Conservation in Hong Kong

Out of the total 1,092 km2 of land in Hong Kong, three-quarters is countryside, with various landscapes including beaches, woodlands, and mountain ranges being found within the small territory.The Agriculture, Fisheries, and Conservation Department (AFCD) manages the parks and is responsible for tree planting, litter collection, fire fighting, development control, and recreation and education facilities.[citation needed] Park facilities provided in recreational sites include tables and benches, barbecue pits, litter bins, children's play equipment, shelters, campsites, and toilets.Aberdeen, Plover Cove, Sai Kung, Clear Water Bay, Shing Mun, and Tai Mo Shan have established six visitor centers.Furthermore, community-involved conservation programs such as the Corporate Afforestation Scheme, School Visit Programme, Guided Walks, and many other voluntary services have been organized.[citation needed] The parks and the special areas contain various vegetation, including native and introduced tree species such as camphor laurel (Cinnamomum camphora), Machilus, Schima, Acacia, slash pine, and Brisbane box.There are also animals such as barking deer, rhesus macaques, long-tailed macaques, wild boar, civet, pangolin, Chinese porcupine, and squirrel; birds such as the greater coucal, great barbet, Chinese bulbul, crested mynah, spotted dove and black-eared kite; and a large variety of insects and about 240 species of butterflies.The Tai Po Kau Special Area is a nature reserve and caters to those who wish to study tree, plant, bird, and insect life and provide pleasant and interesting walks.This is Hong Kong's best site for forest birding, with species including chestnut bulbul, scarlet and grey-throated minivets, orange-bellied leafbird, fork-tailed sunbird, and scarlet-backed flowerpecker.A number of management centres have been established in strategic locations within the Country Parks from which construction, maintenance and protection services are provided.[2] Earlier in 2018, when the proposal was discussed, the Liber Research Community found almost 730 hectares of available land on brownfield sites, which would negate the need to build housing in country parks.About 38 percent of land in Hong Kong has been designated as country parks and special areas which provide statutory protection for the habitats of our diverse flora and fauna.For example, San Chau and Ngong Ping at Lantau have been listed as SSSIs in recognition of the largest population of Rhododendron champion and Romer's Tree Frog (Philautus Romero) in Hong Kong, respectively.The wide varieties of local habitats, including wetlands, grasslands, woodlands, seashores, and farmlands, contribute to the diversity of the birds.The nesting site of Green Turtles at Sham Wan of Lamma Island was designated a restricted area in 1999 to protect the species during the breeding season.A site that supports the largest population of the Romer's Tree Frog – part of Ngong Ping on Lantau Island was also designated as SSSI in May 1999.Of an estimated 1,800 species of fish on the South China continental shelf, clupeoids, croakers, and sea breams are the dominant groups in Hong Kong waters.