60 Eighteen species of reptile have been recorded within the Assessment Area (Appendix 9.5). Five species are considered of conservation importance. These are Tokay Gecko Gekko gecko, Copperhead Racer, Coelognathus radiatus, Common Rat Snake Ptyas mucosus, Chinese Cobra Naja atra and Mountain Water Snake Sinonatrix percarinata. Observations of these species are discussed in the following sections. The general habitat uses of these species in Hong Kong are also discussed.

9.4.8.61 Tokay Gecko is Class 2 Protected Animal of China. This species is considered “endangered” in China Red Data Book and ranked as “regional concern” by Fellowes et al. (2002). Tokay Gecko was recorded in ravine woodland in Wong Lung Hang Stream outside the Project Area. In Hong Kong, this species is usually found inside rocky cliffs or boulder piles surrounded by thick bush or forest (Karsen et al. 1998). These habitats are not common within the Assessment Area.

9.4.8.62 Copperhead Racer is considered “endangered” in China Red Data Book and ranked as “potential regional concern” by Fellowes et al. (2002). This species was recorded in grassland/shrubland outside the Project Area. In Hong Kong, Copperhead Racer is common in open dry and rocky habitats of mixed grassland and shrubland (Karsen et al. 1998).

9.4.8.63 Common Rat Snake is listed in Appendix 2 of CITES, considered “endangered” in China Red Data Book, and ranked as “potential regional concern” by Fellowes et al. (2002). Common Rat Snake was recorded in orchard in the TCW PDA. In Hong Kong, Common Rat Snake occurs in a variety of habitats, including agricultural land, shrubland, grassland, around ponds and reservoirs (Karsen et al. 1998).

9.4.8.64 Chinese Cobra was recorded in orchard in the TCW PDA. This species is listed in Appendix 2 of CITES and is considered “vulnerable” in China Red Data Book. In Hong Kong, Chinese Cobra occurs in a wide variety of habitats including woodland, shrubland, grassland and mangroves (Chan et al. 2006).

9.4.8.65 Mountain Water Snake was recorded in woodland near Shek Mun Kap in the TCW PDA. This species is uncommon (Karsen et al. 1998) and considered of “local concern” (Fellowes et al. 2002). Mountain Water Snake inhabits moderate to steep hill and mountain streams that have small waterfalls, large pools of varying depth and moderate to fast flows (Karsen et al. 1998).

9.4.8.66 Ten species of amphibian have been recorded within the Assessment Area (Appendix 9.6). Four species are considered of conservation importance. These are Chinese Bullfrog Hoplobatrachus chinensis, Lesser Spiny Frog Paa exilispinosa, Hong Kong Newt Paramesotriton hongkongensis and Romer’s Tree Frog Liuixalus romeri. Locations where these species were recorded are shown in Figure 9.6a and 9.6b. Observations and general habitat uses of these species are discussed in the following sections. One amphibian species of conservation importance, Short-legged Toad Xenophrys brachykolos, was recorded outside the Assessment Area.

9.4.8.67 Lesser Spiny Frog is classified as “vulnerable” in IUCN (2015), and considered of “potential global concern” by Fellowes et al. (2002). This species was found in watercourses outside Project Area. Tadpoles of this species were found in Wong Lung Hang Stream outside the Project Area. In Hong Kong, Lesser Spiny Frog is mainly found in and near hill streams (Chan et al. 2005).

9.4.8.68 Chinese Bullfrog is Class 2 Protected Animal of China, and considered of “potential regional concern” by Fellowes et al. (2002). This species was found in ditches in orchard within the TCW PDA and woodland outside the Project Area. Chinese Bullfrog is a lowland species and mainly occurs in agricultural land, ponds, streams and marshes in Hong Kong (Chan et al. 2005).

9.4.8.69 Hong Kong Newt is protected under Cap. 170, ranked as “near-threatened” in IUCN (2015) and considered of “potential global concern” by Fellowes et al. (2002). The sections of Tung Chung Stream within the Assessment Area were searched but no Hong Kong Newt was found. This species was also not found within the Assessment Area during the surveys conducted by KFBG in 2011 and 2012. This showed that Hong Kong Newt might be absent or present in very low abundance in the sections of Tung Chung Stream within the Assessment Area. However, Hong Kong Newt was found in Wong Lung Hang Stream. In Hong Kong, Hong Kong Newt is found in natural mountain streams with clear water, large boulders and vegetated areas (Chan et al. 2005).

9.4.8.70 Romer’s Tree Frog is protected under Cap. 170, ranked as “endangered” in IUCN (2015) and considered of “potential global concern” by Fellowes et al. (2002). This species is endemic to Hong Kong. Romer’s Tree Frogs were mainly found in orchard within the TCW PDA. This species was also found in woodland and urbanised/disturbed in the TCW PDA, and woodland outside the Project Area. In Hong Kong, Romer’s Tree Frog breeds in shaded, still or slow-flowing waters with no fish and low in nutrient content (Chan et al. 2005). Non-breeding individuals are found in forest and plantation (ibid).

9.4.8.71 South China Cascade Frog was not recorded during the surveys. This species was also not recorded within the Assessment Area during the contemporary surveys conducted for the 3RS EIA. Short-legged Toad was recorded outside the Assessment Area during the surveys.

9.4.8.72 The locations where South China Cascade Frogs were recorded from reviewed literatures included Tei Tong Tsai, Pak Kung Au and a stream near Shek Pik Reservoir (Tang 2010), and all these sites are outside the Assessment Area. South China Cascade Frog was also not found within the Assessment Area during the surveys conducted by KFBG in 2011 and 2012. In fact, the altitude of the location of South China Cascade Frog found in Tei Tong Tsai was 270m. This frog might mainly inhabit the upstream sections of Tung Chung Stream, and might be absent or present in very low abundance in the sections of Tung Chung Stream within the Assessment Area. This might be the reason of no observation of this species during the present study. However, this species will be taken into account during the impact assessment.

9.4.8.73 Short-legged Toad is known to be more widely distributed in Southern Lantau, and with only a few records in Northern Lantau (Chan et al. 2005). This species was recorded by mating calls by KFBG near Shek Mun Kap (EAP 2013). Short-legged Toad was not recorded within the Assessment Area in the present study. However, the calls of this species were heard in woodland outside the Assessment Area. Short-legged Toad might only be present in very low abundance within the Assessment Area. This might be the reason of low frequency of recording within the Assessment Area. However, this species will be taken into account during the impact assessment.

Butterflies Surveys

9.4.8.74 A total of 102 species of butterfly were recorded within the Assessment Area (Appendix 9.7).

9.4.8.75 Species richness of butterfly was moderate in woodland. Older woodlands along the footpath from Hau Wang Temple to San Tau and along the Shek Mun Kap Road, which are part of the San Tau and Shek Mun Kap butterfly hotspots respectively, support more butterfly species than younger woodlands in the Assessment Area. Species richness was low to moderate in abandoned agricultural land and orchard, and low in other types of habitats. Abundance of butterfly was moderate to high in mature woodland and fung shui wood, moderate in abandoned agricultural land and orchard, and low to moderate in stream and active agricultural land, and low in other types of habitats including young woodland.

9.4.8.76 Fourteen species are considered of conservation importance. These were Jhora Scrub Hopper Aeromachus jhora, Oriental Straight Swift Parnara bada, Great Swift Pelopidas assamensis, Grass Demon Udaspes folus, Powdered Oak Blue Arhopala bazalus, Lesser Forest Blue Taraka hamada, White Royal Pratapa deva, Forget-me-not Catochrysops strabo, Danaid Eggfly Hypolimnas misippus, Metallic Cerulean Jamides alecto, Pale Palm Dart Telicota colon, Orange Punch Dodona egeon, Painted Lady Vanessa cardui and Chestnut Tiger Parantica sita. Locations where those species considered relevant to the Project were recorded are shown in Figure 9.6a & 9.6b. Observations of these species are discussed in the following sections. General habitat uses of these species in Hong Kong are also discussed.

9.4.8.77 Jhora Scrub Hopper is rare in Hong Kong. This species was first recorded in Hong Kong in 2009, but was considered previously confused with a closely related species Pigmy Scrub Hopper Aeromachus pygmaeus. Jhora Scrub Hoppers were regularly recorded in the eastern branch of Tung Chung Stream and an area of wet abandoned agricultural land (immediately to the east of the eastern branch and to the north of the “Fong Yuen Marsh” described in the Tung Chung Road EIA study) in the TCW PDA during the surveys. Abundance was higher in section of eastern branch of Tung Chung Stream heavily covered by emergent plants. The larval foodplant of Jhora Scrub Hopper – Leersia hexandra – was also found along the stream course, in the same wet abandoned agricultural land, as well as its vicinity including other abandoned agricultural lands to the north. Though Jhora Scrub Hopper is a very rare butterfly species in Hong Kong, the host plant Leersia hexandra which is usually found in stream and wetland habitats, is however considered common in Hong Kong (Xing et al. 2000).

9.4.8.78 Oriental Straight Swift is rare in Hong Kong. Two individuals were recorded in woodland in Shek Mun Kap in the TCW PDA, where is considered as a butterfly hotspot. In Hong Kong, Oriental Straight Swift is found in secondary growths and agricultural lands (Bascombe et al. 1999).

9.4.8.79 Great Swift is rare in Hong Kong. One individual was recorded in woodland along the eastern branch of Tung Chung Stream in the TCW PDA. In Hong Kong, Great Swift is usually found in woodland (Yiu 2004).

9.4.8.80 Grass Demon is rare in Hong Kong. One individual was recorded in orchard near Hau Wang Temple in the TCW PDA. In Hong Kong, Grass Demon is usually found in open secondary growths and agricultural areas (Bascombe et al. 1999).

9.4.8.81 Powdered Oak Blue is rare in Hong Kong. One individual was recorded in orchard north of Shek Lau Po in the TCW PDA. In Hong Kong, Powdered Oak Blue usually occurs in woodland and well established secondary growth (Bascombe et al. 1999).

9.4.8.82 Lesser Forest Blue is rare in Hong Kong. One individual was recorded in woodland near the Tung Chung Outdoor Recreation Camp outside the Project Area. In Hong Kong, Lesser Forest Blue is usually found in woodland (Yiu 2004).

9.4.8.83 White Royal is very rare in Hong Kong. One individual was recorded in woodland near Chap Mun Tau in the TCW PDA. In Hong Kong, White Royal usually occurs in woodland and well established secondary growth at low elevation (Bascombe et al. 1999).

9.4.8.84 Forget-me-not is very rare in Hong Kong. One individual was recorded in active agricultural land near Lung Tseng Tau outside the Project Area. In Hong Kong, Forget-me-not usually occurs in low shrublands (Bascombe et al. 1999).

9.4.8.85 Danaid Eggfly is considered of “local concern” by Fellowes et al. (2002). One individual was recorded in dry abandoned agricultural land within the TCW PDA.

9.4.8.86 Metallic Cerulean is very rare in Hong Kong (Chan et al. 2011). One individual was found in woodland near Fong Yuen and Shek Mun Kap within the TCW PDA.

9.4.8.87 Pale Palm Dart is rare in Hong Kong (Chan et al. 2011). One individual was found in woodland near Shek Mun Kap within the TCW PDA.

9.4.8.88 Orange Punch is rare in Hong Kong, and considered of “local concern” by Fellowes et al. (2002). This species was recorded in orchard within the TCW PDA and woodland near San Tau outside the Project Area.

9.4.8.89 Painted Lady is rare in Hong Kong, and considered of “local concern” by Fellowes et al. (2002). This species was recorded in orchard within the TCW PDA and active agricultural land outside the Project Area.

9.4.8.90 Chestnut Tiger is rare in Hong Kong. One individual was recorded in woodland along the footpath to San Tau outside the Project Area. In Hong Kong, Chestnut Tiger is usually found in woodlands at low elevations (Bascombe et al. 1999).

9.4.8.91 Four species of butterflies, including Common Birdwing, Golden Birdwing, Peacock Royal and Oriental Striped Blue, were stipulated in the EIA Study Brief. Potential habitats of these species within and outside the Assessment Area were searched during the study. However, these species were not recorded during the surveys of the present study. These four species were also not recorded within the Assessment Area during the contemporary surveys conducted for the 3RS EIA.

9.4.8.92 The Oriental Striped Blue is very rare in Hong Kong (Chan et al. 2011). This species is only sporadically recorded in Hong Kong (Yiu 2004). Sampling effort was spent in localities where the larval foodplant of this species were found (e.g., San Tau, Hau Wang Temple). However, no Oriental Striped Blue was recorded. As suggested by the reviewed literatures (Yiu 2004), the abundance of this species may vary greatly inter-annually and may be low in some years, to which the lacking of record of this species in the present study might be attributed. The absence of record of the other three species in the Assessment Area might also be related to inter-annually fluctuations in populations.

Odonates Surveys

9.4.8.93 A total of 31 species of dragonfly were recorded within the Assessment Area (Appendix 9.8). All recorded species are very common or common in Hong Kong.

9.4.8.94 Species richness of dragonfly was low to moderate in natural section of watercourse and low in other types of habitats. Abundance of dragonfly was low to moderate in young woodland, natural section of watercourse, abandoned agricultural land and mangroves, very low in Fung Shui Woods, and low in other types of habitats.

9.4.8.95 Two of the recorded species are of conservation importance. These were Blue-spotted Dusk-hawker Gynacantha japonica and Emerald Cascader Zygonyx iris.

9.4.8.96 Blue-spotted Dusk-hawker was recorded in orchard near Sha Tsui Tau in the TCW PDA. This species is common in Hong Kong, and considered of “local concern” (Fellowes et al. 2002). Blue-spotted Dusk-hawker inhabits seasonal ponds at the edge of woodland (Tam et al. 2011).

9.4.8.97 Emerald Cascader was recorded in dry abandoned agricultural land near Shek Lau Po in the TCW PDA. This species is common in Hong Kong, and considered of “potential global concern” (Fellowes et al. 2002). Emerald Cascader inhabits waterfalls and fast-flowing streams in Hong Kong (Tam et al. 2011).

Freshwater and Estuarine Aquatic Assemblage Survey

9.4.8.98 A total of 68 fish species and 16 aquatic invertebreates were recorded in Tung Chung Stream and its estuary from the present survey (Appendices 9.9 and 9.11a). Eleven out of the 68 fish species are of conservation importance. These are Japanese Eel Anguilla japonica, Giant Mottled Eel Anguilla marmorata, Beijiang Thick-lipped Barb Acrossocheilus beijiangensis, Predaceous Chub Parazacco spilurus, Rice Fish Orizias curvinotus, Seaweed Pipefish Syngnathus schlegeli, Common Seahorse Hippocampus kuda, Crimson-tipped Flathead Gudgeon Butis melanostigma (= Butis butis), Mangrove Goby Hemigobius hoevenii, Spotty Band Goby Glossogobius olivaceus, and Archpatch Puffer Takifugu ocellatus. Among the aquatic invertebrates, a species of conservation importance Freshwater Crab Cryptopotamon anacoluthon was recorded. The sighting locations of these aquatic fauna species of conservation importance were shown in Figure 9.7a - c.

9.4.8.99 Japanese Eel and Giant Mottled Eel are both uncommon in Hong Kong, and both are regarded as Endangered in China Red Data Book. Japanese Eel is regarded as Endangered in IUCN (2015), but Giant Mottled Eel is regarded as Least Concern in IUCN (2015). Giant Mottled Eel is however considered a Species of conservation importance by AFCD database and Global Concern in Fellowes et al. (2000).

9.4.8.100 Beijiang Thick-lipped Barb is rare in Hong Kong, which records from reservoir catchments on Hong Kong Island and a few streams on Lantau Island. It is a “Global Concern” species according to Fellowes et al. (2002), and regarded as species of conservation importance according to AFCD assessment. It was abundant throughout the middle course and lower course of Tung Chung Stream.

9.4.8.101 Predaceous Chub, though common and widespread in Hong Kong and, occurring in most unpolluted hill streams in both upper and lower courses, its number is declining in Mainland China because of habitat loss and destructive fishing activities. This fish species is considered as “Vulnerable” in China (Lee et al. 2004). It was found abundant throughout the middle course and lower course of Tung Chung Stream.

9.4.8.102 Rice fish is uncommon in Hong Kong, and recorded from a few streams in North District, Sai Kung and on Lantau Island as well as some reservoirs in North District and Tuen Mun (Lee et al. 2004). This species is regarded as Global Concern by Fellowes et al. (2002) and a species of conservation importance according to AFCD Assessment. It was recorded in the estuary of Tung Chung Stream during the present study.

9.4.8.103 Seaweed pipefish was recorded in the estuary of Tung Chung Stream during the present survey. It is locally abundant in Hong Kong (Sadovy and Cornish 2000). It is usually common in estuaries and sheltered coastal shallow waters in association with Zostera and other vegetation and its status in IUCN (2015) is also reported as “Least concern”. Pipefish together with seahorse are however concerned by local Public recently. Juveniles of Seaweed Pipefish Syngnathus schlegeli, were reported in Tung Chung Bay during a survey conducted by local Public (Green Power 2012).

9.4.8.104 Common Seahorse was recorded in the estuary of Tung Chung Stream. In Hong Kong, common seahorse, although vulnerable to habitat destruction and to over-collection, is still occasionally found in shallow, sheltered areas of corals and boulders, primarily in eastern waters but also around man-made structures such as abandoned nets, pipes and shark nets (Sadovy and Cornish, 2000). Ocean Park Conservation Foundation, Hong Kong (OPCF) has been conducting seahorse survey in the eastern waters of Hong Kong since 2011 (OPCF 2012). From 31 sites visited during September 2011 and October 2012, six individual of Common Seahorse, comprising one male and five females, were recorded during the survey at two sites in Sai Kung waters. Besides, diver’s records also reported seahorses in 6 other sites in Hong Kong waters (ibid). It is listed in CITES Appendix 2 together with all other members of the same Genus (Hippocampus spp.), and thus the trading of all seashores (import or export) in Hong Kong are regulated by Cap 586. Common seahorse is also listed as “Vulnerable” in IUCN (2015), based on inferred declines of at least 30% caused by targeted catch, incidental capture, and habitat degradation.

9.4.8.105 Crimson-tipped Flathead Gudgeon are uncommon in Hong Kong, and listed in the EIA Study Brief. There are records from a few streams in Sai Kung and on Lantau Island. It is regarded as Least Concern in IUCN (2015).

9.4.8.106 Mangrove Goby can be found all over the Tung Chung Bay, but it is considered only be found in Lantau and regarded as “Rare” under AFCD assessment (AFCD 2015).

9.4.8.107 Spotty Band Goby Glossogobius olivaceusis is uncommon in Hong Kong (see AFCD biodiversity database), and listed in the EIA Study Brief, but it is quite abundant in the Tung Chung Stream estuary and considered as Least Concern in IUCN (2015).

9.4.8.108 Archpatch Puffer is considered “Rare” in Hong Kong (AFCD 2015), and their habitats are of local concern (Fellowes et al. 2000), but was not evaluated in IUCN (2015).

9.4.8.109 Freshwater Crab Cryptopotamon anacoluthon is an endemic crab in Hong Kong. It is regarded as Vulnerable in IUCN (2015). It was found near Mok Ka Village.

9.4.8.110 In Tai Ho, 53 species of fish and 3 species of crustacean were recorded from both the stream courses and the estuarine area (Appendix 9.10a). Eight species of fish were considered of conservation importance. Besides Japanese Eel Anguilla japonica,, Giant Marbled Eel Anguilla marmorata, Predaceous Chub Parazacco spilurus, Crimson-tipped Flathead Gudgeon Butis melanostigmas, Mangrove Goby Hemigobius hoevenii, Spotty Band Goby Glossogobius olivaceus, and Archpatch Puffer Takifugu ocellatus, which were also found in Tung Chung Stream, Ayu Plecoglossus altivelis was also recorded. Among the crustaceans, a Freshwater Crab Cryptopotamon anacoluthon was the species of conservation importance.

9.4.8.111 Ayu was first discovered from Hong Kong in Tai Ho Stream, which is the only site of occurrence of this species for Hong Kong or Guangdong (Dudgeon 1993). Declining populations of this species were reported locally, regionally and globally. This species is considered to be of immediate Regional Concern (Fellowes et al., 2002), listed as Vulnerable in China Red Data Book and species of conservation importance by AFCD Assessment. It was also recorded in Tai Ho during the EIA survey for Hong Kong - Zhuhai - Macao Bridge.

9.4.8.112 In the nearby Wong Lung Hang Stream, 15 fish species were recorded (Appendix 9.10b), including Beijiang Thick-lipped Barb and Predaceous Chub. A paradise fish Macropodus opercularis was also found in upper course of Wong Lung Hang, within the 500m Assessment Area. Paradise Fish is a primary freshwater fish which occurs in shallow waters, streams, paddy fields and ditches and is able to colonize stagnant water bodies with very low oxygen content. It is a common species, which records from many areas in Hong Kong.

9.4.8.113 Besides those fish species, 11 species / taxa of aquatic invertebrates were also recorded in Wong Lung Hang Stream by direct observation, active searching, and kick sampling (Appendix 9.10b). From the result of kick sampling (Appendices 9.11b and 9.11c), a total of 224 individuals from 7 taxa were collected in wet season and dry season, respectively. Caddisflies and True flies were the two dominant species found in kick sampling. No species of conservation importance of macroinvertebrates other than fishes was found in Wong Lung Hang Stream.

9.4.8.114 Pipefish Syngnathoides biaculeatus was listed in the EIA Study Brief. However, this species was not recorded in present study, though Seaweed pipefish S. schlegeli and Seahorse Hippocampus kuda were found in the estuary area of Tung Chung Bay.

9.4.8.115 Besides those fish species, 16 species/ taxa of aquatic invertebrates were also recorded in Tung Chung Stream by direct observation, active searching, and kick sampling (Appendix 9.11a). From the result of kick sampling (Appendices 9.11b and 9.11c), a total of 26 individuals from 6 taxa and 73 individuals from 10 taxa were collected in wet season and dry season, respectively. Caddisflies and Mayflies were the two dominant species found in kick sampling. Species of conservation importance includes Cryptopotamon anacoluthon.

9.4.8.116 Cryptopotamon anacoluthon is an endemic crab species, was found in middle section of Tung Chung Stream. This species is considered of “Vulnerable” in IUCN (2015) and potential global conservation concern by Fellowes et al. (2002), as although fairly common and widespread in local unpolluted streams.

9.4.8.117 In Tai Ho Stream, Atyid shrimp, Long-armed Palaemonid Shrimp, and freshwater crabs (Cryptopotamon anacoluthon) were also recorded from active search survey (see Appendix 9.10a).

Ecological Value of Fong Yuen area

9.4.8.118 Fong Yuen area in this study refers to the north-south running strip of land in between Tung Chung Stream eastern branch and Tung Chung Road, to the north of Shek Mun Kap Road and to the south of an existing school. Due to its immediate vicinity to Tung Chung Stream and once reverting back to a more marshy type of habitat upon abandonment of agriculture previously, Fong Yuen area was therefore considered of considerable ecological value in the 1999 CFS Study. Its baseline conditions are therefore highlighted and updated in the present study.

9.4.8.119 Fong Yuen area, revealed by the present field survey results, could be roughly divided into three sections, i.e. northern, middle and southern sections (Figure 9.4f). The northern section roughly covered from the northern most tip down to where the channelized section of Tung Chung Stream ends. The middle section occupied the central area below till a tree line across this strip of land. The southern section included the remaining area further southward down to Shek Mun Kap Road.

9.4.8.120 The northern section was fringed on its western side by the channelized section of Tung Chung Stream which is of lower ecological value. The middle and southern sections of Fong Yuen were both adjacent to the natural section of Tung Chung Stream eastern branch which is still of natural bed and banks and with riparian vegetation.

9.4.8.121 Different parts of this area were classified by different previous studies as “Marsh habitat”, and thus of potential conservation concern. An area of wet abandoned agricultural land near an existing school site and to the west of Tung Chung Road was named “Fong Yuen Marsh” in the “Comprehensive Feasibility Study for Tung Chung and Tai Ho” (or referred as CFS) in 1999. Typical vegetation of freshwater wetland was recorded in this area. The majority of this “Fong Yuen Marsh” was, however, classified as “Bare Ground” in a later EIA Study for Tung Chung Road Improvement (Mouchel 2002). Instead, another area of abandoned agricultural land further south (immediately to the north of Shek Mun Kap Road) was classified as marsh habitat (ibid.). It is possible that the condition of the marsh habitat reported in the 1999 CFS had changed when the survey for the Tung Chung Road Improvement EIA was performed. The marsh habitat in the later study (also referred as Fong Yuen Marsh, but at a different location) was considered to have originated from an abandoned agricultural field, and flooded with water during the wet season. Though the vegetation within the marsh was described as mainly grassy, the ecological value of this habitat was considered as high due to the presence of Rice Fish inside (ibid.).

9.4.8.122 Although both the southern and northern sections of the Fong Yuen area were classified as “marsh” by previous EIAs, it was found from both literature review and field surveys that the conditions of this area, in particular those wet abandoned agricultural lands inside, changed over time.

9.4.8.123 For example, historical aerial photo review performed under the present EcoIA showed that the agricultural land (probably mainly rice paddy) at Tung Chung remained active until the 1980s and were abandoned. The wet abandoned agricultural land at Fong Yuen has been subject to various types of modification since then. Clearance and temporary resumption of farming activities occurred at northern section and middle section respectively, including clearance of the northern portion (close to the existing school site) between 1999 and 2001 and resumption of farming activities in the middle portion in 2003 - 2007. Some young woodland stands established on the fringe after prolonged abandonment of agricultural activities, while part of the abandoned agricultural land in northern section was also converted to orchard in recent years.

9.4.8.124 The Ecological Baseline Survey results showed that the northern section of Fong Yuen was composed of various habitats including urbanized/disturbed, orchards, small-scale active farmlands, wet abandoned agricultural lands, plantations and young woodlands, the middle section included plantation and patches of young trees amidst the wet abandoned agricultural land, while the southern section was predominantly occupied by abandoned ginger lily fields, with also young woodlands, plantations, and urbanised area around a temple close to the eastern side (Figure 9.4f).

9.4.8.125 During the survey periods of the present study, some vegetated areas on the northern tip of this strip of land were cleared, filled and cemented, and some dumping of construction waste was observed along the edge of the northern section. A new ditch was also formed diverting the hillside runoff from Tung Chung Road through the wet abandoned field to existing culvert. In the less disturbed and fairly intact middle section, an area of about 20m x 30m near the eastern edge was also recently excavated. Therefore it is considered that it is more appropriate to describe the Fong Yuen area as a mixture of wet abandoned agricultural land, orchard, secondary woodland of young age, plantation and urbanised/disturbed based on its current condition.

9.4.8.126 A rare butterfly species Jhora Scrub Hopper was also recorded in the natural stream course of eastern branch together with the streamside land in the middle section of Fong Yuen area.

9.4.8.127 Jhora Scrub Hopper Aeromachus jhora is rare in Hong Kong. This species inhabits wet active/abandoned agricultural land and ponds, where their host plants Leersia hexandra can be found. This species is considered threatened by loss of wetland and wet agricultural land in Hong Kong.

9.4.8.128 Jhora Scrub Hoppers were regularly recorded during the Ecological Baseline Survey in the natural section of the eastern branch of Tung Chung Stream (the section between the channelised section and Shek Mun Kap Road), in particular where heavily covered by emergent plants. This butterfly was also found on the wet abandoned agricultural land immediately to the east of the stream course inside the middle section of Fong Yuen area.

9.4.8.129 The larval foodplant of Jhora Scrub Hopper – Leersia hexandra – was also found along the stream course, and in the same wet abandoned agricultural land. Though this plant could also be found in some other locations inside Fong Yuen area, the abundance was however lower.

9.4.8.130 The present hydrological regime in and near Fong Yuen area also has ecological implications. The strip of land, in particular the middle and southern sections, is currently fed by runoff from the natural slopes to the east of Tung Chung Road and thus the wet abandoned agricultural land inside remains wet at least seasonally, or year-round subject to the annual rainfall and the location.

9.4.8.131 The runoff then goes into the stream course via the natural stream banks in the form of surface runoff or upper layer of underground water. The runoff thus help provides water sources for the soil and maintains the vegetation compositions on stream banks and the immediately adjacent lands, including a more abundant larval foodplant for the rare butterfly. The lower disturbance level in the middle and southern sections of Fong Yuen area also help maintain this hydrological linkage.

9.4.8.132 Similar linkage was not observed in the northern section of Fong Yuen area as the concrete channel banks of the channelized Tung Chung Stream together with the adjacent roads and wastelands basically damage the hydrological linkage.

9.4.8.133 Therefore, to maintain the integrity of the hydrological linkage from the natural slopes to the wet abandoned agricultural land and finally to Tung Chung Stream, and also to preserve the current core habitat of the rare butterfly, i.e. the natural part of Tung Chung Stream eastern branch, the stream banks with riparian vegetation, and the wet abandoned agricultural land immediately to the east of this natural stream course, a 30m buffer area should be established along this section of the stream course, and the middle and southern sections of Fong Yuen area should be assigned with a non-development land use with greening purposes.

9.4.8.134 Comparing with the northern section, the middle and southern sections were less disturbed and adjacent to natural stream course, and thus of relatively higher ecological value.

9.4.9 Marine and Intertidal Ecological Survey Results

9.4.9.1 A total of 209 species of fauna were recorded in Tung Chung Bay from active search surveys, transect surveys, fish surveys, and horseshoe crab and seagrass search (Appendices 9.9 and 9.12). Among the 209 species, 163 were intertidal fauna, 46 were marine/brackish water fishes. Other than the fish species of conservation importance mentioned in above sections, Horseshoe Crab Tachypleus tridentatus and Carcinoscorpius rotundicauda, shrimp Metapenaeus spp. (two species of Metapenaeus were recorded) are the only fauna species of conservation importance found in Tung Chung Bay. The findings of Horseshoe Crab are discussed in the sections under Horseshoe crab survey.

9.4.9.2 Metapenaeus spp. was recorded in various locations in Tung Chung Bay. Shrimps belonging to the genus Metapenaeus are commercially important and were extensively cultured in the Gei Wai of Mai Po in the past. They are common in mangrove and estuarine areas in Hong Kong (Leung 1999, Vance 1999). Due to over-exploitation, all four Metapenaeus species found in Hong Kong are considered to be Vulnerable in China (CSIS 2008). Shallow estuarine areas in Hong Kong have the potential to provide nursery habitats for these species.

Mudflat

9.4.9.3 It was found that different types of substrates (pebble, seagrass, sandy, muddy etc.) occurred on Tung Chung Bay mudflats, on which great variations of macrofauna density and composition were observed. A stratified random sampling was conducted on different substrates to investigate the level of heterogeneity in the mudflat fauna. The results showed that higher species abundance and density were on mid-shore of pebble substrates (Appendix 9.13). As this type of substrate provides more microhabitats for intertidal organisms, both soft and hard shores organisms were found on this substrate.

9.4.9.4 Quantitative quadrat surveys were conducted on mudflats in Tung Chung Bay and in Tai Ho Wan in wet season and dry season (Appendices 9.14a & b). No species of conservation importance was recorded inside the quadrats. Sand Snail Batillaria zonalis and Mud Creeper Cerithidea diadjariensis are the two dominant species among the sampling locations. Both Sand Snail and Mud Creeper are very common and wide spread in protected soft shores in Hong Kong (Tai 2005). Zonation of intertidal fauna could be observed, more fauna and abundance could be found in higher intertidal level than lower intertidal level.

9.4.9.5 Shannon diversity and evenness of the sampling locations in Tung Chung Bay and Tai Ho Wan are shown in Table 9.4. In general, San Tau has the highest Shannon diversity among the sampling locations. Seasonal pattern can also be observed, Shannon diversity is higher in dry season than wet season.

Table 9.4 Shannon diversity (H’) and evenness (J) of the mudflat sampling locations in Tung Chung Bay and Tai Ho Wan during the quantitative survey

Sampling location	Wet Season		Dry Season
	H’	J	H’	J
M1 – STB (San Tau Beach)	1.48	0.67	2.06	0.68
M2 – WTB (West Tung Chung Bay)	0.76	0.32	1.35	0.56
M3 – HWT (Hau Wong Temple)	0.92	0.47	1.3	0.57
M4 – MWC (Ma Wan Chung)	1.11	0.41	1.96	0.62
M5 – THW (Tai Ho West)	0.83	0.43	1.20	0.43

9.4.9.6 Besides the quadrats, intertidal fauna on the three tidal levels at each of the transect sites were also recorded semi-quantitatively (see Appendix 9.15). The diversity was higher in the western coast of Tung Chung Bay (San Tau and West Tung Chung Bay), while comparatively lowest in Hau Wong Temple site.

Rocky Shore

9.4.9.7 Rocky shore habitats occur in the eastern shore of Tai Ho Wan and the northeast corner of Tung Chung Bay near the Tung Chung old pier and quantitative surveys were also performed on rocky shores in wet and dry seasons (Appendices 9.16a&b).

9.4.9.8 Rock Oyster Saccostrea cucullata, Purplish Bifurcate Mussel Septifer virgatus and Sand Snail Batillaria zonalis were the dominant species on the rocky shore, both species are common species of rocky shore (Lai et al. 2006). Zonation pattern could be observed along the intertidal levels. For instance, abundance of Rock Oyster decreased from higher intertidal level to lower intertidal level, while Ark Shell Barbatia virescens increased from higher intertidal level to lower intertidal level. No species of conservation importance was recorded in rocky shore.

9.4.9.9 Shannon diversity and evenness of the quantitative survey on the rocky shore are shown in Table 9.5. Diversity index implies that the diversity is regarded as moderate and relatively higher than artificial seawalls. The moderate evenness values also contribute the diversity.

Table 9.5 Shannon diversity (H’) and evenness (J) of the rocky shore sampling locations in Tung Chung Bay and Tai Ho during the quantitative survey.

Location	Wet Season		Dry Season
	H'	J	H'	J
R1 – TCP (Tung Chung Old Pier)	1.6	0.51	2.2	0.68
R2 – THE (Tai Ho East)	1.43	0.60	1.43	0.48

Seawall

9.4.9.10 Seawalls were found along the coastal area from TCE PDA to Road P1 (Tung Chung to Tai Ho Section). Four accessible seawalls were also surveyed quantitatively by quadrat method in wet season and dry seasons (Appendices 9.17a & b). Rocky Oyster Saccostrea cucullata was the dominant species on the four seawalls. No species of conservation importance was recorded.

9.4.9.11 Besides the organisms found in the quantitative survey, Sea Slater Ligia exotica was also recorded in the qualitative survey.

9.4.9.12 Shannon diversity and evenness of the quantitative survey on the seawalls on both seasons are shown in Table 9.6. Diversity is regarded as low and lower than the rocky shore.

Table 9.6 Shannon diversity (H’) and evenness (J) of the seawall sampling locations in the seawalls during the quantitative survey in wet and dry seasons.

Location	Wet Season		Dry Season
	H'	J	H'	J
S1– AIB (Airport Island Bridge)	1.70	0.63	1.15	0.43
S2– KTK (Kei Tau Kok)	1.85	0.67	1.42	0.49
AS-1 (Tai Ho Wan)	1.35	0.50	1.81	0.63
AS-2 (Siu Ho Wan)	1.91	0.69	1.86	0.73

Remaining natural shorelines

9.4.9.13 The remaining natural shorelines in Tung Chung Bay including an isolated small sandy shore adjacent to the Tung Chung old pier (Figure 9.4c) were also searched for intertidal species to include in the species inventory. The isolated sandy shore is an open shore, which are generally regarded as beaches, consisting of mobile sand or gravel regularly subject to wave shifting. They are almost biological deserts, only scarce individuals of Batillaria multiformis and Ocypode sp. were found. No special finding was made from those remaining natural shorelines.

Horseshoe Crab and Seagrass Survey

9.4.9.14 Both horseshoe crab and seagrasses were found in San Tau during the horseshoe crab and seagrass active search survey while only horseshoe crab was found in other locations in Tung Chung Bay (i.e. the coastline between Tung Chung Stream outlet and San Tau) and Tai Ho.

9.4.9.15 Horseshoe crab Tachypleus tridentatus juveniles were found of significant number on the mudflat of San Tau as well as the remaining western coastline of Tung Chung Bay. During wet season, the numbers of juvenile individuals recorded in Tung Chung Bay during one single search were 27 (with 25 in San Tau and two between Tung Chung Stream outlet and San Tau), 28 (with 23 in San Tau and 5 between Tung Chung Stream outlet and San Tau), 33 (with 27 in San Tau and 6 between Tung Chung Stream outlet and San Tau), and 38 (with 33 in San Tau and 5 between Tung Chung Stream outlet and San Tau) respectively.

9.4.9.16 In Tai Ho Wan, the numbers of Tachypleus tridentatus juvenile individuals recorded during one single search ranged from 9 to 16.

9.4.9.17 In dry season, abundance of horseshoe crabs was very low in Tung Chung Bay and Tai Ho Wan. Only 2 medium sized individuals of Carcinoscorpius rotundicauda were recorded near Tung Chung Stream outlet, while no horseshoe crab was found in Tai Ho at dry season.

9.4.9.18 Horseshoe crab is uncommon in Hong Kong and there are only limited nursery sites identified in Hong Kong. Shui Hau Wan, Tsim Bei Tsui, Sham Wat and Yi O are their breeding grounds in Hong Kong (AFCD 2006). Though not under statutory protection, horseshoe crab is considered of conservation importance. Tachypleus tridentatus and Carcinoscorpius rotundicauda are regarded as Endangered and Vulnerable in China Species Red List respectively.

9.4.9.19 One patch of seagrass Oval Halophila Halophila ovalis with the size of approximately 40m x 15m was recorded in San Tau during wet season. In dry season, that seagrass bed expanded to approximately 50m x 20m. This species was firstly discovered in Kowloon Bay, and is now found in areas such as Kai Kuk Shue Ha, San Tau, Siu Tan and Yam O.

9.4.9.20 Another seagrass Dwarf Eel Grass Zostera japonica was not recorded in the wet season survey, however, low coverage of Dwarf Eel Grass were found at the edge of seagrass bed of Oval Halophila during dry season. This species usually found co-inhabiting with Oval Halophila along the seaward margins of mangroves (Hu et al. 2003).

9.4.9.21 Sighting locations of the horseshoe crab juveniles and seagrass beds are shown in Figures 9.5 and 9.7.

Benthic Grab Survey

9.4.9.22 A total of 434 benthic organisms, comprising 69 species from 54 families in 8 phyla (Annelida, Arthropoda, Chordata, Coelentera, Echinodermata, Mollusca, Nemertinea and Sipuncula) were found in the grab survey during wet season (Appendix 9.18a). While in dry season, a total of 902 individuals, comprising 103 species from 71 families in 10 phyla (Annelida, Arthropoda, Chordata, Cnidaria, Coelenterata, Echinodermata, Echiura, Mollusca, Nemertinea and Sipuncula) were recorded (Appendix 9.18b). Polychaetes (Annelida) were collected at all locations and represented the highest species richness and abundance in the samples during both seasons. Pea Crab Neoxenophthalmus obscurus was the most abundant species recorded in the survey of wet season, but dominant in C2 sampling location. Amphipod Byblis sp. was the most abundant species in dry season. A total of 120 benthic organisms were recorded in both seasons. Species of conservation importance Metapenaeus ensis was recorded in benthic grab survey.

9.4.9.23 Shrimps belong to the genus Metapenaeus are commercially important and were extensively cultured in the Gei Wai of Mai Po in the past. They are common in mangrove and estuarine areas in Hong Kong (Leung 1999, Vance 1999). Due to over-exploitation, all four Metapenaeus species found in Hong Kong are considered to be Vulnerable in China (CSIS 2008). Shallow estuarine areas in Hong Kong have the potential to provide nursery habitats for these species. M. ensis was recorded in AB-1 and AB-5 during both wet and dry seasons.

9.4.9.24 Besides Metapenaeus, Pseudopythina maipoensis was also recorded. This is a bivalve endemic to Hong Kong. Morton & Scott (1989) reported that the bivalve Pseudopythina maipoensis is often found in the burrow of Amphipod Discapseudes sp. and was abundant in gei wai 13 inside Mai Po Nature Reserve (Lui et al. 2002). Though an endemic species, it is a dominant species in the open intertidal mudflat according to the annual Baseline Ecological Monitoring Programme reports over the last 10 years (HKBU 2013), and thus is not considered of special conservation importance. Only one individual of P. maipoensis was recorded in AB-2 during wet season.

9.4.9.25 Species number and abundance were the highest in sampling location C2 during wet season (Table 9.7), while Shannon diversity was the highest in C1 during dry season among the sampling locations. Both C1 and C2 are located outside the boundary of TCE PDA and TCW PDA.

9.4.9.26 The diversity indexes in present study are higher than the CCPC study. Shannon diversity in location C1 is regarded as high in Hong Kong waters.

Table 9.7 Species number (S), density m² (D), Shannon diversity (H’) and evenness (J) of the sampling locations during the benthic grab survey in wet season

Location	Wet season				Dry season
	S	D	H'	J	S	D	H'	J
P1	21	65	2.66	0.87	15	29	2.6	0.96
P2	7	11	1.91	0.98	17	43	2.7	0.95
P3	10	19	2.21	0.96	10	21	2.22	0.96
P4	7	13	1.89	0.97	16	36	2.61	0.94
AB-1	18	49	2.57	0.89	35	348	2.64	0.74
AB-2	9	15	2.15	0.98	16	53	2.22	0.80
AB-3	11	23	2.12	0.88	26	82	3.08	0.95
AB-4	4	11	1.39	1	15	41	2.45	0.90
AB-5	22	85	2.40	0.78	25	120	2.71	0.84
AB-6	15	41	2.34	0.87	17	81	2.03	0.72
C1	19	47	2.80	0.95	55	298	3.44	0.86
C2	28	188	2.24	0.67	15	47	2.39	0.88

Marine Fish Survey

9.4.9.27 According to Fisheries Chapter, a total of 129 and 23 individuals comprising 30 species of fishes were collected in wet season and dry season, respectively. Thryssa hamiltonii and Inegocia japonica were the dominant species collected in the surveys. All species were common in Hong Kong, no species of conservation importance was found in the marine fish survey.

9.4.9.28 Besides the 30 species of fishes from the fisheries surveys, 10 species of crustaceans were also recorded. Charybdis affinis and Thalamita crenata were the dominant species among the crustaceans. None of them was species of conservation importance.

9.4.9.29 Generally, there were more species found in TCE PDA and near Road P1 (Tung Chung - Tai Ho Section), and Sham Shui Kok than Tung Chung Bay, Hau Hok Wan and Sha Lo Wan. Detailed results the surveys are shown in Section 10.

Dive Survey

9.4.9.30 Dive survey was conducted at 14 locations along the coastline from Tung Chung Bay to the seawall outside Tai Ho Wan (D1 to D9 and AD-1, see Table 9.8) and within the PDA boundaries (P1 to P4, following the benthic sampling stations inside PDAs). For the stations along the coastline, D1 and D2 are natural coastlines at the opening of Tung Chung Bay, while all the remaining stations D3 to D9 and AD-1 are on artificial seawalls.

9.4.9.31 No coral was found on the natural coastlines of D1 and D2. On artificial seawalls, one common gorgonian Guaiagorgia sp. and one common ahermatypic cup coral Balanophyllia sp. were recorded. Balanophyllia sp. is under the protection of Cap 586 in Hong Kong. The coverage percentages of these two species were very low, less than 1% in all the 7 stations.

9.4.9.32 P1 to P4 were inside the PDA boundaries. The sub-tidal soft bottom seabed were flat and of muddy substrate. The water was turbid and the visibility was even lower than that at the diving stations along the coastlines. No epifauna or any coral species was found in these offshore stations.

Table 9.8 Substrates and coral species recorded at the 10 diving stations along coastlines

Depth	D 1	D 2	D 3	D 4	D5	D 6	D 7	D 8	D 9	AD-1
	2m	1.8m	5m	5m	7m	6.5m	7.5m	7m	7.8m	7m
Substrate	Bedrock and Sand	Bedrock and Sand	Artificial seawall	Artificial seawall	Artificial seawall	Artificial seawall	Artificial seawall	Artificial seawall	Artificial seawall	Artificial seawall
Coral Species
Guaiagorgia sp.			x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x
Balanophyllia sp.			x	x	x	x	x	x	x
Coral % Coverage			<1%	<1%	<1%	<1%	<1%	<1%	<1%	<1%

9.4.9.33 REA dive survey was conducted at D6, D7 and AD-1, with D6 & D7 located within the TCE PDA and the AD-1 located near Road P1 (Tung Chung - Tai Ho Section) (Tung Chung - Tai Ho Section). The results of REA were shown in Table 9.9 and 9.10 below.

Table 9.9 REA results at diving stations within PDA boundaries

REA criteria	D6	D7	AD-1
Substratum
Bedrock/Continuous pavement	\	\	\
Boulders	6	6	6
Rubble	\	\	\
Cobbles	\	\	\
Sand with gravel	\	\	\
Mud	\	\	\
Ecological Attributes
Hard corals	1	1	\
Dead standing corals	\	\	\
Soft corals	1	1	1
Sea anemone beds	\	\	\
Macroalgae	\	\	\

Note:

*The rating of REA results are provided in Appendix 9.19

Table 9.10 Marine fauna recorded during the dive survey

Species	Commonness in Hong Kong
Balanophyllia sp.	Common in western Hong Kong waters
Guaiagorgia sp.	Common in western Hong Kong waters
Perna viridis	Very common
Saccostrea cucullata	Very common
Thais sp.	Very common
Chlorostoma sp.	Very common
Balanus amphitrite	Very common
Hermit crab Clibanarius infraspinatus	Very common

9.4.10 Summary of Ecological Baseline Conditions

9.4.10.1 The detailed ecological survey findings are presented in above sections. Key findings of the ecological survey are extracted and presented below.

9.4.10.2 A total of 16 habitat types were recorded in the Assessment Area. Some habitat types of conservation value were found, including mature woodland, young woodland, Fung Shui Woods, watercourses, mudflats, mangroves and coastal waters (including water column and sub-tidal soft bottom seabed). The habitat map with locations of species of conservation importance and selected photos of these habitats are shown in Figures 9.4a–9.4f as well as Appendix 9.1.

9.4.10.3 A total of 496 plant species were recorded, 335 of which are native species (refers to Appendix 9.2). Nine plant species considered of conservation importance were recorded during the ecological field survey, including Aquilaria sinensis, Pavetta hongkongensis, Cibotium barometz, Gmelina chinensis, Diospyros vaccinioides, Ligustrum punctifolium, Uvaria calamistrata, Zostera japonica and Halophila ovalis.

9.4.10.4 A total of 9 species of terrestrial mammal were recorded, with two species considered of conservation importance, i.e. Japanese Pipistrelle Pipistrellus abramus and Short-nosed Fruit Bat Cynopterus sphinx.

9.4.10.5 A total of 104 species of bird have been recorded within and near the Assessment Area. The recorded species included inhabitants of coastal habitats (e.g., Pacific Reef Heron Egretta sacra), open areas (e.g., Long-tailed Shrike Lanius schach, Crested Myna Acridotheres cristatellus) and woodland habitats (e.g., Common Emerald Dove Chalacophaps indica). Thirty-eight species are considered of conservation importance. Most bird species of conservation importance were recorded from mangroves, mudflat, and older woodland along the footpath to San Tau and near Shek Mun Kap.

9.4.10.6 Chinese Egret was stipulated in the EIA Study Brief. Potential habitats (e.g., mangroves, mudflat) of this species within and outside the Assessment Area and locations where this species was previously recorded were surveyed during the present study. However, Chinese Egret was not recorded during the survey. The Chinese Egret is a rare spring migrant and mainly occurs in the Deep Bay Area. A review of records of Chinese Egrets between 1983 and 2012 (Turnbull et al. 2004, 2007, Carey et al. 2001, 2009, 2010, 2011, Welch 2012, 2013a, 2013b) showed that this species was mainly recorded in Mai Po. In Tung Chung area, only one record of Chinese Egret was reported by previous EIA studies from the areas covered by the Assessment Area of the present study. This species was not recorded in the ecological surveys of the 3RS EIA neither, which were conducted between September 2012 and September 2013, of similar time period as the present ecological surveys. This showed that utilisation of the coastal habitats in Tung Chung by Chinese Egret might be very low, and is in line with the survey findings.

9.4.10.7 A total of 18 species of reptile have been recorded within the Assessment Area. Five species are considered of conservation importance. These are Tokay Gecko Gekko gecko, Copperhead Racer Coelognathus radiatus, Common Rat Snake Ptyas mucosus, Chinese Cobra Naja atra, and Mountain Water Snake Sinonatrix percarinata.

9.4.10.8 A total of 10 species of amphibian have been recorded within the Assessment Area. Four species are considered of conservation importance. These are Chinese Bullfrog Hoplobatrachus chinensis, Lesser Spiny Frog Paa exilispinosa, Hong Kong Newt Paramesotriton hongkongensis and Romer’s Tree Frog Liuixalus romeri.

9.4.10.9 South China Cascade Frog and Short-legged Toad, stipulated in the EIA Study Brief, were not recorded in the Assessment Area during the present survey.

9.4.10.10 All the locations where South China Cascade Frogs were reported from reviewed literatures, included Tei Tong Tsai, Pak Kung Au and a stream near Shek Pik Reservoir (Tang 2010), are outside the Assessment Area. In fact, the altitude of the location where South China Cascade Frog was found in Tei Tong Tsai was 270m.  This frog might mainly inhabit the upstream sections of Tung Chung Stream, and might be absent or present in very low abundance in the lower sections of Tung Chung Stream within the Assessment Area.  South China Cascade Frog was not found in Tung Chung area either in surveys conducted by Public during 2011 and 2012 (see KFGB 2013). This species was not recorded within the present Assessment Area during contemporary surveys conducted for the 3RS EIA. This might indicate that this species was absent or present in very low abundance only in the Assessment Area.  This might be the reason of no observation of this species during the present study.

9.4.10.11 Short-legged Toad is known to be more widely distributed in Southern Lantau, and with only a few records in Northern Lantau (Chan et al. 2005). This species was recorded by KFBG near Shek Mun Kap. Mating calls were heard near Shek Mun Kap (EAP 2013). Short-legged Toad was not recorded within the Assessment Area in the present study. However, the calls of this species were heard in woodland outside the Assessment Area. Short-legged Toad might only be present in very low abundance within the Assessment Area. This might be the reason of low frequency of recording within the Assessment Area. However, this species will be taken into account during the impact assessment.

9.4.10.12 A total of 102 species of butterfly were recorded within the Assessment Area, and fourteen species are considered of conservation importance, including Jhora Scrub Hopper.

9.4.10.13 Jhora Scrub Hopper is rare in Hong Kong. This species was first recorded in Hong Kong in 2009, but was considered previously confused with a closely related species Pigmy Scrub Hopper. Jhora Scrub Hoppers were regularly recorded in the eastern branch of Tung Chung Stream and an area of wet abandoned agricultural land (immediately to the east of the eastern branch and to the north of the “Fong Yuen Marsh” described in the Tung Chung Road EIA study) during the surveys. Abundance was higher in section of eastern branch of Tung Chung Stream heavily covered by emergent plants. The larval foodplant of Jhora Scrub Hopper – Leersia hexandra – was also found along the stream course, in the same wet abandoned agricultural land, as well as its vicinity including other abandoned agricultural lands to the north. Though Jhora Scrub Hopper is a very rare butterfly species in Hong Kong, the host plant Leersia hexandra which is usually found in stream and wetland habitats, is however considered common in Hong Kong (Xing et al. 2000).

9.4.10.14 A total of 4 species of butterfly, including Peacock Royal, Common Birdwing, Golden Birdwing and Oriental Striped Blue, were stipulated in the EIA Study Brief. Potential habitats of these species within and outside the Assessment Area were searched during the study. However, these species were not recorded during the surveys of the present study.

9.4.10.15 The Oriental Striped Blue is very rare in Hong Kong (Chan et al. 2011). This species is only sporadically recorded in Hong Kong (Yiu 2004). Sampling effort was spent in localities where the larval foodplant of this species were found (e.g., San Tau, Hau Wang Temple). However, no Oriental Striped Blue was recorded. As suggested by the reviewed literatures, the population of this species might vary greatly inter-annually, and may be low in some years. This might contribute to the lacking of record of this species in the present study. The absence of record of the other three species in the Assessment Area might also be related to inter-annually fluctuations in populations.

9.4.10.16 A total of 31 species of dragonfly were recorded. Two of the recorded species is of conservation importance. These were Blue-spotted Dusk-hawker and Emerald Cascader. Both species are common in Hong Kong.

9.4.10.17 A total of 68 fish species were recorded in Tung Chung Stream and its estuary from the present survey. Eleven out of the 68 species are of conservation importance, including Beijiang Thick-lipped Barb, Rice Fish, Seaweed Pipefish, and Common Seahorse.

9.4.10.18 In Tai Ho, 53 species of fish were recorded from both the stream courses and the estuarine area. Eight species were considered of conservation importance, including Ayu Plecoglossus altivelis.

9.4.10.19 In the nearby Wong Lung Hang Stream, 15 fish species were recorded. Two species were considered of conservation importance included Beijiang Thick-lipped Barb and Predaceous Chub. A paradise fish Macropodus opercularis was also found in upper course of Wong Lung Hang.

9.4.10.20 Pipefish Syngnathoides biaculeatus was listed in the EIA Study Brief. However, this species was not recorded in present study, though Seaweed pipefish and Seahorse were found from surveys in the estuary area of Tung Chung Bay.

9.4.10.21 Besides those fish species, 16 and 11 species/taxa of aquatic invertebrates were also recorded in Tung Chung Stream and Wong Lung Hang respectively. Species of conservation importance includes Freshwater crab Cryptopotamon anacoluthon, which was found in Tung Chung Stream.

9.4.10.22 A total of 209 species of intertidal fauna and fishes were recorded in Tung Chung Bay from active search surveys, transect surveys, fish surveys, and horseshoe crab and seagrass search. Other than the fish species of conservation importance mentioned in above sections, Horseshoe Crab and shrimp Metapenaeus spp. (two species of Metapenaeus were recorded) are the only fauna species of conservation importance found in Tung Chung Bay.

9.4.10.23 A total of 2 seagrass species Oval Halophila Halophila ovalis and Dwarf Eel Grass Zostera japonica were found near San Tau and Horseshoe crab juveniles of Tachypleus tridentatus and medium size individuals of Carcinoscorpius rotundicauda, were found along the western coast of Tung Chung Bay, with the highest count of 38 in one single survey.

9.4.10.24 Benthic grab surveys were conducted in both dry and wet seasons. Metapenaeus ensis and Pseudopythina maipoensis were recorded in benthic grab survey. Though all four Metapenaeus species found in Hong Kong are considered to be Vulnerable in China due to over-exploitation (CSIS 2008), they are indeed very common in Hong Kong. Pseudopythina maipoensis is a bivalve first found in Hong Kong. It is a dominant species in the open intertidal mudflat of Mai Po according to the annual RAMSAR Baseline Ecological Monitoring Programme reports over the last 10 years.

