HKFYG Services June 2021∣Youth Hong Kong
Loving nature At HKFYG’s Tai Mei Tuk Outdoor Activities Centre near the largest reservoir in Hong Kong at Plover Cove, groups of adventurous young people aged 14 upwards find out about some of Hong Kong’s amazing natural heritage. Mangrove Kayaking in Tolo Harbour A canoeing expedition that visits mangrove beds ( 紅樹林及淺灘生態 導賞 ) along the coast involves finding out about the plant’s intriguing ecosystem. It protects the coastline from wave erosion and not long ago, New Territories villagers used mangrove wood for fuel to cook. Mangroves are highly productive and contribute greatly to food chains in coastal waters. They provide habitats and feeding grounds for many species of birds, crustaceans and marine fauna, but in Hong Kong they are disappearing. Still to be found in inter-tidal wetlands along the Hong Kong coast, their resources have been sadly depleted in recent decades as a result of reclamation and infrastructural development. Those that remain are to be treasured.
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“Paddling among the mangroves was a very special experience. The plants need to be protected before they disappear.”
