In addition to the potential threat of H5N1, the local public have also been alarmed by the Red Imported Fire Ants (RIFA), an invasive species first sighted at the Hong Kong Wetland Park in Tin Shui Wai and were also found later in some other new planting areas in the New Territories. On the heels of its detection, the Department provided technical support for the control and specimen identification of RIFA. Inspection of plants imported from the Mainland was stepped up. Experts' meetings were convened to give advice on RIFA control.
Minimal intrusion to the environment is at the heart of organic farming. The Department has helped farmers move away from pesticides, fertilizers and genetically engineered materials, while providing them with the knowledge, technical support as well as low-interest loans to convert their cultivation processes. Over the past five years, 38 farms covering some 19 hectares have participated in the scheme, producing approximately two tonnes of organic vegetables each day. We actively support the development of certification standards for organic production and processing , and are delighted that proper standards devised by the Hong Kong Organic Resource Centre were formally launched in December 2004.
We are equally active in enhancing Hong Kong's fisheries resources. Back in 1996, the Department began the implementation of an artificial reef programme which, as of 2005, has deployed 165,570 sq. metres of artificial reefs. Our monitoring results show that such projects help promote biodiversity and are an effective resource enhancement device.
On occasion, we encounter a splash of excitement. The latest surprise was the Shan Pui River crocodile, first spotted in November 2003. Early attempts to capture the evasive reptile by Australian and Mainland experts ended in failure. It was more than seven months later, in June 2004, that the creature was finally trapped in a snare designed by the Department. Nicknamed "Pui Pui", the beloved reptile is being kept at the Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden pending eventual transfer to its permanent home in the Hong Kong Wetland Park.
On a more serious note, the Department has established an ecological database since 2002. More than 35,000 records of approximately 1,500 species of plants and animals have been compiled, verified and stored for internal reference. The data has allowed us to put together a preliminary assessment of sites and species that hold particular ecological significance. In an effort to generate public interest in biodiversity and the need for nature conservation, we have created an internet database for public access. A more comprehensive systematic database is being planned to incorporate information from all sources.
Similar ecological monitoring efforts have been devoted to the Hong Kong Wetland Park, which will be fully opened in early 2006. Over the past years, our staff has recorded more than 160 types of birds at the site, including some rare species.
Along with conservation, restoration is an important element of the Department's makeup. The destruction of the Tung Chung stream in 2003 by an unscrupulous contractor who was later convicted in court, led the Department and other relevant parties scrambling to action. Following completion of recovery work in mid-April 2004, we have followed up with a two-year monitoring programme, closely examining the ecological progress of the reinstated area.
We believe the best way to avoid any ecological destruction is through education. Working in partnership with Friends of the Country Parks, the Department has produced a series of books for various age groups. Between 2003 and 2005, more than 30 titles with various nature-related topics were published along with an additional 15 children's books, all receiving positive responses.
These achievements, recorded in the ensuing chapters, were the results of the hard work of our staff and the cooperation of other government departments, international agencies and partners, for whom the Department is truly grateful.
Thomas C.Y. Chan
Director of Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation
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