9.4.10.25 During the dive survey, no coral in the opening of Tung Chung Bay was found. Only < 1% of common gorgonian Guaiagorgia sp. and one common ahermatypic cup coral Balanophyllia sp. were recorded on the seawalls of Tung Chung New Town up to Siu Ho.

Existing Condition of Movements of Terrestrial Fauna in the Assessment Area

9.4.10.26 Currently the areas within the TCE PDA and Road P1 (Tung Chung - Tai Ho Section) are mainly marine waters and seawalls (Figure 9.4a), and separated from natural terrestrial habitats by North Lantau Highway of high disturbance level. Frequent movement of terrestrial wildlife from natural habitats across North Lantau Highway to the marine waters and seawalls is not expected, particularly for non-volant fauna (e.g., mammal incapable of flying, reptiles, amphibians). Occurrence of significant movement corridors or linkage for terrestrial fauna in this area is not anticipated.

9.4.10.27 Areas within and near the TCW PDA are made up of a mosaic of habitats (Figure 9.4a & 9.4b), including man-made (e.g. urbanised/disturbed, agricultural lands), semi-natural (e.g. watercourses) and natural ones (e.g. shrubland/grassland, woodlands). Habitats of higher disturbance level such as urbanised/disturbed are much less frequently utilised by terrestrial fauna for inhabitation or as movement corridors. But the usage by wildlife might be more frequent in other habitat types (e.g., orchard, woodland, abandoned agricultural land) due to the lower level of human disturbance and the presence of more vegetation cover.

9.4.10.28 In the eastern part of the TCW PDA (i.e. in and near Wong Nai Uk), the habitats (e.g., shrubland/grassland, woodland) are not well connected with other habitats in the Tung Chung Valley. These habitats are surrounded by urbanised/disturbed (e.g., Yat Tung Estate, Cheung Tung Road) at the northern, eastern and southern sides, and watercourse and marine waters at the western side. Movements of non-volant wildlife in and out of these habitats are therefore expected to be difficult. Though fauna capable of flying (e.g., birds, butterflies) could still be able to move to-and-from habitats around Wong Nai Uk and Tung Chung Valley (indicated by the black dotted arrows in Figure 9.9a), it is not expected to be an important path as the habitats near Wong Nai Uk do not support abundant wildlife.

9.4.10.29 For Tung Chung Valley, currently the upper Tung Chung Valley and the uplands surrounding Tung Chung Valley are readily to be used by wildlife for movement (indicated black arrows in Figure 9.9a) as they are basically natural.

9.4.10.30 The TCW PDA is located in the lowland areas of Tung Chung Valley. Different from the highly natural upper Tung Chung Valley and the upland areas surrounding the valley, some of these lowland areas are currently occupied by developments such as village houses, roads, drainage channels, schools, etc. and also some disturbed areas, in different locations. These urbanised/disturbed habitats inside Tung Chung Valley (e.g., areas around Shek Lau Po) are considered as barriers to movements of non-volant fauna.

9.4.10.31 For movement of wildlife across the lowland Tung Chung Valley, while fauna capable of flying (e.g., birds) would not be obstructed by these developed areas and could move across Tung Chung Valley in many directions (indicated by black dotted arrows in Figure 9.9a), non-volant terrestrial fauna (including non-volant mammals, amphibians and reptiles) however might avoid those urbanised/disturbed habitats due to the higher level of human disturbance, and could only use alternative routes through the remaining habitats (those of lower disturbance levels and higher vegetation coverage within Tung Chung Valley).

9.4.10.32 Within Tung Chung Valley, for the area near the eastern branch of Tung Chung Stream, there are urbanised /disturbed in the northern part including the schools and some formed sites beside the channelized section. Tung Chung Road also separates Fong Yuen area from the hillslopes further east and forming a barrier to terrestrial wildlife movement, though some underground culverts beneath Tung Chung Road, which maintain the hydrological linkage between the hillslopes and Fong Yuen area, could still allow small-sized non-volant fauna (e.g., amphibians) crossing Tung Chung Road, but these culverts are not anticipated to be significant corridors. For the area near the western branch of Tung Chung Stream, a few villages are located at the foothill and these urbanised areas also form obstacles for fauna movement. For the area between the two main branches of Tung Chung Stream, i.e. Shek Lau Po, a large portion in the centre is quite disturbed and thus likely to be avoided by wildlife. Indeed, , other than the hydrological linkage of Fong Yuen, no strong linkage or corridor for wildlife was observed in Tung Chung Valley during field surveys. Apart from Eurasian Wild Boar Sus scrofa, there was no other medium-sized mammal reported in the upland areas surrounding the Tung Chung Valley by Shek (2006). Strong linkage between the upland areas through the habitats in Tung Chung Valley is not expected.

9.4.10.33 With all these constraints, the options of possible pathways for non-volant fauna moving across Tung Chung Valley would be limited, and it is more likely Tung Chung Stream (Both the east and west main branches of Tung Chung Stream) is a potential one (black dotted lines in Figure 9.9a). Though with a channelized section near Caritas Charles Vath College which is concrete paved, the majority of the stream are natural with riparian vegetation and could serve as potential movement corridors for wildlife.

9.4.10.34 Besides the stream, other potential movement corridors would need to utilize habitats among urbanised/disturbed areas between the two main branches (given the constraints of urbanised/disturbed at Shek Lau Po and opposite to Fong Yuen), for examples 1) areas south of Shek Lau Po; and 2) areas north of Shek Mun Kap village covered by woodlands.

9.4.10.35 For south of Shek Lau Po, it is covered by dry abandoned agricultural land and orchard, and with less disturbed habitats to its east (natural section of eastern Tung Chung Stream branch and the middle section of Fong Yuen) as well as to the west (habitat between Mok Ka and Nim Yuen) (indicated by black arrows in Figure 9.9a). For north of Shek Mun Kap Village, similarly, habitats present to the east (southern section of Fong Yuen area) and to the west (habitats around Chap Mun Tau) could serve as potential movement corridors for wildlife.

9.4.10.36 To conclude, potential movement corridors exist in upland areas surrounding Tung Chung Valley, where habitats are not intervened by urbanised/disturbed areas and level of human activities are low. Lowland areas are subjected to disturbance from nearby urbanised/disturbed and constrain wildlife movement. The Tung Chung Stream in particular the western branch could also provide movement corridors to north to south direction. Urbanised/disturbed areas in the lowland areas limited the potential linkage between the upland habitats surrounding Tung Chung Valley. Habitats south of Shek Lau Po and north of Shek Mun Kap could potentially serve as pathways for movements of fauna, though strong linkage are not observed.

9.4.11 Evaluation of Ecological Values

9.4.11.1 The ecological importance of the habitats within the Assessment Area was evaluated in accordance with the criteria stipulated in Annex 8 of EIAO-TM (Tables 9.11 to 9.25).

Table 9.11 Evaluation of Woodland within the Assessment Area

Criterion	Description
	Secondary Woodland (Young)	Secondary Woodland (Mature)	Fung Shui Wood
Naturalness	Semi-natural habitat, consisting of a mixture of native tree species, exotic and/or orchard species.		Semi-natural habitat, consisting of a mixture of native tree species, exotic and orchard species. Some (especially Mok Ka, Shek Mun Kap, Pak Mong) are disturbed by vandalism (e.g. cutting of Incense Tree) and village expansion.
Size	108.09 ha	41.55 ha	6.03 ha (size of FSW in descending order: Ngau Au-Tung Hing, Sheung Ling Pei, Shek Mun Kap, Mok Ka, Pak Mong, Nam Che)
Diversity	Low to medium flora diversity; Diversity of dragonfly is low, butterfly and bird are moderate	Moderate to high flora diversity; Diversity of dragonfly is low, butterfly and bird are moderate	Overall high flora diversity; Diversity of dragonfly is low, butterfly and bird are moderate
Rarity	Flora species of conservation importance include Aquilaria sinensis. Gmelina chinensis, Uvaria calamistrata.	Flora species of conservation importance include Aquilaria sinensis, Gmelina chinensis, Pavetta hongkongensis, Cibotium barometz.	Flora species of conservation importance include Aquilaria sinensis. Pavetta hongkongensis.
	Fauna species of conservation importance included Black Kite, Eastern Buzzard, Greater Coucal, Collared Scops Owl, Common Emerald Dove, Ashy Drongo, Red-billed Starling, Black-naped Oriole, Collared Crow, Tokay Gecko, Romer’s Tree Frog, Orange Punch, Chestnut Tiger and Great Swift From reviewed literature: Short-legged Toad	Fauna species of conservation importance included Japanese Pipistrelle, Crested Serpent Eagle, Crested Goshawk, Chinese Sparrowhawk, Eastern Buzzard, Grey-chinned Minivet, Collared Scops Owl, Common Emerald Dove, Fire-breasted Flowerpecker, Verditer Flycatcher, Red-billed Leiothrix, Rufous-capped Babbler, Mountain Water Snake, Romer’s Tree Frog, Chinese Bullfrog, Oriental Straight Swift, Lesser Forest Blue, Pale Palm Dart, Metallic Cerulean and White Royal Orange Punch and Chestnut Tiger From reviewed literature: Greater Coucal, Romer’s Tree Frog	Fauna species of conservation importance included Eastern Buzzard, Collared Scops Owl From reviewed literature: Rhinolophinus sp. Grass Demon
Re-creatability	Feasible, but the more mature the woodland, the longer time required for compensation/re-creation.	Feasible, but the more mature the woodland, the longer time required for compensation/re-creation	The time required for compensation/re-creation even longer than secondary woodland.
Fragmentation	small linear and/or isolated stands along ravine, foothills, and in abandoned agricultural land.	Along ravine and hillslopes.	Fairly intact at Sheung Ling Pei and Ngau Au-Tung Hing, Fragmented and disturbed at other sites.
Ecological linkage	Isolated, or linked to nearby shrubland/grassland or mature woodland	Linked to fung shui wood	Linked to secondary woodland
Potential value	Moderate to high under natural succession to develop into mature woodland if protected from anthropogenic disturbance or destruction	High if protected from anthropogenic disturbance or destruction	High if protected from illegal harvesting and encroachment by farming and village expansion
Nursery/breeding ground	Juvenile birds of common species observed. Could provide breeding habitats for birds, reptiles, butterflies
Age	Young, 10-30 years. Established in recent years(e.g. at Fong Yuen or maintained by hillfire, (e.g. the fringe of shrubland/grassland)	30-50+ years (e.g. near San Tau, Shek Mun Kap, Ha Leng Pei).	Old (mostly since 1945)
Abundance/richness of wildlife	Abundance of bird and butterfly are low, dragonfly is low to moderate	Abundance of bird and butterfly are moderate to high, dragonfly is low	Abundance of bird is moderate, butterfly is moderate to high, dragonfly is very low
Overall ecological value	Low to moderate	Moderate to high	High(Sheung Ling Pei FSW) Moderate to High (Shek Mun Kap, Ngau Au- Tung Hing) Moderate (Lam Che Mok Ka, Pak Mong)

Table 9.12 Evaluation of Plantation within the Assessment Area

Criterion	Description
Naturalness	Man-made habitat mainly on engineering slope
Size	34.57 ha
Diversity	Low to moderate flora diversity; Diversity of bird, dragonfly and butterfly are low
Rarity	Flora species of conservation importance include Gmelina chinensis. Fauna species of conservation importance included Black-naped Oriole
Re-creatability	Easy to re-create
Fragmentation	Formed thin belts on engineered slopes
Ecological linkage	Not functionally linked to habitats of conservation importance
Potential value	Moderate with protection from fire and active management including thinning and interplanting with native species
Nursery/breeding ground	No significant observation. Limited due to simple habitat structure and subjected to disturbance from road traffic
Age	Young
Abundance/richness of wildlife	Abundance of bird, dragonfly and butterfly are low
Overall ecological value	Low

Table 9.13 Evaluation of Shrubland/Grassland within the Assessment Area

Criterion	Description
Naturalness	Semi-natural, frequently disturbed by hill fire
Size	362.1 ha
Diversity	Moderate flora diversity; Diversity of bird, dragonfly and butterfly are low
Rarity	Flora species of conservation importance include Gmelina chinensis, Diospyros vaccinioides. Fauna species of conservation importance included Eurasian Eagle Owl, Collared Scops Owl, Copperhead Racer. There were some other species of conservation importance sighted in this habitat type but not considered inhabitants, including Black Kite, Eastern Buzzard, Crested Serpent Eagle, Eurasian Hobby, Greater Coucal and Common Kestrel. From reviewed literature: Black Kite, Great Egret, Little Egret, Pacific Reef Heron, Eurasian Eagle Owl, Brown Fish Owl, Eurasian Woodcock, Pacific Swift, White-throated Kingfisher, Lesser Coucal, Grey Treepie, Common Rat Snake, Chinese Cobra, Romer’s Tree Frog, Small Grass Yellow, Elegant Clubtail
Re-creatability	Easy to recreate
Fragmentation	Continuous stands on upper hillside
Ecological linkage	Not functionally linked to habitats of conservation importance
Potential value	Limited due to frequent hillfire in the presence of grave site and burial ground
Nursery/breeding ground	No significant observation. Could provide breeding habitats for birds, butterflies and reptiles
Age	N/A
Abundance/richness of wildlife	Abundance of bird, dragonfly and butterfly are low
Overall ecological value	Low

Table 9.14 Evaluation of Orchard within the Assessment Area

Criterion	Description
Naturalness	Man-made habitat
Size	31.16ha
Diversity	Low flora diversity, mainly composed of fruit trees; Diversity of dragonfly is low, butterfly is low to moderate, bird is moderate
Rarity	Flora species of conservation importance include Aquilaria sinensis Fauna species of conservation importance included Japanese Pipistrelle, Greater Coucal, Common Emerald Dove, Chinese Bullfrog, Blue-spotted Dusk-hawker. There were some other species of conservation importance sighted in this habitat type but not considered inhabitants, including Little Egret, Chinese Pond Heron, Black-crowned Night Heron, Chestnut-collared Yuhina, Black-naped Oriole, Collared Crow, Common Rat Snake, Chinese Cobra, Romer’s Tree Frog, Grass Demon, Powdered Oak Blue, Orange Punch and Painted Lady. From reviewed literature: Greater Coucal, Little Egret, Pale Palm Dart, Sapphire Flutterer
Re-creatability	Easy to re-create
Fragmentation	Dominated lowland area of Tung Chung Valley
Ecological linkage	Not functionally linked to habitats of conservation importance
Potential value	Low
Nursery/breeding ground	No significant observation. Could provide breeding habitats for birds, butterflies and reptiles
Age	Young
Abundance/richness of wildlife	Abundance of bird and butterfly are moderate, dragonfly is low
Overall ecological value	Low

Table 9.15 Evaluation of Active Agricultural Land within the Assessment Area

Criterion	Description
Naturalness	Man-made habitat
Size	8.62 ha
Diversity	Medium flora diversity, but dominated by vegetables and crops; Diversity of bird, dragonfly and butterfly are low
Rarity	Fauna species of conservation importance included Greater Coucal, Painted Lady and Forget-me-not. There were some other species of conservation importance sighted in this habitat type but not considered inhabitants, including Chinese Pond Heron. From reviewed literature: Black Kite, Striated Heron, Greater Coucal
Re-creatability	Easy to re-create
Fragmentation	Exist as isolated patches within the Assessment Area
Ecological linkage	Not functionally linked to habitats of conservation importance
Potential value	Limited due to human disturbance
Nursery/breeding ground	No significant observation. Limited due to human disturbance
Age	N/A
Abundance/richness of wildlife	Abundance of butterfly is low to moderate, bird and dragonfly are low
Overall ecological value	Low

Table 9.16 Evaluation of Abandoned Agricultural Land within the Assessment Area

Criterion	Description
	Wet	Dry
Naturalness	Man-made origin, Semi-natural in some areas, subject to vegetation clearance and disturbance	Man-made origin, subject to reversion to active farming
Size	3.41ha	9.1ha
Diversity	Low flora diversity, formed of common species; Diversity of dragonfly and bird are low, butterfly is low to moderate	Low flora diversity, formed of common species; Diversity of dragonfly is low, butterfly and bird are low to moderate
Rarity	Fauna species of conservation importance included a rare butterfly species Jhora Scrub Hopper	Fauna species of conservation importance included Japanese Pipistrelle, Eastern Buzzard, Greater Coucal, Danaid Eggfly. There were some other species of conservation importance sighted in this habitat type but not considered inhabitants, including Black-crowned Night Heron, Black Kite, White-shouldered Starling, and Emerald Cascader. From reviewed literature: Common Emerald Dove, Common Cerulean
Re-creatability	Easy to re-create but not easy to restore and maintain hydrology	Easy to re-create
Fragmentation	Isolated stands remained at Fong Yuen	Small stands scattered in assessment area
Ecological linkage	Not functionally linked to habitats of conservation importance. Adjacent to Tung Chung Stream but of a higher topographic level	Not functionally linked to habitats of conservation importance
Potential value	Might develop into semi-natural habitats if given enough time, but limited by small size, fragmentation and disturbance	Low
Nursery/breeding ground	Larval foodplant of a rare butterfly species (Jhora Scrub Hopper) was found. Could provide breeding habitats for birds, butterflies and reptiles	No significant observation. Could provide breeding habitats for birds, butterflies and reptiles
Age	Young	Young
Abundance/richness of wildlife	Abundance of butterfly is moderate, bird and dragonfly are low to moderate	Abundance of bird and butterfly are moderate, dragonfly is low to moderate
Overall ecological value	Low to moderate	Low

Table 9.17 Evaluation of Urbanised/Disturbed/Wasteland within the Assessment Area

Criterion	Description
Naturalness	Man-made habitat
Size	340.56 ha
Diversity	Low flora diversity, mainly composed of landscape and ornamental species and fruit trees; Diversity of bird is low to moderate, dragonfly and butterfly are low.
Rarity	Flora species of conservation importance include Gmelina chinensis Fauna species of conservation importance included Japanese Pipistrelle, Peregrine Falcon. There were some other species of conservation importance sighted in this habitat type but not considered inhabitants, including Little Egret, Yellow Bittern, Chinese Pond Heron, Black Kite, Common Kestrel, Common Buzzard, Greater Coucal, Black-winged Cuckooshrike, Chinese Hwamei, Fire-breasted Flowerpecker. From reviewed literature: White-throated Kingfisher, Common Rat Snake, Romer’s Tree Frog, Gaudy Baron
Re-creatability	Easy to re-create
Fragmentation	N/A
Ecological linkage	Not functionally linked to habitats of conservation importance
Potential value	Low
Nursery/breeding ground	The only significant breeding record was Zitting Cisticola. Minimal due to high level of disturbance
Age	N/A
Abundance/richness of wildlife	Abundance of bird is moderate, dragonfly and butterfly are low
Overall ecological value	Low

Table 9.18a Evaluation of Watercourse within the Assessment Area

Criterion	Tung Chung Stream
	Description
Naturalness	Lower section of eastern branch channelised, upper section of eastern branch, the western branch, and the concourse fairly natural
Size	12.56 ha (Natural section: ~4.9km, tributaries: ~3.1km, channelised section: ~1.3km)
Diversity	Moderate flora diversity; Moderate diversity of primary freshwater fish, high diversity if estuarine fish species were also included. Diversity of dragonfly is low in channelized section and low to moderate in natural section, butterfly is low in channelized section and low to moderate in natural section, bird is low to moderate in both channelized and natural sections
Rarity	Aquatic fauna species of conservation importance included 11 species of fish, including Beijiang Thick-lipped Barb, Predaceous Chub, and Rice fish. The estuarine area also supports Seaweed Pipefish, Common Seahorse, Mangrove Goby, Sleepy Goby, Archpatch Puffer, and Grass Puffer. Freshwater crab Cryptopotamon anacoluthon also occurs. From literature review, Pacific Reef Heron, Emerald Cascader, Lesser Spiny Frog, White-lined Chinese Chest-catfish, Small Snakehead, Dark-margined Flagtail, Alligator Pipefish and Purple Neon Goby were also recorded in Tung Chung Stream and estuary area. Associated terrestrial fauna species of conservation importance included Japanese Pipistrelle, Short-nosed Fruit Bat, Little Egret, Chinese Pond Heron, Grey Heron, Great Egret, Black-crowned Night Heron, Striated Heron, Black-capped Kingfisher, Grey-chinned Minivet, Lesser Spiny Frog, Hong Kong Newt, Jhora Scrub Hopper
Re-creatability	Natural stream section difficult to re-create, channelized sections easy to recreate
Fragmentation	Stream habitat fragmented by the channelised section, but the stream flow is still maintained
Ecological linkage	Connected to Tung Chung Bay
Potential value	Moderate if the channelized section is restored
Nursery/breeding ground	Tadpoles of Lesser Spiny Frog were found. Un-channelised section could provide breeding habitats for fishes, invertebrates, amphibian and dragonflies
Age	N/A
Abundance/richness of wildlife	Aquatic fauna are of moderate to high abundance in natural section, but low abundance in channelized section. Abundance of dragonfly and butterfly are low in channelized section and low to moderate in natural section
Overall ecological value	Channel –low to moderate (as the channelized section still provides the function of maintaining the stream flow.) Natural Section –high

Table 9.18b Evaluation of Wong Lung Hang Stream

Criterion	Wong Lung Hang Stream
	Description
Naturalness	Lower section has been lost and replace by drainage channel with concrete bank; upper and middle sections remain natural
Size	Natural section –2.39 ha (920 m); Channelised section – 1.13 ha (730 m)
Diversity	Low to moderate of primary freshwater fish in natural section; Channelised section of very low diversity aquatic fauna
Rarity	Aquatic fauna species of conservation importance recorded in natural section only, including Beijiang Thick-lipped Barb, Predaceous Chub, Paradise fish and Hong Kong Newt,
Re-creatability	Difficult to re-create for natural section; channelized section easy to re-create
Fragmentation	Stream habitat fragmented by drainage system
Ecological linkage	Also connected to Tung Chung Bay, but via a channelized section and a section of the form of underground drains.
Potential value	Low as the natural section has been well preserved.
Nursery/breeding ground	Natural section provides breeding habitats for fishes, and invertebrates; Channelised section of limited value due to low basal flow, low vegetation cover and simple habitat complexity
Age	N/A
Abundance/richness of wildlife	Aquatic fauna are of low abundance in the channel, while of moderate abundance in the natural section
Overall ecological value	Channel - Low to moderate Natural Section – Moderate

Table 9.18c Evaluation of Tai Ho Stream

Criterion	Tai Ho Stream
	Description
Naturalness	Lower sections channelised, Largely natural except localised small-scaled modifications
Size	5ha
Diversity	High diversity of fish (including estuarine fish species)
Rarity	Aquatic fauna species of conservation importance included Ayu, Predaceous Chub, Crimson-tipped Flathead Gudgeon and Freshwater crab Cryptopotamon anacoluthon. The estuarine area also supports Japanese Eel, Giant Marbled Eel, Spotty Band Goby, Mangrove Goby, Sleepy goby, Archpatch Puffer, and Grass Puffer.
Re-creatability	Difficult to re-create
Fragmentation	Not fragmented
Ecological linkage	Connected to Tai Ho Wan
Potential value	Low as the natural section has been well preserved.
Nursery/breeding ground	Breeding habitats for fishes, and invertebrates
Age	N/A
Abundance/richness of wildlife	Aquatic fauna are of moderate to high abundance
Overall ecological value	High

Table 9.19 Evaluation of Mangroves within the Assessment Area

Criterion	Description
Naturalness	Fairly natural
Size	5.57ha
Diversity	Low flora diversity (but consisted of most types of mangrove species in Hong Kong); Diversity of bird, dragonfly and butterfly are low
Rarity	Flora species of conservation importance include Ligustrum punctifolium Fauna species of conservation importance included Japanese Pipistrelle, Little Egret, Grey Heron, Great Egret, Chinese Pond Heron, Pacific Reef Heron, Black-crowned Night Heron, Bonelli’s Eagle, Black Kite, Eastern Buzzard, Black-capped Kingfisher. From reviewed literature: Black-capped Kingfisher, Chinese Egret, Chinese Pond Heron, Grey-tailed Tattler, Little Egret,
Re-creatability	Easy to re-create but may takes time to mature and restore species diversity
Fragmentation	Fairly intact, formed soft shore along west side of Tung Chung Bay
Ecological linkage	Linked to seagrass bed, mudflats and San Tau Beach SSSI
Potential value	High
Nursery/breeding ground	Breeding and nursery ground for intertidal organisms
Age	N/A
Abundance/richness of wildlife	Abundance of dragonfly is low to moderate, bird and butterfly are low
Overall ecological value	Moderate to high

Table 9.20 Evaluation of Reedbed within the Assessment Area

Criterion	Description
Naturalness	Semi-natural, established from abandoned agricultural land along coastal area through succession
Size	1.06 ha
Diversity	Low flora diversity; Diversity of bird, dragonfly and butterfly are low
Rarity	Fauna species of conservation importance included Little Egret and Eastern Buzzard
Re-creatability	Easy to recreate by planting but difficult to restore and maintain hydrology
Fragmentation	Isolated small patches
Ecological linkage	Linked to mangrove habitats nearby
Potential value	Limited due to small size
Nursery/breeding ground	No significant observation. Could provide breeding habitats for birds
Age	N/A
Abundance/richness of wildlife	Abundance of bird, dragonfly and butterfly are low
Overall ecological value	Low to moderate

Table 9.21 Evaluation of Mudflat within the Assessment Area

Criterion	Description
Naturalness	Natural
Size	13.83 ha
Diversity	High, over 160 species of intertidal fauna and fishes Diversity of bird is low
Rarity	Flora species of conservation importance included Zostera japonica and Halophila ovalis. Intertidal fauna species of conservation importance included Horseshoe crab. Fauna species of conservation importance included Little Egret, Pacific Reef Heron, Chinese Pond Heron, Grey Heron, Great Egret, Black-crowned Night Heron, Striated Heron, Yellow Bittern, Black Kite, Little Ringed Plover, White-throated Kingfisher, Black-capped Kingfisher, White-shouldered Starling, Collared Crow. From reviewed literature: Little Egret, Eastern Cattle Egret, Intermediate Egret, Black-crowned Night Heron, Chinese Pond Heron, Pacific Reef Heron, White-throated Kingfisher.
Re-creatability	Difficult to recreate
Fragmentation	Continuous stand along Tung Chung Bay
Ecological linkage	Linked to other habitats including mangroves, estuary and coastal waters
Potential value	Moderate
Nursery/breeding ground	Breeding and nursery ground for Horseshoe crab
Age	N/A
Abundance/richness of wildlife	Intertidal fauna abundance high; Abundance of bird is low
Overall ecological value	High

Table 9.22 Evaluation of Rocky Shore (intertidal and subtidal parts) and Sandy Shore within the Assessment Area

Criterion	Rocky Shore (intertidal and subtidal parts)	Sandy Shore
	Description	Description
Naturalness	Natural	Natural
Size	0. 23 ha (ca. 0.9km)	0.004 ha (ca. 20m)
Diversity	Moderate for intertidal fauna (moderate diversity index and evenness), low for subtidal epifauna	Low, very few intertidal fauna found
Rarity	Common habitat in Hong Kong Records of common gorgonians and corals from literatures	Common habitat in Hong Kong
Re-creatability	Difficult to recreate	Difficult to recreate
Fragmentation	Fragmented, only small sections remained	Fragmented, only minute section remained
Ecological linkage	Connected to Tung Chung Bay and coastal waters	Connected to Tung Chung Bay and coastal water
Potential value	Low	Low
Nursery/breeding ground	Breeding and nursery ground for limited intertidal and/or subtidal organisms	Breeding and nursery ground for limited intertidal organisms
Age	N/A	N/A
Abundance/richness of wildlife	Low for bird and subtidal fauna; moderate for intertidal fauna	Low for bird and intertidal fauna
Overall ecological value	Low for both intertidal and subtidal parts	Low

Table 9.23 Evaluation of Seawall (intertidal and subtidal parts) within the Assessment Area

Criterion	Description
Naturalness	Man-made habitat
Size	11.24 ha (~8.6km)
Diversity	Low diversity for intertidal organisms, subtidal fauan, flora, and bird
Rarity	Fauna species of conservation importance included Little Egret, Pacific Reef Heron, Zitting Cisticola, Balanophyllia sp. and Guaiagorgia sp. From reviewed literature: Black Kite, Little Egret, Chinese Pond Heron, Echinomuricea sp. was also recorded.
Re-creatability	Easy to recreate
Fragmentation	N/A
Ecological linkage	Connected to Tung Chung Bay and coastal water
Potential value	Low
Nursery/breeding ground	Juveniles of Zitting Cisticola were observed, but is not considered important breeding habitat of this species. Breeding and nursery ground for limited intertidal organisms and/or subtidal organisms, provide substrate for subtidal and intertidal organisms to colonize
Age	N/A
Abundance/richness of wildlife	Low
Overall ecological value	Low for both intertidal and subtidal parts

Table 9.24a Evaluation of Coastal Waters inside the 500m Assessment Area

Criterion	Tung Chung Bay	Coastal waters outside Tung Chung New Town up to Siu Ho
	Description	Description
Naturalness	Natural habitat. The surrounding coastlines are largely natural except near Ma Wan Chung Village	Natural habitat. The coastlines are all artificial seawalls.
Size	53.18 ha	458.37 ha
Diversity	High diversity of estuarine and intertidal fauna (including estuarine fish species); low diversity of benthic organisms	Low diversity of benthic organisms. Low diversity on artificial seawalls (both intertidal and subtidal).
Rarity	Intertidal flora and fauna of conservation importance included Horseshoe crab and seagrass. The estuarine area also supports fish species of conservation importance including Mangrove Goby, Sleepy goby, Archpatch Puffer, and Grass Puffer. No benthic animal of conservation importance was recorded. No Chinese White Dolphin was reported. From literature review, Eastern Cattle Egret, Alligator Pipefish, Wuhanlinigobius polylepis were also found in Tung Chung Bay.	No benthic animal of conservation importance was recorded. There was no dolphin sighting in the waters to the east of Airport Island (a triangular area between the north-eastern corner of Airport Island, the western end of the MTR depot in Siu Ho, and the bridge connecting Tung Chung to Airport Island), but one single sighting near Tai Ho outlet in 2009. From reviewed literature: Black Kite, Grey Heron,
Re-creatability	Difficult to re-create	Difficult to re-create
Fragmentation	Not fragmented	Not fragmented
Ecological linkage	Connected to other habitats including Tung Chung Stream and the outer waters	Connected the outer waters
Potential value	High as the bay has already been natural and preserved.	Low for existing seawall as under disturbance from works vessels and limited by the man-made seawalls. Moderate for the section being designed as eco-shoreline.
Nursery/breeding ground	Nursery grounds for horseshoe crab, spawning and nursery grounds for many fishes and invertebrates	Breeding habitats for fishes, and invertebrates
Age	N/A	N/A
Abundance/richness of wildlife	Intertidal and subtidal fauna are of moderate to high abundance	Intertidal and subtidal fauna are of low abundance
Overall ecological value	High	Low

Table 9.24b Evaluation of Coastal Waters in Tai Ho Wan

Criterion	Tai Ho Wan
	Description
Naturalness	The surrounding coastlines are largely natural except the outlet enclosed by seawalls
Size	24.84 ha
Diversity	High diversity of estuarine and intertidal fauna (including estuarine fish species)
Rarity	Intertidal flora and fauna of conservation importance included Horseshoe crab and seagrass. The estuarine area also supports Ayu, Mangrove Goby, Sleepy goby, Archpatch Puffer, and Grass Puffer. From literature review, Grey Heron, Small Snakehead, Largesnout Goby and Red Stingray were also found in Tai Ho. One single sighting of Chinese White Dolphin near Tai Ho outlet in 2009.
Re-creatability	Difficult to re-create
Fragmentation	Largely fragmented by North Lantau Highway.
Ecological linkage	Connected to Tai Ho Stream and the outer waters
Potential value	Low as the bay has already been well preserved.
Nursery/breeding ground	Nursery grounds for horseshoe crab, spawning and nursery grounds for many fishes and invertebrates
Age	N/A
Abundance/richness of wildlife	Intertidal and subtidal fauna are of moderate to high abundance
Overall ecological value	High

Table 9.24c Evaluation of Coastal Waters of North Lantau Waters (including proposed and existing marine parks)*

Criterion	North Lantau waters (Northeast)	North Lantau waters (Northwest)
Naturalness	The water body, including areas within the proposed The Brothers Marine Park (PTBMP) basically natural. The surrounding coastlines are mixture of artificial (between Black Point via Tune Mun to Tsuen Wan) with little natural sections.	The water body, including areas within Sha Chau and Lung Kwu Chau Marine Park (SCLKCMP) basically natural. The surrounding coastlines are mixture of artificial (Airport Island) and natural (Tai O, Lung Kwu Tan, and islands)
Size	N/A for the waters PTBMP will cover an area of about 970 ha	N/A for the waters SCLKCMP covers an area of about 1,200 ha
Diversity	Diverse estuarine faunal species	Diverse estuarine faunal species
Rarity	Part of the Pearl River Estuary and a common habitat type in Hong Kong and in the area. Also habitat range of Chinese White Dolphin, but of lower abundance than the Northwest part.	Part of the Pearl River Estuary and a common habitat type in Hong Kong and in the area. The key habitat range for individuals of Chinese White Dolphin inside Hong Kong waters.
Re-creatability	Difficult to re-create	Difficult to re-create
Fragmentation	Currently disturbed by ongoing construction works but not physical fragmented	Not fragmented
Ecological linkage	Connected to other marine areas in Hong Kong and the Pearl River Estuary	Connected to other marine areas in Hong Kong and the Pearl River Estuary
Potential value	Moderate as the ecological value is expected to increase after the designation of PTBMP .	Moderate as the ecological value is subject to enhancement measures committed in other EIAs.
Nursery/breeding ground	Nursery grounds for estuarine fauna	Nursery grounds for estuarine fauna. Also nursery ground for CWD
Age	N/A	N/A
Abundance/richness of wildlife	Currently lower for CWD Moderate for other fauna	Moderate for CWD Moderate for other fauna
Overall ecological value	High for PTBMP, with its coming designation and management. Moderate for the remaining waters	High for SCLKCMP, with the ongoing management Moderate to High for the remaining waters

* This table refers to the evaluation of general North Lantau water area. Please refer to Table 9.24a for the evaluation of coastal water inside 500m assessment area.

Table 9.24d Evaluation of Sub-tidal Soft Bottom Seabed

Criterion	Description
Naturalness	Most of the sub-tidal soft bottom seabed are natural but being disturbed by fish trawl activities prior to trawl ban and high usage of marine traffic, seabed was deposited with dead shell and muddy sediment
Size	Very large
Diversity	Moderate to high diversity of benthic organisms
Rarity	Common habitat in western Hong Kong, no species of conservation importance was recorded in present surveys. From 3RS EIA study, an individual of Amphioxus was found in benthic surveys.
Re-creatability	Difficult to re-create
Fragmentation	Not fragmented
Ecological linkage	Functionally linked with the open waters
Potential value	Low
Nursery/breeding ground	Nursery grounds for crustaceans, mollusca and bottom dwelling fishes
Age	N/A
Abundance/richness of wildlife	Abundance of benthic organisms is regarded as low compared to other regions of Hong Kong
Overall ecological value	Low to moderate

Table 9.25 Evaluation of Fong Yuen Area

Criterion	Description
	Northern Section	Middle Section	Southern Section
	A variety of habitat types including orchard, wet abandoned agricultural land, young woodland, disturbed area, plantation and small-scale active farmland. Though originated from farmlands as the Middle and Southern Sections, currently subject to higher disturbance. Filling, vegetation clearance, reversion to active farming and newly constructed ditches were recorded.	Composed of wet abandoned agricultural land, young woodland and plantation. Mostly originated from farmlands, with tree groups developed after suspension of farming and plantation planted during the upgrade of Tung Chung Road. Less disturbed among the three sections.	Also originated from farmlands, currently dominated by abandoned wet agricultural land (Ginger Lily field), and also include young woodland, plantation, and developed area (a temple). Vegetation was found cleared recently during 2015 surveys.
Size	NA	NA	NA
Diversity	A higher variety of habitat types, but most of the habitat types are of lower diversity of flora and fauna	Low flora diversity, formed of common species; Diversity of dragonfly and bird are low, butterfly is minor to moderate	Low flora diversity, formed of common species; Diversity of bird, butterfly, and dragonfly are low,
Rarity	Jhora Scrub Hopper was recorded but of a much lower abundance than that in the Middle section	Fauna species of conservation importance included a rare butterfly species Jhora Scrub Hopper of considerable abundance near the stream bank	Romer’s Tree Frog was recorded.
Re-creatability	Easy to re-create for most habitat types occur.	Easy to re-create but not easy to restore and maintain the hydrology	Easy to re-create but not easy to restore and maintain the hydrology
Fragmentation	Different habitats occurred. Some fragmentation among habitats inside,	Little fragmentation, the wet abandoned agricultural land is continuous	One continuous abandoned Ginger Lily field, little fragmentation
Ecological linkage	Not functionally linked to habitats of conservation importance. The nearby section of Tung Chung Stream was channelized, and thus damaged the hydrological linkage.	Provide a hydrological linkage with the natural section of Tung Chung Stream	Provide a hydrological linkage with the natural section of Tung Chung Stream
Potential value	Low. Low opportunity for succession given the disturbance level and recent changing of habitats observed on site.	Low to Moderate. The wet abandoned agricultural could be disturbed by reversion to active farming. If no reversion, wet abandoned agricultural will be progressively replaced by young woodlands, which in turn would progressively mature.	Low. Might develop into semi-natural habitats if given enough time, but limited by small size, fragmentation and disturbance. But Ginger Lily field would obstruct the expansion of young woodland.
Nursery/breeding ground	No significant observation.	Larval foodplant of a rare butterfly species (Jhora Scrub Hopper) was found.	No significant observation.
Age	Young	Young	Young
Abundance/richness of wildlife	Low in fauna including bird, butterfly, dragonfly	Abundance of butterfly is moderate, bird and dragonfly are low to moderate	Low in fauna including bird, butterfly, dragonfly
Overall ecological value	Low	Moderate	Low to moderate

9.4.11.2 A summary of the overall ecological value of the habitat types are given in Table 9.26 below.

Table 9.26 Summary of overall ecological value of habitat types recorded in the Assessment Area

Habitat	Overall Ecological Value
Agricultural Land (Orchard)	Low
Agricultural Land (Active, Dry)	Low
Agricultural Land (Abandoned, Dry)	Low
Agricultural Land (Abandoned, Wet)	Low to moderate
Coastal Waters (Tung Chung Bay)	High
Coastal Waters (Offshore to New Town)	Low
Coastal Waters (Tai Ho Wan)	High
Coastal Waters (North Lantau waters – Northeast)	High for PTBMP, Moderate for the remaining waters
Coastal Waters (North Lantau waters – Northwest)	High for SCLKCMP, Moderate to high for the remaining waters
Sub-tidal Soft Bottom Seabed	Low to moderate
Fong Yuen (Northern Section)	Low
Fong Yuen (Middle Section)	Moderate
Fong Yuen (Southern Section)	Low to moderate
Fung Shui Wood	Vary, from moderate, moderate to high, and high
Mangrove	Moderate to high
Mudflat	High
Plantation	Low
Reedbed	Low to moderate
Rocky Shore (intertidal and subtidal parts)	Low for both parts
Sandy Shore	Low
Seawall (intertidal and subtidal parts)	Low for both parts
Secondary Woodland	Low to moderate for young woodland Moderate to high for mature woodland
Shrubland/Grassland	Low
Urbanised/Disturbed	Low
Watercourse (Tung Chung Stream Natural)	High
Watercourse (Tung Chung Stream Channelised)	Low – moderate
Watercourse (Tai Ho Stream)	High
Watercourse (Wong Lung Hang Stream - Natural)	Moderate
Watercourse (Wong Lung Hang Stream - Channelised)	Low to moderate

9.4.11.3 In accordance with Table 3, Annex 8 of the EIAO-TM, the ecological value of species recorded was assessed in terms of protection status (e.g. fauna protected under Cap. 170 (except birds), and flora and fauna protected under regional/global legislation/conventions), species distribution (e.g. endemic), and rarity (e.g. rare or restricted).

9.4.11.4 The list and evaluation of flora species of conservation importance recorded within the Assessment Area, according to the EIAO-TM, are given in Table 9.27. And the locations of those recorded during the field survey are shown in Figures 9.5 a - c.

Table 9.27 Evaluation of floral species of conservation importance within the Assessment Area (Species -not recorded in the present field survey are underlined)

No	Scientific Name	Common Name	Protection status	Locations / Habitats recorded	Rarity	Remarks
1	Aquilaria sinensis	Incense Tree	Cap. 586. Category II nationally protected species in the PRC Vulnerable in the China Plant Red Data Book Near Threated (NT) in China (AFCD 2015) Listed in Rare and Precious Plants in Hong Kong (AFCD 2015) Vulnerable in IUCN (2015).	Woodland (along trail to San Tau, Shek Mun Kap), and Fung Shui woods (Mok Ka, Sheung Ling Pei, Shek Mun Kap, Ngau Au-Tung Hing)	Common (Xing et. al. 2000)
2	Artocarpus hypargyreus	Silver-backed Artocarpus	Near Threatened (NT) in China (AFCD 2015) Listed in Rare and Precious Plants of Hong Kong (AFCD 2015)	At the fringe of Assessment Area boundary in shrubland of Tai Ho	Common (Xing et al. 2000)	Not recorded probably because it was at the fringe of the current assessment area and out of sampling locations
3	Arundina graminifolia	Bamboo Orchid	Cap. 96A; Cap. 586	Ravine in Shrubland/Grassland at Tai Ho	Common (Xing et. al. 2000)	Not recorded probably because it was at the fringe of the current assessment area and out of sampling locations
4	Cibotium barometz	Lam of Tartary	Cap. 586. Category II nationally protected species in the PRC Vulnerable in China (AFCD 2015)	Woodland (Mok Ka, Shek Mun Kap)	Locally very common (Wu and Lee 2000)
5	Dioscorea hispida	White Yam	Nil	Tung Chung	Locally Rare (Xing et al. 2000)	Not recorded probably due to change in habitat condition (e.g. disturbance)
6	Diospyros vaccinioides	Small persimmon	Critically Endangered in IUCN (2015).	Shrubland/Grassland (Olympic Trail)	Locally very common (Xing et. al. 2000)
7	Eulophia graminea	Pale Purple Eulophia	Cap. 96A; Cap. 586	Shrubland/Grassland at hillside on Airport Island	Restricted (Xing et. al 2000)	Not recorded probably because it was at the fringe of the current assessment area and out of sampling locations
8	Gmelina chinensis	Little-leaved Rourea	Vulnerable (V) in China (AFCD 2015) Listed in Rare and Precious Plants of Hong Kong (AFCD 2015)	Woodland at Shek Mun Kap, roadside at Tai Ho, plantation slope, slope along Olympic Trail, in shrubland/grassland near the proposed Service Reservoirs	Locally common in Lantau (AFCD 2015)
9	Goodyera procera	Tall Rattlesnake-plantain	Cap. 96A Cap. 586	Tung Chung Stream	Very common (Siu 2000)	Not recorded probably due to change in habitat condition (e.g. disturbance)
10	Gymnosphaera hancockii	Toothed Black Tree-fern	Cap. 96A Cap. 586	Mok Ka (village) FSW	Very rare (Wu and Lee 2000)	Not recorded probably due to change in habitat condition (e.g. disturbance)
11	Halophila beccarii	Beccari’s Halophila	Vulnerable in IUCN (2015).	Mudflat to the west of Tai Ho Wan	Locally Rare (Xing et al. 2000)
12	Halophila minor		Nil	San Tau Beach SSSI	Not previously recorded at San Tau. Locally Rare (Hu et al. 2003)
13	Halophila ovalis	Oval Halophila	Least Concern (LC) in China (AFCD 2015) Listed in Rare and Precious Plants in Hong Kong (AFCD 2015)	San Tau Beach SSSI	Locally Rare (Xing et al. 2000)
14	Lespedeza cuneata*	Cuneate Lespedeza	Nil	San Tau, along path To Tung Chung, shrubland	Rare (Xing et al. 2000)
15	Ligustrum punctifolium	Nil	Least Concern (LC) in China (AFCD 2015) listed in Rare and Precious Plants in Hong Kong (AFCD 2015).	Mangrove at Tung Chung Estuary	Very rare (Xing et al. 2000) Endemic to Hong Kong (Lai 2001; AFCD 2015)
16	Nepenthes mirabilis	Pitcher Plant	Cap. 96A Cap. 586 Vulnerable in the China Plant Red Data Book (AFCD 2015) Listed in Rare and Precious Plants in Hong Kong (AFCD 2015)	Tung Chung Stream	Restricted (Xing et al. 2000)	Not recorded probably due to vegetation clearance along ravines
17	Pavetta hongkongensis	Hong Kong Pavetta	Cap. 96A	Woodland at Shek Mun Kap, Sheung Ling Pei	Common (Xing et al. 2000)
18	Pycreus sanguinolentus	Red-scaled Pycreus	Nil	“Fong Yuen, marsh”	Rare (Xing et al. 2000)	Not recorded probably due to change in habitat condition (e.g. hydrology and human disturbance)
19	Spiranthes hongkongensis	Hong Kong Spiranthes	Cap. 96A Cap. 586	Tung Chung Stream	Rare (Siu 2000)
20	Spiranthes sinensis	Ladies Treeses	Cap. 96A Cap. 586	“Fong Yuen, marsh”	Common (Siu 2000)	Not recorded probably due to change in habitat condition (e.g. hydrology and human disturbance)
21	Uvaria calamistrata	Spiny-fruited Uvaria	Nil	Woodland along path to Tung Chung,	Rare (Xing et al. 2000)
22	Zostera japonica	Dwarf Eel Grass	Least Concern (LC) in China (AFCD 2015) Listed in Rare and Precious Plants in Hong Kong (AFCD 2015)	San Tau Beach SSSI	Locally Rare (Xing et al. 2000, Hu et al. 2003)
23	Zoysia sinica	Chinese Lawn Grass	Listed in Rare and Precious Plants of Hong Kong (AFCD 2015) Vulnerable in China (AFCD 2015)	Mangrove at Tung Chung Estuary	Common (Xing et al. 2000)

9.4.11.5 For fauna, the full list of faunal species of conservation importance according to the EIAO-TM recorded within the Assessment Area is given in Appendix 9.20, and selected photos of fauna species recorded during survey are shown in Appendix 9.1b. The relevance of those species with the impact assessment of the Project was also evaluated based on previous practices and professional judgement. Fauna species with restricted distribution range and occurring in relatively high abundance in the Assessment Area are considered relevant to the impact assessment (e.g. Romer’s Tree Frog). This is because for a particular species if a significant proportion of the local population is impacted, the influence on the sustainability of the species would be higher. Similarly, fauna species with habitats directly affected and in which they are regularly recorded or present in relatively high abundance are also considered relevant to the Project (e.g., Jhora Scrub Hopper). Faunal species highlighted in EIA Study Brief are also considered relevant to the Project (e.g., Chinese White Dolphin, South China Cascade Frog). However fauna species of low frequency of occurrence (e.g., Common Kestrel, Black-winged Cuckooshrike) or with large home-range compared to the area of habitats affected (e.g., Crested Serpent Eagle) are not considered relevant to the Project. This is because only a minority of the local population of these species or minor proportion of the habitats used by these species is affected. Examples also include waterfowls such as Little Egret and Yellow Bittern which are not frequently recorded in the impacted areas, and the Greasyback Shrimp Metapenaeus spp. which is a commercial fisheries species and indeed very common in Hong Kong waters (Leung et al. 2004). Fauna species with low flexibility in habitat utilisation, including aquatic fauna (e.g., Mountain Water Snake, Predaceous Chub), and their habitats potentially affected by the Project (e.g., surface runoff) will be considered relevant with the impact assessment. The faunal species with conservation importance and also relevant with the impact assessment are shown in Table 9.28 below. The locations of those recorded during the ecological field survey are also presented in Figures 9.6 a, b & c and 9.7 a & b.

Table 9.28 Fauna species of conservation importance (recorded in the present study, stipulated in EIA SB, and reviewed literatures since 2010) and relevant with impact assessment

No.	Common names	Locations	Protection/ Conservation status	Distribution	Rarity
Mammals
1	Chinese White Dolphin Sousa chinensis*	North Lantau waters	Cap. 170; Cap. 586; Class I Protected Animal of PRC; CITES: Appendix I; China Species Red List: Endangered ; IUCN (2015): Near Threatened	Mostly in waters north and west of Lantau, this species was also recorded in the coastal/marine waters near Tai Ho area.	Common in the Western Hong Kong waters
Birds (All wild birds are protected under Cap 170, and not individually indicated in the column of Protection/Conservation Status)
2	Chinese Egret Egretta eulophotes *	Found in mangroves in the west of Tung Chung Bay	China Red Data Book: Endangered; IUCN (2015): vulnerable; Fellowes et al. (2002): GC	Most records come from Deep Bay Area	Rare passage migrant
3	Crested Goshawk Accipiter trivirgatus	Found in woodland near Shek Mun Kap in TCW PDA	Cap. 586 Class 2 Protected Animal of China; CITES: Appendix II	Mainly found in areas of forest and mature woodland	Uncommon resident
4	Greater Coucal Centropussinensis	Found in orchard, abandoned agricultural land, active agricultural land and urbanised/disturbed in the TCW PDA, and found in shrubland/ grassland and woodland outside Project Area	Class 2 Protected Animal of China; China Red Data Book: Vulnerable	Widely distributed in Hong Kong and occurs in many types of habitats	Common resident
5	Collared Scops Owl Otuslettia	Found in woodland within the TCW PDA, and woodland and shrubland/grassland outside the Project Area	Cap. 586; Class 2 Protected Animal of China; CITES: Appendix II ;	Found in a variety of wooded habitats including woodland, fungshui woods, shrubland with scattered big trees, gardens and city parks.	Common resident
6	Common Emerald Dove Chalcophaps indica	Found in orchard and woodland within the TCW PDA, and woodland outside the Project Area	China Red Data Book: Vulnerable	Found in a variety of wooded habitats including woodland, fungshui woods and shrubland	Scarce but widespread resident
Reptiles
7	Mountain Water Snake Sinonatrix percarinata	Found in woodland in the TCW PDA	Fellowes et al. (2002): Local Concern	Distributed in streams in central New Territories	Uncommon
Amphibian
8	Hong Kong Newt * Paramesotriton hongkongensis	Found in Wong Lung Hang Stream outside the Project Area	Cap. 170, IUCN (2015): Near Threatened, Fellowes et al. (2002): Potential Global Concern	Found in natural mountain streams with clear water, large boulders and vegetated areas. Occasionally seen in pools in catchwaters	Common
9	Lesser Spiny Frog Paa exilispinosa	Found in watercourse within and outside the Project Area	IUCN (2015): vulnerable; Fellowes et al. (2002): Potential Global Concern	Found in and near hill streams in a wide range of altitudes	Common
10	Chinese Bullfrog Hoplobatrachus chinensis	Found in orchard in the TCW PDA and woodland outside the Project Area	Class 2 Protected Animal of China; Fellowes et al. (2002): Potential Regional Concern	Lowland species found in cultivated lands, ponds, streams and marshes.	Common
11	Romer’s Tree Frog * Liuixalus romeri	Found in urbanised/disturbed and orchard within the TCW PDA and woodland outside the Project Area	Cap. 170, IUCN (2015): endangered; Fellowes et al. (2002): Potential Global Concern	Endemic to Hong Kong; formerly found in Lamma, Lantau, Po Toi and Chek Lap Kok. Relocated to various sites in the New Territories; Breeds in shaded, still or slow-flowing waters that are fish free and are low in nutrient content. The breeding sites are usually associated with forest or shrubland, while non-breeding individuals are found in forest, plantation and clearings within them	Locally common in scattered locations
12	South China Cascade Frog * Amolops ricketti	Only reported from three locations in Lantau Island (Tei Tong Tsai, Pak Kung Au, a stream near Shek Pik) throughout Hong Kong, and all these three locations are outside the Assessment Area of the present study	N/A	Only reported in three locations in Lantau Island	Rare
13	Short-legged Toad * Xenophyrs brachykolos	Heard from woodland outside Assessment Area	IUCN (2015): Endangered Fellowes et al. (2002): Potential Global Concern	Possibly endemic to Hong Kong, found in mountain streams with well-wooded banks	Common in Hong Kong Island and a few islands
Fishes
14	Japanese Eel* Anguilla japonica	Tung Chung Stream, Tai Ho	China Species Red List: Endangered China Key List : II IUCN (2015): Endangered	Records from Lantau Island, Hong Kong Island, Sai Kung and Tsuen Wan in low abundance	Uncommon
15	Giant Mottled Eel * Anguilla marmorata	Tung Chung Stream, Tai Ho	AFCD Assessment: Species of Conservation Concern Class II Protected Animal in China China Species Red List: Endangered China Red Data Book: Endangered Fellowes et al. (2002): Global Concern	Records from Lantau Island, Sai Kung and Tsuen Wan	Uncommon
16	Beijiang Thick-lipped Barb* Acrossocheilus beijiangensis	Tung Chung Stream and Wong Lung Hang Stream	AFCD Assessment: Species of Conservation Concern; Fellowes et al. (2002): Global Concern	Records from reservoir catchments on Hong Kong Island and a few streams on Lantau Island	Rare
17	Predaceous Chub Parazacco spilurus	Tung Chung Stream, Wong Lung Hang Stream, and Tai Ho Stream	China Red Data Book: Vulnerable	A widespread species occurring in most unpolluted hill streams in both upper and lower courses	Common
18	Rice Fish Orizias curvinotus	Estuary of Tung Chung Bay	AFCD Assessment: Species of Conservation Concern; Fellowes et al. (2002): Global Concern	Records from a few streams in North District, Sai Kung and on Lantau Island as well as some reservoirs in North District and Tuen Mun	Uncommon
19	Seaweed Pipefish* Syngnathus schlegeli	Estuary of Tung Chung Bay	Nil	Distribution unknown	Locally abundant
20	Common seahorse Hippocampus kuda	Estuary of Tung Chung Bay	Cap. 586 CITES: Appendix II; IUCN (2015): Vulnerable	Occasionally found in shallow, sheltered areas of corals and boulders, primarily in eastern waters but also around man-made structures such as abandoned nets, pipes and shark nets	Moderately abundant
21	Crimson-tipped Flathead Gudgeon* Butis melanostigma (= Butis butis)	Estuary of Tung Chung Bay	Nil	Records from a few streams in Sai Kung and Lantau Island	Uncommon
22	Mangrove Goby Hemigobius hoevenii	Estuary of Tung Chung Stream	Nil	Lantau	Rare
23	Spotty Band Goby* Glossogobius olivaceus	Estuary of Tung Chung Stream	AFCD Assessment: Uncommon	Restricted distribution in Hong Kong, only recorded in a few reservoirs and estuaries	Uncommon
24	Archpatch Puffer Takifugu ocellatus	Estuary of Tung Chung Stream	Fellowes et al. (2002): Local Concern for habitat	Tai Ho	Rare
25	Ayu Plecoglossus altivelis	Tai Ho Wan	AFCD Assessment: Species of Conservation Concern; China Red Data Book: Vulnerable; Fellowes et al. (2002): Regional Concern	In Hong Kong, only found in Tai Ho	Rare
26	Indo-Pacific Tropical Sand Goby Favonigobius reichei	Tai Ho Wan	Listed as “Near Threatened” in IUCN (2015)	Found in intertidal waters throughout Hong Kong	Common
27	White-lined Chinese Chest-catfish * Glyptothorax pallozonum	Tung Chung Stream (from previous study)	AFCD Assessment: Species of Conservation Concern; Fellowes et al. (2002): Global Concern		Rare
28	Small Snakehead Channa asiatica	Tung Chung Stream, Tai Ho (from previous study)	Fellowes et al. (2002): Local Concern	Recorded from a few streams in North District and on Lantau Island.	Uncommon
29	Dark-margined Flagtail Kuhlia marginata	Stream within Tung Chung Bay (from previous study)	Fellowes et al. (2002): Regional Concern	Distribution unknown	Very Rare
30	Alligator Pipefish * Syngnathoides biaculeatus	Tung Chung Bay (from previous study)	Nil	Tung Chung Bay	Local population unknown
31	Purple Neon Goby Stiphodon atropurpureus	Tung Chung Stream (from previous study)	AFCD Assessment: Species of Conservation Concern; Fellowes et al. (2002): Global Concern	Distribution unknown	Uncommon
32	Wuhanlinigobius polylepis (= Eugnathogobius polylepis)	Tung Chung Bay (from previous study)	Considered “Endangered” in China	Rare in China	Restricted
Butterflies
33	Jhora Scrub Hopper* Aeromachus jhora	Found in watercourse and abandoned agricultural land (wet) in the TCW PDA	Nil	Found in abandoned agricultural land	Very rare in Hong Kong; First recorded in Hong Kong in 2009
34	Oriental Striped Blue* Leptotes plinius	A bush at Hau Wong Temple	Fellowes et al. (2002): LC	A few scattered locations including Tung Chung, Tai O, Lai Chi Wo, Kat O, Tung Ping Chau	Very rare
35	Common Birdwing * Troides helena	Fung Shui Woodland at Shek Mun Kap, Agricultural land in San Tau	Cap. 170; Cap. 586	Widely distributed throughout Hong Kong	Uncommon
36	Golden Birdwing * Troides aecus	Location of record not specified, this species is usually found in woodland of high altitude	Cap. 586; Fellowes et al. (2002): LC	Widely distributed throughout Hong Kong	Rare
37	Sullied Sailer Neptis clinia	Location of record not specified	Fellowes et al. (2002): LC	Wooded areas throughout the New Territories and Lantau Island	Very rare
38	Small Grass Yellow Eurema brigitta	Location of record not specified	Fellowes et al. (2002): LC	A few scattered locations including Ping Shan Tsai, Yung Shue O and Pat Sin Leng; found in grassy areas and woodland clearings	Rare
39	Swallowtail Papilio machaon	Location of record not specified	N/A	Scattered locations including Ma On Shan, Wu Kau Tang, Lung Kwu Tan; prefer open secondary growths	Rare (AFCD website)
40	Tiny Grass Blue Famegana alsulus	Location of record not specified	N/A	A few scattered locations including Fung Yuen and Lung Kwu Tan; common in open secondary growth and along woodland paths	Very rare
41	Peacock Royal * Tajuria cippus	Location of record not specified	Fellowes et al. (2002): LC	Scattered locations including Ma On Shan, Wu Kau Tang, Tai Po Kau; found in tops of hills, and woods and secondary growth at low elevation	Rare
Horseshoe Crab
42	Tachypleus tridentatus	San Tau, Tung Chung Bay, Tai Ho Wan.	China Species Red List: Endangered	Declining in range due to water pollution/ loss of nursery grounds (Morton & Lee 2003); locally found in Tsim Bei Tsui, Pak Nai, Sham Wat, Yi O, Shui Hau Wan	Uncommon
43	Carcinoscorpius rotundicauda	San Tau, Tung Chung Bay, Tai Ho Wan.	China Species Red List: Vulnerable	Declining in range due to water pollution/ loss of nursery grounds (Morton & Lee 2003); locally found in Tsim Bei Tsui, Pak Nai, Sham Wat, Yi O, Shui Hau Wan	Uncommon
Crustacea
44	Freshwater Crab Cryptopotamon anacoluthon	Middle course of Tung Chung Stream; Tai Ho Stream	IUCN (2015): Vulnerable; Fellowes et al. (2002): potential global concern	Widespread in local unpolluted streams	Fairly common
Coral
45	Balanophyllia sp.	Seawalls of New Town	Cap 586	Common in western waters	Common
46	Guaiagorgia sp.	Seawalls of New Town	Nil	Common in western waters	Common
47	Echinomuricea sp.	Sham Wat to San Shek Wan; east of Chek Lap Kok; Northeast and southeast shores of Airport Island (from previous study)	Nil	Common in western waters	Common

Notes:

Species with “*” – highlighted in EIA Study Brief

Species underlined - not recorded in the present field survey

9.5 Impact Identification and Prediction

9.5.1 Proposed Development Plan and Assessment Methodology

9.5.1.1 The development plans of the Project are shown in Figure 2.2 and Figure 2.3 of this EIA report respectively.

9.5.1.2 The development plans of the Project, in particular the boundaries of the TCE PDA and TCW PDA have evolved with the considerations of various factors including development needs, public aspiration, environmental constraints, ecological concerns, etc. In ecological aspect, distributions of ecological resources and potential impacts on them were taken into account, including locations of important habitats, sightings of species of conservation importance, existing hydrological linkage, and potential impacts such as direct habitat loss, disturbance, and fragmentation.

9.5.1.3 From the original boundaries of the two PDAs as presented in the original EIA Study Brief (ESB-251/2012) (see Section 1), the shapes and extents of the proposed development plans for the two PDAs have been modified and revised (see the new EIA SB and also Figure 9.8a and b). In TCE PDA, the configuration of the proposed reclamation coastline has been adjusted to accommodate proposed facilities. While the area sizes and distributions of the development areas within the TCW PDA have also been extensively modified and reduced. Reclamation in Tung Chung Bay has been removed from TCW PDA. For developments on land, instead of occupying the entire PDA, the current proposed developments inside the TCW PDA are confined within selected development parcels which have avoided ecologically sensitive areas from ecological point of view. In the latest EIA SB(ESB-285/2015), there are also some further project elements, including 1) Road P1 (Tung Chung - Tai Ho Section); 2) two Service Reservoirs in Tung Chung near Wong Lung Hang; 3) upgrading and/or constructing sewerage network between PDAs and Siu Ho Wan Sewage Treatment Works and associated pumping stations.

9.5.1.4 Road P1 (Tung Chung - Tai Ho Section) is designed to follow the coastlines between the TCE PDA and MTR Siu Ho Wan Depot, while the proposed Service Reservoirs in Tung Chung are the expansion of an existing service reservoir from its current location. Other components which extend to Siu Ho Wan area are only sewage rising main which only involves land-based works along existing vehicle roads. In addition, the necessity of upgrading work at the existing SHW WTW will not be undertaken under this Project.

9.5.1.5 Within the TCW PDA, there will also be some works for enhancing the environment and improvement of safety. Currently there is an engineered section (approximately 625 m in length and about 15m in width) of Tung Chung Stream located to the northeast of Shek Lau Po. The ecological value of this engineered section is limited as it is currently paved and channelized. This engineered section has also undermined the ecological connection between the upstream natural section of Tung Chung Stream and the estuary further downstream. In order to restore the ecological connection between the upstream and downstream of Tung Chung Stream, it is proposed to revitalise most part of this existing channelized section of Tung Chung Stream (about 415m long). Together with the natural section of Tung Chung Stream immediate upstream up to Shek Mun Kap (approximately 360m long), it is proposed to convert the entire area into amenity uses and for environmental enhancement, i.e. in a form as a River Park. This River Park would occupy an area of approximately 3.3ha along a total length of 775m and would aim to promote eco-education by setting up viewing decks / boardwalk, passive recreation zone for appreciation of natural environment. Besides, this Park would also help to prevent massive infrastructures within the Park to avoid impacts due to construction and human disturbance (see Appendix 1.2 for the proposed extent).

9.5.1.6 New developments would inevitably bring additional surface runoff. For the proposed development in TCW PDA in particular, additional runoff discharged into Tung Chung Stream has been a concern. Sustainable Urban Drainage System (SUDS) is introduced as an enhancement measure to address this issue, which would include the provision of a series of regional stormwater attenuation and treatment ponds.

9.5.1.7 Polder systems will be provided to protect the existing villages and some of the future residential areas. Trapezoid earth bunds will be provided to separate those areas from the water courses.

9.5.1.8 The west of TCW PDA still remains as village areas at which Shek Mun Kap, Mok Ka, Nim Yuen, Lam Che, Ngau Au and Shek Lau Po are located. For these existing villages, they are not provided with government sewerage connection. It is observed that alternative means of sewage treatment such as septic tanks etc. have been employed. In order to tackle the sewage generated by both existing and planned population in TCW PDA, sewerage system for the villages in TCW PDA is proposed. For each of the villages at Shek Mun Kap, Mok Ka, Nim Yuen, Lam Che, Ngau Au, Shek Lau Po, Ma Wan Chung and Wong Nai Uk, a proper village sewerage system would be provided to facilitate the villagers for the connection to the public sewer as appropriate.

9.5.1.9 The assessment below identified and quantified as far as possible the potential terrestrial, aquatic, and marine ecological impacts associated with the Project, both directly (e.g. by physical disturbance) and indirectly (e.g. by change of water quality and hydrodynamic regime), including construction phase and operation phase, to recognised sites of conservation importance, important habitats, and the associated wildlife groups/species. Predicted impacts would be quantified as far as possible and evaluated with reference to the criteria in Annexes 8 and 16 of the EIAO-TM. Impacts are generally ranked as "insignificant", "minor", "moderate" or "severe". Where significant negative impacts are predicted, the strategy followed the priority of “avoid, minimize, and compensate”. The acceptability of residual impacts following mitigation was assessed. Finally, the assessment evaluated the need for ecological monitoring and audit, and prescribed in detail any required EM&A programme in accord with the Study Brief. A summary of the potential impacts that may arise as a result of the construction and operation of present Project are presented below.

9.5.2 Predicted Impacts – Construction Phase

Direct Impacts

9.5.2.1 Estimated Habitat Loss - Loss of habitats and/or associated vegetation due to reclamation and land-based site formation will constitute direct ecological impacts of the Project. The habitat loss is estimated based upon the information available for the present EIA study, and adjustments/refinements might be needed during the later detailed design stage. The Habitat map with the development overlaid is presented in Figures 9.8a to 9.8f. Habitats anticipated to be affected included urbanised/disturbed, agricultural land, shrubland/grassland, plantation, woodland, Fung Shui Wood, watercourse, coastal waters (water column and seabed), and artificial seawall. Loss of channelized section of Tung Chung Stream due to River Park will occurr, but the influences will be positive as the channelized section will be revitalized to be more natural to increase the ecological functions, such as serving as habitats of wildlife and/or corridors for wildlife movement. This would compensate part of the potential ecological impacts due to habitat loss and fragmentation. Loss of artificial seawall and coastal waters (including both the water column and the sub-tidal soft bottom seabed) will only occur at TCE PDA and Road P1 (Tung Chung - Tai Ho Section). The actual loss of subtidal soft-bottom seabed habitat will be slightly larger than the area size indicated on the RODP or the future Foreshore and Seabed gazette plans as the future seawall will be of gradient and the bottom of the seawall where it intersects the seabed will be a bit outward, and thus the actual sizes of seabed to be occupied will be slightly increase. No coastal waters or inter-tidal habitats in the Tung Chung Bay will be directly affected. There will be no direct impact on the proposed The Brothers Marine Park. Estimated loss of area sizes of each habitat type is summarised in Table 9.29a.

Table 9.29a Summary of estimated habitat loss

Habitat	Estimated Area Sizes (ha)
	RODP at TCW	Polder system (*these loss have been covered by those on TCW )	Stormwater attenuation and Treatment Ponds (*these loss have been covered by those on TCW )	RODP at TCE	Road P1 (Tung Chung - Tai Ho Section)	Others elements (service reservoirs and sewer)
Abandoned Agricultural Land (dry)	4.77	(0.51)	(0.07)	\	\	\
Abandoned Agricultural Land (wet)	1.68	(0.11)	(0.21)	\	\	\
Active Agricultural Land (dry)	1.92	(\)	(0.01)	\	\	\
Fung Shui Wood	0.20	(0.16)	(\)		\	\
Orchard	18.11	(0.58)	(1.83)	\	\	\
Plantation	0.85	(\)	(0.03)	\	\	1.05 & 0.04 = 1.09
Secondary Woodland (Mature)	0.76	(0.07)	(\)	\	\	0.09
Secondary Woodland (Young)	4.54	(\)	(\)	\	\	0.33
Shrubland / Grassland	3.19	(0.01)	(0.11)	\	\	2.42 / -
Urbanised / Disturbed	10.79	(0.22)	(0.5)	About 4	About 10 ha (mainly works areas in NLH)	0.73 & 1.94 = 2.67
Watercourse	0.16 (210 m)	(\)	(\)	\	\	\
Artificial Seawall	\	(\)	(\)	2.3 km	1.5 km	\
Coastal waters (water column)	\	(\)	(\)	120.5	8.6	\
Coastal waters (sub-tidal soft bottom seabed)	\	(\)	(\)	132	13	\
Coastal waters (temporary loss due to marine works area )	\	(\)	(\)	Approximately 55 (based on the more conservative size of 145 ha seabed loss)		\

9.5.2.2 Temporary Habitat Loss The channelized section of Tung Chung Stream, will be temporarily lost due to the River Park construction. For reclamation, there will be approximately 55 ha (based on the more conservative size of about 145 ha seabed loss) temporary habitat loss of subtidal habitats and coastal waters due to the perimeter silt curtains. For land construction, the works areas should be confined within the proposed boundaries and at this stage no additional areas for site offices or for pre-casting works are proposed.

Indirect Impacts

9.5.2.3 Indirect impacts are also caused by construction activities, usually disturbance due to noise, movement of workers and equipment, the associated changes to water quality, and in marine habitats the increase and changes to marine traffic. A summary of the potential indirect construction phase impacts on the habitats and species include the following:

· Disturbance Impacts from construction activities on land.

· Stream water quality – runoff from construction works

· Marine water Quality - Elevation in suspended solids, sedimentation rate, depletion of oxygen due to presence of elevated suspended solids, release of contamination (from sediments)

· Pollutants and chemical spillage - Risk of oil or chemical spills from works vessels, construction phase vessels accidents

· Marine disturbance (Underwater Noise) - Increased acoustic disturbance from construction activities and works vessels.

· Marine disturbance (marine traffic) - Increased disturbance from works vessels and increased risk of vessel collision to CWD.

· Dredged materials and filling materials - Impacts to marine ecology due to disposal of dredged materials and transportation of filling materials

· Entanglement and entrapment – risks on CWD caused by silt curtains.

9.5.3 Predicted Impacts – Operational Phase

Direct Impacts

9.5.3.1 Permanent Habitat Loss - Marine habitats within reclamation footprint and terrestrial habitats within the development parcels will be lost permanently after implementation of the Project.

9.5.3.2 Loss of carrying capacity - Permanent loss of habitat size and food resources for CWD as a result of permanent loss of marine habitats; other marine organisms such as fishes and benthos will also be affected.

Indirect Impacts

9.5.3.3 Noise, Traffic and Human Activities in the development areas

· Habitat Fragmentation due to the presence of the development areas, the polders, the reclamation

· Artificial Lightings from the development areas

· Barrier Effect and Bird Collision due to the presence of buildings and transparent/reflective materials

· Hydrodynamics and Marine Water Quality including sedimentation rate due to the presence of the reclamation and surface runoff from development areas

· Pollutants and Chemical Spillage from vessels inside the marina

· Marine Traffic and Underwater Noise due to traffic from vessels entering or leaving the marina

9.6 Impact Evaluation for Terrestrial Ecology

9.6.1 Construction Phase – Terrestrial Direct Impacts

Terrestrial Habitat Loss in TCE PDA

9.6.1.1 The potential terrestrial and aquatic ecological impacts arising from the construction works, including loss of habitats, removal of vegetation, and disturbance to wildlife, were assessed in accordance with Annexes 8 and 16 of the EIAO-TM.

9.6.1.2 The TCE PDA development is mostly on a new reclamation and will mainly cause marine habitat loss (see Figure 9.8a and sections on marine ecological impacts), but still there will be about 4 ha of existing urbanised area covered by the boundary of the TCE PDA, at its south and southwest ends near the Tung Chung New Town. Of low ecological value and will be replaced by the same habitat type in the future TCE PDA development, this impact is considered Insignificant.

Terrestrial Habitat Loss in TCW PDA

9.6.1.3 The developments in TCW PDA will follow the land use zoning proposed in the RODP, and are distributed at different locations within the PDA. From east to west and north to south directions, there are mainly 10 areas (see Figure 9.8b & 9.8c) for proposed residential and commercial developments, as follows:

· “Area TCW-2 group” (comprising TCW-2, TCW-3, TCW-a, TCW-b, and TCW-c) is the eastern-most pocket and is located to the west of the hill Wong Nai Uk.

· “Area TCW-1 group” is immediately to the west of Yat Tung Estate, and occupies the eastern coast of the drainage discharge channel outlet, which is also the outlet of Wong Lung Hang Stream.

· “Area TCV-1 group” (comprising TCV-1, TCV-h to TCV-k, COM-1, COM-2 and COM-3) which is to the east of the lowest part of Tung Chung Stream, to the west of the outlet of Wong Lung Hang Stream, and to the south of Hau Wong Temple.

· “Area TCV-2 group” (comprising TCV-2 and TCV-e) is located at a triangular shape area, at the north end of Shek Lau Po, and fringed with the two branches of Tung Chung Stream on its eastern and western sides.

· “Area TCV-3 group” is to the west of the western branch of Tung Chung Stream near the villages Nim Yuen and Lam Che.

· “Area TCV-4 group” (comprising TCV-4, TCV-a, TCV-b) is further south, near the village Mok Ka.

· “Area TCV-5 group” (comprising TCV-5a, TCV-5b, TCV-c) occupies the entire southern part of Shek Lau Po, down to Shek Mun Kap Road.

· “Area TCV-6 group” (comprising TCV-6, TCV-l) is to the south of Area 39 and an existing school, also the northern section of Fong Yuen area.

· “Area TCV-7 group” (comprising TCV-7, TCV-n) is to the south of Shek Mun Kap Road and in between Tung Chung Road and the eastern branch of Tung Chung Stream.

· “Area TCV-8 group” (comprising TCV-8, TCV-f, and TCV-g) is to the north of Ngau Au and to the west of the outlet of Tung Chung Stream.

9.6.1.4 There are also land areas designated for supporting or community purposes which are associated with/adjacent to the above proposed developments, such as lands proposed for GIC, Stormwater Attenuation and Treatment Ponds (G and OU), District Opening Area (DO), Regional Open Space (RO), and Polders (OU). There are also road networks (District and Local Distributors) provided inside and around TCW PDA connecting the different parcels and/or existing villages.

9.6.1.5 Different from the TCE PDA where the RODP covers a proposed reclamation and thus its area size equal to the anticipated habitat loss (see Figure 9.3), the estimation of direct habitat loss impacts for the TCW PDA would be based upon: 1) the footprints of the development parcels (the proposed residential/commercial developments), GIC, and G, assuming all areas within their boundaries would require site formation and thus a direct loss of all habitats inside; 2) for DO and RO, the footprint of the proposed facilities inside and slope works (e.g. the slope works inside the DO covering Wong Nai Uk); 3) for OU, it is subject to the proposed uses, those proposed for polders and stormwater attenuation and treatment ponds (i.e. the one for TCV-6 which is within the future River Park boundary) will be included as habitat loss while the others proposed for River Park will be excluded; 4) the footprints of the road networks within the TCW PDA (see Figure 9.8b & 9.8c). The other land uses including CPA, CA, GB, AGR will be excluded from habitat loss estimation, while V zone will not be included neither.

9.6.1.6 There would be some temporary works areas during the construction phase. Though the locations and area sizes of those temporary works areas have not been determined at this stage, it is expected that they will be mostly confined within the boundaries of the development parcels. In order to minimize the potential impact, selection of temporary works areas should be confined to habitats of low ecological value (e.g., urbanized/disturbed) within the potential development areas. The locations should be away from habitats of high ecological value (e.g., natural sections of Tung Chung Stream) as far as possible. The affected habitats should be reinstated upon completion of construction works in order to minimize the potential impact.

9.6.1.7 Orchard - Among all the terrestrial habitat types to be lost, orchard habitat contributes the largest portion, i.e. about 18.11 ha, to the estimated habitat loss. This habitat type comprises almost the entire TCV-1, the majority of TCW-1 and TCV-2, and a quite large portion of TCV-5a, TCV-6 and TCV-8. The ecological value of orchard was ranked as low. Orchard is also a kind of agricultural lands, of man-made nature with low plant diversity and lacking plant species of conservation importance. Though Orchard supported moderate diversity and abundance of bird, most of the recorded species were common ones (e.g., Chinese Bulbul, Red-whiskered Bulbul) and can be found in many other types of habitats. Some of the bird species considered of conservation importance were only recorded infrequently and presence in low abundance in this habitat type and thus their utilisation of this habitat type is very low. For examples, Chestnut-collared Yuhina, Black-winged Cuckooshrike and Black-naped Oriole were only recorded once or twice in orchard habitat during the surveys. Others (e.g., Black Kite, Greater Coucal) recorded in orchard are indeed very common in Hong Kong. Another example is Common Emerald Dove, which was recorded in orchard potentially affected by developments within the TCW PDA (i.e. inside TCV-1), but was also recorded in other habitats within the Assessment Area, and this species is known widely distributed in Hong Kong. Diversity and abundance of butterfly in orchard of TCW PDA were low to moderate and moderate respectively, and most of the recorded butterfly species were common in Hong Kong. There were four butterfly species recorded in orchard within the TCW PDA were considered rare, but all these four species were not regularly recorded within the Assessment Area (Grass Demon and Powdered Oak Blue were only recorded once, and Orange Punch and Painted Lady were only recorded twice). Moreover, only Grass Demon and Orange Punch were found inside the particular orchard potentially affected by the proposed developments (at orchard inside TCV-2). The only fauna species of conservation importance recorded more frequently in orchard habitat was Romer’s Tree Frog. Romer’s Tree Frog is of lower mobility and hence is more susceptible to site formation. Chinese Bullfrog, which is also considered of conservation importance, was also recorded in ditch in orchard. The frequency of recording was lower than that of Romer’s Tree Frog. This frog species is also considered susceptible to site formation due to low mobility. The potential impact due to loss of orchard habitat is ranked as minor to moderate, given the sizes to be affected. Mitigation by enhanced woodland compensation planting with orchard species incorporated is recommended. For Romer’s Tree Frog and Chinese Bullfrog, mitigation for potential impacts is proposed under sections on assessment for species of conservation importance below.

9.6.1.8 Urbanized/disturbed of about 10.79 ha will be lost during the construction works in the TCW PDA. These areas are already formed and under considerable disturbance. Habitat complexity is generally simple and vegetation cover is low. Hence, diversity of fauna in this type of habitat was low. Some bird species of conservation importance (e.g., Peregrine Falcon) were recorded in this type of habitat, but were mainly flying across. Although bird abundance was ranked as moderate in urbanized/disturbed, the bird species recorded in this type of habitat were mostly common ones (e.g., Black-necked Starling, Eurasian Tree Sparrow) and found in a wide variety of habitats in Hong Kong. Fauna species of conservation importance recorded in this type of habitat are generally highly mobile and not susceptible to site formation. The potential impact due to loss of 10.79 ha of urbanized/disturbed is ranked as Insignificant. No mitigation will be required.

9.6.1.9 Woodland – There are woodland habitats within some of the proposed residential/commercial development areas, mainly inside Area TCW-2, Area TCV-6 and Area TCV-7. Besides these three areas, TCV-1 and TCV-3 both contain a tiny woodland within their boundaries, but actual loss is not anticipated as those tiny areas are located near the corner or the edge of the boundaries and direct impacts could be avoided during detailed design. The southern side of TCV-5 also included the fringes of woodland habitat. Woodlands affected in these areas are mostly younger in age, with tiny fringe of mature woodland and Fung Shui Woods behind right on the boundary. These young woodlands are characterised by shorter heights and open canopy. Most fauna species (e.g., Spotted Dove, Chinese Bulbul, Grey-backed Thrush) recorded in young woodland within the TCW PDA are common and of low conservation importance. Young woodland supported fewer species of conservation importance. Apart from Common Emerald Dove and Collared Scops Owl, other species of conservation importance were mostly recorded in low frequency (e.g., Metallic Cerulean) or not woodland dependent species (e.g., Greater Coucal), and thus not considered significantly affected by loss/impact of woodland. One sighting of Common Emerald Dove was recorded in young woodlands adjacent to TCV-7 within the 30m buffer along Tung Chung Stream, but would not be directly affected by developments. Common Emerald Dove was also recorded in other habitats within the Assessment Area and this species widely distributed in Hong Kong and more frequently found in mature woodland habitat. A few individuals of plant species of conservation importance, Aquilaria sinensis, were recorded during ecological survey in young woodland in TCV-6 and TCV-7. This plant species is common in Hong Kong, and was recorded at various locations throughout the TCW PDA. For the small woodland areas close to the southern side boundary of TCV-5, the affected areas are small and are at the fringe of larger woodland patches, the impact from the loss should not be severe. Moreover, though direct impact have been estimated for any woodlands within the boundaries of those development areas at this stage, this is a conservative estimation and the final impacts would still be subject to the later layout design inside the boundaries, and the number and locations of trees to be felled during the construction works. It is possible to reduce some of the habitat loss during the detailed design stage or construction stage, especially for those lying on or very close to the boundaries of those parcels such as the FSW on the TCV-5 boundary.

9.6.1.10 TCW-2 will also have impacts on woodlands, which are mainly young woodland but also includes a small area of mature woodland. The small sized mature woodland formed a narrow band following the foothill of Wong Nai Uk and behind the perimeter of two existing low-rise buildings (community centre and camp site for NGO) at Tung Chung Road North. The adjacent young woodland contains some plantation species and there was no special record of faunal species of conservation importance in this narrow band of mature woodland.

9.6.1.11 The current boundary of TCV-4 is adjacent to a patch of small Fung Shui wood (i.e. the northern Mok Ka Fung Shui Wood) at its southern side. The ecological value of Mok Ka Fung Shui wood was ranked as moderate. But direct encroachment on that Fung Shui Wood has been avoided through the refinement of the boundary. A small area of FSW (about 0.002 ha) is also lying on the southern side of the boundary of TCV-5, but actual encroachment is not expected as it is away from existing or proposed buildings, and thus not considered as a direct impact.

9.6.1.12 Fung Shui Wood loss however will be caused by some of the polders protecting existing villages from flooding, i.e. the polder to the east of Shek Mun Kap Village and the one to the east of Mok Ka Village. These polders are in the form of narrow earth bunds and go through a variety of habitats along their alignments. The habitat loss caused by these polders would be small in sizes and the composition should be similar with those affected by the potential development parcels. Mok Ka Village is located very close to the western branch of Tung Chung Stream, and only limited space is left in between and the space is occupied by Fung Shui Wood (the eastern Mok Ka Fung Shui Wood). There is no alternative location for the polder as for flood protection purpose the polder must be located between the concerned area and water courses, and thus the loss of Fung Shui Wood is inevitable. For Shek Mun Kap Village, there is also a patch of FSW (i.e. the southern Shek Mun Kap FSW) between the village and the eastern branch of Tung Chung Stream, and similarly, the polder must be located between the concerned area and water courses. The feasibility of avoiding the FSW by putting the polder close to the stream course has been explored, but it is found that if the polder moves close to the stream, the topography elevation become lower, and this would significantly increase the height of the polder and also the footprint occupied by the polder (which is trapezoid in cross section). And it is also not practicable to completely avoid the FSW due to the constraint of topography. The present proposed polder alignment basically follows the landward side of the 30m buffer for the eastern branch with a minor loss of FSW near the existing Shek Mun Kap Road. It has indeed balanced the pros-and-cons by minimising the encroachment to Fung Shui Woods while being aligned away from Tung Chung Stream as possible.

9.6.1.13 Alternatives for flood protection other than polders have been explored. Generally, river training, diversion of the water, provision of attenuation pond and rise of the land platform for the development are most commonly mitigation measures against flooding in Hong Kong. However, the characteristics of Tung Chung Stream and Tung Chung Valley have put constraints on the application of most of these solutions.

9.6.1.14 River Training – Tung Chung Stream is well-known of its high ecological value and is recommended to be preserved as intact as possible. Any works within the stream courses such as excavation works for river training may lead to significant impact to its existing conditions and ecology. In addition, it is also planned to zone a 20m to 30m buffer zone from the stream against any development and impact to the stream. River training is hence considered inapplicable for Tung Chung Stream except a short part of channelized section.

9.6.1.15 Diversion of the water – if a significant amount of water is diverted from Tung Chung Stream, it may also lead to significant impact to the established ecosystem in the stream.

9.6.1.16 Flood Detention Scheme – the provision of detention ponds to temporarily store the excess stormwater in the ponds for reducing the peak flow during severe rainfall events can help to relieve part of the flooding concerns. This will however require large areas of lands around the concerned water courses to be used for detention ponds, which will sterilize a large amount of lands for development and contradict to the original intention of the project, i.e. to provide lands for development.

9.6.1.17 Rise of Land Platform – as most of the lands around Tung Chung Stream are owned by individual private owners, this limits the feasibility of large scaled site formation works to rise the entire area at risk to avoid flooding.

9.6.1.18 It is therefore inevitable for the loss of Fung Shui Wood. 0.16 ha of Fung Shui Woods will be lost due to the polders.

9.6.1.19 Similar to the polders, most of the roads also go through a variety of habitats, and the compositions of habitat to be impacted should be similar with those affected by the potential development parcels. The only road section might potentially cause ecological impacts of concern would be the upgrading of the existing Shek Mun Kap Road to accommodate future traffic from the proposed development. The alignment of the existing Shek Mun Kap Road is close to some habitats of ecological concern such as the Fung Shui woodland opposite to (the northern Shek Mun Kap FSW) and behind the Shek Mun Kap village (the southern Shek Mun Kap FSW), the young woodland near the Tung Chung Stream eastern branch, and the wet abandoned agricultural land and mature woodland in the Southern Section of Fong Yuen area, widening of this road might cause encroachments to these habitats. Small areas (0.04 ha) of Fung Shui Wood loss (near the crossing of Tung Chung Stream eastern branch, and near TCV-5b) will also be caused due to the space constraints. This direct loss has been taken into account in the total loss of FSW from the present Project. It is however recommended that during the later detailed design stage or construction stage, efforts should be made to reduce or even avoid the loss of FSW as far as possible, subject to the later refinement of the alignment, the layout design, and the number and locations of trees to be proposed felling.

9.6.1.20 A total of 5.3 ha of woodland (with 4.54 ha of young woodland and 0.76 ha of mature woodland), and 0.20 ha Fung Shui wood, will potential be lost. This potential impact is ranked as moderate. Compensation Woodland Planting will be recommended to compensate the loss. Tree species of conservation importance affected should be retained as far as possible or transplanted.

9.6.1.21 Besides orchard, there will be other agricultural land lost to the proposed project included dry abandoned agricultural land, wet abandoned agricultural land and dry active agricultural land. Among these, Dry abandoned agricultural land will be the major type to be affected.

9.6.1.22 Dry abandoned agricultural land within the TCW PDA was ranked as low ecological value, and the loss of this habitat type mainly occurs in Shek Lau Po, i.e. inside TCV-2 (the northern side of Shek Lau Po) and TCV-5 (the southern side of Shek Lau Po), and also the western side of TCV-8 (the northern end of TCV-8). Floral diversity recorded in this type of habitat was low. Fauna species recorded in this type of habitat were mostly common species which can inhabit a wide variety of habitats. A few fauna species of conservation importance were recorded in dry abandoned agricultural land and these species are mostly habitat generalists (e.g., Greater Coucal, Black Kite) or widespread in distribution (e.g., White-shouldered Starling). The potential impact due to loss of 4.77 ha of dry abandoned agricultural land is ranked as Minor.

9.6.1.23 Dry active agricultural land – the loss of this habitat type will mainly occur in the centre of TCV-1 and the western side of TCV-8, with small areas associated with TCV-4 and TCV-5, as well as the road networks and stormwater attenuation and treatment ponds between TCV-3 and TCV-4. The ecological value of dry active agricultural land was ranked as low. This habitat type supported low diversity and abundance of fauna. Fauna recorded in dry active agricultural lands were mostly common species. A few fauna species of conservation importance were recorded in these habitats and these species are mostly habitat generalists (e.g., Greater Coucal, Black Kite) or recorded in low frequency. The utilisation of this habitat type by butterfly species within the Assessment Area was not high. A 1.92 ha of dry active agricultural land will be lost to the development. The potential impact is ranked as Insignificant.

9.6.1.24 Wet abandoned agricultural land – direct impact on 1.68 ha of this habitat type is all limited to the TCV-6, occupying the Northern Section of Fong Yuen area. The ecological value of wet abandoned agricultural land was in general ranked as low to moderate. This type of habitat supported low diversity of plant and dragonfly, and low to moderate diversity of butterfly, moderate diversity of bird. Birds recorded in wet abandoned agricultural land were mainly common species (e.g., Eurasian Tree Sparrow, Chinese Bulbul). The wet abandoned agricultural lands were overgrown by dense vegetation, and usage by water birds was thus very low. No bird nest or other sign of breeding was found/observed in this habitat type. The butterfly species recorded were mostly common, except the rare butterfly Jhora Scrub Hopper.

9.6.1.25 Jhora Scrub Hopper was the only fauna species of conservation importance recorded in wet abandoned agricultural land within the Assessment Area. Unlike other rare/very rare fauna species observed in the Assessment Area, this species was repeatedly recorded. Jhora Scrub Hopper was regularly recorded in the wet abandoned agricultural land inside riparian zone of the Middle Section of Fong Yuen area (though Jhora Scrub Hopper was present in even higher abundance in this section of eastern branch of Tung Chung Stream than the adjacent wet abandoned agricultural land). The larval food plant of this butterfly species, Leersia hexandra, was also found in this piece of wet abandoned agricultural land, as well as the section of eastern branch of Tung Chung Stream in an even higher abundance. Buffer zone of 30m will be set on both sides of this stream branch to protect the habitats of this butterfly species.

9.6.1.26 Jhora Scrub Hopper was recorded mainly in the eastern branch of Tung Chung Stream but also in the riparian zone at the Middle Section of Fong Yuen area and thus their sighting locations are outside the wet abandoned agricultural lands to be affected at TCV-6. During the present study, the layout plan of TCV-6 had been revised to avoid the portion of wet abandoned agricultural land with records of Jhora Scrub Hopper and its larval food plant to further protect the habitat of this species. Besides, the Northern Section of Fong Yuen area (which contains a variety of habitats including urbanised/disturbed, orchard, wet abandoned agricultural lands, young woodlands and plantation) to be affected at TCV-6, are currently subject to higher disturbance level than those in Middle Section and Southern Section, due to filling, vegetation clearance, resumption of farming, fragmentation among habitats, etc., and of lower ecological value than those in Middle and Southern Sections. Because of the avoidance of potential impact has been implemented, the potential impact of loss of wet abandoned agricultural land is ranked as Minor to Moderate. Planting of emergent vegetation in the future River Park is recommended.

9.6.1.27 Plantation affected are those planted along roadside and subjected to high level of disturbance from traffic along the interface between TCV-1 southeastern boundary and Yu Tung Road and Chung Mun Road. These plantations are of low ecological value due to the disturbed nature, low utilization rate by fauna and small area affected. The affected plantations were consisted mainly exotic species, which do not support high diversity of fauna. Only one plant species (Gmelina chinensis) and one fauna species (Black-naped Oriole) of conservation importance were recorded in this type of habitat. No individual of Gmelina chinensis will be affected. Only one Black-naped Oriole was observed and the bird just perched for a while. The potential impact due to loss of 0.85 ha of plantation is ranked as Insignificant.

9.6.1.28 Shrubland/grassland of 3.19 ha will be affected. The impact areas mainly inside the boundaries of TCV-4, and TCV-7. In addition, outside these development parcels but within the TCW RODP, slope works within the DO land zoning covering Wong Nai Uk would also encroach shrubland/grassland habitat. This type of habitat supported low diversity of fauna in the Assessment Area. Some fauna species of conservation importance were recorded in shrubland/grassland, but all locations of sightings were outside the area of shrubland/grassland to be affected. The recorded species were most birds of prey. The affected area probably only constituted small proportion of the daily home-ranged of these species. The potential impact due to loss of 3.19 ha of shrubland/grassland is ranked as Minor.

9.6.1.29 Watercourse – One section of drainage channel of 0.06 ha (~95 m) to the west of Yat Tung Estate will be lost to the development of TCW-2 and TCW-3. This drainage channel is an engineering channel and receives runoff from the nearby development areas, and has no significant ecological value. One watercourse of area 0.1 ha (~115 m) on the west of Yat Tung Estate will be lost to the development in TCW-1. The watercourse to be affected is probably a remnant of a previous stream which had been lost during the development of the Tung Chung New Town. (see Appendix 9.1a – photo with caption “watercourse remnant of remnant of previous stream section at estuary”). It currently is not a natural stream course with its own catchment of natural habitats (such as hill slopes), but more or less a drainage channel, with semi-natural substrates and channel banks, receiving the surface runoff discharge from Yat Tung Estate, and discharging into the larger channel outside (the Wong Lung Hang channel). The outlet of this watercourse had been colonised by some scattered individuals of mangroves seedlings or trees at the outlet but the coverage is too small to map and thus not considered an established mangrove. No flora or fauna species of conservation importance was recorded in this watercourse. The potential impact due to loss of watercourse is ranked as Insignificant.

Summary of the impacts on habitats in Development Parcels

9.6.1.30 The below two tables (Table 9.29b and Table 9.29c) provide a summary of the habitats types could be found in different development parcels and their sizes, which have been detailed in the above sections by each habitat type.

Table 9.29b Summary of major habitat types found in development parcels of TCW PDA

Development Parcel	Location	Habitats found inside	Species of conservation importance
Area TCW-2 group”	The eastern-most pocket and is located to the west of the hill Wong Nai Uk.	This parcel will mainly cause impacts on urbanised/disturbed area to the east of Yat Tung Estate, a section of engineering drainage channel, young woodland and a narrow band of mature woodland behind two old low-rise buildings. In addition, outside but adjacent this development parcel, slope works within the DO land zoning covering Wong Nai Uk would also encroach shrubland/grassland habitat.	-
Area TCW-1 group	Immediately to the west of Yat Tung Estate, and occupies the eastern coast of the drainage discharge channel outlet, which is also the outlet of Wong Lung Hang Stream	This parcel will cause loss of urbanised/disturbed area, orchard, and a small section of remnant watercourse.	-
Area TCV-1 group	To the east of the lowest part of Tung Chung Stream, to the west of the outlet of Wong Lung Hang Stream, and to the south of Hau Wong Temple.	This parcel mainly covers orchard and urbanised/disturbed area. There are small portions of active agricultural land and a small area of mature woodland inside its boundary.	Romer’s Tree Frog
Area TCV-2 group	Located at a triangular shape area, at the north end of Shek Lau Po, and fringed with the two branches of Tung Chung Stream on its eastern and western sides.	This parcel covers mainly orchard, and also active and abandoned dry agricultural land besides urbanised/disturbed area.	Romer’s Tree Frog
Area TCV-3 group	To the west of the western branch of Tung Chung Stream near the villages Nim Yuen and Lam Che.	This parcels covers mainly urbanised/disturbed area, and small areas of active and abandoned dry agricultural land. There is a tiny area of mature woodland inside its boundary.	-
Area TCV-4 group	Further south of TCV-3, near the village Mok Ka.	This parcel dominates by shrubland/grassland, and also contains small areas of active and abandoned dry agricultural land.	-
Area TCV-5 group	Occupies the entire southern part of Shek Lau Po, down to Shek Mun Kap Road	This parcel is dominated by both orchard and abandoned dry agricultural land. There are also urbanised/disturbed area; a small area of mature woodland and a small area of FSW lying on the southern side of its boundary, but encroachment is not expected as the woodlands are away from buildings.	Chinese Bullfrog
Area TCV-6 group	The south of Area 39 and an existing school, also the northern section of Fong Yuen area.	This parcel is located at the northern section of Fong Yuen. Habitats inside include orchard, young woodland, urbanised/disturbed area, abandoned wet agricultural land, and a small area of mature woodland on the slope of the southeast corner of its boundary.	-
Area TCV-7 group	To the south of Shek Mun Kap Road and in between Tung Chung Road and the eastern branch of Tung Chung Stream.	This parcel is mainly young woodland and shrubland/grassland, with some urbanised/disturbed area, and a small area of mature woodland at the northwest corner of its boundary.	-
Area TCV-8 group	To the north of Ngau Au and to the west of the outlet of Tung Chung Stream.	This parcel dominates by orchard, with some active and abandoned dry agricultural land, and a small area of urbanised/disturbed area.	-

Table 9.29c Summary of estimated habitat sizes in development parcels of TCW PDA

Habitat types	Estimated habitat size (ha)
	TCW1group	TCW2 group	TCV1 group	TCV2 group	TCV3 group	TCV4 group	TCV5 group	TCV6 group	TCV7 group	TCV8 group
Secondary Woodland (Mature)	\	0.28	0.03	\	0.01	\	0.01	0.04	0.01	\
Secondary Woodland (Young)	\	2.02	\	\	\	\	0.24	0.83	0.67	\
Fung Shui Wood	\	\	\	\	\	\	0.02	\	\	\
Watercourse	0.1	0.06	\	\	\	\	\	\	\	\
Plantation	\	\	0.43	\	\	\	\	\	\	\
Orchard	0.85	0.03	4.03	2.40	\	\	3.19	0.98	\	3.09
Shrubland/Grassland	\	0.05	\	\	0.02	1.76	\	\	0.31	\
Abandoned Agricultural Land (Dry)	\	\	0.03	0.71	0.07	0.09	2.57	\	\	0.44
Abandoned Agricultural Land (Wet)	\	\	\	\	\	\	\	1.66	\	\
Active Agricultural Land (Dry)	\	\	\	0.57	0.05	0.40	\	\	\	0.54
Urbanised/Disturbed	0.23	1.60	1.29	0.18	0.64	\	0.92	0.79	0.12	0.07
Total	1.18	4.04	5.81	3.86	0.79	2.25	6.95	4.30	1.11	4.14

TCW PDA: Connecting Road

9.6.1.31 Inside the TCW PDA, there will be roads connecting the different parcels and/or existing villages. Based upon the alignment at this stage, major concerns will be on the potential encroachment of woodland and Fung Shui Wood alongside the existing Shek Mun Kap Road as mentioned above, and the crossings at streams.

9.6.1.32 Most of the roads will go through a variety of habitats with lower ecological value. The only road section might potentially cause ecological impacts would be the upgrading of the existing Shek Mun Kap Road to accommodate future traffic from the proposed development. The alignment of the existing Shek Mun Kap Road is close to some habitats of ecological concern such as the Fung Shui woodland opposite to and behind the Shek Mun Kap village, the young woodland near the Tung Chung Stream eastern branch, and the wet abandoned agricultural land and mature woodland in the Southern Section of Fong Yuen area, widening of this road might cause encroachments to these habitats. Small areas of Fung Shui Wood loss (near the crossing of Tung Chung Stream eastern branch, and near TCV-5b) will also be caused due to the space constraints. Subject to the later refinement of the alignment, the layout design, and the number and locations of trees to be felled during the construction works, it should avoid important habitats as far as possible during the detailed design stage or construction stage.

9.6.1.33 There will be several stream crossings of the roads (local distributors) within TCW PDA, three at the eastern branch of Tung Chung Stream and three at the western branch. The three crossings at the eastern branch should not be of concern as two of them are located within the channelized section of the stream, while the third one follows the existing crossing location of Shek Mun Kap Road which is also a vehicle access. For the three crossings in the western branch, however, cautions should be taken as they are new vehicle crossings over natural stream sections. For these new crossings at natural sections, the span of the crossings should be large enough to avoid all the stream bed and stream banks, to avoid direct impact on the stream habitat, and if the landing or the viaduct column would be located near the stream banks, the footprint should be minimised where possible. The impact of the encroachment and disturbance to the buffer zone is ranked as Minor. Mitigation measure is not required. Good site management would still be implemented for water quality mitigation as stated in Section 5.

TCW PDA: Polder System

9.6.1.34 Within the TCW PDA, to protect the existing villages and also some of the future residential areas subject to higher flooding risk, flood protection measures in the form of polder system is proposed. These polders will be earth bunds to separate the concerned areas from the water courses, of trapezoid shape with the bottom of about 10m.

9.6.1.35 All these polders will be more or less follow the buffer zone reserved on the stream banks. Four major polders are proposed, one to the west of the Tung Chung Stream western branch near Lam Che and Nim Yuen, one to the west of the Tung Chung Stream western branch near Mok Ka, one to the east of the Tung Chung Stream western branch running from Shek Lau Po down to Shek Mun Kap Road, and the last one to the west of the eastern branch from Shek Mun Kap Road down to the southern end of the TCW RODP boundary (see Figure 9.8d). The majority of these polders are located at the landwards side of the stream buffer zone. The locations of these polders are all proposed as “OU” land use on the RODP.

9.6.1.36 The impacts on habitats due to these polders have been included in the overall TCW PDA habitat loss impact as stipulated in the above sections, and are also presented in Table 9.29a. Most of polders go through a variety of habitats similar with those affected by the potential development area parcels. Habitats affected are mainly orchard (0.58 ha) and dry abandoned agricultural land (0.51 ha), and also 0.16 ha of Fung Shui Wood and 0.22 ha of urbanised/disturbed areas. Other habitat types affected are of very small area sizes.

9.6.1.37 As stipulated in the sections on woodland loss above, alternative designs for flood protection have been considered but other options are found not feasible. The impacts to the Fung Shui Wood by polders are thus inevitable. Fung Shui Wood loss will be caused by some of the polders protecting existing villages from flooding, i.e. the polder to the east of Shek Mun Kap Village and the one to the east of Mok Ka Village. For the polder at Mok Ka Village, the existing village is located very close to the western branch of Tung Chung Stream, and only limited space are left in between and the space is occupied by Fung Shui Wood. There is no alternative location for the polder as for flood protection purpose the polder must be located between the concerned area and water courses, and thus the loss of Fung Shui Wood is inevitable.

9.6.1.38 For Shek Mun Kap Village, the polder is proposed to be put to the east of the village at the landward side of the stream buffer and will encroach a small area of the existing Fung Shui Wood. This polder section has minimised the encroachment to Fung Shui Woods while being aligned away from Tung Chung Stream as possible. Feasibility on putting the polder closer to the stream course has been explored, but it is found that when move closer to the stream, the elevation become lower, and this would significantly increase the height of the polder and also the footprint occupied by the polder (which is trapezoid in cross section). It is therefore inevitable for the loss of Fung Shui Wood. The overall impacts from the polders are considered Minor to Moderate, and is mainly attributed by the impacts on Fung Shui Wood. Mitigation for the impact on woodland and Fung Shui Wood by compensatory planting has been proposed under the above sections, and separate mitigation for polder is not required. Furthermore, it is suggested that as an enhancement measures, planting will be conducted on the future polders (see sections on enhancement measures below).

TCW PDA: Sustainable Urban Drainage System (SUDS)

9.6.1.39 There are public concerns on the potential impacts to Tung Chung Stream due to the extra pollutants carried by surface runoff discharge after more developed areas present in Tung Chung Valley. To address the concern on protecting the high ecological value Tung Chung Stream and the downstream estuary, within the western part of the TCW PDA (i.e. Tung Chung Valley), rather than the conventional drainage system for developed areas in which surface runoff would pass through gullies with grease and sediment traps to filter off dirt and debris and then discharged into the receiving water bodies (usually the nearby water courses or marine waters), a new and ecologically friendly drainage system, i.e. the Sustainable Urban Drainage System (SUDS) will be introduced to further protect the receiving water bodies as enhancement measure. The details on the operation and functions of the SUDS are presented in Section 9.6.4 below.

9.6.1.40 The proposed SUDS within Tung Chung Valley includes a number of new and innovative features. According to the latest design, the new system would include the provision of a series of regional stormwater attenuation and treatment ponds. Each development parcel within the polder scheme in Tung Chung Valley will contain a stormwater attenuation and treatment pond to both remove pollutants and manage peak flows, and also to provide valuable open space amenity and to increase biodiversity.

9.6.1.41 Runoff from the proposed development areas will be directed toward the respective on-site stormwater attenuation and treatment ponds. Each pond will have a sedimentation zone, a vegetated wetland zone and an attenuation zone. The water in the stormwater attenuation and treatment ponds, after the removal of pollutants by the created wetland, will finally drain to the nearby watercourses.

9.6.1.42 These stormwater attenuation and treatment ponds could also manage the peak flow during large rainfall events. The attenuation zone has the capacity to store the peak flows, and this zone will contain high- and low-flow weirs to mitigate peak flows due to the planned development, keeping the rate of discharge to the Tung Chung Stream at or below the existing condition. The ponds will also be fixed with a high flow pumping station to discharge large rainfall event runoff to drainage channel outside the polder levees.

9.6.1.43 With all those benefits described above, these stormwater attenuation and treatment ponds however would need to occupy land areas and cause some habitat loss. While usually the urban drains to collect surface runoff will mainly go along roads and/or boundaries of developed areas, the regional stormwater attenuation and treatment ponds are proposed in different locations within the TCW PDA, mainly a few areas proposed for “G” land uses and an area proposed for “OU” land uses within the River Park boundary on the RODP, including TCV-a (inside Area TCV-3 group), TCV-k (inside Area TCV-1 group), TCV-e (inside Area TCV-2 group), TCV-c (to the north of Group TCV-5a group), TCV-g (inside Area TCV-8 group), TCV-n (inside Area TCV-7 group), TCV-l (inside Area TCV-6 group) (see Figure 9.8f). The impacts on habitats within these “G” / “OU” areas have been taken into account on the overall habitat loss impact from the TCW PDA in above sections. These G areas and the one OU area are mostly habitats of lower ecological value such as orchard, shrubland/grassland, active agricultural, and urbanised/disturbed. Besides, small-sclaed works would be required at the stream banks within the buffer zone where the outlets of these ponds are located, but their footprints would be limited. As each of these stormwater attenuation and treatment ponds will have vegetated wetland zone and water bodies in the form of sedimentation zone or attenuation zone, with suitable design they can provide artificial habitats with ecological functions, and such no impact from the SUDS is anticipated, and potentially there will be positive ecological effects.

TCW PDA: Village Sewerage Systems

9.6.1.44 Sewer will be provided to the existing villages to collect sewage and transport to the Siu Ho Wan STW for treatment. This would be beneficial for protection of water quality and ecology as it could prevent the input of pollutants or pollution loads into Tung Chung Stream or Tung Chung Bay. The sewer will only follow existing or future road alignments (see Section 6 of the present EIA report) and would terminate at a location near the village to be served, and thus only urbanised areas will be temporarily affected. No significant impact is anticipated.

TCW PDA: River Parks

9.6.1.45 River Park is proposed at Tung Chung Stream, covering a large portion of the channelized section (415m) together with the immediate upstream natural section alongside Fong Yuen area up to Shek Mun Kap Road (360m). Its boundary covers the water course sections as well as the areas on both bank sides (which widths are subject to the space available). Table 9.29d below shows the habitat types and area sizes within the boundary of the proposed River Park. The entire land area of the River Park will be proposed as “OU” zoning in the RODP. Detailed design of the River Park however has not been confirmed at this stage, but it is anticipated that for the concrete channelized section there will be some restoration/improvements, on both channel bed and channel banks. Alongside the concrete channelized section, the strips of land on both sides will also be used as part of the River Park, including the stormwater attenuation and treatment pond in TCV-l (to serve TCV-6). This is the only stormwater attenuation and treatment pond not be zoned as “G” land use. For the natural section, given the high ecological value of the stream, there will not be large-scale modifications for the stream course, other than possible foot-bridge crossings. The 30m buffer zone in this section of natural stream course will also be included as part of the River Park, and is zoned as “OU” rather than ‘CA” as the buffer zone in other locations. As the buffer zone in the eastern bank (also part of the Fong Yuen area) has been identified of Moderate ecological value and also is part of the habitat for the rare butterfly species Jhora Scrub Hopper, only limited facilities such as small-sized footpath/trail and/or viewing platform will be provided. Other facilities will be constructed in the western bank buffer zone, in which mainly habitats of low ecological value such as urbanised/disturbed, Abandoned dry agricultural and orchard are present and provide opportunities of enhancements/ improvements through proper landscaping design. There are also some woodlands inside the western bank buffer zone, but cautions will be taken during the detailed design stage to preserve woodland habitats present there. Generally, significant ecological impacts are not anticipated from the River Park given proper design and application of suitable construction methods (such as planning major construction works within dry season), but there are potential to restore the concrete channel, to rectify the current constraints, to improve the disturbed stream banks, and to enhance the ecological value. To take a precautionary approach, ecological monitoring programme covering pre-construction baseline, construction phase, and operation phase should be provided for the River Park. The impact is ranked as Minor.

Table 9.29d Estimated habitat sizes inside River Park boundary

Habitat	River Park (within TCW) Area (ha)
Urbanised / Disturbed	1.25
Abandoned Agricultural Land (dry)	0.17
Abandoned Agricultural Land (wet)	0.86
Orchard	0.13
Secondary Woodland (Mature)	0.13
Secondary Woodland (Young)	0.61
Plantation	0.04
Watercourse	0.76
Total	3.98*

*About 3.3ha land area after excluding watercourse

Terrestrial habitat loss at Road P1 (Tung Chung - Tai Ho Section)

9.6.1.46 Urbanised/disturbed area - The carriage road Road P1 (Tung Chung - Tai Ho Section) will basically be constructed on reclamation (see below sections on marine habitat loss), with a small area of existing urbanised area (about 0.5 ha) on the edge of the proposed reclamation boundary, but its works area will cover a larger extent of urbanised/disturbed area, mainly the section of North Lantau Highway adjacent to the Road P1 (Tung Chung - Tai Ho Section) alignment (the eastern side of TCE PDA to MTR depot at Siu Ho) as interface works would be required, and make the affected urbanised/disturbed area to be about 10 ha. The impact is considered insignificant as the Urbanised/disturbed habitat is of low ecological value, especially those existing highways which are unlikely to be used by any wildlife. The potential impact is ranked as Insignificant. After the construction phase, same habitat type will still be present within the works area.

Terrestrial habitat loss at Service Reservoirs

9.6.1.47 Woodland – There are 0.42 ha woodland habitats (with 0.33 ha of young woodland and 0.09ha of mature woodland) within the works area for service reservoirs. Woodlands affected are mostly young in age and small in area. A mixture of common tree and shrub species including Schefflera heptaphylla, Litsea cubeba, Itea chinensis and Rhaphiolepis indica. Some plantation trees such as Lophostemon confertus and Pinus elliottii were also recorded. These young woodlands are characterised by shorter heights and open canopy, and support low abundance of bird and butterfly. Trees of larger size such as Endospermum chinense and Aquilaria sinensis were recorded in the mature woodland patch in the ravine. One plant species, seedlings of Aquilaria sinensis, of conservation importance was recorded in the woodland and also shrubland/grassland within the impact area. This plant species is common in Hong Kong, and was recorded at various locations in Tung Chung (throughout the TCW PDA). The impact from the loss should not be severe and is ranked as Minor.

9.6.1.48 Shrubland/grassland of 2.42ha will be affected. This type of habitat supported low diversity of fauna in the Assessment Area. Some fauna species of conservation importance were recorded in shrubland/grassland, but all locations of sightings were outside the area of shrubland/grassland to be affected. The recorded species were mostly birds of prey. The affected area probably only constituted small proportion of the daily home-ranged of these species. The potential impact due to loss of 2.42ha of shrubland/grassland is ranked as Minor.

9.6.1.49 Plantation and Urbanised/disturbed Loss – The service reservoirs will cause loss 1.05 ha of plantation. This type of habitat supported low diversity and abundance of fauna in the Assessment Area. The potential impact due to loss of plantation is ranked as Insignificant. The works area for the service reservoirs also includes a small area (0.73 ha) of urbanised/disturbed area which is part of an existing service reservoir. Given the low ecological value of this habitat type and the small area size affected, the potential impact due to this habitat loss is ranked as Insignificant.

Terrestrial habitat loss at Sewer upgrading and pumping stations

9.6.1.50 Besides the habitat loss caused by the above elements, there are also minor infrastructure facilities (such as sewer pipeline and pumping stations) inside, in between, or surrounding the two PDAs. As the alignments and footprints of these facilities are all on urban areas, and will cause about 1.94 ha of urbanised/disturbed habitat (assuming 3m width for alignment construction) and 0.04 ha of urban plantation. Both diversity and abundance of fauna are low in the two types of affected habitats. No fauna species of conservation importance was recorded on and near the footprints of these infrastructure facilities. Urbanised/disturbed and urban plantation habitats are not important wildlife habitat due to the high disturbance level and simple habitat structure. Part of the rising main alignment will run along the seawall adjacent to the MTR Siu Ho Wan Depot. The utilisation of these seawall by waterbirds is very low due to the high level of disturbance. In addition, the abundance of waterbirds recorded in the Assessment Area was also low. The impacts are ranked as Insignificant.

9.6.1.51 Between the two PDAs, there might be needs in future to have roads, walk ways, pipelines, and/or infrastructure facilities to connect two areas. The needs, details and/or possible alignments for such facilities could not be determined at this stage, but they, if any, should go through existing urbanised areas in Tung Chung, and significant habitat loss impacts or disturbance impacts are thus not anticipated.

Temporary Terrestrial Habitat Loss

9.6.1.52 The existing channelized section of Tung Chung Stream within the River Park boundary, of 415m in lenth, will be temporarily lost due to the River Park construction. Diversion of flow may be necessary during construction, and wildlife in the channelized section, would be affected. However, due to low diversity in the channelized section and the purpose of restoration, the impacts are ranked as Minor and enhancement of the ecological value will be expected. For other land construction within TCW PDA, the works areas should be confined within the proposed boundaries and at this stage no additional areas for site offices or for pre-casting works are proposed.

9.6.2 Construction Phase –Terrestrial Indirect Impacts

Indirect Impact - Noise, dust and human activities

9.6.2.1 Noise, dust and human activities will increase during construction phase, and might temporarily reduce the abundance and distribution of fauna in habitats adjacent to the development areas.

9.6.2.2 Noise and dust will mainly affect areas adjacent to the works fronts/works areas. Areas adjacent to the sewer pipeline, TCE PDA and Road P1 (Tung Chung - Tai Ho Section) are urbanized/disturbed covered by railway and highway. Utilisation of this type of habitat by fauna is very low due to the high level of disturbance. The hillside to the south of the North Lantau Highway is natural habitats nearest to the TCE PDA and Road P1 (Tung Chung - Tai Ho Section), and is separated from them more than 100m by highway and railway. Fauna inhabiting the habitats in this hillside are subjected to the existing noise of traffic and are probably habituated to the disturbance from noise, and hence are not expected to be adversely affected by the noise of construction works. Due to the distance from the construction sites, fauna in these habitats are not likely to be disturbed by dust and human activities during construction phase. The potential impact due to these sources in construction phase is ranked as Insignificant.

9.6.2.3 Most areas adjacent to the development areas in the TCW PDA and the proposed Service Reservoirs are covered by habitats of low ecological value, including urbanized/disturbed, orchard, dry abandoned agricultural land, shrubland/grassland. These habitats were mainly utilised by common fauna species. Most fauna species of conservation importance found in these habitats (e.g., Chinese Hwamei) were recorded in low frequency. Hence significant impact to fauna in these habitats is not anticipated. However, some of the development areas are adjacent to habitats of moderate to high or even high ecological value. TCV-1 is located near mudflat of high ecological value. Bird species of conservation importance (e.g., Striated Heron, White-throated Kingfisher) were observed foraging in mudflat. TCV-4, TCV-5a and TCV-5b are near Fung Shui Wood of high ecological value. Bird species of conservation importance (e.g., Chinese Goshawk, Collared Scops Owl) were recorded in or near the Fung Shui Wood at Shek Mun Kap. TCV-6 is adjacent to the middle section of Fong Yuen area which is of moderate ecological value.

9.6.2.4 Lantau North (Extension) Country Park is outside all proposed development and will not be encroached, but the proposed service reservoirs are located adjacent to but downhill to the park. There was however no special record of fauna species in that area, and significant potential disturbance impact to fauna inside Country Park is not anticipated. In view of the localised and reversible nature of impact, the potential impact to these habitats and associated fauna in TCW PDA and Lantau North (Extension) Country Park due to these sources is ranked as minor to moderate. Good site practice and site precautionary measures will be implemented to avoid the potential impact to important habitats from these sources.

Site Runoff in TCW PDA

9.6.2.5 During the construction phase, aquatic and inter-tidal habitats (e.g., stream, mudflat) near potential development areas, polders and stream-crossings works sites in the TCW PDA would potentially impacted by surface runoff, especially during rainstorm. The surface runoff might be polluted by sedimentation from site surfaces; earth working areas and stockpiles, wash water from dust suppression sprays and wheel washing facilities; and chemicals spillage such as fuel, oil, solvents and lubricants from maintenance of construction machinery and equipment.

9.6.2.6 Elevated suspended solids levels caused by site runoff could increase the suspended solids load in the water bodies, and could decrease dissolved oxygen levels. A lower oxygen level would affect stationary species, whilst mobile species would tend to temporarily avoid the area. The result could be a temporary reduction in aquatic life abundance and/or change in distribution. Mangroves and mudflat in Tung Chung Bay and Tung Chung Stream are habitats of moderate to high / high ecological value. Both the east and west branches of the Tung Chung Stream are important habitats of two fish species of conservation importance, Beijing Thick-lipped Barb and Predaceous Chub. If without control, the potential impact due to runoff to these habitats is considered Moderate.

9.6.2.7 Besides, the proposed service reservoirs are located within the catchment of Wong Lung Hang, and site runoff might potentially affect this EIS if without proper control. The potential impact due to runoff to Wong Lung Hang is considered Minor to Moderate. Lantau North (Extension) Country Park is uphill to the proposed service reservoirs and thus the risk of the Country Park affected by site runoff is not likely.

9.6.2.8 Detailed site practices for controlling site runoff have been detailed in the water quality assessment. Good site practice and site precautionary measures will be implemented to avoid the potential impact due to runoff. By adopting the best management practices, it is anticipated that the impacts of general site operation will be reduced to satisfactory levels before discharges.

9.6.2.9 Bridges, with the associated utility pipes, would be constructed by crossing the two branches and one major tributary of Tung Chung Stream. According to the RODP, buffer zone will be provided for the natural sections of the two Tung Chung Stream main branches and the major tributary and will be zoned as “CA”, “CPA’ or “OU”, except where overlapped with road crossings. Therefore, for bridge constructions crossing Tung Chung Stream, depending on further studies, the pier locations should avoid encroaching the stream bed and stream banks, and also as far as possible the width of the buffer zone (30m for main branches and 20m for the major tributary).

9.6.2.10 Guidelines in DSD Technical Circular No. 2/2004 and ETWB TCW No. 5/2005 set out for the protection of natural rivers and streams from adverse impacts arising from construction works should be followed. Mitigation measures on stream-crossing include avoidance of wet season for the construction works at the crossing where practicable.

9.6.2.11 During construction phase, precast structures or other similar approaches should be used to prevent any construction works inside stream waters and thus to avoid any direct water quality impact to Tung Chung Stream. However, temporary or transitional works on the 30m buffer zone might still be required. Good site management as stipulated in ProPECC PN1/94 should be fully implemented to avoid polluted liquid or solid wastes from falling into the river waters. The potential of these impacts will be greatly reduced to acceptable level.

9.6.3 Operational Phase - Terrestrial Direct Impacts

9.6.3.1 Operational phase direct impacts for terrestrial ecology would be the habitats lost permanently during the construction. In this project, no major works areas are proposed and such the permanent habitat loss would be the same as the habitat loss described above, except the urbanised/disturbed which is replaced by the same habitat.

9.6.4 Operational Phase – Terrestrial Indirect Impacts

9.6.4.1 Potential operational phase impacts would mainly include noise, traffic, human disturbance, artificial lightings and surface runoff.

Noise, Traffic and Human Activities

9.6.4.2 Noise, traffic and human activities will increase during operation phase, and might affect the abundance and distribution of fauna in habitats adjacent to the development areas.

9.6.4.3 Areas adjacent to the TCE PDA, Road P1 (Tung Chung - Tai Ho Section), and sewer alignment are covered by railway and highway. Utilisation of these habitats by fauna is very low due to the high level of disturbance. The hillside to the south of the North Lantau Highway is natural habitats nearest to the TCE PDA, and is separated from the TCE PDA by highway and railway. Fauna inhabiting the habitats in this hillside are subjected to the existing noise of traffic and are probably habituated to the disturbance from noise and dust. The proposed service reservoirs and sewerage facilities will not cause insignificant increase noise, traffic and human activities during operation phase. The potential impact due to these sources in operation phase is ranked as Insignificant.

9.6.4.4 Habitats adjacent to the developments in the TCW PDA vary and include urbanised/disturbed, shrubland/grassland, different types of woodlands and different types of agricultural lands. Among those, habitats with certain ecological value, such as young woodland, wet abandoned agricultural land (minor to moderate), mangroves, natural section of Tung Chung Stream, mature woodland (moderate to high), Fung Shui Wood (ranging from moderate value to high value), or mudflat (high ecological value) might be of higher concern for any potential disturbance impacts, but only some of the development areas have these habitats in the vicinity. Moreover, though the population in Tung Chung Valley will increase during operation phase, the majority of human activities are expected mainly confined to the development areas.

9.6.4.5 Young woodlands are found in areas adjacent to development areas TCW-2, TCV-3, TCV-6 and TCV-7. In fact, fauna recorded in young woodland in the Assessment Area are mostly common species (e.g., Chinese Bulbul, Red-whiskered Bulbul), which can be found in many types of habitats (e.g., urbanised/disturbed, shrubland/grassland). These species are generally disturbance tolerant. In addition, there should be landscape planting around the periphery of the development areas, which can screen off disturbance noise and human activities.

9.6.4.6 Wet abandoned agricultural land occurs near one, and the only one, of the development areas, i.e. TCV-6. No major access road (District and Local Distributors) connecting the development area TCV-6 will be constructed near or adjacent to the nearby wet abandoned agricultural land inside the Middle Section of Fong Yuen area. It is expected that there will be landscape planting between the wet abandoned agricultural land and the residential buildings of TCV-6. The only fauna species of conservation importance regularly recorded in Fong Yuen was Jhora Scrub Hopper. The landscape planting will screen off disturbance noise and human activities, and the concerned species, Butterfly Jhora Scrub Hopper, is less sensitive to noise and disturbance and artificial lightings than other faunal groups.

9.6.4.7 Mangroves and mudflats are located inside Tung Chung Bay, with larger extents in the more natural western side of the bay, and less in the eastern side between Ma Hang Chung Village and Wong Lung Hang outlet. Non-development zoning has been provided along the coastline of Tung Chung Bay within the RODP to prevent potential disturbance impacts to Tung Chung Bay and natural habitats inside including mangroves and mudflats. CPA is provided in the western side of the bay as buffer zone, and RO/DO is provided at the eastern side. These non-development zonings separate the mangroves and mudflats from the proposed developments in TCW PDA. While no vehicle road or path is proposed in or leading to the CPA adjacent to mangroves and mudflats, RO in TCW-1 includes waterfront promenade along the coastline. Both species richness and abundance of birds in the mudflat were low, and invertebrate fauna are not expected to be adversely affected by human activities in the waterfront promenade. Though near some mangroves and mudflats, waterfront promenade is a purpose-designed path without exit leading to the bay, and there are also landscape areas along the path, and thus the potential of visitors entering the mangroves and mudflats would not increase due to the waterfront promenade.

9.6.4.8 There will be buffer zone on both sides of stream banks along all natural sections of Tung Chung Stream and one major tributary. The buffer zone can reduce the potential impact of human disturbance to the stream and associated fauna during operation phase, and the development areas will be further separated from the stream by landscape planting. River Park is proposed at the channelized section of Tung Chung Stream and the section upstream till the Shek Mun Kap Road. Though there will be visitors during the operation phase, the Park is proposed for the restoration of the stream and also enhancing the ecology, and thus the design will be conservation-orientated with the visitor access limited to certain areas. It is not expected that there will be disturbance impacts caused by the operation of the Park on Tung Chung Stream.

9.6.4.9 The development areas TCV-4 and TCV-5a will be adjacent to Fung Shui wood, and TCV-5b will be adjacent to mature woodland. In fact, the mature woodland and Fung Shui wood along Shek Mun Kap Road have been subjected to the disturbance of noise, traffic and human activities for years. Fauna sensitive to these disturbance sources should have avoided these habitats. Hence, the fauna inhabiting these woodlands are not expected to be significantly affected by the increase in the disturbance of noise, traffic and human activities. The potential impact due to these disturbance sources is ranked as Insignificant. Residential buildings in development area TCV-5b could be separated from the mature woodland by landscape planting. There will also be landscape planting in some of the interface areas between the development area TCV-5a and the Fung Shui wood.

9.6.4.10 While the remaining habitats including shrubland/grassland, urbanised/disturbed, active dry agricultural land, abandoned dry agricultural land, and orchard are all of low ecological value. Due to the presence of a number of villages in Tung Chung Valley for long time, the fauna species inhabiting these habitats within the TCW PDA are currently subjected to disturbance of noise, traffic and human activities.

9.6.4.11 Based on the above, the potential impact due to noise, traffic and human activities to all those habitat types and associated fauna are ranked as Insignificant.

Air pollution

9.6.4.12 This present project will mainly involve the provision of residential houses and associated facilities, but not emission sources such as major industrial facilities. Therefore, the project will not result in emissions impact on local and nearby habitats. For the potential air pollution impact due to vehicles, these residential areas are not anticipated to cause high traffic flow volume, in particular TCW PDA given the smaller population to be accommodated.

9.6.4.13 An air quality assessment has been conducted for the assessment year at Year 2023. The changes in air quality for the scenarios “With” and “Without” Project scenarios have been compared, and the results indicated that traffic flow in TCW PDA will only cause marginal changes in air quality during operation phase (see Section 3.5.6 of Section 3 on Air Quality Assessment). The potential impact is ranked as Insignificant.

Surface Runoff and Drainage Discharge into stream courses

9.6.4.14 Given the high ecological value of Tung Chung Stream, for the proposed development in TCW PDA in particular, the amount of water being discharged to Tung Chung Stream has been one of the key considerations throughout the design process. New developments would inevitably bring additional surface runoff. Currently the areas inside TCW PDA are mostly rural. During the operational phase, there will be more paved areas, roads and facilities which may reduce the infiltration rate in the catchment, and contribute to additional surface runoff due to the change of catchment characteristics, and consequently resulting in a higher volume of discharge into Tung Chung Stream and a higher flood risk during rain events.

9.6.4.15 In terms of water quality impact, there would also be additional pollution loading due to the increase of runoff, which is known as non-point source pollutions during operational phase. Substances such as vehicle dust, tyre scraps and oils deposited and accumulated on the road surfaces will be washed into nearby drainage system or watercourses during rainfall events. Release of Pollutants (e.g. on future road surface) carried by surface runoff into the nearby water bodies might affect the water quality if in abundant amounts. However, the present project will mainly involve the provision of residential houses and associated facilities, but not major industrial facilities which might potentially produce large quantity of pollutant dusts and cause traffic of heavy trucks/lorries. Therefore, the project will not result in abundant amounts of pollutants on road surface. The Operational Phase water quality modelling has taken into account the cumulative water quality impact due to non-point source loading (i.e. the pollution loading from the surface runoff in the future development) assuming with the traditional drainage system (see sections on Pollution Load Inventory under Section 5.6.9). It was found that no exceedance was caused by the Project (see sections on Water Quality Impact under Section 5.6.9).

9.6.4.16 The TCW PDA is located within the catchment of Tung Chung Stream, which covers the upstream vegetated catchment of the Lantau North and South Country Parks (Pak Kung Au, Tei Tong Tsai and east of Ngong Ping), the mid-stream Tung Chung Valley with scattered villages, and the downstream urban catchment of the Tung Chung Town, with total area of about 11km². Tung Chung Stream is the main river network serving this catchment area and it discharges downstream to Tung Chung Bay.

9.6.4.17 Surface runoff will be collected by new drainage system within the development areas of TCE PDA and TCW PDA. For TCE PDA, it is expected that traditional urban drainage system similar with those currently used in Tung Chung New Town with grease and silt traps provided will be implemented (see Sections on Assessment of Marine Ecology Operational Phase below). This traditional urban drainage system has been implemented for years in Tung Chung New Town.

9.6.4.18 For TCW PDA, the eastern part will also adopt the similar drainage system as TCE PDA. In the development areas to the east of Wong Lung Hang (i.e. TCW1 & TCW2), traditional urban drainage system as those in the existing Yat Tung Estate will be installed. Proper drainage systems with silt traps should be installed, e.g. road gullies with silt traps, should be incorporated in later detailed design. Runoff will be intercepted by properly designed and managed silt traps at appropriate spacing so that common roadside debris, refuse and fallen leaves etc. can be captured before discharge.

9.6.4.19 For the western part of TCW PDA, i.e. Tung Chung Valley, to further protect Tung Chung Stream, Sustainable Urban Drainage System (SUDS) will be provided which include a series of stormwater attenuation and treatment ponds distributed in different locations within the Tung Chung Valley and could further protect Tung Chung Stream from potential impacts of polluted surface runoff, if any. The capacity of those stormwater attenuation and treatment ponds would vary from 3,000 – 5,000m³, depending on the local catchment (the development area they are located) served. In order to mitigate the risk of illicit connections of sewage flow to the drainage network, DWFI is proposed at the connection point of each village to the public drainage network. The interceptor will contain a penstock to divert and retain the very low flows to a nearby chamber for disposal to sewage treatment works or other disposal facility, by tankering away or other conveyance method approved by EPD. With the installation of dry weather flow interceptor, the impact to the treatment ponds by the illicit discharge to the drainage network is not anticipated. Wet weather flows will be discharged to a primary sedimentation zone or “forebay.” Runoff will be slowed to allow sediment to settle out. At the opposite end of the forebay, runoff will enter a wide and shallow biofiltration wetland zone. Treatment action will occur as stormwater travels slowly through dense, climate-appropriate landscaping, removing floating debris and encouraging the uptake of nutrients by the plants. These created wetlands would also be an opportunity to restore degraded habitats by enrichment planting. Plants potentially attracting wildlife, e.g., Leersia hexandra, can be considered. Following the biofiltration wetland zone, treated flows will be discharged into the permanent pool or attenuation zone (Except during large rainfall events, high flows might bypass the forebay and biofiltration wetland zone and be directed into the attenuation zone due to the excessive volume).

9.6.4.20 The sediment and pollutants in the runoff are designed to be trapped within the above 3-stage stormwater attenuation and treatment pond. It should be noted that some overseas examples similar to the proposed SUDS for TCW PDA have been successfully implemented and for some years and the substantial pollutant removal performance (on sediment, nutrients, metals and bacteria) by SUDS and treatment ponds are demonstrated (see Section 5 on Water Quality). Bringing these new green design ideas to Tung Chung Valley would help to further protect Tung Chung Stream from potential water quality impacts due to surface runoff discharge and could also increase the vegetation cover and provide wetlands, which are beneficial for wildlife and providing amenity in the future development. As stipulated in the Water quality assessment, water quality monitoring will be performed in these stormwater attenuation and treatment ponds at least for the first year of operation to ensure the discharges are up to standard, making reference to the Inland Water Quality Standard. There are also some Source-control techniques (such as Street Sweeping and provision of vehicle washing stations) and Treatment-control techniques (such as rain garden and infiltration planters) for SUDS under consideration at proposed developments and within adjacent villages as presented in the Water Quality Assessment in Section 5.

9.6.4.21 With these stormwater attenuation and treatment ponds, the treated surface runoff (with pollutants removed) and/or flood water (during large rainfall events) could be temporarily stored, and then progressively released to Tung Chung Stream. The release rate will also be controlled as this zone will contain high- and low-flow weirs to mitigate the potential higher peak flows due to the planned development, keeping the rate of discharge to the Tung Chung Stream under control.

9.6.4.22 As the water quality assessment in Section 5 has demonstrated that, the traditional urban drainage system with gullies and grease and sediment traps could collect the surface runoff from the future development and no adverse water quality impact will be caused, the impact due to surface runoff on ecology would be Insignificant. The provision of SUDS in Tung Chung Valley is thus considered as an enhancement measure to further protect Tung Chung Stream. Traditional urban drainage system will still be provided in the TCE PDA and the eastern part of the TCW PDA.

Potential impacts from Sewage and Emergency Discharge

9.6.4.23 During operation, all sewage generated from the proposed development site will be diverted to public sewage treatment facilities, i.e. Siu Ho Wan STW. No net increase of pollution loading in aquatic habitats within the Assessment Area is anticipated, and no additional mitigation measure is required.

9.6.4.24 New and upgrading sewage pumping stations are proposed for the developments in both TCE PDA and TCW PDA as presented in Section 6 of this EIA report. The sewage pumping stations will collect the sewage from the PDAs and convey the sewage to the Siu Ho Wan Sewage Treatment Works. Taking into account the ecological sensitivity of the area including Tung Chung Stream, Tung Chung Bay and Tai Ho Wan, there will be no emergency discharge at any sewage pumping stations for the Project in both TCE PDA and TCW PDA. The risk of different emergency events / operational failure at the sewage pumping stations was investigated in Section 6 of this EIA report. Mitigation measures and additional provisions are proposed to enhance the sewerage network reliability and minimize the environmental impacts due to system failure or in case of emergency situations. Major emergency events include the followings: pump failure; rising main failure; and power failure. To mitigate the risks of pump, rising main and/or power failure, several mitigation measures are proposed, including a) 100% standby pumping capacity within each SPS, with spare pump up to 50% pumping capacity stockpiled in each SPS for any emergency use ; b) twin rising mains; c) dual-feed power supply; d) emergency storage facilities up to 6-hours ADWF capacity; and e) emergency communication mechanism amongst relevant government departments. Besides, it is proposed to adopt high density polyethylene (HDPE) pipe for proposed gravity sewers and rising mains, and concrete surround for proposed rising mains, to mitigate the risk of bursting. Given the above mitigations, it is considered that emergency discharge of sewage to Tung Chung Stream and Tung Chung Bay is not anticipated.

Terrestrial Habitat Fragmentation

9.6.4.25 The TCE PDA and Road P1 (Tung Chung - Tai Ho Section) will be created by reclamation and expanding the existing urbanised/disturbed habitat, and hence will not cause discontinuities of terrestrial habitats. There will be no impact of habitat fragmentation to terrestrial fauna.

9.6.4.26 Sewer alignment, for both those within and outside the PDA boundaries, will be constructed on urbanised/disturbed habitats, mainly underground pipelines along existing or future roads, and will not result in additional discontinuities of natural terrestrial habitats.

9.6.4.27 The expansion of an existing service reservoir uphill to Chek Lap Kok New Village will affect natural habitats including shrubland/grassland and woodland. The future new service reservoirs, however, will not create barrier to movement of terrestrial fauna or result in discontinuities of terrestrial habitats, as the surface of service reservoirs are usually open area covered by grass, and hence could provide concealment for terrestrial fauna moving through the sites and this might encourage movements of those fauna. There will be no impact of habitat fragmentation to terrestrial fauna. No mitigation measure is required.

9.6.4.28 As discussed in Section 9.4.10 above, the development in the TCW PDA will mainly take place in the lowland areas of Tung Chung Valley, there will be no impact to movement of terrestrial fauna in the highly natural upper Tung Chung Valley and the surrounding upland areas (indicated by black arrows in Figure 9.9a). However, development in the TCW PDA will still cause habitat changes in the lowland terrestrial habitats in Tung Chung Valley and have implications on habitat fragmentation.

9.6.4.29 For the eastern part of the TCW PDA, i.e. areas near Wong Nai Uk, the isolation of habitats from the continuous habitat assemblage of Tung Chung Valley during operation phase (Figure 9.9a) will not change much from the existing conditions (Figure 9.9b). The only fauna species of conservation importance recorded in this area was Red-billed Starling. This bird species is not expected to be affected by habitat fragmentation caused by the development due to its flight ability. There was no significant record of non-volant terrestrial fauna (including non-volant mammals, amphibians and reptiles) in this area.

9.6.4.30 The current design has recommended relatively low density development in TCW PDA in response to the relatively natural context. Hence, there are many areas zoned for non-development land uses in the RODP, e.g., CA, GB, CPA and AGR zones. There are also buffer zones on both sides along natural sections and one major tributary of Tung Chung Stream. All these help to maintain the connectivity of the other habitats inside Tung Chung Valley. Meanwhile, in low density residential areas, usually a higher proportion of lands will be allocated for landscape areas, and these landscape areas will help to increase the connectivity of the remaining habitats and non-development areas. As the target population in Tung Chung Valley will be low, the level of human disturbance during operation phase will also be low.

9.6.4.31 The development in the TCW PDA will convert some of the orchard, abandoned agricultural land, woodland etc. to residential/commercial areas and roads, and preserve the existing nature of village areas during operational phase. While fauna capable of flying (e.g., birds) would not be obstructed by the developed areas when they move across the Tung Chung Valley as most of the development inside Tung Chung Valley would be low-rise buildings and there will also be space between buildings and development areas (indicated by black arrows in in Figure 9.9b), non-volant terrestrial fauna (including non-volant mammals, amphibians and reptiles) might avoid the residential areas and roads due to the higher level of human disturbance during operation phase. Hence, these fauna are more susceptible to habitat fragmentation.

9.6.4.32 As discussed in sections above on “Existing Condition of Movements of Terrestrial Fauna in the Assessment Area”, some habitat patches in Tung Chung Valley are considered more likely to be used by terrestrial fauna if moving across Tung Chung Valley, particularly non-volant species. These habitats included dry abandoned agricultural land and orchard south of Shek Lau Po, and woodlands and orchard north of Shek Mun Kap village, and the habitats (e.g., woodland, abandoned agricultural land) to the east and to the west of these two potential pathways (indicated by black arrows in Figure 9.9a).

9.6.4.33 After the implementation of the proposed developments, the potential movement of non-volant fauna at north of Shek Mun Kap village towards south of Mok Ka village will be subject to a certain level of constraints due to the development in TCV-5b (Figure 9.9c). But access via the southwest direction is still feasible. Other than this, potential linkages described in existing condition will largely remain during the operation phase. For examples, the northern Shek Mun Kap FSW will be preserved and zoned as CA, with green belt zoning adjacent, and thus the potential pathway could be maintained. Stormwater attenuation and treatment ponds will be constructed south of Shek Lau Po (immediately to the north of proposed development area TCV-5a). As the stormwater attenuation and treatment ponds will incorporate wetlands and water bodies and thus be similar to natural habitats and hence could provide the function of corridor to terrestrial fauna moving across Tung Chung Valley. The habitats to the east (Middle and Southern Sections of Fong Yuen) and to the west (areas to the north and the south of Mok Ka Village) of these two potential corridors will not be affected by the proposed development, and the potential linkage could be maintained. There will be no complete isolation of the remaining habitats in the Tung Chung Valley resulted from the present development plan in TCW PDA, especially for fauna capable of flying.

9.6.4.34 Besides the development areas inside TCW PDA, there will be some polders constructed near the villages inside Tung Chung Valley for flood protection purposes. These polders would only be constructed between existing (the villages) or future (proposed residential) development areas and Tung Chung Stream. There are concerns on the potential fragmentation impacts caused by these polders. It should however be noted that these polders will only be provided between existing urbanised areas (villages) and future urbanised areas (proposed residential development areas inside Tung Chung Valley). Non-volant terrestrial fauna (including non-volant mammals, amphibians and reptiles) usually avoid these Urbanised/disturbed habitats due to human disturbance, and thus those developed areas would not be important for their movement. The linkage of wildlife from these urbanised areas to Tung Chung Stream would not be significant. On the other hand, the polders will not constitute obstacles to movement of non-volant fauna as these polders will be sloping on both sides, which surfaces will be earth-lined with plantings on top. Hence, the construction of polders will not result in increase of fragmentation.

9.6.4.35 The establishment of buffer zone along Tung Chung Stream (30-m for the natural sections in eastern and western branches, and 20m for the major tributary at Ngau Au), the re-vitalization of the channelized section, and enhancement planting, will improve the function of Tung Chung Stream as access between habitats at the upstream sections and habitats at the estuary region, as well as linking up the remaining habitats in Tung Chung Valley (Figures 9.9a – 9.9c). Wildlife could still move between these natural habitats in the Tung Chung Valley as they do now. The ecological functions of the stream buffer zone are further enhanced by the planting of vegetation with berries or nectar on the adjacent polders as stipulated in the enhancement measure sections.

9.6.4.36 The major corridors in upland areas surrounding Tung Chung Valley will remain during operation phase. Since the development in TCW PDA will be low density. Large areas of non-developed areas will remain. Hence, the linkages in lowland habitats will remain largely similar, and will be enhanced by the establishment of buffer zones along Tung Chung Stream. Hence, the potential impact due to habitat fragmentation is ranked as Minor.

Artificial Lightings

9.6.4.37 Artificial lighting will increase during operation phase, and potentially affect the behaviour and distribution of nocturnal animals, including bats, birds, reptiles and amphibians, in habitats adjacent to the TCE PDA and TCW PDA.

9.6.4.38 The TCE PDA will be created by reclamation, and hence was not inhabited by nocturnal fauna before construction phase. The nearest natural habitats are found on the hillsides to the south of the TCE PDA. This hillside is separated from the TCE PDA by highway and railway. The hillside is subjected to the influence of existing lightings of North Lantau Highway and the railway, and buildings of Caribbean Coast. Fauna sensitive to artificial lightings might have already avoided these habitats. The potential impact of artificial lightings in habitats near the TCE PDA is ranked as Insignificant.

9.6.4.39 There are also existing lightings in the TCW PDA, e.g., village houses, street lamps. Artificial lightings in development areas of TCW PDA will increase during operation phase as the number of buildings will increase. Habitats within the proposed development areas will be converted to residential areas, and habitats adjacent to some proposed development areas (e.g., TCV-2, TCV-5) will be converted to roads during the operation phase. Both residential areas and roads will be avoided by nocturnal fauna, particularly amphibians, due to habitat changes.

9.6.4.40 Increase in artificial lightings will potentially affect the behaviour and distribution of nocturnal animals in habitats near the proposed development areas, including woodland, shrubland/grassland, agricultural land, orchard and urbanised/disturbed. Species of conservation importance and more frequently recorded within the Assessment Area during the field surveys included Collared Scops Owl, Lesser Spiny Frog and Romer’s Tree Frog. Lesser Spiny Frogs were found in streams away from the proposed development areas, and hence this species is not likely to be significantly affected. All Collared Scops Owls were recorded outside the proposed development areas, and most individuals were recorded in woodland or shrubland away from the proposed development areas, and hence this species is not anticipated to be significantly affected by the increase artificial light level during operation phase. Collared Scops Owl probably forages in orchards and abandoned agricultural lands within the proposed development areas. This species is known to occur in gardens and city parks (Carey et al. 2001), and hence could tolerate some artificial lightings. Therefore, Collared Scops Owl might still forage in the remaining orchards and abandoned agricultural lands near the development areas in the TCW PDA during operation phase. Romer’s Tree Frog within the proposed development areas will be translocated before site formation. In fact, this species was present in relatively higher abundance in orchard within the proposed development area TCV-1, which is only 120m to Yat Tung Estate compared with other locations with records of this species. Remnant population of Romer’s Tree Frog was found in Scenic Hill in the Airport Island (Chan et al. 2005), where level of disturbance and artificial lighting are high. This observation suggested that Romer’s Tree Frog might not be very sensitive to artificial lightings from residential buildings. The potential impact due to artificial lightings to this species is ranked as Minor. Nocturnal fauna might avoid habitats adjacent to the development areas. As there are alternative habitats nearby, the potential impact is also ranked as Minor. Mitigation measure is not required.

9.6.4.41 The potential impact of lightings could be further minimized by the design of lightings in the open space inside development areas (e.g. football field, playground), to direct the light towards target areas only.

Barrier Effect and Bird Collision

9.6.4.42 The potential impact of barrier effect to flight of birds might increase during operation phase when there are new buildings. Waterbirds and big raptors (e.g., Crested Serpent Eagle) are generally considered of lower flight maneuverability and are more susceptible to barrier effect. Ardeids were the main groups of waterbirds recorded in the Assessment Area. No major flight path of ardeid was identified in the coastal waters in the footprint of TCE PDA. Ardeids mostly flew above the Tung Chung Bay and along the downstream section of Tung Chung Stream in the TCW PDA. Hence, buildings in the TCE PDA and TCW PDA will not form obstacle to flight of ardeids. The frequency of occurrence of big raptors in the Assessment Area was low and usually fly in high attitude. Smaller birds are generally of higher flight maneuverability and their flights will not be severely affected by the presence of building. Hence, the potential impact due to barrier effect to flights of birds was ranked as Insignificant.

9.6.4.43 The potential impact of bird collision might increase during operation phase when there are new noise barriers and new buildings especially those with glass curtain walls. Transparent or highly reflective materials such as noise barrier or glass curtain wall might give birds an impression of unobstructed passage, and reflection of surrounding areas may appear to a bird as a potential flight path or habitat (Bradley 1975, Macdonald 1978, Jaroslow 1979, Klem 2009).

9.6.4.44 The sewerage facilities, service reservoirs and Road P1 are not expected to cause increase in impact of bird collision during operation phase given that there are only few above ground structures.

9.6.4.45 TCE PDA is located on a new reclamation and separated from natural habitats by the North Lantau Highway. Buildings with glass curtain walls might be present within TCE PDA, and will be subject to future detailed development design. However, during operation phase, bird abundance is not expected to be high in the TCE PDA which will be mainly new urbanised/developed areas and physically isolated from natural habitats. Movement of birds from natural habitats across a highway to TCE PDA is not expected to be frequent given the high disturbance level of highway. The risk of collision would be small if the bird abundance is lower. The potential impact is ranked as Insignificant.

9.6.4.46 For TCW PDA, noise barrier will only be erected between the two existing schools, i.e. YMCA of Hong Kong Christian College and Cartias Charles Vath College, and the adjacent road junctions (see Figure 4.14d-3) during operation phase. The noise barrier will be located among and near developed areas including the local distributors, the two schools, and the future TCV-2. As the noise barrier will be erected along road, where disturbance level will be high, bird abundance in areas near the noise barrier is not expected to be high. Hence the risk of bird collision due to these noise barriers is also anticipated to be Insignificant.

9.6.4.47 There are some commercial areas in TCW PDA (to the north of Yu Tung Road and near TCV-1) in which subject to future detailed development design it is possible that buildings with glass curtain walls might be present. Located near the existing and future roads as well as inside a development parcel, it is not expected the bird abundance would be high around these commercial areas. The risk of collision would also be Insignificant.

9.6.4.48 For other residential buildings within TCW PDA, different from buildings with glass wall curtain, the windows of residential buildings usually only occupy part of the wall of buildings. Hence, it is not likely that the glass windows on the wall of these residential buildings will produce images that appear as potential flight path or habitat to birds, particularly to birds at long distance from the buildings.

9.6.4.49 In addition, temporary noise barriers will be used during construction phase but they are mostly solid, no collision risk is anticipated.

9.6.4.50 Given the above, the potential impact of bird collision for the present Project is ranked as Insignificant. Though the detailed design of noise barriers have not been available, it is noted that there are recommendations in a guidelines issues by EPD and Highways Department (“Guidelines on Design of Noise Barriers”, Second Issue, January 2003, issued by EPD and HyD) on using tinted materials or superposing patterns on noise barriers to reduce risk of bird collisions, and it is expected that such recommendations will be taken into account during future detail design stage.

9.6.4.51 The impacts discussed above are summarised in Table 9.30a below.

9.6.5 Impact on Terrestrial Sites and Species of Conservation Importance

Terrestrial Recognized Sites of Conservation Importance

9.6.5.1 The proposed developments in TCE PDA and TCW PDA, Road P1 (Tung Chung - Tai Ho Section), service reservoirs and the sewerage will not directly affect any recognized sites of conservation importance. These recognized sites of conservation importance are also at some distances from the development areas, and will not be affected by the disturbance from the project elements during both construction phase and operational phase.

9.6.5.2 Pok To Yan and Por Kai Shan SSSI falls partly within the 500m distance Assessment Area but is away from any proposed developments and thus avoided from any impacts.

9.6.5.3 As there will be no development near Tai Ho Stream which is a SSSI and also an EIS, no adverse impact is anticipated to this stream and associated fauna during both construction and operation phases. For Wong Lung Hang EIS, it is preserved as it is outside any development plan. Though the service reservoirs will be constructed to the west of the stream course, but the distance is over 200m. With proper site management to control site runoff, the stream course should not be affected by the construction works.

9.6.5.4 Tung Chung Stream EIS is preserved as no channelization is proposed. There will be developments in the vicinity of Tung Chung Stream. In order to protect the ravine habitats, there will be buffer zone on both sides of natural sections of Tung Chung Stream and also one major tributary. The buffer zone could also minimise potential disturbance impact to Tung Chung Stream during operation phase. The existing channelized section will be revitalised and enhanced in the future River Park.

9.6.5.5 Lantau North (Extension) Country Park is outside all proposed development and will not be encroached. The proposed service reservoirs are located adjacent to but downhill to the park. There was no special record of fauna species in that area, and significant potential disturbance impact to fauna inside Country Park is not anticipated. The risk of the Country Park disturbed by site runoff is also low and the park is uphill to the proposed service reservoirs.

Terrestrial Important Habitats

9.6.5.6 The middle and southern sections of Fong Yuen of higher value are preserved by zoning as Green Belt zoning and “OU” zoning (for the future River Park) within the 30 distance buffer. The future River Park, which will be designed and managed by DSD, would include the revitalization of the existing channelized section and preservation of the riparian areas of Fong Yuen area.

9.6.5.7 The bat cave on the eastern coastline of Tai Ho Wan is away from any proposed developments and thus will not be affected.

9.6.5.8 The Wong Lung Hang butterfly hotspot is away from any proposed developments and hence will not be affected. The potential impact to the Wong Lung Hang hotspot is ranked as Insignificant. The section of Shek Mun Kap butterfly hotspot near Shek Mun Kap village and the section of San Tau butterfly hotspot near Hau Wang Temple will be potentially affected by the proposed development. No butterfly species of conservation importance was recorded in the affected section of San Tau butterfly hotspot during the field surveys. Construction work will only affect plantation, orchard and urbanised/disturbed in this butterfly hotspot. Plantation and urbanised/disturbed are not considered important habitats for butterfly. The loss of orchard will result in loss of nectar sources, but the extent will be small. The potential impact to the San Tau butterfly hotspot is ranked as Minor. Some butterfly species of conservation importance (e.g., Oriental Straight Swift, White Royal) were recorded in the affected section of Shek Mun Kap butterfly hotspot during the field surveys. Construction work will affect woodland, orchard and dry abandoned agricultural land in this butterfly hotspot. Loss of orchard and dry abandoned agricultural land will result in loss of nectar sources. Woodland supported moderate to high abundance of butterfly. The potential impact to the Shek Mun Kap butterfly hotspot is ranked as Minor to Moderate. The loss of woodland in the TCW PDA has been assessed in Section 9.6.1, and compensation will be provided (see Section 9.8.3). The compensation woodland can also provide nectar sources to butterflies, and hence will mitigate the loss of orchard and dry abandoned agricultural land. The potential disturbance to the two affected sections of butterfly hotspots will be minimised by implementation of good site practice (see Section 9.8.3).

Terrestrial Species of Conservation Importance

Terrestrial flora

9.6.5.9 The assessment and ranking of potential impacts to the plant species of conservation importance are summarised in Table 9.30b. Three plant species of conservation importance, namely Aquilaria sinensis, Pavetta hongkongensis and Gmelina chinensis were recorded within the development areas in the TCW PDA. Individuals of Aquilaria sinensis were found within the footprints of TCV-1, TCV-7, polders and the works area of the proposed service reservoirs. Individuals of Gmelina chinensis were recorded within the works area of the proposed service reservoirs, while individuals of Pavetta hongkongensis were recorded within the footprint of the proposed widening at Shek Mun Kap Road. Results of the group tree surveys conducted for LVIA also uncovered more individuals of Aquilaria sinensis and Gmelina chinensis within the development footprints. Individuals of plant species of conservation importance found on or near the development boundary (e.g. Cibotium barometz, Gmelina chinensis, Aquilaria sinensis and Pavetta hongkongensis along Shek Mun Kap Road; Aquilaria sinensis near Mok Ka polder), though not be directly affected by the developments, might be indirectly affected during construction and operation phases. Mitigation measures including transplantation and good site practice will be recommended to minimize the potential impact.

Terrestrial fauna

9.6.5.10 Twenty-one species of terrestrial fauna of conservation importance (as listed in Table 9.28 and assessed in various sections above) were considered relevant to the Project. This included five species of birds, one species of snake, six species of amphibian and nine species of butterfly.

9.6.5.11 The assessment and ranking of potential impacts to these fauna species are summarised in Table 9.30c. Major mitigation measures will be recommended are listed in the following paragraphs.

9.6.5.12 The potential impact to woodland dependent fauna species – including Crested Goshawk, Collared Scops Owl, Common Emerald, Common Birdwing, Golden Birdwing, Peacock Royal and Sullied Sailor – will be mitigated by compensation woodland planting.

9.6.5.13 Habitats of stream dependent fauna – including Mountain Water Snake, Lesser Spiny Frog, Hong Kong Newt, Short-legged Toad – will be protected by establishment of buffer zones along main branches of Tung Chung Stream. No construction works will encroach stream habitats. Establishment of buffer zones will also protect the major habitats of the rare butterfly Jhor Scurb Hopper in the Assessment Area.

9.6.5.14 Habitats with records of Romer’s Tree Frog and Chinese Bullfrog will be affected by the proposed developments. Capture-and-translocation exercise will be recommended to avoid the impact to these two species.

9.7 Impact Evaluation for Marine Ecology

9.7.1 Construction Phase – Marine Direct Impacts

TCE PDA and Road P1 (Tung Chung - Tai Ho Section)

9.7.1.1 Coastal Waters Habitat Loss – Other than the about 4 ha of existing urbanised/disturbed habitat as described above, the TCE PDA development is mostly on a new reclamation and will cause a direct loss of water column of coastal waters habitat and a slightly larger sub-tidal soft bottom seabed within the proposed reclamation. Currently, the boundary of the RODP demarcates the +5.5mPD (i.e. the copeline of the reclamation). Due to the inclined seawall, with toe berms and necessary scour protection at a gradient of approximately 1:2, the reclamation will take up a larger area size at the level of the High Water Mark (which is lower than the copeline level), i.e. 120.5 ha of coastal waters. This is also the demarcation level adopted for future gazette plans. Similarly, the inclined seawall will result in the area size covered by the reclamation be further increased when descending beyond the High Water Mark. The actual footprint area on the seabed where the bottom of the seawalls intersects the seabed will be further larger (with 11.5 ha additional loss), i.e. a total of 132 ha of permanent seabed loss.

9.7.1.2 There will be a carriage road (Road P1 (Tung Chung - Tai Ho Section)) starting from the eastern side of TCE PDA, then running along the artificial coastline of the North Lantau, and finally connecting to existing/future road system at Siu Ho. The road will be at-grade, and if the at-grade road could be accommodated on the existing land areas, only direct impact on existing urbanised/disturbed will be caused and it only results in a replacement of habitats of the same type. However, there is not sufficient space on existing land areas for the road, reclamation would thus be required for the at-grade road, and it is expected that the road will be constructed on a narrow reclamation along the artificial coastline extending eastwards, and the reclamation size for this road would be about 8.6 ha at High Water Mark level. Similarly, the footprint of this narrow reclamation on the seabed will be larger than 8.6 ha, and is expected to be 13 ha (with 4.4 ha additional loss). This makes the total area sizes of the seabed footprints of the above two reclamations reaching 145 ha. To take a conservative approach, the size of water column loss is regarded as the same as the sub-tidal soft bottom seabed loss in subsequent assessment.

9.7.1.3 These new reclamations will cause a direct loss of water column of coastal waters habitat as well as the associated sub-tidal soft bottom seabed within their footprints, i.e. each of 145 ha. The coastal waters offshore to Tung Chung New Town were ranked as of low ecological value, and the sub-tidal soft bottom seabed was ranked as low to moderate. Though these reclamations (TCE PDA and Road P1 (Tung Chung - Tai Ho Section)) are located within the habitat range of Chinese White Dolphin (CWD) in Hong Kong, they are at the location among the lowest use, if not none, by CWD inside the North Lantau waters. This is supported by the results from various surveys/studies, including the long-term AFCD annual marine mammal survey, the HZMB construction (comprising HKBCF, HKLR and TM-CLKL contracts) monitoring survey, and the survey results from the recently approved 3RS EIA, as no sighting in this location was reported from all these sources. For Road P1 (Tung Chung - Tai Ho Section), it extends from TCE PDA to the western side of Siu Ho MTR depot, and is relatively closer to Sham Shui Kok (an identified CWD hotspot). The recent CEIA (AECOM 2014) has reviewed the results from a site specific dolphin survey at three potential nearshore reclamation sites including Siu Ho Wan. The boundary for Siu Ho Wan Assessment Area indeed covered the eastern end of Road P1 (Tung Chung - Tai Ho Section) footprint. However, no sighting of CWD was recorded inside or near the location of Road P1 (Tung Chung - Tai Ho Section). This also supported that the waters within the footprint of Road P1 (Tung Chung - Tai Ho Section) are also of low dolphin use.

9.7.1.4 Other fauna utilizing the water column, mainly marine fish, are of low abundance as indicated by the low fisheries production in this area (see Chapter on Fisheries) and these highly mobile fauna would be displaced to adjacent marine waters. Direct impacts on sessile fauna within the reclamation footprint are however anticipated. At the subtidal hard substrates (the subtidal part of the artificial seawalls), only common gorgonians and cup coral of low coverage were recorded during dive surveys, and it is known that these common corals could quickly colonise the subtidal hard substrates below the future seawalls after the reclamation construction is completed. For benthic infauna communities on soft bottom seabed in the area, though the value of diversity index is considered as high, the species found were all common without special conservation value. One shrimp species recorded in benthic survey, i.e. Metapenaeus sp., is ranked as Vulnerable by China Red Data Book but is indeed very common in marine waters and mangroves of Hong Kong, and thus is not considered with special conservation value. Though the low ecological value of the habitat, given the considerable size of the proposed reclamation, the magnitude of the impact would be increased, and the impact on the loss of coastal water habitat (both water column and sub-tidal soft bottom seabed) is ranked as Minor to Moderate and provision of mitigation measures is recommended.

9.7.1.5 Temporary marine waters habitat loss – Besides the Reclamation footprint, some extra areas of marine waters surrounding the reclamation will be enclosed by silt curtains and thus could be considered not available for marine life. In accordance with the plan prepared for gazette under the foreshore and seabed ordinance, the total area of works area (including the reclamation footprint) would be 200 ha. The works programme of reclamation is expected to cover a duration of about 6 years from 2017 to 2023 (though the majority of marine works as well as vessel traffic will occur in the first 5 years). The additional 55 ha (based on the more conservative size of 145 ha seabed loss) is considered as the temporary works areas and a temporary marine waters habitat loss for a 6 year duration. This loss of marine habitat would be temporary. In some other reclamation projects, there might also be some marine waters for works vessels to anchor, though not a physical loss of habitat, the disturbance levels in these anchor areas will be increased due to the vessels, and the area under disturbance might be avoided by the dolphins. But in the present Project, anchor area is not required, and thus will not cause the associated disturbance impact. This impact is ranked as Minor.

9.7.1.6 Intertidal and shallow subtidal habitat loss – Without any high-value soft shore intertidal habitats, the only intertidal habitat type present within the proposed TCE PDA reclamation and the footprint of Road P1 (Tung Chung - Tai Ho Section) (Tung Chung - Tai Ho Section) is artificial seawall. The seawalls are of man-made nature, with very low diversity and coverage of common intertidal fauna. They also have no significant vegetation cover and simple habitat structure, and are not considered important habitat of terrestrial wildlife. Though some terrestrial fauna species of conservation importance were recorded in seawall between Tai Ho and Tung Chung, including Little Egret, Reef Egret and Zitting Cisticola, abundance of these species in seawall was very low. The hard substrates on the subtidal part of these seawalls were only colonized by low coverage of common gorgonians. These seawalls are thus of low ecological value, for both intertidal and subtidal parts. The existing coastline of Tung Chung New Town of 2.3km and a section of seawall from Tung Chung New Town to Siu Ho MTR Depot of 1.5 km, which is basically seawall habitat together with the shallow subtidal hard substrates, will be lost during the construction of the TCE PDA and Road P1 (Tung Chung - Tai Ho Section). The potential impact due to loss of seawall is ranked as Insignificant. Although the magnitude is regarded as moderate, it should be noted that there will be 3.3km of new seawall in the TCE PDA and 1.8 km in the Road P1 (Tung Chung - Tai Ho Section) after completion of construction phase.

TCW PDA and other elements

9.7.1.7 Marine Habitat Loss – There will be no reclamation inside Tung Chung Bay and thus there will be no marine habitat loss within the TCW PDA.

9.7.1.8 Intertidal Habitat Loss – The proposed residential/commercial developments would not involve any reclamation, and CPA will be provided to the coastlines near Hau Wong Temple and Tung Chung Stream outlet as buffer zone, and thus direct loss of intertidal habitat within Tung Chung Bay and San Tau is not anticipated.

9.7.1.9 Along the coastlines near Tung Chung Old Pier and to the west of Yat Tung Estate, a land use of Regional Open Space (RO) is proposed. For the coastline near Tung Chung Old Pier, it will be part of the Town Park on the hill at Wong Nai Uk, and thus encroachment on this coastline should not occur. For the section to the west of Yat Tung Estate, waterfront promenade in the form of boardwalk is proposed. The alignment and footprint of the boardwalk has been adjusted to avoid a small area of existing mangroves close to the boardwalk. Indeed the boundary of the RODP for the TCW PDA demarcates the +2.5mPD and thus it should be terrestrial habitats falling within the RODP. Given the proximity of the existing mangroves, however, cautions should be taken on the finalized design and alignment of the waterfront promenade to avoid any impacts on intertidal habitats or individuals of mangrove trees, and the natural substrates below the boardwalk should also be preserved where practicable.

9.7.2 Construction Phase– Marine Indirect Impacts

Marine Water Quality

9.7.2.1 In most reclamation projects, marine construction works contribute the majority of impacts during construction phase, and the major sources of impacts include dredging, seawall construction, reclamation filling behind seawall, and wastewater from construction activities. These activities can cause sediment plumes which would in turn cause increase in pollutants in the water and decrease in dissolved oxygen levels.

9.7.2.2 In general, dredging and filling works in reclamations are potential sources of suspended solids (usually in the form of sediment plumes) and the associated turbidity, sedimentation, and water quality deteriorations such as reduction in dissolved oxygen, along with potential release of nutrients and contaminants to the water column. High suspended solid level might block the gill of fish and other marine organisms and would affect the gas exchange, while the high turbidity would affect the foraging of organisms relying on eye sights. High sedimentation rate could affect sessile benthos including subtidal ones such as corals and even intertidal ones such as epifauna on intertidal habitats. A lower oxygen level would affect stationary species, whilst mobile species would tend to temporarily avoid the area. The result could be a temporary reduction in aquatic life abundance. Nutrients and/or contaminants in the seabed sediment might be released into the marine waters when the sediment is disturbed, and might have negative effects on water quality such as increasing the chances of algal bloom or accumulation of contaminants inside organisms. Since non-dredge method will be adopted for present reclamation, large scale release of contaminants from the sediment would not occur, and the suspended solids would be localized and constrained due to the presence of seawalls and silt curtains. Hence, the effect of bioaccumulation of contaminants would be low.

9.7.2.3 In many reclamation projects, associated land-based construction works might also potentially impact marine ecology mainly due to sediments carried by site runoff, which could also increase the suspended solids load in the water bodies and the subsequent sedimentation impact, and also, to a lesser extent, sewage from workforce and wastewater from various construction activities.

9.7.2.4 Besides these activities, sewage generated by the workforce on vessels and accidental spillage of works site chemicals on works vessels might also cause water quality impacts but would be, if any, at an extremely small scale. There is also an increased risk of small-scale oil or chemical (construction works solvent) spills from construction sites or vessels (due to the increased number of vessels working in the area).

9.7.2.5 Generally, degradation of water quality due to increases in suspended solids or decreased dissolved oxygen are not considered to be the major issue of concern for marine mammals, which do not obtain oxygen from the water and would not have the risk of gill blockage by high level of suspended particles as fish might encounter. Dolphins and porpoises, that use echolocation as well as vision to navigate and find food, are even less susceptible to sedimentation effects than are other marine mammals that filter prey from the water. However, significant alteration of physical water characteristics may influence prey and therefore affect the animals indirectly. Re-suspension of seabed sediment or filling materials might also settle on nearby intertidal, subtidal and benthic habitats (e.g. coral communities) and indirectly affect their prey.

9.7.2.6 In the present Project, a reclamation of 145 ha for TCE PDA and Road P1 (Tung Chung - Tai Ho Section) would be needed. A number of alternative construction methodologies have been critically examined in order to minimize the potential impacts caused by the reclamation. After considering all the options such as fully dredged, partially dredged and non-dredged methods for seawall construction and reclamation, non-dredged method for both the seawall construction and reclamation are recommended. By adopting non-dredged method, the water quality impacts caused by suspended solid or sediment plumes will be minimised. This construction method also minimizes the generation of dredged materials, and finally reduces the potential of water quality impact near the disposal facilities.

9.7.2.7 Nevertheless, the construction work would still require filling work which would still inevitably generate suspended solids. Besides, the filling process would also generate pore water from the sediment. For the marine construction works, quantitative water quality modelling was performed to predict the changes of water quality parameters during construction phase. The construction phase cumulative water quality impacts caused by concurrent projects (including marine works projects, 3rd Runway and Contaminated Mud Pit at East Sha Chau (CMP)) have also taken into account in the modelling. The predicted values are compared to widely adopted water quality criteria as detailed in Water Quality Assessment, for determining the compliance (detailed water quality modelling results are presented in Section 5 of this EIA study).

Suspended Solid

9.7.2.8 The modelling results (see Section 5.5.5) indicated that under the unmitigated scenario, exceedance of SS criteria is observed at WSR 22c (Tai Ho Wan Inlet (outside)) in the bottom layer in construction month 15 during wet season. The highest depth-average SS elevation (i.e. 4.50mg/L) is predicted at WSR 22c (Tai Ho Wan Inlet (outside)) in the bottom layer. The predicted maximum elevations in SS at all other WSRs (including WSR 04 Marine Park at Brothers and Tai Mo To (Dolphin Habitat),WSR 06 Coral Communities at The Brothers Islands, WSR 20 Ma Wan Fish Culture Zone, WSR 27 San Tau Beach SSSI, WSR 42 Artificial Reef at Sha Chau, and WSR 45 Sham Shui Kok dolphin habitat) achieved full compliance of SS levels as compared to its corresponding criteria level, for different stages of construction phase (i.e. construction month number 15, 21, and 31 respectively). Adverse water quality impact is not anticipated at all other WSRs. Observation points were also established for the proposed The Brothers Marine Park (PTBMP) and Sha Chau and Lung Kwu Chau Marine Park (SCLKCMP) along their proposed and existing boundaries, respectively. For the observation points for both PTBMP and SCLKCMP, like the WSRs, SS will be low even under the unmitigated scenario (from construction month number 15, 21 and 31, at M01-M05 for PTBMP, depth-average SS elevations of 0.00 – 0.77 mg/L for dry season and 0.00 – 3.09 mg/L for wet season; at M6-M10 for SCLKCMP, depth-average SS elevations of 0.00 – 0.01 mg/L for both dry season and wet season) (see Table 5.28 a-c).

9.7.2.9 As exceedance of SS levels is observed at WSR 22c (Tai Ho Wan Inlet (outside)) for the unmitigated Scenario (i.e. Scenario 03a) is observed, silt curtain is proposed to contain the sediment (i.e. Scenario 03b), with the removal efficiency of floating single silt curtain is taken as 45% (which is a typical value adopted in the previous EIA studies, such as HZMB EIA). The predicted maximum elevations in SS under mitigation measure at observation points for construction month number 15, 21 and 31 respectively are presented in Section 5.5.6. Full compliance with SS criteria at identified WSRs has been predicted after the implementation of mitigation. Adverse water quality impact is not anticipated. Similar to the Scenario 03a result, the highest SS elevation (i.e. 2.48 mg/L) occurs at WSR 22c (Tai Ho Wan Inlet (outside)) in the bottom layer in construction month 15 of wet season. With the implementation of mitigation measures, the SS elevation is within its corresponding criteria level of 2.9 mg/L. For, PTBMP, with the mitigation in place, the SS level are further reduced while alomost unchanged for SCLKCMP (for construction month number 15, 21 and 31, at M01-M05 for PTBMP, depth-average SS elevations of 0.00 – 0.43 mg/L for dry season and 0.02 – 1.70 mg/L for wet season; at M6-M10 for SCLKCMP, depth-average SS elevations of 0.00 – 0.01 mg/L for both dry season and wet season) (see Table 5.29 a-c).

9.7.2.10 Besides, good site practices would still be recommended to minimize any adverse impacts due to the construction works. As discussed in Section 5, in general, dredging work will be avoided as far as possible for all reclamation works and non-dredged reclamation will be adopted. Although the filling process would still generate certain suspended solids, the majority of the construction phase impacts would therefore have been avoided. Stone columns will also be installed prior to seawall erection. According to the Environmental Project Office (ENPO) and their ongoing EM&A programme (Mar 2012 to May 2013) under the HZMB project, satisfied performance in terms of water quality was observed during stone column installations.

9.7.2.11 When cumulative impacts from concurrent projects, including New Contaminated Mud Marine Disposal Facility at Airport East / East Sha Chau Area (ESC CMP), are considered (i.e. Scenario 03c), exceedance on the predicted maximum elevations in SS is observed at WSR 04 (Marine Parks at Brothers and Tai Mo To (Dolphin Habitat)) and WSR 06 (Coral Communities at The Brothers Islands) (see Section 5.5.7). SS levels in observation points for both PTBMP and SCLKCMP will also increase. (for construction month number 15, 21 and 31, at M01-M05 for PTBMP, depth-average SS elevations of 1.33 – 13.16 mg/L for dry season and 1.38 – 6.40 mg/L for wet season; at M6-M10 for SCLKCMP, depth-average SS elevations of 0.66 – 4.94 mg/L for dry season and 0.25 – 3.46 mg/L for wet season) (see Table 5.30 a-c). Among the observation points, relatively high SS levels are predicted at M02, i.e. the northwest corner of PTBMP and closer to ESC CMP under the mitigated scenario with concurrent projects (for construction month number 15, 21 and 31, depth-average SS elevations of 12.94-13.16 mg/L for dry season and 6.33-6.40 mg/L for wet season).

9.7.2.12 When comparing Scenario 03b with Scenario 03c, the exceedance in WSRs or the higher SS levels in observation points for marine parks are due to the sediment released from CMP, but not from the present project (see Section 5.5.7). The SS contribution from the present project of the mitigated scenario to the cumulative SS conc. with concurrent projects is around 2% and about 0 % in wet and dry seasons respectively. Furthermore, it should be noted that the maximum disposal rate in the EP of the CMP for either backfilling or capping work have been adopted in this cumulative assessment in order to introduce conservative assumptions in the assessment. The SS release rate in East Sha Chau (ESC) CMPs is calculated based on the upper limit of 600 tonne/day (26,700 m3/day for backfilling only) in EP (EP-427/2011/A) (see Section 5.5.3). Based on the information from the project proponent of CMPs, the estimated total SS release rate for ESC CMPs is 158 tonne/day, taking into account of dredging, backfilling and capping activities, which is smaller than 600 tonne/day adopted in the assessment. The modelling is thus a very conservative assessment and not likely to occur in the actual operation of the CMPs. The rate of backfilling and capping will be kept under review and such exceedances are unlikely to occur.

9.7.2.13 Based on the present information, the programme of the marine work for Tung Chung project and 3RS will not be overlapped, but as a Sensitivity Scenario, a further modelling was conducted for the cumulative SS elevation to consider the potential slippage of construction programme of 3RS. Under this sensitivity scenario, exceedance on the predicted maximum elevations in SS are observed at WSR 06 (Coral Communities at The Brothers Islands) and WSR 25 (Cooling water intake at Hong Kong International Airport (North))(see Section 5.5.7.7). The SS level at WSR 04 (Marine Parks at Brothers and Tai Mo To (Dolphin Habitat)) does not exceed in the sensitivity scenario, because the hydrodynamics is changed and the extent of SS plumes released from ESC CMPs towards the Brothers Islands are also changed. For both PTBMP and SCLKCMP, SS levels in observation points follow the similar pattern of Scenario 03c, with relatively high SS levels are predicted at M02, i.e. the northwest corner of PTBMP (for construction month number 15, 21 and 31, at M01-M05 for PTBMP, depth-average SS elevations of 0.72 – 13.19 mg/L for dry season and 0.96 – 7.12 for wet season; at M6-M10 for SCLKCMP, depth-average SS elevations of 1.99 – 4.88 mg/L for dry season and 1.26 – 3.17 mg/L for wet season) (see Table 5.30 d-f). Again, the exceedance at WSR06 (Coral Communities at The Brothers Islands) and the higher SS levels in observation points for marine parks are due to CMP project, but the exceedance at WSR 25 (Cooling water intake at Hong Kong International Airport (North)) is contributed by 3RS construction. In any cases, the exceedances are not caused by the proposed Project. As stated in Section 5, 3RS EIA has already recommended additional mitigation measures such as double silt curtains and/or silt screens around the intakes for WSR 25. Similar to the previous scenario, the present assessment has adopted a very conservative assumption which is not likely to occur, the predicted exceedance in WSR 06 or the predicted higher SS levels at observation points for marine parks are thus unlikely.

9.7.2.14 The western Hong Kong waters are in estuarine conditions and characterized by high background levels of suspended solids due to the proximity to the Pearl River estuary. Marine fauna (including CWD, corals, benthic infauna and marine fish, such as those recorded near the Brothers) in the western waters are inhabiting an environment subject to estuarine influences, and thus should be able to adapt to a high SS environment, and they have developed some adaptation behaviour (e.g. for marine fish, clearing of gills, swimming to clear areas) to tolerate such environment. Therefore, they are not expected to be severely impacted by the increase of SS. Given that the exceedance from modelling results are mainly caused by the concurrent projects but unlikely to occur in real situation, the potential impact due to suspended solid is ranked as Minor. As mitigation measure (including water quality monitoring at stations for PTBMP, see EM&A Manual) has been proposed under Water Quality Assessment, no other specific mitigation would be required.

Sedimentation Rate

9.7.2.15 For sedimentation rate, the predicted maximum daily sedimentation rates at all WSRs are well within the criterion of 200 g/m²/day under the unmitigated scenario (Scenario 03a), mitigated scenario (Scenario 03b) and cumulative impact scenario (Scenario 03c), as well as the sensitivity scenario with slippage of 3RS at all WSRs (including all ecologically sensitive locations such as WSR 04 Marine Parks at Brothers and Tai Mo To (Dolphin Habitat) Habitat), WSR 06 Coral Communities at The Brothers Islands, WSR 10 Sha Chau and Lung Kwu Chau Marine Park, WSR 22b Tai Ho Wan (inner), WSR 027 San Tau Beach SSSI). Hence, adverse water quality impact due to sedimentation is not anticipated. The potential impact due to sedimentation is ranked as Insignificant. For the observation points in both PTBMP and SCLKCMP, like the WSRs, sedimentation rate will be well within the criteria under all scenarios. If only the present Project is considered, only very low sedimentation rate is found in even in the unmitigated scenario (Unmitigated Scenario 03a, for construction month number 15, 21 and 31, at M01-M05 for PTBMP, 0.00 – 10.98 g/m²/day for dry season and 0.02 – 27.14 g/m²/day for wet season; at M6-M10 for SCLKCMP, 0.00 – 0.07 g/m²/day for dry season and 0.00 – 0.32 g/m²/day for wet season, see Table 5.31 a)(Mitigated Scenario 03b, for construction month number 15, 21 and 31, at M01-M05 for PTBMP, 0.00 – 5.96 g/m²/day for dry season and 0.01 – 15.00 g/m²/day for wet season; at M6-M10 for SCLKCMP, 0.00 – 0.04 g/m²/day for dry season and 0.00 – 0.18 g/m²/day for wet season, see Table 5.31 b). But sedimentation rates would be higher when concurrent projects are considered, particulary at M02, i.e. northwest corner of PTBMP and closer to ESC CMP (Scenario 03c for construction month number 15, 21 and 31, at M01-M05 for PTBMP, 11.94 – 111.74 g/m²/day for dry season and 13.16 – 73.91 g/m²/day for wet season; at M6-M10 for SCLKCMP, 4.76 – 51.93 g/m²/day for dry season and 1.99 – 44.46 g/m²/day for wet season, see Table 5.31 c) )(sensitivity Scenario for construction month number 15, 21 and 31, at M01-M05 for PTBMP, 9.01 – 107.4 g/m²/day for dry season and 8.94 – 80.27 g/m²/day for wet season; at M6-M10 for SCLKCMP, 13.38 – 48.99 g/m²/day for dry season and 19.98 – 43.58 g/m²/day for wet season, see Table 5.31 d). ,However, like the case in SS, the higher sedimentation rates would be due to the CMP project rather than the present Project, and is unlikely to occur in the real situation.

Dissolved Oxygen Depletion

9.7.2.16 The oxygen depletion exerted by the SS elevation is also calculated in the water quality modelling. It is anticipated that the oxygen depletion at all WSRs will be less than less than the detection limit of 0.1mg/L. Thus the DO depletion at all WSRs (including all ecologically sensitive locations such as WSR 04 Marine Parks at Brothers and Tai Mo To (Dolphin Habitat), WSR 06 Coral Communities at The Brothers Islands, WSR 10 Sha Chau and Lung Kwu Chau Marine Park) will be insignificant (see Section 5.5.7). The potential impact due to oxygen depletion is ranked as Insignificant.

Nutrients and Contaminants

9.7.2.17 As non-dredged reclamation method will be adopted, nutrients and contaminant releases from seabed sediment during dredging has much been prevented. But there might be a small-scaled release from pore water during filling. The potential release of contaminant from this source was assessed by examining the pore water analysis results and the dilution factor, the total concentrations of contaminants and nutrients (the predicted As, TKN, NH3-N, UIA, Total P and Ortho-P concentrations) due to construction at all WSRs comply with the proposed criteria and adverse impact due to release of these contaminants and nutrients on WSRs is not anticipated. (see Table 5.33b). Although exceedance of TIN under WQO is observed (including some WSRs relevant with marine ecology such as WSR 04 Marine Parks at Brothers and Tai Mo To (Dolphin Habitat), WSR 06 Coral Communities at the Brothers Island, WSR 27 San Tau Beach SSSI, WSR 35 Potential marine park/marine reserve for SW Lantau, WSR 42 Artificial Reef at Sha Chau, and WSR 45 Sham Shui Kok dolphin habitat) the exceedance is due to high TIN level in background from Pearl River estuary, rather than from the present Project. Indeed, the contribution from the present Project only ranges from 0.01-0.05 mg/L which is very small when compared with the baseline conditions (ranging from 0.57 – 0.72 mg/L in these mentioned WSRs). As the high TIN conditions is already part of the background environment of Pearl River Estuary, marine fauna occur in this area should not be affected by this parameter. Thus, adverse impact due to release of contaminants on WSRs is not anticipated. The potential impact on marine ecology due to nutrients and contaminants is ranked as Insignificant.

Spillage, Sewage from works forces and waste water from land-based works

9.7.2.18 Pollutants or chemical spillage from the works vessels might occur, but the magnitude is not expected to be significant and should be transient.

9.7.2.19 There would be some land-based construction works in the later stage of reclamation. Sewage from workforce, wastewater from various construction activities, and accidental spillage of works site chemicals might also potentially cause water quality impact but would be, if any, in a much smaller scale. On construction sites, as part of site practices, standard temporary drainage system and chemical toilets will be provided. The potential water quality impacts due to land works including site runoff, sewage from workforce, wastewater from various construction activities, and accidental spillage would be controlled through the implementation of suitable site facilities, and no adverse water quality impacts would be anticipated from land-based construction works. Hence, the potential impact due to spillage, sewage from works forces and waste water from land-based works is ranked as Insignificant.

Marine Disturbance (Underwater Noise)

9.7.2.20 In the present Project, CWD and their habitats are the major concern related to marine noise, while other marine organisms in the marine assessment area such as horseshoe crabs are not considered sensitive to noise impacts.

9.7.2.21 Small cetaceans are acoustically sensitive, and sound is important to their survival. Noise pollution adversely affects marine mammals, such as Chinese White Dolphin, which rely on sound as a primary means of exploration and communication (Most of them rely on echo-location method to navigate and detect prey). Two types of work activities are known to be most disturbing for cetaceans, i.e. underwater blasting and percussive piling. In the present Project, none of these disturbing construction works will be involved.

9.7.2.22 It is expected that major marine noise sources in the present Project would be mainly from 1) the engines of the travelling works vessels, and 2) the marine works processes such as dredging and filling, and the equipment on the works vessels. But dredging activities would be limited in the present Project due to non-dredged method will be adopted.

9.7.2.23 The engines of marine vessels could also cause acoustic disturbance to CWDs and their habitats. The magnitude of this impact is related to the engine types of the vessels (smaller high speed vessels and out-board engines have the greater impacts (Richardson et al. 1995; Richardson & Würsig 1997) while large and slower vessels have much lower impacts) and the abundance of the vessels (marine traffic volume). There were studies indicating that large vessel traffic generally produces low frequency sounds of less than 1 kHz (Richardson et al. 1995) which do not overlap with the sound frequency small cetaceans used for foraging. Dolphins mainly use sounds that are well above the frequencies produced by most large vessels used in shipping and marine construction activities. For the present Project, the majority of works vessels would be the large vessels of barges carrying filling materials (as non-dredged method will be adopted and such only limited dredged materials). Based on available experience in HKSAR, these types of vessels are not thought to be a significant source of acoustic disturbance, and thus of lower impacts for cetaceans and their habitats. Though when the marine traffic in close distance, the noise would still be loud enough to affect the CWD vocalisation, in the present Project however the actual number of travelling works vessels would not be high.

9.7.2.24 For the present Project, the majority of works vessels would be those for transportation of filling materials. The estimated amount of fill materials required for reclamation is approximately 34M tonnes (approx. 17M m³). With the normal capacity of marine vessels carrying fill materials (barge) ranges from 1,000 to 2,000 tonnes (500 to 1,000 m³), approximately at least 34,000 to 17,000 trips of normal barge would be needed. Based on the currently proposed construction programme, the reclamation works will be conducted between 2017 and 2023, with the majority of marine works conducted in an about 5 year duration between 2017 and 2022 (also see Section 9.9.3.3 and Table 9.32). The daily number of works vessels would vary with the progress of the construction works, expecting to have the peak at mid-2018 to end of 2019. During these 1.5 years, the total maximum daily marine vessels will range from 42 to 56 (in other years the daily number would be mostly below 30). So even in the peak duration, the vessel number is not high (Marine traffic for workers of the reclamation site would not be expected significant as the present reclamation is a nearshore site and land access is available.). These vessels are largely slow-moving barges, and the activities they will be undertaking will be mainly filling within the perimeter silt curtains, the noise from the movement of the vessels themselves and also the activities they will be undertaking would not be expected to have a serious impact on CWD behaviour in North Lantau waters including the proposed The Brothers Marine Park. The impact of underwater noise is considered to be Minor.

Marine Disturbance (Marine Traffic of Works Vessels and Associated Collision Risk)

9.7.2.25 Although large vessel noise is not thought to be a major source of acoustic disturbance to cetaceans, when dolphins encounter travelling vessels, they may still need to change their diving and surfacing patterns to avoid the vessels (Ng and Leung 2003). This may result in behavioural disturbance in areas of very busy shipping, ferry lanes, or regions with active marine construction.

9.7.2.26 The marine construction works would involve marine working vessels, and these vessels will be present in the marine works areas and their travel routes to and from the marine works areas. For the present Project, as it is predicted that public fill is the majority of fill materials, most of the transportation vessel trips would be between TCE PDA and the two public fill stations, one in Tune Mun and one in TKO. And thus the major routes would be a shorter north-south direction trip between the TCE PDA and Tuen Mun and a longer east-west direction trip between TCE PDA and TKO. It is anticipated that the works vessels might need to go through the proposed The Brothers Marine Park to access TCE PDA. In accordance with the latest boundary of the proposed The Brothers Marine Park, its southern and western boundaries would be near the shore of Sham Shui Kok and the shore of HKBCF respectively. The practicability of limiting the routes of the works vessels to use these two corridors outside PTBMP boundary has been investigated. However, given the size of works vessels would be relatively large, limiting the route of all works vessels to these corridors would cause safety concerns and hence is not considered as a practicable measure. In addition, it is also not feasible for works vessels to use the Airport Channel due to the height constraints of the two bridges connecting Airport Island and the marine exclusion zone for airport. In this case, the future works vessels could not completely avoid the proposed The Brothers Marine Park. In the present Project, the construction methodology proposed (such as non-dredged method) has already considered the need to minimise the number of works vessels as much as practicable. As stipulated above, the majority of works vessels would be those for transportation of filling materials, and the works vessel number is not high even in the peak works period. In accordance with the Marine Impact Assessment, within the 6 year reclamation works programme from 2017 to 2023, the majority of marine works would be conducted mainly between 2017 and 2022 (a 5 year duration, also see Section 9.9.3.3 and Table 9.32), with the peak construction period (mainly for filling) from mid-2018 to end of 2019 (with about 42-56 marine works vessels per day induced by the present Project). But other than this about 1.5 years of peak period, the daily marine works vessel number would be much lower, ranging from 6 - 29 vessels per day only. Hence, the marine traffic in the area would not have substantial increase.

9.7.2.27 More importantly, these vessels are also works vessels mainly for transportation of fill materials. Due to the design purposes, these vessels are not high speed vessels. The potential of an escalation in collision risk would be low as it is considered that the high-speed outboard engine boats pose higher risk on CWD collision, but the works vessels are mainly large-sized and slower vessels. Hence, the risk of vessel collision to CWD would not be significant.

9.7.2.28 In addition, there will be some vessels which will have equipment on board, but these vessels would be stationary and/or moving within the reclamation works area surrounded by the perimeter silt curtains, and thus they would not generate marine traffic disturbance after they enter the works areas. Marine traffic for workers of the reclamation site would not be expected significant as the present reclamation is a nearshore site and land access is available.

9.7.2.29 Given the relatively low use frequency by CWD in coastal waters off Tung Chung New Town, disturbance impact to dolphin from the minor increase of working vessels (not more than 56 no. per day even during peak duration) is ranked as Minor to Moderate. It is recommended that approaches to further reduce the marine traffic, including using larger-sized barges, land transportation of materials, and also reuse of excavation and C&D materials from the land-based works of the present Project, should be adopted as mitigation. Furthermore, works vessels should follow regular routes to limit the extent of marine areas with works vessels traffic, especially within PTBMP. It is recommended that the future travel routes of TCE PDA will avoid and/or restrict the extents within ecologically sensitive areas targeted for CWD conservation. Works vessels also need to follow all existing regulations/restrictions/practices for works vessels (such as speed limits, and any other practices), and the works vessels will be requested to adopt more stringent standards when inside the proposed The Brothers Marine Park. For example, during normal circumstances, the works vessels should further reduce the speed from 10 knot (the statutory vessel speed within marine parks) to 8 knot. There should be no stopover or anchoring at the existing anchoring area within PTBMP, even these actions are not prohibiting by regulations.

Marine Disturbance Aassociated with Filling Materials and Dredged Materials

9.7.2.30 Besides the impacts on water quality at the reclamation site, there might be secondary impacts related to dredging and filling, including marine disturbance during the importation and transportation of filling materials and dredged materials, and the locations for collection of filling materials and for the dredged material disposal. The reclamation of the TCE PDA is located at the middle part of North Lantau waters, to the south of the HKBCF reclamation which has recently conducted. In the HKBCF construction, marine travel routes varied with the materials to be transported. Sandfill and rockfill were imported from Mainland, and the routes were from the western Pearl River Estuary, via the western Hong Kong waters boundary, to the HKBCF site, while the public fill materials were from a few locations in Hong Kong, and the routes were either from the north direction or the east direction.

9.7.2.31 It is anticipated that the marine travel routes for the future TCE PDA reclamation would also involve marine travel routes from different directions subject to the types of materials to be transported. This will increase the marine traffic volume along the travel routes and there may be a risk of potential water quality impacts along the transportation routes and adjacent waters if the filling materials runoff to the marine waters during transportation. However, part of the fill materials will be from the excavated C&D materials of TCW PDA, by which marine traffic and thus marine disturbance could be reduced for some extent.

9.7.2.32 It is recommended above that the future travel routes of TCE PDA will avoid and/or restrict the extents within ecologically sensitive areas including the Sha Chau and Lung Kwu Chau Marine Park and the proposed The Brothers Marine Park, both targeted for CWD conservation. As part of the good site practices, the fill materials on the barges should be properly loaded to avoid any overflow of materials. The bottom openings of the hoppers should be properly maintained. With the implementation of these good site practices together with the above recommended mitigation for disturbance from works vessel marine traffic, the potential impact due to transportation of filling materials is considered be Minor. Besides, the source of the fill materials would be outside Hong Kong, there will not be any borrow areas in Hong Kong including the southern Hong Kong waters where the Finless Porpoises are frequently sighted. Hence, there will be no impact on Finless Porpoises.

9.7.2.33 In Hong Kong, disposal of dredged mud could only be conducted in designated spoil grounds and is subject to permit controls under the Dumping at Sea Ordinance. For the potential impacts due to the dredged material transportation and the disturbance to the locations for dredged material disposal, as non-dredged construction method will be adopted for the TCE PDA, the dredged material produced will be very limited, and thus the impacts due to dredged materials are considered Insignificant.

Risk of Entanglement and Entrapment

9.7.2.34 Though non-dredged method is proposed in the reclamation under the present Project, silt curtains are still expected for the seawall construction or for the site perimeter. The silt curtains would be in the form of a fabric sheet rather than a net, and thus should not pose any net entanglement risk to the CWD. The opening for vessel access would be small and thus the chance that CWD accidentally enter the waters surrounded by silt curtains would be very low. This impact is ranked as Insignificant.

9.7.3 Operational Phase – Marine Direct Impacts

Permanent Habitat Loss and Implications on Carrying Capacity for CWD

9.7.3.1 Permanent marine habitat loss occurs during operation phase due to the presence of the reclamation. The area size will reduce from the construction phase due to no works areas or silt curtains are need, and will be the same as the footprint, i.e. 145 ha of marine waters and 3.8 km of artificial seawalls (from both TCE PDA and Road P1 (Tung Chung - Tai Ho Section)). The permanent loss of marine habitats is considered Minor to Moderate.

9.7.3.2 Carrying capacity is affected by limiting factors including the space and food sources. Local CWD individuals are part of the Pearl River CWD population with the habitat range up to the western end of Pearl River system. The reclamation of the present project only occupies a small portion of the CWD habitat range. For the food sources, mainly fish in estuarine environment, the fisheries production in the reclamation was low based upon AFCD Port Survey data and also the fisheries survey for the present EIA study, and thus not likely to significantly contribute to the food sources of the CWD population. Therefore even with the marine waters habitat within the project footprint removed, the change of the carrying capacity for CWD population does not appear to be significant in the context of Hong Kong waters and their entire habitat range. Indeed not all the areas within the habitat range of a species are of the same importance to the species, and the reclamation footprint has never been an important area for CWD based on the findings from the two-decade monitoring. The loss of ecological carrying capacity due to permanent and irreversible habitat loss is considered as Minor.

9.7.4 Operational Phase – Marine Indirect Impacts

9.7.4.1 Potential operational phase marine impacts would mainly include marine water quality and hydrological regime.

Changes in Hydrodynamics and Marine Water Quality

9.7.4.2 During the operational phase, the presence of the TCE PDA reclamation and Road P1 (Tung Chung - Tai Ho Section) would affect the tidal flow and currents in the area, and thus would have potential impacts on the hydrological regime, which in turn would affect water quality parameters at different locations. Besides, the water quality model would also consider the impacts from the surface run-off discharged from the reclamation into the neighbouring water. The major pollution load due to the project will be the road runoff from both TCE PDA and TCW PDA development, These non-point source pollution loadings due to the present Project were incorporated into the water quality modelling in operation phase (see Section 5 Water Quality Assessment). It is also noted that all the sewage generated from the additional population and employment would be pumped to Siu Ho Wan Sewage Treatment Works, of which the design plant capacity is 180,000m³/day and it is anticipated to be able to cater for the increased sewage generated from the project, for treatment before discharge. The operational phase cumulative water quality impacts caused by concurrent projects have also taken into account in the modelling.

9.7.4.3 The major ecological resources sensitive to water quality include those nearer to the Project, i.e. the Tung Chung Bay, Tai Ho Wan as well as the proposed The Brothers Islands Marine Park. Hydrodynamic simulations were performed for the operational phase flow rates and water quality. The changes from the Do-nothing Scenario (Scenario 01) and the operation phase (with reclamation) Scenario (Scenario 02) were compared. A comparison between the two scenarios provides an indication of how the reclamation will affect the hydrodynamic regime. According to the hydrodynamic modelling results in Section 5, for the key hydrodynamic parameters at 1) Airport Channel, 2) BCF South, 3) Airport North and 4) Ma Wan, it is observed that the trends for with project scenario are similar to that of the without project scenario. There are insignificantly change in hydrodynamics for Airport North and Ma Wan, as these two channels are far away from the development. However there are observable changes at Airport Channel and BCF South due to the TCE PDA reclamation. The changes in momentary flow and accumulated flow suggest that there may be change in flushing of the water body, but the changes do not represent significant change in flow discharge in absolute terms, and more importantly the water quality result does not show significant change in this Airport Channel and BCF South despite the flow change. Therefore, it is not anticipated that the flow reduction in Airport Channel and BCF South will affect the water quality in this area. And the changes might not be significant for the marine fauna in the area as the salinity in estuarine brackish waters is always under high fluctuations.

9.7.4.4 Other hydrodynamic parameters like flow velocity and flow directions have no significant changes. Change of flow directions near the Project Site during dry and wet seasons at both flood and ebb tides are insignificant with the reclamation. For flow velocity, there is no significant change in maximum velocity during dry and wet seasons at WSR 04, WSR25, WSR30 (Sha Lo Wan) and WSR31 (Sham Wat), which are far away from the development (see Table 5.37). At WSR 22b Tai Ho Wan Inlet (Inside), there is no change in the flow as it is controlled mainly by tidal flow. There is slight decrease in flow magnitude of WSRs near the development such as WSR 27 San Tau Beach SSSI and WSR 29 Hau Hok Wan in wet season. However, the change of water quality due to project is small. For example, the percentage change of salinity, depth averaged DO and SS at WSR 27 San Tau Beach SSSI in wet season are -0.1%, 3.5%, 1.4% respectively and at WSR 29 Hau Hok Wan are 0.6%, 2.9%, 1.1% respectively. These anticipated changes might not be significant for the marine fauna in the embayment as these parameters in estuarine brackish waters are always under high fluctuations. The potential impact is ranked as Insignificant.

9.7.4.5 Tai Ho Wan is currently connected to the open sea via a major opening of approximately 20m wide underneath a short section of deck of NLH as well as a few smaller openings further northward, also beneath NLH but in the form of box culvert. The reclamation for the TCE PDA and Road P1 (Tung Chung - Tai Ho Section) will not obstruct any of these openings. Modelling results also suggest that further narrowing the BCF South caused by the Project will not significantly change in the hydrological regime within Tai Ho Wan. The flow directions near the Project Site, which indicates that change of flow directions are insignificant due to the development of the Project, during dry and wet seasons at flood and ebb tides. In general, no significant hydrodynamic change is anticipated at Tai Ho Wan, Tung Chung Bay and Airport Channel due to the development of the Project. The potential impact is ranked as Insignificant.

9.7.4.6 Further water quality regime modelling has been conducted. The simulations of water quality impact under Do-nothing and Operation (ultimate development including all planned projects in the vicinity) (Scenario 01 and 02) has been conducted. The overall water quality is affected by the pollution loads, as a result of the pollution load inventory. The major pollution sources would be the runoff from Pearl River and loading from Siu Ho Wan STW and Pillar Point STW. Additional input from the proposed Project is mainly from the surface runoff. These loadings are considered to be minor on comparing to the loading from Pearl River and STW discharges.

9.7.4.7 The comparison results of the following parameters, salinity, DO, BOD5, SS, TIN, unionized ammonia (UIA), and E. coli at representative WSRs in the vicinity of the Projects under Scenario 01 and Scenario 02 are presented in Section 5 Water Quality (see Section 5.6.9) and summaries below.

Salinity

9.7.4.8 The results of depth- averaged salinity between Scenario 01 and Scenario 02 at representative WSRs in both dry and wet seasons indicate that the difference in salinity are within the WQO criteria (10% of the base case) at the representative WSRs. The potential impact due to change of salinity is ranked as Insignificant.

Dissolved Oxygen (DO)

9.7.4.9 By comparing the annual depth-averaged DO level and the near-bottom DO levels between Scenario 01 and Scenario 02 at representative WSRs, it is found that the depth-averaged DO levels and the near-bottom DO levels at representative WSRs would be within the WQO (the WQO for DO is depth average > 4mg/L and bottom > 2mg/L). The potential impact due to dissolved oxygen is ranked as Insignificant.

Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD5)

9.7.4.10 By comparing Scenario 01 and Scenario 02, the annual depth averaged BOD5 at representative WSRs are either in compliance with WSD criteria, or little difference due to implementation of the project. The potential impact due to BOD5 is ranked as Insignificant.

Suspended Solids (SS)

9.7.4.11 The depth-averaged SS between Scenario 01 and Scenario 02 at representative WSRs indicate that the difference in SS is within the WQO criteria or within the WSD criteria (for seawater intakes) at representative WSRs. The potential impact due to SS is ranked as Insignificant.

Total Inorganic Nitrogen (TIN)

9.7.4.12 For annual TIN levels between Scenario 01 and Scenario 02 at WSRs, most of the WSRs comply with the WQ on TIN criteria of 0.5mg/L. At WSR 10 (Sha Chau and Lung Kwu Chau Marine Park). exceedance of the annual mean depth-averaged TIN criteria is observed under the project scenario, which is in 0.53 mg/L. For the without project scenario, exceedance of the annual mean depth-averaged TIN criteria is also observed at WSR 10 by the same magnitude (the difference between two scenarios is zero, i.e. no change). This suggests that the Tung Chung reclamation will have insignificant effect on the TIN. The high TIN level is due to the background from Pearl River estuary. For marine fauna, as it is similar with the current environment and the proposed Project will have insignificant effect on the TIN, the potential impact due to TIN is ranked as Insignificant.

UIA (Unionised Ammonia, NH3)

9.7.4.13 The UIA levels between Scenario 01 and Scenario 02 at representative WSRs in dry and wet seasons show that the depth-averaged UIA at representative WSRs would be within the WQO. The potential impact due to UIA is ranked as Insignificant.

Sedimentation

9.7.4.14 Sedimentation rate in units of m/year is derived for Scenario 01 and Scenario 02. Sedimentation is predicted to increase by less than <0.4 mm per year at Tung Chung estuary and coast of TCE PDA reclamation after implementation of the project. This difference is considered to be insignificant and is unlikely to lead to any adverse impacts on WSRs. For other locations, there would be no appreciable change in sedimentation rates after implementation of the project. The potential impact due to sedimentation is ranked as Insignificant.

E. coli

9.7.4.15 The annual E. coli levels between Scenario 01 and Scenario 02 at representative WSRs in dry and wet seasons are compared. The E. coli levels are within the WQO criteria for respective WSRs (such as 610 count/100ml for fish culture zone WSR 20 Ma Wan). For those criteria not applied, the changes are indeed very small, mostly zero and with reduction in some WSRs. No adverse impacts are anticipated due to the implementation of the project.

9.7.4.16 In general, the results showed that there are no obvious change of minimum and maximum pollutant concentrations at the concerned WSRs due to the development of the Project when compared to the without project scenario. The annual variations of these pollutants along time between with and without project scenarios are quite alike, it could be concluded that no adverse water quality impacts are anticipated due to the development of the Project. The potential impact due to abovementioned parameters is ranked as Minor. Hence, mitigation measures are not required during operational phase.

9.7.4.17 Pollutants or chemical spillage from the vessels in marina might occur, but the magnitude is not expected to be significant given the small number and the small sizes of the leisure vessels, and should be transient. The potential impact is ranked as Insignificant.

Storm water runoff and sewage effluent discharge into marine waters

9.7.4.18 During the operation phase, there will be surface runoff from the two PDAs. The surface runoff will be collected by drainage system and finally discharged into the marine environment. Tung Chung Bay and Tai Ho Wan are of ecological importance. The TCE PDA will be a newly reclamation land. Additional non-point source loading will be due to surface runoff from the reclamation land. Runoff might carry pollutants on road surface such as dust, oil. Under normal condition, runoff will not be generated in low rainfall intensity. However, the worst scenario to water quality will take place during the first flush under heavy rainstorm events. If polluted runoff is discharged into the marine waters, there may be potential impacts to these sensitive areas, or even other ecological resources of longer distances such as the proposed The Brothers Islands Marine Park if without proper control measures. However, both the TCE PDA and TCW PDA are planned for residential and commercial uses only, not involving any industrial uses, and thus large amounts of contaminants are not likely. Proper drainage systems e.g. road gullies with silt-grease traps will be provided as part of standard drainage system design which will reduce the contaminants in the collected runoff. Runoff will be intercepted by properly designed and managed silt traps at appropriate spacing so that common roadside debris, refuse and fallen leaves etc. can be captured before discharge. In order to minimize the impact, best management practices should be implemented. The drainage outlets road/open area should be cleaned regularly especially prior to the storm season. Manual methods and mechanical means such as vacuum sweeper/truck equipped with side broom to increase removal efficiency of pollutants are the common practices. The collected pollutants would be tankered away for off-site disposal at landfill sites. After the removal of the pollutants, the pollution levels from stormwater would be much reduced. With the implementation of silt traps and road cleaning, the impact due to surface runoff is not significant.

9.7.4.19 Given the high ecological value of Tung Chung Stream and Tung Chung Bay, the amount of water being discharged to Tung Chung Stream and eventually into Tung Chung Bay has been one of the key considerations throughout the design process. According to the design information, the current catchment area for Tung Chung Stream is approximately 11 km². After the implementation of the proposed TCW PDA, the catchment area would remain almost the same. This insignificant change in catchment area would ensure that the average water flow being discharged into Tung Chung Stream within TCW and finally Tung Chung Bay would remain similar as the current situation.

9.7.4.20 Furthermore, in TCW PDA, Sustainable Urban Drainage System (SUDS) which include sophisticated design with wetland-type retention ponds, will serve a majority of the TCW PDA. The surface runoff from the proposed TCW PDA will run via the new drainage systems and be temporarily stored in the stormwater attenuation and treatment ponds (see RODP at Figure 2.2). Since the stormwater attenuation and treatment ponds could avoid additional surface runoff to superpose into first flush and provide certain enhancement capability in water quality, significant change in hydrology and non-point source loading regime at Tung Chung Stream catchment including Tung Chung Bay is not anticipated. This could thus protect the ecologically sensitive Tung Chung Stream as well as to minimise pollutants before the discharge finally going into surrounding marine waters such as Tung Chung Bay. No adverse water quality impact on marine ecology due to runoff is anticipated. The potential impact is ranked as Insignificant.

9.7.4.21 Sewage from the future TCE PDA and also the land-based TCW PDA will be collected by sewerage systems. Furthermore, village sewerage system will be provided to serve the existing villages in Tung Chung Valley. For individual commercial tenants, discharge license under WPCO will be required individually and the discharge standards according to TM-DSS to government foul sewers will be applied. All sewage collected will be transferred to the existing Siu Ho Wan Sewage Treatment Works (SHWSTW) for treatment complying water quality standard, and the sewage effluent will be discharged via the outfalls of SHWSTW. There is no additional sewerage treatment required under this project. It is anticipated that the Siu Ho Wan STW is able to cater for the increased sewage generated from the project. There will be no new sewage effluent discharge points at either the TCE PDA or TCW PDA. No adverse water quality impact on marine ecology due to sewage disposal is anticipated.

Sewage Pumping Stations and Prevention of Emergency Discharge

9.7.4.22 New and upgrading sewage pumping stations are proposed for the development in both TCE PDA and TCW PDA as presented in Section 6 of this EIA report. The sewage pumping stations will collect the sewage from the PDAs and convey the sewage to the Siu Ho Wan Sewage Treatment Works.

9.7.4.23 In some other projects, in case of operational failure of the sewerage pumping stations, raw sewage might bypass the wastewater treatment unit and be directly discharged into the nearby marine waters. For the protection of ecological sensitive receivers of Tung Chung Stream, Tung Chung Bay and Tai Ho Wan, there will be no emergency discharge at any sewage pumping stations for the Project in both TCE PDA and TCW PDA.

9.7.4.24 The following mitigation measures and additional provisions are proposed to enhance the sewerage network reliability and minimize the environmental impacts due to system failure or in case of emergency situations:

· 100% standby pumping capacity within each SPS, with spare pump up to 50% pumping capacity stockpiled in each SPS for any emergency use;

· Twin rising mains;

· Dual-feed power supply;

· Emergency storage facilities up to 6-hours ADWF capacity; and

· Emergency communication mechanism amongst relevant government departments.

9.7.4.25 With the implemented these measures, emergency discharge from sewage pumping stations to the nearby water courses or marine waters is not anticipated.

9.7.4.26 Furthermore, in order to prevent pipe bursting, it is proposed to adopt high density polyethylene (HDPE) pipe for proposed gravity sewers and rising mains. As gravity sewers will not be pressurized, they carry no risk of bursting. Further protection on proposed rising mains with concrete surround will be provided to mitigate the risk of bursting. With the above proposed measures, bursting discharge is not expected and no adverse impact on ecology due to bursting discharge is anticipated.

Flushing of Fresh and Salt Water Service Reservoirs

9.7.4.27 As discussed in Section 2, the proposed freshwater and salt water service reservoirs would be located near to the two existing freshwater service reservoirs up in the terrain west of Chek Lap Kok New Village. Under normal situation, there is no discharge from the service reservoirs to the nearby water body. As part of the necessary maintenance tasks, these reservoirs would occasionally need to be flushed for cleaning but the frequency would be very low. Similar procedures are applicable for all service reservoirs. During flushing, some amounts of water would be discharged via the washout pipes at a controlled manner. The current design has allowed the flushing water to be discharged into the channelized section of Wong Lung Hang which has limited ecological value given the concrete banks and bottom, and low water level during most time of a year. The discharged water would follow the channelled section and reach the estuarine water body to the east of Sha Tsiu Tau, which is brackish water with a varying salinity. Hence, given the amount of flushing water to be discharged is not significant and the frequency of discharge is very low, and compliance with WPCO for discharge of wastewater will be ensured during the operation of any reservoir flushing, it is considered that the effect of flushing water would be Insignificant, and would not cause significant changes to the water quality in the vicinity of Sha Tsiu Tau.

Maintenance Dredging for the Proposed Marina

9.7.4.28 Maintenance dredging will be carried out to allow vessels to berth within the marina at low tide and to enhance navigational safety. Maintenance dredging for the proposed marina usually to be conducted for every 1-3 years. Small-sized grab with capacity of approximately 2 m³ will be used due to the constraints of the shallow water depth, the limited space inside the marina, as well as the limitation on anchorage length. Based on the area of marina of 42,000m² and sedimentation rate of 0.4mm per year predicted from the model, the predicted volume of dredged material would be relatively small. As the SS release would be within a semi-enclosed bay and deployment of silt curtain, the dispersion of SS would be constrained locally. This impact on marine ecology would be Insignificant.

Marine Habitat Fragmentation

9.7.4.29 Habitat fragmentation usually refers to the division of large, continuous habitats into smaller, more isolated parts or remnants. The division is most commonly caused by physical barriers such as walls, highways, dams, or a large extent of areas which land fauna not able to pass through. In marine ecosystems, fragmentation is less common than on land as the continuity of marine waters is rarely completely cut off even in the case of reclamation. In some circumstances, both on land and at sea, severe disturbance might prevent fauna to pass through an area and has a transient effect of habitat fragmentation but which could usually restore after the disturbance disappears.

9.7.4.30 There is a concern that marine habitat fragmentation might occurr and affecting the associated fauna as a result of reclamation. For general marine fauna such as fish, it is not likely as even after the reclamation is implemented, continuous marine waters are still present outside the reclamation footprint. Movement between Airport Channel, Tung Chung Bay, and the North Lantau waters would not be restricted. And for aquatic fauna, it is feasible for them to find alternate access or paths if the water body is not completely cut off. The TCE PDA would not obstruct the opening of Tai Ho Wan neither, fauna which need to migrate between Tai Ho Wan and the open sea such as the migratory Ayu and the mating/spawning horseshoe crabs, could still freely access both sides.

9.7.4.31 For CWD, the possibility of a habitat fragmentation impact caused by the TCE PDA is also unlikely. Survey results from other EIA studies in North Lantau waters revealed that CWD might use some areas as travel corridors between their feeding habitats, and some individuals would have an activity range covering a large portion of North Lantau waters. In both cases, large-scaled reclamation in between might affect the movement of CWD. In the present project, however, the location of the TCE PDA is an area of lowest use and sightings by CWD, and is situated at the southwest corner of the central part of North Lantau waters, at the opening of Airport Channel, which was not reported being used by CWD normally. If any CWD individuals need to move between the hot spots such as the Brothers, the Sha Chau, and the west Lantau, it is not likely they need to go through the area of the reclamation proposed. For the individuals which activity ranges are identified, it is not found their activity ranges cover the area of the TCE PDA. Based on the above, it is considered habitat fragmentation impact on CWD or other marine fauna caused by the reclamation, which is technically expanding the existing reclamation is unlikely to cause habitat fragmentation for marine fauna. The impact of habitat fragmentation towards marine fauna is considered Insignificant.

Marine Traffic caused by the Marina

9.7.4.32 A marina is included as part of the TCE PDA. The marina has been located as far away from both Tung Chung Bay and Tai Ho Wan. During the operational phase, there will be marine traffic produced from the vessels utilizing this marina. There are concerns on the disturbance impacts caused by marine traffic of this marina on CWD in North Lantau waters and the proposed The Brothers Marine Park. This marina is targeted for leisure vessels, which usually have a lower traffic frequency than commercial or fisheries vessels, and the scale of the proposed marina has been reduced from 350 berths to the current proposal of only 95 berths, thus the marine traffic volume should not be high and the magnitude of the potential marine traffic impact and the associated underwater noise disturbance to CWD would be low. Leisure vessels are not regarded as high-speed vessels which are considered a source of disturbance to CWD in Hong Kong waters. For the proposed The Brothers Marine Park, should there be any vessels including those from this marina entering this future marine park, they must follow the marine park regulations on the speed limit for vessels (i.e. 10 knots) which will take into account of the management need of the marine park and the ecology and behaviors of CWD inside. Besides, these leisure vessels leaving or entering the Marina would also need to follow the navigation route imposed by the pier of TM-CLKL. It is therefore not expected that the marine traffic due to the marina would cause significant impacts during the operation phase. The potential is ranked as Insignificant.

9.7.5 Impact on Marine Sites and Species of Conservation Importance

Marine Recognized Sites of Conservation Importance and Important Habitats

9.7.5.1 The proposed developments in TCE PDA and TCW PDA, Road P1 (Tung Chung - Tai Ho Section), service reservoirs and the sewerage will not directly affect any recognized sites of conservation importance. These recognized sites of conservation importance are also at some distances from the development areas, and will not be affected by the disturbance from the project elements during both construction phase and operational phase.

9.7.5.2 San Tau Beach SSSI is located at the western side of Tung Chung Bay. As there will be no reclamation in Tung Chung Bay, direct impact on this SSSI has been avoided. Water quality modelling results have indicated that for sedimentation rate, the predicted maximum daily sedimentation rates at San Tau Beach SSSI WSR 27 are well within the criterion of 200 g/m²/day under all scenarios (i.e. the unmitigated scenario (Scenario 03a), mitigated scenario (Scenario 03b) and cumulative impact scenario (Scenario 03c)). Hence, adverse water quality impact due to construction is not anticipated. Non-development zoning on the RODP has been provided along a large section of Tung Chung Bay coastline such as CPA (as buffer zone) and RO/DO (with purpose-designed paths and landscape areas) to reduce potential disturbance impacts to the nearby natural habitats such as mangroves and mudflats in Tung Chung Bay as well as the SSSI, especially from the potential increase of visitors. CPA is provided in the western side of the bay as buffer zone, and no vehicle road or path is proposed in or leading to the CPA, and thus the potential of visitors entering Tung Chung Bay would not increase.

9.7.5.3 Although the reclamation works of TCE PDA and Road P1 (Tung Chung - Tai Ho Section) will not directly affect the mudflat and mangroves in Tai Ho, the reclamation construction works may potentially affect the water quality in Tai Ho Wan due to the proximity of the works area to the inlet of Tai Ho Wan. If sufficient mitigation is provided, such as non-dredged reclamation method, the potential water quality impacts during the reclamation work of the TCE PDA could be minimized. The water quality modelling results have also indicated that, like San Tau Beach SSSI, the predicted maximum daily sedimentation rates at Tai Ho Wan (WSR 22c) are well within the criterion of 200 g/m²/day under all scenarios.

9.7.5.4 A summary of impact assessment related to the proposed The Brothers Marine Park is provided in Section 9.7.7 below. For Sha Chau and Lung Kwu Chau Marine Park and the proposed Marine Parks at Southwest Lantau and the Sokos, given the long distance from the project site, impacts to them are unlikely.

Marine Species of Conservation Importance

9.7.5.5 The assessment and ranking of potential impacts to marine fauna species of conservation importance (as listed in Table 9.28 and assessed in various sections above) are summarised in Table 9.30c.

Horseshoe crabs and seagrass beds

9.7.5.6 Horseshoe crabs and seagrass beds are considered of conservation importance and were reported in Tung Chung Bay and Tai Ho Wan from literatures and field surveys. San Tau of Tung Chung is considered as one of the three most important nursery sites for Horseshoe crab in Hong Kong, and is also the SSSI designated for protection of seagrasses.

9.7.5.7 No direct impact on horseshoe crab and seagrass beds is anticipated. In the present Project, Tung Chung Bay is preserved as no reclamation is planned at the bay, and Tai Ho Wan is not covered by any PDA, so there would be no direct impact on the habitats horseshoe crab and seagrasses in these two areas, and also the San Tau Beach SSSI.

9.7.5.8 For the potential indirect impacts from water quality, as non-dredged method will be adopted and mitigation for water quality will be implemented, significant impacts are not anticipated.

Coral communities

9.7.5.9 The coral communities in the area are of low diversity and coverage, and are common species, and of low ecological value.

9.7.5.10 The loss of existing seawalls during reclamation would cause direct impacts on coral communities. But new habitats for coral colonisation will be provided (seawalls on future reclamation), and it is expected that corals could colonise in short time period. No severe impacts on coral communities are expected.

Fish in particular Pipefish and seahorse

9.7.5.11 Though no species recorded in fisheries surveys was of concern, there were fishes recorded in Tung Chung Bay during ecological surveys considered of conservation importance, mostly estuarine species or marine species common in estuaries, such as pipefish and seahorse. Like other marine fauna, the occurrence of these species would not be limited to one or any particular location, but would be wide-spread in waters in the same region (northern Lantau waters) or of similar characteristics such as other estuaries.

9.7.5.12 No significant direct impact on these fish species is anticipated. In the present Project, Tung Chung Bay is preserved as no reclamation is planned at the bay, so there would be no direct impact on these fish species of conservation importance.

9.7.5.13 For the potential indirect impacts from water quality, as non-dredged method will be adopted and mitigation for water quality will be implemented, significant impacts are not anticipated.

9.7.6 Summary of Impact Assessment related to Chinese White Dolphin

Direct Impacts

9.7.6.1 As stipulated in above assessment, permanent and temporary habitat loss of CWD will be caused by the reclamation, but the impact to this species should not be significant as the area is not commonly used by CWD as demonstrated by the long-term monitoring results.

9.7.6.2 The fisheries production from the reclamation areas was not high, and would not significantly affect the food resources for CWD or affect the carrying capacity.

Indirect Impacts

9.7.6.3 Disturbance during construction phase would be caused by construction activities and works vessels. While most construction vessels will be inside the perimeter silt curtains, the traffic of works vessels would not be high even during the peak duration. This is not considered severe for the CWD in the western Hong Kong waters. Furthermore, it is anticipated that the speed of construction vessels will be slow with regular routes. With those restrictions, the areas with works vessels present will be reduced as they are limited to their regular routes, and the speed of these works vessels would not be high, the magnitude of any disturbance impact to CWD due to work-related marine traffic would thus be controlled. Although construction activities and works vessels would create underwater noise, localised construction activities and large and slower vessels have much lower impacts to CWD. Hence, the magnitude of any disturbance impact to CWD due to work-related marine traffic or underwater noise would be low.

9.7.6.4 Entanglement and entrapment of CWD due to the perimeter silt curtains are unlikely to be significant as the area is of low use by CWD, and according to the experience of HZMB, the chances of these events are very low. As part of the site practices, silt curtains will be regularly checked and maintained.

9.7.6.5 The future marina is targeted for leisure vessels, which usually have a lower traffic frequency than commercial or fisheries vessels, and the proposed marina only provides 95 berths, thus the marine traffic volume should not be high and the magnitude of the potential marine traffic impact would be low. Leisure vessels are not belonged to high-speed vessels which are considered a source of disturbance for CWD in Hong Kong waters. Besides, these leisure vessels leaving or entering the Marina would also need to follow the navigation route imposed by the pier of TM-CLKL. It is therefore not expected that the marine traffic due to the marina would cause significant impacts during the operational phase.

9.7.6.6 Movement corridor – The reclamation site is not located in between any important habitats of CWD, and their use including travelling of this area is very low. No significant habitat fragmentation impact on CWD due to reclamation is anticipated.

9.7.7 Summary of Impact Assessment related to the proposed The Brothers Marine Park

Direct Impacts

9.7.7.1 For the proposed The Brothers Marine Park, there will be no direct impact from the Project. As stipulated in above assessment, no direct encroachment/impact on the proposed marine park will be caused by the reclamation.

Indirect Impacts

Water Quality

9.7.7.2 The disturbance impacts from water quality and marine traffic during both construction phase and operation phase would be a concern.

9.7.7.3 The modelling results (see Section 5.5.5) indicated that under the unmitigated scenario, the predicted maximum elevations in SS at two WSRs within the proposed The Brothers Marine Park (WSR 04 Marine Park at Brothers and Tai Mo To (Dolphin Habitat), and WSR 06 Coral Communities at The Brothers Islands) achieved full compliance of SS levels as compared to its corresponding criteria level, for different stages of construction phase (i.e. construction month number 15, 21, and 31 respectively).

9.7.7.4 Observation points were also established for the proposed The Brothers Marine Park (PTBMP) along its proposed boundary. For the observation points of PTBMP, SS will be low even under the unmitigated scenario like in the WSRs ((for construction month number 15, 21 and 31, depth-average SS elevations of 0.00 – 0.77 mg/L for dry season and 0.00 – 3.09 mg/L for wet season, see Table 5.28 a-c).

9.7.7.5 Silt curtain has been proposed to contain the sediment as mitigation for reclamation under water quality assessment. Full compliance with SS criteria at identified WSRs has been predicted after the implementation of mitigation. For PTBMP, with the mitigation in place, the SS levels are further reduced, (for construction month number 15, 21 and 31, at M01-05 for PTBMP, depth-average SS elevations of 0.00 – 0.43 mg/L for dry season and 0.02 – 1.70 mg/L for wet season, see Table 5.29 a-c).

9.7.7.6 When cumulative impacts from concurrent projects (i.e. Scenario 03c), exceedance on the predicted maximum elevations in SS is observed at WSR 04 and WSR 06 (see Section 5.5.7). SS levels in observation points for PTBMP will also increase, particularly at northwest side of PTBMP (for construction month number 15, 21 and 31, 1.33 – 13.16 mg/L for dry season and 1.38 – 6.40 mg/L for wet season, see Table 5.30 a-c).

9.7.7.7 When comparing Scenario 03b with Scenario 03c, the exceedance in the two WSRs or the higher SS levels in the observation points for PTBMP are due to the sediment released from CMP, but not from the present Project (see Section 5.5.7). But indeed the modelling is a very conservative assessment and not likely to occur in the actual operation of the CMPs.

9.7.7.8 Under the Sensitivity Scenario assuming overlap of the marine work for Tung Chung project and those of 3RS, exceedance on the predicted maximum elevations in SS are observed at WSR 06 (see Section 5.5.7.7). For observation points for PTBMP, SS levels in observation points follow the similar pattern of Scenario 03c. Again, the exceedance at WSR06 and the higher SS levels in observation points for PTBMP are due to CMP project. In any cases, the exceedances are not caused by the proposed Project. Similar with the previous scenario 3c, the predicted exceedance in WSR 06 or the predicted higher SS levels at observation points for PTBMP are unlikely to occur in real situation.

9.7.7.9 For sedimentation rate, the predicted maximum daily sedimentation rates at all WSRs (including WSR 04 and WSR 06) and the observation points for PTBMP are well within the criterion of 200 g/m²/day under the unmitigated scenario (Scenario 03a), mitigated scenario (Scenario 03b) and cumulative impact scenario (Scenario 03c), as well as the sensitivity scenario with slippage of 3RS. For PTBMP, if only the present Project is considered, only very low sedimentation rate is found in even in the unmitigated scenario. But sedimentation rates would be higher when concurrent projects are considered. However, like the case in SS, the higher sedimentation rates would be due to the CMP project rather than the present Project, and is unlikely to occur in the real situation.

9.7.7.10 Marine fauna in the Brothers (such as CWD, corals, benthic infauna and marine fish) are all residents of an estuarine environment, and thus should be able to adapt to a high SS and high sedimentation rate environment. Therefore, they are not expected to be severely impacted by the increase of SS nor the increase of sedimentation rates. Given that the exceedance or high levels are mainly caused by the concurrent projects and unlikely to occur in real situation, the potential impacts during construction due to suspended solid and sedimentation are ranked as Minor and Insignificant respectively in the above assessment. As mitigation measure (including water quality monitoring at stations in PTBMP) has been proposed under Water Quality Assessment, no other specific mitigation would be required.

9.7.7.11 During the operational phase, the presence of the TCE PDA reclamation and Road P1 (Tung Chung - Tai Ho Section) would affect the tidal flow and currents in the area, and thus would have potential impacts on the hydrological regime, which in turn would affect water quality parameters at different locations.

9.7.7.12 The major ecological resources sensitive to water quality include the proposed The Brothers Islands Marine Park. For the operational phase flow rates and water quality, the changes from the Do-nothing Scenario (Scenario 01) and the operation phase (with reclamation) Scenario (Scenario 02) were compared. According to the modelling results in Section 5, the hydrodynamic trends for with project scenario are similar to that of the without project scenario, and no significant changes on the water quality parameters due to the present Project is identified.

Marine Disturbance

9.7.7.13 The major works vessel travel routes for the present Project include a shorter north-south direction trip between the TCE PDA and Tuen Mun and a longer east-west direction trip between TCE PDA and TKO, and it is anticipated that the works vessels might need to go through the proposed The Brothers Marine Park to access TCE PDA. In accordance with the latest boundary of the proposed The Brothers Marine Park, its southern and western boundaries would be near the shore of Sham Shui Kok and the shore of HKBCF respectively. The practicability of limiting the routes of the works vessels to use these two corridors outside PTBMP boundary has been investigated.  However, given the size of works vessels would be relatively large, limiting the route of the works vessels to these corridors would cause safety concerns and hence is not considered as a practicable measure. In addition, it is also not feasible for works vessels to use the Airport Channel due to the height constraints of the two bridges connecting Airport Island and the marine exclusion zone for airport. In this case, the future works vessels could not completely avoid the proposed The Brothers Marine Park.

9.7.7.14 In the present Project, the construction methodology proposed (such as non-dredged method) has already considered the need to minimise the number of works vessels as much as practicable. The traffic of works vessels would not be high even during the peak duration. Within the 6 year reclamation works programme from 2017 to 2023, the majority of marine works will be conducted in the first 5 year time with the peak period for marine works (mainly for filling) from mid-2018 to end of 2019. The total maximum daily marine vessels will range from 42 to 56 within the 1.5 years peak duration, and will be below 30 for the remaining period. Furthermore, the speed of construction vessels will be slow given its design purposes (largely slow-moving barges). The construction phase marine disturbance impacts due to underwater noise, works vessel marine traffic, and transportation of filling and dredged materials were ranked as Minor, Minor to Moderate, and Minor respectively in the above assessment.

9.7.7.15 Mitigation for marine disturbance impacts due to works vessel marine traffic is recommended. It is recommended that approaches to further reduce the marine traffic, including using larger-sized barges, land transportation of materials, and also reuse of excavation and C&D materials from the land-based works of the present Project, should be adopted as mitigation. Furthermore, works vessels should follow regular routes to limit the extent of marine areas with works vessels traffic, especially within PTBMP. It is recommended that the future travel routes of TCE PDA will avoid and/or restrict the extents within ecologically sensitive areas targeted for CWD conservation. Works vessels also need to follow all existing regulations/restrictions/practices for works vessels (such as speed limits, and any other practices), and the works vessels will be requested to adopt more stringent standards when inside the proposed The Brothers Marine Park. For example, during normal circumstances, the works vessels should further reduce the speed from 10 knot (the statutory vessel speed within marine parks) to 8 knot. There should be no stopover or anchoring at the existing anchoring area within PTBMP, even these actions are not prohibiting by regulations.

9.7.7.16 During the operational phase, there will be marine traffic produced from the vessels utilizing this marina. For the proposed The Brothers Marine Park, should there be any vessels including those from this marina entering this future marine park, they must follow the marine park regulations on the speed limit for vessels (i.e. 10 knots) which will take into account of the management need of the marine park and the ecology and behaviors of CWD inside. Besides, these leisure vessels leaving or entering the Marina would also need to follow the navigation route imposed by the pier of TM-CLKL. It is therefore not expected that the marine traffic due to the marina would cause significant impacts during the operation phase. The potential is ranked as Insignificant.

9.7.7.17 The above assessment has indicated that the potential temporary impacts on PTBMP from the present Project during construction phase would not be severe and additional meausres have been recommended to protect its functions as CWD habitats, while the potential impacts in operational phase would not be significant. As such, the functions and quality of PTBMP would not be affected by the present Project.

Table 9.30a Summary of construction phase and operational phase impacts

Impact	Sources				Receivers	Nature of impacts							Significance of an ecological impact	Mitigation required
	TCW	TCE	Road P1 (Tung Chung - Tai Ho Section)	Others (service reservoirs and sewer pipeline network)		Habitat quality		Species affected	Size / abundance	Duration	Reversibility	Magnitude
Terrestrial ecology – Construction Phase – Direct impacts
Terrestrial habitat loss	10.79ha in development parcels	Interface with existing reclamation (about 4 ha)	Interface with North Lantau Highway, about 10 ha	0.73 from service reseroirs & 1.94 from sewer pipeline network = 2.67	Urbanised / disturbed;		Low	Moderate abundance of birds but mostly common spp.	27.46 ha (10.79 + 4.0 + 10 + 2.67)	Replaced by new urbanized area, practically only temporary	Reversible, Replaced by new urbanized area	Large	Insignificant	No
	18.11 ha in development parcels	\	\	\	Orchard		Low	moderate diversity and abundance of bird and butterfly, most of the recorded species were common; Romer’s Tree Frog was found	18.11 ha	Permanent	Reversible	Large	Minor to moderate	Capture survey for Chinese Bull Frog and Romer’s Tree Frog Compensation woodland will include fruit tree species
	5.3 ha of woodland (with 4.54 of young woodland and 0.76 of mature woodland) and 0.20 of Fung Shui Wood	\	\	0.42 ha (with 0.33 has of young woodland and 0.09 ha of mature woodland) due to the proposed service reservoirs	Woodland and Fung Shui Wood		Minor to moderate for young woodland; moderate to high for mature woodland, Moderate for Mok Ka Fung Shui Wood and Moderate to High for Shek Mun Kap Fung Shui Wood	Most fauna species (e.g., Spotted Dove, Chinese Bulbul, Grey-backed Thrush) recorded in young woodland within the TCW PDA are common and of low conservation importance; species of conservation importance including Common Emerald Dove; Aquilaria sinensis, of conservation importance was recorded	4.54 & 0.33 = 4.86 ha of young woodland; 0.76 & 0.09 = 0.85ha of mature woodland; 0.20 ha of Fung Shui Wood	Permanent	Recreation of habitat feasible	Moderate	Moderate	Compensation woodland planting; Plant species of conservation importance affected should be retained as far as possible or transplanted.
	4.77ha	\	\	\	Abandoned agricultural (dry)		Low	Low floral diversity; common fauna or habitat generalists (e.g., Greater Coucal, Black Kite) or widespread in distribution (e.g., White-shouldered Starling).	4.77 ha	Permanent	Recreation of habitat feasible	Small	Minor	No
	1.92 ha	\	\	\	Active agricultural (Dry)		Low	low diversity and abundance of fauna; mostly habitat generalists (e.g., Greater Coucal, Black Kite);	1.92 ha	Permanent	Recreation of habitat feasible	Small	Insignificant	No
	1.68 ha	\	\	\	Abandoned agricultural (wet)		Low (limited to the Northern Section of Fong Yuen)	low diversity of plant and dragonfly, and low to moderate diversity of butterfly, moderate diversity of bird; with the only fauna species of conservation importance. Jhora Scrub Hopper	1.68 ha	Permanent	Recreation of habitat feasible	Small, as the major habitat of Jhora Scrub Hopper in Middle Fong Yuen and Tung Chung Stream has been avoided.	Minor to Moderate	Planting of emergent plant species including the larval food plant of the rare butterfly species Jhora Scrub Hopper, i.e. Leersia hexandra, in the future River Park.
	0.85	\	\	1.05 & 0.04 = 1.09	Plantation		Low	mainly exotic plant species, which do not support high diversity of fauna	0.85 + 1.05 + 0.04 = 1.94 ha	Permanent	Recreation of habitat feasible	Small	Insignificant	No
	3.19	\	\	2.42	Shrubland / grassland		Low	low diversity of fauna	3.19 + 2.42 = 5.61 ha	Permanent	Recreation of habitat feasible	Small	Minor	No
	Drainage channel to the west of Yat Tung Estate (0.06ha, 95m) A remnant of watercourse on the west of Yat Tung Estate (0.1ha, 115m)	\	\	\	The drainage channel and the remnant of watercourse		Both the drainage channel and the remnant of watercourse are low	The drainage channel is concrete Outlet of the remnant watercourse had been colonized by some individuals of mangroves, but no flora or fauna species of conservation importance found	0.16 ha (210m)	Permanent	Recreation of habitat feasible	Small	Insignificant	No
	Stream crossings				Habitats in riparian zone		Vary for the riparian zone in different crossings	Vegetation in riparian zone	3 at eastern branch of Tung Chung Stream and 3 at the western branch	Permanent	Not reversible	Small	Minor	For new crossings at natural sections, the span of the crossings should be large enough to avoid all the stream bed and stream banks, to avoid direct impact on the stream habitat, and if the landing or the viaduct column would be located near the stream banks, the footprint should be minimised where possible. Good site management is required for water quality
	River Park Construction				Riparian habitats within boundary of River Park, mostly on the western bank buffer zone		Vary with the habitat types, but in the western bank mainly of low ecological value	Vegetation in the western bank buffer zone and associated fauna	about 3.3 ha within the boundary, but mostly affect the western bank buffer zone	Permanent	Feasible but an enhancement	Subject to detailed design, but expected to be mostly on the low value western bank buffer zone	Minor	No, and enhancement is expected
Temporary terrestrial habitat loss during construction phase	River Park construction				Channelized section of Tung Chung Stream within River Park		Low to moderate	Low abundance and diversity of aquatic fauna	About 415m	Temporary	Feasible but an enhancement	Minor	Minor	No Ecological value will be enhanced
Terrestrial ecology – Construction Phase –Indirect Impact
Noise, dust and human activities		Construction works in TCE	Construction works in Road P1 (Tung Chung - Tai Ho Section)	Sewer construction	Fauna in and nearby	Vary with habitat types, mostly are of low ecological value		Mostly common species	Vary with locations	Temporary	Reversible	Minor	Insignificant	\
	Construction works in TCW			Service reservoir construction	Fauna in and nearby	Vary with habitat types, mostly are of low ecological value		Mostly common species except a few such as Jhora Scrub Hopper and Romer’s Tree Frog	Vary with locations	Temporary	Reversible	Minor to Moderate	Minor to moderate	Good Site Practice, Hoarding and fencing will be erected
Site runoff	Construction works in TCW in particular those near stream courses			Construction works in the proposed service reservoirs	Tung Chung Stream & Wong Lung Hang	High and Moderate		Stream fauna	Vary with locations	Temporary	Reversible	Moderate	Moderate for TCW; Minor to Moderate for Wong Lung Hang	The crossing bridge pier locations should avoid encroaching the stream bed and stream banks, and also as far as possible the entire 30m buffer zone; avoidance of wet season for the construction works at the crossing where practicable. Good site practice as stipulated in ProPECC PN1/94 and site precautionary measures will be implemented to avoid the potential impact due to runoff.
Terrestrial ecology - Operation phase – Direct Impacts
Habitat loss due to the footprint	Various habitats in RODP	Various habitats in RODP	Mostly marine	Various habitats in the footprints of service reservoirs and/or pipeline network.	Fauna in PDAs	Vary with habitat types, mostly are of low ecological value		Mostly common species except a few such as Jhora Scrub Hopper and Romer’s Tree Frog	Vary with locations	Permanent	Depend on habitat types	Moderate	Similar with construction phase but smaller in area sizes	Mitigation has been provided in above
Terrestrial ecology - Operation phase – Indirect impacts
Noise, Traffic and Human Activities	Proposed development	Proposed development	Proposed development		Fauna near PDAs	Vary with habitat types, mostly are of low ecological value		Mostly common species except a few such as Jhora Scrub Hopper and Romer’s Tree Frog	Vary with locations	Permanent	Non- reversible	Moderate	Insignificant	No specific measure required
	River park				Fong Yuen and adjacent Tung Chung Stream	High		Stream fauna and stream bank fauna	Vary with locations	Permanent	Non- reversible	Low	Insignificant	No specific measure required as the Park is designed for conservation purposes.
Surface Runoff and Drainage Discharge	Proposed development				Tung Chung Stream	High		Stream fauna	Vary with locations	Permanent	Non- reversible	Moderate	Insignificant;	No But will have SUDS provided as enhancement
Air pollution	Proposed development	Proposed development	Proposed development		Habitats adjacent to connecting roads	Vary with habitat types, mostly are of low ecological value		Mostly common species	Vary with locations	Permanent	Non- reversible	Insignificant	Insignificant	No
Potential impacts from Sewage and Emergency Discharge (no emergency discharge is expected)	Sewers and Pumping stations			Sewers and Pumping stations	Tung Chung Stream	High		Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	No emergency discharge is expected	Nil	No, as no emergency discharge is expected Additional provisions and backup plan will be provided
Habitat Fragmentation	Proposed development	Proposed development	Proposed development		Fauna inhabiting natural habitats within Tung Chung Valley	Vary with habitat types, mostly are of low ecological value		Mostly common species except a few such as Jhora Scrub Hopper and Romer’s Tree Frog	Vary with locations	Permanent	Non- reversible	Moderate	Minor	No specific measure required as the stream buffer zone provide corridors for wildlife and planting on polder will enhance the linkage
Artificial Lightings	Proposed development	Proposed development	Proposed development		Nocturnal fauna (e.g., birds, amphibians) inhabiting habitats adjacent to the development areas	Vary with habitat types, mostly are of low ecological value		Mostly common species except a few such as Jhora Scrub Hopper and Romer’s Tree Frog	Vary with locations	Permanent	Non- reversible	Moderate	Minor for TCW: Insignificant for TCE and Road P1	No, but potential impact of lightings could be further minimized by the design of lightings in the open space inside development areas (e.g. football field, playground), to direct the light towards target areas only.
Barrier Effect to bird flights	Proposed development	Proposed development			Waterbirds and big raptors	Vary with habitat types, mostly are of low ecological value		Mostly common species	Low	Permanent	Non- reversible	Insignificant as no major flight paths of waterbird (mostly ardeids in the Assessment Area) was identified. Frequency of occurrence of raptors is low and these birds usually fly in high altitude	Insignificant	No. that such recommendations will be taken into account during future detail design stage.
Bird Collision	Proposed development	Proposed development			Birds	Vary with habitat types, mostly are of low ecological value		Mostly common species	Vary with locations	Permanent	Non- reversible	Insignificant at TCE, TCW Road P1 and others The potential impact due to glass windows of buildings in TCW is subjected to designs	Insignificant at TCE, TCW, Road P1 and others	No for TCE, Road P1 and others No for TCW, but should avoid transparent noise barrier in TCW as suggested in “Guidelines on Design of Noise Barriers”, Second Issue, January 2003, issued by EPD and HyD.
Marine Ecology – Construction Phase – Direct Impact
Coastal water column and sub-tidal soft bottom seabed habitat loss		Reclamation	Reclamation		Water column of coastal waters and sub-tidal soft bottom seabed off shore to Tung Chung New Town	Low ecological value for water column of coastal waters, low to moderate for sub-tidal soft bottom seabed		Marine organisms	120.5 ha for coastal waters and 132 ha for seabed for TCE PDA, 8.6 ha for coastal waters and 13 ha for seabed for Road P1 (Tung Chung - Tai Ho Section)	Permanent	Non-reversible	Minor to moderate	Minor to moderate	Yes, eco-shoreline to provide ecological functions to mitigate the loss of general marine habitat
Intertidal and Shallow Subtidal habitat loss		Reclamation	Reclamation		Basically Artificial seawalls and the shallow subtidal part of the seawalls	Low ecological value		Low coverage of gorgonian and cup coral, common intertidal fauna; low bird spp.	2.3 km for TCE – PDA, 1.5 km for Road P1 (Tung Chung - Tai Ho Section)	Permanent	Non-reversible	Minor to moderate	Insignificant	No But more seawall and shallow subtidal hard substrate will be provided after reclamation and will have eco-shoreline design of better function
Temporary marine habitat loss		Marine works areas	Marine works areas		Coastal waters adjacent to the reclamation footprint	Low ecological value		Marine organisms	About 55 ha, expanded from the reclamation footprint	Temporary	Reversible	Minor	Minor	No
Marine Ecology – Construction Phase – Indirect Impact
Marine Water Quality (suspended solid, sedimentation rate, dissolved oxygen depletion, nutrients and contaminants)		Reclamation works	Reclamation works		Marine habitats (Coastal waters, Sub-tidal Soft Bottom Seabed and intertidal habitats) adjacent to reclamation and in North Lantau waters, PTBMP	Low for coastal waters within reclamation and near Tung Chung, , but vary within the assessment area; low to moderate for sub-tidal soft bottom seabed		Marine organisms in North Lantau waters including CWD, gorgonian and cup coral, and others	Low abundance in coastal waters and sub-tidal soft bottom seabed within reclamation and near Tung Chung, , but vary within the assessment area	Temporary	Reversible	Minor	Minor for suspended solid Insignificant for other parameters	No, as mitigation and site practices have been proposed under water quality assessment
Pollutants (sewage from works forces and waste water from land-based works) and chemical spillage		From works vessels, works forces and land-based works	From works vessels, works forces and land-based works		Marine habitats (Coastal waters, Sub-tidal Soft Bottom Seabed and intertidal habitats) adjacent to reclamation and in North Lantau waters	Low for coastal waters within reclamation and near Tung Chung, , but vary within the assessment area; low to moderate for sub-tidal soft bottom seabed		Marine organisms in North Lantau waters including CWD, gorgonian and cup coral, and others	Low abundance in coastal waters and sub-tidal soft bottom seabed within reclamation and near Tung Chung, , but vary within the assessment area	Temporary	Reversible	Minor	Insignificant	No, but good site practice (e.g. spill response) should be strictly followed
Marine Disturbance (underwater noise)		Reclamation works	Reclamation works		Coastal waters mainly adjacent to reclamation, PTBMP	Low for coastal waters within reclamation and near Tung Chung, but vary within the assessment area		CWD	Low abundance in coastal waters within reclamation and near Tung Chung, , but vary within the assessment area	Temporary	Reversible	Minor to Moderate	Minor	No. But Dolphin exclusion zone will be provided as precautionary measure
Marine Disturbance (Marine Traffic of Works Vessels and Associated Collison Risk)		Reclamation works	Reclamation works		Coastal waters adjacent to reclamation and along vessel travel routes, PTBMP	Low for coastal waters within reclamation and near Tung Chung, but vary within the assessment area		CWD	Low abundance in coastal waters within reclamation and near Tung Chung, , but vary within the assessment area	Temporary	Reversible	Minor to Moderate	Minor to Moderate	Yes. Larger-sized barges, land transportation of materials, speed limits and regular routes of works vessels will be adopted as mitigation measures
Marine Disturbance associated with filling materials and dredged materials		Reclamation works	Reclamation works		Marine waters and sub-tidal soft bottom seabed in the Western Hong Kong, PTBMP	Vary within the assessment area		CWD and other marine fauna	Ranging from Low to high for CWD; and vary within the assessment area for other marine fauna	Temporary	Reversible	Minor	Minor for filling materials; insignificant for dredged materials	No. But good site practices will be required
Entanglement and entrapment		Marine Works area	Marine Works area		Coastal waters within and adjacent to the reclamation footprint	Low		CWD	Very low for CWD	Temporary	Reversible	Minor	Insignificant	No. But Dolphin exclusion and dolphin watching plan is proposed as precautionary measure, and silt curtain will be regularly checked
Marine Ecology – Operation Phase – Direct Impact
Permanent Habitat Loss		Reclamation	Reclamation		Coastal waters and sub-tidal soft bottom seabed	Low for marine waters within the reclamation footprint; low to moderate for sub-tidal soft bottom seabed		CWD and other marine fauna	Very low for CWD and low for other marine fauna	Permanent	Non- reversible	Minor to Moderate	Minor to moderate	Yes, eco-shoreline to provide ecological functions to mitigate the loss of general marine habitat
Carrying Capacity for CWD		Reclamation	Reclamation		CWD habitat	Low for CWD		CWD	Vary within the assessment area	Permanent	Non- reversible	Minor	Minor for CWD	No specific mitigation is required
Marine Ecology – Operation Phase – Indirect Impact
Hydrodynamics		Reclamation	Reclamation		Coastal waters in North Lantau in particular Tung Chung Bay and Tai Ho Wan and PTBMP	Vary within the assessment area		Marine organisms in North Lantau waters	Vary within the assessment area	Permanent	Non- reversible	Minor	Insignificant	No specific mitigation is required
Marine Water Quality (salinity, dissolved oxygen, BOD5, suspended solid, total inorganic nitrogen, unionised ammonia, sedimentation and E. coli		Reclamation	Reclamation		Coastal waters and sub-tidal soft bottom seabed in North Lantau in particular Tung Chung Bay and Tai Ho Wan, PTBMP	Vary within the assessment area		Marine organisms in North Lantau waters	Vary within the assessment area	Permanent	Non- reversible	Minor	All parameter are insignificant	No specific mitigation is required
Pollutants and chemical spillage		From vessels inside the marina			Coastal waters and sub-tidal soft bottom seabed offshore TCE PDA; Tung Chung Bay, Tai Ho Wan	Low for CWD, high at Tung Chung Bay and Tai Ho Wan for estuarine fauna		CWD and estuarine fauna	Low for CWD, high for estuarine fauna	Transient	Reversible	Minor	Insignificant	No specific mitigation is required
Storm water runoff into marine waters	Development areas	Development areas	Road surface		Coastal waters and sub-tidal soft bottom seabed offshore TCE PDA; Tung Chung Bay, Tai Ho Wan, PTBMP	Low for CWD, high at Tung Chung Bay and Tai Ho Wan for estuarine fauna		CWD and estuarine fauna	Low for CWD, high for estuarine fauna	Transient	Reversible	Minor	Insignificant	No specific mitigation is required as SUDS will be provided.
Emergency discharge of sewage from sewerage pumping stations (no emergency discharge is expected)	Sewage pumping stations and sewer	Sewage pumping stations and sewer		Sewage pumping stations and sewer	Coastal waters and sub-tidal soft bottom seabed offshore TCE PDA; Tung Chung Bay, Tai Ho Wan, PTBMP	Low for CWD, high at Tung Chung Bay and Tai Ho Wan for estuarine fauna		Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil, as no emergency discharge is expected	Nil	No as no emergency discharge is expected.
Flushing of freshwater and salt water service reservoirs				Service reservoirs	Wong Lung Hang channelized section and its outlet	Low to moderate for channelized section;		Mainly estuarine fauna	Low for channelized section, high for estuarine fauna	Transient	Reversible	Low	Insignificant	Water would be discharged at a controlled manner.
Maintenance Dredging for the Proposed Marina		Marina			Marine organisms offshore to New Town PTBMP	Low		Marine fauna	Low	Transient	Reversible	Low	Insignificant	Silt curtain will be provided as a mitigation measure under WQ
Marine habitat fragmentation		Reclamation	Reclamation		CWD	Low for CWD		CWD	Very low	Permanent	Non- reversible	Insignificant	Insignificant	No specific mitigation is required
Marine Traffic due to the Marina		From vessels entering or leaving the marina			CWD PTBMP	Low for CWD High for PTBMP		CWD	Very low	Permanent	Non-reversible	Low, only provides 95 berths	Insignificant	No specific mitigation required as leisure vessels leaving or entering the Marina would also need to follow the navigation route imposed by the pier of TM-CLKL

Table 9.30b Potential impacts to flora species of conservation importance

Flora Species of Conservation Importance	Habitat Quality	Species	Size / Abundance	Duration	Reversibility	Magnitude	Impact Severity	Mitigation Required
Aquilaria sinensis, Pavetta hongkongensis	In woodland and fung shui wood of moderate to high ecological value and few in orchard of low value	Common in Hong Kong, although many individuals of Aquilaria sinensis were subject to illegal felling and vandalism.	Common in the Assessment Area	Construction phase will be short-term. Little operational phase impacts anticipated.	Habitat loss is irreversible.	Minor loss in fung shui wood, moderate loss in secondary woodland and higher magnitude for orchard loss.	Moderate direct construction impacts	Yes. Transplantation where practical. Compensatory Planting
Gmelina chinensis	In different kinds of habitats within and outside Project Area, including woodland of moderate to high value at Shek Mun Kap, roadside at Tai Ho, plantation of low ecological value in Tung Chung Town, slope along shrubland/grassland of low ecological value at Tai Ho and near the proposed Service Reservoirs	Locally common in Lantau	Quite common within Project Area and Assessment Area	Construction phase will be short-term. Little operational phase impacts anticipated.	Habitat loss is irreversible.	About 2.42 ha of shrubland/grassland loss at the proposed Service Reservoirs	Minor to Moderate direct construction phase impact	Yes. Transplantation where practical. Compensatory Planting
Zostera japonica, Halophila ovalis, Halophila minor, Halophila beccarii	On mudflat of high ecological value outside the Project Area	Rare in Hong Kong	Small patches on mudflat	Construction phase will be short-term. Little operational phase impacts anticipated.	No direct impact. Indirect Impact reversible	No direct impact. Minor indirect construction impacts due to reclamation work, site runoff and pollutants. No sewage emergency discharge in Tung Chung West during operation phase.	Minor	No specific mitigation required, as non-dredged method will be adopted. Mitigation for water quality, good site practice and water quality monitoring will also be implemented
Zoysia sinica	At mangrove community of high ecological value outside the Project Area	Common in Hong Kong	Small patches at mangrove backshore	Construction phase will be short-term. Little operational phase impacts anticipated.	No direct impact. Indirect Impact reversible	No direct impact. Minor indirect construction impacts due to reclamation work, site runoff and pollutants. No sewage emergency discharge in Tung Chung West during operation phase.	Minor	No specific mitigation required, as non-dredged method will be adopted. Mitigation for water quality, good site practice and water quality monitoring will also be implemented
Goodyera procera	In Mok Ka FSW and at Tung Chung Stream	Common in Hong Kong	A few individuals recorded during previous surveys but not seen in current surveys	Construction phase will be short-term. Little operational phase impacts anticipated.	Habitat loss is irreversible.	Small area of FSW loss to polder construction. Tung Chung Stream to be preserved.	Minor	Transplantation if found before commencement of work
Gymnosphaera hancockii	In Mok Ka FSW	Very rare in Hong Kong	One individual recorded during previous survey but not seen during current survey.	Construction phase will be short-term. Little operational phase impacts anticipated.	Habitat loss is irreversible.	Small area of FSW loss to polder construction	Minor	Transplantation if found before commencement of work
Lespedeza cuneata, Nepenthes mirabilis, Eulophia graminea, Arundina graminifolia, Spiranthes hongkongensis	Lespedeza cuneata, Nepenthes mirabilis, Eulophia graminea, Arundina graminifolia, previously recorded at grassland/shrubland of low ecological value outside Project Site, Nepenthes mirabilis and Spiranthes hongkongensis also at Tung Chung Stream (which will be preserved within Project Site)	Nepenthes mirabilis, Eulophia graminea and Arundina graminifolia protected but restricted or common. Lespedeza cuneata is locally rare	Not recorded during current survey but probably of low abundance	N/A (No impacts anticipated)	N/A	N/A	Insignificant	No
Uvaria calamistrata	In young secondary woodland of low to moderate ecological value near San Tau outside Project Area	Rare in Hong Kong	Only one individual seen during the current survey	N/A (No impacts anticipated)	N/A	N/A	Insignificant	No
Cibotium barometz	In Mature Secondary Woodland of moderate to high near Mok Ka and Shek Mun Kap	Protected but common in Hong Kong	A few stands seen during the current survey	N/A (No impacts anticipated)	N/A	N/A	Insignificant	No
Artocarpus hypargyreus	In Young Secondary Woodland of low to moderate ecological value outside Project Area	Artocarpus hypargyreus protected in China. Both Common in Hong Kong	Only one record of Artocarpus hypargyreus by previous surveys	N/A (No impacts anticipated)	N/A	N/A	Insignificant	No
Diospyros vaccinioides	In Shrubland/Grassland of low to moderate ecological value outside Project Area	Diospyros vaccinioides listed under IUCN (2015)	Only an individual of Diospyros vaccinioides seen within Assessment Area.	N/A (No impacts anticipated)	N/A	N/A	Insignificant	No
Ligustrum punctifolium	In mangrove of high ecological value at Tung Chung Stream estuary outside the Project Area	Rare in Hong Kong	A few individuals recorded	N/A (No impacts anticipated)	N/A	N/A	Insignificant	No
Dioscorea hispida	In Pak Mong FSW outside Project Area	Rare in Hong Kong	A few individuals recorded during previous surveys	N/A (No impacts anticipated)	N/A	N/A	Insignificant	No
Spiranthes sinensis, Pycreus sanguinolentus	Previously recorded in Fong Yuen Marsh of various quality (location unknown)	Spiranthes sinensis protected but common in Hong Kong. Pycreus sanguinolentus rare in Hong Kong	A few individuals recorded during previous surveys, but probably lost already due to disturbance and conversion of part of the marsh to farmland	Construction phase will be short-term. Little operational phase impacts anticipated.	N/A (Fong Yuen Marsh will be preserved)	N/A (Fong Yuen Marsh will be preserved)	Insignificant	No.

Table 9.30c Potential impacts to fauna species of conservation importance

Fauna Species of Conservation Importance	Habitat Quality	Species	Size / Abundance	Duration	Reversibility	Magnitude	Impact Severity	Remarks
Chinese White Dolphin (Construction)	The proposed reclamation areas are not used frequently by the Chinese White Dolphin.	Common in the western Hong Kong waters	Very low usage in the areas near Tung Chung	Permanent for habitat loss Short-term for disturbance	Irreversible for habitat loss Reversible for disturbance	Though direct loss is of Minor to Moderate in terms of size, but the usage is very low. Minor for disturbance as the usage is very low	Minor
Chinese White Dolphin (Operation)	The proposed reclamation areas are not used frequently by the Chinese White Dolphin.	Common in the western Hong Kong waters	Very low usage in the areas near Tung Chung	Permanent for habitat loss and carrying capacity	Irreversible	Minor to Moderate	Minor
Chinese Egret (Construction)	No loss of inter-tidal habitats in Tung Chung Bay. Affected coastal habitats are mainly man-made and disturbed, and considered of very low importance for this species	This species is very rare in Hong Kong, and occurred in the Assessment Area very infrequently	Very low	Short term	Irreversible for the potential disturbance impact	No impact due to habitat loss Insignificant disturbance impact due to very low frequency of occurrence	Insignificant	Apart from the reclamation works in TCE PDA and Road P1 (Tung Chung - Tai Ho Section), all other construction works will affect terrestrial habitats only.
Chinese Egret (Operation)	Coastal area adjacent to the PDAs at TCE and TCW is not considered important for this species	This species is very rare in Hong Kong, and occurred in the Assessment Area very infrequently	Utilisation of coastal habitats, including those adjacent to the PDAs, during operation phase is expected to be very low.	Long term	Irreversible	Insignificant disturbance impact due to very low frequency of occurrence	Insignificant
Woodland dependent birds (including Crested Goshawk, Collared Scops Owl, Common Emerald Dove) (Construction)	Woodlands in the Assessment Area provide both foraging and potential breeding habitats, are considered of moderate importance for these species	All are of conservation importance	Low	Short term	Reversible for construction disturbance	relatively mobile, mortality due to site formation is not anticipated. Woodlands affected mainly small patches of young woodlands and fringes of larger woodland patches Moderate as these species are mainly found in woodlands	Moderate Compensation woodland planting will be implemented	Due to development in the TCW PDA and construction work of the proposed service reservoirs Alternative habitats are present within and near the Assessment Area where these species could inhabit during the construction phase.
Woodland dependent birds (including Crested Goshawk, Collared Scops Owl, Common Emerald Dove) (Operation)	Uses of woodlands adjacent to the residential areas in TCW, will decrease due to increased human activities Utilisation of woodlands away from residential areas will remain unchanged	All are of conservation importance	Low	Long term	Irreversible	Minor These species might avoid woodlands adjacent to residential areas. However, compensation woodland will be provided and alternative habitats are available within and near the TCW PDA	Minor	Fragmentation of larger and mature woodlands, which are considered more important habitats to these species, is not anticipated.
Greater Coucal (Construction)	Habitats affected mostly disturbed by human activities, low importance for this species	Considered of conservation importance but present in many areas in Hong Kong	Low	Short term	Irreversible	Minor since this species can utilise a wide range of habitats, and alternative habitats are found in and near the Assessment Area	Minor	Mainly recorded in Orchard during the surveys; also reported from previous studies at locations within TCW PDA Less sensitive to habitat loss and construction disturbance during construction phase
Greater Coucal (Operation)	Uses of habitats adjacent to the residential areas in TCW, will decrease due to increased human activities	Considered of conservation importance but present in many areas in Hong Kong	Low	Long term	Irreversible	Minor as this species is considered disturbance tolerant	Minor	Less sensitive to increased human activities during operation phase.
South China Cascade Frog (Construction)	As revealed from literatures, this species mainly found at high altitude, likely outside the Assessment Area. Lowland streams within TCW are of low importance for this species	Considered of conservation importance, with restricted distribution range in Hong Kong	Not found within the Assessment Area during the surveys.	NA	NA	Insignificant as this species inhabits streams sections outside the Assessment Area And no natural stream habitats will be encroached	Insignificant
South China Cascade Frog (Operation)	As revealed from literatures, this species mainly found at high altitude, likely outside the Assessment Area. Lowland streams within TCW are of low importance for this species	Considered of conservation importance, with restricted distribution range in Hong Kong	Not found within the Assessment Area during the surveys.	NA	NA	Insignificant as this species inhabits streams sections outside the Assessment Area And no natural stream habitats will be encroached	Insignificant
Lesser Spiny Frog (Construction)	This species is recorded in stream sections upstream and away from development areas in the PDAs	Considered of conservation importance	Very low	NA	NA	Insignificant as this species is found in stream sections upstream / away from the development areas And no natural stream habitats will be encroached	Insignificant
Lesser Spiny Frog (Operation)	This species is recorded in stream sections away from development areas in the PDAs, Lowland streams within TCW are of low importance for this species	Considered of conservation importance	Low	NA	NA	Insignificant as this species is found in stream sections upstream / away from the development areas And no natural stream habitats will be encroached	Insignificant
Hong Kong Newt (Construction)	This species is recorded in Wong Lung Hang Stream away from development areas in the PDAs	Protected under Cap. 170	Low	NA	NA	Insignificant as this species is found in stream sections away from the development areas and also upstream to the proposed service reservoirs And no natural stream habitats will be encroached	Insignificant
Hong Kong Newt (Operation)	This species is recorded in Wong Lung Hang Stream away from development areas in the PDAs	Protected under Cap. 170	Low	NA	NA	Insignificant as this species is found in stream sections away from the development areas and also upstream to the proposed service reservoirs Stream habitats will be affected by discharge.	Insignificant
Romer’s Tree Frog (Construction)	Orchards with relatively higher abundance of this species, considered of minor to moderate importance for this species	Endemic to Hong Kong and protected under Cap. 170	Low to moderate Mainly recorded near the eastern branch of Tung Chung Stream	Short term	Irreversible	Minor to Moderate, as loss of habitat and amphibians are generally less mobile and are susceptible to site formation	Minor to Moderate Capture-and-translocation exercise will be implemented	Mainly recorded in wooded areas in the survey, also reported from previous studies at locations near the eastern branch as well as in ravines to the east of Tung Chung Road (outside the TCW PDA).
Romer’s Tree Frog (Operation)	Uses of habitats adjacent to the residential areas in TCW will decrease due to increased human activities (e.g., artificial lightings)	Endemic to Hong Kong and protected under Cap. 170	Low to moderate	Long term	Irreversible	Minor as this species also found in localities with high human activities (e.g., Scenic Hill in Airport Island)	Minor	Stream Buffer zones will be established, and the channelized section of the eastern branch of Tung Chung Stream will be revitalised. The influences from these measures to this species will be positive.
Chinese Bullfrog (Construction)	Dry abandoned agricultural lands with this species is considered of low importance for this species	Considered of conservation importance but present in many areas in Hong Kong	Low	Short term	Irreversible	Minor to Moderate, as loss of habitat and amphibians are generally less mobile and are susceptible to site formation	Minor to Moderate Capture-and-translocation exercise will be implemented
Chinese Bullfrog (Operation)	Uses of habitats adjacent to the residential areas in TCW will decrease due to increased human activities(e.g., artificial lightings)	Considered of conservation importance but present in many areas in Hong Kong	Low	Long term	Irreversible	Minor as this species also found in localities with high human activities (e.g. Airport Island)	Minor	Stream Buffer zones will be established, and the channelized section of the eastern branch of Tung Chung Stream will be revitalised. The influences from these measures to this species will be positive.
Herpetofauna dependent on streams / ravine habitats (including Romer’s Tree Frog, Short-legged Toad, Mountain Water Snake) (Construction)	Streams provide habitats for these species and might be indirectly affected are considered of moderate importance to these species Other directly affected habitats not important for these species.	All are of conservation importance	Low	Short term	Reversible	Minor to Moderate, No stream habitats in the Assessment Area will be encroached. streams within TCW PDA might be potentially impacted by surface runoff during construction phase	Minor Good site practice will be implemented to minimise the potential impact (e.g., surface runoff) to stream habitats. Buffer zones will be set up on the two sides of main branches of Tung Chung Stream.
Herpetofauna dependent on streams / ravine habitats (including Romer’s Tree Frog, Short-legged Toad, Mountain Water Snake) (Operation)	Utilisation of streams and ravine habitats these species inhabit will increase due to enhancement measures	All are of conservation importance	Low	Long term	Irreversible	Impact will be positive as 30m wide buffer zone will be established on the two sides of Tung Chung Stream and main branches.	Positive effects	The channelized section of the eastern branch of Tung Chung Stream will be rehabilitated during operation phase.
Woodland dependent butterflies (including Common Birdwing, Golden Birdwing, Peacock Royal, Sullied Sailer) (Construction)	Mainly affect small patches of young woodlands and fringes of larger woodland patches, of moderate importance to these species	All are of conservation importance	Low	Short term	Irreversible	Moderate due to the dependence of these species on woodland as breeding habitats	Moderate Compensation woodland planting will be implemented
Woodland dependent butterflies (including Common Birdwing, Golden Birdwing, Peacock Royal, Sullied Sailer) (Operation)	Uses of woodlands adjacent to the residential areas in TCW, will remain similar to pre-construction condition despite of increased human activities	All are of conservation importance	Low	Long term	Irreversible	Minor as butterflies are not sensitive to human activities	Minor
Butterfly species occur in open areas (including Oriental Striped Blue, Small Grass Yellow, Swallowtail, Tiny Grass Blue) (Construction)	Mainly affected habitats of low importance to these species	All are of conservation importance	All were present in very low abundance or recorded infrequently	Short term	Irreversible	Minor due to the very low abundance or infrequent records	Potential impact to these species due to habitat loss and construction disturbance: Minor	Oriental Striped Blue was recorded near Hau Wang Temple (KFBG 2013). Not recorded during the present survey but its larval food plant Plumbago zeylanica was found near the Hau Wang Temple. Expected that Small Grass Yellow was recorded in Tai Ho during the field surveys of 3RS between 2012 and 2013. These three species were reported by Public without abundance and sighting locations Utilisation of habitats in the Assessment Area by these species was infrequent.
Butterfly species occur in open areas (including Oriental Striped Blue, Small Grass Yellow, Swallowtail, Tiny Grass Blue) (Operation)	Uses of habitats adjacent to the residential areas in TCW, will remain similar to pre-construction condition despite of increased human activities	All are of conservation importance	All were present in very low abundance or recorded infrequently	Short term	Irreversible	Minor as butterflies are not sensitive to human activities	Minor
Jhora Scrub Hopper (Construction)	The habitats where Jhora Scrub Hopper is regularly recorded and might be indirectly affected.is of moderate importance to this species	Rare in Hong Kong	Absent or present in very low abundance in affected habitats	Short term	Reversible	Minor to Moderate, as the section of eastern branch of Tung Chung Stream might be potentially impacted by surface runoff during construction phase	Minor to Moderate Good site practice will be implemented to mitigate the potential impact due to runoff.	The construction works in TCV-6 will cause loss of some of wet abandoned agricultural land near Fong Yuen. The portion of wet abandoned agricultural land with regular records of Jhora Scrub Hopper and its larval foodplant had been avoided by the development plan. The use of the wet abandoned agricultural and the section of east branch of Tung Chung Stream by Jhora Scrub Hopper, however, might be potentially affected by construction disturbance, e.g., dust, surface runoff.
Jhora Scrub Hopper (Operation)	Utilisation of streams and adjacent wet abandoned agricultural land in Fong Yuen will increase due to enhancement from River Park	Rare in Hong Kong	Low to moderate	Long term	Irreversible	Impact will be positive as 30m wide buffer zone will be established on the two sides of Tung Chung Stream and main branches.	Positive effects	Stream Buffer zones will be established, and the channelized section of the eastern branch of Tung Chung Stream will be revitalised. The natural section of Tung Chung Stream eastern branch at Fong Yuen where Jhora Scrub Hopper was regularly recorded will be included in the future River Park. The influences from these measures to this species will be positive.
Fishes in Tung Chung Stream (Construction)	This is a species-rich stream in the Territory	With at least 23 species of indigenous freshwater fish including species of conservation importance such as Japanese Eel, Giant Mottled Eel, Beijiang Thick-lipped Barb and Predaceous Chub.	Relative abundant in Hong Kong, dominant species including Beijiang Thick-lipped Barb and Predaceous Chub	Short term	Reversible	No direct impact, no encroachment of the stream is required. Indirect impact such as surface runoff may be occurred. Minor to Moderate indirect impact, as Tung Chung Stream might be potentially impacted by surface runoff during construction phase	Minor to Moderate Good site practice will be implemented	Rice Fish and Philippine Neon Goby also reported by previous studies. Stream buffer zone will be established for Tung Chung Stream, and hence the habitats of these species will be protected.
Fishes in Tung Chung Stream (Operation)	This is a species-rich stream in the Territory	With at least 23 species of indigenous freshwater fish including species of conservation importance such as Japanese Eel, Giant Mottled Eel, Beijiang Thick-lipped Barb and Predaceous Chub	Relative abundant in Hong Kong, dominant species including Beijiang Thick-lipped Barb and Predaceous Chub	Short term	Reversible	No direct impact, no encroachment of the stream is required. No sewage emergency discharge in Tung Chung West during operation phase.	Insignificant	Positive influences from stream Buffer zones, and the channelized section of the eastern branch of Tung Chung Stream will be revitalised.
Fishes in Wong Lung Hang (Construction)	Contains diverse aquatic fauna and freshwater fish	A total of 15 species were found in present surveys, species of conservation importance such as Beijiang Thick-lipped Barb and Predaceous Chub were found	Relative abundant in Hong Kong, but less abundant than Tung Chung Stream, dominant species including Beijiang Thick-lipped Barb and Predaceous Chub	Short term	Reversible	No direct impact, no encroachment of the stream is required. Minor to Moderate indirect impact, as might be potentially impacted by surface runoff during service reservoirs construction	Minor to Moderate Good site practice will be implemented
Fishes in Wong Lung Hang (Operation)	Contains diverse aquatic fauna and freshwater fish	A total of 15 species were found in present surveys, species of conservation importance such as Beijiang Thick-lipped Barb and Predaceous Chub were found	Relative abundant in Hong Kong, but less abundant than Tung Chung Stream, dominant species including Beijiang Thick-lipped Barb and Predaceous Chub	Short term	Reversible	Insignificant as no direct impact, no encroachment of the stream is required.	Insignificant	The occasional flushing of the service reservoirs will be released to the downstream channelized section.
Fishes in Tung Chung Bay (Construction)	Largest embayment on North Lantau, and has extensive mudflats, where seagrass beds and mangrove are recorded	A total of 56 species of fishes were found in present surveys, species of conservation importance such as Seaweed Pipefish, Common Seahorse and Mangrove Goby	Abundant due to the size of the embayment	Short term	Reversible	No direct impact Minor indirect construction water quality impacts due to reclamation work, site runoff and pollutants.	Minor No specific mitigation required, as non-dredged method will be adopted. Mitigation for water quality, good site practice and water quality monitoring will also be implemented	Like other marine fauna, the occurrence of these species would not be limited to one or any particular location, but would be wide-spread in waters in the same region (northern Lantau waters) or of similar characteristics such as other estuaries.
Fishes in Tung Chung Bay (Operation)	Largest embayment on North Lantau, and has extensive mudflats, where seagrass beds and mangrove are recorded	A total of 56 species of fishes were found in present surveys, species of conservation importance such as Seaweed Pipefish, Common Seahorse and Mangrove Goby	Abundant due to the size of the embayment	Short term	Reversible	No sewage emergency discharge in TCW or TCE during operation phase.	Insignificant	Like other marine fauna, the occurrence of these species would not be limited to one or any particular location, but would be wide-spread in waters in the same region (northern Lantau waters) or of similar characteristics such as other estuaries.
Fishes in Tai Ho Wan (Construction)	Connected to a species-rich stream in the Territory. Various habitats are recorded in Tai Ho Wan such as seagrass bed and mangrove	Together with the Tai Ho Stream, a total of 53 species of fish were recorded including Ayu	Abundant due to the size of the embayment, but relatively smaller than Tung Chung Bay	Short term	Reversible	No direct impact Minor indirect construction water quality impacts due to reclamation work, site runoff and pollutants.	Minor No specific mitigation required, as non-dredged method will be adopted. Mitigation for water quality, good site practice and water quality monitoring will also be implemented
Fishes in Tai Ho Wan (Operation)	Connected to a species-rich stream in the Territory. Various habitats are recorded in Tai Ho Wan such as seagrass bed and mangrove	Together with the Tai Ho Stream, a total of 53 species of fish were recorded including Ayu	Abundant due to the size of the embayment, but relatively smaller than Tung Chung Bay	Short term	Reversible	During operation phase, no sewage emergency discharge in TCW or TCE.	Insignificant
Freshwater Crab Cryptopotamon anacoluthon (Construction)	Found in Tung Chung Stream and Tai Ho Stream.	Endemic to Hong Kong	Low	Short term	Reversible	No direct impact, no encroachment of the stream is required. Minor indirect impact, as Tung Chung Stream might be potentially impacted by surface runoff during construction phase	Minor	Tung Chung Stream is preserved as no development or channelization is proposed and buffer zones are provided. And there will be no development near Tai Ho Stream
Freshwater Crab Cryptopotamon anacoluthon (Operation)	Found in Tung Chung Stream and Tai Ho Stream.	Endemic to Hong Kong	Low	Short term	Reversible	No direct impact, no encroachment of the stream is required. During operation phase, no sewage emergency discharge in TCW.	Insignificant	Tung Chung Stream is preserved as no development or channelization is proposed and buffer zones are provided. And there will be no development near Tai Ho Stream
Horseshoe crabs (Construction)	Mangrove and seagrass bed are present, which provide breeding and nursery ground for horseshoe crabs	Protected in China	Moderate numbers were found in present surveys	Short term	Reversible	Minor	Minor Good site practice will be implemented	No specific mitigation required, as non-dredged method will be adopted. Mitigation for water quality, good site practice and water quality monitoring will also be implemented
Horseshoe crabs (Operation)	Mangrove and seagrass bed are present, which provide breeding and nursery ground for horseshoe crabs	Protected in China	Moderate numbers were found in present surveys	Long term	Reversible	During operation phase, no sewage emergency discharge in TCW or TCE.	Insignificant	No loss of inter-tidal habitats in Tung Chung Bay. The development in the TCW PDA, the service reservoirs and the sewer alignment will only affect terrestrial habitats.
Corals Balanophyllia sp.; Guaiagorgia sp.; Echinomuricea sp. (Construction)	Artificial seawalls have low ecological values	Hard corals are protected in Hong Kong, but they are all common in Hong Kong	Low diversity and coverage	Permanent for direct impact Short term for water quality impact	Irreversible in direct impact due to reclamation Reversible for WQ impacts	Minor for both direct and indirect impacts	Minor New seawalls with Eco-shoreline design will be provided	Echinomuricea sp. reported from previous studies at locations near Tung Chung.
Corals Balanophyllia sp.; Guaiagorgia sp.; Echinomuricea sp. (Operation)	Artificial seawalls have low ecological values	Hard corals are protected in Hong Kong, but they are all common in Hong Kong	Low diversity and coverage	Long term	Irreversible in the reclamation areas	During operation phase, no sewage emergency discharge in TCW or TCE	Insignificant	Echinomuricea sp. reported from previous studies at locations near Tung Chung.

9.8 Mitigation Measures

9.8.1 Considerations for Impact Avoidance

9.8.1.1 The following paragraphs identify feasible and practicable mitigation measures to reduce the severity of any negative impacts identified in the previous sections. Following the “Avoid, Minimize and Compensate” approach of dealing with impacts as stipulated in EIAO-TM, the feasibility to avoid impacts was first examined. Where impacts are anticipated, efforts were made to minimise the impacts such as by refining the extents or scopes. Mitigation measures were then provided to address the inevitable impacts.

9.8.1.2 Avoidance of recognised sites of conservation importance - All the recognised sites of conservation importance, including Country Parks, SSSIs, EISs, and existing / proposed Marine Parks have been avoided and will not be encroached by any developments under the present Project.

9.8.1.3 Avoidance of Tung Chung Bay and associated high value habitats - The majority of the habitat types with high or higher ecological values have been avoided. In the RODP, there will be no reclamation at TCW in order to protect the Tung Chung Bay.

9.8.1.4 As there is no reclamation inside Tung Chung Bay, the Tung Chung Bay (including coastal waters and estuary of Tung Chung Stream) and associated habitats including the seagrass beds, mudflats, mangroves habitats, will be preserved.

9.8.1.5 Avoidance of Tung Chung Stream - For terrestrial habitats, encroachment of Tung Chung Stream has been avoided. All natural sections of Tung Chung Stream (including the two main branches and the joined outlet section) and one major tributary at Ngau Au have also been provided with buffer zones to cover the riparian zone, except where overlapped with the road crossings of local distributors. The widths of buffer zones are in general 30m (except locations without sufficient space) for the two main branches and the joined outlet section, and in general 20m for the major tributary at Ngau Au. In principle, the buffer zones should not be less than the recommended widths except with constraints such as without sufficient space or adjacent to existing developed areas such as villages. The recommended widths of buffer zones are based on the previous practices for EIS and other approved EIAs. For example, 30m buffer area on both sides of the streams was provided for Sha Lo Tung Stream SSSI. Lin Ma Hang Stream has been designated as SSSI and is listed as one of the 33 EISs, and therefore the land corridor adjoining Lin Ma Hang Stream at the downstream area where there had already been settlements/community is also zoned "Green Belt" (~20m) to serve as a vegetated buffer to separate the village area from the river. Buffer zones of 5-20m were established in main streams on Kau Sai Chau for protection of habitats of aquatic fauna, including the endemic Atyid shrimp Caridina trifasciata during the construction works of the public golf course extension (Black & Veatch 2005). Caridina trifasciata are still found in these main streams during the construction phase as well as the operation phase monitoring for the public golf course. In the EIA study “North East New Territories New Development Areas Planning and Engineering Study – Investigation”, Ma Tso Lung Stream was ranked as high ecological value in the upper and midstream sections, and a buffer zone of 15-30 m is proposed and considered appropriate.

9.8.2 Considerations for Impact Minimisation

9.8.2.1 Selection of Proposed Development Areas in TCW PDA – Locations and extents of development parcels and other development areas in TCW PDA have been selected and adjusted to avoid as far as possible and minimise potential impacts to existing ecological resources. For example, developments in Fong Yuen area are limited to the Northern section of Fong Yuen area, which is more disturbed and fragmented, and thus of lower ecological value. The Middle Section and the Southern Section, which are of higher ecological value, were not proposed for developments and were zoned as Green Belt except a small area of existing urbanised/disturbed inside the Southern Section.

9.8.2.2 Preservation of Habitats with Ecological Values - Conservation or non-development land uses such as Conservation Area zoning, Coastal Protection Area zoning, Green Belt zoning, and Agricultural zoning, were proposed for various locations at TCW PDA. Developments within these zonings are basically prohibited. These areas will include Middle and Southern Sections of Fong Yuen area, Fung shui woods and part of the buffer zone of Tung Chung Stream.

9.8.2.3 Fung Shui Woods which fall within the RODP boundary will be covered by either CA or GB, except those in “V” land use zones which are following the current village area boundaries. Fung Shui Woods considered of higher ecological value (i.e. moderate to high) due to larger sizes and/or better conditions are covered by CA, while those of lower ecological value (i.e. moderate) due to smaller sizes or higher disturbance level are covered by “GB”.

9.8.2.4 The buffer zone for Tung Chung Stream will be zoned as “CA”, ‘CPA”, or “OU” except where overlapped with road crossings. For CA and CPA, only development needed to support the conservation of the existing landscape of scenic quality of the area or are essential infrastructure projects with overriding public interest may be permitted, such as the outlets of the Stormwater Attenuation and Treatment Ponds. For OU, this zoning is mainly proposed for polders and the future River Park. Though construction works will be required for the outlets, the polders and/or the future River Park, the scale of the construction works would not be large and mitigation to prevent site runoff affecting stream courses have been proposed under water quality assessment. Furthermore, these future polders and River Park would be managed by Government after construction, and could thus better protect the stream, and the Stormwater Attenuation and Treatment Ponds will have wetlands incorporated and could provide additional habitats for fauna. As discussed in Enhancement Measures below, native riparian tree and shrub species will also be planted on the earth-line polders and aquatic plants will be planted in biofiltration zone of Stormwater Attenuation and Treatment Ponds.

9.8.2.5 Non-development zoning on the RODP has been provided along a large section of Tung Chung Bay coastline such as CPA (as buffer zone) and RO/DO (with purpose-designed paths and landscape areas) to reduce potential disturbance impacts to the nearby natural habitats such as mangroves and mudflats in Tung Chung Bay, especially from the potential increase of visitors.

9.8.2.6 Limiting Works near Tung Chung Stream - Limited crossings for Tung Chung Stream would be required. It is understood the stream bed and stream banks would not be encroached, and the detail design would continue to explore suitable design so as to avoid the riparian area as far as possible.

9.8.2.7 Refinement of Road Alignment/Design to Minimize Impact on Fung Shui Woods - Small areas (0.04 ha) of Fung Shui Wood loss (near the crossing of Tung Chung Stream eastern branch, and near TCV-5b) will be caused by the road upgrading along the existing Shek Mun Kap Road due to the space constraints. It is recommended that during the later detailed design stage or construction stage, efforts should be made to reduce or even avoid the impact on Fung Shui Woods as far as possible, subject to the later refinement of the alignment, the layout design, and the number and locations of trees to be proposed felling.

9.8.2.8 Noise Barrier & Bird Collision – In order to minimise the potential impact of bird collision, only solid noise barrier will be used during construction phase. Noise barrier will only be erected at a few locations in the TCE PDA and TCW PDA during operation phase. Transparent noise barrier will be avoided as far as possible. If transparent panel will be used, stickers or other measures will be applied to increase the visibility of the panels to birds.

9.8.2.9 Reduction of the Reclamation Sizes - The total reclamation size under this Project has also been significantly reduced after the reclamation inside Tung Chung Bay was removed. On comparing to the original scheme with 50ha reclamation (see Section 2), the current scheme with the removal of TCW reclamation, has prevented loss or encroachment of ecological resources or deteriorations of water quality condition in Tung Chung Bay. The potential direct impact from reclamation has been minimised.

9.8.2.10 Location of the Reclamations - The entire TCE PDA development as well as the Road P1 (Tung Chung - Tai Ho Section) are on new reclamations. The footprint of the proposed reclamations is at the location among the lowest use, if not none, by CWD inside North Lantau waters, and is not found to be important for other marine fauna of conservation importance.

9.8.2.11 Adopting Non-dredged Method - In order to minimize the potential impacts caused by the reclamation, a number of alternative construction methodologies has been critically examined. After considering all the options such as fully dredged, partially dredged and non-dredged methods for seawall construction and reclamation, non-dredged method for both the seawall construction and reclamation are recommended. By adopting non-dredged method, several potential impacts have been minimised. The disturbance of seabed sediments will be greatly reduced without the dredging process, and the water quality impacts caused by suspended solid or sediment plumes will be minimised. This construction method also minimizes the generation of dredged materials, and in turn reduces the marine vessel trips for transportation of dredged materials, and finally reduces the potential of off-site impacts such as the associated impacts on water quality and marine ecology near the disposal facilities.

9.8.2.12 Maintaining Tai Ho Wan outlet - The design of the reclamation has taken into account the importance of the existing Tai Ho outlet for the ecology of Tai Ho Wan, and has minimized the extent of reclamation for Road P1, and maintaining the opening of the outlet in the new reclamation.

9.8.2.13 Avoiding the overlapping of construction programmes with concurrent projects – during the EIA study, the known and anticipated construction programmes of other concurrent projects have been examined. Based on the available information, the currently proposed reclamation construction programme for the present Project only overlaps with two concurrent marine projects, i.e. 3RS and the CMP at East Sha Chau. This has minimized the implications on water quality impacts due to concurrent projects.

9.8.2.14 No emergency discharge in TCE and TCW – Sewage pumping stations will be present in TCE and TCW, but there will be back up measures and suitable designs to prevent emergency discharge accidents.

9.8.2.15 Reducing the Capacity of the Proposed Marina – The scale of the proposed marina in TCE PDA has been reduced from a capacity for 350 vessels to the currently proposed capacity for 95 vessels.

9.8.3 Mitigation for Terrestrial Impacts

Compensation Woodland Planting

9.8.3.1 Compensation Woodland Planting is proposed to mitigate the woodland loss (total 5.72 ha, including 5.3ha from TCW PDA and 0.42 from the service reservoirs) and a small loss of Fung Shui Wood (0.20 ha). A search of area to mitigate the loss of woodland has been conducted. Priority has been given to the practicability of compensation of woodland within the boundary of RODP. Given the nature of the project is to provide development opportunities to satisfy the needs for the society in general and the aspirations of local communities (see Section 2), compensation of woodland is only possible for the areas beyond the RODP. Efforts have been also been expedited to identify locations that would be suitable for woodland compensation. After considering a number of requirements such as the existing vegetation cover, the accessibility for planting and future maintenance, and the ecological linkage with other existing habitats after the compensation woodland is established, it is considered that the areas adjoining the woodlands near the existing service reservoirs, and hillsides to the east of Tung Chung Road, would be suitable locations. The advantage of these locations is that there are existing woodlands immediately downhill to the location and the Sheung Ling Pei Fung Shui Wood is further downhill behind Sheung Ling Pei Village, planting new woodland areas adjoining existing woodlands would form an ecological linkage and increase the overall habitat size and hence would help to enhance the biodiversity and ecological values in the long run. And it is noted that the compensation trees for landscape impacts will also be planted near the future service reservoirs. With woodland compensation on the hillsides to the east of Tung Chung Road, further ecological linkage could be formed. These 3 major areas, of a total area about 11 ha, which have been identified as suitable for compensation woodland planting are illustrated in Figure 9.11. The selected locations are grassy/shrubby with little tree cover. The slope gradients ranged between 20^o to 30^o. Tree whips and shrub seedlings would be used for the planting mix. The feasibility of commencing woodland compensation planting as soon as practicable should be considered. The tree species to be planted should mostly be native species recorded at the Assessment Area (e.g. those reported in Appendix 9.2) for woodland compensation, and the two areas uphill to Sheung Ling Pei should also make reference to the existing tree species reported in FSW habitat. A list of plant species recommended for compensatory woodland planting is provided in Appendix 9.21. Early and timely arrangement with forest nursery for propagation of the seedlings should be made to ensure the availability of both the species and the quantity required.

9.8.3.2 With the 11 ha of compensation woodland, it is sufficient to mitigate the loss of about 6 ha of woodland and FSW from TCW PDA and service reservoirs. In addition to the native species, the planting list will also contain some fruit tree species which could provide habitats for wildlife including those reported in Orchard habitats. In order to protect the compensation woodland from potential disturbance by fires, fire resistant species (e.g., Schima superba) will be planted in the periphery. The compensation woodland will be maintained by the project proponent (i.e. CEDD) for 10 years before handing over to the government (i.e. Lands Department). The survival and conditions of the planted trees should be inspected during the maintenance period and replant where necessary.

Planting of Emergent Plant inside the future River Park

9.8.3.3 River Park is proposed at Tung Chung Stream, covering the full length of the channelized section together with the immediate upstream natural section alongside Fong Yuen area up to Shek Mun Kap Road. Though detailed design of the River Park has not been confirmed at this stage, it is anticipated that planting and features beneficial for ecology will be provided. It is suggested planting of emergent plant species including the larval food plant of the rare butterfly species Jhora Scrub Hopper, i.e. Leersia hexandra, should be provided in the future River Park, to provide habitats for this butterfly, and to compensate the loss of their habitats (wet abandoned agricultural land) in northern section of Fong Yuen. Currently the River Park covers an area size of about 3.98 ha, with about 3.3 ha land area (if excluding area of watercourses), and in which there is 1.25 ha of existing urbanised/disturbed area. It is suggested that at least 0.5 ha of emergent planting should be included in the future design of the River Park. A list of recommended plant species for the future River Park is shown in Appendix 9.22. It is recommended that the future operator of the River Park should make reference to the recommended plant list when designing the landscape and make early arrangement for the availability and sufficient quantity of suitable plant species.

Capture and Translocation Exercise

9.8.3.4 Within TCW PDA, amphibian species of conservation importance were recorded in some areas to be directly disturbed during construction phase, and mitigation measures are recommended. Romer’s Tree Frogs were mainly recorded near the eastern branch of Tung Chung Stream, inside or near orchard and woodland habitats. Chinese Bull Frog was found in orchard near Shek Mun Kap. Capture-and-translocation of amphibian species of conservation importance will be implemented in areas with sightings prior to site formation to minimize the impacts on these fauna species of conservation importance.

9.8.3.5 The exercise will cover areas for public works near the eastern branch of Tung Chung Stream, in particular 1) the River Park, 2) the Distributor Road along the eastern branch of Tung Chung Stream, 3) the road upgrade along the existing Shek Mun Kap Road, and 4) the stormwater attenuation and treatment ponds in TCV-k, TCV-e, TCV-l, TCV-c, and TCV-n. Capture-and-translocation exercise for those public works will be provided before site formation commences by the government departments responsible for the construction of those public works or the site formation works for those sites.

9.8.3.6 Capture-and-translocation exercise of amphibian species of conservation importance will also be required in TCV-1 and TCV-5 which are zoned for residential/commercial developments by private developers and the lands within mostly belong to private lots. The future project proponents of those private lots shall be requested to conduct capture-and-translocation exercise prior to site formation via the established mechanism for land transaction application. The requirements of these measures will be stipulated in the explanatory statement of the OZP.

9.8.3.7 The above public works and development parcels for residential are near the eastern branch, and cover the sighting locations, and are thus suitable for capture-translocation exercise. The exercise should be undertaken by ecologists with relevant experience. Besides the primary target of Romer’s Tree Frog and Chinese Bull Frog, other amphibian species of conservation importance should also be translocated if encountered during the capture exercise. Captured individuals will be released to suitable habitats with no or low records of these species during the exercises (e.g., Chinese Bullfrog: agricultural land in San Tau; Romer’s Tree Frog: woodland along the path to San Tau). Romer’s Tree Frogs captured in Chek Lap Kok were translocated to seven recipient sites with suitable habitats but no record of this species (Chan et al. 2005).

9.8.3.8 There are proven track records of translocation of amphibians in Hong Kong. Capture-and-translocation exercises of Romer’s Tree Frog had been conducted previously during the construction of the Hong Kong International Airport in Chek Lap Kok (Lau 1998). Post monitoring surveys showed that the populations were established in translocation. Capture-and-translocation exercise of Romer’s Tree Frog were also conducted during the construction stage of drainage improvement project in Mui Wo (Ecosystems Ltd. 2009).

9.8.3.9 Habitats of Romer’s Tree Frog will not be affected in TCE PDA, and hence capture-and-translocation exercise will not be necessary. Romer’s Tree Frogs were also recorded in area not be affected by construction works such as those to be zoned as CPA, and ravine woodland at upper section of Wong Lung Hang Stream. No capture-and-translocation exercise is needed for these areas.

9.8.3.10 Two criteria stated in Lau (1998) will be used in the selection of translocation sites of Romer’s Tree Frog. These included 1) a large area of forest or plantation; 2) suitable breeding habitats, i.e., shaded, slow-flowing or standing waters with plenty of leaf litter. For Chinese Bullfrog, locations with their preferred habitats (e.g., ponds, cultivated lands, streams, marshes) (Chan et al. 2005) will be selected as translocation sites.

Preservation and/or Transplantation of Plant Species of Conservation Importance

9.8.3.11 Preservation and/or Transplantation of plant species of conservation importance, including Aquilaria sinensis, Pavetta hongkongensis, and Gmelina chinensis will be conducted before site formation works. Though Goodyera procera and Gymnosphaera hancockii were not recorded in the present EIA study, if found before site formation works, these species will also be preserved and/or transplanted. Priority should be given to on-site preservation, especially for large sized individuals, and followed by transplantation, which is more feasible for small-sized individuals/seedlings.

9.8.3.12 Preservation and/or Transplantation of plant species of conservation importance will cover all areas for public works, provided before site formation commences by the government departments responsible for the construction of those public works or the site formation works for those sites. This measure will also be required in TCV-1 in where plant species of conservation importance were recorded, and which are zoned for residential/commercial developments by private developers and the lands within mostly belong to private lots. The future project proponents of those private lots shall be requested to conduct preservation and/or transplantation of plant species of conservation importance prior to site formation via the established mechanism for land transaction application. The requirements of these measures will be stipulated in the explanatory statement of the OZP.

Defining and Maintaining Construction Site Boundaries

9.8.3.13 Site hoarding should be erected along the interface with natural terrestrial habitats of moderate to high / high ecological value (including secondary woodland, Fung Shui Wood, natural section of Tung Chung Stream), if any, to properly delineate the works site boundary and screen and minimise the potential disturbance due to construction activities to the nearby habitats and associated terrestrial fauna during construction phase. In addition, erecting of site hoarding along northern section of Fong Yuen (i.e. TCV-6) is also recommended since sighting records of the rare butterfly Jhora Scrub Hopper were aggregated in the northern end of the middle section of Fong Yuen.

9.8.3.14 Fences will be installed along the buffer zones of the Tung Chung Streams, mature woodland and Fung Shui Wood to minimise trespassing to these habitats and plants of conservation importance close to the site boundary.

9.8.3.15 Access Roads: The development areas will be mostly accessed by existing road network during both construction and operational phases. The temporary or permanent loss of habitats due to construction of temporary or permanent access is kept to minimum.

Protection of Tung Chung Stream

9.8.3.16 Construction Works near Tung Chung Stream: Though encroachment on natural sections of Tung Chung Stream has been avoided, there will be developments in Tung Chung Valley and the site runoff might potentially disturb Tung Chung Stream. According to the RODP, a 30m buffer zone for the natural sections of Tung Chung Stream and a 20m buffer zone for the major tributary near Ngau Au will be zoned as “CA”, “CPA”, or “OU” (for polders and the future River Park), except the road crossing locations. Precast structures or other similar approaches will be used as far as possible to minimize the potential pollution from construction works. There will also be polders to be constructed for some sections of Tung Chung Stream. But the polders will be located at the landward side of the buffer zone and thus there will still be some distances to the stream channels. With the buffer zone, together with good site management which are stipulated in ProPECC PN1/94 and will be fully implemented so that the treated runoff will be discharged to public drainage system in compliance with the WPCO. Adverse impact on Tung Chung Stream is not anticipated.

9.8.3.17 Road Crossings at Tung Chung Stream and Polder Construction: The local distributors will be extended to connect to existing villages like Ngau Au, Lam Che, Nim Yuen and Mok Ka. Although a few sections of these local distributors (in a form of bridge deck) will have to span over the Tung Chung Stream and its tributaries, only the footings of the bridge deck, which are considerably small in size, will be located above high water mark near the stream banks. Considered that there is only relatively limited works for the footing construction and the area affected would likely be the area above high water mark with relatively less disturbance on ecological habitat. Precast structures or other similar approaches will be used as far as possible to minimize the potential pollution from construction works. Good site management as stipulated in ProPECC PN1/94 will be fully implemented so that the treated runoff will be discharged to public drainage system in compliance with the WPCO.. Adverse impact on Tung Chung Stream is not anticipated.

9.8.3.18 It is recommended that the design of crossings (likely to be in the form of bridges) should be reviewed at the detailed design stage of the project to determine the optimum design to minimise construction and operational phase impacts on Tung Chung Stream and on fauna using the stream courses. Design and construction parameters should be reviewed to address the following requirements and objectives:

· Maximization of the span of bridge piers to span over the stream course

· Minimization of the sizes of any piers within the 30m buffer zone

· Avoidance and minimization of changes to the hydrological regime of the stream courses; including avoidance of changes to flow of streams

· Minimization of the duration of construction, by giving consideration to off-site pre-fabrication of bridges and bridge elements

· Construction of each crossing will be scheduled so as there is no overlap, in order to reduce disturbance impacts

9.8.3.19 Similar exercises should be conducted for the polders at the detailed design stage of the project, to address the following objectives:

· Minimization of the duration of construction,

· Construction of the polders or section of polders will be scheduled to minimize overlapping or limit the works fronts, in order to reduce disturbance impacts

· To schedule the construction within dry season as far as possible

· Avoidance and minimization of changes to the hydrological regime of the stream courses; including avoidance of changes to flow of streams

9.8.3.20 During the construction phase, a temporary drainage system would be implemented to ensure that the surface run-off with high concentration of suspended solid (SS) would not be discharged to Tung Chung Stream. Runoff would need to pass through sedimentation tanks to reduce the concentration of SS. DSD Technical Circular No. 2/2004 and ETWB TCW No. 5/2005 which set out for the protection of natural rivers and streams from adverse impacts arising from construction works should be followed during construction works near streams. In accordance with the Practice Note for Professional Persons on Construction Site Drainage, Environmental Protection Department, 1994 (ProPECC PN 1/94), best management practices should be implemented on site as far as practicable to control site runoff and drainage at all work sites during construction. The best practices are detailed in Section 5 of EIA on Water Quality.

Other Site Practices

9.8.3.21 Standard Site Practices listed as follows would be implemented to minimise potential impacts, including dust, noise and site runoff, on the surrounding environment.

· Regular checking should be undertaken to ensure that the work site boundaries are not exceeded and that no damage occurs to surrounding areas;

· Implementation of mitigation measures specified in ProPECC PN 1/94 to control site runoff and drainage at all work sites during construction;

· Implementation of noise control measures at all construction sites to reduce impacts of construction noise to wildlife habitats adjacent works areas;

· Implementation of dust control measures at all construction sites to minimise dust nuisance to adjacent wildlife habitats during construction activities;

· Construction debris and spoil should be covered up and/or properly disposed of as soon as possible to avoid being washed into nearby waterbodies by rain;

· Good site practice and site precautionary measures will also be implemented to avoid the potential impact due to site runoff. Construction effluent, site run-off and sewage should be properly collected and/or treated. Wastewater from a construction site should be managed with the following approach in descending order;

· Proper locations for discharge outlets of wastewater treatment facilities well away from the natural streams/rivers should be identified; and

· Effluent monitoring should be incorporated to make sure that the discharged effluent from construction sites meets the effluent discharge guidelines;

· Supervisory staff should be assigned to station on site to closely supervise and monitor the works.

9.8.3.22 With the implementation of good site practice, the potential impact due to dust, noise and site runoff during construction phase is anticipated to be acceptable.

Prevention of Emergency Discharge in Proposed and Upgraded Sewage Pumping Stations in TCE and TCW

9.8.3.23 As detailed in the Section 6 on Sewage and Sewerage, there will be no emergency discharge from the proposed and upgraded sewage pumping stations in TCE and TCW, for the protection of ecological sensitive receivers of Tung Chug Stream and Tung Chung Bay. The following mitigation / additional provisions are proposed to enhance the sewerage network reliability and minimize the environmental impacts due to system failure or in case of emergency situations:

· 100% standby pumping capacity within each SPS, with spare pump up to 50% pumping capacity stockpiled in each SPS for any emergency use;

· Twin rising mains;

· Dual-feed power supply;

· Emergency storage facilities up to 6-hours ADWF capacity; and

· Emergency communication mechanism amongst relevant government departments.

9.8.3.24 With the implemented mitigation measures, emergency discharge of sewage from the proposed SPSs in TCE and TCW is not expected.

9.8.3.25 Furthermore, in order to prevent pipe bursting, it is proposed to adopt high density polyethylene (HDPE) pipe for proposed gravity sewers and rising mains. As gravity sewers will not be pressurized, they carry no risk of bursting. Further protection on proposed rising mains with concrete surround will be provided to mitigate the risk of bursting. With the above proposed measures, bursting discharge is not expected and no adverse impact on ecology due to bursting discharge is anticipated.

9.8.4 Mitigation for Marine Impacts

Eco-shoreline

9.8.4.1 There would be inevitable permanent losses of marine waters (sub-tidal soft bottom seabed and water column), and direct impacts on existing artificial seawalls due to the reclamation. For the direct impact on artificial seawalls, as they are of low ecological value, the impact is considered insignificant and specific mitigation measure is not required, and there will be new seawalls of longer length on the future new reclamations. The permanent losses of marine waters, given the relatively larger sizes, are considered Minor to Moderate, and provision of mitigation measures is recommended.

9.8.4.2 The present proposed reclamation location has taken into account the constraints and avoided sensitive ecological resources such as Tung Chung Bay and Tai Ho Wan in the area and is located in the waters of very low dolphin use, therefore the impact would be the loss of common marine waters habitats. If the design of the future seawall could be improved to provide higher ecological functions than normal seawalls, it is expected that the enhanced functions from the future seawalls could mitigate the impact of the loss.

9.8.4.3 Adopting Eco-shoreline design - An ‘eco-shoreline’ is any shoreline which provides beneficial functions to the local ecosystems through a range of active or passive solutions, whilst providing coastal protection. As discussed above, the proposed reclamation in TCE PDA and that for Road P1 (Tung Chung - Tai Ho Section) Extension would be constructed along the existing artificial seawall. While the original artificial seawall has limited ecological values, due considerations have been given to consider the practicability of enhancing these new artificial seawall by providing eco-shoreline, which would help to provide better ecological functions as compared to the existing artificial seawall. It is however noted that the western artificial seawall of TCE PDA would be close to the marine navigation channel which would constrain the implementation of eco-shoreline. For the new artificial seawall along the Road P1 (Tung Chung - Tai Ho Section) Extension, the possibility of implementing eco-shoreline would be relatively more favourable. The extent of the future eco-shoreline covering the coastline of Road P1 (Tung Chung - Tai Ho Section) as well as the eastern coastline of TCE PDA up to the opening of the marina is considered feasible and hence recommended.

9.8.4.4 While there are a number of variations on the approach of designing eco-shoreline (see Appendix 9.23 for some examples of Eco-shoreline), it is expected that the eco-shoreline (e.g. a sloping rip-rap form) could provide suitable habitats for colonization of intertidal and subtidal epifauna and juveniles of marine fauna and thereby effectively enhance the ecological function of the new seawalls. If feasible, a strip of platform with muddy substrates could be incorporated into the sloping seawalls to further facilitate the colonisation of estuarine plants and soft substrate fauna. It is therefore recommended that during the detailed design of the reclamation, a study should be conducted to investigate the proper form of eco-shoreline to be adopted for the artificial seawall along the reclamation for TCE PDA and Road P1 (Tung Chung - Tai Ho Section) Extension, and to devise the implementation scheme for incorporation into the reclamation construction programme. An Eco-shoreline study report covering the recommendations of the proper form of eco-shoreline to be adopted, the detailed design of the eco-shoreline and the implementation programme will be submitted for the approval of the authority before commencement of reclamation works.

Mitigation for Marine Water Quality

9.8.4.5 The construction phase water quality assessment has been detailed in Section 5 of this EIA report, and the relevant sections have been quoted in the above sections on construction phase indirect impacts related to water quality. The mitigation measures for water quality impacts are also discussed in Section 5 of this EIA report, and summarised below.

9.8.4.6 Based on the latest design, the use of non-dredged reclamation method is adopted. Should dredging be inevitable , suitable mitigation measures to the dredging activities should be implemented in accordance the recommendations in Section 5 of this EIA report.

9.8.4.7 Silt curtains have been proposed as mitigation for reclamation works in Chapter 5 of this EIA report. Other possible mitigation measures for inevitable dredging, if any, include using closed grab dredgers and control of dredge rate. Reduction in dredging rate (which in turn would prolong the dredging duration) will decrease the dispersion of suspended solids.

9.8.4.8 Besides, the number of concurrent dredging/filling work fronts should be limited, and the seawall should be constructed prior to the filling works. All reclamation filling works should be conducted within a leading seawall of 200m or enclosed by seawall.

9.8.4.9 The dredged marine sediment may contain organic materials and lead to a decreased in dissolved oxygen. Re-suspension of seabed sediment might potentially incur the release of contaminants, if any, into the seawater. If contaminants are present in the seawater, they may eventually be taken up into food chains. As non-dredged reclamation method was adopted, dredging activities would be limited. The above-mentioned mitigation measures for the dredging activities could further mitigate the DO depletion or the potential release of contaminants.

9.8.4.10 Good Site Practices for Water Quality in Marine Works – Section 5 of this EIA report has also detailed the good practices which shall be applied for the filling works, which are the largest potential sources for marine water quality impacts.

· Water quality monitoring (including monitoring at two stations within PTBMP) shall be implemented to ensure effective control of water pollution and recommend additional mitigation measures required;

· The decent speed of grabs shall be controlled to minimize the seabed impact and to reduce the volume of over-dredging according to the assumed filling rate in water quality assessment;

· A perimeter silt curtain shall be installed during the entire reclamation periods, and the integrity and effectiveness of all silt curtains should be regularly inspected;

· Barges or hoppers shall not be filled to a level which will cause overflow of materials or pollution of water during loading or transportation;

· Excess materials shall be cleaned from the decks and exposed fittings of barges before the vessels are moved;

· Plants should not be operated with leaking pipes and any pipe leakages shall be repaired quickly;

· Adequate freeboard shall be maintained on barges to reduce the likelihood of decks being washed by wave action;

· All vessels should be sized so that adequate clearance is maintained between vessels and the seabed in all tide conditions, to ensure that undue turbidity is not generated by turbulence from vessel movement or propeller wash; and

· The works shall not cause foam, oil, grease, litter or other objectionable matter to be present in the water within and adjacent to the works site.

9.8.4.11 Besides the above good site practices for filling works, there are also good site practices for pollution generated from general construction works and sewage from workforce (see Section 5.4). Effluent monitoring should be incorporated to make sure that the discharged effluent from construction sites meets the effluent discharge guidelines.

9.8.4.12 Strict enforcement on no-dumping - Restrictions prohibiting dumping of rubbish, food, oil, or chemicals should be strictly enforced. This should also be covered in the contractor briefings.

9.8.4.13 Spill response plan - There will also be a spill response plan if vessels operating in the works areas will be transporting oil or other hazardous chemicals. The oil spill response plan will have specific provisions for protecting marine ecological resources. Given these measures, the marine ecosystem in the area would be protected.

9.8.4.14 Maintenance Dredging during the operation of the Proposed Marina - The volume of dredged material would be relatively small as compared with the construction phase impact. As the SS release would be within a semi-enclosed bay, the dispersion of SS would be constrained locally. The SS impact to the closest receiver WSR 43 future seawater intake for Tung Chung, which is located 1.2km far away from the mouth of marina, is not anticipated. Silt curtain should be deployed to reduce the sediment dispersion from the dredging inside the marina.

Control and Minimisation of Marine Traffic

9.8.4.15 Disturbance impact to dolphin due to increase of working vessels is ranked as Minor to Moderate. It is recommended that approaches to reduce the marine traffic, including using larger-sized barges, land transportation of materials, and also reuse of excavation and C&D materials from the land-based works of the present Project, should be adopted as mitigation.

9.8.4.16 Larger-sized Barges - If barges of larger sized are used, more filling materials could be carried in each trip of the barges and it could reduce the marine traffic volume during construction. The feasibility of using larger barges for carrying filling materials has been investigated. The largest barge may be up to 5,000 tonnes in capacity and could be equivalent of 10-20 normal sized barges. But the number of this type of barges available in the region at the time of the present proposed reclamation would be subject to various factors, and therefore it could not confirm at this stage the amount or proportion of filling materials could be taken up by larger barges. But it is anticipated that if larger barge and land transportation (see below) are adopted for filling materials, it can help to reduce some (not more than 10%) of marine traffic. In the construction stage, the future contractors will be requested to submit a “Proposal on Reducing Marine Traffic” to authorities for approval before commencement of filling works, in which the contractors will need to detail measures adopted to reduce the marine vessel trip numbers and the traffic volume (except those for marine site investigation and survey works given the relatively minor number), including using more larger sized barges. The future contractors will have the responsibility to take into account the best available information at that time to verify the market availability at the time of construction and to arrange larger barges as many as possible for transporting the filling materials for the Project.

9.8.4.17 Land Transportation of materials - Besides using larger barge, transportation of fill materials via land traffic is also possible to reduce the marine traffic. The present Project involves near shore reclamation and the site could be accessed by land transportation. The feasibility of using land transportation for carrying filling materials has also been investigated. The land traffic capacity of the Tung Chung area should be considered. And thus it is subject to approval by government departments on the quantity of fill materials could be taken up by land transportation. It is anticipated that if larger barge (see above) and land transportation are adopted for filling materials, it can help to reduce some (not more than 10%) of marine traffic. In the construction stage, the future contractors will be requested to submit a “Proposal on Reducing Marine Traffic” to authorities for approval before commencement of filling works, in which the contractors will need to detail measures adopted to reduce the marine vessel trip numbers and the traffic volume (except those for marine site investigation and survey works given the relatively minor number), including using more land transportation. The future contractors will have the responsibility to arrange and/or apply land transportation for transporting the filling materials for the Project.

9.8.4.18 Reuse of C&D materials –In accordance with the waste management assessment of the present EIA, based on the construction programme, all inert C& D materials would be reused on-site during the whole construction phase, including the reclamation works. All C&D materials arising from the construction would be sorted on-site to recover the inert C&D materials and promptly remove all sorted and processed material arising the construction activities. It is expected that, though the exact quantity could not be confirmed at this stage, by reusing the inert C&D materials, it could replace a portion of the fill materials and reduce the marine traffic for the fill transportation. In the construction stage, the future contractors will be requested to submit a “Proposal on Reducing Marine Traffic” to authorities for approval before commencement of filling works, in which the contractors will need to detail measures adopted to reduce the marine vessel trip numbers and the traffic volume (except those for marine site investigation and survey works given the relatively minor number), including reuse of C&D materials. The future contractors will have the responsibility to arrange and collect C& D materials for replacing part of the filling materials for the Project.

9.8.4.19 Speed limits and regular routes of works vessels - The potential of marine traffic disturbance or collision risk due to the work-related vessel traffic flow during construction phase is also considered. The potential of an escalation in collision risk would be low as mainly large-sized and slower vessels. (It is considered that the high-speed outboard engine boats pose higher risk on collision.) But there still might be disturbance impact due to the marine traffic. Further to the above measures to reduce marine traffic volume, measures adopted by other EIAs for mitigating marine traffic disturbance on CWD, such as speed limits and regular routes, will also be applied to further mitigate the impact. In the construction stage, the future contractors will be requested to prepare and submit a “Works Vessel Travel Route Plan” to authorities for approval before commencement of filling works. The submission will cover the routes, the speed limit, and other practices the vessels need to adopt, except those for marine site investigation and survey works given the relatively minor number. Works vessels should follow regular routes to limit the extent of marine areas with works vessels traffic, especially within PTBMP. It is recommended that the future travel routes of TCE PDA will avoid and/or restrict the extents within ecologically sensitive areas targeted for CWD conservation. Works vessels also need to follow all existing regulations, restrictions, and practices for works vessels (such as speed limits, and any other practices). For examples, as part of the good site practices, the fill materials on the barges should be properly loaded to avoid any overflow of materials. The bottom openings of the hoppers should be properly maintained. The works vessels will be requested to adopt more stringent standards when inside PTBMP. For example, during normal circumstances, the works vessels should further reduce the speed from 10 knot (the statutory vessel speed within marine parks) to 8 knot. There should be no stopover or anchoring at the existing anchoring area within PTBMP, even these actions are not prohibiting by regulations. According to the latest planning of PTBMP, a Core Area around Siu Mo To will be designated to provide the highest level of protection to prey sources of CWD and fisheries resources.  No works vessels will enter the core area of PTBMP. The magnitude of any marine traffic disturbance impact would thus be controlled.

9.8.4.20 All the above recommended mitigation measures are considered feasible to implement and effective in mitigating the identified impacts. Implementation Schedule for these measures is provided in the EM&A Manual.

9.8.5 Precautionary Measures

Dolphin Exclusion Zone and Dolphin Watching Plan

9.8.5.1 The above assessment has indicated that the coastal waters off Tung Chung including the reclamation sites are of low dolphin use, and thus should not case significant impact. As a precautionary measure, Dolphin exclusion zone of 250m radius is suggested to be implemented in the reclamation and dredging sites during the installation of the perimeter silt curtains and any re-deployment of the perimeter silt curtains. A dolphin watching plan will be implemented for the exclusion zone. Works should not be commenced until a 30 minute of no dolphin sighting is made within the exclusion zone and will be suspended when any CWD is found within the exclusion zone.

9.9 Cumulative Impacts

9.9.1 Concurrent Projects

9.9.1.1 In order to assess the cumulative impacts, a review of best available information at the time of preparing this EIA report to identify a number of other projects that are undergoing planning, design, construction and/or operation within the construction and/or operation period for this Study has been conducted and a list of the concurrent projects identified at this stage is provided in Section 1.9 of this EIA report, with Figure 1.4 showing the locations of these concurrent projects. Among the concurrent projects, not all of them are relevant to ecology. Some projects would have their marine works finished before the present Project construction (e.g. HKBCF), and thus irrelevant to cumulative impacts in construction phase in particular marine ecology and water quality. Some other projects would not cause permanent marine habitat loss (e.g. Contaminated Mud Pits at East Sha Chau and Contaminated Mud Pits at South of the Brothers), and thus not relevant to the cumulative impacts of permanent marine habitat loss and hydrodynamics in operational phase. For terrestrial ecology, the potential of occurrence of cumulative impacts would be mostly determined by the nature of the projects, the project scales, and the distances between the projects.

9.9.1.2 The table below (Table 9.31) summarises the relevancy of these concurrent projects. A total of 26 concurrent projects, which are based upon the 20 projects presented in the Project Profile for the present Project (PP-523/2015) and amended in accordance with the latest information, are included in the table, and their relevancy to ecology are examined individually.

9.9.1.3 For the contributions/influences related to water quality, as the water quality impact assessment has already considered the relevant projects during both construction phase (mainly the sediment release), and operation phase (mainly the influences on hydrodynamics and pollution loading), the assessment on marine ecology in above sections which have made reference to water quality results have already addressed the potential cumulative impacts related to water quality, and thus those impacts would be briefly recapped based on the assessment results from above sections.

Table 9.31 Concurrent projects and relevancy with ecology

Item	Concurrent Projects	Programme	Potential cumulative impacts (Construction Phase)	Potential cumulative impacts (Operational Phase)
1	Construction of additional sewage rising mains and rehabilitation of the existing sewage rising main between Tung Chung and Siu Ho Wan	Start – 2016 Complete - 2025	Not relevant to marine ecology; Potential cumulative disturbance impacts to terrestrial habitats near TCE PDA and Road P1.	Not relevant to terrestrial or marine ecology as no disturbance caused by the operation.
2	Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge - Hong Kong Boundary Crossing Facilities ((HZMB HKBCF, being constructed)	Start – 2011 Complete - 2016	Not relevant to marine ecology as marine works to be completed by 2016; remaining land works, if any, unlikely affect CWD or terrestrial ecology.	Relevant to cumulative marine habitat loss; unlikely to cause disturbance on terrestrial ecology given the distance.
3	Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge - Hong Kong Link Road (HZMB HKLR, being constructed)	Start – 2012 Complete - 2016	Not relevant to marine ecology as marine works to be completed by 2016; remaining land works, if any, unlikely affect CWD or terrestrial ecology.	Relevant to cumulative marine habitat loss; unlikely to cause disturbance on terrestrial ecology given the distance.
4	Tuen Mun Chek Lap Kok Link (TM-CLKL, being constructed)	Start – 2011 Complete – 2018 (*It is anticipated that the key construction elements for the southern and northern connection would be substantially completed by 2016, with the anticipated commissioning date of the northern connection in 2018)	Not relevant to marine ecology as marine works anticipated to be substantially completed by 2016; remaining land works, if any, unlikely affect CWD or terrestrial ecology	Relevant to cumulative marine habitat loss; unlikely to cause disturbance on terrestrial ecology given the distance.
5	Proposed New Contaminated Mud Marine Disposal Facility at Airport East / East Sha Chau Area	Operation from 2012-2023	Relevant to marine ecology, as the operation overlapped with Tung Chung Reclamation programme. Sediment release rate included in construction phase WQ.	Not relevant to terrestrial or marine ecology, as this marine project will be completed before the operation phase of the present Project, and no contribution to cumulative marine habitat loss. But the bathymetry included in Water quality impact assessment
6	Integration of Siu Ho Wan and Silver Mine Bay Water Treatment Works	Start – 2013 Complete - 2018	Not relevant to terrestrial or marine ecology, as no disturbance or encroachment to habitats	Not relevant to terrestrial or marine ecology, as no disturbance or encroachment to habitats nor discharge.
7	Organic Waste Treatment Facilities Phase 1 (OWTF)	Start – 2014 Complete - 2016	Not relevant to terrestrial or marine ecology, as no disturbance or encroachment to habitats	Not relevant to terrestrial or marine ecology, as no disturbance or encroachment to habitats
8	Possible Lantau Logistics Park	Not available, assumed to be in operation by Yr 2026 for WQ purposes	Not relevant to assessment of construction phase impacts on terrestrial or marine ecology as no programme is available.	Relevant to cumulative marine habitat loss; unlikely to cause disturbance on terrestrial ecology given the distance.
9	Expansion of Hong Kong International Airport into a 3-Runway System (3RS)	Start – 2015 Complete - 2023	Relevant to marine ecology, as the construction overlapped with Tung Chung Reclamation programme.	Relevant to cumulative marine habitat loss; unlikely to cause disturbance on terrestrial ecology given the distance.
10	Further Landscape Enhancement to North Lantau Highway (NLH)	N/A	Not relevant; Land-based Project, positive for ecology	Not relevant; Land-based Project, positive for ecology
11	Planned developments in the existing Tung Chung New Town such as residential developments at Tung Chung Area 27, Area 39, Area 54, Area 55 and Area 56 and hotel development at Tung Chung Area 53a	Start – 2013 Complete - 2019	Not relevant to marine ecology as Land-based project; Potential cumulative disturbance impacts to terrestrial habitats near TCW PDA	Not relevant to marine ecology as Land-based project; Potential cumulative disturbance impacts to terrestrial habitats near TCW PDA
12	Greening Master Plans for New Territories South West – Investigation, Design and Construction	N/A	Not relevant as Land-based Project, positive for ecology	Not relevant as Land-based Project, positive for ecology
13	North Commercial District (NCD) of Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA)	Start – 2015 Complete - 2019	Not relevant to marine ecology as Land-based Project; unlikely to cause disturbance on terrestrial ecology given the distance.	Not relevant to marine ecology as Land-based Project; unlikely to cause disturbance on terrestrial ecology given the distance.
14	Dredging, Management and Capping of Contaminated Sediment Disposal Facility to the South of The Brothers	Operation from 2012, completed by 2017	Not relevant to terrestrial or marine ecology, as the operation completed by 2017.	Not relevant to terrestrial or marine ecology; No contribution to cumulative marine habitat loss.
15	Proposed The Brothers Marine Park	Start – 2014 Complete - 2016	Not relevant to terrestrial or marine cumulative impacts; Positive for ecology	Not relevant to terrestrial or marine cumulative impacts; Positive for ecology
16	Topside Development of HZMB HKBCF	N/A	Not relevant to marine ecology as Land-based Project; unlikely to cause disturbance on terrestrial ecology given the distance.	Not relevant to marine ecology as Land-based Project; unlikely to cause disturbance on terrestrial ecology given the distance.
	Cumulative Environmental Impact Assessment Study for the Three Potential Nearshore Reclamation Sites in the Western Waters of Hong Kong
17	- Sunny Bay Development	N/A	Not relevant to assessment of construction phase impacts on terrestrial or marine ecology as no programme is available.	Relevant to cumulative marine habitat loss; unlikely to cause disturbance on terrestrial ecology given the distance.
18	- Siu Ho Wan	N/A	Already addressed by LLP above which is a worse case with a larger proposed reclamation layout than that of Siu Hi Wan	Already addressed by LLP above which is a worse case with a larger proposed reclamation layout than that of Siu Hi Wan
19	- Lung Kwu Tan reclamation	N/A	Not relevant to assessment of construction phase impacts on terrestrial or marine ecology as no programme is available.	Relevant to cumulative marine habitat loss; unlikely to cause disturbance on terrestrial ecology given the distance.
20	Harbour Area Treatment Scheme Phase 2A (HATS 2A)	Start – 2008 Complete - 2016	Not relevant to terrestrial or marine ecology, as this marine project will be completed before the construction of the present Project. No contribution to potential cumulative impact on construction phase water quality	Not relevant to terrestrial or marine ecology, as this marine project will have no contribution to cumulative marine habitat loss, while the pollution loading has been considered in water quality assessment.
21	Providing Sufficient Water Depth at Kwai Tsing Container Basin and its Approach Channel (KTCB)	Start – 2013 Complete - 2016	Not relevant to terrestrial or marine ecology as this marine project will be completed before the construction of the present Project, so no contribution to potential cumulative impact on construction phase water quality	Not relevant to terrestrial or marine ecology, as this marine project will have no contribution to cumulative marine habitat loss, and also no discharge.
22	Cross Boundary Hub in Siu Ho Wan	N/A	Not relevant to assessment of construction phase impacts on terrestrial or marine ecology as no programme is available.	Not relevant to terrestrial or marine ecology as this land-based project is not close to the habitats in Tung Chung Valley around the present Project and the cumulative marine habitat loss due to the reclamation has been covered by its site formation stage (the above Siu Hi Wan reclamation under CEIA).
23	Proposed Leisure and Entertainment Node at Sunny Bay	N/A	Not relevant to assessment of construction phase impacts on terrestrial or marine ecology as no programme is available.	Not relevant to terrestrial or marine ecology as this land-based project is not close to the habitats in Tung Chung Valley around the present Project and the cumulative marine habitat loss due to the reclamation has been covered by its site formation stage (the above Sunny Bay reclamation under CEIA).
24	Proposed Marina at TCE (While the site formation of the marina has been included in the TCE reclamation, the operation of the marina will be implemented by other future project proponent and thus is considered a concurrent project)	Start – 2024 Complete - 2030	Not relevant to terrestrial or marine ecology.	Potential impacts on CWD due to marine traffic of the vessels
25	Proposed Sports Ground at TCE (While the site formation of this project has been included in the TCE reclamation, its superstructure/ operation will be implemented by other future project proponent and thus is considered a concurrent project)	Start – 2024 Complete - 2030	Not relevant to marine ecology as Land-based Project; Potential terrestrial impacts have been considered as within the PDA boundaries.	Not relevant to marine ecology as Land-based Project; Potential terrestrial impacts have been considered as within the PDA boundaries.
26	Proposed Railway Stations at TCE and TCW (While the locations for these stations are within the TCE and TCW PDA boundaries, its superstructure/ operation will be implemented by other future project proponent and thus is considered a concurrent project)	To be operated by 2026 and 2024 respectively	Not relevant to marine ecology as Land-based Project; Potential terrestrial impacts have been considered as within the PDA boundaries.	Not relevant to marine ecology as Land-based Project; Potential terrestrial impacts have been considered as within the PDA boundaries.

9.9.2 Existing Threats to CWD in North Lantau Waters

9.9.2.1 CWD is a key concern for marine works and development projects in the Western Hong Kong waters. In recent years, a decline in the abundance of individuals utilizing Hong Kong waters, especially North Lantau waters, has been observed, and a number of factors are considered as existing threats to their habitat use in North Lantau waters. It is required in the EIA SB that the assessment of the cumulative impacts on CWD should consider their existing threats in North Lantau waters. The identified existing threats include the following:

· Dolphin Habitat Loss;

· Vessel Collision and Disturbance from High Speed Ferries (HSF);

· Disturbance from Works Vessel Marine Traffic and Marine Construction Works;

· Marine Water Pollution;

· Depletion of Food Resources; and

· Incidental Entanglement.

9.9.3 Cumulative Impacts during Construction Phase

9.9.3.1 Construction Phase Marine Water Quality - Dredging and dumping might cause deteriorations of marine water quality. If marine projects in particular reclamation projects involve dredging, the seabed sediments will be disturbed and pollutants inside sediments might be released. Similarly, dumping of disposal materials, especially contaminated mud, might also increase the pollutant levels in the marine waters. Effluents from sewage treatment works are also a source of pollutant for marine waters. Currently there are a few reclamation projects being conducted or proposed in North Lantau waters. There are also two contaminated mud disposal sites, as well as a few discharge points of sewage treatment works in North Lantau waters. The construction phase cumulative water quality impacts were considered with other projects which will have their construction programmes concurrent with the present Project. It is anticipated that the on-going HZMB construction works would be finished before the construction programme of the present Project and thus no overlap with the present Project is anticipated. In the water quality assessment, the sediment release rates for 3RS, Contaminated Mud Pit at East Sha Chau (CMP) and Tung Chung reclamation (TCE PDA and Road P1 (Tung Chung - Tai Ho Section)) are taken into account. Based on the filling programme, the sediment release rate during construction is predicted, and it is found that there is no overlapping with the 3RS construction, according to the information from 3RS EIA. However, overlapping with CMP activities is identified, and the cumulative impact from CMP has been incorporated in the construction phase water quality impact assessment. Furthermore, as a sensitivity scenario, scenario of slippage of 3RS construction programme has also been assessed in the water quality assessment. The assessment on marine ecology in the above sections which have made reference to water quality results have already addressed the potential cumulative impacts related to water quality, and thus those impacts would not be repeated here. To summarise, the water quality results indicated that no exceedance would be caused by the present Project with water quality mitigation measures in place. When concurrent projects are considered (both 3RS normal programme and 3RS slippage), however, exceedance in SS are found in limited locations (up to 2 WSRs), but they are caused by sediment release from other concurrent projects, either CMP or 3RS, rather than from the present project. The contribution from the present project to the suspended solid level is very low, only below or up to 2% of the cumulative SS level. Indeed, it should be noted that the water quality assessment has taken a very conservative approach, and the exceedances are predicted under the assumption of the worst case scenario, i.e. the maximum sediment disposal rate allowed under the Environmental Permit of the CMP. This is however not likely to occur under normal CMP operation of which dumping of sediments are controlled and reviewed by the authorities. This cumulative impact is thus considered as Minor.

9.9.3.2 Collision Risk – It is known that high speed vessels such as outboard engine speedboats and jet ferries would pose impacts to marine mammals due to noise disturbance and collision risk. In Hong Kong, the demand of HSF increased rapidly in recent years and their traffic flow volume in North Lantau waters, such as from HKIA to various destinations in Mainland, also increased significantly. With these frequent HSF traffic in North Lantau waters, the habitat use by CWD has been disturbed and reduced. It is known that high speed vessels such as outboard engine speedboats and high-speed ferries (HSF) would pose risks of collisions to dolphins. The composition and quantity of marine traffic caused by the present Project and other concurrent projects are examined. The vessel types involved in the construction of the present and other concurrent projects will not involve HFS or other high speed vessels. The marine traffic caused by the present Project and concurrent projects are mainly composed of works vessels such as those for transportation of filling materials. These works vessels, given their design purposes, are not high speed vessels. There are also some vessels for workers in 3RS construction (such vessels are not needed for the present Project) but they are not high speed vessels neither. Speed limit requirements for works vessels have been proposed in 3RS and the present Project, and are expected to be adopted in other later projects. No significant cumulative collision risk impact is anticipated, and it is ranked as Insignificant.

9.9.3.3 Disturbance from Works Vessel Marine Traffic and Marine Construction Works - Other than HSF, the traffic of other slower vessels such as works vessels, if in substantial numbers, will also affect the quality of the marine waters as CWD habitats. The marine construction works might also cause disturbance impacts to CWD due to the equipment movement or the noise during the works processes. Since the commencement of HZMB construction works in 2012, currently marine works sites for different projects/contracts are located in various areas within North Lantau waters, and these have implications on the quality of North Lantau waters as CWD habitat. During the construction phase, construction barges and other vessels will be required during the formation of the reclamation for the present Project. There might be a cumulative disturbance impact, in particular on CWD, due to the marine traffic and the marine construction works from different projects if their marine works programmes overlapped. Among the concurrent projects, only two projects have marine works overlapped with the present Project, i.e. CMP at East Sha Chau and 3RS. Other concurrent projects are either to be completed before the present Project such as HZMB, or without any programme at this stage such as the three potential reclamations under CEIA. For the CMP at East Sha Chau, the marine traffic would be mostly the vessels for dumping, which however would be determined by the demands of the applicants and thus could not be forecasted at this stage. As stipulated in the 3RS EIA, during peak construction periods from 2016 Q2 to 2017 Q4, the number of construction vessel movements to and from the west of the works area being 120, and to and from the east of the works area being 60. The works programme of the proposed reclamation is expected to cover a duration of about 6 years from 2017 to 2023 (see Table 2.32). Within the 6 year reclamation works programme, in accordance with the Marine Impact Assessment, the majority of marine works, as well as vessel traffic, will be conducted in the first 5 year time between 2017 and 2022, with the peak period of marine works (mainly for filling) from mid-2018 to end of 2019 (with about 42-56 vessels per day) (see Table 9.32 below), which will not overlap with that of 3RS. During the non-peak duration of 3RS construction, the average number of construction vessel movements would be much lower, i.e. to and from the west of the works area being 42, and to and from the east of the works area being 22. While for the present Project, in non-peak duration, the daily vessel number would range from 6 to below 30 (see Table 9.32 below). The cumulative vessel number would be around 120 (about 56 form the present project and 64 from 3RS) during the peak duration for the present project between mid-2018 and end of 2019, and should be lower for a large portion of the construction programme (i.e. less than 30 from the present project and 64 from 3RS). As a worst case scenario, if there is a slippage of 3RS construction programme and the peak durations of both projects overlapped, the worst case scenario cumulative vessel number would be around 236 (about 56 form the present project and 180 from 3RS). There is a potential of cumulative disturbance impacts on marine ecology in particular CWD which are more sensitive.

9.9.3.4 It should be noted that the predicted major route for works vessels in 3RS would be mostly outside Hong Kong waters. In 3RS, the bulk (about two third) of barging volume has been directed to arrive at the works area principally via the west (those vessels will leave Hong Kong waters shortly after leaving the 3RS reclamation site), only the remaining will utilise the existing fairway in Hong Kong waters such as Urmston Road. For the present Project, as it is predicted that public fill is the majority of fill materials, most of the transportation vessel trips would be between TCE PDA and the two public fill stations, one in Tune Mun and one in TKO. One of the major routes would thus be a short trip between the TCE PDA and Tuen Mun, which would have low utilization of Urmston Road and little overlap with the routes of 3RS works vessels. Regular routes of works vessels are also proposed as mitigation for controlling disturbance due to works vessels in both the present project and the 3RS. All these works vessel routes have to be approved by authorities (e.g. Proposal of Works Vessel Travel Routes for the present Project) prior to commencement of construction, and will take into account constraints, speed regulations, good site practices, and sensitive areas such as the existing and proposed Marine Parks at North Lantau waters (including the proposed The Brothers Marine Park), and will follow all requirements of existing legislation. Indeed, in the real practices of construction, the vessels will be scheduled to arrive the construction sites at different time periods of a day, and thus the predicted daily numbers of vessels in either projects would not all be present at the same time. This cumulative impact would thus be ranked as Minor to Moderate, similar with that for individual project. Besides, further mitigation measures have been proposed (including using more larger sized barges, increase the proportion of land transportation, and reuse of C&D materials, to reduce part of the marine vessels trips and reduce the traffic volume. Given the above, the potential cumulative disturbance impact on marine ecology would be acceptable after the implementation of the measures to reduce marine traffic volume.

9.9.3.5 While for the noise and disturbance on CWD from marine construction activities, as this impact would occur around the disturbance sources, i.e. the equipment such as grab or the activities such as filling, within respective construction sites and would diminish with distance, it is unlikely to have cumulative effects as the works sites of those concurrent projects are separated and are not close with each other. There will not be cumulative effects on the noise and disturbance impacts from construction works.

9.9.3.6 Therefore the present Project would only have very low contribution to the cumulative impact, including those on CWD.

9.9.3.7 Incidental Entanglement – It is known that trawling might accidentally trap marine mammals which forage near the fishing vessels. With the trawl ban implemented in end of 2012, this risk to CWD has also been reduced. There are also concerns, even though the risk is low, on entanglement of CWD due to silt curtains surrounding marine project works sites. The potential risk of CWD entanglement due to silt curtains surrounding marine project works sites of the present Project has been assessed in sections above. Other concurrent projects either are implementing or have proposed measures to prevent this risk such as silt curtain inspections or dolphin exclusion zone and watching plan. No significant cumulative impact on CWD entanglement is anticipated.

9.9.3.8 Disturbance Impacts to Terrestrial Habitats - Land-based projects that would have their implementation/construction programmes overlapped with the present Project include the additional sewage pipelines to Siu Ho Wan STW and the planned residential and hotel developments in the existing Tung Chung New Town. These concurrent land-based projects will be conducted on formed or developed areas, and would mainly involve normal construction works but no large-scaled site formation works. The disturbance level would be low and the potential of causing cumulative disturbance impacts to terrestrial habitats would also be low. Disturbance to terrestrial habitats from marine projects in North Lantau during their construction phase, such as 3RS, is anticipated to be negligible due to the long distance. No cumulative disturbance impacts on terrestrial habitats is anticipated.

Table 9.32 Estimation of marine traffic during the duration of major marine works for reclamation (* the dates shown in this table are for marine traffic estimation purposes, and subject to adjustment to meet the actual commencement of the reclamation works programme)

Projects	Duration
	2017Q3 & Q4	2018Q1 & Q2	2018 Q3 & Q4	2019 Q1 & Q2	2019 Q3 & Q4	2020 Q1 & Q2	2020 Q3 & Q4	2021 Q1 & Q2	2021 Q3 & Q4	2022 Q1 & Q2
Tung Chung Reclamation	6	16	43	42	56	29	29	29	23	6

9.9.4 Cumulative Impacts during Operation Phase

9.9.4.1 Marine Habitat Loss in particular for CWD - Cumulative marine habitat loss impact was considered with other concurrent reclamation projects in North Lantau waters. Among the proposed reclamations in North Lantau waters (e.g. 3RS, HKBCF, LLP), the reclamation under the present Project is of relatively smaller scale. Assessment on the cumulative ecological impact from various projects in North Lantau waters has also been addressed in the 3RS EIA, which will have the largest contribution on marine habitat loss impact, and a loss of approximately 1,384 ha of marine habitats was anticipated from all concurrent projects in the North Lantau waters and it is considered as moderate impact, in which a considerable portion (about 49%) would be contributed by the 3RS and the present Project would only be a smaller contributor among all concurrent projects (about 10 %). This size of anticipated total marine habitat loss is reviewed and updated with the latest information in this EIA. Firstly, an additional 13ha due to Road P1 should be included. The Cumulative Environmental Impact Assessment Study for the Three Potential Nearshore Reclamation Sites in the Western Waters of Hong Kong (CEIA) includes three proposed nearshore reclamation sites in Siu Ho Wan, Lung Kwu Tan and Sunny Bay. These reclamation sites are considered as concurrent projects in the present EIA. For Sunny Bay, the reclamation layout in the EIA Study Brief (ESB-272/2014) of Sunny Bay Development was adopted as the best available information. For the Siu Ho Wan reclamation, as its layout or size is not available at this stage, the LLP reclamation layout was adopted instead. Since the reclamation layout of LLP is larger than the expected Siu Ho Wan reclamation layout, the incorporation of LLP layout has represented the worst case scenario. These two proposed reclamations indeed have been considered in the 3RS EIA and included in the cumulative marine habitat loss size presented in 3RS EIA. The only exception is Lung Kwu Tan reclamation. For the Lung Kwu Tan reclamation, the reclamation layout in CEIA (of about 200-300ha in size) was adopted in the present EIA. With these additional sites included, the loss of marine habitats due to all concurrent projects in the North Lantau waters will reach up to about 1,700 ha. This is a conservative assumption as it has included the 180 ha of Container Terminal 10 Development at Southwest Tsing Yi (CT10), which is not a concurrent project based on latest information but had been considered by 3RS EIA as a worst case scenario.

9.9.4.2 With regard to the cumulative loss of marine ecological habitats, the severity of the impact should be similar with that concluded in 3RS EIA, i.e. a moderate impact, as the additional marine areas to be lost, including Road P1 and Lung Kwu Tan reclamation, are not of high ecological value especially for CWD (see below section). Furthermore, a considerable portion (about 40 % based on 672ha out of 1,700 ha) of the total area to be lost would still be contributed by the 3RS project. It is noted that 3RS EIA has proposed mitigation measures to compensate its contribution on the cumulative marine habitat loss. The present Project would still be a smaller contributor among all concurrent projects (about 8.5 % based on 145ha out of 1,700 ha). It is considered the provision of Eco-shoreline will also compensate for the small contribution by the present Project on the cumulative marine habitat loss. Therefore, there will be no significant residual impact for the cumulative loss of marine habitats.

9.9.4.3 About 1,400 hectares of sea area have been reclaimed in Hong Kong’s western waters due to the construction of Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) in the mid-1990s. The on-going Hong Kong - Zhuhai - Macao Bridge (HZMB) construction, which includes HKBCF, HKLR and TM-CLKL, will reclaim about 215 ha of sea area in North Lantau waters upon their completions. The construction associated with the proposed 3RS, with its EIA has been approved, will reclaim 672 ha of the sea in Hong Kong’s western waters. Within the CWD habitat range inside Hong Kong, these developments have been causing a reduction of dolphin habitat size available within Hong Kong waters. For dolphin habitat loss, the reclamations of the present Project are located at the location with very low dolphin use (possibly among the lowest in the North Lantau waters). It is also stated in the Three Runway System EIA Study that the coastal waters of the present Project is known as low-density area for CWDs. The recent CEIA (AECOM 2014) has reviewed the results from a site specific dolphin survey at three potential nearshore reclamation sites including Siu Ho Wan and Lung Kwu Tan. The boundary for Siu Ho Wan study area indeed covered the eastern end of Road P1 (Tung Chung - Tai Ho Section) footprint. However, no sighting of CWD was recorded inside or near the location of Road P1 (Tung Chung - Tai Ho Section). This also supported that the waters within the footprint of Road P1 (Tung Chung - Tai Ho Section) are also of low dolphin use. It is thus not considered that the present Project will have significant contribution to the cumulative marine habitat as well as dolphin habitat loss impact. Even with those additional concurrent projects considered, the three sites from CEIA are either located in dolphin low use area or will reduce/adjust the reclamation sizes to address dolphin issues. For Lung Kwu Tan, no CWD have been observed within its proposed boundary during the site specific dolphin survey. The additional loss of marine areas thus would not have significant influences of the habitat size actually used by CWD. It is considered that there is no significant residual impact for the cumulative loss of dolphin habitat due to the present Project.

9.9.4.4 Carrying capacity: There are concerns on the potential reduction of carrying capacity for the local CWD due to the various reclamation projects in North Lantau waters. In the case of CWD, it would be the maximum number of CWD that could be supported by their habitat, i.e. Pearl River Estuary. The habitat loss impact above has addressed the habitat size available for the Pearl River Estuary CWD population and the reclamation of the present project only occupies a small portion of the CWD habitat range. Besides the space available, the carrying capacity is also affected by other limiting factors, and food resources might be the most crucial one. For CWD, their food sources are mainly fish in estuarine environment. In addition to a direct loss of the dolphin’s habitats, reclamation has also affected fishery resources, which subsequently leads to a decrease in food supply for the dolphins. The fisheries production in the reclamations of the present Project was low based upon AFCD Port Survey data and other data as illustrated in the fisheries impact assessment for the present EIA study, and thus not likely to significantly contribute to the food sources of the CWD population. 3RS, as the major contributor to the cumulative fishing ground loss, has proposed mitigation measures including fisheries enhancement plan and a marine park of substantial sizes to mitigate the impact on fisheries resources. Other concurrent projects are either nearshore reclamation or outside the high production area. A study on the cumulative impacts from three potential nearshore reclamation sites has been conducted, including investigation of the cumulative fisheries impacts. It is considered in the CEIA (AECOM 2014) that the major impact would be the loss of marine waters habitat by reclamation. However, the waters to be affected are of low to moderate fisheries production in term of weight and value. It was also revealed that there would be no direct loss of important spawning or nursery grounds or artificial reefs from the three potential reclamation proposals. In Hong Kong, overfishing has long been attributed to the depleted local fishing production, but a trawl ban has been implemented in end of 2012, and this has prevented further destructive fishing activities and thus depletion of fisheries resources inside Hong Kong waters. In North Lantau waters, areas around Sha Chau and Lung Kwu Chau, the Brothers, and near Tai O are of high fisheries production, up to 200-400 and 400-600 kg/ha (see AFCD Port Survey 2006). These areas are either being currently protected by designated Marine Park (such as Sha Chau and Lung Kwu Chau Marine Park), or will be proposed as marine parks (such as the proposed The Brothers Marine Park), and thus are likely preserved. It is therefore not likely to have a significant cumulative impact on the carrying capacity of CWD.

9.9.4.5 Habitat Fragmentation and Movement – It is known that local CWD individuals would migrate between different areas inside Hong Kong waters. In marine ecosystems, fragmentation is less common than on land as the continuity of marine waters is rarely completely cut off even in the case of reclamation. For CWD, the possibility of a habitat fragmentation impact caused by the TCE PDA is unlikely, as the location of TCE PDA is an area of lowest use and sightings by CWD, and is situated at the southwest corner of the central part of North Lantau waters, at the opening of Airport Channel, which was not reported being used by CWD normally. If any CWD individuals need to move between the hot spots such as the Brothers, the Sha Chau, and the west Lantau, it is not likely they need to go through the area of the reclamation proposed. Other concurrent reclamation projects are mostly nearshore reclamations which either should have lower implications on dolphin movement corridors or located away from the TCE PDA. The potential of an escalated habitat fragmentation impact or obstacles on movement corridor due to the presence of those nearshore reclamations is not likely. The only exception is 3RS, for which the EIA has identified moderate impact on travelling areas to the north of Airport Island and connectivity between CWD core habitats, but establishment of a new marine park as linkages between the current SCLKCMP and the proposed BMP has been proposed. As the present Project would not cause fragmentation impact and also far away from the water north of Airport Island, no significant cumulative impact on the habitat fragmentation or movement of CWD is anticipated.

9.9.4.6 Marine Water quality - Major projects currently under construction, including the TM-CLKL, HKBCF, HKLR and HATS 2A are expected to be completed and in operation before or by end of Year 2016. For the Expansion of HKIA 3RS, it is anticipated to be commissioned by 2021/2022. The three proposed nearshore reclamation sites in Siu Ho Wan, Lung Kwu Tan and Sunny Bay under CEIA are also considered as concurrent projects in this study. For the projects Providing Sufficient Water Depth at Kwai Tsing Container Basin and its Approach Channel (KTCB) and MDF (South of The Brothers), these projects will not involve land formation, but change in bathymetry. These projects are anticipated to be completed by end 2016.

9.9.4.7 For hydrodynamics, as all above concurrent projects will be completed by Year 2030, Year 2030 is adopted as the assessment year for operation phase in this study. The results of the operational phase hydrodynamic modelling works presented in Chapter 5 indicated no significant water quality impact during the operational phase is anticipated.

9.9.4.8 For Pollution Loading, besides these concurrent projects, the modelling of operation phase water quality has also taken into account not only Siu Ho Wan STW which will receive the sewage from the present Project, but also other STWs. The model was updated with the effluent discharge from major STWs, including Siu Ho Wan STW, Pillar Point STW, Yuen Long STW, San Wai STW, Shatin STW, Tai Po STW, Stonecutters Island STW, and Sham Tseng STW in the North Western WCZ and Western Buffer WCZ. Victoria Harbour WCZ and Deep Bay WCZ, according to the latest information on design plant capacity and discharge license requirement for the pollution loads.

9.9.4.9 As in the case of construction phase cumulative marine water quality impact, the assessment on marine ecology in above sections which have made reference to water quality results have already addressed the potential cumulative impacts related to water quality, and thus those impacts would not be repeated here.

9.9.4.10 Marine Traffic - Potential cumulative disturbance impact on CWD during operation phase is considered. The proposed development includes a marina of 95 berths in TCE PDA. The above sections have assessed that the marine traffic due to the leisure vessels from the marina is not expected to cause significant impacts during the operation phase. It is also not expected that other concurrent projects would produce marine traffic in the areas close to the TCE PDA, and therefore it is unlikely there will be cumulative disturbance impact on CWD from the marina marine traffic.

9.9.4.11 Disturbance Impacts to Terrestrial Habitats - The HKBCF (topside development), 3RS and Siu Ho Wan reclamation (represented by Lantau Logistics Park) will be distant away from Tung Chung Valley, and hence the cumulative impact of terrestrial disturbance due to noise and lighting during operation phase will be unlikely. No significant impact due to fragmentation, pollution emission, lighting and noise to terrestrial habitats of North Lantau and associated fauna was predicted during the EIA studies of TM-CLKL and HKLR, or 3RS. With the implementation of the recommended mitigation measure and/or design approach in the respective projects, significant cumulative impact on the important habitats and sites of conservation importance in North Lantau is not anticipated. There are also residential developments and hotel development at various locations in Tung Chung proposed by Housing Department.

9.9.4.12 There are a potential of cumulative disturbance impacts if the construction programme of the housing department development and the present Project overlap. However, those housing department developments are mostly located within or close to the existing Tung Chung New Town (outside the present RODP) and the site formation for those sites are mostly finished. Significant contribution to cumulative impacts on terrestrial habitats is not anticipated.

9.9.4.13 Therefore the present Project would only have very low contribution to the cumulative impact including those on CWD. It is considered that there is no significant residual impact for the cumulative loss of marine habitats due to the present Project.

9.10 Residual Impacts

9.10.1 Residual Impacts for Terrestrial Ecology

9.10.1.1 Residual environmental impact refers to the net environmental impact after the implementation of all mitigation measures, with the background environmental conditions and the impact from existing, committed and planned projects in nearby areas being taken into account.

9.10.1.2 Among the terrestrial habitat loss, the loss of woodland habitat and small area Fung Shui Wood would be mitigated by the compensatory woodland planting. The loss of wet abandoned agricultural land would be mitigated by the planting inside the future River Park, and the loss of orchard will be mitigated by the modified woodland planting. Enhancement planting will be conducted on the polders, and the biofiltration zone of SUDS. Urbanised/disturbed will be reprovided by the future development areas.

9.10.1.3 Residual impacts would include net loss of 4.77 ha of dry abandoned agricultural land, 1.92 ha of dry active agricultural land, 5.61 ha of shrubland/grassland, 1.94 ha of plantation and 0.16 ha of water courses.

9.10.1.4 The terrestrial habitats to be lost are common habitat types in Hong Kong and also in North Lantau. The ecological values are not high. The residual impact of the loss is considered acceptable.

9.10.1.5 For construction phase indirect impacts, it was found in the assessments, that the identified indirect impacts (i.e., noise, dust and human activities) to the terrestrial habitats, flora and fauna species would only be Minor or Insignificant during both construction phase and operation phase. With the recommended mitigation measures (e.g., good site practices) in place, the impact will be minimised to very low level and acceptable. As a result, no adverse residual impact is anticipated during both construction and operation phases.

9.10.1.6 A table on the evaluation of residual impacts on terrestrial ecology is provided below.

9.10.2 Residual Impacts for Marine Ecology

9.10.2.1 Residual impacts associated with the construction and operation phases have been assessed.

9.10.2.2 The permanent loss of 145 ha of marine waters habitat (water column and sub-tidal soft bottom seabed) is considered of low to moderate impact. The reclamation area constitutes only a very small proportion of the overall habitat range of the CWD population in Hong Kong, and is located in the very low use location. The implication of the habitat loss on CWD would be low. The coastal marine waters habitat and the soft bottom seabed habitat to be lost is common habitat type in the western Hong Kong waters, and the area to be lost is not important for any species of conservation importance. With mitigation by Eco-shoreline to compensate the loss of the general functions of these marine habitats, the residual marine habitat loss impacts are acceptable.

9.10.2.3 There are also a series of measures to minimise the disturbance impacts from works vessels on CWD. With the implementation of those measures to minimise the disturbance to CWD, the residual impacts on the CWD population in Hong Kong are not expected to be significant and considered acceptable.

9.10.2.4 For the construction phase, water quality assessment indicated that with the design measures and good practices, adverse water quality impact is not anticipated. No residual adverse water quality impacts are anticipated.

9.10.2.5 The loss of 3.8 km of artificial seawalls habitat will be reprovisioned by the seawall of the future reclamations.

9.10.2.6 The residual impact of this loss is considered acceptable. A table on the evaluation of residual impacts on marine ecology is provided below.

Table 9.33 Evaluation of residual impacts on terrestrial and marine ecology

Factors for Residual Impact	Terrestrial Ecology	Marine Ecology
Effects on public health and health of biota or risk to life. If the impacts may cause adverse public health effects and/or adverse impacts to the health of rare and/or endangered species or pose an unacceptable risk to life and /or survival of a wildlife species, they are considered as key concerns.	In this chapter, only biota will be considered. Compensation woodland will be provided for the loss of woodland, small areas of Fung Shui Wood, and the functions of orchard habitat. Wetland plants will be provided in the future River Park for the impact on wet abandoned agricultural lands. The habitat types which would have residual loss impacts are all of low ecological value or the loss is very small. Transplantation of and compensatory planting for plant species of conservation importance directly impacted by the project as far as practicable. Residual impacts due to loss of these species are not expected to be significant. Compensation woodland will be provided to mitigate the potential impact to woodland dependent fauna species of conservation importance. Capture-and-translocation exercise will be implemented to mitigate the potential impact to Romer’s Tree Frog and Chinese Bullfrog. Potential impact to other fauna species of conservation importance is considered minor or insignificant, and will be further minimised by implementation of good site practice. Residual impacts to these species are not expected to be significant.	In this chapter, only biota will be considered. Though northern Lantau waters are part of the CWD habitat range and contain two high use areas in Sha Chau Lung Kwu Chau and West Lantau, the TCE PDA and Road P1 (Tung Chung - Tai Ho Section) will be situated at a corner of the waters where the dolphin use is among the lowest in North Lantau waters. Habitat loss for a species might lead to the reduction of resources available and might have implications on the fitness on survival or reproduction of individuals, population or even the species. The waters to be impacted by the present project however have very low significance/contribution to the CWD resources given the very low dolphin use and low fisheries production. Other impacts due to construction works which might have implications on CWD such as noise and working vessels will be temporary, reversible and mitigation measures have been recommended to reduce the magnitude of impacts. For working vessels, the proposed restrictions (including speed limit and regular routes), together with the measures to reduce working vessel number (by using larger barge, land transportation, and reuse excavation materials) could mitigate the impacts of working vessels on CWD . For other marine life, there was no rare/endangered species present within the reclamation site and the impacted areas are common habitats in North Lantau waters.
Magnitude of the adverse environmental impacts. Magnitude refers to the scale of the adverse environmental impacts. If the impacts are major, they are considered as key concerns. The extent to which the project would trigger or contribute to any cumulative impacts when considered in conjunctions with the existing and potential impacts from other projects shall also be considered.	Impacts of loss of woodland and Fung Shui Wood is considered moderate, but compensation woodland will be provided to mitigate. Cumulative impact due to concurrent projects is not expected as no land-based project in the vicinity. Residual impact will be net loss of terrestrial habitats which are common in Hong Kong and also in North Lantau, and with low ecological values. With the recommended mitigation measures (e.g., good site practices) in place, the impact to terrestrial habitats and associated flora and fauna during construction and operation phases will be minimised to very low level and acceptable.	The adverse impacts from the loss of marine habitats due to TCE PDA and Road P1 (Tung Chung - Tai Ho Section) reclamation in isolation are expected to be low to moderate on general marine life/marine ecosystem. For CWD, the impacts are expected to be even lower as their use in the reclamation area is very low. If concurrent projects are considered, the severity of the cumulative CWD habitat loss is considered relatively small in comparison to the population’s range, but significant in relation to the individuals using Hong Kong waters. The contribution from the present project on the cumulative CWD habitat loss is however small. With appropriate mitigation measures implemented for each concurrent project, the impact is expected to be brought into the acceptable level. Other construction phase impacts would be temporary and reversible. Implementing the appropriate recommended mitigation measures is expected to reduce these to acceptable levels.
Geographic extent of the adverse environmental impacts. Widespread environmental impacts are of greater concern than localised adverse environmental impacts. The extent to which adverse environmental impacts may occur in areas away from the site for the designated project, including long range transportation of pollutants shall be considered.	The habitat loss impact would be confined within the proposed land use zoning while construction works disturbance impacts would be localized.	The habitat loss impact and most of construction works disturbance impacts would be localized, within the works area. Impacts which would potentially have off-site effects include transportation of fill and dredged materials, and water quality. As non-dredged method will be used, the quantity of dredged materials would be very small. Fill materials will be either collected at the public fill sites in Tuen Mun and TKO of Hong Kong or imported from mainland, would not involve the southern Hong Kong waters. Water quality assessment results demonstrated that with mitigation in place, there will be no adverse impacts on WSRs which include ecological resources within the assessment area such as marine parks and habitats for concerned species.
Duration and frequency of the adverse environmental impacts. Normally more weight shall be given to long term, persistent and /or frequent environmental impacts in determining the project’s environmental acceptability. Future adverse environmental impacts as well as their likelihood should also be considered.	The majority of the predicted construction impacts are considered temporary and reversible. During operation phase, habitat loss is a permanent impact, but mitigation will be provided for habitats of higher ecological value including woodland, Fung Shui Wood, and wet abandoned agricultural lands. Other operation phase impact include disturbance, runoff, air pollution, habitat fragmentation, lighting, barriers and bird collision. These impacts are found either minor or insignificant, and should not affect the terrestrial ecology.	The majority of the predicted construction impacts are considered temporary and reversible. During operation phase, habitat loss is a permanent impact, but the significance to CWD would be small. Other operation phase impact include marine traffic from the future marina. The traffic volume is expected to be low and the leisure vessels are not high-speed and should not pose risk of collisions with CWD.
Likely size of the community or the environment that may be affected by the adverse impacts. Those adverse impacts affecting larger numbers of people or greater areas of ecosystem shall be considered of greater importance.	The direct impacts and most of the disturbance impacts would be confined within the works area.	The direct impacts and most of the disturbance impacts would be confined within the works area for the reclamation. The affected area is of low importance for CWD.
Degree to which the adverse environmental impacts are reversible or irreversible. Irreversible adverse environmental impacts shall be considered as key concerns. The planned decommissioning or rehabilitation activities that may influence the degree to which the adverse environmental impacts are reversible or irreversible may be considered.	Construction phase impacts should be reversible, but operation-phase impacts associated with habitat loss f will be permanent and irreversible. However, mitigation will be provided for habitats of higher ecological value including woodland, Fung Shui Wood, and wet abandoned agricultural lands.	Construction phase impacts should be reversible, but operation-phase impacts associated with habitat loss will be permanent and irreversible. However, the affected area is of low importance for CWD, and Eco-shoreline is proposed to mitigate the loss of the marine habitats.
Ecological context. More weight shall be given to those adverse impacts that occur in areas or regions that are ecological fragile and /or rare or undisturbed or which have little resilience to imposed stresses.	The TCW RODP mainly covers the low land areas of Tung Chung Valley and the Wong Nai Uk area, which are both partially disturbed by existing villages. The upper Tung Chung Valley, which is more natural and intact, has been avoided. Developments inside the RODP also avoid ecologically sensitive areas such as Tung Chung Stream, the middle and southern sections of Fong Yuen. The proposed service reservoirs are expanded from the location of an existing service reservoir.	North Lantau waters has been subject to disturbance from high speed vessels and development over the years, since the HKIA construction. But the proposed reclamations are located at the location of low ecological importance.
Degree of disruption to sites of cultural heritage. Which means what disruptions would be caused to the site which would affect its archaeological, historical and /or palaeontological significance.	Not applicable	Not applicable
International and regional importance. Those adverse impacts which affect and issue of interactions and regional concern shall be regarded as important.	Unlikely to have adverse impacts on international and regional concern as the proposed developments are mainly residential or commercial uses, with low disturbance levels.	Though the North Lantau waters are part of the habitat range of the Pearl River Estuary CWD population, the dolphin use in the reclamation footprint is very low, and has low significance on the conservation of this population.
Likelihood and degree of uncertainty of adverse environmental impacts. If the adverse environmental impacts are uncertain, they shall be treated more cautiously then impacts for which the effects are certain and the precautionary principle shall apply.	The proposed developments are mainly residential or commercial uses, with low disturbance levels. Without any heavy industrial uses, there will not be risk of accidental events with implications on ecological resources.	Nearshore reclamations are not uncommon in Hong Kong, and the impacts have been encountered and handled before. The affected marine habitats are of low importance to CWD and are common habitat types in western Hong Kong waters. The degree of uncertainty is low.

9.11 Environmental Monitoring and Audit (EM&A)

9.11.1 EM & A for Terrestrial Ecology

9.11.1.1 Monitoring for Compensatory Planting Woodland: monitoring on the compensatory planting woodland should be performed on regular basis after the first (including in advance) planting, to monitor the survival of trees and establishment of the woodland including wildlife use. Survival and establishment of planted woodland at the three planting locations will be monitored quarterly for 3 years. The monitoring surveys shall be carried out by a qualified botanist. Survey in each woodland planting location will commence three months after completion of planting. Selected individuals of each planted species will be tagged and percentage survival computed. Supplementary planting will be recommended when necessary. Wildlife use of the planted vegetation will be monitored.

9.11.1.2 Monitoring of emergent plant inside River Park: Planting of emergent plant species including the larval food plant of the rare butterfly species Jhora Scrub Hopper, i.e. Leersia hexandra, should be provided in the future River Park. Survival and establishment of plantings in the future River Park will be monitored quarterly for 2 years. The monitoring surveys shall be carried out by a qualified botanist. Survey in the future River Park will commence three months after completion of planting. Selected individuals of each planted species will be checked and percentage survival computed. Supplementary planting will be recommended when necessary. Wildlife use of the planted vegetation will be monitored.

9.11.1.3 Monitoring of translocated amphibians: Monitoring surveys will be conducted for the translocated amphibians. The effectiveness of the translocation programme will be assessed through surveys in breeding habitats and determine whether breeding occurs. Evidence of breeding will include calling males, findings of eggs and tadpoles. At least three surveys will be conducted in each release site after the translocation. Surveys will be carried out during the breeding seasons of Romer’s Tree Frog (March to September) and Chinese Bullfrog (March to September) (Chan et al. 2005)

9.11.1.4 Monitoring of transplanted plant species of conservation importance: Surveys will be conducted to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the preservation and transplantation programme. Survival and conditions of transplanted plant individuals as well as individuals to be preserved in-situ will be monitored. For transplanted individuals, the monitoring will be two years, and the frequency will be monthly for the first year, and then quarterly for the second year. For the in-situ preserved plant individuals, the monitoring will be conducted monthly throughout the construction period. The monitoring surveys shall be carried out by a qualified botanist. The condition of the tree-protection zone, if any, should be regularly checked.

9.11.1.5 Tung Chung Stream monitoring: For protection of Tung Chung Stream and verifying the effectiveness of mitigation measures, monitoring on Tung Chung Stream is recommended for public works in or near Tung Chung Stream, including construction of River Park (together with the revitalization of channelized section of Tung Chung Stream), road crossings spanning over Tung Chung Stream, polders, and stormwater attenuation and treatment ponds. The monitoring should include pre-construction baseline survey, construction phase monitoring and post-construction monitoring. The monitoring items should cover the environment of the stream courses, the water quality, and the stream fauna. During the works period, monitoring shall also identify and evaluate any impacts with appropriate actions taken as required to address and minimise any adverse impact found. Details are presented in the stand-alone EM&A Manual.

9.11.1.6 Wong Lung Hang Stream monitoring: Similarly, to verify the effectiveness of mitigation measures during the construction for the Service Reservoirs which are located within the catchment of Wong Lung Hang Stream, monitoring on Wong Lung Hang Stream is recommended, which should follow the methods adopted for Tung Chung Stream.

9.11.2 EM & A for Marine Ecology

9.11.2.1 Some mitigation/ precautionary measures on marine ecology described above including Dolphin Exclusion Zone and vessel speed limit and routes will be implemented as part of the construction phase EM&A programme. Besides specific marine ecological monitoring should also be performed in two areas of high ecological values.

9.11.2.2 Eco-shoreline monitoring: The colonisation and establishment of fauna and/or flora on the eco-shoreline at TCE PDA and Road P1 reclamation should be monitored. The monitoring survey should include quantitative ecological survey methods and measurements of water quality parameters, and cover dry and wet seasons. As it is expected that this measure will also benefit fisheries species in the marine ecosystems, besides ecological components, the monitoring should also include monitoring on fisheries resources (in particular the recruitments of fisheries species). The details of the monitoring requirements, methodology and programme will be proposed in accordance with the design and targets of the Eco-shoreline, with the submission of the Eco-Shoreline Design Study.

9.11.2.3 Tung Chung Bay monitoring: though not being directly impacted by the Project and the indirect impacts on the habitats inside are evaluated as not significant, given the high ecological importance of Tung Chung Bay and with a view to addressing public concerns, ecological monitoring would also be provided for the bay, including baseline monitoring before reclamation, construction phase monitoring during the reclamation process, and post-construction monitoring.

9.11.2.4 Tai Ho Wan monitoring: Similarly, monitoring on Tai Ho Wan is recommended, which should follow the methods adopted for Tung Chung Bay.

9.12 Enhancement Measures

9.12.1 Considerations for Enhancement Measures

9.12.1.1 As discussed above, the residual ecological impacts would be acceptable after the implementation of the proposed mitigation measures.  However, environmental enhancement has always been one of the key considerations during the design process of the present EIA study. It is therefore proposed to consider ecological enhancement measures that would help to enrich the ecological resources through the implementation of the proposed development.  A summary of the proposed ecological enhancement measures is given below.

9.12.2 Terrestrial Enhancement Measures

9.12.2.1 Planting of aquatic plants in biofiltration zone of stormwater attenuation and treatment ponds– There would be stormwater attenuation and treatment ponds in TCW PDA. While these stormwater attenuation and treatment ponds are primarily used for receiving and treating surface runoff and alleviating the flood risk during heavy rainfall, the design of these stormwater attenuation and treatment ponds has provided an opportunity to have a synergy to enhance both the ecological and landscape values together. Depending on detailed design, part of these stormwater attenuation and treatment ponds (mainly the biofiltration zone) could be refined in an appropriate manner, without compromising its primary functions of treating surface runoff and flood protection, to incorporate ecological design such as planting of butterfly foodplant for Jhora Scrub Hopper and/or providing habitats for amphibians.

9.12.2.2 Revitalization of channelized section of Tung Chung Stream – A River Park has been proposed in TCW PDA. This River Park would include the revitalisation of a channelized section of approximately 415m long and 15m in width. Unlike the natural section of Tung Chung Stream, the ecological value of this engineered section is very limited as it is currently paved and channelized. This engineered channel has also broken up the ecological connection between the upstream natural section of Tung Chung Stream and the estuary downstream, especially with some existing vertical stepping along the channel. Once, the proposed revitalization work of the channelized section is completed, habitats for aquatic fauna will be provided, and the original ecological connection between the upstream section of Tung Chung Stream and the downstream Tung Chung Estuary would be restored. This enhancement measure would provide substantial improvement on the ecological function of the Tung Chung Stream.

9.12.2.3 Restoration and enhancement of degraded habitats inside 30m buffer zone – the River Park will also cover a section of 30m buffer zone to the west of Fong Yuen area which are currently containing a large portion of low value habitats mainly urbanised/disturbed habitat. With the River Park implemented, suitable planting will be conducted in these areas and thus enhancement of ecological functions are anticipated.

9.12.2.4 Introducing Sustainable Urban Drainage System (SUDS) within TCW PDA - New developments would inevitably bring additional surface runoff. For the proposed development in TCW PDA in particular, additional runoff discharged into Tung Chung Stream is a concern. Unlike the conventional drainage system in which surface runoff would pass through gullies to filter off dirt and debris and then discharged into the receiving water bodies, the proposed SUDS within Tung Chung Valley includes a number of new and innovative features to address the high ecological concern of Tung Chung Stream and the downstream estuary. The SUDS would include the provision of a series of regional stormwater attenuation and treatment ponds. Bringing these new green design ideas to Tung Chung Valley would help to minimise the water quality impacts due to surface runoff discharged into Tung Chung Stream.

9.12.2.5 Planting on the earth bunds of polders should be provided to provide habitats for wildlife recorded in the area and increase the utilization as corridor by fauna species of conservation importance. Native plant species providing nectar or berry could be planted along polders to enhance the wildlife uses of Tung Chung Valley and increase the value as breeding habitats, mainly butterflies and birds, and also enhance the connectivity provided by the 30m buffer along Tung Chung Stream adjacent to the polders, during operation phase. Reference should be made to previous local experience on eco-garden. Priority should be put on native species when selecting plant species. While details of the planting for earth bund is subject to detailed design to suit operational and maintenance requirements, a schematic diagram of the polders is shown in Appendix 9.24.

9.12.3 Marine Enhancement Measures

9.12.3.1 Including Eco-Features within the Marina – In the proposed marina, the berthing area for vessels would be on the eastern side of the marina, the feasibility of introducing eco-features along the western side of the marina could be considered. The brackish water in the western Hong Kong is suitable for mangrove colonisation, but usually the seawalls could not provide soft substrates for mangroves. Design in the main drainage channels in Yuen Long area demonstrated that putting platforms with mud substrates along sloping boulder shores could facilitate mangrove planting or even natural colonisation. It is recommended that as an enhancement measure platforms with muddy substrates will be provided and various mangrove tree species will be planted following their natural zonation pattern. Part of the surface runoff collected by the drainage system of the future TCE PDA could be diverted and discharged close to these mangrove planting, to allow the mangrove planting absorbing part of pollutants and also to further reduce the salinity. Boardwalks or viewing platforms will be provided along the shore and/or through these planting mangroves. These mangrove plantings are of dual purposes, providing habitats for fauna in mangroves and estuarine areas, and also providing an education demonstration of mangrove zonation pattern.

9.13 Conclusions

9.13.1.1 The present EcoIA covers terrestrial ecology and marine ecology. The assessment area for terrestrial ecology covers 500m distance from the project elements including the two PDAs of TCE and TCW, the service reservoirs and the sewer alignment. The assessment area for marine ecology covers three WCZs, i.e. North Western WCZ, North Western Supplementary WCZ, Western Buffer WCZ, and areas likely to be affected by the Project.

9.13.1.2 Ecological baseline was established by both literature review and field surveys, with the ecological survey programmes covering from 2012 to 2015, to fulfil the EIA SB. Information from literatures such as approved EIA including 3RS has also been incorporated for establishment of baseline conditions.

9.13.1.3 Within the assessment area, a number of recognised sites of conservation importance (Country Park, SSSIs, existing and proposed Marine Parks) were found but all outside the Project Area. Many important habitats such Tung Chung Bay, Tai Ho Wan, Tai Ho Stream and Wong Lung Hang are also outside the Project Area. But sections of Tung Chung Stream are within the TCW PDA.

9.13.1.4 TCW PDA is located to the west of Tung Chung New Town and extending to Tung Chung Valley which contains some habitats of ecological value such as Tung Chung Stream and Fung Shui Woods. The proposed service reservoirs are outside the TCW PDA but is located close to Country Park and Wong Lung Hang.

9.13.1.5 Approaches for avoiding and minimisation of impacts have been considered. No development or channelization of Tung Chung Stream is proposed and buffer zones of 20-30m are provided for protection. A lot of areas inside Tung Chung Valley have been preserved by non-development zoning on the RODP such as CA, CPA, GB, AGR, especially those with higher ecological values such as Fung Shui Woods, Fong Yuen area.

9.13.1.6 Most habitats to be lost, such as urbanised/disturbed and orchard, are of low ecological value. The potential impact of loss of woodland is considered as moderate. Small areas of fringe of Fung Shui woods (about 0.2 ha) will be inevitable affected due to flood protection works for villages and road widening given the space constraints, but the final loss might be further minimised during the later stage of the layout plan refinements. Although the ecological value of orchard was ranked as low, the potential impact loss of this type of habitat was considered minor to moderate due to the large area affected (about 18.11ha). The potential impacts due to loss of the other types of habitats were all considered minor or insignificant. The service reservoirs will not encroach Wong Lung Hang or North Lantau (Extension) Country Park.

9.13.1.7 In order to minimize the potential impact due to habitat loss and site formation, a number of mitigation measures will be implemented. Compensation woodland planting of total area of 11ha will be provided and in advance planting will be explored. Planting list will include tree species targeting to mitigate the loss of Fung Shui Wood and Orchard by ecological functions.

9.13.1.8 Plant species of conservation importance will be retained or transplanted as far as possible in public works, and private residential/commercial developments inside TCV-1 before site formation commence. Capture-and-translocation exercise for amphibians of conservation importance including Romer’s Tree Frog and Chinese Bullfrog will be implemented at areas with sightings, including public works near the eastern branch of Tung Chung Stream and private residential/commercial developments inside TCV-1 and TCV-5 before site formation commence.

9.13.1.9 Revitalization of the existing channelized section of Tung Chung Stream will be provided with that section together with the riparian zone in Fong Yuen area to be zoned for a future River Park, which will be designed and managed by government. As an enhancement measure, planting will also be provided on the future polders. Sustainable Urban Drainage System (SUDS) will also be provided as enhancement measure.

9.13.1.10 Regarding the marine ecological impact, no reclamation or development of intertidal habitats is proposed in Tung Chung Bay, and thus there will be no direct impact on Tung Chung Bay or San Tau Beach SSSI. TCE PDA is located to the north of Tung Chung New Town over coastal waters. Together with the Road P1, proposed reclamation will cause marine habitat loss, but the area is of very low importance to Chinese White Dolphin. The construction and operation of the Project would still cause certain marine habitat loss. Due to the inclined seawalls, the actual loss of coastal waters habitat (water column and subtidal soft-bottom seabed) will be larger than the sizes on RODP. About 145 ha of seabed will be lost due to the 129.1 ha of reclamation (measured at the High Water Mark level) from both TCE PDA and Road P1. The impact is considered Minor to Moderate. During the construction phase, there will be another 55 ha of temporary marine habitat loss due to the marine works area for an about 6 year duration. The existing artificial seawall of Tung Chung New Town of 2.3km and a section of seawall from Tung Chung New Town to Siu Ho Wan MTR Depot of 1.5 km will be lost during the construction of the TCE PDA and Road P1 (Tung Chung - Tai Ho Section). The potential impact due to loss of seawall is ranked as Insignificant. It should be noted that there will be 3.3km of new seawall in TCE PDA and 1.8 km in the Road P1 (Tung Chung - Tai Ho Section) after completion of the Project.

9.13.1.11 The potential disturbance on CWD due to the work-related vessel traffic flow during construction phase is considered Minor to Moderate, while the potential disturbance due to the marina traffic during operational phase is considered as Insignificant.

9.13.1.12 The construction and operational phase water quality modelling has also taken into account concurrent projects. The water quality assessment results have been detailed in Section 5 of this EIA report, and the results have been adopted for assessment of construction phase and operational phase indirect impacts related to water quality. The magnitudes of the water quality related impacts range from Insignificant to Minor. Occasional exceedances are mostly caused by either contributions from concurrent projects or the high background level. Mitigation measures for water quality impacts have been proposed under water quality assessment and the results indicated no significant water quality impact during the operational phase is anticipated.

9.13.1.13 Approaches for avoiding and minimisation of impacts have also been considered for marine ecology. As the reclamation in Tung Chung Bay for TCW PDA has been removed, and thus the total marine habitat loss has been much reduced. Non-development zoning on the RODP has been provided along a large section of Tung Chung Bay coastline such CPA as buffer zone and the low disturbance RO/DO. There will be no emergency discharge from any sewage pumping stations, design/measures will be implemented to enhance the safety of the sewage pumping stations. Eco-shoreline will be provided on the future reclamation seawalls as mitigation for loss of general marine waters habitat, to provide better ecological functions when compared with the traditional artificial seawall. Measures to reduce the construction phase marine traffic, including using larger-sized barges, land transportation, and also reuse of C&D materials, have been recommended as mitigation. Works Vessel Travel Route Plan is also required for the present Project prior to commencement of construction, in which constraints, speed regulations, and good site practices will be taken into account, and will follow all requirements of existing legislation.

9.13.1.14 For cumulative impacts, a total of 26 concurrent projects are included, and their relevancy to ecology is examined. Most of the concurrent projects would not be relevant to terrestrial ecology due to the distance or nature of the projects.

9.13.1.15 The present Project will only contribute a small proportion of the cumulative marine habitat loss among all concurrent projects in the Western Hong Kong waters. The loss of 145 ha marine habitats from the present Project would be about 8.5 % of the anticipated 1,700 ha cumulative marine habitat loss.

9.13.1.16 For potential cumulative disturbance impacts from works vessels, the overlap of marine traffic with concurrent projects would be small and with the mitigation measures proposed to reduce part of marine traffic volume, the potential cumulative disturbance impact during construction phase would be acceptable. It is not expected that other concurrent projects would propose marina in the areas close to the TCE PDA, and therefore it is unlikely there will be cumulative impact from the marina marine traffic during operation phase.

9.13.1.17 The assessment has indicated that the potential temporary impacts on PTBMP from the present Project during construction phase would not be severe and additional measures have been recommended to protect its functions as CWD habitats, while the potential impacts in operational phase would not be significant. As such, the functions and quality of PTBMP would not be affected by the present Project.

9.13.1.18 The residual loss on terrestrial ecology would be habitats of low ecological value. Adverse residual terrestrial impact is not anticipated from the present Project. Permanent loss of about 145 ha of marine habitats of low CWD use and low ecological importance would constitute the residual marine habitat loss impact, with the implementation of mitigation measures, impacts from the present Project on dolphins is not likely, and the residual impact is considered acceptable. The operational phase hydrodynamic modelling works has also taken into account concurrent projects, and the results indicated no significant water quality impact during the operational phase is anticipated. Adverse residual marine impact is not anticipated from the present Project.

9.14 References

· Ades, G.W.J. 1999. The species composition, distribution and population size of Hong Kong bats. Memoirs of the Hong Kong Natural History Society 22: 183-209.

· AECOM 2009. Agreement No. CE 52/2007 (HY) Tuen Mun – Chek Lap Kok Link – Investigation (EIA Register No: AEIAR-174/2009).

· AECOM 2014. Agreement No. CE 14/2013 (CE) Cumulative Environmental Impact Assessment Study for the Three Potential Nearshore Reclamation Site in the Western Waters of Hong Kong – Investigation: Executive Summary.

· AFCD. 2006. Marine Conservation: http://www.afcd.gov.hk/english/conservation/con_mar/con_mar_hor/con_mar_hor.html

· AFCD. 2007-2011. Flora of Hong Kong. Volume 1-4. AFCD.

· AFCD 2010. The Proposed Action Plan for theConservation of Butterflies in Hong Kong. NCSC paper 3/10.

· AFCD. 2011. The Proposed Action Plan for the Conservation of Freshwater Fish in Hong Kong. NCSC paper 1/2011.

· AFCD. 2015. AFCD Website Last Review Date : September 2015

· Anon, 2012. Summer 2012 Report: Egretry Counts in Hong Kong with particular reference to the Mai Po Inner Deep Bay Ramsar Site. Report by The Hong Kong Bird Watching Society to the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government.

· Anon, 2013. Summer 2013 Report: Egretry Counts in Hong Kong with particular reference to the Mai Po Inner Deep Bay Ramsar Site. Report by The Hong Kong Bird Watching Society to the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government.

· Anon, 2014. Summer 2014 Report: Egretry Counts in Hong Kong with particular reference to the Mai Po Inner Deep Bay Ramsar Site. Report by The Hong Kong Bird Watching Society to the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government.

· Arup 2005, Agreement No. CE 23/2004 (CE) Lantau Logistics Park Development – Feasibility Study: Engineering Feasibility Study Report.

· Arup 2009a. Hong Kong - Zhuhai - Macao Bridge Hong Kong Boundary Crossing Facilities (EIA Register No: AEIAR-145/2009)

· Arup 2009b. Hong Kong - Zhuhai - Macao Bridge Hong Kong Link Road (EIA Register No: AEIAR-144/2009)

· Bascombe, M.J., Johnston G. and Bascombe F.S. 1999. The Butterflies of Hong Kong. Academic Press.

· Black & Veatch. 2005. Proposed Extension of Public Golf Course at Kau Sai Chau Island, Sai Kung – Final EIA Report. The Hong Kong Jockey Club, Hong Kong.

· Bradley, M. 1975. A study and analysis of man-made navigational hazards to birds in the vicinity of Richmond, Indiana. Earlham College, Richmond, Ind. Unpubl. report.

· Carey, G.J., Chalmers, M.L., Diskin, D.A., Kennerley, P.R., Leader, P.J., Leven, M.R., Lewthwaite, R. W., Melville, D.S., Turnbull, M. and Young, L. 2001. The Avifauna of Hong Kong. Hong Kong Bird Watching Society, Hong Kong.

· Carey, G.J., Lewthwaite, R.W., Allcock, J.A. and Yu, Y.T. 2009. Systematic List 2003-04. Hong Kong Bird Report 2003-04: 13-156.

· Carey, G.J., Yu, Y.T., Lewthwaite, R.W., Holmes, J. and Allcock, J.A.. 2010. Systematic List 2005-06. Hong Kong Bird Report 2007-08: 13-170.

· Carey, G.J., Yu, Y.T., Lewthwaite, R.W., Holmes, J., Allcock, J.A. and Welch, G. 2011. Systematic List 2007-08. Hong Kong Bird Report 2005-06: 30-201.

· Chan, K.F., Cheung, K.S., Ho, C.Y., Lam, F.N. and Tang W.S. 2005. A Field Guide to the Amphibians of Hong Kong. Agriculture, fisheries and Conservation Department, Hong Kong.

· Chan, K.F., Cheung, K.S., Ho, C.Y., Lam, F.N. and Tang W.S. 2006. A Field Guide to the Venomous Land Snakes of Hong Kong. Agriculture, fisheries and Conservation Department, Hong Kong.

· Chan, R.H.S., Chau, W.K., Cheung, W.K., Chow, S.M., Ho, J.S.C., Kan, J.S.C., Lau, S.W.H. and Ng, E.K.L. 2012. Encyclopedia of Hong Kong Butterflies – Search for Butterflies. Hong Kong Lepidopterists’ Society Ltd.

· CCPC 2002. Marine Benthic Communities in Hong Kong. Centre for Coastal Pollution and Conservation, City University of Hong Kong. Prepared for Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department.

· China State Construction Engineering (Hong Kong) (CSCE) 2012, 2013, 2014. Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Hong Kong Link Road, Section between Scenic Hill and Hong Kong Boundary Crossing Facilities. EM&A Reports.

· Chong, D.H. and Dudgeon, D. 1992. Hong Kong stream fishes: an annotated checklist with remarks on conservation status. Memoirs of the Hong Kong Natural History Society 19: 79.112.Fellowes, J.R., Lau, M.W.N., Dudgeon, D., Reels, G.T., Ades, G.W.J., Carey, G.J., Chan, B.P.L., Kendrick, R.C., Lee, K.S., Leven, M.R., Wilson, K.D.P. and Yu, Y.T. 2002. Wild animals to watch: Terrestrial and freshwater fauna of conservation concern in Hong Kong. Memoirs of the Hong Kong Natural History Society 25: 123-159.

· Chu, W. H. 1998. Conservation of Terrestrial Biodiversity in Hong Kong. M. Phil. thesis, The University of Hong Kong.

· CSIS. 2009. China Species Information System Red List (www.baohu.org). Downloaded on 16 January 2009.

· Dudgeon, D. 1993. Hong Kong’s vanishing freshwater fishes. Porcupine! 4 (Jan/Feb. 1993): 1-3

· Fellowes, J.R., Lau, M.W.N., Dudgeon, D., Reels, G.T., Ades, G.W.J., Carey, G.J., Chan, B.P.L., Kendrick, R.C., Lee, K.S., Leven, M.R., Wilson, K.D.P. and Yu, Y.T. 2002. Wild animals to watch: terrestrial and freshwater fauna of conservation concern in Hong Kong. Memoirs of the Hong Kong Natural History Society 25, 123-159.

· Gao, W. 2002. Ecology of Falcon Order in China. Science Press, Beijing.

· Green Power 2012. Press Release “The First Systematic Seahorse and Pipefish Survey in Hong Kong”.

· Green Power. 2012. Report on Odonata Survey in Tung Chung River Basin.

· Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden. 2013. Ecological and Conservation Importance of Tung Chung, Lantau. Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

· Hong Kong Baptist University Science Consultancy Limited (HKBUSCL) 2013. Provision of Service for Study on Benthic Fauna in Mangrove Forest and Gei Wai of Mai Po and Inner Deep Bay Ramsar Site. Prepared for Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government.

· Hung, S.K.Y. 2008. Monitoring of Marine Mammals in Hong Kong waters – data collection: Final report (10 April 2007 to 9 April 2008).

· Hung, S.K.Y. 2015. Monitoring of Marine Mammals in Hong Kong Waters (2014-2015) Final Report (1 April 2014 to 31 march 2015).

· IUCN 2015. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2015-3. http://www.iucnredlist.org

· Jaroslow, B. N. 1979. A review of factors involved in bird-tower kills, and mitigative procedures. Pages 469-473 in G. A. Swanson (tech. coord.) The Mitigation Symposium: a National Workshop on Mitigating Losses of Fish and Wildlife Habitats. U. S. For. Serv. Gen. Tech. Rep.

· Jefferson, T.A. and Rosenbaum H.C. 2014. Taxonomic revision of the humpback dolphins (Sousa spp.), and description of a new species from Australia. Marine Mammal Science 30: 1494-1541

· Karsen, S. J., Lau, M. W. N. and Bogadek, A. 1986. Hong Kong Amphibians and Reptiles. First Edition. Provisional Urban Council, Hong Kong.

· Karsen, S. J., Lau, M. W. N. and Bogadek, A. 1998. Hong Kong Amphibians and Reptiles. Second Edition. Provisional Urban Council, Hong Kong

· Klem, D. Jr. 2009. Preventing Bird-Window Collisions. The Wilson Journal of Ornithology 121(2):314–321.

· Lai, V.C.S., Lui, H.T.H. and Fong, T.C.W. 2006.Hard Shore Organisms - Rocky Shore and Boulder Shore. HK Discovery Limited, Hong Kong.

· Lai, Patrick, 2001: Some brief notes on Ligustrum punctifolium M. C. Chang. Porcupine No. 23: 19.20.

· Lau, W.N.M. 1998. Habitat use by Hong Kong amphibians, with special reference to the ecology and conservation of Philautus romeri. University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.

· Lau, M. 2005. The South China Cascade Frog, Amolops ricketti, found in Hong Kong. Porcupine! 32, 8.

· Lee L.F., Lam S.K.S., Ng F.K.Y., Chan T.K.T. and Young M.L.C. 2004. Field Guide to the Freshwater Fish of Hong Kong. Friends of the Country Parks, Hong Kong.

· Lee, W.H., Wong, E.Y.H., Chow, G.K.L. and Lai, P.C.C. 2007. Review of Egretries in Hong Kong. Hong Kong Biodiversity 14: 1-6.

· Leung, S.F. 1999. The species composition of penaeid prawns in the north-western waters of Hong Kong. In Lee, S.Y. (ed.), The Mangrove Ecosystem of Deep Bay and the Mai Po Marshes, Hong Kong. Hong Kong University Press, Hong Kong.

· Leung, S.F., Lee, E.H.K., Wong, C.K.F. and Cheung A.P.L. 2004. Commercial Crustaceans in Hong Kong. Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, Hong Kong.

· Li, C.C., Xiao, Z. and Liu, X.Y. Amphibians and Reptiles of Guangdong. Guangdong Science Press, Guangdong.

· Lin, L.K. 2001. The distribution and conservation of bats in Hong Kong. Workshop on the status and conservation of Hong Kong's wild Animals and Plants. Wildlife Conservation Foundation. P.109.118.

· Lo, P.Y.F. 2005. Hong Kong Butterflies. Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, Hong. Kong.

· Macdonald, D. 1978. Blackcaps killed by striking window panes. British Birds 71(3): 132-133.

· Maunsell 2009. Tuen Mun - Chek Lap Kok Link (EIA Register No: AEIAR-146/2009)

· Mott Connell. 1999. Remaining Development in Tung Chung and Tai Ho Comprehensive Feasibility Study. Prepared for Territory Development Department.

· Mott Connell 2003. Ngong Ping Cable Car (EIA Register No : AEIAR-074/2003)

· Mott MacDonald 2014. Expansion of Hong Kong International Airport into a Three-Runway System - Environmental Impact Assessment Report (Final).

· Mouchel 2002. Tung Chung Road Improvement. (EIA Register No: AEIAR-061/2002)

· Nip, T.H.M. 2005. Ecology of fishes in mangrove and non-mangrove habitats in eastern Hong Kong. Unpublished M.Phil Thesis. The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.

· Ng S.L. and Leung S. 2003. Behavioral response of Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin (Sousa chinensis) to vessel traffic. Marine Environmental Research 56: 555-567

· Nip, T. 2011. First record of a goby from Hong Kong – Eugnathogobius polylepis. HK Wildlife Magazine 6, 48-49.

· Nip, T.H.M. and Cheng, H.T. 2012. Native freshwater catfishes of Hong Kong. HK Wildlife Magazine 7, 36-39.

· Ocean Park Conservation Foundation (OPCF). 2012. Summary for Seahorse Survey Project Report 2011 – 2012. Ocean Park Conservation Foundation, Hong Kong.

· Sadovy Y. and Cornish A.S. 2000. Reef Fishes of Hong Kong. Hong Kong University Press, Hong Kong.

· Shek, C.T. and Chan, C.S.M. 2006b. Survey on the Short-nosed Fruit Bat (Cynopterus sphinx短吻果蝠) in the Urban Areas of Hong Kong. Hong Kong Biodiversity 11: 8-10.

· Siu, G.L., 2000. Orchidaceae of Hong Kong. Memoirs of the Hong Kong Natural History Society 23: 137-147.

· Sutaria, D. and Jefferson, T.A. 2004. Records of Indo-Pacific jumpback dolphins (Sousa chinensis, Osbeck, 1765) along the coasts of India and Sri Lanka: An overview. Aquatic Mammals 30: 125-136

· Tai, K.K. 2005. Ecological Status and Conservation Value of Soft Shore Habitats in Hong Kong. MPhil Thesis, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.

· Tam, T.W., Leung, K.S., Kwan, B.S.P., Wu, K.K.Y., Tang, S.S.H., So, I.W.Y., Cheng, J.C.Y., Yuen, E.F.M., Tsang, Y.M. and Hui, W.L. 2011. Field Guide to the Dragonflies of Hong Kong. Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, Hong Kong.

· Tang, W.S. 2010. A Note on the Cascade Frogs of Hong Kong. Hong Kong Biodiversity 19: 17-20.

· Turnbull, M., Carey, G., Lewthwaite, R. and Yu, Y.T. 2007. Systematic List 2001-02. Hong Kong Bird Report 2001-02: 20-154.

· Turnbull, M., Carey, G., Lewthwaite, R., Yu, Y.T., Kilburn, E.M.S. and Leader, P.J. 2004. Systematic List 1999.2000. Hong Kong Bird Report 1999.2000: 20-154.

· Vance, D.J. 1999. Distribution of shrimp and fish associated with the mangrove forest of Mai Po Marshes Nature Reserve, Hong Kong. In Lee, S.Y. (ed.), The Mangrove Ecosystem of Deep Bay and the Mai Po Marshes, Hong Kong. Hong Kong University Press, Hong Kong.

· Wu, H. and Zhong, J. (eds.) 2008. Fauna Sinica, Ostichthyes, Perciformes (V), Gobioidei. Science Press, Beijing, China.

· Wu, S. H. and Lee T. C. 2000.  Pteridophytes of Hong Kong.  Memoirs of the Hong Kong Natural History Society: 23:5-20.

· Xing, F.W., Ng, S.C., Chau, L.K.C. 2000. Gymnosperms and angiosperms of Hong Kong. Memoirs of the Hong Kong Natural History Society 23: 21-136.

· Yip P. and Noffke C. 2014. Lantau – Hong Kong’s Jewel – A Biodiversity Study of Lantau.

· Yiu, V. 2004. Field Guide to Butterfly Watching in Hong Kong. Hong Kong Lepidopterist’s Society, Hong Kong

· Young, L. and M. W. Cha. 1995. The history and status of egretries in Hong Kong with notes on those in the Pearl River delta, Guangdong, China. Hong Kong Bird Report 1994: 196-215.

· Young, J.J. and Reels, G.T. 1998. A brief note on the distribution and conservation of Birdwing butterflies in Hong Kong. Porcupine 17: 10.

· Walthew, G. 1997. The status and flight periods of Hong Kong butterflies. Porcupine 16: 34-37.

· Wang, S. 1998. China Red Data Book of Endangered Animals: Avifauna. Science Press, Beijing.

· 莊詩玲，單家驊。e Press, Bei.